illRoots Explanations 101: Kenny Burns
Kenny Burns and Marky.
Okay, so as many know we are making our daily moves and as we do this there are small things that I feel need some “explanations”. For this to happen, many people say why not go directly to the source of things, I mean directly from the horse’s mouth. So as we watch this motion picture called “Life” unfold, there becomes need for director commentary on certain scenes. Just imagine if you were watching “Finding Nemo”(yes, Finding Nemo, I have a son, sue me) and the guy from Pixar was sitting next to you talking about the whole thing. So for the most part, we talk to the man known as Kenny Burns and his thoughts on Studio 43, Wale, Rocafella and all the many other occurences.
illRoots.com: Talk a little about Studio 43?
KB: Studio 43 was actually created out of a bad business deal that I did when I had the girl group “DREAM”. Basically I had a company called 2620, it was an address we all used to hang out at back at home in DC. So when I moved to college I called that my business. I met this lady that was throwing all this money at me and I signed the paperwork without reading the paperwork. So she ended up taking my name and telling me “She owned me” and I was like “No One Owns me”. I said I’m going to assess with Studio 54, which was obviously one of the biggest clubs in the 80’s and I used to see all this freedom in the clubs. Then me and my crew we had this things called 4-3, we used to hold it up in all the go-go pictures, it used to me “Forever”. You know four and three equals seven, you know the whole positive numbers and shit so. So I came with the name Studio 43 and initially we were a management company and as I went through my ranks in the music business and I would dabble in management. When I left Rocafella almost 4 years ago, I said I was done with music and if I ever did anything with music again it would be to put my city on. I tried to have conversations with Go-Go bands, thats how I met UCB, I met with their manager while I was at Rocafella. While I was there I tried signing me a go-go band and that never worked out but it started the relationship and a year after doing clothing, Ryan Kenny, I said “You know what I need to put my city on”. Just really getting back into the scene, my sister Robin was in the club and I was like “Yo if you hear somebody on the rap side let me know”. I felt that rap should be first because people wouldn’t really get Go-Go off the top. We get a rap artist with some influence of a little go-go off the top and then get it poppin. So she had told me about this kid DJ Alize had played on the radio called Wale.
I got online and heard a song called “Rhyme of the Century” and from that I knew dude could actually spit. I said lets see whats up with him. So I got with DJ Alize and Wale and started doing business immediately. What I have done with any of my A&Ring in the past is get all my music together. I like to see what temperature is going on and see if he had any other songs which was unlike any of the songs I heard before. He had these songs done by a kid named Southeast Slim, thats another artist from the DMV area, and it was a song called Dig Dug in the joint and it wasn’t structured it just had like a 24 and hook. So I said lets chop it up, long story short “Dig Dug” became very popular and I had the equation that if we could somehow get the DMV on this hip-hop/go-go fusion then its a wrap. Go-Go bands have toured on the inside of the beltway for plus years and there was bands that played 3 or 4 times a week. We were really on this independent mentality with Studio 43 like we are going to get paid dates and start selling records and basically do it ourselves. So I told Wale in four months we are going to be getting paid shows, you aren’t going to have to worry about distribution, we are just going to keep pushing. Four Months came, he’s making money hand over fist, and doing his thing.
I had got hit on Myspace, and obviously I get hit all the time about people wanting to get down with the movement, so people who come at me interestingly I pay attention too. There was this one kid, Dan Weisman, and we started having a dialogue with him and some lawyer he was working with, and then from there I started telling Wale about him. Wale, then, I guess formed some type of relationship outside of me knowing. I had a production slash management company slash this and that. I basically like to know everything that is going on. So whatever the situation may be we can all benefit from. I end up hooking this thing up with Fader magazine and the initial call was made to my man that owns the joint and I told him about Wale and we have this whole movement and blah, blah, blah. Obviously it was passed down on his side and whomever it was passed down to talked to Daniel Wiessman on their own. I was sort of taking out of the situation, which is kind of ironic, because one weekend Wale’s mom was looking for him and she called me and I was like “I guess he’s at the hotel”. He calls me and I finally get in touch with him and he’s like “Yo, I been thinking, I don’t know if I want to go forward with the current situation I want you to be involved in my career, but I want to make other moves”. I was like “What other Moves?”, and he said “Well I don’t know about being signed with Studio 43 anymore, I mean I want you to be involved in my project, but I just don’t know”. So I said you know what I’m going to fly up there and we will talk about it. I get off the phone and I see all the stuff that Daniel Weisman is doing online and it doesn’t mention Studio 43 or Kenny Burns and I’m kind of bugged out. So I called him back and he’s like “Nah I ain’t put that up there”. This was the conversation I wanted to wait to have, but now we are having this over the phone, and things got a little intense.
Before I got to DC it was a bunch of other shit that was going on. They were calling local people at the radio station saying that “Is Kenny up here talking about me?”, when I called no one. I really was kind of like mute to all that because I’m like look he’s signed, because I’m thinking somebody is trying to sign him and thats why he’s trying to get away from me.
