So I’ve come to a point in my life where I’m like, #justdoit, lol. There are so many things that I want to accomplish and try and see, that If I wait for things to be perfect, it will never happen.
I’ve always wanted to video blog and I’m stepping out and just doing it and letting it take me where ever it may.
So here goes!
The video blogs will be released once a week, beginning the week of 8/5/13 and will cover a range of topics. If there is something you’d like me to vlog about, explain a blog post in more detail, let me know. Comment my posts and videos, email me, tweet me, facebook me send me smoke signals or whatever! The more you talk to me the more I can shape the content to best help you all.
Want me to come to your event and blog about it? Let me know! – alean@aleanelston.com
First off, Its been a few since I’ve been able to blog on the site and I guess that’s a good thing. More gigs, more movement, more great content for the site, right?! Right đ
Oh yeah, before I forget, shout out to the members of Elite, Love Logan Productions, Digiwaxx, and Young Jack Thriller for taking care of me at this event. I so appreciated it!
But last week I was going through my email and I came across an email blast for Elite, a new up and coming hip hop group, I didn’t know anything about these guys but I loved the cover of their mixtape “Wavy Flexin Cool”. Who’s album cover does it remind you of? (pictured above) Don’t worry I’ll wait… If you don’t know, you’re probably not old enough to know.
ANYWAY
I checked out their 2 videos on YouTube and I liked it and its some quality stuff, looks like it can go the distance. Especially since they are being lead by Kay Gee of Naughty By Nature, success breeds success, know what I mean?! As I was writing this post, I lucked out and found a new video. Go on over to their YouTube channel and check it out, AFTER you finish reading this post of course đ At the time that I got their email, I wasn’t going to go because I wasn’t already going to be in NYC. My thing is, I rarely travel and/or go to events unless there is money to be made, connections I really want or need, or to support friends and family. So when I got booked to do a filming for that day in the city and it was in the same area as the meet and greet/release,  I decided  that there was no reason why I shouldn’t be at this event, and I quickly made my way to RSVP for the event.
Turns out I made a great decision. When I arrived at LQ, it was packed in there. It was a real cool vibe just a lot of people who turned out for this event. To me that speaks VOLUMES! I can’t tell you how many mixtape releases, launches, etc parties that I have gone to and no one shows up but their momma and 3 cousins. The fact that is was packed says to me that this group has a strong following and is definitely a group to keep an eye on.
After I hung around for a lil bit I got to meet the group. When I tell you they are so nice… They are so nice! lol They were very energetic and excited about the success of their event.  Of which they should be. I didn’t get to hear too much from the mixtape at the party (maybe thats cause I arrived late lol) but from what I’ve heard, its definitely cool. I recently downloaded the mixtape, WAVY FLEXIN COOL, and it wasn’t what I expected in a good way. These guys have something here…something that no one mainstream right now has. I can’t put my finger on it but when I can define it I’ll let you know. I feel like as I watch development of this group in the near future, it’ll become more apparent to me.
Download their mixtape and let me know what you think – Download it here
and oh yea, look who else I met. Young Jack Thriller from thisis50.com! Great host and had a great conversation with him as well.
I guess needless to say, I had a great time at this event, and if you havent checked out these guys you need to. Follow them on twitter  @WeRELITE3, @ChazEliteMack, @KO_ofELITE,@BOXIEisELITE and tell them you saw this write up on AleanElston.com
I wanted to start something new on my blog. I come across so much music through Prime Sound, both from indies, unsigned, and signed artists that I want to share it all. I couldn’t figure out how to do that until recently so here it is, my new segment on my blog -“What I’m Listening To”
Let me say this:
I am open to receiving music for consideration to be a part of this feature but please don’t add me to any wack mailing list full of WACKNESS delivered to my inbox on a regular! Your b-hind will get blacklisted from my inbox if you do!
On that note please feel free to tweet me music – @CompleteBeauty or email it to me – info@aleanelston.com. I’ll only be responding to music I like, so please don’t ask me if I like your music. If I like it, it will show up on my site.
Thanks!! NOW… On to the MUSIC!!!
Shake It… I first heard this when I was in North Jersey last week. (I love NYC Radio) and I was like, Busa Buss?! Is that You?! Where you been at?! lol
I loved the beat, loved the hook, (I have a weakness for ratchetness in music, lol) the sampling, and the features, but Buss… I wasn’t too crazy about his part. Trey and Future Killed it but Busta Rhymes gave me a ‘meh’ feeling.
