Kanye and Timbaland in studio tweeking drums for "Stronger"

Stronger Revisited from Kanye West on Vimeo.


BTW, Kayne almost sold 1 million records in a week. wow

MTP "Lengends Series vol. 2" - R.I.P. BOBBY BYRD

Without Bobby Byrd, the world might never have known James Brown. It was Byrd and Byrd alone who persuaded his family to sponsor Brown's parole from the Georgia penal system in 1952, rescuing the troubled but talented singer from a life of bad breaks by launching his music career. Byrd was leader of a vocal group called The Avons when Brown joined in the mid-1950s. The Avons later became The Flames. Sensing a huge talent, Byrd brought Brown into his well-established vocal group, the Flames.

Under Byrd's brotherly guidance, Brown got his act together and turned it loose, taking over the Flames (which he would later rename James Brown And The Famous Flames) and eventually conquering the world. Until the early '70s, Byrd was Brown's right-hand man, not only serving as his arranger and bandleader, but also singing, playing organ, warming up crowds, and co-writing many of JB's biggest hits, including "Licking Stick" and "Sex Machine." Byrd's deep and gritty vocals provided the perfect counterpoint to Browns' raucous shouts, and their strong call-and-response dynamics and soulful harmonies defined such classics as "Get Up, Get Into It, And Get Involved," "Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothing," and "Soul Power." The Godfather's Godfather, Byrd has been described by JB's trombonist (and bandleader) Fred Wesley as "Soul Brother One And-A-Half," a half-step closer than second to the unbeatable Brown.

Unfortunately, Byrd never received the proper recognition he was due (he remains uncredited on many of the 40+ James Brown hits he helped pen), explaining why he's largely remembered as just another James Brown sideman. Byrd sued Brown a couple of years ago to get royalties for songs for songs he said he wrote but for which he was never paid. The lawsuit was thrown out for a lack of timeliness, Byrd said in an interview with the AJC earlier this year

From the early '60s to the early '70s, Byrd recorded and released a whole slew of heavy soul and hard funk singles, the majority of which are included here. A few of these records charted—1965's "We're In Love" and 1970's "I Need Help (I Can't Do It Alone)" both hit the R&B Top 20. These super bad records continued to be cut right up until 1973, when the Byrd / Brown partnership finally came to an end, with the original founder of the Flames cutting out to make it on his own. Byrd's promising solo career never materialized, and the singer released a few singles before sinking into obscurity (though he continued to tour, particularly in Europe). Until the release of Bobby Byrd Got Soul: The Best of Bobby Byrd in 1995, his entire '60s and '70s recorded output remained out-of-print and impossible to find. For the few years that it was available(it's now out-of-print), this CD offered a consolidated chunk of Byrd's best stuff—a stylishly packaged and start-to-finish charge of raw soul power.

He was married to soul singer Vicki Anderson, another James Brown collaborator. His step-daughter is Carleen Anderson.

In October 2004 Bobby Byrd's songs I Know You Got Soul and Hot Pants were featured on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack, playing on fictional radio station Master Sounds 98.3. Also, in September 2005 his song Try It Again appeared on the soundtrack of Indigo Prophecy.

On September 12th 2007, comforted by Vicki Anderson and a large, close family, Byrd died of cancer, he was 73.

BOBBY BYRD - I Know You Got Soul


*******BONUS VIDEO********

RAKIM - I Know You Got Soul

Kanye West (Hot97 9/9/07) Interview

J. Bliss Interview

Meet The Producers - Where are you from?

J. Bliss - Baltimore, Bel air MD, Bed-Stuy


MTP - What emcees would you love to work besides B.I.G.? (we already know... ha)

J - Vast Aire, Rah Digga, Busta, MOP, Sean Price, Guilty Simpson, MF Doom, Havoc, Alchemist, Rza, Ghost Face, Rza.


MTP - When and Why did you start producing?

