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	<title>Inland Empire Archives - RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</title>
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		<title>Interview: Meet E.G. Young</title>
		<link>https://respect-mag.com/2015/07/interview-meet-e-g-young/</link>
					<comments>https://respect-mag.com/2015/07/interview-meet-e-g-young/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[TJ Mroz]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2015 15:49:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[E.G. Young]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[eg young]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[The Masterpiece]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://respect-mag.com/?p=101291</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>  We recently sat down with E.G. Young this week and was given the opportunity to interview the newly emerging Southern Californian MC. Instead of focusing on just one project, or issue, we wanted our readers to meet EG Young for the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2015/07/interview-meet-e-g-young/">Interview: Meet E.G. Young</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<div> <a href="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/vumvyxEz.jpeg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="101365" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2015/07/interview-meet-e-g-young/vumvyxez/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/vumvyxEz.jpeg?fit=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="400,400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="vumvyxEz" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/vumvyxEz.jpeg?fit=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/vumvyxEz.jpeg?fit=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1" class=" size-full wp-image-101365 aligncenter" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/vumvyxEz.jpeg?resize=400%2C400" alt="vumvyxEz" width="400" height="400" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></div>
<div></div>
<p>We recently sat down with <strong>E.G. Young</strong> this week and was given the opportunity to interview the newly emerging Southern Californian MC. Instead of focusing on just one project, or issue, we wanted our readers to meet EG Young for the first time, and get to know the man behind the mic, not just the most popular track on his YouTube channel. Born Geivon Cisneros in La Mirada, California, E.G. Young is a rapper and producer who can also hold a note on his own hooks. E.G. has been in the game since 2011 and is keeping the hype present with the recent release of his first free album, <em>The Masterpiece</em>. Accompanied by a tour, E.G. is quickly expanding his horizons in the Hip-Hop world and looks to further establish himself moving forward. E.G. Young is also a verified MTV artist and a student to The Avila Brothers, who are Grammy Award winning producers.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Style:</strong> An artist’s style and look is paramount to his or her first impression. Often, an artist’s choice on how they visually express themselves can be the difference between an intrigued fan, and an alienated hater. E.G. let’s us in on his thread game…</p>
</div>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: An artist’s name is one of the most crucial components to their total essence. Where did the name E.G. Young come from?</strong></p>
<div>
<p><strong>E.G. Young: </strong>“E.G. are initials. The E stands for Estilo, which means Style in Spanish and the G is my initial from my first name Geivon and Young was added because I was always the youngest person sitting in meetings or studio sessions. They always say “who’s this kid?” due to my baby face [haha]…”</p>
</div>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: Do you have any inspirations for your look? Or is EG Young the master of his own wardrobe?</strong></p>
<div>
<p><strong>E.G. Young: </strong>“I like to keep it simple most of the time, Jordan&#8217;s, Jeans and a regular fitted t shirt. I don&#8217;t like all that flashy custom stuff. It’s just not me. But depending on the occasion I will pull out the bow-ties and slacks.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: Hip-Hop is home to so many unique fashion icons. Whose style/look do you admire most in hip-op right now?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young: </strong>“In hip hop not really a lot because I’m a simple type dude, but in music I would say Michael Jackson of course. I love and respect what he did with his style.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: Is there any trend right now you just don&#8217;t mess with?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young: </strong>“I don&#8217;t do the whole dance-trendy-songs. It may work for those artist for one hit, but that’s it. So you won’t ever see me make a song based entirely on a dance.”</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fwSC7P15sG4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>The Man behind the Mic: </strong>As an artist begins to transform him or herself into the persona they feel best represents what they’re trying to do, it’s important to gain an understanding of the human being behind it all. Here, E.G. Young opens up about his personal life…</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: </strong><strong>As you continue to devote a lot of your time to your career and develop as an artist, what keeps you centered and grounded?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “First GOD. That’s for sure. My core fans &amp; supporters help me stay humble, especially all of my people from my hometown, Inland Empire. They give me a lot of props and acknowledgment for putting on for our cities and that alone is overwhelming for me to the heart because it reminds me of when decided to do music I never had someone tell me, &#8220;Hey good job&#8221; or anything positive in general. In fact there was a time my own parents said I’m wasting my time in music.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: </strong>At what moment did you know that a career in music was the path for you?</p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “The moment i heard my voice recorded on a Panasonic tape player over some random instrumental, I thought it was the most amazing thing ever [haha]…”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: What’s one thing fans wouldn&#8217;t be able to guess about you?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> &#8220;That I write, arrange, and produce all of my music like a mini Kanye West. You know he does it all.</p>
<p>Also that I am heavily involved on the business side of music, not just a &#8216;Rapper.'&#8221;</p>
</div>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: You represent your hometown “the IE” rather heavily, where is this and what does IE stand for?</strong></p>
<div>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “IE is for Inland Empire and it’s about 40 minutes from LA and San Diego. I take pride from the area I was raised in. I was raised in several cities throughout the Inland Empire and went to 3 different high schools so represent it as a whole. I have love for all my cities, San Bernardino handling business with my bro Lil Tyson down to Perris which is where i graduated from. Class of 08 baby, lol. The people really support me and I take pride in the position they place me in representing the IE properly. It’s all a blessing.”</p>
</div>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: With traveling and touring now a part of your schedule, has it weakened or strengthened your food game?</strong></p>
<div>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “First of all, I love food! Anyone that knows me or follows me on social media can confirm this [haha]. I learned to balance time and meal prep, and also visit my favorite healthy food spots while being on the road. I definitely stay away from fast food places.”<br />
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kpg11TU0G28" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
</div>
<p><strong>MUSIC: </strong>After getting to know E.G. Young, here he talks his sound, albums, features and the future of his career…</p>