Marky - Go Download “Mick Boogie Presents Marky”
Either way I leave this completely alone and a couple months go by and I get a call from my man Rich Kleiman over at ALLIDO, Mark Ronson’s partner. Basically saying that this shit was brought to him from this kid Daniel Weisman and they don’t have any paperwork with you, so I made it clear that wasn’t the case. As well I don’t want to be in business with someone that doesn’t want to be in business with me, so if you want to pay me my money back lets run it. Bottomline, the figure that I quoted to them was too high and they went back and forth on all these points and what they can offer. So I said “Look its a production company, if distribution comes into play than we can talk”. I left the music business because of the same type of funkiness, if you will, Jay and Dame were two people I met together on the embarking of their empire and to see them feud and all the division caused by random people I was like “I’m not even fucking with this music shit, I’m doing clothes”. Then I jump right back into trying to help my city and jump right into some bullshit myself. I waited a year and a half and in that year I found my point guard in Marky. Too be honest I have never met a kid that was so mature for his age. We have so much in common, if he was a little younger he could be my child, thats how much we have in common. Just his integrity for a 19 year old it impressed me. So I was like one: I’m not going to stop Wale because if the DMV gets on thats going to be great for everyone, I got Marky lets get the race going. Bottomline a year and a half goes by, Marky has a deal with SRC as well as his own credibility outside of what the go-go affiliation is. He has is own identity, with the heart throb lane, and going for the girls, and doing his thing.
So then there is an opportunity thats comes Marky’s way and the playlist is obviously called “Keys to the City” and its about DMV and whats going on, and is nothing that we asked for but just something that happened. So then we get some information that the songs were taken off of the playlist. In the way that it was represented to us it was some things said about Marky and Studio 43 and Kenny Burns that weren’t accurate, weren’t necessary, and were basically flat out flagrant. It wasn’t presented from the stand point that this is whats presented, it came back with some cussin and fussin. The bottomline is I never have done anything to hurt Wale personally or his career. I’ve only been a supporter of the DMV movement which he at that moment was spearheading and I’ve basically had people who wanted to bring diss raps and personal harm up off of him because of that. I think that at a certain part its like “Come on already”. I think that is the lowest form of hate possible because if you are representing the city then you need to shed light on the city. This is the only other major artist on in the city, meaning this is the only other artist signed to a major deal, why wouldn’t you support that. So there is an underlying tone to that is pure hatred. I traverse on the phone with Wale about whats going on and he assures me that he has nothing to do with it, and that his manager is pissing off alot of people, so I’m like “Who is telling the truth?”. My thing is you don’t know whats going on in your camp? As well your letting them put things out there that you don’t co-sign nor agree with? I find it hard to believe that Wale didn’t know about it, and if he didn’t know about it when he found out about it he did nothing to stop it.
illRoots.com: So you look at it as more of a miscommunication within their own camp that needs to be resolved OR this is how I feel about you type of thing.
KB: The thing is I had Wale in my house, I treat everyone I do business with personally and maybe that is one of my downfalls but I wouldn’t have done anything or let anyone do anything on that front because I accepted him like that. You can’t sit here as a dude from the DC and you can’t out hustle a hustler. Then tell me you don’t know whats going on after the fact now that Marky released this record and I’m getting quotes from you and what you had to say about young’n anyway. That just magnifies what Marky had to say was deserved and it is wasn’t any street shit because they don’t want that. This is about respect. Marky feels like your going to respect him because you aren’t going to take all these jabs and not expect a reprocussion.
illRoots.com: We always find this within many regions in Hip-Hop, and for the most part I find that as the downfall of New York. Alot of people hated on the south, in the beginning, but when they came in they were strong and they let people shine. Thats where you differentiate from down south and up north. You will get little sections that will get their shine because they know in the end its for the greater good. I may not like your music but I respect it in a sense. You can have “Get Silly” and you can have a “Royal Flush” that has lyrics, its the realization that for us to flourish as a culture competition is inevitable. Without that your stagnant and the music becomes stale.
KB: Absolutely, I just think for the DMV it needed this, because it exposes things that are happening and getting the acknowledgement of the rest of the world and at the end of the day we want the best possible representation on the planet. Even when it comes to me for dudes management to be disrespecting me to people that I know that is going to come back to me in the industry and tell me per batum. I am a great relationship man and because of that I’m going to pile that shit up and when its time I’m going to exploit you. That is the only way you can get to the bottom of this, all that head bustin’ is frivalous. Its about mainly just exposing the real and the real is y’all took Marky off the playlist that would have bettered every artist on it in the DMV. That playlist before Marky was snatched off had been hit an ungodly amount of times, and now its over 3 and 4 million. So as artist your telling me that your not going to feel some sort of way, that because you were pulled off was personal. Imeem painted it as an existing list was there, but existing list or not there were other artists that got pulled off. Pro’verb, who is fire, and everyone knows that he did the diss against Jay, but let me ask you this is your team is in the playoffs, a team that you’ve been repping since before they had the name, I don’t give a fuck who it is rapping, you are going rep your city. That is all dude did and yet Wale still went on him. You have to have a base before you can have fans. See fans are not a base. A base of people will get up and rep you everyday, while fans are fair weather. Fans hear a new song and like it more, now you are no longer. In DC as “crab-in-the-barrel” as it can be they are the only people in the world that support Go-Go one hundred. There is a loyalty BASE there, if you go against the grain you won’t even be welcome in your own city. Its not about energy Studio 43 is creating nor Marky, if you did a poll and ask his peers about Wale, not his fans, but his peers and ask them what they think of Wale I guarantee its in the 90 percentile of people that don’t fuck with him. I don’t think its because of him, I think its because he’s allowing people that really don’t know how to handle business. With ALLIDO I respect Rick and Mark and I show them that respect when something is not going on right but at the end of the day its a whole nother layer to this. That is the layer that you can’t get away from.
