BISC X CORE RHYTHM X DIRTY DANCING

Tonight some friends of ours are having a release party for their new albums and although it doesn't look like we'll be able to make it out, we wanted to show them some love by posting their music up on the blog. Bisco Smith just dropped his new album, The Broadcast, and Core Rhythm simultaneously released The Ecology. We toured with Bisc a while ago and he's definitely family. He's also family with the Def Jux collective, so it's only fitting that we shout him out after our post about El P, etc. As for Core Rhythm...he was one of the first people I met in the NYC hip hop scene and he's a good artist and a sincerely good dude. Below are a couple of videos by Bisc and Core Rhythm. If you live in NYC, check them out tonight at Santo's Party House. If not, I'd suggest taking a minute to look into their music.

Have a good weekend.


sixguns

His Name is Mr. Wiggles.

30 Rock tonight was incredible.

I did not blog last night because I was up late working on a cover letter for a new job. I sent the cover letter and resume, and found out I did not get the job in a matter of hours.

Touchdown! Haha.

We keep it moving though.

Stine has gotten three of the preliminary mixes for the EP done -- we chose to focus on what we thought the three strongest songs were first. Matty did a fantastic job, and they sound great. I had been listening to studio rough mixes for a couple of months now, and it has been wonderful to hear them all fleshed out and full. Like a whole new world, I tells ya.

Got everything to our manager. Soon it will be time to see if anyone is interested in putting the record out. I have been so excited for this time, and now that it is here, I'm nervous.

We will see.

Sorry this blog is not particularly exciting.

I reconnected with our friend Sirah from LA on Twitter today. She came through on tour a while back and we drove up together to Providence RI for an awful show. But we had mad fun, and she is one of the most exciting MC's I have met in this silly rap game. She did a piece at that show about being a female MC that might be in the top 5 things I've ever seen at a show. Beautifully written and delivered.

Here's a video of hers called "Sirah Goes to San Francisco" Song is dope. And she shouts us out too, which, I'm not gonna lie, feels mad good.



Holler.

T-T-T-Tuesday, and Def Jux.

Not much going on.

It's snowing right now, which is pretty nice.

The most interesting thing that happened all day were the rumors regarding the folding of Def Jux, and the later statement from EL-P. It's a pretty big deal that one of the most important independent hip hop labels (and the only one that ever held down artists from NYC) is no more. Granted, Def Jux put out a lot of stuff that wasn't really my thing -- but at least all of it was interesting, which everyone should always respect.

Here is El-P's statement:

Dear Inter-web, fans, friends and JUX family,

People keep asking me what's up with JUX. There's been some talk, there have been some rumors. Some half true, some way off. Reports of our demise have been mildly exaggerated. Here's what it really all boils down to: (read on)

This year, a decade after starting DEF JUX and after overseeing the releases of some incredible albums including the forthcoming release of my dear late and great friend Camu Tao's brilliant "KING OF HEARTS" LP, I'm stepping away from my duties as artistic director for the label to concentrate on what I love most: being a producer and an artist full time. This is something I've been contemplating for a few years now, and can't think of a better time or, with the eventual release of Camu's record, a more poetic way to transition into a new direction.

This means change for JUX. Of course we'll still have our website, we will still sell our catalog, merch and more as well as bring you news and updates on all our projects and artists. We will be releasing "KING OF HEARTS", a DEF JUX remix compilation, a 10 year anniversary retrospective and some other goodies. But then as a traditional record label DEF JUX will effectively be put on hiatus. We are not closing, but we are changing. The process is already underway, and the last several months (for those wondering what the hell we've been up to) have been spent dealing with the technical aspects of wrapping up the label in it's current form and re-imagining our collective and individual futures.