<div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: How would you describe your sound to someone unfamiliar with hip-hop?</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong>“Melodic flows with an actual concept or message in the music.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: What’s your favorite song by yourself and why?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “Man&#8230;This is a tough one. Honestly depends on the mood I’m in but I will tell you I am very excited about my upcoming release with my first major feature. I believe this is my best work yet. You will have to stay tuned with me I can’t say details yet on that.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: What’s your favorite album of 2015 so far? Are you still waiting for it to drop?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “It would have to be, <em>If Your Reading This It’s Too Late</em> by <strong>Drake</strong>, <em>X</em> by <strong>Ed Sheeren</strong> and also <strong>Sam Smith</strong> in <em>The Lonely Hour.”</em></p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: With the recent success and release of your recent mixtape <em>Masterpiece</em>, whats next for E.G. Young?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong>: “Well I’m always writing and recording new music so eventually ill gather them up and release another project but my main focus is this new record I mentioned featuring my first collaboration with a major artist. I have a whole team behind me now and ready to push in what I plan to be my breakthrough record.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: As a producer as well as an artist, how involved are you in the production of your own music? Do you produce for other artists?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “I’m involved from beginning to end on all my music. Writing, musical arrangement even to mixing and mastering. Yes, I produce for other artist as well, I’m excited about the most recent record I helped write &amp; produce by London. A female singer I work very close with under my Hustle Division movement. That record will be releasing end of summer. I&#8217;m also featured on it. So be on the lookout for that.”</p>
</div>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: Is there a system in the way you release your music, or do you simply release what you want, when you want?</strong></p>
<div>
<p><strong>E.G. Young: </strong>“Yes, I set a whole blueprint out months before and create a campaign start raising awareness of the record and do a countdown till the day of release.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: What are you trying to do or say with your music? Is there a specific message or end game?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong>“I simply want to INSPIRE the people. I want to show everyone anything is truly possible especially coming from NOTHING with no support or financial backing I want help people understand that whatever your dream or passion may be, go pursue it and become it. No excuses at all. Music changed my life, it was the only thing there for me in my darkest times of life. I hope to possibly do the same for people out there with my music.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.: </strong><strong>What separates you from others in your peer group trying to widen their exposure?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young: </strong>“That I actually have something to say in my music rather than a trend or typical I got money and girls crap. I’m not basic. I love what I do and passionate about it.”</p>
<p><strong>RESPECT.:</strong><strong>What’s one component of your creative process unique from the average rapper?</strong></p>
<p><strong>E.G. Young:</strong> “I have developed an ear to music and what sounds sonically correct and feels right thanks to my mentors like Bobby Ross Avila, Joe Alfaro &amp; ODM. They really spent time with me helping better my craft as a whole. I came into the music game only knowing how to do basic raps. Now I can literally due it all and I’m really good at it.”</p>
</div>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CNlUw62wXrs" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>After interviewing E.G. Young, its clear why so many fans support his movement. His honesty, work ethic and natural musical talent are the exact characteristics that will eventually carry him into the next tier of hip-hop artists. Considering the fact he&#8217;s already verified with MTV and has a major feature in the works, this progression into an established and well-recognized career in Hip-Hop could be a lot sooner than people think. Check out his website and YouTube channel (links below) for more music, news and announcements from E.G. Young. This man is not to be slept on.</p>
</div>
<p>YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnHxi776HxxFkM6hF8n5efQ">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnHxi776HxxFkM6hF8n5efQ</a></p>
<p>Website: <a href="http://egyoungmusic.com/">http://egyoungmusic.com/</a></p>
<div></div>
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<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2015/07/interview-meet-e-g-young/">Interview: Meet E.G. Young</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
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		<title>New Video: Fitz Taylor &#8211; &#8220;6 In The Morning&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://respect-mag.com/2015/06/new-video-fitz-taylor-6-in-the-morning/</link>
					<comments>https://respect-mag.com/2015/06/new-video-fitz-taylor-6-in-the-morning/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[RESPECT. Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2015 17:33:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Videos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[6 in the morning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bay native]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[California]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://respect-mag.com/?p=100268</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Inland Empire, or California for those of you who are less aware, is not a place where you would find a rising hip-hop star. However, you would if that was the place that raised you right ? Making his way [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2015/06/new-video-fitz-taylor-6-in-the-morning/">New Video: Fitz Taylor &#8211; &#8220;6 In The Morning&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f8z3-_MrI-o" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><br />
Inland Empire, or California for those of you who are less aware, is not a place where you would find a rising hip-hop star. However, you would if that was the place that raised you right ? Making his way into the national scene with a new visual for his single &#8216;<strong>6 In The Morning</strong>&#8216; is Cali native resident emcee <strong>Fitz Taylor</strong> who has gained steam through each release. With AD ThePen on the secondary verse, listen as Fitz lays some serious bars over production from <em>Marly Bugotti</em>.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2015/06/new-video-fitz-taylor-6-in-the-morning/">New Video: Fitz Taylor &#8211; &#8220;6 In The Morning&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
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		<title>Jerks No Longer: Audio Push Puts On For The 909 In The Big Apple</title>
		<link>https://respect-mag.com/2013/12/audio-push-puts-on-for-the-909-in-the-big-apple/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[RESPECT. Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Dec 2013 14:53:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Concerts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editorial/Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Audio Push]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Beyonce]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Kanye West]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Nem Perez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oktane]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Price]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rey Reel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S. Dot]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[SOB's]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Who's Next]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://respect-mag.com/?p=70558</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;If this is the first thing you&#8217;re hearing, dammit you&#8217;re already late.&#8221; You may or may not have heard of Audio Push, but they are far from new to the scene. Their latest project, Come As You Are is a [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2013/12/audio-push-puts-on-for-the-909-in-the-big-apple/">Jerks No Longer: Audio Push Puts On For The 909 In The Big Apple</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://respect-mag.com/audio-push-puts-on-for-the-909-in-the-big-apple/181a5034-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-70561"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="70561" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2013/12/audio-push-puts-on-for-the-909-in-the-big-apple/181a5034-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/181A5034-2.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="800,533" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark III&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1385769618&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2000&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="181A5034-2" data-image-description="&lt;p&gt;Audio Push &lt;/p&gt;
" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/181A5034-2.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/181A5034-2.jpg?fit=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1" class="size-large wp-image-70561 aligncenter" title="Audio Push Live" alt="Audio Push Live Concert" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/181A5034-2-640x426.jpg?resize=640%2C426" width="640" height="426" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a> &#8220;If this is the first thing you&#8217;re hearing, dammit you&#8217;re already late.&#8221; You may or may not have heard of <strong>Audio Push</strong>, but they are far from new to the scene. Their latest project, <strong><em>Come As You Are</em></strong> is a rebirth for the duo. <strong>Oktane</strong> and <strong>Price</strong>, from Inland Empire, California, are solidifying themselves as who&#8217;s next in hip-hop and on their last stop of their <strong><em>Come As You Are</em></strong> tour they proved that they&#8217;re next in line.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Performing at the legendary SOB&#8217;s for the Hot 97 Who&#8217;s Next series, the talented duo represented for <strong>HS87</strong>, <strong>Hit-Boy</strong>&#8216;s record label, and brought everything they had to the stage. Their energy was magnetic and electric, riveting the crowd as well as themselves. They were totally in sync with another, and seemed to be enjoying every minute of it. They were grateful to be on the East Coast, and getting love for their music. They performed a variety of tracks from <strong><em>Come As You Are</em> </strong>including &#8220;Turn Down,&#8221; Theme Song,&#8221; and the fan favorite &#8220;Shine.&#8221; <strong>Hit-Boy</strong> himself even joined them on stage to perform &#8220;Block Party&#8221; and his new single &#8220;Alert,&#8221; featuring <strong>Nipsey Hussle</strong>. They captivated the crowd and by the end of their set they had everyone hooked. We got a chance to kick it with them before the show to talk about the mixtape, and to see what&#8217;s next for the shining stars.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">**********************************************************************************************</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Lets talk about the cover of the mixtape. What is the meaning behind the cover?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price:</strong> Honestly it’s just a dope visual. We wanted to shoot something that would look like it would be a picture forever. Something you could see in a thrift store forever. It looked like it could be a vinyl, and that’s what we were trying to go for. It has texture, and just looks like a classic picture.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Where were you guys when you shot it?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: I think we were in like Tennessee. We were on the <strong>Wayne</strong> tour in a random ass city, and we were just walking, and looking at the scenery and we were just like, &#8220;Yo, we should do a shoot right here.&#8221; And we got the camera, and just did it. And it ended up being the album cover.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>So you had no idea at the time?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong></strong>Price: Nope, we had no idea.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Since this wasn&#8217;t your first mixtape  did you guys feel like you really needed to reestablish yourselves with this one</strong>?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: Definitely. The prior tapes were more when we were young. With this project we felt like we found ourselves. We got older, and we just tapped into a different place with our music. We made this whole album while we were on tour and it was just dope. We just found ourselves, and locked into our sound.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>So I know you guys recorded this while you were on tour with Lil Wayne, and it seems like every track has its own theme. Was it something that happened intentionally or did it just organically happen that way?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: It kind of just organically happened that way. Either he would have an idea, or I would have an idea, or the beat and it was just all organic and it came together as one thing. It was just different times, different situations, and us just vibing with it.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Lets talk about this lyric on &#8220;Come As You Are,&#8221; Oktane:</strong></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;Huh, the game done changed, cause it&#8217;s like So many people try to be Hov in fear of being Dame/That these New Boys wings get Clipse by the new Young Guns of the game/So don&#8217;t Kriss Cross my words nigga, you don&#8217;t hear this from California/So I guess were just OutKast, can you smell the Stankonia.&#8221; </strong></p></blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: I know for a fact that line goes over peoples head. I put like all the duos names basically in a rap, and I don’t think people even caught that so that was like something clever. That was actually one of the few times where I’ll go back on a verse and switch it cuz I usually just like to catch whatever the moment was. The good, bad, and the ugly of the moment. That was actually something where I wanted the verse to be super perfect, so I went back and switched that line and I remember being on tour recording it.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EeWa-whSRYc?feature=player_embedded" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Now talking about duos, there are a lot of great duos from Outkast to Mobb Deep to Clipse. There are so many, but few get to be as famous as those I just mentioned. Do you feel any type of pressure as a rap duo?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: No pressure at all we just wanna take the torch and keep it going.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: I feel like we the best. I know that no other group is able to perform like we can, and all around just do what we are able to do. We are starting young, I’m 23/24 so I know we gonna be the illest group to ever rap. Period. I feel like that.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>How has the  “Come As You Are Tour” been so far?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: This tour was dope just cuz it was our first one; it&#8217;s ours. It was small just on some fan appreciation shit. We got to really feel it out, and learn the ropes of a tour, and promoters. We’ve done other artists&#8217; tours, but for it to be ours, it was ill.  All the spots have been just genuine. It’s just genuine shows where we hop off stage and get in the crowd, talking to the people, kicking it with them after.  The reaction has been ill. Next year is gonna be way crazier. More cities, bigger venues.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>What is next after the tour? Are we working on the album?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: We’re always making music so yeah I would say that. We are also finishing up <strong>Hit-Boy’</strong>s album. His album is crazy. I wanna go see my family for Christmas so that’s what I’m doing , and then I&#8217;m getting in the studio with my pals. Making great music, and then we just gonna pace it. We gonna give you these visuals from this awesome piece of work.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Which visual is next?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: We’re shooting with J<strong>oey Bada$$</strong> for &#8220;Tis The Season&#8221; tomorrow. &#8220;Turn Down&#8221;, &#8220;Theme Song&#8221;, they are coming.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: We are probably gonna shoot videos for all the favorites, and since most of the songs are everybody&#8217;s favorite, we are prolly gonna shoot videos for all of them.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Is Nem Perez directing all of them?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: Most of them. He’s ill. He’s a part of <strong>Audio Push</strong>. He’s directing most of the videos and what he’s not directing the homie <strong>Peter Baltimore</strong> is gonna do it. We’re directing our own videos as well, like I’m writing treatments. I wrote two treatments so we working.