illRoots.com: The underlying problem is what existed before Imeem, that was already their beforehand, alot of people will do the Phone Game back in the day where you said something and by time it got back to you it was all misconstrued. So really there is no way to differentiate the truth without looking at the existing facts that layout.
KB: Period, because people don’t know that in the beginning of it when Marky did a hip-hop/go-go type of record Wale reached out to Judah, who did the song, and was like “Why you doing that, this is my shit” and I know that was out of pure emotion and that he really didn’t know what he was doing so I let that slide when Marky wanted to address it then. I told him don’t worry about that because thats not the artist that you are, we did that to get the attention that we did. This is all strategic and everybody knows I was behind the Wale movement in the city. When Wale first came out I sat with dudes on the Eastside of the city, that have been rapping for years and saying “Why ain’t you helping us?”, and told them “This young’n is going to come into the game and open the door and yall motherfuckers are going to come out like the Bun B’s and Pimp C’s of this shit. We are going to sweep the go-go in there so people with have to take it and we have this whole master plan”. A year later the same plan that I initiated is happening. So am I going to be a hater? For me to be a hater I would pull UCB off the Wale show because I have the influence over that band, they are Studio 43 affiliates. So if I said “UCB, don’t go on the road with dude”, they wouldn’t have went, that would have been hating. But guess what Kenny Burns did, I said “Naw go get yall money, thats better exposure for yall”. Not one time have I ever subtracted from his positive. I never took back or said “Fuck dude”, there has been plenty of times when I had people come too me and say “Yo KB, hows everything with you and dude”. I’m like what the fuck are you talking about its all good. I’ve told Wale this, I’ve told Marky this, and now I’m telling you: “This is bigger than all of this, Marky, Wale, Studio 43, its about the city. When they go forth, we go forth.” People need to understand that the energy that is coming from “This is for the Money” is a bunch of build up. No its no beef or some “If I see you in the street I’m going to fuck you up” its some “Ni**a that is some hoe ass shit”. So rather you did it through somebody or directly it was done by you, and you need to take ownership of that. All you have out here is respect and like I said this fan and base shit, thats some real shit. If you have a core of you that motherfuckers admire, and motherfuckers want to be like, you will always be relative.
I ain’t no kid, I’m a grown ass man with kids, I have a life. I’ve been doing me for so long I don’t know how to do anything else. Anybody who knows me knows that I give love to people I know, Wale has felt that love, Marky has felt that love. Fans are fair weather but if you have a base your set. This is like if somebody did something foul from Studio 43, I have to deal with the reprocussions from that because I’m associated. Another thing I would NEVER, come to nobody and say “Man I don’t know what he’s doing, I ain’t have nothing to do with that” and your still rolling with him. You look pussy to me. Bottomline your on the phone with me tell me your about to fire him. I’m talking to industry people they saying he’s fucking up all sorts of things, my band on the road aren’t happy most of the time. You would think that this dude is going to look like a for real dude if your not handling that. I know the manager is working for you.
illRoots.com: Thats the thing that you see sometimes especially within the industry, there is no guidleines to being a good manager. I think with anything that we do as a human culture you have to look at the source where everything is coming from. The reason hip-hop is the way it is because there is so much marketing behind this and that. When we didn’t have the millions behind our artform it was all about saying real shit and looking like money. Now we have what our predecessors wanted, in the monetary advancement of our business’, and we don’t know what to do with it. Thus you have these bullshit corporations or major labels whom have been around for several years and no major competition until now. The rise of independents is great for the game right now. Alot of people blame right my generation for our hiccups in the game right now, and accountability is key, but we must look at the teachers.
KB: If you take face for what people say to you, with Wale, you know what type of love and dedication that Kenny Burns and Studio 43 gave you so how could you ever let some one disrespect that. Right now as much shit as I’ve been through with Damon Dash I would never let anybody come to me and say anything about my man, and we fight like brothers. Its that loyalty, this young regime is impressed by the check and it does come from the generation before me. Its that mentality that if you have more you will be happy. The one thing that I learned I didn’t want to be that forty year old lonely mother fucker without a base. I didn’t want some beautiful woman coming into my life using me for all I have, I saw all that. Coming up in this game I saw all the inconsistencies of that and it either teaches you not to do that or you will fall right into the same trap. At times I sit back and I want the best for Wale and I know some things may not be him but at the end of the day enough is enough. If you know I’m respected and you’ve seen it first hand why would you let someone else tell you differently.
illRoots.com: Again as most people know in this world the main source of most problem is miscommunication and in this instead of asking someone else to talk about this situation, I went to the source. So I thank Mr. Kenny Burns for sitting down with me and look out for much much more from Studio 43.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT NECESSARILY FACTUAL OR THAT OF ILLROOTS.COM
THEY ARE SOLELY THE OPINIONS STATED BY THAT BEING INTERVIEWED
June 17th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
This is a great interview. These young guys have no loyalty and will listen to whatever someone tells them. Loyalty is everything.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
that track sounds like some fake ass a milli
June 17th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
it doesn’t any more laid out than that honestly. like i said though, the best situation is everybody working together, period, gettin’ the DMV on, and i’m glad that KB has that mindstate. much respect.
