Hubert Sawyers III - S.O.L.A.R.-Powered Content

Here’s an interview over on MichiganHipHop.com

In a city where sunshine and silicone reign, Hip Hop group Now On are showing Californians how Michigan puts it down. Initially, the trio of Jackson Perry, Haircut and IX Lives were living in Ann Arbor: where the closest thing they had to a beach was Belle Isle, snow boots were used during 10 months per year, and widespread success was just an aspiration. But the group’s big move three years ago has them bringing substance to the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles.

It all began with each member performing with separate groups; Haircut with Athletic Mic League, Jackson Perry with Funktelligence, and IX Lives with Ace Deuce Clique. Crossing paths while performing at the same venues, friendships led to the three collaborating until their collective chemistry prompted a permanent partnership. Fellow Detroit artist and friend, Buff1, coined the rapping/singing/producing trio “Now On”, which is an abbreviation of their motto: “Live from Now On to the future.”

With several quality full-lengths already padding their discography—“Eye Level,” “From Now On…,” “Don’t Call It a Mixtape”—the group drops their new LP, “Tomorrow Already,” last week under A-Side Worldwide. Jackson Perry and Haircut (IX Lives couldn’t join the interview because he was attending a college business course) connected with MichiganHipHop.com to talk about changing locales, loving home, and the importance of voting.

Peep the rest here.

Here are Now On videos:

New single – “The Willows”

Right now, we’re getting spacey to the Detroitified beats at Shoes’ Beat Showcase that he had here back in June. DJ Dez provided some bondiculasticness!!!

Check it out here.

As soon as I learn how to embed the player, I’ll just have the player in here while you read my budding memoir below!

Let’s see…

If you don’t know Shoes, GET FAMILIAR.

Well folks, here you are and here I go. I hope to inspire more individuals who are like myself to feel free to expand their horizons and not cower to the social construct that most of us force ourselves to be participants.*

Growing up in Detroit, it comes as no surprise that I was once a strong Democrat. I cannot and will not refute that. Thing is, you cannot get me to stomp for Democrats anymore. Actually, I do not want to have anything to do with either party, to be truthful. I have my college education at James Madison College within Michigan State University to thank for the expansion in political thought that has led me to stray as far as I can from our predominate political parties. Now before you totally dismiss me as a cynical, detached ne’er-do-anything, check me out for a few more paragraphs.

My avowed disassociation from our major political parties is not a sign that I do not agree with any of the current basic tenets that make them what they are supposed to be. I just do not believe that their values are in touch with our globalized culture anymore. The advertising department over at Washington, D.C., Incorporated wants us to believe in being American, as the organization wildly parties us into the ground. I am usually all for partying, but not when it ruins my daytime image. If I had the opportunity to travel abroad again, I feel I would be embarrassed to identify myself as an American. I cannot imagine we are looking quite well to the rest of the world. In fact, our superior status has to be quickly dissolving amongst a good portion of our allies, subordinates and enemies.

Now the thoughts in the paragraph above are not something I have harbored my entire life. Honestly, I would say that my current position has truly been inspired and molded by the 2008 presidential race. I have always felt that my political leanings fell somewhere in the middle of the contemporary American political line, knowing I actually embrace the true concept of either linear extreme. When I speak of linear extremes, I’m talking textbook liberalism and textbook [Marxist] socialism. That is what is supposed to separate Democrats and Republicans by American media standards. Democrats love more government involment; Republican want to see less of it. At the end of the day, government still needs to be vital for them to have jobs, so they toe the middle like Chinese gymnast.

My First Revelation

… (this is the end of part 1)

* I use social construct quite a bit, because that’s the only theory that I actually accept wholeheartedly at moment. To learn more, here are fleshed out wikis here.

I created a little Wordle on the site for today’s date, as I am going to embark on a personal blog of sorts here. I figured there are so many music blogs anyway, might as well add some personality and such to the mix.

Oh, you can click the image to see it in a larger setting.

