Trey P: What’s up 4-ize?

4-Ize: What it does…

Trey P: What’s new with you?

4-Ize: I’m now working on my second independent album “Awesomania” and just released another mixtape called “Illuminated Animals,” which is available for free download from my website. I also am doing promotions for Conjure Cognac. It’s Ludacris’ brand, he’s one of the owners.

Trey P: I went ahead and bought some of the Illuminated Animals tracks on iTunes. Gotta support.

4-Ize: That’s totally awesome bro. Thanks man!

Trey P: So are you currently with a label or on a label for the next record?

4-Ize: I’m independent. The label I’m working with right now is Revolt Media/Revolt Records. They are a new label and I’m pretty much the first artist. I just found some guys who believe in me and look out for my best interests and support my cause and are down with the movement. We’re going strong and we’re going to do something in Atlanta that’s not there and really be a strong powerhouse on the hip hop label side. You got your So-So Def and DTPs and all the labels that exist, but then it’s like, “ok, what about a great hip hop label outta Atlanta that really looks out and represents?”

Trey P: Tell me a little about your relationship with Ludacris.

4-Ize: Chris and I grew up together. We started rhyming together back on the west side. When he moved down here to Atlanta, I followed him.

Trey P: You poppin’ off with Ludacris on anything in the future?

4-Ize: Other than the song on my album and working on this Conjure Cognac to get the world up on it to let them know they need to switch over from Hennessey to Cognac cause it’s better for you (laughs), that’s all right now. I’m sure more is developing in the future. Those are my main priorities. Get that man’s verse on my song and sell the Conjure out here.

Trey P: Tell me a little bit about the “Classic Example Freestyle” video, which is from the song which appears on “Illuminated Animals.” I was like “this guy is on some horror flick stuff.” I’ve never seen anything like that. What was the inspiration behind that? What was it all about?

4-Ize: A lot of that comes from the mind of the director Mike Moore over at Studio 8. He had a vision to do this video that was based on that kidnapping, hostile, Saw-vibe. And that was against all the BS in the game. He had the vision, said he needed a song, and we felt like Classic Example best represented that feel. We’ve been getting a lot of good feedback, and folks are happy that we’re really bringing back the essence of what hip hop music used to be like.

Trey P: Tell me about the kind of role fashion plays in selling an image. Your image after all is based upon your handle (4-Ize). Your name itself is derived from a piece of apparel. What does fashion mean to the hip hop community and what does it mean to you?

4-Ize: Fashion is basically the reflection of one’s mentality. It’s a part of who we are and our expression. People like to be up on the latest trends, but it’s not even about trends if you can coordinate your own style and charisma that makes people look at you and say “you know, I would do that, but that guy is doing that really good.” It’s part of the culture.

For me and my glasses…just because my name is 4-Ize, I make fun of myself before you meet me. Most people think it’s an insult and they are like “I don’t want to call you 4-ize” but I’m like “it’s ok, don’t worry about it.” Nothing should really matter except for how you feel. You don’t need Nike, Dolce & Gabbanna, or Louis Vuitton. You don’t need all that because it’s just an accessory. It’s cool to have, but it’s not needed.

Trey P: Thanks for talking to me.

4-Ize: Thanks. No problem, brother. Have a good one!

For more info: Visit www.4ize.com

Wordsmith’s newest mixtape The Vintage Vault Mixtape has finally arrived! The collection of 11 songs is mixed by Coast2Coast resident DJ Ykcor, DJ Nominal, and UK sensation DJ Ames. This is a free download, and we encourage everyone to download it, grab a copy, and provide feedback on the sites that are supporting Wordsmith which includes Coast2Coast and Frostwire (the number one download site on the Internet) to name a few. Oh, and check out the track “March Madness” for a gratuitous shout out by DJ Ames to yours truly, Vintage Clothing Limited! To show our support back we’ve included a special “gift” in the download so you’ll have to keep and eye out for that as well.

Download @ http://bit.ly/dzn1Jn

Trey P: I assume many people in the Vintage Limited fan base are in your fan base as well. But for those who don’t know you, can you tell them who you are?

Josh: My name is Josh and I love Jesus and hip-hop.

Trey P: You own Sphere of Hip Hop, one of the largest online shops for conscious, Christian, and spiritual hip hop? How did you get started in this business?

