Exclusive Slaughterhouse Interview

August 18th, 2009 | By Big Dom

The Kiss of Life

Interview: The Journalista  //  Photographs: Freddy Mahugu [nattyphoto.com]

In this present era of Hip-Hop commercialism, “swag”-eration and all-around disassociation with the pioneering characteristics that ignited the genre, various rap icons have attempted to channel a time when a rapper’s 16 bars represented a genuine love for the rap game. Even for Hip-Hop’s most gifted this is no easy task, especially during an era flooded with symbols of material gain and empty interaction. Still, many try with good intentions to revive Hip-Hop with temporary lyrical painkillers.

Now, finally, there’s a quartet with the cure: Joe Budden, Royce da 5’9”, Joell Ortiz and Crooked I. Independently, they are all brusque, cunning, poetic scholars with a love for combat; whether lyrical or situational. Now, with the release of the album Slaughterhouse, the group of the same ill name ironically gives Hip-Hop the kiss of life. Debuting with over 22,000 in sales last week, this is the dose of real Hip-Hop the world is depending on.

(more…)

Exclusive: RZA Interview

July 25th, 2009 | By Big Dom

Interview by Dominic Di Francesco.

As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. And for close to two decades, Robert Diggs a.k.a. The RZA has known great power and responsibility as the overseer of Hip-Hop’s incomparable Wu-Tang brand. Executing his Wu-print for success whilst managing the untamed personalities of Ol’ Dirty Bastard et al., RZA knows all too well that the brighter the limelight, the deeper the shadows.

Testing his resilience has been an increasingly ambiguous music industry model, the death of ODB, lawsuits from Wu-Tang’s more rapacious clansmen, and rampant infringements on Wu intellectual property the world over. And yet somehow, someway, the Wu-Tang brand is held in as high esteem today as it was in ‘97 when Wu-Tang Forever cemented the nine-man collective as music’s most influential rap group. All things considered, it would seem RZA has handled the power and responsibility with finesse.

Rhyme & Reason Magazine entered RZA’s chamber [ll] to discuss his management of the Wu-Tang brand, his current legal tussle with Ghostface Killah, ODB’s living legacy, his fake Twitter account, and his comedic turn in the new Adam Sandler flick, Funny People.

(more…)

Exclusive Black Eyed Peas Interview

July 6th, 2009 | By Big Dom

      An air of revolution fills the Thom Thom Club in Santa Monica, California. The Black Eyed Peas - minus the Fergalicious one - are in the building and are heralding The E.N.D. of an era. “The E.N.D. stands for the end of conventional ways of selling records; the end of an era in the record industry as we once knew it. That’s done,” exclaim will.i.am and Taboo in tandem. The E.N.D. being the Peas’ follow-up album to the nine-million-plus selling Monkey Business - and their first studio LP in four years. And what a dynamic four years it has been.

      “It was a different world four years ago. I remember at one point in time when street teams passed out your cassettes. I remember at one point in time that there were record pools. I remember at one point in time there were record stores,” muses will.i.am - the group’s 34 year-old maestro. “Four years ago there were record stores. Four years ago there was no YouTube. Four years ago there was no Facebook. Four years ago DJs came in the clubs with crates of records.”

(more…)

Ciara - Exclusive Interview

May 13th, 2009 | By Big Dom

“I guess it’s better that they talk about me than say nothing at all” sighs R&B chanteuse Ciara Princess Harris. After all, every minacious blogger requires a muse or two – and this army brat is entirely too gorgeous and accomplished to not inspire the occasional rumour. “It comes with the territory. I’ve always believed that if people talk about you then that’s great - because you’re on their mind.” And since “Love Sex Magic” – her lusty duet with Justin Timberlake - exploded all over radio, television and the Internet earlier this year, the ever private Ciara has been on more peoples’ minds than ever before. Then again, licking Justin Timberlake’s ear in a music video is liable to induce chatter.

(more…)

Jazmine Sullivan - Exclusive Interview

May 9th, 2009 | By Big Dom

The Fresh Prince is no longer the only Grammy nominated urban artist out of Philadelphia to have spent his formative years living in a mansion. Meet Jazmine Sullivan. Sure, Jazmine may not have a high-powered Bel Air attorney for an uncle, but her father was curator at Philly’s historic Strawberry Mansion, where the Sullivans were invited to reside during his employment at the house museum. And contrary to the high-life depicted by Will Smith’s Fresh Prince persona, Jazmine’s mansion life involved considerably less high-jinx. “It was lonely; I was by myself a lot – my friends weren’t really allowed to come to the house ‘cause we really couldn’t play in the mansion. It was difficult. My parents were very protective; I couldn’t go to the neighbourhood as much as I wanted to, so I had to find other things to do - which ended up being singing and performing.”

(more…)