Landon Lands On Greatness in "Keep Pushing"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0rq8vEFGA0&sns=em

I haven't blogged here in a while. I've been in New York City working on KMCNY.blogspot.com, interviewing recording engineers and designing a high school music production class. It's back to local, solo sweat now that my GN Festival show is this weekend, but I was browsing my Twitter messages when Landon DeVon hit me up with this link.

Landon DeVon got my attention because of his voice. His YouTube covers feature him harmonizing with himself over Drake, John Legend, and Frank Ocean songs, sometimes via webcam, sometimes sans webcam and with a little more production.

This video, however, is strictly rap. DeVon uses his rap debut ("Keep Pushing") as a vehicle for a more edgy persona, and bashes hopefuls unwilling to grind and all too willing to complain about the industry climate. Langston "Arcani" Elvord can be seen dancing and hyping up the video as the song progresses, and provides contrast to DeVon's casual, un-rapper-like style of dress with his sleeveless jean jacket and OBEY cap.

That's not to say his style is bad. Individuality seems to be DeVon's trademark. YouTube commenters urge him to continue be himself. One user talks about the "chills" he used to get seeing Landon perform on stage. One thing is for certain, Madison wants to hear more.

Exclusive KMC Interview: Thomas Parkman AKA Lil Pacman talks mixtape delays, Chicago influence, designer clothes, and not feeling Ted Park

KMC chatted with Thomas Parkman, the hype man and recording artist behind projects with everyone from DMANDJA to DJ Victory.

Why are you holding off on releasing GAME 7 for the fall?

because i mean i just wanna really wanna take my time and do it right and make sure it bangs

Explain your work with flame the ruler and victory beatz

i been working with flame and vic since i was like in 3rd grade lol me and like 5 of my cousins made a song called yup in my nikes and every since then they told me that i had what it takes to rap so we been workin every since

If you could say one thing to people anticipating Live From Wisco or "Elite" what would it be?

man one thing i wud tell ppl is that the live from wisco joint is theeeeee best mixtape on the scene right now and it wud hard to top it cuz it has a major dj on it Trap-a-holics and its the only mixtape that he has produced in wisconsin but the elite tape is gonna have some of the hottest rappers from the midwest on it

What made you decide to take part in the Madison rap scene?

what made me wanna take part in the madison rap is scene is that i realized that every other rapper adedd swagg to it but i wanna add REAL to it because im from chicago and all ik is trapp and its how i actually live and when ppl see that they go oh Madison get it crackin too

Who are your main clients (producers, features, video editors) and how does your team as a unit contribute to the madison scene?

my main clients is my campaign first of all because thats who comes first like guttafoundation, soldier click, duce dilliotto YGF DmanDJA Black reedzand more but my main producer is DJVICTORY.. everybody contribute ion their own way because we all have different styles but if it came down to making one big track together it wud be fire cuz all our styles wud just compliment the beat

Who are your idols/influences in the game?

my idols in the game today is gucci mane TI Wayne my and my big cousins because they thought me the ins and outs f this game and what comes with it... and of course pac and biggie.

what brand names do you wear on a regular basis?

i wear true religion polo gucci nike i rock timberlands even in the summer lol ppl be lookin at me crazy out here when its like 90 ot side and i have on pants and timbs but its a chicago thing but i rock mixmatch designer

what is it that makes the madison scene unique?

what makes the madison rap scene unique is that all these rapper out here are from different backgrounds and when we come together and everybodys on the same page its real music and not that fsake shit,, cuz low key its alot of rappers like d.cord that can make things a waste of music and bring dead spots in the scene also im not feeling TED PARK right now cuz he dropped his group ARKND and i feel that was a bogish ass move to do.. and thats not being a real nigga but i do give him his credit when its due.

Shoutout to Thomas Parkman AKA Lil Pacman for participating in this exclusive Kid Melo Company Interview! Look out for Mixtapes Live from Wisco, Elite, and GAME 7

-KMC

Xyz - Dead Presidents (Remix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9bSPzbqvs0Y#!

Xyz speaks from Italy; kills Jay-Z's classic "Dead Presidents" with sharp flows about smoking to stimulate his imagination, questioning his chances to graduate high school, self-evaluating and stressing about gaining exposure. He spouts: "Sad calculations reveal I won't see graduation, so fuck education kids can't wait to grab their diplomas impatient..." and his optimistic side quips back, "to me it's irrelevant cuz it's heavily evident I'm intelligent."

Even with the seriousness of the song, Xyz still doesn't ignore wordplay. He showers the track with lines like: "...get my weight up cuz I be so hot I'm burnin' calories" and "I stay above you pussies like a clitoris." Ah, the imagery.

The mix and the tone keeps it old school 90's New York, his trademark mixtape sound. "Cry it Out" is still my favorite Xyz track though.

Exclusive Interview with DJ Pain1

"Here we are with Pacal “DJ Pain 1” Bayley, a central figure in
Madison Hip-Hop who increasingly serves as Madison’s ambassador to the
upper echelons of the hip-hop industry.