Josh: I had a media class in college, and we needed to build a website for a class project. It blossomed from there into what it is now and only by God’s grace. At first I was plenty reluctant for it to be anything beyond a hobby but it was clear after a few years that it was a calling upon my life. I’m blessed to be servant.

Trey P: Do you have any advice for those wishing to do what you’re doing? How might they get started with their own shop?

Josh: Get rich first! It’s a ton of work each and every day. It’s not one of those things you can do for a few hours a week. There are a few things to do every day, even if I don’t want to so you really need to be diligent and dedicated. Also, find help if you can. Orders don’t get shipped and customer service emails don’t get answered if I don’t do it. Finally, you need to be well connected and have good working relationships with people you want to stock.

Trey P: What have been some of the biggest challenges in the years you’ve been doing this job? And has there ever been a time when you didn’t think you would pull through?

Josh: For the online store, it’s been a few things. Music piracy is the #1 challenge right now and for pretty much everyone. We’re selling things that people can just steal if they want to. That is tough to compete with amongst a segment of our target market who don’t “value” music enough to support it with their wallets.

Marketing has been something that is a daily challenge. Finding ways to engage people and not shove “buy this” messages in their faces is challenging. The business reality is that we need to sell X amount of stuff to stay afloat. That sometimes forces me to do things I’d rather not do when it comes to marketing – things that are cool to do but stuff I’d just rather not if I didn’t have to. Changing with the times and learning how people consume information has been important in molding a changing marketing approach.

About a year ago, I was as close as I ever have been to quitting. Looking over the receipts for the previous year and not seeing much “good” in the upcoming year was awfully scary. We’ve been holding on for about four years now essentially treading water with the finances. Very challenging. My prayer was that God was going to have to find a way for it to work out if it was indeed His will to keep operating. The latter part of 2009 was encouraging. That allowed me to take a few necessary marketing and promotional risks to help expand our reach. Those things have in turn brought in new fans and customers. It’s been a struggle to see if that new growth is in response to the expanded marketing or if it’s because people are less freaked out about the economy. Once the economic downturn hit… our sales plummeted by over 50% for about 7 months straight. Tough to manage. I just got a bit more creative and found ways to make ends meet. Today I am a bit more confident that we’re going to pull through.

Trey P: Talk to us about fashion. In the past you’ve combined CD combo deals with shirts and other apparel. Why do you think that marketing strategy attracts the hip hop fan? And what is it about fashion that is so essential to the hip hop community?

Josh: Music fans generally love “brands.” We all know people who are really into a small handful of artists/bands. They have the clothing, music, posters, and so on. Now with how the music scene has shifted, you need to create value for the fan. People are generally ready to support (save those who don’t care and just pirate) if you give them a good reason to. Selling albums for $15-18 doesn’t work anymore. Even selling for $10
doesn’t work anymore unless you’ve got something unique to offer. That is what has attracted me to offering special deals via the store. The strategy has worked well and I think there is room to grow.

Fashion is so deeply a part of the culture of hip hop. You can almost identify hip hop fans out on the street simply by seeing how they dress (for better or worse). People are always seeking to identify with things and it’s natural for hip hop fans to gravitate towards fashion crafted for them. There are some great clothing lines like Vintage putting out stuff right now. It’s no longer something dominated by large brands. The indies are dropping some awesome quality clothing right now.

Trey P: Your affiliated with the Scribbling Idiots and their label Illect Recordings. How has that relationship been important to you?

Josh: It’s been great. Scribbling Idiots is a unique and diverse crew. You see a bunch of different artistic angles and expressions at play within the group. Seeing them grow from the early days of their formation to now has been encouraging. It’s awesome to see a bunch of believers that love people and love the art of hip hop that take it all as seriously as they do. I’ve been friends with many of them for quite a long time. JustMe and I go way back to about 1997 when he was rhyming with Solseekers. Solid friendships have made it a natural progression to work on music together.

Trey P: People probably have the perception that to have an online retail business or store means you’re living big with no financial worries. Challenge that perception.

