Crafting A Lane: An iAreConscious Triple Play

In an effort to reach new fans and satisfy those that already follow him. iAreConscious is releasing a brand new song or verse every week. That is, at least for the rest of 2010. All material is furnished with lyrics but there will be followups after each song has begun to make its way around the net. The followups will include breakdowns of the songs and insight on what they really mean. This information privy to those that are currently subscribed to his website iareconscious.com, have purchased his music or downloaded it via Bandcamp.com. iAreConscious is crafting his own lane and in doing so is showing fans and artists alike that what he creates and shares is rooted in purpose. There is a definite meaning behind all of the 'art pieces' and he hopes that people will appreciate the experience of listening to music in a less conventional manner. With so much 'Free', iAreConscious is attaching genuine value to the work he shares by thinking beyond the normal methods and making an effort to make a connection with listeners. He encourages his audience to share the music and discuss it. To say that the listener is 'important' is a massive understatement for without them, what exactly is the point?

To get you caught up with what you may have missed we're making his first three songs from this series available for listening here on Free Hiphop Now.

P.S. Be sure to download the songs so that you can received the exclusive followup correspondence about them.


Michael's Faith


Devil In A Bubbled Vest


Maybe, Rob Reiner

A Conscious Twinterview Double Feature: SoSoon & Spills

It's early in the morning. The sun's still asleep and I'm supposed to be catching up on work. I wanted to see who else was up and decided to toss out the question, "Who wants to be Twinterviewed?". The 2 night owls who responded are two very talent individuals that love making music and have a whole lot of good information to share. Meet SoSoon and Spills... Oh yeah, by the way I'm Conscious the Twitter Interviewer...

How'd you come up with your performance names?

SirSoSoon: I used to have the name JSkillz; was lame so I wanted something with no J's or initials (J's 1st letter of my given name). I also wanted something that represented hip hop and my idea of the mark I intend to leave on this culture. I'm also an acronym fiend!

Spillsmusic: I almost ruined a club PA system by knocking over a drink on to a DI box.

Good enough answer for me. How long have you been rhyming and what made you even start to begin with?

SirSoSoon: I've been rhyming since 14, seriously since 17. I was sheltered as a youth so I spent much time in my room listening to hip hop. Ultimately the decision came about because it was the only thing I knew I was not only passionate about, but genuinely good at!

Spillsmusic: I get inspired by another song, and rip it off, i.e, steal an element/idea. Then I build on it until its something different.

When sitting down to create, what's the process like? What generally sparks your best work?

SirSoSoon: Every moment of everyday my mind is thinking of a new concept. I write em down as soon as I think of em. I listen to my collection of production to see if I have something suitable. If I don't have it, I hold the concept until I come across one for it. The writing process for me is a puzzle; I may work on the 3rd stanza of a 16 bar verse before I finish the 1st stanza! Very particular about bar and verse placement. Very detail oriented, very particular with how words and syllables flow.

How'd you come up with the Michael Jackson tribute song? Did you deliberate much or was it pretty easy to knock out?

SirSoSoon: #whosbad was a beat I had for a while from my producer SK. Originally I had no immediate intent on doing anything w/ it b/c of obvious sample clearance issues. Team SoSoon and I decided its perfect for the 1st album; The Bandwagon... Directors Cut is my audio movie of songs that won't make the The Bandwagon be it b/c of sample issues, or just because they don't quite fit the order of the movie.

You play a few instruments. Are you self taught or have you had any instruction in the past?

Spillsmusic: I was classically trained in flute, tuba & trumpet, taught myself guitar, Reason, Logic, Sonar / Pro Tools. Online tutorials are amazing as well. Learning new things about music in general is my vocation.

What's the first real song that you remember writing and recording? The first one you were sure about. This is good.

SirSoSoon: Keeping in mind the difference between good and great!!! Revolution. The song Revolution was my 1st "conscious" (pun intended) song. It was the 1st song I wrote that meant something to not only me but the listeners. I wrote it as a college freshman; prior to college I didn't have any significant life experiences to talk about.

Spillsmusic: Wrote a lot of songs w/o recording them... First songs I ever recorded were in college... here: http://bit.ly/5iRJXP

Do you ever fear the possibility or your pen running out of ink?

SirSoSoon: Not now!!! I've been writing more since the new year than I've ever written in one shot. I keep all my concepts just in case I have temporary lost of creative energy. For me, as long as I have a dope concept, a song WILL brew.

