Moving...

I am moving to Los Angeles within 2 weeks; the Bay Area has been cool, but I need a change of atmosphere. Things have spiraled tremendously out of hand financially living up here, and I am moving somewhere where I can change the course of my life. The rent and paying 500 a month for gas in commuting has gotten extremely ridiculous. I will be moving to Los Angeles for at least two months, and if I like it there, I am staying.

I bought the domain www.uncovered3rd.com...so you can use that from now on to look at my blog.

Micket Factz Interview

*Also featured on HipHopRemix.com*

From the Bronx, New York emerges an extremely talented emcee with the cadence and presence to take the music world by storm. He dropped a free for download LP/mixtape entitled “Heaven’s Fallout,” on his Myspace page with opening songs such as “Vietnam” and heart-wrenching songs such as “There’s Nothing Left.” This cat proves that a hip-hop emcee is eclectic in the music they listen to and also the music they make. Freestyling over electronic bands such as Royksopp and the Prodigy and even Fueled by Ramen’s Fall Out Boy, this Bronx-raised emcee shines on his song choice. Who else could I be talking about? Who else rocks Supras and spit a clean freestyle for the mainstream masses on BET’s “Rap City” a month ago? Mickey Factz, people; if you don’t know who he is, you will by the end of this interview. I sat down with Mickey Factz to get more incite on who he is, and what drives him to make music.

First and foremost, man I would like to thank you for thanking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview with me. I wanted to ask you man, why did you pick the name “Mickey Factz?” Is there any significance behind the name?

Mickey-
The name Mickey comes from Natural Born Killers. He was a ruthless killer who loved Mallory Knox to death. Mallory is Hip Hop to me. Facts are all I talk about in my music, but since I have an edge to me, the 'z' is added.



Do you feel any stress on your shoulders being an emcee from the birthplace of hip-hop, Bronx, New York? Who were and are some of the emcee’s from New York that you grew up on and look up today?


Mickey-
No stress at all. I feel honored to be from this borough. I grew up on Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Biggie, KRS-One, Big Pun, Big L etc. Any lyricists who could tear you apart in a cipher [as well].


Is “Heaven’s Fallout” an album or a mixtape?

Mickey-
It’s a conceptualized album. It’s my 3rd actually. The first one was “In Search of the N.E.R.D.” The second was “Flashback”


How would you define your music?

Mickey-
My music is the fork in the road to greatness. Everybody usually makes the right when you get to the fork. But if you want to be daring and feel like you’re REALLY getting somewhere, make that left and experience something life changing.



The internet is a powerful tool man for independent artists, and I can say that I would not even know who you were if it wasn’t for the ‘net. How do you feel about using the internet to promote and market yourself?

Mickey-
It’s a blessing for me. I have access to tons of people who surf the net and go on to blogs to find some of the hottest talent out. I use it to my advantage because I'm thinking outside the box when it comes to marketing and promotion.



When you were featured on BET’s “Rap City,” how did that feel to know that you were gaining more exposure to a grander and more mainstream audience?

Mickey-
It was amazing because the goal is to be seen by everyone's eyes. I can't wait for the next installment.


Brah, I can hella relate to “There’s Nothing Left” on the “Heaven’s Fallout” release; I wanted to ask you if that was all truthful accounts of what happened to you?

Mickey-
Yes. That was one of the realest songs I ever wrote. Every word is the truth. It’s one of my more favorite songs on “Heaven’s Fallout.” Really touching....


I had no idea what Supras were until I heard your song, “I Love Your Supra’s.” I had to go cop a pair after I seen them. Are you sponsored by Supra and how would you define your style of dress?

Mickey-
Supra and GFCnewyork have a continuous growing relationship. They understand the direction I'm going towards, and they support it 100%. My style of dress is definitely one to admire. Quite frankly, I'd call it breath taking.

I know that the Bronx is your hometown, but do you have any other place or city that you can call your second home?

Mickey-

The studio. [Laughs]. Homesweet home.

You are the only emcee that I have heard to use rock and electronic bands instrumentals to freestyle over. A lot of cats do not realize that hip-hop is a gumbo pot and is mixed of different types of music to make hip-hop. What bands do you listen to?

Mickey-
Currently it’s diverse. Vampire Weekend, Janelle Monae, Chester French, Aerosmith, Daft Punk, Telepopmusik etc. I try to broaden the sound that I listen to on a daily basis.


If you could work with any artist, band or composer (dead or alive), who would you want to do a project with?

Mickey-

I'd work with Jimi Hendrix. [He’s an] absolute monster when it comes to letting music embody him.


Are you touring this summer? How do you feel about the line-up for Rock the Bells? Man…I know you’re going, right?


Mickey-
Yeah, I’ll be doing a couple shows here and there. Keep your eyes open. I'll make a surprise appearance at Rock the Bells as well.