Take a listen to the song, and let me know what you think. Leave a comment below or tweet me with your thoughts!
Terrane Hicks, Self proclaimed “Spokesperson of the CRAY movement, #TEAMCRAY!” Claims Jay-Z and Kanye owe him money for making the song HOT!!! 50 Grand to be exact…
…and yes this dude is serious. I couldn’t stop laughing when I watched this video. Listen to the interviewer hold back her laughs from this fool! lol NY dudes, I love ya’ll and but he is definitely CRAY!! Check out the interview with DJ Vlad TV:
Here’s his claim to the “50 grand” that Jay and Yeezy need to pay him…
If you were Jay and Yeezy would you say to this dude?!
Their music has been hitting my inbox for sometime now, and I have to be honest, a lot of the music (not theirs) that comes to me is beyond WACK and is not something that I feel like sharing with you all as something that I think you would be interested in. So most of the time, I end up deleting those emails after I see what they are about…(sad but true lol). But today I decided to open this email, browse through the details and I clicked on the video link to see what they had in store and…I LOVED THIS VIDEO! Homegirl dancing wore me out just watching her! I know they shot this all over New York, and I can only imagine how tired she was after this was all said and done. Between the traveling and the dancing, personally, I would have been SUPER beat! But she stayed with it, never went off point, and for that, I give her Kudos and to TRUE2Life Music and your director, I give you 2 thumbs up! Great Vid guys!!
I think I just found a new song for me to work out to now! Now I just have to start working out…lol
Check it out and let me know what you think.
PS. I want those leggings she got on, anyone know where I can get ’em?!
Rapper 50 Cent continues to amaze me, and I hope he never stops. He’s definitely one of my favorite business men to follow. If you didn’t know he recently announced the launch of his new energy shot called Street Kings. With every shot sold, a meal is purchased for someone in need. His goal is to feed 1 billion people. Help him out by watching the videos below and like the facebook page. ONE LIKE = ONE MEAL. Like SK on Facebook to give a meal to a hungry child: facebook.com/StreetKing
So Nicki Minaj takes on the beauty game again, this time with Nail Polish. Further confirming for me that she’s “not a rappa [she’s] a branda”
Taken from Beyonce’s Sweet Dreams Remix on Lil Wayne’s No Ceilings Mixtape, Nicki clearly knows where the money is coming in and could care less about what people has to say about it: “I am the kung fu panda, f-ck all oâ ya blogs, f-ck all oâ ya propaganda, good for the goose then its good for the gander, nicki aint a rappa, nicki is a branda…”
Get your money Nicki – and I LOVE these colors!
Pink Friday Nail Lacquer
Save Me Nail LacquerSuperbass Nail Lacquer
Did it on 'em Nail Lacquer
Metallic for Life Nail Lacquer
I love each and everyone of these colors, I hope they have a gift set, I want to try them all out!
Rap Rocks is the premiere destination to celebrate everything Hip Hop, Rock and Rap-Rock bands; with the mission to create a huge movement that unifies people of all walks of life to enjoy a night of great music. Located at the Studio at Webster Hall, 125 East 11st, NY doors will open at 8:30 pm.
Itâs funny how social media can put you in contact with people you would least expect to meet. The connections that you can make, the things that you can get done in business and in life can all come about within the instance of a tweet or a Facebook comment on a post. Thatâs exactly how it came about that I met Mr. Over Time Grind, Mr. OTG if you will. When I came across his Twitter account I checked out his website and saw that he was a producer and fell in love with the grind and the business model of his site http://www.idoublel.com/. (Check it out youâll see what Iâm talking about) I thought why arenât all producers/artists doing something like this and being about the business of music instead of expecting everything to be for free? I reached out to him and asked if I would pick his brain with an interview for the site and he agreed and below is a synopsis of what we talked about as, he had a lot of knowledge and experience to give. I decided to share with you all of the note worthy information, especially what is most useful for all of us who are looking to get up and get out there and make it.
For this interview, I started it out a little differently. Instead of diving into my questions I decided to start out with questions that I had asked my Facebook friends to give me for Mr. OTG and this was his response.
Steph W. Asks the following questions:
What are the top 3 adversities that you have had to face in order to get to where you are today?