Taken from his official site: “DJ Pain 1 is a Madison-based producer
(RIAA Gold-Certified), Violator All-Star DJ and educator. He has
produced songs for artists including Young Jeezy, Meek Mill, Chuck D,
Kirko Bangz, and Gucci Mane. He has also hosted notable mixtapes
including Trina's "Miss 305" and several volumes of Coast2Coast's
official mixtape series.”

How did you first get involved in Hip-Hop?

I was involved in hip-hop as a consumer for the majority of my life, maybe from age four and on.  I loved hip-hop music, loved listening to it.  I didn't know I could create it until age 14.  I knew some computer nerds in middle school, guys who were also musical and who had midi set-ups.  I tried making a few beats, then eventually started sampling at home and grew from there. 

What has been your favorite project so far and why?

 I like all of the projects I've been a part of, for different reasons.  

What is the importance of social media in your work?

Social media is the new arena for breaking new music, communicating with fans, building a fanbase and monetizing intellectual property.  This applies to all artists, so I'm no exception.  I started with youtube, as far as really promoting myself as a producer was concerned, years after I started making music.  It was inevitable and I wish I had started much sooner.

Explain your YouTube series about using social media to your advantage.

 

The concept is pretty simple:  I reveal all I know about self-directed promo and marketing.  I don't think the information I've providing in these videos can be found anywhere else on Youtube.  A lot of people will charge for that information or they will only give it out at conferences.  Keeping the information to myself wasn't making me any more successful.  Additionally, it would frustrate me, and it still does, to see so many artists wasting their time making bad marketing decisions with their music, spending their most valuable resource--time--on mass tweets or unsolicited emails, techniques that don't work.  I wanted to help if I could.  I hope I am, my knowledge is somewhat limited, but I share it.

 

What is your role as a producer?

Compose and "produce" music, have a creative vision for a song or a project.  But then I have to manage myself a lot, market myself, promote myself and keep my business organized.  That's the stuff I had to learn to tolerate.  I love music.  I'm not in love with being a business, but it's necessary.

 

What were your thoughts when The Recession went Gold?

I had known it was going to go gold after the first week sales numbers came in, so I wasn't too surprised.  I had to come to terms with becoming a professional producer a few weeks before the album was officially released.  It was a surreal feeling.

 

What is your role as a DJ?

To keep people happy at parties and clubs via my musical selection and mixing.  I really see it as simply as that.

 

What was your experience with Planet Jamz, your former radio show with 93.1 FM?

I believe that format, hip-hop mixshow on commercial radio, was something that had never been done in Madison.  It was great to be a part of it.  I was there for 4 years and I got to see a side of the music industry that I wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise.  93.1 Jamz staff took a chance on that format and it worked.

 

What is your role as an educator?

My background is in Secondary Education.  I've worked mostly in pre-college and non-profit programs.  I've developed some production curricula for young people as well.  My preference is high school but I've worked with some elementary and middle school students, some of whom have become really talented artists.  David Yang and Colin Callahan, a recording artist and a producer respectively, are extremely talented.  I met them both at workshops I was teaching.  

 

What has your experience been like teaching Technology and the Arts?

Great.  I was able to combine two passions.

 

Explain the work dynamic between you, Shah and Ted Park and how
"Broadcasting Live" came to be.

That dynamic is still growing.  Shah and I have a good dynamic because it grew organically from him and I sharing the stage so often.  He would host parties that I dj'ed and so we just developed a rhythm and transferred it to other areas such as mixtapes.  Ted Park is somebody I'm still learning about.  Some of his friends were former students of mine, so they were playing his music for me years ago.  He reached out to me on his first mixtape and then again on his second.  He's growing, he's learning, and he's doing both really quickly.  I'm happy to be a part of his emergence as an artist.  Shah and him worked together independently of me, but since we're all connected, we had to converge.  

What is your role in the Madison Hip-Hop Awards?

My official title is secretary.  It's a big group.  We all have to wear a lot of hats to make sure that the events are successful.  It's hard to say what any one person's role is.

 

Who inspired you growing up?

It depends on my age.  My parents though, they are a constant.  Them and whichever artists whose music I was listening to.

 

Who are producers you look up to?

Successful ones.  I know how hard it is to be successful, musically and financially, as a producer, so anybody who has achieved that is somebody that I respect.

 

If you could collaborate with one industry artist you have not
collaborated with yet who would it be and why?

Mr. Jieber. 

 

 

If you could collaborate with one Madison Artist you have not
collaborated with yet who would it be and why?

Garbage... the band.  They're from Madison.

 

What makes the Madison Hip-Hop scene unique?

I'd like to think we're a talented group, but we're unique as a city just based on our size-- small but big.  I think the untapped talent label applies to milwaukee too, but you have the Jacob Latimores, Tanks and Rico Loves coming out of that city.

 

Who are hopeful young artists in Madison right now?

I'm sure there are a ton I haven't heard of, but the ones that I see making a big impact with social media numbers, shows and fan response are Ted Park, David Yang, Colin Callahan, and CME.

