Review: The Upside of Down by Ini-Herit Skill

Ini-Herit Skill, an up and coming NYC producer with a new sound presents a new project, The Upside of Down an homage to dead musicians. Everyone from Nate Dogg to Big L is represented with new production and mastering. With such an ambitious project following his well received, debut L.P, Beats for Breakfast LP which released this past spring, Ini-Herit Skill attempts to rise to the occasion and deliver on an anticipated new project

Opening:
The L.P opens up with a montage of sorts; audio clips from news reports of different artists deaths' and reminiscing from people who knew the artists set over a somber beat. The opening has a slightly tense feel similar to a BEEF DVD segment, it's an energizing intro that flies directly into the first track which features MCs, Big L, Notorious B.I.G (on the hook) 2Pac and Big Punisher. The beat is exceptionally smooth and Ini selects some very stellar verses from each MC even though it's a bit difficult to hear the vocals over the beat (especially the vocal sample in the beat).

Surgery?
The next track is a smooth jazzy remix of Big Punisher's "Surgery with the Chainsaw" it's actually a bit weird to hear the track over a jazzy saxophone and piano heavy beat and even harder to hear the vocals, again. I find myself wishing I could turn off the vocals and just hear the beat.

Funky:
The next track is something any geek who loved the Sega Genesis can appreciate: The Theme song from Toejam & Earl 2: Panic on Funkotron... at least a sample of it with rappers, Guru, Ol Dirty Bastard & Left Eye with late crooner, Nate Dogg on the hook. Now, while the beat is not bad, it lacks creativity outside of the sampled choice and then there are the vocals which aside from being low are out of sync, especially Left Eye's vocals which are almost totally not in sync with the beat. This far from my favorite track but it starts off well.

Be Eazy:
The next track brings the focus to Eazy-E. I wasn't really impressed with the beat on the first listen but it is complimentary to the acapella and Eazy E's charisma makes it. However, this track is a sleeper hit at best. It's a skip-worthy affair.

Intermission:
The next track has no vocals whatsoever and is a deep thought provoking instrumental that you could definitely blaze one to. As a matter of fact I think I will.
A quick skip past takes us to an interlude from the one and only Dirt McGirt, Ol Dirty Bastard. "In Hawaii, the lava alone make my dick hard" he says over a theme song sample (I can't remember which show, sue me). Well placed interlude.

It's Raining Game:
This goes into a feature from the often overlooked west coast rapper, Mac Dre who was killed in Kansas City years ago. The beat seems like it's meant for the vocals, especially the hook but aside from Mac's vocals being low, the vocals are off beat for a good portion of the song so I am definitely torn on this track.

Smooth:
Pimp C rocks the next Ini beat. The track is crazy smooth and I could see Pimp rocking it if he were alive to this day. I definitely considered this a top track on the album.
The next track brings us to a smooth jazz infused interlude featuring a younger Jada Pinkett-Smith reminiscing over 2Pac in an old interview which leads to the late Aaliyah whose death's anniversary recently passed.

Oh Aaliyah...
I like the beat and vocals respectively but combined, the end result is far from ideal with off beat and out of key vocals that don't marry well with the slow, powerful tracks. This is not what your girlfriend will play when you're gone (or vice versa).

The End:
The ending brings us Biggie Smalls, Guru & 2Pac with Big L on the hook. The beat isn't the best I've heard from Ini but also far not the worse and combined with the acapella actually makes for a pretty good song.

The Verdict:
This album was an ambitious concept and production-wise is a pretty solid display of skill from Ini-Herit, however post-production issues and a few poor acapella choices keeps this from being a classic.This is worth a listen and download to hear some greats with a new sound and revitalization.

