Looking back on life, how would you rate the decisions that you've made? Do you love what you do? Have you followed your curiosity and intuition or have you settled for something less? How would reflecting on these questions help you make better decisions in the future? If you've answered unfavorably to any of these, then I would suggest you spend 15 minutes viewing Steve Jobs' commencement speech at Stanford University from 2005.
Immediately, Jobs displays both humility and humor by disclosing that he is not a college graduate, and this was actually the closest he had ever been to a college graduation ceremony. The crowd was receptive to the joke as well as seeming to be intrigued by the fact that Steve Jobs is indeed, a college dropout.
Soon after he notified the attendees that he planned to share three stories with them, "That's it, no big deal, just three stories," he stated. To me, this allowed the audience to develop a general idea of the time frame for the intended duration of the remainder of Jobs' speech.
Story number one's theme was "connecting the dots." Jobs described the story of his adoption, providing background information about the deal between his biological mother and adoptive parents. Jobs' biological mother only wanted to give her son to parents who were college graduates. Although Jobs' adoptive parents disclosed that they had not been, they ensured her by promising to send him to college. A deal was reached. From infancy, Jobs was already prearranged to enroll in college.
Later in life, as a student at Reed College, Jobs couldn't see the value in it. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life and had no idea how college was going to help him figure it out. All the while, his tuition had been eating up the money that his parents had been saving for him his entire life. He began dropping out of assigned classes and "dropping in" on courses that he had an interest in, one being Calligraphy. He was fascinated by it but wasn't positive if there would be any real-world application of this information later in life. Ten years had passed until he implemented what he had learned (of Calligraphy) into the first Mac. He included that Mac, "would've never had multiple typefaces and proportionately spaced fonts" if it weren't for dropping in on that class.
The main point of his story is how he chose to conclude it. Jobs' said, "It was difficult to connect the dots at the time in college, but it was very easy when I looked back ten years later. You cannot connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect the dots looking backwards. You have to trust that they will. You have to trust in something because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the path. That will make all the difference."
I deliberately left out reviews of the second and third stories to encourage my readers to watch the video on their own. I found this commencement speech to be inspiring. It was a wise move to captivate the crowd as early as possible by disclosing the information about being a college dropout. It turned out quite all right for Jobs, as anyone who's ever heard of him knows that he ended up doing just fine in the professional world.
Tree and hype man Chris Crack at Pitchfork Music Festival
Photo courtesy of Pitchfork.com
I was fortunate to be able to join one of my previous guests of Qwik Interviews during the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, IL this past Sunday.
This guest is Chicago's very own emcee Tree, who was only the second local artist selected to perform at the festival. The other happened to be some guy by the name of R. Kelly. I suppose my sarcasm doesn't translate very well without the sound of my voice being present. At any rate, the day was a success.
I approached the festival grounds around 11am with a videographer friend of mine named Tony. It had nearly been a year and a half since I first introduced Tony to Tree at SXSW in Austin, TX. Together, they've been able to film a handful of music videos since, and Tree had recently asked Tony if he'd be available to film his Pitchfork performance onstage with him. Tony agreed and there we were; picking up our VIP badges to the event.
We entered and greeted many friendly faces as we congregated on the ramp to the stage. Last minute consults were exchanged between Tree and his performers as everyone prepared to show the crowd exactly how they had practiced over the last few weeks. Tree was determined to give his all for the people in attendance that day, and he did just that. With a live drummer, a hype man, and three background singers, Tree's performance started the final day of the festival off on the right foot.
Even Eric Sundermann, a writer for the website Noisey.Vice.com, thought highly of the performance during his writeup for the website, available here.
Background:
I've personally known Tree since 2007, which is when we were both invited to Miami to collaborate on a mixtape compilation for a mutual friend of ours. We've been in contact ever since and have been available to lend a hand when necessary. I am proud of his accomplishments and find his journey extremely inspiring. He reminds me that it is possible.