Go Crazy Remix
Well the top 3, Iâd have to say would be Confidence, you know getting my confidence up in order to take some of the feedback that the industry can bring your way. As an artist you wear your creativity and your heart on your sleeve and you have to be strong to be able to accept that people may not like everything that you put out. With that Iâd say that my second one is learning how to take criticism. Iâve had to come to understand that the things that people say aren’t because they donât like what you do, itâs because they have their opinion and they just want to help to make what you are doing better. The last thing that Iâve had to overcome is learning not to dis-count anyone. Iâve learned that just because someone doesnât have the money or connections that you are looking for doesnât mean that you shouldnât give then a listen or a chance to hear what they have got to say. Iâve looked over a lot of quality people in the beginning who are not doing it big in the industry and realized that Iâve missed out on making a connection with them when I had the chance. So if there is anything that I really want people to know is that Iâm open to talking with people and hearing what they have, you never know where it may go.
The saying goes, âItâs not what you know itâs who you know.â Does that account for the minority or majority of your success in the industry?
Crown +Dro
I would say itâs definitely what you know. There are things that I didnât know and in the industry a lot of people arenât willing to share information about how to protect themselves and how to really make money and to continue to be a success in this industry. When I first started, I didnât know too much about copyrighting my music, and joining ASCAP and all of that stuff on how to protect yourself and really profit from your music. There are still things Iâm still learning about the business like the promotional photos, and things like that, that artists and producers need to promote themselves.
After all you have achievedâŚWhat is your primary inspiration that allows you to continue what you do and come up with fresh concepts?
Postman (Dirty)
My primary inspiration comes from life. Iâm a regular blue collar dude, I work with my hands and working with my music for me itâs a release. I draw inspiration from things that are going on in life around me. Like the other day I was walking towards South St. and I saw the bums on the street and I went home and worked on a song about that and how they looked to me and the struggles and the life they must go through. Iâm not the type of artist that raps about the 8 cars or the huge mansion that I donât have, thatâs not who I am and thatâs not what I aspire to be, I just want a good car, place to live and the things that I need to take care of, to be taken care of, and I donât have problem working in order to get that.
What was your most rewarding experience as a producer?
I 2 L’s
My most rewarding experience would have to be when my girlfriend at the time told me that she just heard one of my beats on TV, on a promo for the Tiny and Toya 2 show. I didnât believe her when she said it then I told her to rewind it, and then I heard it! I was like WOW, and I wasnât excited because it was playing on TV I was happy because the feedback I got from my friends and family was so positive and it was rewarding to me that people would be able to share in my music.
Luis Y. asks:
If the eight year old version of him was to walk up to you today, what would the eight year old version of you have to say to you today?
84 More
Well the 8 year old me, would probably be like, why didnât I end up like the dudes in Hoop Dreams lol! But based on how I grew up it was kinda like that, except I got hurt and it ended my ball playing. As it turned out I had to find something else that I was good at to occupy my time and eventually it brings me to where I am today. But I think the 8 year old me would be proud of me.
After we finished the Facebook questions I asked a few of my own, mainly about the business of his music. I started off asking how he got the name Mr. Over Time Grind.
SO when I checked out your website, I was thoroughly impressed how you have your beats up and ready to go either for sale or for lease and you even give bundle details on the beats! When I saw that I was like he truly is Mr. OTG, this dude is not playin! [laughs] Where does that name come from and where did you get the concept for that site?!
Novacane Remix
Well I used to work my job all day and spend all night at home working on my website and my music to the point where when I would come into work I would have bags under my eyes and be super tired and people stated calling me Mr. Over Time Grind and the name just stuck and if been focused ever since. For the site the site came about as a way for me to promote my music and have it available for anyone who was interested. Similar to the blogs that I have, that is more about the promotional aspect and networking for my music and to give others a way to have their work out there and get attention to their music.
What kind of success have you seen with your music being on those sites?
Well I have been fortunate enough to now be working with Philly artist Tone Trump, Iâve had my site talked about on the Star and Buckwild show and with my own music Iâve had over 55,000 downloads of my mixtape.
I think that I have covered everything; I know that we have covered a lot! Is there anything that you would like to mention that I may have missed?
Ok so, I was up late last night trying to get some work done when I veered off track (as usual) and I came across this artist. Apparently she is working with well known producer B. Major and has a project out called THE BROKE BITCH SLAYER (yaaaaaas to that title! I LIVE). So being that the title of the mixtape peaked my interest and I like what I heard! (only way it was going to make it on my blog any way lol) Through a little more of my digging, this woman has the backing of the industry behind her and seems like the next female rapper to blow. Even Lil Kim says so (check the video below).
Listen to the mixtape here and let me know what you think below: