Infinite Rhymes: Inside the Rap-A-Thon

 

The culture in Denver is so thick, I don’t think a knife could slice through it. January 10th’s Rap-A-Thon was a hearty representation of the thriving MileHI Music scene. The Savoy was a delightful concoction of versatile flavor. A rather saucy crowd displayed the Denver fashion scene with much grace & dapper. Local brands Illah Strated, Errld Apparel, & the Hedi Counsel brought offerings of freshness. The first lady of Colorado, Mary Jane, was highly honored with Royal Blunts & Cannoisseur sharing their wealth. The air was fragranced by plumes of smoke & aromas of dabs. Deep Eddy Vodka coated the throats of happily inebriated patrons. Most importantly, ears were adorned & positively permeated with strong rhymes.

For three hours rapper after rapper dropped their piece. More impressive than the quantity was the quality of lyricism. Artists from all corners of the box came out to hard body the cypher. A few of our favorite crews came united and conquered. Special mention goes out to Urbane Society, Soul City Studios, Squizzy & Welcome to D.O.P.E Game. The array of artists who gripped the mic was so vast we just couldn’t cover everyone. The numerous artists I was itching to feature slipped anonymously away into the crowd. I will be throwing lassos & reeling you all in at the next Rap-A-Thon. For now, please know our collective ears were pleased with the lyrical presentations of the night. To those of you who didn’t attend the event, we’ve collected responses from all perspectives of the cypher. The scoop doesn’t come from the goodness of our hearts. Really, we mean to make you jealous about the psychedelic evening you missed. Below you’ll hear the takes of Ru Johnson & Lizzy Brodie who planned & produced the cypher, as well as commentary from the host MC Big House & three of the participants: Ill Seven, Rebel Minority, & Logistixx.

 

Ru Johnson & Lizzy Brodie

Q: What is your vision for the music scene in Colorado?

Ru: Elevation. Cooperation & upward movement.

Lizzy: To continue to support & showcase the talent!

Q: How do you believe cyphers like the Rap-A-Thon impact both artists and audience?

Ru: To see such a big cypher positioned to focus only on the rhymes is quite incredible. Both the emcees & the audiences are always pleasantly surprised to find such a solid focus on the rhymes & the celebration of the emcee. Artists become inspired by their craft while audiences get to indulge in an onslaught of never ending rhymes. Win, win for all involved!

Lizzy: The Rap-A-Thon is special to me because of how positive the feedback is. The emcees get so excited & are grateful to have a platform to showcase
their skills, learn & create with so many other local talents. I think it brings something completely new to the artist & the community.

Q: If you could deliver one message about the creative culture in Colorado what would that message be?

Ru: The scene is thriving, independent & incredibly motivated & inspired by organic movements. Colorado is more than weed & mountains (though we love both), but a place where artists are tapping into the deepest parts of creativity & executing the vision with perfection.

Lizzy: That we are here, growing & learning! There are so many motivated & passionate people here; tapping into your creative skills is not hard to do! Come get inspired in Colorado!

Q: When can we expect another Rap-A-Thon?

Ru: The next Rap-A-Thon is yet to be announced however we will be competing to break the Guinness Book of World Records for marathon rap time. We outchea.

Lizzy: Yes! I don’t think the people would let us stop this event. We are looking to break records next time! The Rap-A-Thon will only get bigger &
better from here.

 

MC Big House

Q: In your opinion what is the ideal outcome of a cypher?

Big House: The ideal outcome of any cypher is to evaluate the elite vs the average; the emcee vs the rapper; the skilled vs those who think they have the ability! All of that while allowing by standers to become fans of what they find interesting in each participant. However, some may leave with fewer fans.

Q: What are your tips for commanding a crowd?

Big House: Commanding a crowd involves skill first, you can’t control a crowd if you first can not control a microphone! Know your craft! Have a commanding voice, speak with authority, be original, be intellectual, be above average. Many people are involved for many reasons, be able to cover as many bases as you can in the length of time provided.

Q: Do you consider it cheating if a rapper isn’t free-styling?

Big House: In this day & age you can’t expect someone to completely freestyle in a cypher, unless it’s classified as a freestyle session. A lot of people these days choose the pen game over the freestyle game. Many rhymes are premeditated in a cypher. Basicially, people bring their cheat sheet, but the class can now use their notes on the tests.

Q: What do you envision for the music scene in Colorado?

Big House: I vision for the music scene to be put on an international spotlight,and allow our scene to be respected for the talent within these walls. I believe that recognition is achieved by creating undeniable music; above standard business practices, & ultimately uniting the community to stand strong for the arts produced here!

 

Ill Seven

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Ill: All my rhymes except for one verse were freestyle; I think the art of freestyle is important because it forces an artist to work that brain without over analyzing. Free-styling gives you the true spirit of an artist, not one that is premeditated.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Ill: My movement. I’m an Artivist, meaning an artist that’s an activist. I do workshops in middle & high schools, as well as colleges. We discuss dealing with social problems & come up with social solutions. I think it’s easy to focus on money. I choose to use my art to provoke & motivate change. I believe revolution is dead & the next step is for the people. For us to step into evolution, the progression of the mind. There’s not only black and white issues, but people issues. Issues ranging from misogyny to the haves vs the have nots.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Ill: I’d like to see the music scene step out of the boxes & limitations that the commercial main stream puts on us. As for my career, I want to see myself grow into a voice of the people & use my art as the vehicle.