For the third installment of my newly created blog series Qwik Interviews, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris "Godxilla" Taylor, a true legend within the hip hop community of Milwaukee. From studio recording to mixing/mastering to music production, Godxilla knows the process inside and out. He has over twenty years of experience and has been involved in hundreds of people's projects along the way. He is your favorite producer's favorite producer and is responsible for mentoring some of the city's most promising talent. Through it all, he has made his name synonymous with quality work. Just hearing the name "Godxilla" being associated with a project will give you a reason to listen. When it comes to staying busy, there are very few professionals in the area that are as productive as he is. In fact, nobody can say that he hasn't earned every bit of success that he's accumulated. If you're a fan of the scene, chances are you've heard of him. If you're involved with the scene, chances are you've worked with him.
For those who may not know you, who are you?
Xilla: I am just some old washed-up music dude. [Laughs] People call me Chris, friends call me "Xilla," which is short for Godxilla.
What is the origin of your name?
Xilla: I was a pro wrestler in a backyard federation and my arch enemy's name was King Kong Calon. I was really good on the mic which lead to a bunch of Godxilla references and it just crossed over to music production from there.
How long have you been known as Godxilla?
Xilla: Since about 2002. I was DJ C-Ya first but every time I would say my name, someone would say, "Who?" No one ever asked me a second time when I said Godxilla so I rode with it.
You're a man of many hats. Please inform us of them.
Xilla: Oh man, well, I am a family man first. Then I am the Associate Dean at Madison Media Institute, a recording engineer, an artist manager, and depending on the day of the week, I might be an artist.
Run us through a typical day of yours.
Xilla: I am up at 5:30am. I address my social media accounts and texts then I'm out the door by 6:30 to make it to school by 6:45. I'm usually out of there at 4, get home, hit the studio and get to bed around 10pm. That's the short version and the weekends are all work, be it promotions or the studio.
Describe your history at Madison Media Institute, bringing us to your current position as Associate Dean.
Xilla: I spent my whole life in recording studios and wanted to grow beyond my zenith, so I went to school. I already had twenty years in the game by the time I enrolled. When I graduated, I was hired to teach. I had been on Logic since it was two years old (the old Emagic joint) so it was no big deal. I went from part-time to full-time, from full-time to lead instructor of the recording department, then to Associate Dean.
I say "Associate Dean" and it's a title, but it's like the MVP award in professional sports. I work in admissions, recording, administration and career services. No one else works in four departments and I do it because I am happy there and truly love what I do.
How has your life changed (for the better) since you enrolled at MMI?
Xilla: Music has been good to me, but there was no more challenge in this market in engineering. I mean, studios can be feast or famine and I went for my Associates Degree and in four years, had my Masters. It's crazy because I never considered it. Now as the Associate Dean, I am learning so much about administration that I will have a skill set so far and beyond what I could have learned by just being in a studio. Learning how to run a business will translate anywhere for me.
You mentioned music producer, describe the ingredients of a Godxilla beat. Do you ever sample other works when creating your music?
Xilla: I try not to sample. I played a 3-valve brass in high school and I excelled at sousaphone and baritone, so I have stronger basslines than most and I have good relative pitch. I also make a lot of drum kits, so the drums that I like to have crack like whips.
What kind of advice would you like to offer to music producers?
Xilla: Treat it like a full-time job and you can expect full-time results. If you touch it once a week, then you're a volunteer so expect to be paid like one.
What kind of advice would you like to offer to audio mixing/mastering engineers?
Xilla: Go sit under someone better than yourself. This will help you advance your craft. Experience and techniques are your allies. If you could develop them on your own then someone wouldn't already sound more advanced than you do.
How many artists have you worked with?
Xilla: Hundreds, couldn't count them.
Are there any notable people that you've worked with that you'd care to mention?