Bottom Line: 6/10

Wale- ElevenOneEleven Mixtape Review

Lets take this track by track. The opening sees Wale spitting a spoken word poem over keys with a freestyle that reminded me of my own poem interlude, The Inauguration Address although very different in mood... a very subtle opening followed by a nice opening track in "Fuck You" with the familliar Tone P touch it's apparent to me immediately that Wale has become a more comfortable and confident emcee and it shows. Filled with lyrical bravado and a fresh bounce, I couldn't help but fuck with the track and the hook: Fuck you/ When a nigga in the room, give a nigga room will be stuck in my head for a minute.
The next track, Drums and Shit speeds things up with a breakbeat jam that builds into something grand and again Wale rips through with venomous bars straight into the next track one of his latest hits Chain Music. To keep it real, the beat is tough for sure, a club banger up and down but the verses seemed somewhat indistinguishable from a Rick Ross (1st verse) and Meek Millz (2nd verse). I liked the song in the end but it seemed like a swag change up.
The next track, Lacefrontin speeds things back up with Wale calling out all the fake women with an arrogant flow. Again, I hear Rick Ross type flow in the mix. The beat itself is pretty hard and reminds me of 80s party hip hop.
With the next track, Mother Nature brings us to a different mood. The song is a radio smash for sure with Wale speaking to your girlfriend, sister and mother over a panty dropper beat. I kinda zoned out from the track as I'm not really into this sort of rapping but I do give props for some bars I caught.
The next track, Barry Sanders (opened up with a clever sample from Paid in Full) was okay to me but the rhyme scheme he uses is nothing new, however the bars and metaphors are on point and the beat reminds me of a Just Blaze banger.
The next joint, Passive Agress-Her is another slow jam for the ladies. The beat is infectious, Wale reminds me of Lil Wayne on the track but he retains his own swag with the track. I can ride out to this track with a shawty in the whip.
The next track, Fairy Tales threw me for a loop. I twisted my face at first as I thought it was another Keith Sweat rap but Lil Duval lends his R&B and comedic talents to the mix for a hilarious final product that you can't help but laugh at and put on repeat like 3 times.
The next joint, Ocean Drive is a reggae hip-hop hybrid from the Ambition album that will definitely be getting overplayed by your local radio station featuring members of The Board, Wale's group. Its not a bad track but not my flavor. Again, about women. By this point I'm beginning to tire of hearing about women and am ready to send Wale a case of baby oil and chase for his white Zinfandel.
The next track brings us back to a more serious tone. Samples and Shit reminds me of let the beat build though not as exciting. The drums are minimal and the content is more of what you heard all throughout the first 5 tracks. By now I'm dying to hear some substance.
The next track, Ambitious Girl is not helping the situation. To be fair, the track is a hit that will ensure he
goes gold or betteron his next album but as I'm tired of hearing soft shit this track is skip-worthy to me.
Then we get to Let's Chill featuring Lloyd which you've no doubt heard by now on the radio. Same track More softness, my head is beginning to ache.
The next track, Pick Six brings us to a mellow jazzy place. A decent track complete with arrogance and sports metaphors.
After this Varsity Blues continues a sports trend in the mixtape. Wale spills out a little bit of his soul on the track and the song overall is pretty good and I feel as if we are hearing frustration from Attention Deficit's attention deficit from Interscope.
If Varsity Blues was the buildup, Underdog was the crescendo. Tough track that I can definitely feel and relate to. One of my favorite tracks on the mixtape.
Finally podium ends out the tape with members of the Board getting shine with Wale in a declaration type track. Powerful finish for the tape.
I can barely call this a mixtape. Let me be clear, this is a Maybach Music free album.
Bottom line. 7.5/ 10

Bee Season Reviewed on "Couple of Thoughts"

Much love to my homie, Ini-Herit Skill for including my latest mixtape on Couple of Thoughts. Well written review folks. Check that out here:

Couple of Thoughts

Criminal: (An Homage to Biggie Smalls) featured on Not Quite Millionaires and AllDMVHipHop.com

Much love to the folks at www.alldmvhiphop.com and Junie Rock at Not Quite Millionaires for featuring my track and homage to the late great Chris Wallace. Show love to both sites and my jam here:
AllDMVHipHop
 Not Quite Millionaires

Carter IV Album Cover

Now I dont agree with a lot of things, Wayne does but this cover is pure genius...

LISTEN TO THIS: Beats for Breakfast LP by Ini-Herit Skill (Producer)

I'm kinda late with this post but this is definitely deserving of a listen and download. Get it free at:
http://ini-heritskill.bandcamp.com/album/beats-for-breakfast-lp

WELCOME 2 DC: Big Ass Hole on the 14th ST Bridge

Courtesy of Big Tigger: Goddamn, moe.

The Official Trailer for the New Batman: The Dark Knight Rises

If you know me at all, you'll know I am a superhero movie nerd, so of course, I have to bring you the teaser trailer for the 3rd of Christopher Nolan's New Batman saga entitled (with little imagination, shitty title) The Dark Knight Rises. I just pray these guys don't fuck this fantastic franchise up and jump the shark tank. Take a sneak peek:

 

We shall see what comes of this. The Knight is Darkest before the day. Or somethin like dat....

Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame- Ferrari Boyz Cover| My 2 cents

So... What the hell happened to OJ Da Juiceman? Don't really matter, none of these cats got bars for real. Tight ass beats all day though.

 

Miguel and Lloyd Beefing Over Hairstyles

Yeah moe. You read this correctly. Two of the softest R&B singers of this day are beefing over hairstyles while niggas around the world are dying over real beef and conflict. If this doesn't wanna make you scalp the nearest metrosexual singer, I don't know what the fuck will. Listen to this bullshit:

Wanna make it in the biz? Controversy and beef will always sell your records.

WHOOZNXT? Jim Crow?

Recently while I was on facebook looking at half naked bathroom shots of some slut I knew from high school, something caught my eye on the right side of the screen... An ad for a site called WHOOZNXT?
The premise of the site in their wording is this:

Led by a former senior MTV executive who was responsible for the launch of Guitar Hero and RockBand, NXTM digitally represents artists such as Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake, NXTM allows emerging bands to apply the same tools and top-tier exposure opportunities. With major media partnerships in television, radio, live venues, digital platforms, and more - WHOOZNXT is the only platform that rewards the online activity of artists with real-world exposure.

The new music industry has a language that I've become pretty fluent in so here is a little translation:

Led by a former senior MTV executive who was responsible for the launch of Guitar Hero and RockBand:
The boss used to work for MTV back when MTV was a strictly rock & pepsi station. He loves air-guitaring so much that he (along with every other "dude" in the room) came up with the idea for Guitar Hero.

NXTM digitally represents artists such as Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake
We like hip white people with influence. Just like the old MTV.

NXTM allows emerging bands to apply the same tools and top-tier exposure opportunities. With major media partnerships in television, radio, live venues, digital platforms, and more - WHOOZNXT is the only platform that rewards the online activity of artists with real-world exposure.
If you fit the criteria for what we want, we'll throw you a bone from time to time. You gotta promote for us though.. Promote heavily too. No slacking!

The kicker is that on my artist dashboard all the way at the bottom on the right it tells you, this will be a paid service but for now it's free "so promote." It was looking toxic enough but when I filled out the sheet for my info, a white hood came out of my printer.

There is nothing more insulting than a site referring all musical acts as "bands," unless of course you refer to all black music as "urban" and offer noting of value to an emerging hip hop or R&B act. I have from the added sum, 4,206 fans through all social networks but it means shit when the opportunity is getting on the John Lennon bus or performing at a Toby Keith restaurant (unless they plan on giving me complimentary chicken and watermelon) and that's the "gold" gig pack. The "silver"" range for anyone who isn't already at least a known artist to the masses is promoting for a Facebook campaign and Jango radio airplay.... Open up your wallet and pull out a $100 bill and you can get the same effect...

I sent a nice nasty letter and I await the response but until then I give WHOOZNXT a thumbs down courtesy of "urban" music.

The Return of the Rapper

So... after what? 3 and a half months? I'm back to take you guys with me on this journey I'm on as an independent MC in 2011 (with no money) and let you experience through your eyes what it takes to be Bee Lee the MC. The focus of this blog remains as an intimate log of my personal experiences, views, struggles and successes and also a variety of tips & advice, spotlight on musicians I know and admire, middlefingerdum of those I don't like or respect and basically, me being me when the camera and mic is off. Again, please follow me on Twitter... I don't know why but they seriously count followers as fans these days... Investors will put thousands into a product in good faith all because 12,000 muh-fuckas hit the follow button to see a nigga tweet about bullshit all day... That's how it is now though, so fuck it. Anyways I appreciate the love all 5 of you show to my blog so thank you.

Skunk TV Everclear was here freestyle

Drinks & Drugs (feat. Nollo Dice) MUSIC VIDEO

Me and the boy Nollo Dice had been talking bout doing this video for a while so we went ahead and just did it kinda spur of the moment. Check it out. Again, that album is free to download and listen to at www.mayorbrianlee.bandcamp.com

New Kid ft Tabi Bonney & Gudda Gee premieres at www.DJSMALLZ.com

New joint for the spring and summer. This will be featured on my final underground L.P.

New Kid featuring Tabi Bonney and my brudda Gee. Old school feel with our new twist. 

Drew inspiration from a Tribe Called Quest for the beat and though I had an earlier version of this song.

