Derrick Lawrence is a guy to know in the industry. Who?! Better known to his large social media following, for starters, locally, the brotha is a Long Islander  who has the 5-boroughs feeling his movement. Personally, that’s like Dr. J, Julius Erving, also a Long Islander having Harlem’s Rucker Park in a frenzy and waiting with baited breath for his next slam dunk.

But I digress!

Bizkit’s cache of relationships in hip hop and entertainment may make you drool: The Breakfast Club’s Angela Ye, DJ Envy and Charlemagne the God, Jadakiss and more. Still a young man with kids, he’s on the come-up and his Washed movement is a thing. The industry influencer was recently profiled in a day in the life segment via Pelle Pelle. He talks about his Hennessy,  how he got his nickname and what’s next. Bizkit was elated to have the opportunity especially through a brand he respects and grew up on in Pelle Pelle. “I’m  a fan of Pelle Pelle,” Bizkit told me today by phone.

“I’m trying to build with them on a collaboration of some sort. Brand awareness, speaking about my brand and speaking about their brand. I’m down to do something with them and do a washed partnership.”

A go to guy in the industry, his ahead-of-the-curve picks in music and comical social media posts are entertaining. He’s being recognized by the right folks and he’s thankful but realizes that he still has a long way to go. “It feels good,” he said. “It keeps a brotha going. It’s a blessing. Hard work pays off. It just keeps me motivated more than anything to keep going and to not stop. When people basically recognize the grind, for me I just gotta keep going.”

Bizkit has been influencing the social media and music game one post at a time. While the industry influencer showed us the typical “washed” day-in-the-life with him via Pelle Pelle and hitting up all his favorite dad hotspots in their #TellYourStory, his admits his biggest accomplishment is being a father and that his kids are his biggest motivation. “My two boys.” Bizkit gushed. “I want to just do everything in my power so that when they get older, they’ll be straight. Meaning they’ll have the opportunity that if they want to be in the music business; I laid the foundation. At least they’ll have the opportunity. They’ll have the relationships, if not they’ll have the money to do so.”

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The post Scoop B: ItsBizkit Talks Branding in Digital Age via Pelle Pelle Promo appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Raw, gritty, true hip-hop artists are rare to come across in our generation as it seems everyone puts on a persona of being from somewhere they are not or taking part in activities they actually do not. One artist that has been pure from the beginning of him stepping into the music industry is Warchyld. The Philly artist uses the environment he grew up in to entertain and educate, rather than glorify it. In his recent original mini documentary, The Price of Fame, he highlights the struggles of once being apart of the streets and how he made a different path for himself. Warchyld is also affiliated with SMS Audio and Pelle Pelle which adds even more clout to his already self-made name. RESPECT. chopped it up with the hip-hop artist to dive more into his accomplishments and find out what is next for him.

RESPECT.: You recently just released your mini documentary The Price of Fame. What made you want to release this and have people really step into your life?

W: Being honest, I’ve been doing music for a long time and from doing music in Philly, everyone has a video, everyone raps, even football players-literally everyone raps. A journalist from Brooklyn by the name of Bonsu Thompson was interested in my music and story and wanted to capture it. I never thought about doing a documentary but we sat down and talked about it and made it happen. 

RESPECT.: There were a few times you ran into trouble (highlighted in the documentary) before actually realizing this life is not how I want to live for the rest of my life. Why did it take you awhile to wake up and start being better?

W: The first time I got stabbed I was young so I didn’t realize the value of life and the streets were my father. Street mentality was my mentality. Street cats had me in the street and I didn’t know any better. My gun felony really made me realize I wanted better in life and that I didn’t have to prove I’m this or that. I had to mature and I started doing music and then I destined myself to be one of the biggest hip-hop artists of my time.

RESPECT.: Since you are making a positive impact on your community with your music, what are some ways you would like to give back? 

W: I haven’t gotten into big community engagement but I would like to go to high schools in New York and Philly to speak. My involvement now is basically having the documentary and making positive music. I want kids to know that it’s more to life than the streets-at the end of the day it’s more than one way to live. I have two felonies and couldn’t get a job but now I’m mature and I just have to live with the strikes against me and I can’t erase them. The mini doc is a good way to start the spread of awareness.