Peace & Hip-Hop
Lyriciss
June 17th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Good interview. Explains a couple things. Interview with Weissman?
June 17th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
That’s some real shit Kenny said. Big ups to him for seeing the bigger picture and not hating on another man. Karma will come for those who deserve it and success will comes to those who work hard at it with clean hands. Big ups to the DC FAM and artist. This kid Marky is real. I’ve heard him on the radio he is working hard and it’s coming and we going to be on the map. DC ALL DAY!
June 17th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
This was worth the read. I agree with all4dc when he said that Karma will come to those who deserve it. This is where the music business gets ugly. The fact that some artist would sell their soul to make it. Seems like this dude Weissman was filling Wale up with sweet nothings, and Wale fell for it. I don’t blame Wale. Wale is a young dude that just wanted to be put on so bad. Instead of Weissman going behind people backs, he should have been a team player and got involved. I hate to hear stories like this. I wish both of them them best. Being from DC it’s a long time coming. Rich Harrison, Chucky Thompson, and Kenny Burns have made it out of the city and they are doing good, because they didn’t hate on each other.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
True Shit Homie
June 17th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Dream could get it.
June 17th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I’ve know Wale for almost 6 years or so thru a mutual friend and he is definitly one of the fakest dudes around. He makes cool music but one day when its said and done and the fame is over because it will be over! He has to come home and be respected and I don’t see that happening! Sorry
June 17th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Finally, This is why i dont respect wale as a person, i respect him as an artist.
Finally everyone hears the other side of the story, wale been runnin’ havoc. moe needs to chill with that, he talked about dc but he’s downing a fellow signed artist. no bueno.
fame is a drug, and wale is addicted.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Hmmmm well I would have to say that I LOOOVE MARKY! He is one of the most authentic, talented, and dedicated artist coming from the north. Born and raised in Houston Texas when I first came to DC marky was one of the first artist I heard. After seeing him perform I instantly new that he had the “it” factor. So as far as this little anoymously made beef… if Wale was as real as he claims to be…then he should have been real enough to squash any thing that would cause a division between any dmv artist. If anything they should be building each other up and lending a helping hand… but I guess that’s just how the cookie crumbles… people just never wanna help each other… I personally wish much success to Marky and I hope that he will be able to put the dmv area on the map in a posotive way… I know he will
June 18th, 2008 at 12:25 am
i still want to hear the other side.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Man wth with all this WWE nonsense, it’s Kotex time in the DMV pahahaha
June 18th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Damn! This is why Wale is wack! He is so FAKE!
June 18th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I love MARKY!!!! I love the song Sheila, and I think that what he did was right, because what went down wasn’t right. Like Kenny said Marky had to take his respect. And I love HIM for that!!!!
June 18th, 2008 at 2:17 am
Aight first of all I gotta say, (and KB I hope you read this) is that I got MUCH respect for you, never met you a day in my life but just through the way ya carry yourself anyone can tell that you’re a true boss. I’ve always been wondering what the hell happened between you n Wale because when I saw him get on that British shit I thought youngin was losing his mind.. Real talk, when dude was in Studio 43 I really felt the movement, I really felt like DMV was next and that we couldn’t be fucked with. Now that nigga is just on his head, … But what I do know is that Marky got my fucking vote. When he drops his CD I’ma buy 10 of them bitches nigga I PUT ON FOR MY CITY!! *Stamp*
June 18th, 2008 at 2:55 am
I wish the young dude Marky much success because he really holdin it down not only for him, but also his team and also the city. Yall need to open yall eyes and realize right is right and wrong is wrong, and lil homie did the right thing. chuuuuuuurrrch!
June 18th, 2008 at 2:58 am
Markey is the only rapper in DC with a major record deal period because of Kenny Burns. The two runner up rappers that even come close to record deals are Wale and Tabi. I’m not hating here are the facts, Wale has a production deal and performs at shows period. He has no distribution and he only had two songs on the radio in DC/DMV area. “Dig Dug” and “Ice Cream Girl” both of which were a direct result of him being on Studio 43. Kenny Burns got him his radio play and placed on local shows along with DJ Alizay. How do I know? I was there in the meeting when it happend. “Ice cream Girl” only got light rotation when they played GoGo mixes. Wale didnt have any street creadibility from open mics or underground shows before meeting Kenny. Kenny was right on point when he said if you did a poll to find out how many people really fuck with Wale you would find 90% of his peer do not. This is so true. I have asked several people about him and they say he is to arrogant for his own good. The only reason he got to quite his job at Downtown Locker Room was because of favors called in by Kenny Burns and the relationship Kenny had with the people that helped him get noticed. The Mark Ronson and Europe thing has to work out for Wale because if it dosent, you have heard the last of him in music business.