Logic is an amazing program to work with. What is your favorite feature of that particular DAW?

Spillmusic: The plug-ins are on point. Especially love the analyzer feature of the chan-eq plug-in. The bulit in sounds are amazing as well...

Is the album complete yet? What will stand out the most about the project in your opinion?

SirSoSoon: Just had a session today; album will be done before the end of the month; what will standout is the versatility. It's my belief that those who've seen me perform still don't know what to make of me (what type of emcee I am). b/c I constantly switch gears. I honestly believe that I've found the PERFECT formula 2 bring 2gether all the subgenre of hip hop in a non contradictory manner.

Follow SoSoon on Twitter: twitter.com/SirSoSoon

Follow Spills on Twitter: twitter.com/Spillsmusic
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Remembering Michael Jackson

Do You Remember the Time?
Caits Remembers MJ / My Story

I am normally not affected by celebrity death in a deep way. After acknowledging the loss of life with a moment of silence, I continue on- normally do not seek out video clips or pieces of their art to remember their contributions with. It's just not how I am.

But the death of Michael Jackson is really sitting heavy on the heart. I first heard the news when Alec called me, in shock, upon first arriving to the Brooklyn Honors Spike Lee art opening and panel discussion that kicked off the 3-day-long festival. Like any cultural icon passing unexpectedly, this will go down in history as a "where were you when" moment. Mine happened to be while honoring another cultural icon, watching my friend's hard work come to life, and Amir capturing me on film delivering the news to him, smiling out of sheer discomfort and disbelief. We all have mixed feelings about Michael Jackson, as a character. I am not sure what he did or did not do. But for a moment, put all this aside. Here is when we get to look at a person for what outlives them. We get to see what great art does: it elevates us, and those around us, to our higher selves, even if just for the length of a single song on the dance floor.

My friend Sarah put it aptly when she said that for our generation (and she is four years older than I), MJ was OUR music. The first we connected to outside of our parent's taste. Indeed, since my parents are of the cool variety, admittedly, I first consciously heard MJ when I was four years old and they rented the just-released VHS of Moonwalker. Those characters on Mopeds always stuck with me, permanently ingrained in memory, as well as the deep lean in Smooth Criminal dance (which for years I called, "Annie are you OK?")

Fast forward to elementary school. My cousin (and best friend) Alec hears the Free Willy anthem on the radio and raves to me that I must hear it. We spend the day listening to Fly 92 just to catch the song, thinking the opening notes of any song just might be it. It took hours, but we finally caught it, bought the disc and subsequently, became obsessed. That year we sang "Heal the World" to our parents at Christmas in fake concert. 5th grade rolled around and the double-disc HIStory became my favorite album (mostly side one.) The Scream video just released as the most expensive music video created to date, and Alec and I would watch it in awe, on MTV during summer vacation. In high school I ran a workshop at summer camp where we learned the Thriller dance. I can't even tell you how hard that was. Try it. Michael made dancing look easy, but the man has joints that're oiled like a grease slick. And these are just a small sampling of the many, many memories I have associated with Michael. He was omnipresent.

It is no exaggeration, the way we like to do in death, to say Michael Jackson touched the world with his music. His death is not all joy, however. I think about how deeply troubled his existence was and wonder what turns a person to such extreme behavior. Is it an abusive dad? A level of fame that is incomprehensible from such a young age? I don't know. Such a complicated character, MJ illustrates the paradox of our humanity. Nothing is black or white, and MJ, in more than one way (all jokes aside), proves this. I am still sorting through these thoughts. For now--

Everyone blasts him from their car windows. Dance floors are playing MJ back to back to back (always has been my favorite to dance to.) Friends are singing it together in varying shades of bad (and decent) voices. We're revisiting his revolutionary music videos and recalling them in "do you remember the time" nostalgia. The news caused internet platforms to crash. Rabbi D's alter of record covers and candles DJ-booth-side and Sarah gazing on, mid-dance floor, clasping her hands over heart in a genuine moment of sadness. The outpouring of love and respect paid is absolutely astounding. Thank you, Michael, for being something beyond your physical form. For making the masses dance, think, sing together.

Legend.

Love,
Caits

Let Me Let Go - Michael Jackson

MJ is resurfacing again it seems. Recently he thanked his fans with a letter. He's on the cover of Ebony because it's been 25 years now since Thriller was released and changed the face of music.
MJ has a new song too... Check it out below.

[Click Here] Let Me Let Go - Michael Jackson