Are there any last words that you would like to leave with the HipHopRemix.com heads?

Mickey-

”The Leak” is available every week for free on my Myspace page at www.myspace.com/itzmickey.

”The Achievement” LP will be due out at the end of the year as well.

Mickey Factz has all of the charisma and talent to push him into the high-level plateau that he is destined for. Thanks, Mickey for taking the time out of your schedule to do this interview with me; “Heaven’s Fallout” is a free download on Mickey Factz’ Myspace page. Make sure you go download it and support this cat.

Damn, Erykah droppin' science!

*Also posted on Connoisseur533.com*

Erykah Badu speaks on how to "make it" in the music business

This is some real ass shit right here though; even through all the sarcasm that she is speaking through this montage you can tell that she is serious about how female R&B singers have become more like whores than singers. In the recent ten years, R&B, hip-hop, rock, pop, etc have all had this "commerce over art" makeover where you now get models that cannot sing singing and dancing on your television screens instead of truly talented artists. It has become truly disheartening nowadays when you finally do find an album that has songs greater on it than the singles you've been brainwashed into loving from the radio and TV, you feel like you've had a breathe of fresh air from a truly talented LP.

I'm sick of going to buy an 18 track long album for $15 dollars and finding out that only 3 of the tracks (usually the singles) are the only good songs on the album. The music industry is not about talent anymore; it's about commerce. It's about having models that cannot hold a note singing off key with the Roger & Zapp robotic voice over 80's enthused house beats and making up a stupid dance to get kids to download your ring tone rather than buy your album. Everything has it's time, and the music industry is due for a huge makeover when these house niggas on TV are tap dancing in iced-out nooses and shackles to ignorant songs. Everything is due its time; real music will takeover the fake hella soon.

U-N-I Interview

Los Angeles was been slated with the stereotype of “gangsta rap” since the early 90’s and there was recently been a resurgence of the region’s hip-hop that is looking to change this. I remember seeing the “K.R.E.A.M. (Kicks Rules Everything Around Me)” video on YouTube back in December and saying to myself that these two dudes right here (Y.O. and Thurzday of U-N-I) could definitely help bring back the true essence of hip-hop’s music that has been lost in the bling era. The true essence of hip-hop of having fun and living life can be seen and heard in their “Beautiful Day” video on YouTube as well. Together, Y.O. and Thurzday make up the hip-hop duo of U-N-I and are gearing to drop their second installment very soon. With over 4 million plays on their Myspace page, their music is being heard all over the internet. I was able to sit and have a good conversation with these two dudes out of Inglewood, and ask them a few questions regarding their music, their next album, and other shit about them as individuals.

What’s up with you cats, man? Introduce yourselves to the HipHopRemix.com world. How did you two meet and why did you pick the name “U-N-I?”

Y-O:

We met at St Bernard High School in 1999 in the courtyard [during] freestyle battles. We recognized each other’s talents and decided to move as a unit. We both played [basketball] ball too.

Thurz:

We came up with the name U-N-I after being inspired by The Roots “Illadelph Halflife.” They had a song with Common titled “U.N.I.verse at War.” It fit us as a first person statement where myself and Y-O go against all contenders while maintaining an “universal” goal in our music to not be “boxed-in” to 1 sound.

There’s been a huge resurrection of hip-hop going on in the Los Angeles area as far as with acts coming out such as Custom Made, Pacific Division, J*Davey, Blu, and as well as you guys. How do you guys feel about the recent wave of hip-hop music that is coming out of your hometown area?

Y-O:

Cali is where it’s at. There’s so much talent out here and we’re proud to be recognized in this new movement.

I seen in the “K.R.E.A.M.” video that you cats had a good deal of about 100 pairs of shoes in the main scene. For all of the sneaker heads out there, how many pairs of sneakers do you both have? What’s your favorite pair of sneakers?

Thurz:

I kind of lost count. My favorite kicks at the moment are my Lobster SBs. Them joints are fresh…I’m kind of upset I couldn’t get the special package from the Concept store in Boston, but it’s all good.

Y-O:

I’m probably approaching 200. My favorite kicks right now are probably….hmmm….I’m going with my Jordan IV’s

When I seen the “Beautiful Day” video on YouTube for the first time months ago, it definitely reminded me of Pharcyde. It was a feel-good joint, and I felt that I could relate to you cats. A lot of the hip-hop now that is coming out is about material things that most people won’t ever able to afford; it’s a breath of fresh air to hear some hip-hop that I can actually relate to. How do you guys feel about the hip-hop scene right now (both mainstream and independent)?

Thurzday:

I feel that a lot of independent artists are receiving more love than mainstream artists. Folks are tired of being force-fed the bullshit music on the radio, so the independent scene serves as a refuge for folks who want some authentic shit, and that’s what we provide. With “Beautiful Day,” we wanted to showcase a nice day in our city over a laid-back track with our own flavor.