In 2000 starting a traditional record label made a lot of sense. But now, in 2010, less so and I find myself yearning for something else to put my energy into. I also see newer, smarter, more interesting things on the horizon for the way art and commerce intersect, and as an artist and an entrepreneur, I'm eager to see them unfold. The evolution of this industry is, in my opinion, exciting, inevitable and it would be nice to see the DEFINITIVE JUX brand be a part of it. In other words, maybe we can turn this hoopty in to a hovercraft.

All business aside, and regardless of what form JUX may inevitably take, my focus for the immediate future is going to be back-to-basics. The fun stuff: sitting in the studio and immersing myself in music, performing it for for my fans when the time comes and whatever (or wherever) else might be out there creatively for me. Thats how it all started and that's how the next phase will begin. The days of me dedicating the majority of my time and energy into providing JUX with a constant stream of physical releases from multiple artists are on hold for the time being. My heart (and what little common sense I possess) is telling me to simplify my focus and it has always been my policy to listen to my heart.

Truly, DEF JUX has been amazing to be a part of. So many good people. So much fun. I feel very lucky to be friends and collaborators with people who have affected and continue to affect my life and work deeply and indelibly. Working with the likes of Amaechi Uzoigwe, Jesse Ferguson, Jason Drake, and Katy Eustis at JUX as well as allies like Kathryn Frazier (biz3), Michael Bull and Lisa Socransky-Austin (to name only a few) has been incredible. These are people who worked for generally meager wages because they loved what they did and they believed in the artists and the idea of DEF JUX. Anyone would be lucky to have worked with even one person as dedicated and passionate as all of them are. They are true champions of indie music and they (and too many others to mention here) have my gratitude and loyalty forever.

None of it would have existed, though, if not for the artists. Artists who rolled the dice on us the same way we did on them, and were there with us as we battled it all out. CAMU, MR LIF, AESOP ROCK, MURS, CAGE, ROB SONIC, HANGAR 18, CHIN CHIN, CANNIBAL OX, THE PERCEPTIONISTS, RJD2, DESPOT, SA SMASH, YAK BALLZ, CRAYZ, THE MIGHTY UNDERDOGS, DIZZEE RASCAL, DEL, P.F.A.C, ACTIVATOR, COOL CALM PETE ... the list goes on. I consider them all geniuses at what they do. Every victory that they have had and will have will always feel like a victory for myself and all of us at JUX. It's been a joy to create and even struggle with them all. It has not always been easy, but it's almost always been fulfilling. I only hope the work we put in together helped build a path to their collective futures. They have my sincerest well wishes and genuine respect.

Lastly and most importantly are the fans... holy shit THE FANS! Our fans are no joke. I can't tell you how humbled I am to have felt the love and respect that they have shown us all. Even when we did things they didn't like, they stuck around. This was their label as much as ours. We answered to them, and yet they respected that we did what we loved, nothing more and nothing less. We always will. You are why we do any of this, and I'll never be able to express how much your support means to all of us. I think I speak for all of us Jukies when I say I love making music for you and can't wait to make more.

Until then, on behalf of everyone here at JUX and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

EL-P
Founder/Artistic Director/Recording Artist
DEFINITIVE JUX

Holler.

I'm Shutting Shit Down in the Mall.

Not really though.

When I was 15 years old I started a band with my two best friends. We called ourselves "Clemens the Great." Two guitars and drums, no bass. I played guitar and sang with my friend Nate. My friend Dave played drums.

We played our first show at a "Teen Center" in our small town in Jersey. They used to throw these Teen Center's every Friday night. They would serve pizza! And soda! And you could play basketball! I don't need to tell you anymore to impart the fact that these Teen Centers were amaaaaaaaaaaazing. Haha.

Anyway, they let us come through and play. And we did our thing, and it was great. My first show ever, nahmean?

The point is -- the Teen Centers were run by a young-ish woman, who's name I do not recall. Her husband was in a band too. And after we did our thing, his band played. And it was terrible. All the kids left, and they ended up playing to an empty auditorium, save for Nate, Dave, and I. Despite the fact that there was no one left to watch them they still played what I assume was their full set.