Xilla: I liked Lil' Boosie. He was a great humble talent. Rico Wade of Organized Noize and of course Shorty B. Man, those were the days when I was learning from those two guys.
Your album Regular People Rap was recently released. How would you describe your album?
Xilla: Rhymesayers... Macklemore... these guys have everyday themes, you know? But they have underground roots and identities as a genre. On a street level, no one is making street music with common man themes. I have had it with all of the tough guy, dope dealer, and baller records.
I remember when people made rap records that made you laugh and help explain your situations. No one is doing that and I realized that there is a lane for it. I am alone in my category. So Regular People Rap is the album title, but it is also a brand launch. That's why the album cover is the Wisconsin Food Stamp card. It is to be understood by those who identify it.
How many mixtapes/EPs/albums have you released thus far?
Xilla: I've released eleven of my own through my label Ton Of Soul Records. Two of those broke even and one turned a profit. I've released hundreds for other artists as well.
Is there any advice that you'd care to offer to people who aspire to work in the entertainment industry?
Xilla: Learn Microsoft Excel, Math, and read a lot of books and trade journals.
What kind of advice would you like to offer to an artist who is interested in obtaining a Godxilla beat?
Xilla: My soul. I hear the completed production in my head before I touch a key.
What motivates you?
Xilla: The journey motivates me. When Dorothy finally got to the wizard there was nothing more for her to do but click her heels. It's all about the journey.
As an activist within the Madison hip hop community, what do you feel needs to be accomplished in order to move the scene forward?
Xilla: The locals must be taught how to monetize their talents, which they don't know how to do.
Describe a typical day of yours ten years ago.
Xilla: Wake up. Go to the studio. Work all day. Go home. Sleep. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
Speed Round - (Where one word answers are perfectly acceptable)
What's your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant?
Xilla: Shrimp Cocktail at Red Lobster
What's your favorite drink?
Xilla: Hennessy
Do you watch TV? If so, what's your favorite show?
To hear more from Godxilla, or his work, you can follow this link to stream his new album. You can also find, follow, and tweet Godxilla on Twitter using the widget below.
Thank you for your time Godxilla, and thank you to my readers.
-QW
For your enjoyment, here is Godxilla's video for "Coffee," the second single off of his new album Regular People Rap, directed by Champ of Kush Entertainment.
For the second installment of my newly created blog series Qwik Interviews, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chicago's own emcee, Tree. I'm not sure what I find to be more impressive about Tree, the
incredible amount of buzz he's generated within the last 18 months, or
the fact that he's been gathering this publicity without the help of a
major label. While some sites have been posting Tree's music since the
beginning, it seems as if ever since MTV Hive writer Andrew Nosnitski
named last year's Sunday School mixtape as one of America's "Top 5 Mixtapes of 2012 So Far," that Tree's stock has really skyrocketed. He was later named one of Spin Magazine's "5 Best New Artists of August 2012" and also earned himself a cover story in an issue of the Chicago Reader. Just one month ago, his first visual offering from his latest release Sunday School II debuted on MTV2. He's recently been invited to perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago this summer. From his raspy voice to his compelling lyrics,
from his work ethic to his work on the beats, in one way or another,
Tree will earn your attention. Either get on board or get out of his way
because Tree doesn't plan on slowing down for anyone.
For those who may not know you, who are you?
TREE: I am Tree. The curator of (the music genre known as) "Soul Trap" and fellow Chicagoan.
What's the origin of your name?
TREE: My granny started calling me "Tree" as an abbreviation of my real name.
How long have you been rapping by this name?
TREE: Since day one.
Do you consider yourself to be a solo artist? How would you classify your status with Project Mayhem?
TREE: I am a solo artist, yes. Mayhem is my team, my clique.
How many mixtapes/EPs have you released thus far?
TREE: I wanna say eight or nine in three years. There's an industry tape, two collaborative efforts, one where I invited my city to feature, and five solos from me.
