DJ Khaled ft. Nicki Minaj, Ricky Rozay, Busta Rhymes, T-Pain - All I Do Is Win Win Win
Corinne Bailey Rae - Closer (love love love)
Toni Braxton - Woman
Rocko - Maybe
Donnis - Support Your Own
With the release of two mixtapes within a month and positive feedback regarding both, his biggest challenge isn’t making good music about his home it’s about being supported there. The Atlanta Brave has yet to be accepted, let alone seen by the city of Atlanta. He dances, reps a Southside city where the dope boys re-up, and gets down with Cyhi Da Prynce, so what’s the hold up? Who knows. As for now, forget about ever superman-ing that ho, he’s going Britney Spears on ya’ll motherfuckers.
Miss Solow Dolow: Where you at?
Donnis: I’m in New York City. I just got back from Vancouver, Canada. I did a show there. It was my favorite show I’ve done to date.
MSD: What was growing up in Atlanta like for you?
D: I’m a Jonesboro kid and Atlanta was all I knew. My pastimes in Atlanta are like everyone else’s. I’m a Waffle House, Cracker Barrel, Gladys Knight eating dude. Jonesboro isn’t what it used to be though. My neighborhood went from the ‘burbs to police raiding. The southside is like dope boy haven right about now. It’s crazy out there.
MSD: So you were a good kid?
D: I was cool. I never skipped school. I really loved girls and music which reflected in the bad ass grades that I made. Growing up in Georgia made me who I am. :cues Cee-Lo’s “Georgia”: I didn’t get mean ‘til I got to New York.
MSD: So are you confirming the stereotype that New York people are mean?
D: I think I am. I was too nice up here and now I can’t be nice to people because they are trying to screw you over. You can’t trust nobody up here from the cab drivers to asking for directions. They’ll fuck you up. But back home it ain’t a problem unless you make a problem in the A so I can bring it back down.
MSD: What artists in Atlanta are you feeling?
D: You know who I fuck with extra heavy? I fuck with Cyhi the Prynce. That nigga is dope and he is my fam. Of course I fuck with Hollyweerd cause they put on. These labels need to wake up and give them a chance. Other than rap, I’m not really aware of what’s going on in the city, but I’d love to be.
MSD: What is the difference between your fanbases up north and down south?
D: It depends on where in south really, but I feel like with Atlanta I still have to break through. There is a culture here in NY that is not looming in Atlanta with a whole bunch of rappers talking about something other than selling drugs. In Atlanta they are still popping with the dances and the one hit thing. I’m out here screaming for attention in my own city by dropping these mixtapes that sound like albums and I’m waiting on everybody to get it right.
MSD: So you don’t dance?
D: Oh I dance! I’m not hating on these rappers that make these dance songs cause I rock with them but how many more dance songs and simple lyric songs can they make?! Atlanta radio has to embrace all forms of music out there and they’re only embracing two types.
MSD: What does your growth look like in 5 years?
D: In five years I’m gonna be so fucking famous that I won’t know what to do with my gotdamn self. I’m gonna go Britney Spears on these muthafuckas!
MSD: How exactly do you go Britney Spears on someone?
D: By getting so famous you go crazy. Shoutout to that. Famous and Richness. So rich and so famous I’m gonna make a song. :cues Outkast’s “So Fresh So Clean”: Ain’t nobody rich as me I’m just so famous!
MSD: What are your plans for the rest of the year?
D: Lots of touring and we’re gonna continue to shoot videos for songs and getting this music out there. Just shot the campaign for T.I.’s Akoo label. We just shot the video for “Tonight” in Tokyo and that’ll be out soon.
MSD: What do you think you can really do to get Atlanta to fuck with you?
D: It’s something that is yet to be seen. The more everywhere else starts to embrace it the more Atlanta will come in and start fucking with it. It’s gonna take time. Atlanta on Gucci mane right now. I have a song with Gucci Mane and OJ da Juice but it takes more than that for the city to be like “Donnis is incredible.” It’s a challenge but I got DJ Infamous, DJ Champion, and DJ Holiday. They know what time it is. It’s gonna be something that eventually happens and when it does it’ll be dope.
MSD: Any last words?
D: I’m a sensation. I’m getting stopped in these NY streets cause I’m famous up here. Atlanta needs to wake up.
Download Donnis recent releases dolow:
The Invitation and Fashionably Late
The Atlanta Stargazing Tour
Tonight they are kicking it off at Eastside Lounge at 9pm. The tix are $5 and you can get them here.
If you missed Tuesday night's show at 529 w/ Richelle L. Brown and my "sexy chocolate", then you can catch them again here at half price. My homey Niko Villamor and FKI will be hitting the stage as well.
Shouts to Desmond. I see you working hard and getting it in over there.
I will be reviewing the show at my summer place of freelance residence: A3C, so catch the recap there.
Check out this new Aleon Craft to start your night off.
Aleon Craft - Stargazing
Freddie Gibbs - The Popular Kid
"Rap is too much like high school. It's a popularity contest but at the end of the day, it's all bullshit. But hell yeah, I was popular," Freddie Gibbs states. And just like any popular student, the talented football athlete loves the ladies. Presently in Los Angeles, he sees a lot of pretty girls in a cool breeze and under heightened circumstances. "I love the weather, the weed and the women. It’s enough to keep me satisfied.” As good as that sounds, there is more to the proclaimed gangster than one can expect after listening to his ghetto tracks and murder cuts.
Fresh out of Indiana with his hometown Gary on his back, Gangsta Gibbs doesn’t regret any past decisions. He laughs when discussing his gangster life but his time in the streets is far from over. His position in the hood hasn’t much changed, but its’ duties have. “I’ve dibbled and dabbled in street activities. It is what it is and everything I rap about I’ve lived it. That’s definitely something that I’ve been affiliated with, but that’s not all that makes me. That’s not all I’m about. As he understands what being affiliated with the streets can do, he creates music that raises awareness about what’s only going on not just in Gary but throughout the Midwest and the nation. Gibbs stands for much more that what’s happening on a sidewalk. “My music raises awareness to where we are as a people and what’s really going on. I don’t talk about it to glorify it but it’s the truth and it comes with the territory. We [artists] gotta put it out there.”
Gibbs puts it out there. His first two mixtape releases The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs and midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik were positively received with comparisons to many influential west coast and Southern rappers; reliving memories of a hip hop that was intellectual and stood for the people. He sees the honor in being recognized with these artists, but that’s not what he is necessarily striving for. “As an artist you wanna stay away from comparisons and stand out on your own and be an individual. I can’t deny the fact I grew up listening to Tupac. Someone that made a huge mark on something you definitely have to pay homage. It’s definitely a blessing to be spoken in the same breath as him, but I definitely don’t strive to be him.”
Gibbs enjoys music from Chicago group LEP Bogus Boys and southern cats Yo Gotti and Alley Boy but right now, he feels recent releases in hip hop are not up to par. In other words… “I listen to a lot of R&B now cause that new rap is wack to me. It’s a lot of that bullshit out there but it is what it is. What can you do?”
His past relationships with major record labels present a future of independence for the rapper who does everything himself with no help from the big dogs. Getting a deal is not as important to him as progressing and becoming a better performer for his supporters. “That’s not my day to day goal. I’m making the record, working the record, and I got my own shit popping. What the fuck is the point of me fucking with them? I ain’t worried about being in cahoots and being buddies with these label dudes.”
Making money is not an issue for Gibbs, it’s how he makes it and who it affects. He is doing what he can and making moves to become the best rapper. Selling out is not an option. The money will come as far as he knows. “I want to maintain my respect level and if I do that then I’ll make money. I do this shit because I love doing it. I wouldn’t do something out of the ordinary to get a paycheck.”
Str8 Killa No Filla is his newest collection of urban anthems and street music. He even has something for the women; unfortunately, it’s not as flattering as he thinks it may sound. “I got a song for the ladies, it’s called “Pussy So Amazing.” The mixtape has collaborations with Bun B and fellow XXL classmate Pill. Gibbs suspects that when you get a whiff of the upcoming release it’s going to be like that dope, raw, uncut, straight-hit-you-in-the-face-when-you-get-it-you-gone-be-like-whoa type of feeling.
Celebrating his June 14th birthday all month, he’s headed to the city of nice size behinds and relaxation. “It’s real open and a refresher. Lots of big booties in Atlanta. Lots of nice women down there and I like that the most.” We know it doesn’t take much to satisfy him. He’s buying the bar with his new drink Gibbs Lemonade. “Hennessy and Lemonade. Invented by me.” Let’s hope our weed adds up to Cali for the night.
My Way Home feat. BJ The Chicago Kid
Str8 Killa No Filla Show
Get your tickets here folks. They are only $10, it's summer time, and nothing else is happening on a Tuesday in Atlanta. You and I both know. Richelle L. Brown, Aleon Craft, Tom P and Mic Audio will be in the building.
Interview coming up in a couple hours. Get ready!