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>The album seemed to have a heavy R&amp;B influence in the beginning, and slowly throughout the album, it progressively got more turned up. Was that something you guys intentionally set out to do?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: We for sure wanted to capture moods, and we wanted to try it on this album, and we were successful at it. We are gonna try that for all our albums. It’s just about capturing moods, and moments. We want you to get locked in, and just float with it. You just go through emotions with it. I’m crazy about R&amp;B, and we&#8217;re crazy about rap so we just fuseing it.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: It’s everything that we grew up on.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: It’s just the moments we feel you should be at so after you hear this, then now maybe we feel like you should be turned down.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: We don’t want you to just sit and listen to rap and beats. We want you to really feel something now.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: We putting it together on how we think you should feel, and how we feel it should be listened to .</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>What is your favorite song off the album?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: &#8220;Shine&#8221; is mine. I really love all the joints but &#8220;Shine&#8221; is my favorite. Creating it we just tapped into a whole different place. It just makes me feel different than any other song. Like you always get these special joints, well some people don’t even get some in their career but we were lucky and blessed enough to get a special record and &#8220;Shine&#8221; is that. And whether or not it sells millions of copies or whatever it does, it&#8217;s still special.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: Mine just changes everyday. Like right now I&#8217;m banging &#8220;Anything Goes&#8221; today. So for right now, me today it’s that but who knows.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lxp-Ub5E-ds?feature=player_detailpage" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Tell me about the &#8216;Shine&#8221; video.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: We shot that video in Chicago, and it was our easiest video ever shoot, hands down. It was the smoothest, and the quickest ran. We had never even met <strong>Nem Perez</strong> before or nothing, and we pulled up, shot the video, left and did a show on the <strong>Wayne</strong> tour. We had a show that night, and after that show we hopped on the bus and started finishing the album. We were going crazy all tour, and that was one of the longest days but it was so fun. All of the stars were aligning. We were in Chicago and it was sunny, and everyone thought we were in California and it was so perfect. It was a good time.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong> Is there any artist or producer you would like to work with? </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: For me I wanna work with <strong>Jeff Bhasker</strong>. He’s fucking ill. He did <strong>Kanye</strong>’s <strong><em>808’s and Heartbreak</em> </strong>and <strong>Fun</strong>’s album. He’s like super sick. I wanna work with him. He’s like the only producer I wanna work with cuz we kind of got that handled. I wanna work with <strong>Erykah Badu</strong>, <strong>Musiq Soulchild</strong> those kind of people cuz as far as rap is concerned I feel like its gonna happen in time.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: I gotta say people you wouldn’t really think of. I gotta say people like <strong>Daft Punk</strong> cuz I’m pretty sure that we are gonna rap with other rappers.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: Like I would love to do a song with<strong> Sade</strong>. That type of stuff doesn’t happen, but I&#8217;m just speaking to the universe. But we’ll see.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong> How do you guys feel to be representing for Inland Empire?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Price: Amazing. It feels awesome cuz if you go and do your research it is the biggest county in the world. It’s huge and we run it. We are really the first rappers from there. It&#8217;s an untapped area that we can rep and be proud of. It’s home for us that nobody else can call home, and we are making people happy to be from there and rep there.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>How does it feel being a part of Hit-Boys’s team?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: It’s dope cuz we’ve known him since we were super young. It feels like if you knew all your best friends, and they all ended up working together and traveling the world. I feel like everyday I’m just chilling with my homies. Last night it was crazy, like we walked into the studio and he was working with <strong>Mariah Carey</strong>. And It was just like surreal cuz these are our friends, our homies, with <strong>Mariah Carey</strong>. We just happen to get a check and we be with our homies. And <strong>Hit-Boy</strong> is the best producer on earth so its cool to be able to just go upstairs and get cool beats, the best beats.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: That’s really how it feels.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Is there ever times where you hear a Hit-Boy beat, and want to keep it for yourselves?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: All the time. There are definitely beats where he be like &#8220;nah I cant let that one go,&#8221; but If he does do that then I’ll be like well now you gotta go cook us up something.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: One thing a lot of people don’t know is that <strong>Hit-Boy</strong> doesn’t produce all of our music. <strong>Haze</strong> is incredible too. <strong>HS87</strong> is the home of the dopest producers. <strong>Rey Reel,</strong> <strong>S. Dot,</strong> <strong>Haze</strong>, They are all on <strong>Beyonce</strong>’s new album by the way. They got joints on there. That’s all <strong>HS87</strong>. We ain&#8217;t playing.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>So could you be doing making this kind of music anywhere else?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane:</strong> No. If It wasn’t with all of my friends, I don’t think so. We get the energy to make this music with people we are genuinely friends with.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: We go into the rooms with no ego. There is none of that. We are real homies, and we just keep it g with each other, and are honest with the music. None of us be lying. We don’t do no hoe ass shit. We don’t do wack stuff that other wack dudes do. We solid with each other.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: I was just saying this the other day like we don’t have normal clique problems.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Do you feel like people have been sleeping on you?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: A lot of people say like our timing wasn’t right, our sound wasn’t right but I always felt like we were the best. Like whatever we didn’t have, we made up for it in something else. When people are just catching on it&#8217;s like we been doing it for ten years. I don’t think people understand how long that is. I’m not new to this, he’s not new to this, <strong>Hit-Boy</strong>’s not new to this. None of us are new to this even though we are young.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: But they can sleep. If you late you late, but eventually you coming. They will be attending the <strong>Audio Push</strong> Academy. We letting the music speak, which is the best thing about it. We put this project out with no help, no push, no nothing but us and our team. Like our team meaning like our homies, and we just created the music, and put the music out and it’s speaking for itself. Everything has been organic, there is no label push. Let’s be clear: nothing.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: A lot of people think because we are signed to a label, that this is why this is here. This is because we decided to make this and put this out. A lot of people think <strong>Hit-Boy</strong> makes every beat and that’s so not true. A lot of people try to say a lot of things to discredit that this music is good. We are two kids that made a jerk song, and now we make good music. We are good period.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price</strong>: People are haters.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>So you don’t regret doing the jerk song?</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: No, were just the kids who showed up to high school naked. Everyone acts like that is the worst thing on planet earth. They want us to be embrassed by it, but we’re not. We liked it at the time.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price:</strong> We could never regret it. At that time jerking was the coolest thing ever. The same way you two-step and grind on a girl, we use to jerk. We made one song, but we went to Africa off that song, we traveled the world, and provided for our families as kids. That song was incredible, awesome. We are on a video game for that song, I could never regret it. That song gave us time to grow. We got to learn the game and become businessmen.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Oktane</strong>: Everyone having that bias just made us become so good that you can’t ignore it.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Price:</strong> Now we got this album that we put together, and cant nobody tell us shit.</p>