Y-O:

A lot of mainstream artist are on their way out, and you definitely know that when you see cats like Nelly biting scenes and concepts from our music video. I think the independent scene is more creative.

Now, man…I gotta ask this! When you made the song, “Fat Girl,” did you guys have anybody in mind when writing it, or were you just making the song just because?

Thurz:

That song was inspired by our good lady friend. We won’t say her name, but the skit before the song is a true story. We started freestyling over the beat about our big ladies and we made it into a song. Lol!

Are you guys currently in the process of signing to a label, or are you going to stay independent?

Y-O:

If somebody comes with a correct offer, we’d definitely take that into consideration.

Thurz:

…Until then, we’re going to keep producing quality music and pumpin’ it out to the internet and streets.

I know that a lot of cats will look at the album title of your first installment and say, “What the hell?!” What made you cats come up with using the title, “Fried Chicken and Watermelon?”

Thurz:

Basicly, black folks are stereotyped as loving fried chicken and watermelon. The West Coast is seen in a similar light of being stereotyped as 1-dimensional and stuck on that gangster tip. The title is used to catch your attention and break the stereotype.

Y-O:

We represent a new movement and we showcase that with our street album.

My favorite song by you cats right now would have to be “Supreme Song.” Will it be on the next album that you guys put out, and when is the next album coming out? What producers and emcee’s will show up on the LP?

Y-O:

“Supreme” is going to be on our 2^nd installment titled “A Love Supreme.” It’s being totally produced by Ro Blvd. We’ll hopefully be dropping it in the 3^rd quarter of this year

Define your music in one word.

Thurz: Innovative

Y-O: Fuckin sick! LOL

Who are your top five all-time emcee’s and producers?

Thurz:

1. Emcees
1. Redman
2. Black Thought
3. Common
4. Jay-Z
5. B.I.G.

Y-O:

2. Producers
1. J Dilla
2. Premiere
3. The Neptunes
4. DJ Khalil
5. Just Blaze

Are here one of you working on any side projects? Are you guys sponsored by any clothing brands? How would you describe your clothing style?

Thurz:

No side projects. We’re down with Lemar & Dauley and Orisue.

Y-O:

The best way to describe our style is “comfortably fresh.”

Will you guys be going on tour with anyone this summer?

Thurz:

We might be doing something with Aloe Blacc real soon. Stay tuned in

If you guys could work with any artists, bands, composers, etc, (dead or alive), who would you both want to work with?

Thurz:

I think our ideal collab would be J Dilla on the production with a feature from OutKast

I would like to thank U-N-I for taking the time out of their busy schedule to conduct this interview with me; make sure to add them as a friend on Myspace and check out their first installment, “Fried Chicken And Watermelon” (which can be purchased on their Myspace page).

unCovered 3rd Management

The public relations business is going extremely well for me right now; I am doing quite well for someone that has only been in business for only 6 months. When you do get a chance, go and check out my latest project, Connoisseur533.com. We are gearing to make it an online experience that would carry the parallels of a magazine on your computer screen. I am being published on HipHopRemix.com, Connoisseur533,com, SF Weekly, etc quite frequently.

Any of your business matters when it comes to needing some public relations or marketing work done, I can do.

-Press Releases
-Articles
-Interviews
-Media Work

Any artists, businesses, venues, etc that may need some writing, PR, or marketing done, unCovered 3rd Management can take carry of it.

Kevin Robinson, Jr.
Director of Operations/Owner
Uncovered 3rd Marketing
Marketing/Public Relations
Freelance Writer

Pacific Division "Paper"

"Taste" by Pacific Division

I feel these cats on gettin' their money, man. Girl I don't know what to tell you; there's a lot of shit I wanna do and if you're not helping to get some money, then you can do it movin'. The Pac Div Interview will be up within a few days.

Intuition Through Music

You ever had those intuitive feelings that you get in your gut when you know that something's wrong on the other end of whatever interaction with a person you may have? The intuitive and subliminal thoughts that you feel I have been having my whole life when I get into situation when I have talked to females that were not of the same eclectic nature or sound mental process as me. I have always had this gift of sight to know when something is wrong in the least bit of ways; I have had premonitions for years and I could be sitting at home doing nothing and have a vision of something so horribly wrong happening with whomever I am talking to. I have had this one occasion where I would pick and choose different songs of the genres of underground hip-hop, rock, etc and the subject matter of the songs would bring me to this intuitive gut feeling like I was the protagonist in the song even when things seemed to be going great in the interaction with the female.