 

Rappers like Meek Mill from Philadelphia and Chief Keef from Chicago
are using social media to operate out of cities that are not
necessarily known as Hip-Hop hotbeds (at least not in the same echelon
as New York, LA, Miami, Houston, or Atlanta) Could Madison similarly
embody the "Small city, Big Dreams" archetype?

 

Madison doesn't have a choice.  Overall, artists in this city have a low web presence, and it's really tragic.  It sets the bar low.  Artists are wising up, but it's a slow process.  Really, it's the young artists in madison who really understand the importance of social media marketing.  I think the task of online marketing and networking is intimidating to a lot of people.  It's not easy.

 

What is the best advice you can give to aspiring music businessmen and women?

Learn how to learn.  Then start learning and don't stop.  And most importantly, implement the knowledge as often as possible.  There are books, conferences, online forums, videos, etc that teach artists a lot of important ways that they can focus their creativity into processes that benefit them as aspiring professionals.   

 

Where did you get the inspiration for compiling "Painkillerz" and
"Undressed 2" and what were your favorite tracks from each?

I thought they were catchy titles.  The "Painkillerz" title is funny to me.  I hate drugs.  The undressed concept makes producing sexy.  Sitting in a chair all day and hitting buttons and keys and pads isn't usually thought of as sexy.

 

Your beats range from orchestral (“Love this City”) to sparse and raw
(“Reppin for the Ocean”). Do you feel as though you are heading in a
certain direction stylistically?

No.  I need something to stick first.  I'm all over the place stylistically.  Once something really sticks, I'll be focusing more on reducing my scope and focusing my sound.

 

What advice do you have for producers and artists who wish to become
more versatile?

 

Input is output.  You have to listen and actually enjoy different kinds of music to build up your repertoire. 

 

There is a link to Scott’s Urban Wear on your official site. Explain
your ties to Scott’s Urban Wear and what they do for the Hip-Hop
community in Madison.

Scott's Urban Wear are huge supporters.  Scott is genuinely interested in seeing our city's hip-hop scene grow into something great.  He hosts a lot of benefit events and has donated to hip-hop related non-profit organizations and events.  He definitely deserves support back.  

Shout out to DJ Pain1 for participating in the fourth Kid Melo Company
Exclusive Interview! Visit his site http://www.djpain1.info/ and
download his Mixtapes "Undressed Instrumentals 2" and "Painkillerz
Vol. 1"

NEW ALBUM "ALL DAY EVERY DAY"

Kid Melo Company is not just a blogger site... but also a music production company.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-day-every-day/id539152988

For 3.99 purchase KMC's first independent album, "All Day Every Day" distributed by Makell Bird of ADE Distribution, featuring 7 tracks: Intro, All Day Every Day, Dippin', Grind, It's the Kid, Me, and When I Think About You. Singles can be purchased for .99. Stay tuned for music and performance videos!

Arcani's "Ghetto" Official Music Video

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=j3tgCHAhqco

Langston "Arcani" Elvord blasts this Jay-Z track with his unbridled lyricism and attention to flow. Done over DJ Primo's 1999 beat "So Ghetto," Elvord combines raw lyrics with internal rhyming to make the song dynamic and interesting. Although he talks about getting money legally ("clean cash") and getting educated ("rap is my second major"), "Ghetto" remains edgy: "Pockets flatter than a chick with no booty, n****s don't eat like cold sushi and no coochie" exemplifies the broke, hungry, sexually frustrated Pre-success artist.
Probably the most compelling part of "Ghetto" is the Acapella portion where Elvord manipulates Acapella into "Acapello" to rhyme with "my dad's a rat so I should carry gas like Donatello," adding to the angst of a song that lot of first-time Arcani listeners might underestimate. One thing's for sure: Arcani is not to be slept on.

-KMC

BlackReedz & Lil' PacMan "Northstar," "Elite," and "Game 7" Mixtapes Coming Soon!

Praises DMANDJA, disses DCord,  reps YGF Stuntgang, Shouts out Soldier Click and Chief Keef, Promotes Northstar/Elite/Game 7 Tapes that are coming soon!

Song played halfway through can be found on Hot New Hip-Hop:

http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/dmandja-foreign-song.862482.html

"Foreign" is a DmanDJA, Reedz and Lil PacMan song with offbeat snares and a super-based guitar loop produced by DmanDJA. The upcoming tapes, however, will be produced by Victory Beats.

Solo BlackReedz music can be found on SoundCloud

http://soundcloud.com/blackreedz/blackreedz-mad-town-vybe?utm_campaign=timeline&utm_content=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fblackreedz%2Fblackreedz-mad-town-vybe&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=soundcloud

"Mad-Town Vybes" is an old-school sounding sampled beat, very anthemic and slow jamesque.

There is, however, a huge difference between these two BlackReedz songs, which leaves Madison wondering which will set the tone for the "Northstar" tape! (Or is "Mad-Town Vybes" a preview of "Northstar" and "Foreign" a Preview of BlackReedz & Lil' Pacman's "Elite"?) Stay tuned at Kid Melo Company anticipates these three tapes: "Northstar" (BlackReedz), "Elite" (BlackReedz & Lil' PacMan) and "Game 7" (BlackReedz and Lil' PacMan).