I had the chance to catch up with 93.9 FM WKYS’s DJ Gemini at an undisclosed fast food restaurant location in District right before his live broadcast from Ibiza, one of the hottest clubs in the DMV. For those in the know, KYS is one of the top 10 radio markets for urban/hip hop/R& B music in the country. Along with his colleagues, Gemini is a large part of the success.

During our conversation, he opened up to me about the current state of deejaying, fake deejays, the real job of the radio deejay, love and hate in the DMV, his thoughts on Wale and other rising artists, Lil Wayne, and fashion.

Trey P: Who are you and how long have you been doing this?

Gemini: I’m DJ Gemini and I’ve been deejaying for about 30 years. My dad was actually a deejay, and he also owns a music store. I was kind of born into it.

Trey P: What’s the name of the music store he owns?

Gemini: It’s called Sound of Maryland in Oxon Hill, Maryland. He’s originally from Baltimore where he ran Sound of Baltimore.

Growing up in Baltimore you kind of want to be a deejay. I know I did. In DC, everybody grows up with the go-go bands. I put out a Baltimore Club records years ago. I was definitely heavy into Baltimore Club. I’ve got all the Unruly Records. I couldn’t wait to save my lunch money, get on the bus, go down to Howard Street, and go to the music store.

Trey P: But you took the path of a radio deejay instead of staying in the clubs?

Gemini: I started off in the clubs. I really didn’t get into the clubs until I came to DC. Like I said, my dad owns a music store and some guy who works for Liaison Records named DJ Mike Scott used to deejay at the Ritz, a legendary club here. So the Ritz was one of the only clubs in America outside Baltimore that would have Baltimore Club music. The Ritz had like ten rooms. They had a reggae room, three hip hop rooms, a Baltimore Club room…so their thing was “we got to get a DJ from Baltimore.” That was kind of how I got lucky out here. This was twelve years ago, and then I took it from there. Ever since the Ritz, I’ve been fortunate enough to always land in big clubs.

The radio happened when I was really kind of heavy on the downtown scene here in DC. The radio deejays would all be at the same clubs. But it was still hard to get on. DJ Sixth Sense was actually the guy who brought me into the station. Like I said, I pretty much have a relationship with all these guys, DJ Alizay, Quicksilva…all those good guys. So they helped me out. I’ve now got two shows on radio so the last…maybe three years I’ve been just killing it.

Trey P: What’s a typical day look like for you at the station?

Gemini: I go in about 10 am. My show doesn’t start till about 12 pm. My first show is the twelve o’clock mix with Jeannie Jones. Then I have another mix show that comes on at 12 am with DJ Reddz. It’s technically a live show. So what I do is I try to get up there early for the 12 am show. Then I go up after my first show about 12:30 to 1 pm and meet with independent artists. I do music meetings. I get out about 3 pm if I’m lucky and then I go to run the music store with my dad.

Trey P: How has the deejay game changed, say, in the past five years?

Gemini: Man…there’s a few different aspects of the game. Being a deejay, Serato has completely flipped the game. The positives of Serato are you’re not lugging around eight crates. You can carry a lot more music. You’re not normally faced with “well, I don’t have that song.” That helps you as an individual Deejay. The problem with the Serato is after somebody buys Serato they feel like they are a deejay, and you know that ain’t so.

You can find music a lot easier. A lot of people are making music with the computer carriers. A lot of people are making music that should not necessarily be making music because it’s so easy to make. Before, you had to get vinyl pressed and you really had to do a lot to approach a deejay. Now, you can kind of go to your house if you have the Garage Band software. Garage Band is no joke, but it’s made a lot of things easier for the wrong people. Everybody wants to be a DJ.

Trey P: Do you prefer vinyl still?

Gemini: I use vinyl on the air a lot. In the clubs, I use CDs. I still use Serato, but I prefer CDs in the club. You don’t have to worry about bumping tables when you’re on the air.

Trey P: So what do you have going on at WKYS?

Gemini: Same old ratings looking good. So that’s always a good thing. Like I said, I have two shows.