I had to do it justice and not bullshit my verse this time. No slouch verses on this one.
This is the DJ Smallz Southern Smoke premiere so if you on our team and care to make your voice heard or even if you feel this song is complete garbage let me know how bad this song is right now at www.djsmallz.com/hotornot

For My Aspiring Artists: Home Studio Recording w/ Nuendo. Lesson One- How to Record Clear Vocals.

Now I'm no Berklee or Full Sail professor or anything like that but I'm an experienced producer and engineer and I have noticed that a lot of DMV artists are talented but run studios out of their houses and don't always know how to properly mix songs to put out so here is my recipe for a good mix on a song. I record with Steinberg Nuendo but you can apply many of my principles to most quality programs including Pro Tools and ReCord. For my Reason producers I will do a separate tutorial later. Now I'm sure you know the complete basics on how to record a song, and if not please check your instruction manual. Here is my first set of simple tips:

1. When you record, don't let the vocals over-peak during recording. You will ruin the vocals. Over-peaking (audio clipping) is a distortion in your recording. If the track is recorded with distortion there's no way to eliminate the distortion without hurting sound quality.

2. For light waves (a thinner line from lighter voices) you should apply compression to the wave file and then raise the volume of the track with the gain (volume) command right above your project. Your audio again should not clip. If it begins to clip, lower the gain on the clip and if necessary undo the compression on the clip. The volume should be audible and clear without the mixer volume being excessively high or turned all the way up and in no way should sound muffled. Leave your mixer value at 0.0 for now.

3. I suggest if your microphone is of low quality or allows a lot of low pass from your voice to enter the effects panel (a small e in the mixer controls) and select "low cut" from the dropbox at the top. This will eliminate that added bass from your voice and make your vocals sound cleaner

4. Right click the clip and go to: PROCESS>> NOISE GATE and apply the default noise gating to your vocals to eliminate nuisances from your audio such as, breathing noises, throat clearing, background noise, pops etc.

This is the first installment of my lesson to get you acquainted with the most basic part of recording with Nuendo if you are unfamiliar. In the next lesson, we will discuss how to make your vocals blend in clearly with your beat and how to finish mixing your song,

My Studio album debut, The Inauguration

Coming to retail stores this summer, my new album is available for digital download and listen right now. Check it out.

Almost Time for the Inauguration

Listen to the album

Whats good folks? First of all Happy New Year. I hope everyone has been happy, safe and high. You already know t'guy was enjoying himself and I commited the ultimate sin of this game and slept (and slept good). Well, nap time is over and it's time to begin the new year and the first order of business IS the release of my album, The Inauguration. The release date is almost here already and I know this is some bama ass shit but I made a countdown clock. So countdown with me to the release of the digital version of the album on Band Camp and tomorrow check it out at www.mayorbrianlee.bandcamp.com. It was a cool album to make and this time around I wanted to be an asshole and do EVERYTHING independent. So support hard working black men like myself and support (DMV, anyone?) underground hip-hop.

RADIO SINGLE: Lust Me featuring Talitha Royster on MUZIBOO!

Lust Me (featuring Talitha Royster) |

The first radio single from The Inauguration on Muziboo, Lust Me. A little something in the realm of relationships. For my fellas and especially my ladies who know about love and lust . Shout out to Talitha Royster who lit this song on fire. 
Vote for this song at your local radio station and on your favorite HD, Satellite or internet radio station today.

One Man Aims to Unite a City One Ear at a Time

Lee puts a sign representing the city of Washington D.C. near his old home in a black middle class neighborhood in Southeast D.C.

 I wanted to share this fantastically written article with you guys and encourage y'all to support my cause by checking out my album The Inauguration in January. Check this one out. Shouts out to Chris for this one!!!

Written by Christopher Thomas (December 2010).

    The city of Washington D.C. has waited for an artist to open doors for the city's lucrative underground music scene. That artist may very well be a 23 year old hip-hop recording artist and producer with a plan to unite and help to create a better image for the city, but how does he plan to do this where others have failed? Read on and find out what he says. The Inauguration will be released January 1st, 2011. For information on this artist please visit: www.bestnewrapper.blogspot.com, www.day1pro.com or email day1pro@yahoo.com or mayorbrianlee@gmail.com.

    District of Columbia local rapper, "Mayor" Brian Lee sits down very carefully in a very comfortable looking computer chair with a grin as excited and eager as it is painful to wear on his face. The recipient of 8 screws with wires to bound his jaw shut seems as upbeat and energetic in person as he is angry and inquisitive in many records and as thoughtful and funny as he pokes jokes at his entourage about having to smile for a month due to the jaw bracing.