What is the one project that you're most proud of? Why?
TREE: The whole Sunday School series. They define me properly.
What is the one song that you're most proud of? Why?
TREE: "Thankful" from Sunday School II. I'm at that point where revisiting life just fills you with thankfulness. Thankful to answer questions, thankful to be reviewed, just thankful.
When can we expect your debut album?
TREE:Soul Trap, produced by Frank Dukes and me, dropping at the top of the new year.
Are there any tracks that were intended to be on Soul Trap that ended up being placed on any of your more recently released projects instead?
Who would you be interested in working with in the future? Both artist(s) and producer(s)?
TREE: I want to work with Mariah Carey or Jeniffer Hudson and Timbo and/or Dr. Dre.
What kind of advice would you like to offer to an artist who is interested in working with you? What would be a preferred email address to provide for someone like this?
Favorite genre of music to sample when creating beats?
TREE: 70's Soul
If you were mayor of Chicago for one day, what would you do?
TREE: Kill myself.
What's the first thing you'd buy if you had the money?
TREE: Foreclosed properties around my city.
Lastly, what's something that many of your fans may not know about you?
TREE: I don't back down. Fuck 'em all.
To hear more from Tree, you can download his latest mixtape Sunday School II for free by following this link. You can also find, follow and tweet Tree using this widget right here.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Milwaukee, WI veteran rap artist Dana Coppafeel, in order to conduct my first interview for my new blog series, Qwik Interviews. Dana's
musical work has been recently featured on monumental music websites like Rolling Stone
and MTV. He is a staple in the local hip hop community and is considered
to be one of the greats residing within it. His work ethic alone will demand
your respect while his eccentric sound will command your attention. If
you consider yourself to be hip to the rap scene in Milwaukee, then you
would have been familiar with his name long ago. If you consider
yourself hip to the underground rap scene in America, then it will be
wise to pay attention to Dana.
For those who may not know you, who are you?
DC: Dana Coppafeel. Wisconsin native. I've been in a few groups like the
Intel Agents, Rusty P's, KingHellBastard and the House of M. I've worked
with people like Sadat X, Riff Raff, Action Bronson, Akrobatik and
Strickland from EMC.
What is the origin of the alias Dana Coppafeel?
DC: It was given to me while I was living in Madison, WI. I never really
had a rap name and I guess, maybe at the time, I was looking for one. It
happened outside of this place called Q-Neeks, which was located on
State Street, at the time. I was there with The Crest, Adam, Jack Cracker,
Mike Virus and this kid Flip Fillmore.
As we were walking out of
Q-Neeks, we saw a chick rapping outside. Anyhow, I was really drunk, and
it just kind of happened where, I palmed this girl's ass while she was
rapping. Everyone started laughing. She didn't like it, but it was
funny. The name "Coppafeel" came up and I just ran with it from there. It was an earned name.
How long have you been recording under this moniker?
DC: I've been around for a minute. Dana Coppafeel probably came up when I
was in the Intel Agents. We were recording but we didn't have names per
say. Mike Virus just went by Mike. I don't even think he had his name
yet. One day while working on the Intel Agents album, he came up with it.
With the Rusty P's, I think I just went by the names Dana or D
Invisible, or some shit like that. I went through all kinds of names trying
to find the right one.
Do you consider yourself to be a solo artist?
DC: I guess at this present moment, I'd say yes. I've been working with Uni-Fi Records label-mate SPEAK Easy on an EP that we've just recently released,
but it was more or less a Uni-Fi compilation featuring us.
How many musical bodies of work have you been a part of?
DC: I've worked with a lot of people and put out a lot of stuff. There was
an album, a vinyl and a couple of mixtapes with the Intel Agents. There
were some vinyls with the Rusty P's, a lot of projects with KHB, and a
mixtape with the House of M. Also, there's the Uni-Fi EP with SPEAK.