Trey P: What’s the political hierarchy look like at KYS? Is it good? Is it bad?

Gemini: A lot of people think that there’s a lot on the pay-o-la. I personally don’t see it. Let me clear this up. I’m way down at the bottom. Us deejays, we’re kind of low. We’re just the personalities. We’re talking about a really big company. Radio One is huge. We’re really down low on the pole…

Trey P: But you’re also the link to the audience.

Gemini: Right. We’re the link to the streets…the direct link. On a personal level, when I see talent, if I hear things, it’s my job. Right now, it’s like you’re an undercover cop. If someone robs a store, even if you’re not on duty, you still gotta save the people in the store. If I hear something, and I’m out on the streets, I take it there, know what I’m saying? If you win a Grammy, I’m the type of guy who wants to say, I helped him win that Grammy.

Trey P: Is there a lot of love like that in the DMV in your opinion or do you see a lot of factions going on?

Gemini: You know, everybody has their own circle. But, it’s a lot of love too. You hear the hate, but the muth#@$% that hate are kind of nobodies. They don’t matter. I’ve never had any problems from any artists. Tabby is my dog. Wale is a good guy. Kingpen Slim is a great guy. Whitefolkz is my dog. What I see with them all, they all seem to have love for each other so I don’t see [the hate]. But when the door closes at their house…whatever, I don’t know. It seems like a lot of them are starting to realize that if one person makes it…

Trey P: Is that true though? I mean, Wale made it. Do you see everyone making moves with him?

Gemini: I think Wale helped a lot of people. He can’t help everybody. You know what I mean?

Trey P: Yeah, that’s true.

Gemini: So naturally the people that feel like they should have been helped will be kind of pissed off. But at the same time, Wale signed with Interscope, which is a machine. So, there’s only so much that Wale can do.

Trey P: Cause the machine will slash out everybody else.

Gemini: Right. For instance, the Pretty Girls record…that’s the s#$t right now. Wale brought the record to us [WKYS] months ago. He would say, “you know this is the s#$t, but the label isn’t letting me let it go right yet.” I mean, it’s only so much that he can do. He can’t just say, “I’m gonna take everybody in the DMV and get them record deals.”

Trey P: But his break at this point is pivotal because nothing’s come out of here. So he’s breaking it out for everyone.

Gemini: I think Wale did a pretty good job.

Trey P: He hooked it up with Mark Ronson. And Ronson really put him on.

Gemini: Definitely. You know, Mark Ronson is always a good look. Alizay, who pretty much broke Wale, is a good friend of mine. I used to deejay at Platinum. And Alizay was at Platinum. I seen Wale kind of…we got the same watch, man.

Trey P: Oh really (laughs…looks at watch).

Gemini: Anyway, I saw kind of how he was coming up. This is one thing I saw with Wale, kind of going off subject…before Wale’s album came out, and people are not going to like me saying this s#$t…whatever. I think everybody was kind of Wale crazy. So, I said, “I want to see how crazy they are when his first week of sales comes out.” He didn’t do as well as we thought he would do. So where were all these people? You know, people turn on you. People will turn on you quick.

Trey P: That’s true.

Gemini: I think Wale did a pretty good job. All the guys who broke through, Wale, Tabby, Mully right now is killing them, Bossman in Baltimore was really killing them, Raheem. You know, I think people do what they can do. I don’t think Wale got on, Tabby got on, Mully got on and said “f#$k the DMV.” You know what I’m saying? I think they do what they can do.

At the same time, the world is bigger than the DMV. So you kind of have to cater to everyone. So everything can’t be DMV. You can’t make the Pretty Girls f#$king DMV remix because you still got people in Compton, California who don’t give a f#$k about the DMV and don’t need to hear that song. So you kind of have to prepare like that.

Trey P: So what’s your five year plan?

Gemini: Awww…man. I love deejaying.

Trey P: Are you hooking up with any artists right now?

Gemini: Right now my focus is Mully Man. On a personally level, I love deejaying. I know I’m not going to be a DJ for the rest of my life, so hopefully I’ll be running one of these radio stations you hear me on. I do have a daughter. So definitely, taking it to the next level.