Tabi is an independent who release his album two years before he got radio play. He only got play from one song “Put Me In The Pocket.” He dosent have a deal, but his sister is a Vice President at VH1 thats how he got his video on VH1. The radio stations had to play his songs because his video was getting nation wide coverage. Im not mad at you at you Tabi. I would have used that connect damn myself. Shit, I even would have called you a fool if you didnt use it. I respect all of them for thier hustle, but lets get the story straight.
Which brings me to the next part of my comment. I read the artical before falling asleep only to wake up and found it had been deleted and altered for some strange reason. When it came back online it was almost like the editor felt the need to add at the end of the artical, ” THE VIEWS BY EXPRESSED IN THIS INTERVIEW ARE NOT THAT OF ILLROOTS.COM. WTF happend is this a creditable site? I could see who asked the questions and I could see who answerd them. Why was the artical deleted and then reposted with diffrent pictures and everything?
As a person who has given blood swet and tears to see the music industry take notice to the talent in my city, I was offended to see the story almost get shot down when so many people in DC wanted to know the full story.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:33 am
OKAY! Really the editor must clearly be getting leaned on by somebody who has taken offence to this artical. I just asked in the above comment, why was the statment at the bottem added that says, THE VIEWS BY EXPRESSED IN THIS INTERVIEW ARE NOT THAT OF ILLROOTS.COM. and before I finished writing my post about it, now the editor has added THEY ARE SOLELY THAT OF THE PERSON BEING INTERVIEWED. If somebody is now leaning on you (ILLROOTS EDITOR) about this artical please spill the beans. Dont clam up! We need to know if you are going to have us continue to believe what we read off your site. This speaks directly to the integrsty of your website. Please explain Illroots editor…
P.S. I have screen grabbed all three artical changes. Ill be waiting a response for the illRoots Explanation. Before I go blog crazy out here. Thank you.
June 18th, 2008 at 4:11 am
Wale is really on sum B#tch@ssness!!!! And its funny how he’s own man said he fake in a few post up lmao
June 18th, 2008 at 6:27 am
SO MARKY’S COOL GETTIN WALE SLOPPY SECONDS???LOL. PLEASE. HATE IS THE NEW LOVE…..WHERE HAVE I HEARD THAT BFORE…….HMMMM…..HMMMM…..RAPPING OVER A GOGO BEAT……..HMMMMM…….STOP IT. HOW U GONNA GET RESPECT BEIN AN OBVIOUS COOKIE CUTTER? I WOULD RSPECT IF HE CAME OUT AS HIS OWN THING BUT DUDE,U AINT EVEN UR OWN MAN.
June 18th, 2008 at 6:28 am
AT LEAST BE ORIGINAL.LOL.SMH
June 18th, 2008 at 10:23 am
honestly if the editor put that up it was probably to cover his ass from persecution since the article must have offended someone in wale’s circle with authority i really think that there isnt any other reason and i dont think anything was altered i read it last night and this morning. Why cant we all notice the lack of unity its sickening thank you illroots perfect example of bullshit that goes on DMV ALL DAY LONG WHATS GOING ON WITH PRO’VERB I HEARD THAT SONG ‘GAME’ ON HIS MYSPACE FUCK THIS HE’S NEXT
June 18th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Since the year of 88, DMV have been flirting with hip hop but go go win the people heart of choice. Now fast forward to 2008, the music game of hoice have change due to the fact of money and fame. I’m too been in the hip hop game in DMV before Wale, Tabi, & Marky was even thinking about ryhming ABC (lol). But I have seen lots of changes, everybody want to rap and everybody want to be the 1st to get title home for DMV. Me, being the true beast of the underground of DMV, I do with with HEART. I for one never doubt or stop anyone hustle for getting their grind on. If we all work together the movement can be much more powerful and forceful. Now back to the lesson at hand, I have met Tabi, he a true dude and I respect him personally and busineswise. Wale, I’m half & half (why??..he was repping my hood in which he not from..maybe he trying to get that street cred)with him but support him for get DMV notice. Marky is the future of Hip Hop in DMV, in which I will support because I believe he will continue the movement that which (20 Bello”who created the term DMV” & Hevewae The Underground Beast have started). With all this hating and high school sh*t going on, we need to grow up and put all bs aside and get it done right. If not, the music game will put ya azz back in ya home where you will be in the bathroom rapping in front of a mirror with ya toothbrush.
STOP ALL THE FUSSING WE DON”T NEED ALL OF THAT!!!
June 18th, 2008 at 11:13 am
The thing I don’t like about the Studio 43 “movement” is that they don’t seem to take anyone with any actual street buzz or affiliation with the streets of DC they say they are so in touch with. Had anyone heard of Wale before 43 and Alizay were playing it? Had anyone heard of Marky before 43 put a bunch of money behind him?
I just feel like they dump a bunch of money and influence behind these artists with no rep and no street cred and then get surprised when they switch up on the hype.
You can pay for a bunch of nice photos, you can pay for Imeem to put you on the front page, and you can lean on the radio and websites to promote your shit,l but that doesn’t give you that BASE that is so important - it just gives you a bunch of fickle fans who are doing what they’re told.