I have "The F-Word" by Cannibal Ox placed on this page for the reason of I would hear it months ago and get the feeling that something was totally wrong with the situation while I was dating this girl. The lyrics convey how at first they were friends and how they both liked each other, but she was in a love triangle and eventually cut the protagonist of the song out of the picture by just wanting to be friends again. Months before even when I thought that things were going "well" with this girl, I would hear "The F-Word" and get this feeling that the guy in the song was me.

I never have had a song that embodied the exact and complete way I felt about a situation in my life like "The F-Word" by Cannibal Ox did at the present time. Imagine listening to the lyrics "This is more than just a song/So when he's treatin' you wrong/I'm more than just a shoulder to cry on" months before things go sour.

This song definitely should have been my warning sign months ago to realize that I was the dude in the song getting fucked over in the end.

Hit the "Play" button on the player to "The F-Word" by Cannibal Ox to see what prophetic feelings I felt months before even things had gotten wrongly out of hand with my "friend."

The Daddy Complex

Now, I could easily sit here and write a hate poem for you to break, but what would I gain in this action? I would gain absolutely nothing from this; I have learned that time and time again that I have been kidding myself to think that a person with a much elevated conscious thought process (such as myself) could interact and possibly "build" anything substantial with one of a truly brainwashed and feeble mind. The efforts to teach the feeble minds (esp. in dating) are extremely parasitic and the smell of a decaying eroding relationship becomes poignant beyond repair. I have disassociated myself with the feeble minds because I feel like most of my peers (from 21 to 24) are feeble minded and have no sense of logic. The ideal that the world revolves around them is an important tool and mission that these feeble minds live by. The creed of extreme selfishness and ignorance is what helps these ignorant and juvenile creatures live and breathe on to another day.

Believing that the world revolves around their feelings and their self is what causes them to be so easily selfish when they are dealing with one (like myself) of an old soul and eclectic nature. I have learned in the past relationship with a feeble mind that I have been kidding myself all along that I can talk to a "princess." You know...the "princess" is the woman (well, better yet girl) who lives in her mid-twenties with the mental capacity of a adolescent pre-teen. The "princess" would be the female that never truly grew up because Mommy always paid for her living expenses. Basically, the "princess" would fuck things up in her own personal and financial life and the first person she would call to clean up her shit would be Mommy. In a lot of ways, the "princess" would be not even good enough to be called child-like, but have the same parallels of an infant. This "princess" would take a shit on their self and expect Mommy to come clean up their mess.

When dealing with the feeble mind that only have Mommy around and no Daddy, you must realize that if their family babied them their whole life (even through their mid-20s) that the "princess" would expect you to spoil her as well. "The Daddy Complex" is what I like to call it when the "princess" has something extremely dramatic happen to them at an early age where they have a mental block of this account even eleven years after it occurred. They start to date older man that are submissive and "Daddy-like," and the "princess" whines just like a 14 year old girl to get her way with them. Now, if you are of sound mind and consciousness, you will not tolerate a female that is even older than you that bitches and whines like a kid. The "princess" is enthralled by your presence of being something that most people cannot be--blunt.

When the feeble minded "princess" finds someone anew, do not be mad. You must know that a conscious mind cannot communicate with a feeble mind because feeble minds are meant to be subordinate. The "princess" is meant to be insecure within herself enough to not realize what damage she does to the one she dates "seriously," and begins another venture with another fellow. You must know that if a "princess" is feeble-minded and already has an extremely huge block from their 14 year old years that completes her "Daddy Complex," she will eventually find someone that is just as feeble minded and subordinate as her to kiss her ass and tell her she's far greater than what she really is and ever will be.

A Thousand Dollars A Gallon & No Ketchup...

Provided by GasBuddy.com

Why must they rape my state of California more than any other state? The average gas price in my county is $4.55 right now while I look at the average gas cost in Houston, Texas is only $3.88. I know, I know...the cost of living here in California is higher than every other place in the U.S., but even still man, this is complete bullshit! I cannot see myself paying over $100 to full up my car every 6 days. It's crazy how out of hand shit is getting; I cannot believe that companies such as Exxon are guaging all of us at the gas pump. Making record capital the first quarter of this year of nearly $10 billion dollars a year is ridiculous. Pretty soon when the riots begin because the cost of living has gotten utterly ridiculous, the government cannot complain why. People are losing their jobs at an alarming rate; gas and grocery prices are both at a record-high rate. A salmonella outbreak in the tomatoes; damn! Just when you wanted to make a salad at the end of your long day from paying a 200 dollars to drive to and fro work, you have to worry about being poisoned from your favorite vegetable. We cannot win either way huh?

This is California prices! No seriously!

-Kevin Robinson,Jr.

Scanz

Scanz "A Dimepiece"

This is one of the latest artists to get signed to Rawkus 50, and I was actually sent this video from a friend of mine. I was truly impressed with what I heard in this video and will definitely be getting his album as soon as possible.