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Hometown Hip Hop (2012)
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New projects, new goals
If it's up to Stuart, Indy hip-hop fans will be hearing from a lot more l...New projects, new goals
If it's up to Stuart, Indy hip-hop fans will be hearing from a lot more local artists like Allee at BDTB events in the next few months. The site has recently hired an events coordinator who’s in the process of organizing multiple events for the next few months. Coleman also hinted towards taking the organization to festivals, including South By Southwest.
“We want people to be well known not only here, but also to do shows in different cities. We want to take people with us and go somewhere else and be known there, as well here,” he continued.
Stuart will continue Beats and Breakfast, a year old project that combines creativity and a tasty meal. Beginning as a joke, Stuart and DJ Skittz have created over ten sessions of freestyle song production by emcees and producers including Granite, Allee and BDTB-sponsored artist Tony Styxx, among many others.
Stuart hesitates to see himself as one of the hip-hop community's organizers, but his involvement in creative projects around the city would lead many to disagree.
When I ask him if he considers himself a community builder, he pauses, considers.
“It's a growth of sorts,” he said, reluctantly.
He shows no signs of slowing down, either.
“I always have to remind myself, 'Okay, don't get comfortable.' Because it's really easy to be comfortable here, for some reason. But I like the city. I think it has a lot of potential,” said Stuart.
His hard work has paid off; he's engendered both support and confidence with his work on BDTB.
“I love BDTB. I think Sean's doing a really good job. It's my favorite hip-hop blog in the city. I love Heavy Gun, they've been very supportive of me. But BDTB was the first blog to give me a chance,” said Allee.
“Sean, that's my dude. He's got a lot of hats. He's just one of those people that puts his foot in everything. [If he gets overwhelmed] he doesn't show it a lot. He just says, 'Man I need to take a break.' Everybody needs a vacation. Everybody needs a chance to breathe,” said Coleman.
“The future of BDTB is endless,” said Jones.
And, in the end, it all comes back to band. Stuart credits a lot of his interest in music and drive to his early education.
“I wouldn't be doing this at all if it wasn't for my experiences when I was in high school [in band]. My mom's been to 70 percent of my shows. My mom bought my trumpet and pushed me to do music,” said Stuart.
“I have a lot of respect for my old music teachers, for putting up with me for one, and for just what they do. It's changed my life, personally. And I know it has a lot of others. Obviously, I've been a music person since I was in elementary school,” said Stuart. “I didn't realize how big of an influence [band] had on me, but what would I be doing if I wasn't doing music?” said Stuart.
Sites like Bringing Down the Band and Heavy Gun will continue to grow, and emcees like Jones, Granite and Allee and producers like Stuart will continue to fine tune their talents and hone their craft. Keep your eyes and ears online; the next big hip-hop star is being blogged about this instant.
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Hinx Jones Steal The Show @ The Melody Inn
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Lonegevity hopped on stage as soon as Granite completed his set and announced there would be no brea...Lonegevity hopped on stage as soon as Granite completed his set and announced there would be no break; capitalizing on the amped audience, he and Gritts were going to go right into the Hinx Jones headlining portion of the night. It commenced with a skit from their most recent album, Frozen Liquor, during which the duo perform an accurate rendition of the theme song from 90’s Nicktoon "Doug".
During a recent interview with Lonegevity, he told me that their new music has a lot more jams. “You need the people to be able to get into it and make it their own,” he said. “Pump Ya Stereo” was a validating testament to that fresh, exciting vibe Hinx Jones have been striving for; arms were raised overhead and hands bobbed in time with the song’s upbeat chorus. Likewise, “Tick Tock” (also from Frozen Liquor) met positive response from the audience. I was let down, however, when the shortened version of the track transitioned into the next one before they could call up Blake Allee to rap his guest spot on the track. Adding to the live Hinx Jones experience was Lonegevity and Gritts' fantastic chemistry on stage- equal parts of humor and spunk mixed with sincerity and thoughtfulness- that kept the show fun and engaging from start to finish.