J - I started when I was 17, about to graduate high school. My uncle, who is a jazz musician, gave me and my brother a computer program for music. My brother wasn't interested so I started fooling with it. It was the first Magix Studio. I didn't take it seriously but when I went to college and met some other guys who made beats, it started snowballing. Now its all I love to do.


MTP - What was your first piece of equipment and what do you use now?

J - My first piece was The Magix program and a Hewlett-Packard with factory speakers. Now I use Acid to chop and sequence samples and Fruity Loops for drums/sequencing/EQing. All on my laptop.


MTP - Would you consider using any hardware with your setup in the future?

J - Oh yeah. I'm planning on copping an MV8800 by next year.


MTP - Do you collect records? How do you feel about the diggin culture?

J - I used to collect records. Until I got beat for about 3 crates in college. But I love going through all my dads and uncles old records. I have mad respect for the whole culture.


MTP - Whats your thoughts on the whole keyboard vs.sample beat discussion?

J - I think if you can make an ill beat it doesn't matter how you do it, as long as its original. I mean, I've seen doods create entire beats on a keyboard, but the melody is from an old hip hop or R&B song. If I can rock to it, its good to me.


MTP - Name your top 2 sample-based producers and keyboard based producers in the game.

J - Dilla/Preem and Timbaland/Dr Dre.


MTP - How do you feel about the beats that are used in music today?

J - I don't think they have a lot of creativity. I call it "pop hop" and "pop & B" cause they're lacking drama and depth. And a large majority of joints sound the same. Like there's a formula. But it seems like that's the way music's going. I don't necessarily like it, or accept it. I just stay in my pocket and keep it movin.



MTP - What do you consider to be REAL Hip Hop?

J - Music that originated from the movement, and still keeps those same ideals. To me, it's about strife, pain, struggling...don't push me cause I'm close to the edge, battling, celebration. A lot of hip hop that's out now is shallow, like they don't wanna talk about real issues. They don't know the history of the hip hop movement in general and have the nerve to lack respect for it. Its crazy.


MTP - How important is it for Lady producers, artists, etc. to be recognized positively in Hip Hop?

J - Its extremely important. It's often assumed that we are ghost written or someone else is behind the boards helping us out, or that we had to do something shady to get somewhere. But I'll never sell out to take a step forward. Just being positive and standing up for ourselves will show other young women that you can be creative in all aspects of art without discrimination and while keeping your self worth.


MTP - What is the worst studio session you have ever been involved with?

J - Ha. I was just minding my business, dropping of some new beats and talkin with my good friend. This dood I never met came in and introduced himself as a crack dealer and a rapper who's tryin to do better with himself. But he was a whole hell of a lot of talk. Most doods i know that hustle, you kinda find that shit out...its not like they tell you off break. So I already started off not really respecting the dood, then he sucked like shit when he got on the mic. I was sad and ready to leave, but then he asked me if he could get some beats. Yeah right. He wasn't hip hop. He was a bamma tryin to be a rapper.


MTP - What projects are you currently working with?

J - I'm soon to release a remix album featuring commercial artists over my beats. I'm also working on a mixtape called "The Sampler" with artists from across the country...VA, the D, Cali, MD, NY, SC, DC. And I'm doin my solo called "Passed Out on the Shitter." Plus 4 or 5 other projects...so I'm pretty busy.


MTP - How come we don't see Jersey on that list.. ha?

J - OK. I want the illest. Call Rah Digga.


MTP - What's something the readers may not know about you?

J - I'm finishing up my last year in grad school. I'm about to be a Doctor of Physical Therapy.


MTP - Whats your contact info?

J - www.myspace.com/jaydotbee


MTP - Any last words?

J - I've been experiencing a lot of hate lately from a lot of different angles. Just wanted to remind yall that if you're truly hip hop, respect and love everyone else that's hip hop. If you're not hip hop, fuck off.

J.BLISS TRACK

Swizz Beatz Interview

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Talking Industry, Label, Music etc....