Sixxcess: 2nd Issue Hip Hop Discussion
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Ask Sixxcess:
Azur Mag: Ok . . .we have Sixxcess with us . . .It's our 2nd interview . . and this one is, basically, outlining his new album, The 12th Grade . . .What's going on with the Twelfth Grade, now . . .What are you doing with this current project? Sixxcess: Ahh . . .well . . right now . . .we're just getting our business stuff together . . .copyrights . . .and . .you know . . .um . . all that stuff together . . . Azur Mag: That's cool . . .alright . . .so . .the last album you recorded was . .ahh . ..Red Handed . .right? Sixxcess: Right, right, right . . . Azur Mag: Ok . . .Yeah . . ok . .so . .um . . .How was that one going as far as promotions are concerned . . .Were you getting a lot of response on that one . . .or . .were the previous mix tapes better . . .How was the Red Handed . . . Sixxcess: I did . . .with the Red Handed project, I did a tour . . .I did an east coast tour, first . . . Azur Mag: Ok. . . Sixxcess: . . and then I dropped it . . .so it was nice little reviews on the first because . . .I was performing a lot of the songs before I dropped it. . . Azur Mag: Right . . ok . . You plan to do the same thing for the 12th Grade . . .like . .to get a tour going and everything . . .? Sixxcess: Yeah . . .yeah . . I'm going to . .put together a promo tour where . . .well . . .actually, we're in the process of putting together a promo tour . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Sixxcess: The tour going to start around November . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . November . . .ok . . .Yeah . .this . . ahh . . .Actually, I'm going to put you in the magazine . . .for the second issue . . .so . . .people will know about it by October 15th . . . Sixxcess: Cool . . .I'm going to be hitt'n every location that you can think of . . .pretty much . . . Azur Mag: Right . . .so . .I mean . . um . . .What I plan . . .to do with this interview is, actually . . .understand like. . . how you feel . . .about the musical world . .or the rap world . . .as far as you're concerned . . .Like. . .what your influences are . . .and how they influence the current project . . . The 12th Grade . . .and everything . . .So . .like. . what album . . .was there an album that influenced you to make the 12th Grade? . . or was it something you just did on your own . . .that just came out of your own pocket . . .or . . .How did that work out? Sixxcess: Well . . .like. . .with the 12th Grade project . . .of course, I was influenced heavy by . . .I guess the DMV scene . . . Azur Mag: OK . . . Sixxcess: On this project . . .Um . . .but a lot of my other projects . . . I really stuck to the mainstream . . . commercial stuff . .type feel . . .um . . .but with this project . . .I guess. . .there's more like a DMV type feel . . .to it . .you know . .more . . .of a . . um . . .just an introductory of what I've been doing through out the years.. . .just grinding . . .you know . . .I'm just, honestly, grinding . . . Azur Mag: That's cool . . alright . . .Do you know . . like. . what artist from the DMV . . .might have influenced you . . ? . . You know . .because when you say it's like a DMV . . .thing . . like. . what is it . . . Sixxcess: Like . .I was . . doing a couple shows . . .I've seen artist like Tokyo Crow . . .I've seen artist like D Black . . .you know . . .um . . .and those artist . .right there . .I think . . .are pretty dope . . .you know . . .but I thought they were pretty dope artist . . like Runway Abe . . you know . . .the performances that they were doing . . .was just like. . . .you know . .they were, constantly, just grinding . . .You know what I'm saying . . .? . . .and you were seeing their growth . . from their grind . . .It was like . . .a good thing to see. . .Like a movement . .actually, from the DMV . . .Up until that . . .I haven't, really, seen . . .too many artist from the DMV that I thought were like . . .really good artist . . .and. . .still grinding . . . Azur Mag: Still grinding . . .right . . .so . .when you say grinding . .what, exactly, do you mean. . .by grinding . . .like putting the work through . . .or. . .what is that . . .? Sixxcess: So like . . grinding . . .is like. . . when you know . . .um . . you wake up in the morning . . .and you're trying to do your music . . .you know . . .The first thing you do . . .is promote your music . . .and . .you're out there every show . . .and you use that work. . .and then. . .you know . . .you just can't go anywhere . . .without seeing them there . . .you know. . .? Azur Mag: Right . . Sixxcess: So . . back in 2012 . . .2013 . . . 2014 . . .Every where I was . .they was . . you know what I mean . . .? It was just like . . .wow . . . Azur Mag: Let me go over those three artist, again . . .to make sure I heard you, correctly . . .Who was the first artist you mentioned. . .? Sixxcess: Tokyo Crow. . . .He's got the . . like . .Hendrix series . . . Azur Mag: . . .and then what was the second artist you mentioned . . ? Sixxcess: D Black Azur Mag: . . ok. . .D Black . . .and then the third one . . . Sixxcess: Ahh . . .Runway Abe . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . Abe as in Abe? Sixxcess: Right . . . Azur Mag: Ok . . .got it. . .Alright . . .I apologize for that . . .Now, . . .I didn't know anything about Kendrick . . to Pimp A Butterfly . . until . . .I met you. . . .and you were playing that . . .like. . Sixxcess: It's awesome . . man . . .I listen to it . . .My kids love it . . .It's an awesome project . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . Sixxcess: He pushed the envelope on that thing . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . that is a nice album . . .If . . .you ever get a chance to get a live band in on . . .a recording . . .would you do it his way . . or . . .would you do it your own way . . .but . . .I mean . . .would you do it? Sixxcess: I would, definitely, do it my own way . . .um. ..I like what Kendrick do . . .but Kendrick . .I think is like west coast hip hop . . .so .to me they've always . . .pushed that envelope . . . You know like east coast music . . .is more so about . . .what . . .we're doing and where we're going . . .and west coast music seems to be about what's happening around . . .the scenery and things of that nature . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Sixxcess: Like Kendrick Lamar . . he was just embracing . . .on and around Compton and L.A.. . .and did some things he was hearing around the world . . .Ken as a Black youth . . .and . . .you know . . .everything else that was going on. . .around that time. . .You know it's been . . crazy for Black people . . .and . .you know . .Kendrick Lamar . . he addresses . . .that . . He uses . . .blessings to address that . . .and that's dope . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .I love that album . . .Alright . .what about 2 Chains . . .What album was that you were playing in the car? . .I forgot . . .which one it was . . . Sixxcess: Trapevellie . . .That's the new Trapevellie . . . Azur Mag: Trapevellie . . . There's another album I, actually, ordered . . .it was something about show business . . or . . .This is how . . .oh man . . .I wish I had the album with me . . . Sixxcess: . . .what . .2 Chains . . .2 Chains . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .I got . . .let me see if I can find it . . .I got this 2 Chains album . . .um . . .I don't know if you . . ahh . . .Let me see if I have . .it . . .Oh . . .It's called Based On A T.R.U. Story . . .T-R-U Story . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . . .yeah . .True . . . . Azur Mag: Do you like that one? Sixxcess: Yeah . . .that was the one that put him on the map, to me . . .but he was already big . . .but. . .that's the first one that currently helped the . . . .um . .to me . . .yeah . . I like those true stories with him . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . .that was a good album . . .but. . .the album you played in the car just sticks with me . . so I'm going to . . get that one . . but . .um . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . . .that's his newest one . .the one he just put out . . .you know . . .but 2 Chains . . he just . . .puts you in that mode . . .different mode . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . Sixxcess: He just puts you in a different mode . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . he's got . .like. . . .Based On A T.R.U. Story . . .is kind of like a Baller type of thing . . .to me . . .it just seemed more of like the Players Club . . .kind of . .atmosphere . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . . it's southern . . .he's southern . . .and you know . .like . .that's what they do . . .Flash and the Bling . . .and . . .the money . . .and . . .the girls . . and all that . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . ) . . .So . . .what attracted you to 2 Chains . .I mean . . .what was it . .cause you were playing Kendrick . .and all of a sudden 2 Chains . . .and they don't really seem like similar artist . . . Sixxcess: No . .they not . .they not . . .it's like. . .Kendrick Lamar is good . . .when you're just riding around . . .but it's like . .when you get into a zone . . .and it's like you and your boys . . .and you're feeling real good . . .You want to just throw in some beats that just rock . . .and . .you know . .some crazy lyrics . . .just going to make you laugh . . .you know what I'm say'n . . .? Like . . yeah . .that's 2 Chains . . .Kendrick Lamar . . more serious . . .more . .listen to this . . .I'll sit back and just vibe out . . .you ain't doing too much talking . . .just listening . . Azur Mag: Alright . . .Are there any other albums . . .you're listening to . . .I mean . .like. . the same way you're listening to 2 Chains . . .and . .Lamar . . . Sixxcess: Yeah . . .I pretty much dissect music as it comes out . . .You know . .um . . .Right now, we're listening to that Drake and Future CD . . .album . . .you know . .because . . .that seems to be what's popp'n right now . . .um . . .I'm just waiting on the new Kanye CD . . ..(laughs . .) I'm just wait'n on the new Kanye CD . . . Azur Mag: Kanye's good . .I like Kanye . . .I got his first two albums . . the Drop . . school Drop out . . .or something like that . . .what was that . . College Drop Out . . . .? Sixxcess: Right, right, right, right, right . . . .That's a classic. . .The best rap album, ever . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .I had those two . . and everything . . .I was listening to those over and over again . . .and then I lost my entire collection . . .and stuff . .because I was moving around . . .but . . Kanye is good . . .I gotta just go out and get all of Kanye, at one time . . .Now, that Drake album you were talking about . . .What album was that? Sixxcess: Um . . .what is that Drake and Future . .What is it called, now. . .Don't get me . . . . a line. . .I want to say it's called. . .Great Time to Be Alive . . .or maybe something like that . . . Azur Mag: Ok . . . Sixxcess: What ever I plan on dropp'n . . .Like. . .I'll go through a whole time frame where . . .I listen to nothing but myself . .when my projects drop . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .) . . Sixxcess: When I'm doing promo . . .I listen to everything that's current because . . .I want to make sure that I'm promo'ing . . .and dropp'n at the right time . . .and in the right season and . . .you know . . .I want to still be . . .user friendly . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Sixxcess: So . .yeah . . . I'm dissecting a lot of music. . . .and I go on my instagram and my facebook . . .a lot of people be say'n what's hot . . .and I have to see and hear it . . you know . . and I just make my opinions off on it. . .A lot of it is not hot . . .You know . . .when you start talking about CDs I put into my car . . .cause . .I use my CD changer . . .like when we talk about Lamar . . . like that is . . .that's a classic CD . . .The J Cole . .the 40 Drive . . .That's a classic CD . .the Wale . . .you know what I'm say'n . . .the Tan album . . .the album about nothing . . .that was a classic album . . .When you start thinking about where music is going . . .and . . where music was . . .in the 60's . . 70's . . .even early 80's. . . .that's what that rap is embodying . . .you know . .Drake is doing the same thing . . .but . . .It's just . .something about . . .that music that's going to bring you to . . .looking what's going on around you . . .at the moment . . .cause . . .not everybody has . . .fast cars . . .a lot of money . . .a lot of. . .girls . . .you know . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .) . . Sixxcess: . . .so . . .when we make music. . .like that. . .it's like. . .ok . .who can relate . . .the ones who are trying to get that . . .or care for that . . .you know . . . Azur Mag: Right . . .I see . . Sixxcess: I like that timeless music . . .that music like Stevie Wonder . . .Old town music . . .you know what I'm say'n . . .? Azur Mag: Yeah . . I see your point. . . Sixxcess: . .. but right now . . rap is the new R&B . . .you know . . .Rap is like how . . .like when (laughs . .) when disco first came to town . . .You know . . .right now . . .rap is the change . . .and that's where it's at . . .you know . .and in the next few years . . .it's going to be like rock N' roll . . .you know . . .and I just want to be in the dag on picture . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .alright . . .Yeah . . .you, pretty much, answered my question . . .I think I had another question . . .I just totally lost track of everything . . .but . . you know . it's real cool how you put everything . . .basically . . um . . . .Oh . .I was going to ask you about Meek Mills . . .How do you feel about him? Sixxcess: I can't listen . . .I don't like him . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . ) Sixxcess: . .. besides what gets played on the radio . . . Azur Mag: I like his twitter page . . .but I don't know . . .I saw his video . . .and his video was alright . . . Sixxcess: He's, possibly, more entertaining on social media than . . .he is in music . . .but . .I will say . . .this . . .I don't condone . . .or listen to a lot of music . . like. . .with what Meek Mills do . . .Everything to me sounds the same . . .You know . . his hits all sound the same . . .They all follow the same pattern . . .everything . . .and. . .I just don't really like it . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . I didn't, really, understand why . . .I mean . . he called out on Drake . . .and . . everything . .so . .that's why I knew about him . . . but . you know . . .why was he the one . . .who'd be able to jump on top . . .and say something. . .you know . . . Sixxcess: Right, right, right. . .and I think the beauty is . . .now a days . . anybody can say anything . . .and you would have to ask yourself . . why would Drake give him the response . . . that he gave him . . and I always look at everything like . . .it's all publicity . . .it's all fake . . .He's dating Nicki Minaj and. . ..we all know what she mean to Drake . . .and what they mean to each other . . .and he needed some boost in his sales . . .and publicity . .so why not . . .be able to say something about Drake . .real quick . . .but . .yeah . .Drake .. up and down . .all over his album . . .got . . three or four songs with the man . . .so . . . Azur Mag: (laughs . . .) Sixxcess: it's all publicity . . .good publicity or bad publicity . . .it all works out . . . Azur Mag: Let me ask you one last question . . .then I'll let you go . . .oh . .wait . .what were you saying . .? Sixxcess: Well . . .in the future you'll probably hear . . .another song by them two coming out. . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .) . .Yeah . .so those two actually do a gig . . .Oh . .so they're working together? Sixxcess: I would assume so . . .I'm just assuming . . .but I would assume so . . . Azur Mag: Alright . . . Sixxcess: I don't believe there's any real beef in the music industry . . .It's like work place violence . . .you know what I'm saying? It doesn't really happen . . .unless. . .someone is willing to get fired . . .and when you're talking about millions of dollars that people are getting . . .who really wants to get fired from that . . .The last real beef that we had. . . that we thought we had . . . wasn't even real . .you know . . Tupac and Biggie type of stuff . . .you know what I mean? That stuff . .like . .Chicago stuff . . .That's real . . .beefing . . .You know what I'm saying . . .That's real beefing. . .Those little rappers . . .who's trying to do their thing . . .but other than that . . .there's no real beef, no more . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Sixxcess: There's no real beef no more . . .I'm inclined to believe that . . .anyone who wants something done, now . . .is doing it . . .as opposed to talking about it . . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . . Sixxcess: We're just in a new era . . . Azur Mag: (Laughs . . .). . . Sixxcess: You know . .(laughs . . .) . . Azur Mag: Yeah . . .alright . . .alright . . .I was going to say . . .to end our conversation, I was going to ask a question . .but I mean . . .is there anything else you want to add to it? Sixxcess: No . . .no . . Like I mean . . .I like. . .the music scene where it is . . from an aspect of competition . . .You know what I'm saying . . .but . . then when we go into the aspect of. . .like the quality of music . . .that they're putting out there . . .I really wish . . .that a lot of these artist would take more time . . You could tell Kendrick Lamar took time on his album . . .but I really just wish that . . .and there's really a lot more. . . actually, what's really happening. . .is . .we're hearing a lot more mix tapes . . .than albums . . . Azur Mag: Right . . . Sixxcess: It's, really, not like. . . Azur Mag: so . . .um . .what's the difference between a mix tape and an album . . though . . .What is the difference . . .? Sixxcess: Um . . an album . . usually follows a concept . . .and a game plan . . .and a mix tape is usually just . . .like a flush of all types of music.. . .and feelings that I may be going through at the time . . .and I wanted to share with my fans . . . Azur Mag: Oh . . .alright. . . Sixxcess: On a mix tape . . you'll probably get . . .um . . .a couple of songs that just talking about . . .what ever . . me and my boys . . .you know . . .and my friends. . . .on my albums . . it'll be more so talking about. . .you know . . .social things . . .things that we can probably relate to . . but my mix tapes are, definitely, all about me . . . Azur Mag: Right . .ok . .I got it. . .cool . . .so to end the conversation . . .How do you feel about rappers using ghost writers? Sixxcess: I don't think there's nothing wrong with it . . .because . .I think . .at the end of the day . . .I think that rappers should use ghost writers . . .I just don't think that . .um . . .it's a big deal . .you know . .like. . .In my eyes . . .you've been around . . .some of your friends. . . or you've met somebody you've met . . .and said . . oh my God . . .why are you not on, yet . . .You know what I'm saying . . .and sometimes the reason . . they're not on . . is because . . .they don't have the same opportunities that you had . . .so if you can take the opportunity to take two or three of their songs . . .and get that thing hot . . .and then when people are like . .ok. . .I need this song . . .well . .here's the guy who wrote it . . .You know like. . half of the people who come up . ..in the game . . .came up on ghost writers . . .You know . . .so . . .to imply about ghost writing is crazy . . .cause . . .we all use samples . . .(laughs . .) . .you know . . .and we'll go up there . . .and . . .we'll say we're free style'n . .but . .we're just using a lot of the conversations that . .we had with one of out friends . . .You know . . .so . . .I mean . . .it's . . .I think everybody in the music industry . . .in some shape, form, or fashion . .um . . uses a ghost writer with out . . .knowing it . . .You know . .I don't necessarily . . .have someone giving me lyrics . . .but every day . . I'm looking at . . one of my mans . . .and I'm taking a story and making a song . . .You know . . .I'm taking something that we talk about . . .and turn it into a song . . .You know . . .I'm taking some kind of motivation . . .or some type of drive . . .that was given to me and turn it into a song . . .so . .and set . .yeah . . .my friend gave me . . .one of my mans gave me that idea. Another artist gave me this idea . . .You know what I'm say'n . . like. . .so . . I mean . . .shoot. . .after you write . .so many songs a day . . .and you do so much stuff a day . . .you know . .hey . . .hey . . .it's not about . . always . . .it's the delivery as well . . .It's like hand to hand . . . For more inofrmation about the 12th Grade project. . .you can contact Sixxcess through Azur Magazine and email azurmagazine@gmail.com . . . .