I’ve decided to present a multi-parter expose’ on my political thought. If you are one of my 2.75 viewers, then I am trying to break it down to make it easier to read. Bear with me. I may have no readers when this all set and done, but so be it. This is my blog, bitches!

I am going to get straight to it. Blueprint is THE most unsung producer/eMCee of our modern day.

We are all here on the internet witnessing the proliferation of wannabe-large producers. Cats that adopt the latest and greatest production innovation to try to generate interest in their unoriginal product. I mean, first it was the Premo-geeks and the PR-freaks (that’s Pete Rock, y’all). Then J Dilla had the unfortunate circumstance of passing away and, gawd-have-mercy, we got the onslaught of bass-stabby, kick-clappy happiness. We still have that (R.I.P. James Yancey).

My man Blueprint hasn’t done such things. If anything, I would say he’s the most original sampling producer I have heard since Dilla. I must clarify by saying that like Dilla, Blueprint does more than just sample other people’s music, so don’t get it twisted. I mean…

*sigh*

It befuddles me to no end that with the catalogue that Blueprint has he is not more of a household name. Danger Mouse is doing albums with Beck and Black Keys. 9th Wonder is doing projects with his heroes. Why isn’t Printmatic seeing that kind of work?! Sure, Blueprint is cool with the Def Jux team. He’s in the Orphanage with Slug from Atmosphere, but why isn’t Pharoahe Monch knocking on his door for tracks?

Folks, you are participating in the greatest travesty of oversight. It is now that you must turn the tide and see the shore before it’s too late. Even Blueprint has prophesied on one of his songs that by the time he catches on, he’ll “be making shitty music.” You cannot let this happen.

Here I will showcase some of my favorite contributions by Blueprint. My man Printmatic, along with the likes of People Under The Stairs, Radiohead, D’Angelo, Brazilian Girls and now Robin Thicke, is of a select group of artists that I will always blindly cop whatever they release. I don’t download first. In fact, I try to stay away from singles even. I just buy, because Blueprint is one of those that believes in building a cohesive, comprehensive project. Even his CDs of scrap tracks are held together with skits that help everything make sense, so to say the least, I have quite a bit to pick from. I will mainly showcase his finest in production work, because I think that’s where he shines the most consistently

No scratch that, my dude has too many burners to just show off a couple loosies. I’ve put together a Blueprint Greatest Hits Mix. Catch is, I’m not providing any songs that have been made available for free by Blueprint himself. He’s got songs for download off his MySpace page. Cop those there. If you know anything about Greatest Hits albums, you know that many of your favorites may be left out. Then again, this is for those who ain’t knowing, so be cool Molando! The tracklisting is below:

Greenhouse Effect – The Proper Education
Blueprint f/ Maniphest – YoYo
Blueprint – Starch
Blueprint f/ Flip & Maniphest – Serengeti Sex
Blueprint – Goin’ Off
Blueprint – Lo-Fi Funk
Blueprint – Trouble On My Mind
Blueprint – Keep Movin (Rebuilt)
Blueprint f/ Illogic – Sacrifice
Blueprint – Kill Me First
Blueprint – Printmatic (Remix)
Blueprint – Where’s Your Girlfriend At-
Blueprint f/ The Orphanage (Slug, Illogic, Aesop Rock, Eyedea) – Hold Mine
Blueprint – The Last Song
Bonus Cuts:
Aesop Rock f/ Blueprint – Alchemy
RJD2 f/ Blueprint – Final Frontier

AND HERE IT IS

* All songs produced by Blueprint, except for “Final Frontier,” which was produced by RJD2.

I would give a full breakdown of each track, but I’ve typed enough. Download the mix and put it on your Ipods/Zunes/cheaper MPfree players. Or if you’re Benny Ben, burn it to CD for your whip. Feel free to leave comments on what you think of Blueprint’s work and/or my thoughts on his catalogue. Better yet, buy up all his CDs where you can find even more goodness. Blueprint on MySpace or Weightless Recordings. At least here, we can make sure he’s able to continue to make music. Be on the lookout for his new solo release – Adventures in Counter-Culture.