I've released a solo album and a couple of solo mixtapes. I've
collaborated with a couple of artists from Illinois like Michael Mic Check and Covert (Empire) artist Fresco, as well as a couple of artists
in Iowa. Collectively, I'd say I've been a part of well over 900 songs.
What have you been up to lately?
DC: As I mentioned, we just finished up the EP with SPEAK for Uni-Fi
Records. It's doing really well. We've received some national attention
from MTV, MTV Hive, and Rolling Stone. We just did an interview with
Respect Magazine. I think there's some stuff coming out with Urb
Magazine soon. AOL Music just started an exclusive streaming of the EP
today, that will remain in effect until the end of the week. There are a
few videos to finish up for the EP. I'm just basically focusing on the EP
for right now but I'm still working on music; still staying in the
studio.
We won a single deal with a company in New York called Loyalty Digital. SPEAK and I will be putting out an A/B Side with them; so
that's in the works as well. I also do a little
freelance graphic designing for artists who may be looking to have
something created to represent them. I understand the artist's plight so
I try to help fill the void in those areas. I also have a clothing
company with my girl called Royall Street. Those are my other focuses
and what I usually do with any spare time. I try to drown myself with art and not really worry about too much else.
How did that feel to have your work shown on outlets such as MTV and Rolling Stone?
DC: It felt great, you know? It feels validating. It validates your cause and
what you've been working for. To actually have these people, who make or
break people's careers, feel what you do. It feels great to break those
walls. It feels like you're winning and getting closer to what your
goal is. Just like with anything though, it doesn't necessarily mean
that it's going to turn into anything, so you have to be level-headed.
Don't let it go to your head. Just have fun and enjoy it while it's
happening. Just continue to focus on your music and ways to make it
better. Focus on how to get it into those people's hands and to keep
making that connection vibrant. A lot of my "dream postings" have
happened over this last year. Even without this stuff, I'd still be very
happy where I'm at musically and what I've done, but this type of press
and appreciation just adds that extra motivation to the process.
You definitely display a healthy relationship with your fans on Twitter. How much time do you invest in this process?
DC: I try to stay on Twitter as much as I can. I check it daily just
because Twitter has been the best way for me to reach my fans. Whether they like
your music or they hate your music, they're real people giving you real
feedback. The criticism and the critique is real healthy. Facebook tends
to be more of a local social media platform. That's the one thing that I
really like about Twitter is that people around the world, that I
wouldn't normally get a chance to speak with, can actually take the time
to hit me up.
I spend a lot of time on Twitter just trying to respond
to my followers that reach out to me. I try to follow them back as much
as possible. Instagram has also been a really useful tool to connect
with people. I enjoy Twitter and Instagram for this reason,
because it's not a localized audience like it is on Facebook.
Is there any advice you could offer to any producers who are interested in working with you? Do you prefer a certain instrument or sound?
DC: There isn't necessarily one type of style that I like. It's really more of a
sonic approach; how it sounds. What I'm really looking for is something
that sounds full, with a good full bass line. The sounds need to be
authentic. I want that Pete Rock bass. I want to feel my kick drums. I
don't want the kick to get lost in the bass. I don't like it to sound
muddy. I don't like them to sound thin, either. I don't mind if the beat
is really repetitive as long as it sounds full.
What I mean by "full"
is when I hear the track, the only thing it sounds like it's missing is a
rapper's voice. I like to try to push myself and rap on anything as
long as it sounds right and sounds good. I'm open to a lot of different
production styles. People always ask me about what kind of beats to send
me and I always respond with, "just send me what you'd think I'd like."
It has to grab a mood from me. It has to inspire me. It has to sound
authentic and it has to sound real.
Oh, and I'm not looking to buy
beats. [Laughs] Not to be a dick, but you know you're not going to buy my raps.