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<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2013/12/audio-push-puts-on-for-the-909-in-the-big-apple/">Jerks No Longer: Audio Push Puts On For The 909 In The Big Apple</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
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		<title>New Music: Blu &#8211; &#8220;Rap Dope&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://respect-mag.com/2012/09/new-music-blu-rap-dope/</link>
					<comments>https://respect-mag.com/2012/09/new-music-blu-rap-dope/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[RESPECT. Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:53:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[New Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bombay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inland Empire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap dope]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://respect-mag.com/?p=47612</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Blu has a knack for teaming up with new producers on each project, but constant quality is never sacrificed for variety. This time around the L.A. wordsmith linked up with Inland Empire producer, Bombay, on this track titled &#8220;Rap Dope.&#8221; [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/09/new-music-blu-rap-dope/">New Music: Blu &#8211; &#8220;Rap Dope&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://respect-mag.com/new-music-blu-rap-dope/rapdope/" rel="attachment wp-att-47613"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="47613" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/09/new-music-blu-rap-dope/rapdope/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rapdope.gif?fit=1400%2C1400&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1400,1400" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="rapdope" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rapdope.gif?fit=1400%2C1400&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rapdope.gif?fit=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-47613" title="rapdope" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rapdope-640x640.gif?resize=650%2C650" alt="" width="650" height="650" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Blu</strong> has a knack for teaming up with new producers on each project, but constant quality is never sacrificed for variety. This time around the L.A. wordsmith linked up with <strong>Inland Empire</strong> producer, <strong>Bombay</strong>, on this track titled &#8220;<strong>Rap Dope</strong>.&#8221; This cut comes from an upcoming project between the two, but unfortunately there have been no hints of a release date yet. Nonetheless a new release from the LA-bred artist is something worth noting, so take a listen to the first leak below.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F58413791&amp;show_artwork=true" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" width="100%" height="166"></iframe></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/09/new-music-blu-rap-dope/">New Music: Blu &#8211; &#8220;Rap Dope&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
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		<title>Interview With The HS87 Visual Weapon, Jelani Fresh</title>
		<link>https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/</link>
					<comments>https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[RESPECT. Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:58:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editorial/Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photography]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[africa through education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[big sean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GOOD music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hit-boy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hs87]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inland Empire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jay-Z Interview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jelani fresh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kanye West]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[photographer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pusha T]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://respect-mag.com/?p=46493</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Jelani Fresh is a self-taught, 26-year-old photographer and videographer part of HS87, Hit-Boy’s label. He was born and raised in San Bernardino, California, but moved to Fontane when he was 18 and has been there ever since. In fact, all [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/">Interview With The HS87 Visual Weapon, Jelani Fresh</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/old-school-caddy/" rel="attachment wp-att-46518"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="46518" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/old-school-caddy/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Old-School-Caddy.jpg?fit=1050%2C700&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="1050,700" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark II&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1342330559&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Old School Caddy" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Old-School-Caddy.jpg?fit=1050%2C700&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Old-School-Caddy.jpg?fit=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-46518" title="Old School Caddy" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Old-School-Caddy-640x426.jpg?resize=640%2C426" alt="" width="640" height="426" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.jelani-fresh.com/"><strong>Jelani Fresh</strong></a> is a self-taught, 26-year-old photographer and videographer part of <strong>HS87</strong>, <strong>Hit-Boy’s</strong> label. He was born and raised in San Bernardino, California, but moved to Fontane when he was 18 and has been there ever since. In fact, all of the HS87 members are from Inland Empire (I.E.), which is about an hour outside of Los Angeles. Mr. Fresh did the viral <em>“</em>Jay-Z Interview<em>”</em> video for Hit-Boy and has shot photos of many other artists. He’s not just limited to music, however. For example, he works with a nonprofit group called Africa Through Education (ATE) and earlier this year even went to Nigeria and South Africa to work with the children and document the trip for the foundation. Pretty much living the freelance life right now, Jelani is picking gigs as they come, but never not shooting. Keep reading to hear more about his start, how he got linked up with Hit-Boy, and more.</p>
<p><strong>Getting into Photo and Video</strong></p>
<p>I’ve had an interest in photography since I was young, but I never really had an idea to take it seriously. About five years ago a best friend of mine named Charles Marshall got killed. It was a month before my birthday and soon my parents were asking what I wanted as a present and that incident influenced me to ask for a camera. That was the first time I had a DSLR. I kind of would just take pictures of everything and over time I got better at it.</p>
<p>My first camera was a Canon 40D and I had that for about a year and a half. Then when the 5D came out, I saw that it recorded that high quality video and I wanted to make that transition and take a crack at it. I kind of just fell into it like a lot of other photographers have. That was around three years ago.</p>