Trey P: Do you have anything you want to plug…anything for Mully Man?

Gemini: Mully’s the Twitter king. He’s not hard to find. I’m not hard to find. I’m in the DMV at all the clubs. Just a shout out to everybody. I’m pretty positive. There’s a lot of arrogant deejays out there. But it all kind of catches up to you later in life. It’s karma. I’m doing a little bit of traveling. I’m gonna be on Shade 45 next Sunday with DJ Whoo Kid.

Trey P: So one last question. What are your thoughts on fashion in the hip hop community?

Gemini: It’s a big deal. From Run DMC with the Adidas, Naughty by Nature…man, it’s a real big deal. I’m not a real big fan of the skinny jeans. But what I will say is that is that generation’s. When we were young, we were doing some s$%t that thirty year olds wouldn’t do too. I don’t knock the kids. I don’t like it, but that’s my own personal opinion. You gotta look at it like this on the fashion end. It kind of goes back to music. I love Air Force One’s. I love Timbalands. That’s what I was doing when I was 15. That’s like what’s happening with hip hop.

Trey P: Well, there’s only a couple of guys that are really killing it like Wayne…

Gemini: But Wayne is what’s hot so Wayne is what dictates hip hop. So whatever’s hot…how he dresses normally dictates what you as a fan are gonna want to wear. When Kid ‘n Play was wearing high-top fades that was the craziest looking thing that somebody who was 40 or 50 years then saw. “Why would you want to do that with your hair?” So it’s like Wayne with dreads or the New Boyz with skinny fronts…it’s what kids see. Fashion is fashion in my opinion. I’m not too flashy. I put on my flannel, my North Face vest, and my Timbs.

Trey P: Gemini, thanks for your thoughts and insights.

Gemini: Thanks.

For more info:

www.kysdc.com

This is an open call to all beat producers! The Vintage BeatLab podcast presented by DJ Bonezelli and Vintage Clothing Limited would like to invite you to send in your beat submissions for consideration on future beat mix podcast episodes!

What is the BeatLab Podcast?

Think of it like a 30 minute beat tape released every 2 weeks in podcast form so fans can subscribe through itunes and have it automatically downloaded when a new mix drops. Its all underground beats with no lyrics so you can throw this on and do some work or chill or set a mood without any lyrics or artist distraction. It’s all about the beats!

Our podcast DJ (DJ Bonezelli) travels the World collecting beats from producers both know, unknown, commercial and underground and his beat collection is incredible. You might hear a Madlib beat then a Dilla joint followed by The ARe, then Alchemist, then Black Milk, M-Phazes, YOU and so on…

What do I send in and how?

Producers can submit beats through email attachments or links in an email to: beatlab@vintagelimited.com – The stipulations are that the music need to be in mp3 format at least 192 kbps (or higher!) but no more than 512 kbps to keep file sizes manageable on our end. No more than 5 beat submissions per email and all beats need to be fully ID3 tagged (which you can do in itunes) with artist name, album name (if applicable), and beat name. If a beat is from an artists album other than you (the producer) then the name should be as followed “song name (instrumental) – artists name – prod. by producers name”. This should help us to keep stuff organized.

Also if you have press sheets, album release information, etc. Please feel free to send us that as well. Please note that not all beat submissions will make it on the rotation and will be up to the podcast dj to make all final playlist decisions. We definitely appreciate your interest and send in those beats!

Check out the Vintage BeatLab Podcast now, right here on our site. You should also subscribe on iTunes now here.

Thanks and Best Regards!

Baltimore clothing boutique PEDX (who we’ve been promoting in the past couple months both in our newsletters and here on the blog) in February had planned to teamed up with us here at Vintage Limited and sponsor their weekly hip-hop show called Always Dope. Originally the event was scheduled for February 2 but due to a record breaking blizzard that pretty much paralyzed Maryland that event was postponed.