A touching moment came when the duo sang “Go”- a song written in memory of a friend who passed away. I wanted to feel sad for their loss as I listened to Gritts detail the man’s life through poetry and music, but the song took an unexpected emotional twist when it ended with uplifting energy and excitement. Although it’s purpose is to tell a mournful story, the song also exists to honor their friend’s spirit. Instead of being anguished, Hinx Jones (and the rest of The Melody Inn) got loud and impassioned as the track played on.
The pair closed their set with a beloved fan favorite. “I’ll give you five dollars if you sing ‘Hey’,” fellow emcee and producer Blake Allee shouted standing next to me in the front row. Hinx Jones obliged and finished the show on a high note... quite literally.
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Today’s Featured Individual 2012 June Feature: Lonegevity
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Sean Stuart is the epitome of an individual. He represents what Todaysindividual is all about! The w...Sean Stuart is the epitome of an individual. He represents what Todaysindividual is all about! The wearer of many hats, Sean has created his own lane in the world. If he had an alias, we would call him LONEgevity. If he ran his own company, we’d call it Bringing Down the Band. If he made music, we’d describe it as dope, authentic Hip Hop. If he had a trade, we’d say he’s an engineer. If he were apart of music group, we’d call the group Hinx Jones. …Wait a minute, he is all of those things.
The thing that I like most about Sean is his ability to interpret. His interpretations create a unique sound in his music, and a unique intelligence in his conversations. When you follow your passion, your dreams come true. Sean is proof…Bringing Down the Band started out of love and appreciation of music, that later morphed into promoting that love, and then creating that love for all to feel. It does get that deep.
Whether you log into Bringing Down the Band, tune in to #BeatsAndBreakfast, or simply check out this interview, show some love for Sean Stuart. Let this interview charge you up and create a response for you to tap into yourself. Respect those who follow their passion. Period. Without further ado…Ladies and gentlemen, Sean Stuart.
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[T.I.D.]: Sean Stuart, better known as LONEgevity! What’s with it man? Give us a quick introduction that includes who you are, where you’re from and what you do.
[Sean]: Hello! I’m Sean. I am a creative connoisseur. I’m a musician, producer, emcee, blogger, entrepreneur, and engineer amongst other things. I grew up in Anderson, Indiana, and currently reside in Indianapolis. I run BDTB (bringingdowntheband.com), I’m half of the hip hop group Hinx Jones, a member of Cut Camp, and I do other interesting things.
[T.I.D.]: So you’re a pretty diverse guy, what other hats do you wear? As well, which one do you get the most enjoyment/satisfaction from doing?
[Sean]: Well, I mix and engineer all of my projects, I’m the Editor-in-Chief and run the business side of things at BDTB, and I’ve really been into remixing for the last year or so. I feel like a full time networker, and I really am into building the music community in Indianapolis with the surrounding markets. I also work out of town 2-3 weeks a month as a consultant and such. Emcee Skittz and I (from Indianapolis) also have a show of sorts in the works entitled #BeatsAndBreakfast. We just released the first season album, and we’re getting ready to start production on the second one, but that is a lot of fun. As far as what I’m really enjoying right now, it would have to be remixing and learning mixing techniques, but it really depends on my mood. Some nights I feel like writing, and some days I feel like making music. Some days I just feel like listening to music and sharing stuff on the site. I REALLY want to get into scoring and product placement. If anybody needs a jingle or instrumental for a movie or commercial, please get at me! I’m really kind of all over the place, man.
[T.I.D.]: I’m a huge fan of your site because to me, it highlights real Hip Hop…not the commercial cookie-cutter music that is ever so popular now-a-days…how did Bringing Down the Band come about? What is your vision and purpose for it?