<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/aap-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-46532"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="46532" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/aap-3/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/AAP1.png?fit=908%2C598&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="908,598" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="A$AP" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/AAP1.png?fit=908%2C598&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/AAP1.png?fit=640%2C421&amp;ssl=1" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-46532" title="A$AP" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/AAP1-640x421.png?resize=640%2C421" alt="" width="640" height="421" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Relationship with Hit-Boy</strong></p>
<p>I met Hit-Boy through my friend Oktane from Audio Push, who’s now signed to HS87 as well. At the time we were doing a lot of parties and Audio Push was part of that group who did the parties. Hit-Boy came to one of our kickbacks and I was introduced to him there. We just rapped back-and-forth until we linked up. From there, we just progressed.</p>
<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/hb/" rel="attachment wp-att-46521"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="46521" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/hb/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HB.png?fit=910%2C597&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="910,597" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="HB" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HB.png?fit=910%2C597&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HB.png?fit=640%2C420&amp;ssl=1" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-46521" title="HB" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/HB-640x419.png?resize=640%2C419" alt="" width="640" height="419" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><strong>“Jay-Z Interview” Music Video</strong></p>
<p>It was a crazy experience. When you look at the video, you see so many different clips. There’s a little under three years of video footage in there just from being with Hit, having the opportunity to travel with him. Basically I would just film his life and be a part of what’s becoming of him.</p>
<p>We got a really good response from a lot of people, even Jay-Z. It was crazy because Hit showed me the text message he had got from Hov and it blew me away. I figured that people would like it, but I didn’t think it would get as much of a response as it did.</p>
<p>Visually it’s raw, it’s real. That’s the aesthetic we tried to work with instead of like coloring the footage, just so you can get more of an authentic feel for it. We wanted to do his version of “Through The Wire” and a lot of people got that. I think the mission was accomplished.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IsPORoFa7IU" frameborder="0" width="650" height="420"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Favorite Photography Experience</strong></p>
<p>When we were in London and Hit was working with Kanye and all the GOOD Music cats for the <em>Cruel Summer</em> album. Just the fact that I was out of the country with my boy. That was the first time we had went international, so there’s a lot of sentimental value in those photos. Then of course being around ‘Ye, being around Big Sean and Pusha T, being around all of those cats everyday was surreal. Those are the people that we look up to, so it’s pretty dope to be around them. It’s really inspiring. I just played my position, was as discreet as possible, and respected their creative flow. I would film when they wanted me to. Overall, it was just a great experience.</p>
<p>In retrospect, sometimes I just look back at the footage and get hype. Even Hit too, we’re like little kids &#8217;cause we’re fans of these dudes. We just watch and we&#8217;ll be like “dreams are really coming true.”</p>
<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/sean/" rel="attachment wp-att-46522"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="46522" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/sean/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sean.png?fit=908%2C554&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="908,554" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Sean" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sean.png?fit=908%2C554&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sean.png?fit=640%2C390&amp;ssl=1" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-46522" title="Sean" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Sean-640x390.png?resize=640%2C390" alt="" width="640" height="390" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/lights-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-46525"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="46525" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/lights-2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Lights.png?fit=755%2C524&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="755,524" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Lights" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Lights.png?fit=755%2C524&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Lights.png?fit=640%2C444&amp;ssl=1" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-46525" title="Lights" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Lights-640x444.png?resize=640%2C444" alt="" width="640" height="444" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/tyler-6/" rel="attachment wp-att-46531"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="46531" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/tyler-6/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Tyler1.png?fit=905%2C604&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="905,604" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Tyler" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Tyler1.png?fit=905%2C604&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Tyler1.png?fit=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-46531" title="Tyler" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Tyler1-640x427.png?resize=640%2C427" alt="" width="640" height="427" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/08/interview-with-the-hs87-visual-weapon-jelani-fresh/">Interview With The HS87 Visual Weapon, Jelani Fresh</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">46493</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Video: Hit-Boy – &#8220;Jay-Z Interview&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://respect-mag.com/2012/06/video-hit-boy-jay-z-interview/</link>
					<comments>https://respect-mag.com/2012/06/video-hit-boy-jay-z-interview/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[RESPECT. Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:06:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[New Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Videos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hit-boy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inland Empire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jay-Z Interview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kanye West]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paris]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://respect-mag.com/?p=37231</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The youngin&#8217; from the Cali&#8217;s Inland Empire (IE) who&#8217;s mostly known for producing The Throne&#8217;s &#8220;Paris&#8221; joint has released his own single. He&#8217;s been hashtagging for the past week pretty heavy with #JayZInterview and so has many industry insiders, including [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/06/video-hit-boy-jay-z-interview/">Video: Hit-Boy – &#8220;Jay-Z Interview&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/video-hit-boy-talks-new-projects-kid-cudi-feature/hitboy/" rel="attachment wp-att-37230"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="37230" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/06/video-hit-boy-talks-new-projects-kid-cudi-feature/hitboy/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/hitboy-e1340395232852.jpg?fit=650%2C410&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="650,410" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Hit-Boy" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/hitboy-e1340395232852.jpg?fit=650%2C410&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/hitboy-e1340395232852.jpg?fit=640%2C403&amp;ssl=1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37230" title="Hit-Boy" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/hitboy.jpg?resize=620%2C392" alt="" width="620" height="392" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a><br />