Last night at the swanky club in the Mt. Vernon district called Red Maple, set against a cold and rainy Tuesday evening backdrop, the rescheduled event took place. As planned we were in the building full force, and regardless of the less than the capacity crowd we had expected (due to a number of factors) those who came certainly got their entertainment fix for the evening. Around 11:45 Wordsmith hit the floor, mic in hand, and crowd raring to hear some heat. Word definitely did not disappoint. He left it all on the floor as he walked away, sweat from his face and exhausted after an energetic performance as if appearing before a prime time tv audience. Even know there was no Leno in attendance a video crew was capturing the set. I had my camera in hand as well and took plenty of photo’s to document the night. Below are a few but for the full effect you need to head on over to our Facebook fan page and check out the photo gallery here.

A big shout out to Garth the owner of PEDX for his hospitality and for the opportunity. I’m sure this won’t be the last event we’ll do together and I definitely look forward to more in the future. Also, a big thank you to all the blog readers, and people who receive our newsletters and support us with your purchases. I got the chance to talk with a few of our local supporters last night and its always inspiring to hear that you like what we’re doing and rep us hard! Thanks for the compliments coming first hand and face to face. Much respect!

If you’re in the DC area this Friday and you’re looking for a party spot, come out to Indulj Lounge where Vintage Clothing Limited will be on hand sponsoring the Cred Magazine party (www.credxtra.com) which celebrates the release of the new issue. We expect to see DJ Alizay from 93.9 FM on the 1s and 2s as well.

I’ll be joined by Wordsmith (www.wordsmithmusic.com) and Coast2Coast mixtape DJ Ykcor (www.coast2coastmixtapes.com)

Also on hand…come out and meet Samantha Reynard, Vintage Clothing Limited’s resident female model.

Dress to impress! And while you can’t wear street wear, including Vintage Limited, we expect to have some on display for you touchy-feely types.

Indulj is located in the U Street Corridor of DC, in the same vicinity as the world-famous Ben’s Chili Bowl (as seen in the Wale video “Chillin’”)   For more information on Indulj or for directions, visit their website at: www.induljdc.com  Hope those of you in the area can make it out!

Wordsmith (a.k.a. Wordsmith the Great) will be performing at Red Maple in Baltimore, Md this evening and Vintage Clothing Limited is the sponsor.  If you haven’t seen a live Wordsmith performance, you’re in for a treat. This trained theater major works the floor like nobody’s business.

Red Maple is one of Baltimore’s premier venues for hip hop and they’ve teamed up with PedX for their Tuesday night event called Always Dope.  Event starts @ 9 pm and goes until 2 am.  Free until 10 pm. $5.00 after.  Great drink prices. Great music!

Also, mark your calendars for these other dates as Wordsmith starts to fill his live show schedule to promote his first album drop on March 30, 2010 and beyond!

Wordsmith @ Red Maple (Baltimore, MD March 2, 2010)

Wordsmith @ SOBs (New York City March 24, 2010)

Wordsmith @ Zanzibar (Washington, DC March 25, 2010)

Wordsmith @ Eye Bar (Washington, DC March 30, 2010)

Wordsmith @ in the London, England and Paris, France (for two weeks in April 2010 – locations TBA)

Wordsmith @ The Ocean City Car Show (Ocean City, MD June 5-6, 2010)

Wordsmith @ Dub Magazine Custom Car Show & Concert  (Ocean City, MD  August 7-8, 2010)

Part of a four chapter series, Wordsmith, an MC, discusses Chapter I of his upcoming album “Vintage Experience”.  The album will be available for purchase on March 30, 2010.

Learn more about Wordsmith and Vintage Experience by logging onto his website www.wordsmithmusic.com

This video Interview was produced by Olawale Ogbonlowo for 4sight Pictures. Shaun B. of Vintage Limited designed the album cover  seen in this video. Also you can download the latest mixtape by Wordsmith by going here now to get you ready for March 30th!

Imagination is more important than knowledge, for knowledge is limited while imagination embraces the entire world. — Albert Einstein

This is an Illustration I did a while back and is for sale. ericnine@gmail.com

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.