[Sean]: Thanks, man. The long story is something I won’t get into right now, but basically the site was originally an idea for a 6-9 member crew…mostly my peoples in Chicago. It didn’t really materialize how I had planned it to so I just started sharing my friend’s and Indianapolis cats’ music. I went from there and expanded into what you see today. My purpose is for BDTB to be a staple hip hop and music brand; not just in Indianapolis, but for the world. We are getting into events, sponsoring projects, being a part of festivals and tours, and pretty much everything in between. My vision is really to share quality, creative content that may normally be overlooked. Ch
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Hinx Jones: "The Eleven Piece"
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Hinx Jones, "The Eleven Piece"
Hinx Jones (Gritts, left, and Lonegevity) released "The Eleven P...Hinx Jones, "The Eleven Piece"
Hinx Jones (Gritts, left, and Lonegevity) released "The Eleven Piece" in October. (Credit: Photo provided by www.bringingdowntheband.com)
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In a nutshell: "The Eleven Piece" is an uplifting collection of progressive rhymes cradled in retro R&B beats.
Fan finder: Hinx Jones MCs Lonegevity and Gritts are a two-man daisy-age revival, focused on positive imagery and female-friendly rhymes in the tradition of De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest.
That's a keeper: Against a buttery groove on upright bass, "Lala" delivers a hit single's persistent hook. As devised by Hinx Jones, la la is a coping mechanism when confronted by nonsense: "Your man is calling, like, 'Where is you at?' But you've had a long day, so you just sit back. You're like, 'La la la la.' "
Didn't see it coming: The album includes two valuable notes of authenticity for an emerging hip-hop act. The first is a 30-second excerpt of an out-of-town performance, and the second is more than a minute of Gritts as he deals informal freestyle rhymes.
Selling points: Hinx Jones has a heart for hooking up, as heard on "Hey" and an excerpt from the film "(500) Days of Summer," but also empathy for the common man. Consider a loner depicted in "Align the Stars": "Back-table lurkin', quiet and introverted, lookin' for a purpose, runnin' in place and afraid of the serpents." Elsewhere, wordplay is its own reward, as when Lonegevity folds musical names Radiohead, Outkast, Mos Def, Weezer, Method Man and Common into a blazing verse on the album's hidden closing track.
Visit the duo's blog here.
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Interview: Hinx Jones (October, 2011)
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Hinx Jones is a working man’s hip-hop duo. They’re the wordsmiths behind the realest, most relatable...Hinx Jones is a working man’s hip-hop duo. They’re the wordsmiths behind the realest, most relatable poetry set to music that I’ve heard in a long time. Their debut album, The Eleven Piece, covered common problems such as relationship woes, self-actualization and that feeling when you just don't care. But what sets them apart from other word artists of the same genre is the empathy with which they address the issues. No message is sugar-coated, and every single rhyme is 100 percent real. Hinx Jones is on a mission. And that mission is to make life better, one step at a time.
When The Eleven Piece dropped on Indianapolis a year ago, Hinx Jones was simply trying to get their name out.
“Not everyone knows that I only moved to Indianapolis three years ago this November, and [Hinx Jones partner] Gritts just moved here from Anderson in June,” explains Lonegevity, producer and emcee for the duo.
Their upcoming sophomore album, Frozen Liquor, will focus less on scene authority and more on creativity and accessibility.
“The Eleven Piece was simply designed to introduce us to Indianapolis and the scene around here, which it did. We love this city, but our goal is to do more than tour Indianapolis. It always has been, and that’s what we hope to accomplish with this project,” adds Lonegevity.
A year after their debut, with established street cred and an exponentially larger network of friends and associates, the duo is preparing an album that is for the people, by the people.
“We’ve grown a lot since our last project. Even though it’s rooted in the same, the upcoming project has a lot more jams. You need the people to be able to get into it and make it their own. That’s really what we’ve focused on the last few months, song-wise. I love the flow on Frozen Liquor. I love our guest features, and I love how sonically it moves together,” says Lonegevity.
Frozen Liquor handles its content as delicately and truthfully as its predecessor through amicable beats and relevant messages that are easy to connect with. The light shines brightly on Gritts this time around, showcasing his singing voice on many tracks. The album is filled with attention-catching moments that keep the album light and engaging while sandwiching in important points about life and its lessons.
What began in March of 2011 as a followup EP to The Eleven Piece ended up expanding into an unexpected project lasting seven months. Lonegevity happened to be working at length with spoken-word artist/MC/beatboxer Tony Styxx on an album called It’s Bigger Than Me at the time. As a result of his devotion to the entire production of the album with Styxx, Lonegevity decided to slow down work on the Hinx Jones EP and focus instead on a full-length project for later in the fall.