Josh: I live in a modest house and until two weeks ago we had a 33-year-old furnace that was about ready to die and no air conditioning. Here in Minnesota we see the best of all the weather…super cold snowy winters and hot humid summer. My wife and I kept it real and saved up for a few years to afford a new furnace (laughs). We clip coupons, rarely eat out, and live on a modest budget. Hopefully, we’ll be able to afford new windows soon (laughs). It can get drafty up in here son! I try not to think about it, but over the past decade I’ve personally invested almost $200,000 of my own money into Sphere of Hip Hop. It’s a staggering amount and money that I’ll likely never see again. I am at peace with it because being involved in hip hop isn’t something I am doing for money or fame. I’m simply blessed to be a blessing.

Trey P: You work with a lot of artists who come to you to promote their projects. How has that been? And how has that improved or deteriorated your relationships with these artists?

Josh: It’s been great. My passion is challenging people to grow in their ideas about marketing and promoting their music. I’ve privately mentored dozens of artists over the years and have been encouraged to see tremendous growth. When the scene has moved forward I’ve been honored to often be a vital part of that growth.

Second, I try not to over promise. It can be challenging to maintain proper expectations. Usually I try to be so bluntly honest that it almost discourages them. A heavy dose of reality is a good base to work from. Then the light comes on for them and they understand the tough road ahead. Promoting stuff is not easy.

Trey P: You recently overhauled the website and it is quite impressive. What is the outlook for Sphere of Hip Hop in 2010? And do you have any other projects planned?

Josh: Thanks! It’s nice that it is finished.

A major goal is to find new ways to fund the site and also continue raising monthly support for outside ministry projects. For many years, I’ve privately work with numerous outreaches with at-risk youth in several countries. Providing some positive faith-based hip hop to different organizations has been a way for me to help encourage young people to live better lives and make better choices. Hopefully, we’ll be able to reach our monthly target so we can greatly expand those things. We’re about 25% of the way.

I’m working on a few other projects for the site as well. I’m holding my cards close on those, so it’s a surprise. I’d like to have a few more clothing options available with the site’s branding. Working on some hoodies now. The big work project for me is working on the next revision of the online store. What we have now “works,” but isn’t what I want.

Trey P: Do you see any trends developing, whether good or bad, in the Christian and conscious hip hop community that you can report to us – things to watch for or avoid?

Josh: It’s too easy to make mediocre music and few people are willing to level criticism about it. There are also some pretty heavy pride issues but lately that seems to be getting dealt with. On a good note, there are some really amazing projects coming out from
newer artists. It’s nice to see more newer cats bringing it.

Trey P: Finally, anything or anyone you want to plug?

Josh: If you want to check us out, we’re all over the web at spots like…

http://www.sphereofhiphop.com
http://www.sphereofhiphopstore.com
http://www.facebook.com/sphereofhiphop
http://www.twitter.com/sphereofhiphop

Thanks for the support guys. God bless what ya’ll are doing with Vintage.

This past week, our friend DJ Ykcor dropped a new mixtape entitled “The Campaign” by Cousin Bubb. Not like that’s something rare. Ykcor drops more mixtapes in a week than most people do in a year. We’re pleased to report that The Campaign is doing quite well and getting positive reviews. Don’t believe us? Check out this spot at the Washington Post.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/clicktrack/2010/02/really_quick_spin_cousin_bubbs.html?wprss=clicktrack

Underground Philly sensation Tone Trump and DJ Ykcor from Coast2Coast mixtapes were on their way to Washington D.C. to do a magazine shoot with Cred Magazine (www.credxtra.com) and radio promo and interview with 93.9 FM WPGC, but they made time to stop in Baltimore to cop some Vintage gear and catch up with me.

It’s great to see Philly reppin’ a Bmore brand. Much love. We’ll be bringing you an exclusive interview with Tone Trump in the near future. For now, check him out at www.myspace.com/tonetrump

And if you haven’t checked out the interview I did with DJ Ykcor, click here.