I don’t see Kenny Burns picking people out of the line ups of the open mics, searching the internet for who has a rep from DC on their own, who is making moves or anything - it looks like he just goes with whoever is close to him.
And that’s the game for you, sure, but it’s also the game for you when that person gets to a point where they can make moves without you.
June 18th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Pshhh - Please do your research before you go talking stupidly. Have you ever heard of Fat Rodney, Stinky Dink, or P.O.P? These are rappers that rapped over gogo beats back in the day. Rappers from DC have been doing this since the beginning of gogo. Wale aint HARDLY start that movement. LOL
June 18th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I don’t think my first comment went through. I wanted to say to Pshhhhh. Wale didn’t start the movement of rappers rapping over gogobeats. Have you heard of Stinky Dink, Fat Rodney or P.O.P? If not I suggest you research and see who started that phase. It definitely wasn’t Wale. DMV rappers, rapping over gogo beats is a must! Don’t get it twisted.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I went to high school with Marky, he been doing this rap sh%t for years. He aint wake up one day and say “oh I think I wana be a rapper”. The dude was doing shows and touring and stuff while we was busy on the playground acting stupid. Do you homework slim. peace.
June 18th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
At the end of the day the important thing to remember that it is just MUSIK. We all can have our opinions but this is not our battle or our issues, because we are just fans and listeners. So as fans and listeners we can love it or hate it but we have to keep it moving. Obviously from this interview we all can see there is something going on between both camps some call it beef others call it dumb and stupid, but its their issues not ours. So we need to let these men handle their own business and stop putting our two cents in. That the problem today everyone wanats to feel relevant even if they have no clue about whats going on. I will continue to listen to both artists, because I am a lover of MUSIK, and I feel at the end of the day we will all see the truth because a lie only can hide for so long.
June 18th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
WELP..i mean….lol…it dont take much to realise how fake Wale was…i mean shit…his swag fake as shit…its like Kanye/lupe…thats the catagory hes gonna be put in..the supa hip-hop crew..and he cant keep up with any of them…marky is iight..slightly better than Wale..but thats nuthin to bragg about…its almost like people thats “tryin” to put the city on pick some of the most WACKEST MUTHA FUCKAS!!!!!! EVER!! ON THE FUCKIN PLANET!!!…shit…if you lookin for a gold mine..take YALLS STUPID ASSES TO AN OPEN MIC!!!!!…lol shit…its a cat named Carty-Yeah that shit shittin..and i mean SHITTIN!!!!! on any local MC around…..but real recognize real…most CEO’s scared to sign street smart people because they know that they cant use or get over when it comes to the money…but shit man……people thats in charge or have positions on the music scene in the DMV needs to do better research before you put these sorry ass “iPOD rappers” on and make the area look stupid…lol…STUUUUUPID MUTHA FUCKAS…good interview tho
June 18th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I HATE WHEN NUCCAZ TALK ABOUT THE DMV MUSIC MOVEMENT WHEN I NEVER SEE THESE NUCCAZ. I STARTED THE WHOLE “DMV” THING YRS AGO AND HELPED TO BUILD IT INTO A UNDENIABLE UNDAGROUND MUSIC MOVEMENT. WITH A RESUME THATZ UNDISPUTED. NO DIS TO MARKY OR WALE BUT “SPEARHEADING” GET THE FOC OUTTA HERE. WHERE’S THE MENTION OF THE REAL DC UNDAGROUND WHERE THE REAL ARTISTS OF THE UNDAGROUND ARE AND HAE BEEN GRINDING INTHE MUD FOR YEARS. ARTIST LIKE PORCHE’ 9-11, MULTIPLE MAN, STORM THE UNPREDICTABLE, HEVEWAE, LADY DY, THUG POET, LIKEBLOOD, LOWLIFE, PARK B, AYE B, CJAE AND ALL THE UNDAGROUND RAPPERS AND SINGERS WHO’VE I’VE COME TO EMBRACE OVER THE YEARS. GET THE FACTS STR8 ABOUT THIS DC RAP MOVEMENT THEN COME HOLLA AT ME
June 18th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Fuck Marky!!!!!!!!
June 18th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
great interview kb…. but i listen to music allday but dat nigga wale is way better than marky lyrically and contents… they need to squas all dat beef nonsense…. do it for the dmv
June 18th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Wale is a BAMMA!!! He a fake wannabe Sneakerhead that steal all his shoes from Sneakerman Dan, and on top of that he an Uncle Tom looking ass fool because he over there letting the fat white boy make him look dumb! But I’m not hating cuz he got skills, but off the mic he’s life is fucked up seriously (he should’ve finished college that would’ve been a good look for him).