<a href="http://respect-mag.com/?attachment_id=37229" rel="attachment wp-att-37229"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="37229" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/picture-1-27/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Picture-1.png?fit=463%2C194&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="463,194" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Tweet" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Picture-1.png?fit=463%2C194&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Picture-1.png?fit=463%2C194&amp;ssl=1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37229" title="Tweet" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Picture-1.png?resize=463%2C194" alt="" width="463" height="194" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p>The youngin&#8217; from the Cali&#8217;s Inland Empire (IE) who&#8217;s mostly known for producing The Throne&#8217;s &#8220;Paris&#8221; joint has released his own single. He&#8217;s been hashtagging for the past week pretty heavy with #JayZInterview and so has many industry insiders, including Elliott Wilson. Finally the track and the video is here. Hit-Boy seems to have taken a page out of Ye&#8217;s &#8220;Through the Wire&#8221; video for this breakout introduction to the world.</p>
<p><center><object width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IsPORoFa7IU?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></center></p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/06/video-hit-boy-jay-z-interview/">Video: Hit-Boy – &#8220;Jay-Z Interview&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">37231</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Exclusive Interview: Getting to Know Audio Push</title>
		<link>https://respect-mag.com/2012/05/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/</link>
					<comments>https://respect-mag.com/2012/05/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[RESPECT. Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 15:20:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Albums/Mixtapes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Audio Push]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capitol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Danny Brown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hit-boy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inland Empire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interscope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jerkin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T. Mills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Warner]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://respect-mag.com/?p=33297</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Towards the end of March, Audio Push dropped their latest mixtape, Truth Be Told. The Inland Empire (IE) duo, who first came into the industry with &#8220;Teach Me How to Jerk&#8220; in 2009, are a bit older and are trying [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/05/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/">Exclusive Interview: Getting to Know Audio Push</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/55mill/" rel="attachment wp-att-33303"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="33303" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/05/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/55mill/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/55mill-e1337134732416.jpg?fit=650%2C433&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="650,433" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Audio Push" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/55mill-e1337134732416.jpg?fit=650%2C433&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/55mill-e1337134732416.jpg?fit=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33303" title="Audio Push" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/55mill-e1337134732416.jpg?resize=650%2C433" alt="" width="650" height="433" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p>Towards the end of March, <strong>Audio Push</strong> dropped their latest mixtape, <strong><a href="http://www.datpiff.com/Audio-Push-Truth-Be-Told-mixtape.329767.html"><em>Truth Be Told</em></a></strong>. The Inland Empire (IE) duo, who first came into the industry with <em>&#8220;</em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FOjmV66zf8">Teach Me How to Jerk</a><em>&#8220;</em> in 2009, are a bit older and are trying to move past the stigmas of one-hit dance rappers. With a new record deal in the works, the two took the time out to talk with RESPECT. about their latest project, their close relationship with Hit-Boy and what they hope to accomplish in the coming years.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>How’d you guys first link up?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> Well, we’ve known each other since I was 12. He was 13. We met in middle school playing basketball and then we found out both of us rapped and both danced at the same time. It just clicked. We’ve been thuggin ever since.</p>
<p><strong>Did you guys go to the same high school?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> Same middle school, and we were just both bouncing around high schools. We still kicked it throughout high school.</p>
<p><strong>You guys are from Inland Empire, Ca. What is that like?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> It’s more of like a valley feel. It’s just got its own culture, it’s huge. There’s Paid Dues and Coachella and shit. Those things are out in the IE. It’s dope. Parties, chicks&#8230;it’s Cali, you just gotta come.</p>
<p><strong>Are there any other artists in the hip-hop scene that are from there?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> The biggest people putting on for IE are Hit-Boy and T. Mills.</p>
<p><strong>Now, you guys’ name was originally PUSH. Where did that come from?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> It stood for Pray Until Something Happens. When we were about to do our deal with Interscope in ’08 or ’07, everyone was going nuts and they were like, “One thing, though, you guys gotta change your name.” I didn’t know at the time that we didn’t have a name. We had a record called “Audio Kiss.” And our producer said, “what do you think about Audio Push?” And were like, “it’s dope.” We just ran with it.</p>
<p><strong>What didn’t they like about PUSH?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> It was already copy-written from some other foundation or something. We would have to spend some crazy amount of money for us to buy it out.</p>
<p><strong>Could you talk about the deal with Interscope and how that ended up happening?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> The power of the Internet. There was a time were our local radio stations were poppin&#8217;. We were performing and doing shows with radio stations and stuff like that. And we did this one high school show where the radio station from out where we stay, came and went crazy. They started playing the record on the radio which flared up the labels. And that’s what put the bidding war on us.</p>
<p><strong>What’s it like to be pursued like that?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> It was dope, man. It was exciting, but it’s really not cut up to be like what it is, if you don’t have the work ethic. If you ain’t getting it on your own, then a lot of people will get fired or get dropped the second they get signed and stop working. That’s not the case with us, we’re always working. It was dope, but we had to part ways [with Interscope].</p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> We were on Interscope and were signed to a production company there. The deal was going through with production company. And we had two records that were getting 300 spins a week on radio and we still didn’t get that push that we needed. So our manager made the move to where we get off without no overrides on the money and at the time we had left our production company. Now that we did the deal with Hit-Boy, now it’s like getting resurfaced. So there’s a new major situation coming up.</p>
<p><strong>So you guys are with Hit-Boy exclusively for now?</strong></p>
<p><em>Both:</em> Yeah.</p>
<p><strong>Do you have any idea about the timeline?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> Well the deal is getting negotiated now.</p>
<p><strong>Oh, so is that the reason why you guys are here in New York?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> [Laughs] No. We’re going to eat with the team and gonna meet different people. It’s gonna be crazy, trust me.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>How did you guys link up with Hit-Boy originally?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> Hit-Boy has known us ever since before we were even a group. I was one of the first people to ever rap over on a Hit-Boy beat. The first week he started making beats was the first week I met him. So he’s known us since we were way young. And he as the person who actually suggested that we be a group. So it made all the sense in the world when the situations were right. We had to make it happen.</p>