A lot of brands get competitive. They don’t want to share the spotlight. Everyone is striving for the same piece of the pie. But here at Vintage we don’t hate on anyone. So today I wanted to share with you four brands I like and those which consistently come out with great drops. If you’re like me, you diversify your wardrobe like you diversify your investment portfolio cause you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same thing twice (well, ok that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point). So here they are in no particular order:

Crooks and Castles

Crooks and Castles is the classic signature series brand that has the same philosophy that made such brands like Polo famous. Just like everyone wants that polo rider on their apparel, Crooks brings the Big C with style. And boy do they have some hats! My attraction to Crooks has to be the emphasis on their logo. No art prints with swirling lines and paint splatters and random art work. That all has it’s place, but not here. Word is that Jay-Z is a financial backer of this Melrose-born high-end boutiquer. If that’s true, it’s helping C&C push the envelope and stay at the head of the class by dropping fresh lines. Karma Loop (the largest internet site for private label designers) never seems exhausted on their “recently arrived updates” with Crooks drops, and you’re almost always guaranteed to find something new each week, of course if your wallet can handle the abuse.

Rocksmith

Rocksmith is the Japanese take on American hip hop. And they do a pretty reasonable job of capturing our fashionable couture. Unlike Bape or Billionaire Boys Club which turn the hip hop culture on its head with unique Anime interpretations, cutesy animals, ice cream cones, loud colors, and all the stuff that were it the 1990s the prevailing gangster officiators of the hip hop world would have laughed them into obscurity, the Japanese, who also have hyperbolic interpretations of American culture, go all out with these fashions. But not Rocksmith. The true, classic hip hop branding is alive and well with these guys and I only expect great things in the future.

Adidas

You’re likely to find just about any color or material combination with an Adidas brand shoe. While other brands like Nike compete aggressively, it really comes down to personal preference and whether you like those three stripes or that Nike swoosh. Rocking Adidas is a tacit protest against all the rank commercialism in today’s hip hop culture (even though Adidas is about as big a household name as Coca-Cola). Even so, when I think of classic hip hop, I think of Run DMC and I think of those white Adidas with black stripes, of which I also sport a pair.

Marc Ecko

Impressions of Ecko vary from pleasingly pertinent tokens of high art to a one-time conscientious caretaker of the graffiti culture who sold out for the almighty buck. Whatever your impression may be, Ecko consistently delivers with amazing art print t-shirts, street wear (with the largest selection of track jackets I’ve ever seen), jewelry, and shoe drops. The Ecko store around my way changes it’s inventory it seems on a bi-weekly basis, so I’m never disappointed when I walk in to check out what’s fresh. And the prices are affordable. I can ransack their sales rack and walk out with a handful of shirts. So whatever your take, Ecko is constantly on its game.

The Coast2Coast mixtape website is known for producing some of the best and most widely available tapes in the industry. Many big names as well as unsigned and some relatively new artists find their way into their compilations. DJ Ykcor is one of the forces behind the turntables at Coast2Coast. If you didn’t see our recent interview with him, scroll down just a little.

Recently they launched a print magazine, and our man Wordsmith appears in Issue 4. Take a look here.

An Interview with Montreal Producer Strada

Trey P: So can you tell the Vintage audience and fans who Strada is?

Strada: I’m a producer, sound designer, and composer. I live in Montreal, Canada and yes, I am a French Canadian! For the last five years or so, I have been Wordsmith’s in-house producer. I also worked with Chubb Rock, Skyzoo, Gage Pierre(France), and The BC (UK). I did some scoring for a couple animation films and a few sound design gigs. Basically, I just try to make the best music possible, create audio background, and get you that feeling from sound.

Trey P: How long have you been producing music and how did you get involved?

Strada: Probably around 2000 I started to look more into the computer production thing. I was always having fun with the little hip hop eJay-type programs but they were so limited. I searched and finally found the first Fruity Loops version and rolled with it. Before that, I was always into music playing guitar, bass, and drums. I was lucky enough that my father was a blues guitar player. I picked up a lot from him but I was never a great player. That’s not my thing. I like to add to my tracks with guitar licks and so on but don’t ask me to do a show (laughs).

Trey P: You’re out of Montreal. What’s the hip hop scene like in Canada compared to the U.S.? What kind of audiences are you bound to find?

Strada: The hip hop scene is much different from the States. Back in the ‘90s and ‘00s it was picking up pretty good. That’s when the France market was huge. There was a lot of local bands and original acts on the main radios but that died down. There is still good hip hop music here but it changed. Now it’s eclectic. You can have the electro crowd (MstrKrft, Justice, Crooked…) that’s huge, and Indie rock (Arcade Fire, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire weekend…). I mean, Montreal is different from the rest of Canada. It’s a giant pool of great artists. We were named Unesco City of Design in 2006. Hip hop has its place here, but it’s definitely on a smaller scale than in the U.S.