June 18th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
This is crazy man..what up 2 the big homie judah and KB..4-tre…@ the end of the day the objective is 2 be standing but if the way u keep standing is by pushing the next man down u aint really standing @ all.this beef is good..its like an election and we get 2 find out the truth about these candidates 4 this DMV rap shit…both gon be successful but @ what cost..whats ur price..young niggas..oh yeah D.Floyd 4 president
htt[://www.myspace.com/iam202
June 18th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Now as one of Wales main producers (Best Kept secret) im not gonna take sides of anyone. But one thing I see is alot of DICK HOPPIN of this article. Niggaz going on Wale and hoppin on Marky like Marky has at least ONE reacord with a buzz. If he does let me know….and hes basically KB’s “little guy” as far as im concerned right now. Im just saying Wale aint have almost every MAJOR label in the biz contacting him throwing him offers for no reason. The nigga can spit, rock a show which alot of people lack now-a-days, and hes flat out an ARTIST…fuck what he is on the streets. Most of peoples favorite rappers like WAYNE that claim they on that street shit aint about shit and aint never been about shit. And personally im from SW, still live here, and in the city I aint never ran across Marky or WALE. So neither on of them are street niggaz so lets leave the topic alone. Plus this interview is def. one sided, how u know that everything KB is saying is true….becuase i KNOW ALL OF THESE PEOPLE including UCB and i DOUBT if KB would have said “UCB DONT GO ON TOUR WITH HIM” they would have looked at KB like he crazy…..THERE IS NO PAPERWORK WITH UCB. This article goes to show that people in my city have NO FUCKING DIRECTION, OR IDENTITY people just take sides from what they think is quote on quote “REAL”. Plus “Hands on DC Nigga” , Ice Cream Girl was def. not mad because of KB or Studio 43. To be real, the producer over at 43 doesnt have the talent to do what me or SE Slim did…and I only say this because there are alot of BIG HEADED, EGO TRIPPIN ASS NIGGAZ over in Studio 43….KB has the most respect in my book because he really defined HIMSELF….he has his OWN identity. EVERYBODY DOWNLOAD WALE’S MIXTAPE ABOUT NOTHING PRODUCED BY BKS, THEN MARKY’S HOMEWORK 4.3……..THEN LET YOUR INTEGRITY TAKE OVER AND DO THE REST.
PS. SLIM U MAY BE RIGHT THOUGH……………
June 19th, 2008 at 1:33 am
MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN……..SO MUCH DRAMA!!!!…lol..daamn….hit me up if you need some beats…fuck this bull shit…..homework was some BULL SHIT!!! ULTRA MEGA KAMEHAMEHAAAA BULL SHIT..i listened to it like a couple of days ago…that shit was a waste of some critical and much needed hard drive space….i could have saved like 10 beats…..WTF FAM!?!?!?!?!….damn..WTF…lol
June 19th, 2008 at 2:36 am
“Ain’t no love…in the heart of the city”. The people are speaking, indeed.
June 19th, 2008 at 6:38 am
First off let me say I respect everybody’s opinion! I thin everybody has made a valid point. I think you all have heard of me or see my work. I was in the Capital Center with my Madness hat on when DC Scorpio rapped on the first mass distributed tape from the DMV on GoGo Live. I was Loved out and hustling down Paradise when Stinky Dink became the first rapper from DC to get rickety raw and sell over 100,000 copy with “One track mind”. I was begging Reese who just got signed to Sony to give me a track when and Endangered Species got placed into heavy rotation on the local radio stations. I was listing to the radio when I found out Fat Rodney got shot and killed. I was in the studio buying beats from Bam Lonnie and Kapin (Blak Productions) when Non-Chalont became the first female rapper in the country to be certified Gold with her single “Five O’Clock in the morning”. I was video tapping and rapping in the first underground legendary hip hop spot in DC hosted by Flip the Script called the “State of the Union” when Newsweek Mag. gave Black Indian the “Worst album of the year award.” I was finishing up my demo when Question Mark Asylum went on tour with “Hey look away”. I was working on a full album when POP, Dark Alley, Top Notch and Section 8 Mob were the hottest shit from DC underground. I was in the studio getting my single engineered by Young Guru in the Ice Box when I became the first rapper from DC to appear in Source Magazine’s Unsigned Hype section along with Lil Blac, D Man, Theory and Carlos. I was down Haines Point when Butterfly from Digible Planets moved to NYC and got “Cool Like That”. I was in KC Productions when I met Mahagany who had just finished doing the new Jay-Z single. I was driving on my way to work when I heard Ruff Endz on the Russ Parr Show with Olivia Fox saying they just released their album on Columbia/Sony and they used a kid from DC named Bob Smoke on two singles. I was over at the Legends partying with DJ Flex when Juelz. Santana came out with Dip Set. I was in my car on my way out to the Spot listening to DC Home Jamz on 95.5 when 50/50 and 20Below was regulating. I started a television show called Bob Smoke TV and shot it at the Izora in Silver Spring then at Republic Gardens where I showcased and broadcasted some of the hottest rap artist in DC. I was down at the Unifest video taping a Top Notch performance when Dre All Day In Da Paint came up and handed me a flyer asking me to come to his open mic showcase for hip hop. I directed the Players Ball for three years straight and Rasi Caprice performed and represented at each one. I was on my myspace page when I got a friend request from Wale asking me to listen to his song. I was at Pearl when SE Slim told the world thru my camera, “I’m nice with minds so fuck you.” I was at my studio listening to 2Face show case the rappers from DMV on 93.9 Metro Banger and his show started with Garvey rapping the intro. I then got a call from Kenny Burns to reshoot and edit Wale’s first video a few months later. I was at home when Raj and Doe from Target Squad called me from NYC asking me to record DJ Rob on MTV’s TRL for them he’s on Live. I was drunk and stubbing out of H20 when a kid rolled down a car window and introduced himself to me named Carty-Yeah. He handed me one of the hottest CD I’ve heard from the DC area. I was on my email when Robin Lyons asked me to download Marky’s Homework mix CD. I then read the article on BallerAlert.com of how he just got signed to a record deal thru Studio 43/SRC/Universal. I know I for got a couple of people but don’t take it personal. I have been up all night. I said all this just to say DC has had and will continue to have a hip hop movement for sometime. We need to support our own. Like it or not Wale has earned a place in DC Hip Hop and Marky has too. I’m just glad I got the chance to be a part of it all. Oh yeah if you need to shoot a video, holla at me son. LOL