Now, the fact that their songs were terrible (think of a band going for Nickelback with more of an edge, haha) is beyond the point. These guys became a running joke to us for years -- the old, loser band dudes who soldier on past the point of ridiculousness. The guys who stay telling their wives, and friends, that their big break is right around the corner, trust me, trust me. True forever-adolescents.

I promised myself, at age 15, that that would never be me.

And that has been where my head is at recently. Granted, Metermaids has gotten the chance to do things that only a small percentage of bands ever get to do. And there are some amazing things that I can tell my grandchildren, should I be fortunate to have any -- like the fact that we were in Playboy, or the Village Voice, or that we've rocked venues with thousands of people, etc., etc. We never had to play no damn Teen Center. But we still ain't really making any money, you know?

I had a conversation with a friend in a similar situation at a dinner this weekend. We talked about how, in our experience in the music world, every time you get to a place where you want to quit, some incredible opportunity appears to dangle in front of you again. It happens without fail.

Our project with 9th is another one of these opportunities for us. Another reason to not quit, to stick it out and see what might happen. And if the 9th thing didn't get us where we want, and we continued to plug along, I'm sure something else would pop up that would bring us back to the same mind state. Maybe that's how you end up in your late thirties, playing to empty auditoriums with your shitty band.

But I remember the promise I made to myself as a 15 year old.

I had a great talk with my brother today about the possibility of law school (my brother is a lawyer). I'm thinking about it very seriously. I actually kind of killed a practice LSAT the other day.

People might see a move like that as selling out, "the world doesn't need another lawyer," etc. I don't really give a fuck. My brother worked his ass off to get through school and pass the BAR. I think I can do it too. So Imma look into it.

Obviously the focus is still the music right now. We are working hard. Shit is sounding great. Things are in motion.

Holler.

Internet Dangers.

I found this random video on YouTube that used our song "Shades Off" at the end and thought it was funny and wanted to share it with everyone.

It's a perfect use of the song.

So, to whoever made this video -- I expect our check is in the mail. (Kidding, of course).



Have a good weekend yall.

Holler.

I'm So Tired.

Good Thursday.

Stine is on his game, Sentence is on his game. I actually don't really have anything to do. We are planning on getting up in the studio again on Saturday to keep it moving.

It was snowing crazy hard in Brooklyn when I was walking to the train. But when I got into Manhattan there wasn't any snow on the ground. And when I got back to Brooklyn there wasn't any snow either. Like it never happened at all. Kind of a metaphor for how this week has gone. Not that I dislike snow. But, you know.

Had a great talk with my boss this morning. Feel much better about my work situation.

Things are feeling much better overall.

I think I mentioned it in an earlier blog, but I think we are going to try and put together an EP of us doing the rappity rap over Arcade Fire's "Funeral," which is another one of my favorite albums. So I guess I will get to work finding the right songs to rock over.

Any suggestions?

We also got a couple of shows coming up, which is tight. We haven't played in a while. I will be updating the websites and stuff with the dates soon.

I slept on 30 Rock for too long. That show is incredible.

I won't be blogging tomorrow. Have a great weekend everyone.

Holler.

State of the Union.

I really liked the speech tonight. Politics aside, I dug hearing a powerful, hopeful statement.

Also, Obama going at the Supreme Court was priceless. And the Chiefs of Staff sitting there stone-faced while he was talking about letting gays in the military was incredible too. What are you scared of, fellas?

I felt good today again. Making moves.

Negotiations going ahead with the DJ to do the cuts for our project. Stine is mixing his ass off. Sentence is putting together dope videos.

I did a bunch of laundry and ate Mexican food for dinner.

Joe Lieberman can eat a fat dick. So can Linsday Graham. And that Republican response was the most vanilla, boring shit I have ever witnessed.

We don't quit. I don't quit.

Holler.