 

Rebel Minority

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Rebel: I was, I like to challenge myself & feed off of the energy in the moment. I think that ability does enhance your arsenal & showcases lyrical ability & flow away from writing. Ultimately though, free-styling is fun for an artist.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Rebel: At the event it was all about love & having fun. I think my lyrical content sets me apart, I choose to talk about different topics & address them in a unique way. I make music that is a reflection of me not what the industry demands. I also feel my style & flow stands out, you’ll never mistake me for another Colorado rapper.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Rebel: I would like to see this “Artistic Renaissance,” continue to grow. The amount of quality art coming from not only the music culture but all mediums is booming right now. From my own career I want to the see my new project “Colorful Abyss,” dropping next month do exceptionally well. I want more people to hear my music locally & nationally.

 

Logistixx

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Logistixx: I was both free-styling & spitting verses. I went up four lengthy times. I approached the first two times as a warm up with some verses & the last two I mainly free-styled.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Logistixx: I believe that my confidence differentiates me from other rappers. But there are always new ways I will discover which differentiate me.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Logistixx: I would like to see more dope rappers get out there & form more connections with other rappers. As far as my career for 2014, it comes down to me & how I go about my come up since I’m my own competition.

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Before we part ways we have one friendly word of advice. All of the individuals we interviewed have bequethed you emcees to please familiarize yourselves with the proper form of a microphone checker. As a rapper the mic is your instrument, your tool, an extension of your message. Kind of like a wizard’s wand each microphone is different but here a few tips that will have you well on your way to conjuring magic with the mic.

Placement: Most microphones will pick up sound best at a distance of four-six inches from your mouthpiece.

Angle: Position the microphone at a horizontal angle. The horizontal position ensures that sound is shot directly into the resonator.

Grip: Do not smother the grill of the mic. Wrap your hand firmly around the stem & let that mic know you are not playing.

Movement: Wherever your head goes, the microphone follows. Think of the microphone like the red dot of a sniper rifle. No matter where the target sways, that dot is always aimed at it.

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We’ve listed links that will direct you to the lovely individuals interviewed above & their content:

Ru Johnson: Facebook  – Lizzy Brodie: Facebook – MCbig House: Facebook | BandCamp – Ill Seven: Website – Rebel Minority: SoundCloud – Logistixx: Website

 

Align With The Nation: Delasean Interview

The time is ripe for Delasean to strike, and the young rapper is definitely taking advantage of his current momentum. An ample supply of enthusiasm and motivation grew a teenager’s casual pastime into the very tangible possibility of a lucrative career. At 19 he’s already dropped four mix tapes and his fifth, “OverTimeGrind” is set to release on his favorite holiday-4/20. Delasean is making power moves; securing shows with established names like Method Man and Red Man (4/18 at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins). In light of his mounting popularity; Delasean maintains a level headed humility laced with the necessary confidence to secure his place in the rap game. And as Delasean lays out plans of evolution and expansion for himself and his crew Shock Nation; it’s clear he doesn’t plan on vacating his spot anytime soon. Follow him on Twitter @IAmDelasean to stay updated with his moves.

You frequently mention your affiliation to Shock Nation; explain for us exactly what Shock Nation is. 

Delasean: Shock Nation is ambition, drive, and faith. I don’t know it’s just the group you know. It (Shock Nation) started off sophomore year in high school. I was on the drum line with Russell Grande and I convinced him to go to this summer program with me. He talked about being a rapper all the time; I had never really thought about rapping prior to that and I just thought fuck it let’s do it. I was always interested in music don’t get me wrong I just never thought rapping would be where my talent branched out. So we just started and wanted a name; we were young as hell so my thinking was surface level at the time. We came up with Shock Nation because we were rocking G-shocks all the time; that was pretty much the ideology behind it. Now it’s different it started like that but now it’s serious, this is my life. I laugh when I think how we thought of it but it shows how much I’ve grown since then. What could have been just bullshit has taken me so far just on ambition, drive, and faith. That’s why I say Shock Nation embodies those things

What is your role within Shock Nation?

Delasean: Uhhh I think I’m the Co-Commander in Chief next to my bro Russell Grande. That is Shock Nation, just us two as far as rappers. We get love everywhere though everyone feels nation so it’s like we’re deep but tight at the same time. We both own it I just happened to push alot more projects on my end and Russell he’s more of that slow cook that lets it stew he likes it 100%. He just needs to drop one now; I know he got bars that’s why I always feature him.

You and Russell vibe well with each other, would you ever consider doing an official collaboration…Outkast style?