<p><strong>Now Price Tag – you said, “[since] <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy7WneHH2x8">when did doing a dance make you ineligible to rap?</a>” Do you guys feel like you have to prove yourselves, now that you’re back on the scene and you’re trying to say that you’re not only dance rappers?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> I feel like we had to work out to get out of the whole Jerkin’ phase and being trapped in that movement. But as far as having to work harder – we all have to work harder to make a stamp. Getting out of the whole Jerkin’ thing and people who are trying to trap us in a box, as we go and do more projects, they’re seeing that we really rap. We really do this. But we still dance, that’s what we do, that’s what we love to do.</p>
<p><strong>How much criticism/backlash have you guys gotten relating to people not wanting to listen to your records because “they’re those Jerkin’ dudes”?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> Plenty. There’s plenty of retarded people on Earth. But there’s people who aren’t messing with us for what we did five years ago and that song. But the people who are pressing play aren’t complaining. We’re at 150%. Every person that’s heard our new stuff say that it’s greatness.</p>
<p><strong>What would you say you guys have learned since you signed your own official deal?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> Never stop working. Even when you think of stopping, you gotta have your next steps ready, because labels are only playing catch-up. They only gonna catch what’s already hot and take it to where you can’t. You gotta take it from 0 to 60. And they’re gonna take it from 60 to 100. That’s pretty much what we learned. You gotta keep working and build your own foundation. We’re always working. If you see something that’s 60 to 100 from us, then you better know that there’s probably four other things that are at 30, 40 and 50, about to go in.</p>
<p><strong>For the new deal that’s in the works, are you guys are trying to look for something specific to change?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> Everything’s changing. We’re making sure that we have more control and a team that really believes and wants to push it. There should be a real marketing push, a real radio buzz, real TV/broadcast budget and we’re trying to make sure that it all works out. The team is different anyways, so it’s a whole different situation.</p>
<p><strong>Out of the handful of hip-hop duos that exist &#8212; Eric B. and Rakim, Pete Rock &amp; CL Smooth, OutKast, Black Sheep, etc. &#8212; which would you say have influenced you the most?</strong></p>
<p><em>Okatane:</em> OutKast.</p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> Hands down. OutKast is just so next level. They were just a stamp in quality music. They weren’t scared to make the music they wanted to make. OutKast is the best duo ever in life.</p>
<p><strong>What gap would you say you fill in hip-hop?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> The young gap that people think is missing. They think that no young people have substance in music or how there’s only a few entertaining young people. We’re gonna be that group that’s most entertaining, and with the most substance. We’re gonna have the whole package. We’re gonna be the group that you can listen to in albums and mixtapes and then when an award show comes on, you can’t wait to see us perform because you know we’re gonna do something crazy.</p>
<p><a href="http://respect-mag.com/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/photo-14/" rel="attachment wp-att-33337"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="33337" data-permalink="https://respect-mag.com/2012/05/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/photo-14/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/photo2.jpg?fit=500%2C498&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="500,498" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}" data-image-title="Truth Be Told" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/photo2.jpg?fit=500%2C498&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/photo2.jpg?fit=500%2C498&amp;ssl=1" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33337" title="Truth Be Told" src="https://i0.wp.com/respect-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/photo2.jpg?resize=500%2C498" alt="" width="500" height="498" data-recalc-dims="1" /></a></p>
<p><strong>How has the reception been for the latest mixtape?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag</em>: We’ve been getting postings by websites and hipsters that we never messed with us before. It’s like they’re beginning to really respect the music, now. We’re still gradually growing, but that’s just love. We’ve been on all the sites that matter.</p>
<p><strong>Has there been any foundation laid for the studio album yet?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> Yeah. We’re gonna get creative and starting going on in and that as soon as possible. We’re just waiting for this deal to be fully finalized and we can make the big announcement. It should be around February, March….about this time next year.</p>
<p><strong>Now, you guys write and produce outside of your own music?</strong></p>
<p><em>Both:</em> Yeah.</p>
<p><strong>Could you go into details about what sounds you typically produce and write?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> I produce. I can do all the work, depending on which artist. I made this beat playing right now (“Wide Open”). It really depends on who the artist is and what they’re looking for. The production element is the easy part. Musically, we just got it. And writing is real easy. If I go into the studio with someone, it just starts off with “what do you wanna talk about?” And we just do it the best way I know how.</p>
<p><strong>Does it come easy to you guys?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> Yeah, definitely. It’s music, and it’s what we love to do. So whether it’s writing, rapping, producing, whatever, all of it comes so easy because it’s our passion. From writing R&amp;B records to straight hip-hop to alternative, we literally do it all.</p>
<p><strong>Would you say you have an artist that you really wanna work with behind the boards?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> Andree 300 for me.</p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> And Missy Elliot.</p>
<p><strong>How would you guys describe your fans?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> Amazing.</p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> it’s gonna be crazy when we tour and stuff. How Drake was like “them hipsters going to have to get along with them hood niggas,” that’s real. It’s gonna be hipsters, party-ers, ratchets&#8230;all in one show. The concert that we just did, we just sold out the Troubadour and it was filled with all that. Hip-hop heads, ratchet girls, beautiful, classy girls, hood dudes. We got the best fans, man.</p>
<p><strong>What was it like when it got around the time where most people are going to college? Did you guys ever see yourself going to college?</strong></p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> I got out of high school early, just so I could be done with school. I knew I wanted to do music. My whole senior year was basically getting my craft together so I could graduate and start fully working on music. And I had an extra year, so it’s like I had a year early to do what I wanted to do. So we just went hard on music.</p>
<p><strong>J. Cole talked about how when his album dropped he was 27. And the same goes for Kanye and Jay-Z’s debut albums. Being that you’re super young, what do you guys hope to accomplish once you get to 27?</strong></p>
<p><em>Price Tag:</em> I’m 21 now. I need to be able to retire by 27. We’ve been working so hard.</p>
<p><em>Oktane:</em> I wanna be working by choice. By choice because I want to, not because I have to. I need to be able to kick up my feet and say I’m done with this.</p>
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<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com/2012/05/exclusive-interview-getting-to-know-audio-push/">Exclusive Interview: Getting to Know Audio Push</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://respect-mag.com">RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture</a>.</p>
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