    His intentions are genuine and simple; he wants to serve as a liaison between three distinctly different but equally focused types of underground hip hop in the area: The raw and rough gangster and street music lovers, the youthful crowd into fashion and dance trends and also the older generations of fans who still love lyricism and creativity while also speaking to different generations of music lovers beyond the borders of the Potomac River, and the Eastern, Western and Southern Avenues. How can he accomplish this? "I'm going to be me. I am all those crowds in one man so as such I wanna speak to ALL my people about what's real and also give them a way to enjoy themselves with a touch of home during these hard times and help to usher in better times for this city. It's not about me being a G moving [kilos of cocaine] or being a pretty boy and singing through an autotune." says Lee with his teeth barely shifting though each articulation of word. His city accent is barely noticeable though the young man was born in D.C. General Hospital and raised in impoverished areas in the southeast quadrant of the city as well as  Montana Terrace a former housing project in the Northeast quadrant during the 90s before moving to the Benning Heights area in his teens, " I have good looking clothes; sometimes preppy looking clothing but I will jone on you and tell you some real stuff that's going on the streets while I'm looking preppy and politic with you about serious issues in our community and world in a pair of Nike Boots and a diamond watch when I'm not"

    Known formerly as Tha 1ne, Lee landed himself in with the Diamond District Cartel (not to be confused with Diamond District, a current D.C. group), a label affiliated with local street gang 501 Boyz which claimed to have distribution through Sony Records but also was distributing in other areas. After the incarcerations of top members, the label itself slowed down and is now seemingly defunct, an experience that motivated Lee to found and lead his own imprint P.L.U.T.O Urban Entertainment and eventually land with Day 1 Productions and secure physical distribution as well as join the ranks of Island Def Jam Music Group's Digital Distribution group. In 2009 he released his iTunes debut, New Kid featuring another known D.C. rapper, Tabi Bonney.

    His experiences from meeting and performing with major artists including Ryan Leslie, Disturbing the Peace Records, Trey Songz & D.C.'s Don Juan as well as local favorites Critical Condition Band, Whitefolkz and other figures such as major A&R's and music promoters has prepared him for the high stakes game of politics and chance that is the music industry and his experiences in the streets of the unseen side our Nation's Capital as well as the more aesthetically pleasing walks of his school, The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has shaped Lee into a future hit maker none deprived of potential and the will to turn that potential into dollar signs for investors and open doors for supporters and enthusiasts.

    That potential has spawned two street albums with a studio album debut coming January, simply titled, "The Inauguration". The street albums "Thrillionaire" and "The Bulletproof Boomboxx" represent Lee's dynamics with "Thrillionaire" being an upbeat street inspired release alongside "The Bulletproof Boomboxxx" released three weeks prior for free download on Bandcamp, a grittier more thought provoking look at Lee's life and also struggles with drug abuse and depression. A third release is planned for release a week prior to the release of, "The Inauguration" which releases January, 2011 and Lee plans to release material every three weeks into the spring of 2011. His releases as well as a low budget video shot for one of the album's singles, "Kamikaze," are currently creating a buzz on the Internet and on the streets of the city as well as the release of "Clap" a go-go/hip hop fusion featuring the T.O.B go go band from Washington D.C. and Nollo Dice, a member of Lee's hip hop group the Council. 

The cover of The Inauguration is a subtle message displaying gang colors and the infamous gangster "flag"over Lee's face and the U.S. Capitol building as well as the American flag behind him. Politics of the industry and the street are at power on this album.

    When asked about the efforts of major artists such as Wale, Lee smiled and said, "I respect what Wale is trying to do and support that 100% but we as a city cannot put everything on his back and expect him to carry us. We gotta jump down and help him carry that load because he's not just Wale, he's our brother in this DMV thing. The same goes for Tabi, Don Juan and whoever is out there doing big things from the metropolitan area. At the same time, make no mistake we are all competition and every time I make a record I'm aiming for my stuff to be better than everybody else's stuff friend or foe"
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The city may very well have a new star on it's hands. For more information about Mayor Brian Lee, P.L.U.T.OWorld Music Group, or Day 1 Productions please e-mail:
day1pro@yahoo.com or
mayorbrianlee@gmail.com

or visit:
www.bestnewrapper.blogspot.com
www.day1pro.com
www.mayorbrianlee.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/mayorbrianlee
www.twitter.com/mayorbrianlee