Delasean: Way ahead of you I’m currently working on my 3rd Solo Tape OTG; which stands for OverTimeGrind. I got a couple of features from Russell Grande on there that’s it though I really wanted it to make a statement on how hard I can go. If you can’t stand on your own feet what are you doing. OTG is dropping 4/20 so look for that on Datpiff and Hotnewhiphop.  Aside from that I’m working on a joint project with Russell Grande and we’re just going in like how we do on that “Clock In”. We’re gonna just eat it; but we’re always trying to be original. If you think you know you’re trippin’ because even I don’t know until it happens.

How have you seen yourself evolve since your first mix tape? What do you want to do to continue to refine your craft?

Delasean: Maaaan when I think of that “Higher Level Thinking” I just listen and laugh my ass off. I got a couple of favorites from there but I don’t feel like that tape represents me well as an artist at all. I’ve grown so much its crazy man and it’s a simple recipe; I just work hard. People should just know if you think I’m going to get worse you are sadly mistaken. This OTG is by far my favorite project I’ve worked on ever. They don’t know they got the game all wrong they talk about passion but they don’t even know what that word means. I stay hungry out here. I’m so hungry that when people see me eating they get hungry you feel me? What I mean by that is I make it look easy and when I do it people get inspired to grind. I’m so young but I got the puzzle in my head solved. You guys will see soon enough I don’t rush. I’m only 19 so I have time and I want to do it my way. I’m just going to make sure I got everything right before I make my moves.

How would you handle a groupie or an obsessed fan? (Think Eminem and Stan)

Delasean: Haha. Depends how obsessed they are. If their just a hardcore fan that been keeping up with us from the beginning then I’ll kick it with them, smoke one or something to show my appreciation. But if their obsessively stalking me I would try to get them out of my life. That’s a hard one hopefully I don’t find out how I handle that in the future.

Do you listen to other genres of music to influence your sound, rock, jazz, blues etc?

That’s something I’ve really been working toward doing because with music there are endless ways to tackle a beat and the rhythmic patterns vary from genre to genre. I plan on producing one day so it definitely wouldn’t hurt. I guess my answer is a little bit but not enough for me to really give credit to another type of music right now.

What artists inspire you?

Delasean: I get inspired by artists in different ways. As far as originality; my favorite artists are School Boy Q, and Ab-Soul. As far as how to do my music business wise; I’m inspired by Funk Volume, Curren$y, Nipsey Hussle. I want to make Nation stand among those names. Beyond that there’s J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and the whole DPG clique. Growing up, the west coast sound was really heavy in my life. People don’t know it but I wasn’t born in Colorado. I’m originally from California but I’ve lived here so long. Colorado doesn’t really get too much love and I love the city I grew up here that’s why I rep CO.

How do you maintain originality? Especially when so many main stream rappers mimic each other?

Delasean: That’s a hard one. I really just try not to sound like anyone. I want to have a Delasean sound you know? That’s why I say I’ve grown so much “Higher Level Thinking” was the start of me creating my own sound. At that time I didn’t really know how, I was still figuring it out. Now I feel like I have a niche; I know what I want to do and how to do it. That’s the beauty of figuring out your sound; you can do it again and again.

What do you have planned for the next year musically?

Delasean: Big things. I want to start touring a little. The fan base is starting to get heavy and this OTG is really just going to make people see I’m done playing games. I’m trying to make a better class of music. It’s funny people listen to my last tape and compare their new to my old; and I’m laughing like I left that alone so along ago. But in the next year there will definitely be alot more shows, April 18th we have a show with Red Man and Method Man at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins. That show is going to be live! If you want a taste of some new Delasean definitely go there.

What are your ultimate plans for your music career? What occupies your time besides rapping?

Delasean: I’m just planning to see how far it can take me you know people say it all the time; you only live once but it’s the truth. I want to know I gave my all in what I really loved no matter what the outcome. At least I can say I was happy and did it my way. Other than rapping I just exercise and play basketball. I want to be like the Bob Marley of rap haha. All he did was smoke weed, make music, and play soccer. I just want to smoke weed, make music, and hoop for life; I could live good like that.

Where did the name Delasean come from?

Delasean:  I went to the top of a mountain and a guru deciphered my soul. I’m hella bullshittin’ it’s just my middle name, Ryan Delasean Mullins. I went by Wise One at the beginning because I always wanted to have bars and go hard. I felt if I ascribed myself a deep name it would contribute deep thoughts. In a way I think it worked a bit because I strived to look for more; whatever that meant to me. I went with Delasean because I always wanted something more personal. My mom always called me Delasean so I was just like Delasean it is.

How do you feel about the state of the rap game? How do you want to impact rap music; what do you want your listeners to come away with?

Delasean: I’m excited for rap and what’s coming. I feel like a new breed of hip hop is forming and that’s what I’m looking for; that’s what makes music so tight there are an infinite amount of ways you can take it in just rap alone. So I’m excited because there are alot of people like me who want it their way and that’s going to change the game in a big way. In the music game it’s just about planting your feet, knowing what you want, and not stopping til’ you get it. As far as impact, I want people to feel me. Who knows what my sound will be a couple months from now or a year from now. I never stop developing I’m a knowledge seeker. I want to be better. I want my listeners to be able to feel me. I have music of all sorts and like I said this OTG is going to show them a lot of that new Dela style.

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