Along the way, Lonegevity has kept busy with Bringing Down The Band, a hip-hop blog and brand devoted to sharing hip-hop culture and happenings from around the world. Indianapolis is a major focus.
“We share everything from local happenings and artist projects, as well as anything felt to be a good representation of the idea. I try to expose greatness that others may not know of; we’ve helped sponsor 12 projects, thrown events, held contests, and have live photos and film of many shows and performances,” he tells me.
The release of Frozen Liquor will coincide with another project Lonegevity is involved in called #BeatsAndBreakfast. What started as a joke on Twitter between Lonegevity and local emcee Skittz morphed into nearly four months of weekly Sunday morning get-togethers with producers and rappers from across the city.
“It’s a unique idea because it’s not just Skittz and me; we’ve had as many as 11 people over for festivities. Everybody contributes by bringing some food, the producers collaborate and make a beat (sometimes with live instrumentalists), and then we write and record the same day. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s our way of building some camaraderie between Indianapoli
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Scoot Dubbs & Hinx Jones "Enjoy The High" Interview
Video Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ70wvVfLWw&feature=player_embedded
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Gritts Interview about Gateway 3 (2012)
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Name: Gritts, of Hinx Jones
ETA at lock-in: 11 p.m.
First time involved with Gateway Project? ...Name: Gritts, of Hinx Jones
ETA at lock-in: 11 p.m.
First time involved with Gateway Project? Yes. I was invited last year but couldn’t get here in time.
Tactics for your booth session? I just wanna shout-out all the things I’m a part of: Bringing Down the Band, Heavy Gun, Cut Camp, Indiana, Indianapolis.
Other projects you're working on: a solo project called Working Man’s Hip Hop. I also have a group project that I’m working on with some cats that I went to high school with called Section Leaders*. We’re also brewing another Hinx Jones project.
*note: yes, I asked- it’s a marching band reference.
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Note For Note: Lonegevity's "Reverb"
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A Naptown producer with a knack for the low key, Lonegevity is a model of consistency. His beats are...A Naptown producer with a knack for the low key, Lonegevity is a model of consistency. His beats are always punctual, his loops often light footed and agile, and his disposition is virtually one of lo-fi melancholy. Reverb, his fifth instrumental mixtape, doesn't stray from his comfort zone and delivers more of the same, but that's not an insult. "M," with a simple, fluttering guitar riff on repeat and an unnamed singer moaning forlornly, is the most sparkling bummer to found, with other noteworthy tunes being the upbeat "The Money," and the hypnotically droning "Gone" which morphs into a funky horn-fest in its final 45 seconds. Each song offers a nugget or two which may stick for as long as ten minutes or ten days. Yet, somewhere inside this 17-track monster, is a more concise and digestible record waiting to be had. Were it my call, I'd get rid of the clunky closer "Tomorrow May Never Come," as well as "Refresh LOVE," which recycles a Tarantino-esque violin motif into the ground. But, at the end of the day, it's his party and he can over-emote if he wants to. That's not an insult either, just a matter of fact.
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Hinx Jones featuring Mike Schpitz "Pump Ya Stereo"
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Before you hit “play,” be be sure you’ve turned all volume knobs clockwise as far as they’ll go—as t...Before you hit “play,” be be sure you’ve turned all volume knobs clockwise as far as they’ll go—as the title indicates, Hinx Jones’ latest single is intended to be played loud. (Disclaimer: The DJBooth is not responsible for any damage to speakers or eardrums that may occur as a result of following this advice). On Pump Ya Stereo, LONEgevity‘s low-frequency boardwork sets the set for dense, playful bars from the Indianapolis twosome, as well as Booth-approved guest Mike Schpitz. Watch for Hinx Jones’ latest full-length, Frozen Liquor, to drop before year’s end.