June 19th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I’m going to go out on a limb and say to two things, yes this is one person’s opinion and for the most part should be taken for what its worth. Do I think this is bad for the DMV, HELL No. Competition is great for any area, the side comment bullshit is what sickens me about the music industry but for the most part I think Marky and Wale put out great music. What we need to realize as a people is that opening up a dialogue is great, because by establishing this we are looking at ourselves and saying wait, there is much more than just music. The culture itself has see that at the end of the when Biggie was out he had beef with people and they still respected each other. Respect is a hard word to define for some people because in order to grow and mature as people we must first look at ourselves. I know several people have opinions about certain things and thats great. The real disservice is the people who don’t speak up and voice their opinions so shout out to everyone on this. We fail to realize that without illRoots opening up this forum to get people to talk then how would better ourselves. The only thing is that they showed one side of the story. The News does this all the time, they show one side of the story to get people to talk. My wish is that better music is made and that we can talk more about how to improve our culture. Carry on…..
June 20th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
If a nigga do shit to fuck wit your money ..youre not gonna take that shit lightly. Thats how shit be happening. I say if a nigga got his deal then put your work in to sell units. Why waist time getting yourself into trouble wit niggaz in your own area. Only way TNT is gonna go on any nigga in our area is if a nigga Mentions our name in a negative way or a nigga act on his hate 4 any of the niggaz we fucks wit. other than that We gonna do us ya’ll do ya’ll and everythings cool n da gang.
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
To “go go lover” point taken. BUT tell me there no OBVIOUS COMPARISON between one former studio 43(Wale) artist doin something then ANOTHER new studio 43 artist( Marky ) coming out doin the same formula. Not sayin Wale was the first to rap on a gogo beat but its obvious Kenny tried to get another Wale and do the same thing. Same album title/slogan everything?? Thats the point i was making.
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Man Oh Man! First why is there any comparison with these two. Wale has put his work in Marky is a lil nigga tryin to get his work up. Wale hands down has put some many ppl on too D.C.. Somemany industry heads that missed out on Wale (cause 9 out of 10 record labels wanted to sign him) will be lookin for the second best thing. Look once kanye got out of chicago theres plenty other ppl that was able to folllow. This KB thing is hollaruis to me. Ok when Wale was wit you he was doing small clubs packing tthem out but was local. As soon as he left you this nigga is in Europe packing out stadiums. Theres niggas in NY and Cali and all in between that bump Wale. I aint gonna say they dont know Marky but u can be the judge of that. How can a nigga be fucked up for not wanting to be wit you no more. sounds like he wanted to break up and ur the jealous ex girl friend. Then he says he can take UCB from Wale. When Wale introduced him to UCB. And besides that what go-go band wouldnt want to be on the road with Wale. This is UCB oppurtunity to do big things as well im sure they’ll be on Wale’s Album. Finally theres to many ppl on here that are soo one sided. Please dont hop on the first the you read hear even see. Damn do some research. Tell KB to list the things he did for Wale. I can get a nigga of the street tell him to be my manager and he’ll do the same for me. Once Wale left he’s been on every hip hop web site hands down. Marky is Marky but dont compare them. havent heard of him packing shows locally yet. His time may come but it aint here yet lol.. After all the work Wale puts in I would expect more respect. I wonder what Kanye had to go through as a up and coming artist cause to say he aint street is funny. I never once herd Wale say yea im street. I know he got some street sweepers on his team though. KB talking all that niggas dont want problems he dont want problems eva. And he talkin about all this u dont know what goin on in ur own camp. How about your camp KB. They doin some veryu disrespectful things as well. Do you controld your own shit. Yea I know a lot. i’ve been around both camps and see that wale is tryin to do him in no way shape or form could he even want to think about Marky thats like Jay-Z thinking about the single Get Silly as some comp. Wale is Headlining D.c right now cause he’s the one on the indusrties lips not Marky. So give respect where it due.
August 28th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
WOW I’m mad I didnt see this when it first was done. An how ironic before my comment it was exactly 43 comments…lol…No sense in droppin’ my opinion now! Since this article MARKY has been brought out on stage by WALE @ CLUB LOVE for the official release party for WPGC’s CRANK RADIO…so it’s all love Im gonna UNIFY my area if its the last thing I do.