RESPECT.: How did your affiliation with Pelle Pelle and SMS Audio begin? 

W: My team reached out to Pelle Pelle and they’re a big influence on the hip-hop community so it really made sense and they loved what I was doing and my growth as an artist. We started working together and rocking their jackets at my shows. It has become more of a family thing than a sponsorship, and really becoming one with the culture and being about that. For SMS Audio, I was looking for someone else to have apart of the documentary and I reached out to G-Unit and they agreed to hop on board. I only use SMS and they have the best sound and audio when it comes to headphones. 

RESPECT.: Will you be doing a collaboration with Pelle Pelle and creating your own clothing?

W: I want my own Warchyld edition Pelle Pelle jacket. The jackets are very expensive and when you only make one the cost is higher than if you made them in bulk. I want to make a memorial jacket for Chinx-that would be great for the culture. 

RESPECT.: What is next for you when it comes to music? 

W: Right now I’m gearing up for my new single, “Church For G’s”. It has a Bone Thugs-n-Harmony vibe and the theme of the track is where gangsters can go to be forgiven and confess sins. Murderers are still human beings at the end of the day and want to be forgiven just like any other sinner. “Church For G’s” is meant to be for no judgement. I also worked with DJ Cosmic Kev for my next mixtape, Save Your Words. He’s not doing anymore mixtapes and I will have Freeway on there, so it will be legendary and I’ve been holding it back because of that. I have other projects in the works but I’m really focused on the single “Church For G’s” for now. 

Be on the lookout for new music from Warchyld, but for now check out his mini documentary, The Price of Fame below.

The post Exclusive RESPECT. Interview with Warchyld appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Hip/hop clothing brand Pelle Pelle first got it’s start in 1978 and quickly rose through the rap community as an iconic brand for the genre. The baggy jeans trend, now a staple in most rap artists wardrobes, was first introduced by Pelle Pelle and gained popularity for the increased mobility that it allowed performers (not to mention the look carries with it some major swag).

Now Pelle Pelle is mainly known for its custom detailed leather jackets, sported by artists from the likes of TI, French Montanta, and 50 cent, just to name a few. The brand gained major notoriety after being featured in the movie, Notorious, and designed custom jackets for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.The brand’s most recent contribution to hip/hop culture appeared in the form of a freestyle featuring Rahzel, former member of The Roots, showing off his legendary beatboxing skills. Rahzel Jr., his son, raps with him, carrying on the tradition. Yesterday, Pelle Pelle continues the tradition by releasing a full-length cypher that alongside Rahzel beatboxing in the background includes Dice, Dunn LeMagne, Pep the Champ, WarChyld, and Lotta Aura.

You can check out the #PellePelleBoyz and see if their rhymes/swagger really do carry the hip/hop torch.

The post Classic Hip/Hop Brand Pelle Pelle releases 2014 Cypher appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Pelle Pelle is a brand that has a long history with hip hop since its inception back in 1978, when hip hop itself was emerging.  Although it started out as a leather outerwear company, Pelle Pelle was the first to introduce the baggy designer jeans that later become a hip hop fashion staple once the loose fitting pants that allowed lots of movement quickly became popular amongst b-boys and emcees alike.

Pelle Pelle continued to be a part of hip hop’s legacy. Worn by some of hip hop’s biggest stars the, brand appeared in the movie Notorious and even designed custom jackets for the founders of hip hop, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Today, Pelle Pelle has continued to add to their rich catalogue of hip hop heritage by teaming up with the legendary beatboxer Rahzel, formerly of The Roots, and several other emcees, including his son Rahzel Jr, and Warchyld, to film short freestyles as part of an ad campaign.

We’ve got our hands on a few of the cyphers.  Check them out below and let us know what you think!

Rahzel Jr x Rahzel

Warchyld x Rahzel

The post Pelle Pelle Releases Freestyle Series Featuring Rahzel Alongside His Son Rahzel Jr, Warchyld, and More appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.