When you did you say, you know what I'm going do to a site and its going to be called iHEARTdilla.com?Well, I'm going to break it down for you. (It's a long but necessary first answer)
I lived in a small town called, Ocala, FL. So just imagine the hip hop scene there (no scene at all). Back in High School I took all four years of Television Productions. I was highly involved with this program. I was consumed and took what I did very seriously. I was a part of a live show that was aired weekly to the entire student body called, "Knightlife" and I also was in charge of the sports section. (So just like hip hop events, I was attending games, recording, and interviewing athletes).Being involved in this program is what made me have a "calling" on what I wanted to do as a career and that was in broadcasting/communications.
I moved to New York for college to pursue my passion. I always applied for positions at the major networks but never received a call back for a lousy interview. You cant really get to know someone from a one sheet resume. You have to meet them face to face, but unfortunately I never got that opportunity. I thought what I had always longed for would just be something that I could only dream about.
With all that said, I have always been a hip hop head. Last year, I started to check out the underground scene and I saw the passion and talent in all the artists that came to the stage. And because the females in hip hop are scarce people would approach me and always ask, "What do you do?." "Are you in the music industry?."
Back in February I attended the, "Jay $tay Paid" listening party. I so happened to get asked the same questions again. I had pondered the question and said to myself, "I should be in this industry!" I so happened to tell a friend Warren Britt that I had this idea of creating a website. A website solely for the purpose of promoting underground hip hop artists.
You know that saying, "always have to know somebody to be somebody." Well, that's the complete opposite of what I wanted to promote. Because, I too know how hard it can be to get noticed. The name iHEARTDilla was already in existence with my old Myspace URL and the newly made Twitter account. I had decided to go ahead and name my website iHEARTDilla.com and launch on June 23, 2009.
The meaning behind the name iHEARTDilla is simple; J Dilla is Hip Hop. When you think of Jay Dee you already know it's going to be nothing but pure greatness. The embodiment of what it should be. So when you think of iHD you know it's promoting great music.
Like Ghost Dog, seems you went in head long. How much of an adventure has it been to cultivate this burgeoning web portal?
I am still learning new things for the website within itself. About two months ago I relaunched iHD with a more professional redesign. Honestly, in a million years I would have never thought anything of it.I always get told that I literally came out of nowhere. I still don't see what I have done to catch the attention of so many people. I feel grateful, humbled and happy.
Seeing that there would be no site if it not for the existence of a man named James Yancey; How does it feel to have the support of the woman that birthed him?
Receiving the phone call from Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey was probably one of the happiest moments of my life. I can only say great things about that woman. When I explained to Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey and The J Dilla Foundation, what the site represented, they became very enthusiastic about it.
What have you learned about yourself while developing this site?
I have learned that if you put yourself out there in a positive and consistent way people will listen and start to take you seriously.
Do you realize how much of an inspiration what you do is for numerous onlookers that may never voice their affinity for your site or your movement?
I didn't even realize that I had a movement. So thank you for pointing that out. I'm just a real person, that loves hip hop music and believes in the talent.
What do you do to ensure there's a level of quality with everything you post? How do you decide what goes on the site?
I try to avoid posts that are already on the more popular hip hop sites. When it comes to music it's actually screened before being posted. I consider myself to be a very very picky person when it comes to music so that rule will continue throughout the content that's on iHD. My contributing writers have the freedom to write about anything hip hop related. I'm the cool boss to have. :)
Since launching your site, what social media tool or tools would you say have been the most useful in creating awareness about iHEARTDilla?
One of the top tools is myself. I am a people person. I have literally gone up to perfect strangers, shook hands and verbally promoted iHD. You will see me at a hip hop event weekly. It just never stops.
The second top tool is Twitter.com it has been the most helpful media tool to reach viewers outside of the underground scene in New York City. I am very supportive of this site. Without this Twitter my supporters/followers probably wouldn't be spammed as much, haha.
The third top tool are actual people. My supporters, followers, and aspiring hip hop artists.
How did you get involved with Beatminerz Radio?
Before I was with Beatminerz Radio, Evil Dee was my 1,000th follower on Twitter. He has said, that he likes my style and what I am doing. I had invited him to the "One Won't Do J Dilla Tribute" event that I was apart of back in February and he offered to Live Stream it. That same night is when DJ Bazarro, and DJ Wayneski of Beatminerz Radio had basically suggested that I needed my own show on Beatminerz Radio. Evil Dee and Mr. Walt offered me my own show which is now called, "The Independent's Day Show" with Jessica Estevez.
What has it been like to now be in front of a live camera interacting with your audience?
I absolutely love it. I have the best dj's spinning on my show. Every Saturday from 4-6 est. on www.dabeatminerz.com. My audience tells it like it is. If they hate or love the track that's airing on the show.
So, don't worry if you missed out on "The Independent's Day Show" Beatminerz Radio has an archive! ;)
You record a lot of video at shows. In the future, should we expect to see video segments produced by iHeartDilla.com?
The videos that I record will start getting posted to the iHD video section. I post the recorded videos on the iHD Facebook Fan page, and on Twitter so that my followers can see acts live.. At the end of the day I'm helping to promote these artists. As far as producing I'm up in the air with that idea.
In five years, what will be the look of iHEARTDilla.com? Where do you see it's evolution transforming it into?
In five years I'll be old. haha. No, but seriously I'm looking for it to be one of the popular hip hop sites fans go to on an everyday basis. A brand that I'm able to make an affordable living off of. Many doors are opening for myself and iHD and I'm very proud that it's being noticed. iHD will have more writers, more content and of course more supporters.
Follow Jessica Estevez www.twitter.com/iheartdilla