Trey P: How important is fashion to the hip hop culture? Do you see any parallels with unique beat making and unique clothing ensembles?

Strada: Fashion is huge in hip hop. I mean the gold rope chains, the Adidas, the Guess jeans, Polo, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. Hip hop is also fashion in itself. It represent a set of ideas, what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. Beat making in itself is becoming a “culture.” You got all the equipment companies catering to them, clothing companies have studio gear as designs, forums, ads, events (Red Bull big tune contest).

Personally, I try to keep it fresh and comfortable when I know I am going to spend the day in the studio. Jeans, t-shirt, sweaters (I work in my basement and I don’t heat much s**t too expensive (laughs)). What is important is to put on something that makes you feel good. Look at Ryan Leslie sporting the full on 3-piece suits in his video. If that’s what it takes, do it. Besides what everybody portrays, it’s not always 10-minute beats and like 15 beats a day. A lot of times, you got to scratch your head and fiddle around trying to catch your vibe. So you don’t want to have something that you don’t like on. I like to stay fresh. That way, the beats are fresh too.

Trey P: What does your production schedule look like on a normal day?

Strada: I work full time, so whenever I squeeze time in I’ll do something production related. That can include making a beat, mixing, digging for samples, drums, VST research (stay on your VST game people), determining who needs beats, updating the blog, Twitter, Facebook. On a day off work, I’ll wake up early, eat, shower, grab coffee, and I step down to the studio. I try to make it a habit. That way, I can get the creativity flowing faster. Usually I check the emails, what’s popping on the blogs, what I need to be doing that day, listening to music to catch a vibe, and start banging. On a good day, I get one or two good joints done or I’ll finish some I started. It all depends on what’s needed and what’s time sensitive.

Trey P: Who are your influences and why?

Strada: Producer-wise…it’s the same as everyone else I guess – Timbaland, Dre, Pharell/Neptunes, Premier, Pete Rock, Alchemist.

Music-wise, I listen to everything. That includes Marvin Gaye, the Beatles, Mingus, Gillespie, Dylan, Sting, CSNY, Presets, Kraftwerk, Daft Punk…. anybody that makes great music.

Trey P: Do you have any projects now or coming up that you’d like to plug?

Strada: Wordsmith’s next mixtape “Vintage Vault” on February 23rd, 2010. Wordsmith’s Vintage Experience” dropping in March 30th, 2010. While Chubb Rock and Wordsmith’s Bridging the Gap album on iTunes is already available.

More surprises for 2010 are coming up. Finally, my blog about music production and the 2.0 music business can be read here at www.stradagized.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/strada514

Trey P: Any shout outs?

Strada: Wordsmith and the whole Nu Revolution camp. We work HARD!!!!! Vintage Clothing Limited for making this interview happen. Hiphopdx.com, 2dopeboys.okayplayer.com, kevinnottingham.com, and all the blogs and the Twitter folks that show support for our music. Thank you!

I had to do some crate digging to blow the dust off this one. Wordsmith laced the track with some stellar rhymes a couple years back and he was joined by none other than the legendary Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes. Yes, this is no joke. Word gets down like that. Take a listen.

(explicit lyrics)

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(Raekwon stops by PedX to grab up on all the latest fashion)

Even with all the hype, the RSVPs, the record crowd expected to descend upon Red Maple for PedX’s weekly hip hop event, Wordsmith, and finally Vintage Limited, it wasn’t enough to overcome the four inches of snow that dumped on Baltimore City and ruined the evening. Still Shaun B and I managed to brave the weather, hook up with Garth (PedX’s savvy promoter), and arrange for a return. So with prayers in the air, we’re hoping March 2nd, which we’ll call “the reschedule concert” is far enough out into warmer weather. But the way this year has been (and with a projected two more feet of snow threatening to fall on our heads again this weekend) I remain hopefully optimistic.

The good news? Vintage Limited is OFFICIALLY on the shelves at PedX! So make sure next time you’re down in Baltimore city, you stop by the trendiest part of town (Fells Point) and pick up our latest offerings at PedX

PedX
1707 Aliceanna Street
Baltimore, MD 21231-2902
(410) 276-2005