Are you? You're not going to buy my hook when I spend just as much time
writing that as you did creating that beat. I'm still going to write
these songs with or without your beat. Buy something from me and I'll
buy something from you. That's how it should work. Just know, that I'm
not looking for your 2-for-1 deals on beats or anything like that. I'm
looking to make music that I feel and you can't put money on that;
unless you're Premier or Mad Lib or somebody like that. If I had the
opportunity to buy a Premier beat, then yeah, I'm going to try and do
that.
What kind of advice would you like to offer an artist who is interested in working with you?
DC: Hit me up and be open-minded. Just be cool. If I'm able to do
something for you, then I'll definitely let you know that. I try to keep
my opinion as honest as possible, but at the same time I don't try and
step on anyone's toes. I don't usually like to tell people that their
baby's ugly, you know? Be open to someone who's going to give you the
truth. I'm not a "yes man."
Real artists and people who want to progress
aren't scared of critique. They're looking to be criticized because
they want to push their art to a certain limit. You have to be aware of
what each person is willing to accept. Don't be a know-it-all, because I
think I know more than you. [Laughs]
Speed Round - (Where one word answers are perfectly acceptable)
What's your favorite dish at your favorite restaurant?
DC: Spicy Tuna Maki at a place called Izumi's, I can eat hundreds of those.
What's your favorite drink?
DC: I like to juice so one of my favorite concoctions involves a mixture of carrots, apples, and lemon.
Do you watch TV?
DC: No, I don't try to watch TV. I watch TV shows but I try to stay away
from advertising or anything close to resembling anything that I can't
control.
As far as the shows though, I like The Walking Dead, Mad Men,
Weeds, Vice (on HBO), Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad and old school
Transformers cartoons on Netflix.
Do you have a favorite movie?
DC:Grandma's Boy is one of my favorite movies just because it caught me
off-guard. I wasn't expecting it to be at all what it was. Do you have an all-time favorite video game?
DC: Fallout 3, Warhawk, and the original Goldeneye for N64.
Who is your all-time favorite comic book character?
DC: The Blue Beetle and Booster Gold from DC Comics. Some people may not
know of these guys but they were old Justice League cats.
Wolverine was also a favorite of mine growing up. The 1970's X-Men were
always badass.
Longshot, actually, is one of my favorite comic book
characters. He was always in a bad situation but it always worked to his
advantage. His power was luck. No matter how shitty the situation was,
he's going to get out of it. So, as long as he was in the comic book,
and you were rolling with him, you were good to go. My dad was into comic books, so comics were kind of in my blood.
Stemming from that last question, if you could narrow it down to one
or two options, which super power would Dana Coppa possess?
DC: Either invisibility or mind reading.
What was your graffiti name?
DC: I have plenty of them. I used to use the name "Myth" or "MYIF." I used
to get into graffiti in the 90's. I mean, I never really painted a lot.
I did more bombing and tagging with a few burners here and there. Comic
books, graffiti and raps were basically my high school vices.
Who is your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?
DC:Raphael, because he was ass-kicking and the strongest.
Lastly, what's something that many of your fans may not know about you?
DC: Every now and then, I too, like a Lil' Wayne song.
To hear more about Dana, or his work, you can follow this link to stream his new EP with SPEAK Easy and Uni-Fi Records on AOL.com. You can also find, follow, and tweet Dana Coppafeel on Twitter using this widget right here.
Thank you for your time Dana, and thank you to my readers.
-QW
For your enjoyment, here is the video for the first single off of Dana
& SPEAK's new EP, featuring talented Milwaukee rapper
Prophetic, titled "One of These Kids" directed by Xavier Ruffin.
Looking back on life, how would you rate the decisions that you've made? Do you love what you do? Have you followed your curiosity and intuition or have you settled for something less? How would reflecting on these questions help you make better decisions in the future? If you've answered unfavorably to any of these, then I would suggest you spend 15 minutes viewing Steve Jobs' commencement speech at Stanford University from 2005.
