Trackz on Demand-Trailblazin in the hip-hop nation

Every form of music has a history.  Hip-hop is no exception. People have tried to dismiss the genre as irrelevant from its beginning.  Some said it wouldn't last; well here it is 30 years later, still going hard. Sure, it may seem difficult to look past the sad state of affairs today, but if you do, the history is there.  If you are like me, you remember when the deejay, scratching records and making beats, was the heart and soul that drove everything.

If you turn off BET and tune into the underground, then you'll realize that you're not alone.  There are still producers and deejays out there turning out quality product, hustling away in the background.  That's why I write this blog, to bring them out of the background and into the forefront, to shine a light on the underground hustlers carrying hip-hop on their shoulders and trying to bring it back to its glory days.

I'm going to talk about two of those hustlers right now. Look carefully at the right-side column of this page and you will see a widget for Trackz on Demand.  If you don't know the names behind the sound, then I'm here  to educate you.  I don't make any secret of the fact that I rep hard for The Prolegend Movement, and today I'm reppin for two of the members of the group who make up Trackz on Demand, Mass Pro and Laf Legend.

Trackz on Demand showcases the beatmaking skills of this half of Prolegend.  In addition to rapping, Pro and Laf play the keyboard and bass.  Their instrumental skills are self-taught, "like the old blues cats" as Laf Legend put it, and make up a big part of their beats.  The two have worked together since high school, starting out with a Korg Trinity keyboard and a bunch of inspiration.  They formed Prolegend Productions, which went on to become The Prolegend Movement and expanded to a foursome with Laf's younger brother Lankdizzim, and Lank's friend J.Co.

The idea for Trackz on Demand came from Pro, who worked as a Comcast service technician.  Everyone in Jacksonville who has Comcast knows how iffy their service is sometimes, and Pro said that he was always getting calls for people whose OnDemand service wasn't working.  So the running joke became, " I'm gonna make a company, and my stuff is gonna work".  And Trackz on Demand was born.

Although the name may have come from a joke, the talent that these two guys have is no laughing matter.  They use software like Reason and Garage band, to produce their original sounds.  Pro said, "I like to start off with drums, put a bass to it, add some piano chords.  Build a foundation, sprinkle some other sounds in.  Once you have a sound, start arranging it into a song.  Intro, Outro, breakdown.  Make a dope beat, and all you need is some vocals."  Of course, The Prolegend Movement is definitely not lacking in the vocals department, so when you put it all together, you have the unique sound that has driven them to number 1 on the local hip-hop charts according to Reverbnation.  


I asked Pro what his favorite beat was so far, and he said that he really likes the sample that he did for Erry Time.  That song came out with a 70's funk sound that makes it one of my favorites, and the Internet audience seems to agree, because it became a favorite on underground radio shows.  But, he added, "I don’t know if I’ve made my best beat yet. It’s a continuous thing, I’m still trying to get better.  Still trying to outdo the last beat, as they say".  


That drive for excellence is what makes Trackz on Demand and The Prolegend Movement heavy hitters in my book.  They never settle for mediocre, but instead always try to give listeners their best sound.  In addition to the music on their original release, Revolution Revalationz, as well as the Black Diamonds mixtape and EP, they have a virtual library of tracks that they haven't officially released yet.  When I ask the guys why not, they all say something like, "its something missing" or  "its just not ready yet", or something along those lines.  They are their own toughest critics and it shows in the work that they put out.


So artists, if you need some fresh, original beats, then Trackz on Demand is where its at.  You can lease beats for $19.99 or buy them exclusively.  If you sign up on the website using your Facebook account, then you also get a free beat. They aren't just for hip-hop, either.  They have some great beats that would sound good with some R&B vocals, or even with some spoken word.  Independent artists, let's support each other and our community, because God knows it needs help.  I think Mass Pro summed it up perfectly when he said, "We need more beats.  We don’t need more violence, we need more beats so rappers can stop killing each other and just get on the microphone."


Enough said.

Black Diamonds EP-Hip-hop ain't dead yet

"Told you we ain't dead yet. We been livin' through your internet."

-Erykah Badu, "The Healer"

The Prolegend Movement is back at it again with the release of their Black Diamonds EP.  Following on the heels of the success of the mixtape of the same name, the EP is a compilation of the group's best original songs from Black Diamonds.  The songs range from the lyrical grittiness of "If I Had 2", to the swagger of "Get it Everyday", to the seductive quality of "Ladies Choice" and "Take Me Home".  The EP also showcases the group's collaborations with other local artists, Lyric Raines and Blaundie da Boss Lady, as well as breakout reggae singer Mosiah.  Available now on their Reverbnation page, the Black Diamonds EP will be officially released on iTunes on September 3.

The Black Diamonds EP gives credibility to Prolegend's right to call themselves a movement. A movement is defined as "an organized effort to promote or attain an end." The Prolegend Movement is part of a bigger movement, a musical revolution so to speak. Maybe it’s not as serious as civil rights, or womens' rights, or rights for people with disabilities. But it's for a right that music lovers everywhere hold sacred nonetheless: the right to listen to quality songs. This right is being fought for on the battleground of the Internet everyday by bloggers like me, online radio shows and podcasts, and most importantly, the independent music artists who have real talent and a passion for giving their best to their listeners.

I'm with Ms. Badu-hip-hop ain't dead yet, despite what some may say and what we may hear while spinning the dial these days.  I think hip-hop is going back to its roots and the movement is being fueled by the Internet, which has leveled the playing field for independent, unsigned groups.  The Prolegend Movement is one example of this.  They have heart and passion.  They're not on the mainstream radio yet, even though they have been getting airplay on Internet radio.  But they're not letting that stop them.  They're building up their online presence and constantly strategizing about how to improve what they're doing and reach out more to their fan base.

The Black Diamonds EP is one more way for them to stay connected to their fans, which number nearly 5,000 strong, making them number five on the local hip-hop charts according to Reverbnation.  While the mixtape let you see what they could do creatively with samples of some of the most popular tunes out there, like Gucci Mane’s “Wasted” and Mary Mary’s “The God in Me”, the EP is strictly about their original music-lyrics and beats included.  There’s funk, there’s soul, and most importantly, there’s hip-hop-spit from the mouths of four skilled MC’s who turn a mic into a weapon to slay their opponents on one hand, and a bullhorn to lead the revolution with the other.

Naw, hip-hop ain’t dead.  It’s on the Internet and on the Black Diamonds EP.  And the revolution might not be televised, but it damn sure will be broadcast over the radio.

July 10 concert at Skyline to benefit slain teen Tiphne Hollis

This might sound strange, but I'm going to start with a disclaimer. I don't like writing about these kinds of events.  I wish that I could write about a birthday party, or a Grammy party, or hell, a pool party, for that matter. I would rather write about anything but a benefit concert to raise money for a foundation in honor of a slain teen.

Don't get me wrong, I"m not running from my responsibilities as a writer.  I have to report the bad along with the good, and I will keep doing so.  It's just that I'm sick and tired of the madness in the streets claiming the lives of people who have barely begun to live.

With that said, I'm inviting my readers to come out on Saturday, July 10 to Skyline (formerly The Big Apple) for the Justice for Tiphne Hollis concert. Tickets are $15 and the proceeds benefit the Tiphne Hollis Foundation.

For those who don't know, Tiphne Hollis was the 16 year-old Ed White High School student who was killed while riding in a car with friends through a Westside neighborhood.  Unidentified gunmen shot into the car, fatally wounding her in the stomach, in what is believed to be a case of mistaken identity. Once again I say, madness, pure madness.

The VH1 video crew will be filming the event, which will be hosted by Gene Dot Com. The show will include performances by local groups The Prolegend Movement, Bentley a.k.a. Yung, and Gutta Black. The headline acts are Thrill Da Playa from 69 Boys, VH1 Born to Diva winner Tarralyn Ramsey, and hip-hop icon Chubb Rock.

Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10.  Skyline is located at 5611 Norwood Avenue, across from Gateway Mall. For more information, call 904-444-2641.

Because I feel so strongly about the violence in our streets, especially here in Duval, where we have the grim honor of being the 'murder capital of Florida', I'm ending this blog post with a poem that I wrote in honor of Tiphne Hollis, Shenice Holmes, Dreshawna Davis, Somer Thompson, and all of the other young people who have lost their lives due to violence in this area.

Mad Dads

When do dads get to stop being mad?
Pounding the pavement in angry protest
Searching for answers that rarely come,
'Cause the law in the streets says 'don't snitch'
When do dads get to be dads again?
Holding up an unsteady child on a bike
Instead of lifting a too small casket
Walking daughters down the aisle
And sending sons out into the world
Instead of looking down on them
Through tear-filled eyes.

When do mothers get to stop crying?
Soul-piercing screams as they run to the scene
Where their child took their last breath
Not enough yellow tape in the world
To contain the hurt.
When do mothers get to be mothers again?
Healing wounds that require only a bandage and a kiss
To make it all better.
Cheering at sports events
And watching grandchildren being born
Instead of gazing through photo albums
And wondering what could have been.

And I don't think it's a coincidence,
That every time a young life ends tragically,
It rains soon after.
I imagine that God weeps also
That He must be tired of seeing
Drinks poured out onto the ground,
White t-shirts with photos on the front
Sneakers tossed over electrical lines,
Reminding us that another person will not live long enough
To chase dreams
Or outrun demons.

Yes, I know that God must be tired,
But the question remains...
When will we be?