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Add-2 x LONEgevity – One Man Duo Remixes (Mixtape)
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After leaking a few tracks (which we supported here and here), the Indianapolis-based producer drops...After leaking a few tracks (which we supported here and here), the Indianapolis-based producer drops off his (Add-2 sanctioned) remix project. Hit the jump for the tracklist (with LONE’s thoughts on each cut), stream and a download link.
1) The Crown – This was the second to last song I did. I needed something to set the project off, and wanted to use this acapella as an intro because of how it came on. It’s like “I’m Here…Pay Attention!”
2) Cassette Tapes – This was the second track I did off of the project, and it just happened to be on Dilla day. I wanted to give it a classic sound, and the sample that I used is from a joint Dilla sampled from “Donuts”… I dropped a couple hints throughout the instrumental so that people could follow if they weren’t quite sure where it was from (a Motherlode sample). The simple fact the song was named “Cassette Tapes” made it an easy choice to take the song where I did. Some classic boom bap ish.
3) Gotdamn – I made this joint right after Comic Book Flow, and quite honestly wanted to give a newer/modern epic heavy sound. Something vicious. Him saying in the beginning “sounds like somebody about to die in this mother fucker” made me want to add the strings. This is probably my favorite track from the project. I just think the beat and lyrics/flow match each other perfectly. Makes me frown.
4) Comic Book Flow – I made this remix right after Cassette Tapes. I had the Mighty Mouse / Danger Mouse samples handy due to a beat battle contest the year before, and I knew it was going to work for this idea. I kept the beat open because Add was spitting on it and I wanted to accent his lines more than a usual track. This was probably the easiest beat to make. Oh, and yeah, the fact that Add is a shorter emcee, that body’s tracks, kind of hit me while I was making it. You know, Mighty Mouse taking on bigger opponents and such…no? Never mind.
5) 75 Bars – This was one of the last ones I did. Minus 2-3 of these acapellas, I had no idea what the originals sounded like. This one, I assumed, was over The Roots “75 Bars”. So, I grabbed the drums in that track, which I have dipped into before, chopped them up, and added simple screech-sounding string chords on top of them to give it the super villain feeling. I decided I wanted to add a similar vocal effect as Black Thought had on the original 75 bars too, so I did that. I can see a video to this all gothem style. “I hate wack rappers..I hate wack rappers… ain’t no
punch line… I just hate wack rappers”.
6) The Menace Returns – The first thing I thought of when I saw the title was Star Wars, and then I heard the Darth Vader line. The low-fi drums and David Axelrod strings we’re my attempt of a hip-hop-version-song that could play at the end credits of a Stars Wars movie. You know.
7) Luxury – This was the first track I worked on for the project…I actually made the first 5 remixes in a span of 5-6 hours. My interpretation of the song was that it was about them ladies that have tunnel vision…but we can’t help but still like a certain part about them. He spun it like “look, I know you think you know what makes you happy and shit, but I’m about to show you something else more valuable”. The song has a strong superficial type of feeling while not at the same time, a duality of sorts, and I wanted to give it a vibe that was completely different than the original. I wanted to accent his expression and undertone of the song, and that’s why I used the chords I did.
8) Maybe It’s Me – This song had such a serious tone to it, I needed to add some heavy minded piano chords that gradually changed throughout the song as he progressed with his verses. I didn’t want to take away from what he was saying with this one.
9) Mydas Slow – I actually had this beat for a while, and tried to write to it a couple times, but never had anything I really liked. For this acapella, I wanted to have a beat that could carry itself during the chorus since there was no
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Seanie Mic, Gritts, Brad Real on Smiley Morning Radio Show
Check the recap video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6hL_VDo6fo&feature=player_embedded
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#beatsandbreakfast Session 9
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Beats and Breakfast Session 9 by Skittz & LONEgevity with artists Scoot Dubbs, Blake Allee, and Grit...Beats and Breakfast Session 9 by Skittz & LONEgevity with artists Scoot Dubbs, Blake Allee, and Gritts. Jordan and Tiarress also came by. This weeks breakfast was Smores Pancakes, sausage / egg / bacon sandwiches, and ice cream with walnuts and chocolate sauce.
