Hip-Hop Lives: Respect Our House | Monthly Archive

Archive | April, 2009

Skyzoo: Internationally Known, Locally Respected

Posted on 30 April 2009.

Though many emcees hope to fill the shoes of New York City icons such as Biggie Smalls and Jay-Z – there has yet to be an artist with the lyrical ability, charisma, and raw talent to fill the void. Sure, many hopeful rhyme spitters have taken their aim for the throne, but all have fallen short, and the Rotten Apple still longs for the next king to carry the torch. “The unity is strong in New York right now, but I still feel like it could be stronger. There are a lot of artists in NY that I got love for and work with – vice versa. Still, we ain’t like the South yet, it’s getting better though, says Skyzoo from his hometown of Bedstuy, Brooklyn. The twenty-six year old emcee has been labeled the “next to blow” for a several years now and the time has finally come for Sky to release his long anticipated debut album coming summer. And with New York still dependent on the next star rap savior to emerge from the underground, and put all five boroughs on their back – Skyzoo holds the future of NYC in his palms. Continue Reading

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Introducing Rich Jones – Interview with the Underground Online Battle Winner

Posted on 29 April 2009.

Two weeks ago Rich Jones was a contender in the Underground Online Battle against Prezzure from Queens. The two artists put up the undisputed best fight in the history of the UGOB, a huge 4,022 votes between the two of them, out ranking our previous vote champion at 1,502 votes. Jones as the victorious receives the honor to be crowned Champion of the UGOB and secure the feature interview on the site. Congratulations to both PreZZure and Rich Jones for a job well done!

HHLO: What’s good Rich? How are things?

RICH JONES: What up man… You know how it is, shits chill you know.

HHLO: Well, first of all, congratulations on winning HHLO’s Underground Battle versus emcee PreZZure from Woodside, Queens. How does it feel?

RICH JONES: First of all, I want to say thank you Mr. Graham for giving me the opportunity, you know… As it says in the bio, I’m not a really well known artist at this point, so any exposure is definitely great for me and what I represent. In terms of PreZZure, I didn’t really do much research on him or anything like that… No disrespect, but I just didn’t get around to it… But, you know, if his following is as the voting on the website displays then I definitely have something to be proud of.

HHLO: Well, now that we know how you’re doing after the big win, let’s get to know you… This guy Rich Jones, who is he?

RICH JONES: Who is he? [Laughs] Let’s see, there’s a complex answer to this one… I’m a real mix of things; my whole background is a real mix of life. I can be real intelligent, but at the same time I can be real ODB and just bust out some crazy shit. I write about everything because I think about a whole lot of stuff, not meaning to sound conceited… But my mind could be on a whole lot of stuff, and I just write about it.

HHLO: What do you think is special about Rich Jones? It doesn’t matter if you sound conceited. [Laughs]

RICH JONES: Ooohhh [Laughs] Ok; well this is based on what people have told me in the past, so it’s an external view of me. But, here goes, whether or not you’re diggin’ the song, my work is genuine, you know. I’m not gonna lie on a track ever. I know that my style or my delivery could be improved or whatever, but everything that comes out of my mouth I’m proud to say is genuine and original. All of my songs contain me in them, and I mean that sincerely. For instance, I drop little inside jokes that my friends will catch when I rap sometimes. For this track up on my MySpace called “My Chicks,” all I did was mix together a number of real life situation. Basically, I’m not afraid to show who I am; if you like me, awesome, and if you don’t feel it, I respect that too.

HHLO: So you’re original and genuine on every track, absolutely. And I’ll put my two cents in and say that you have a good amount of lyrical skill to compliment that originality.

RICH JONES: I appreciate that a lot man.

HHLO: So… What are your influences?

RICH JONES: [Laughs] In reality, my influences come from everywhere… Just the experiences I have every day. I hate to come at it from the average guy perspective, but I’m just an average kid, and I interpret my experiences and write about them. Sometimes that’s in an essay, sometimes that’s in a conversation… and sometimes that comes out in a song. I’d say… God this’ll sound cliché, but my parents have been such an influence on me. My dad is a writer and a poet, so he gave me a passion for words. My mom was in a band in the seventies and eighties, playing shows around big Chicago venues like the Metro and such. Both of them have influenced me musically, but especially my mom. I was listening to Bob Marley at the age of three, first and second grade, I loved the Beatles. And then eventually hip-hop came in the mix. Listening to hip-hop in summer camp when I was 6 and 7, listening to “Gin and Juice”, I didn’t have any idea what endo was but hey, I still liked the music. In terms of hip hop, I admire people like Murs, Rhymefest is great, the old Moleman records. Matter fact, I had Rhymefest’s Man in the Mirror mixtape on repeat for months, but of course, Nas and Gang Starr, Guru especially. My mentor Montana Max told me freshman year of high school that there were a few albums I needed to study, and they included a crazy Masta Ace record, Gang Starr’s Moment of Truth, even stuff I copped then that I explored more recently, like Mobb Deep’s Infamous. I can’t say I identify with the street life, but god dam that’s a talented group, know what I’m sayin?

HHLO: Absolutely. If you ever blow up, will we find you on a DJ Khalid remix with Akon?

RICH JONES: Oh shit…

HHLO: Yup, you gotta think about it cuz that’s a lotta money.

RICH JONES: Yeah, this is rough man, if the situations were correct, and it weren’t some bullshit “I get money” song, I’d think about it. It’s a tough question, you know. Perfect example, this guy Celph Titled outta Tampa, affiliated with Army of Swords, Vinny Paz and them. He just got on a Juelz Santana mixtape. Now, I like Juelz Santana, but this is an example of someone whose music is outside the box taking an opportunity to gain notoriety. So, if my integrity as an artist wasn’t threatened, I would definitely think about it. It would all depend on the situation… I can’t give a firm yes or no. All I can say is it would depend on the situation.

HHLO: Ok. Well it’s about time to wrap it up a bit. But we’ve gotta have the classic either or section, only it’s not so classic, some of these are gonna be tough… You ready?

RICH JONES: Go for it.

HHLO: First one… East Coast vs. West Cost

RICH JONES: [Pause] Fuck you! [Laughs] Naw, just playin… I’ll say East Coast.

HHLO: Just Blaze or Timberland

RICH JONES: I’ll go with Just Blaze.

HHLO: Kanye pre 808s and Heartbreaks or post 808s and Heartbreaks?

RICH JONES: Are you serious? Like is that actually a question? [Laughs] Naw, I got all the respect in the world for someone trynna diversify his approach to his music… But for God sake, you don’t have to be so fucking arrogant about it. Pre 808s

HHLO: I feel that… Ok, a little more of a personal question… You prefer hos or wifeys?

RICH JONES: I plead the fif!!! [Laughs] Naw, I mean we all wanna marry the wifey, but we all trynna get the ho.

HHLO: Absolutely.

RICH JONES: But let’s go on the record here and say that we don’t call them hos, we call them women.

HHLO: Oh man, I got all respect for that. I was just trynna make the question have a ring to it.

RICH JONES: I understand man. I’m just doin’ it for the record. Too much disrespect for women these days.

HHLO: Well Rich, it’s been great talking to you, and we look forward to hearing more from you in the time to come. Rich Jones, ladies and gentlemen, winner of HHLO.net’s Underground Battle of the Week vs. PreZZure, an emcee outta Woodside, Queens.

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