10 Crown

The Tenth District
10 Crown

If the term ‘Southern Midwest Rap’ was in the dictionary you would find a picture of 10 Crown. ‘The Tenth District’ album illustrates the possibilities of new school hip hop when its inspiration is drawn from some of the best of our time. These entrepreneurs wrote and produced the entire CD themselves; their passion can be heard loud and clear. Now, I know that most would want to laugh, including myself being from Chicago, when you hear a group repping the streets of Kentucky, but these are guys are defiantly not laughing.

The CD blasts off with the anthem tracks ‘Raise Up’ and ‘Put Yo Shyt on the Map’ which right away lets you know what they claim. They get right into the music with no intros and no skits, which leaves you with the taste of 17 tracks in your mouth which you’ll defiantly want to repeat. Make no mistake though; these aren’t typically the southern influenced tracks that you would expect to have only three words on the hook, these guys are writers first. On lyrically action-packed songs like ‘DucTape’ (my favorite) and ‘Crown Anthem’ I envisioned the kidnapped souls of Bone Thugs thrown in a boxing ring with E40.

Overall, this is a great CD, most likely not something that you have heard before or will hear again until they drop another record. I was impressed with the lyrical content and energy of the album, but at certain points I doubted some of the beat making. But then was turned around when hearing the very new school, up tempo beats that the Southern Midwest has to offer. Keep on eye open for these guys, they’re coming…


For more information on the 10 Crown visit:
10 Crown

- Online

L.I.: You all remind me of the Wu-Tang Clan when I see so many members in your group. Does that add to the unique chemistry of being a band?
A: Yes, each member has his own style and life experiences which he brings to the table when its time to write a song.
L.I.: How has the mainstream success you’ve had in opening up for artists like those mentioned above helped you all?
A: None. We have bigger turnouts at shows we headline.
L.I: In your opinion, how have the mainstream artists and labels embraced indie music, if at all?
A: They haven’t embraced jack where we come from. Big label reps don’t come to mainstream artists’ shows here, and the artists themselves won’t fraternize with the opening acts because they don’t remember how the struggle was when they were in our shoes.
L.I.: So how did everyone meet? And where did you get your name from?
A: We grew up in the same hood which is the 10th district. Our friends called us the kings of the hood, and kings wear crowns. Hence, we became 10 crown.

10 Crown wrote and produced all of the songs in their much anticipated album, “The Tenth District“. The broad range of their songs’ topics appeal to a more diverse audience than is typically associated with listeners of the hip hop genre. InSub Beckley produced the underlying music from his diverse musical background which includes electronica, rock, and classical piano. This wide range of influences have made way for beats that are unique, but are still in accordance with the mainstream trend.

L.I.: Tell me about “The Tenth District”
A: “The Tenth District” is our debut album. We tried to adhere to the commercial mold, but we just couldn’t correctly express ourselves that way. So, the end result is somewhere in between. Our heart & soul went into all the lyrics and we believe this a strong album to introduce ourselves.
L.I.: For InSub, having a musical background has obviously shaped your career, so how important is that in your opinion for artists to look outside the box for a moment and venture to broader sounds? I would think it would help develop an identity that is unique but what do you think?
A: Too many people want to follow the cookie-cutter and get in the groove of what’s happening now. The problem with this is you’re really putting a limit on what you can achieve, and what’s hot now may not be by the time you get noticed. I think that people respect your music the most when you make what you feel and put that touch of you in it. Real music lovers will appreciate when they get a glimpse of your soul by listening to your music.


L.I.: With so many doing what you all are doing, what are some long range goals for you all to stay alive in this music business??
A: Never change who we are or what the music is about. You see it all the time, rappers one minute do this and the next that. If we rap about crappy cars, just come to Louisville and give me a jump because it’s real.
LI.: In the past five years, how do you feel the industry has changed?

A: The industry has changed a lot and in a bad way. It’s all samples and 5 minute choruses. Everyone just wants to get rich ripping off other people’s creativity. What ever happened to the songs that didn’t need a hook? You know, the ones that told stories.


L.I.: Internet and marketing: Has it made it easier for you to promote yourself and your work or harder?

A: Both, the internet helps promote the shows and get the word out. And that makes us work harder.

L.I.: What has been the hardest part about being such a large group?

A: Just getting everybody together for practice. But we always throw a great show no matter what.


L.I: What are some things indie artists should know when entering this business if they are a group similar in size to you?

A: Have a great producer and a motivator, because it does get hard. Plus, always work it out like team.

L.I: Anything you want to add? Contact information? Projects? Don't forget to send one or two pics

A: We’re hard on the grind to get our music to the people, and we greatly appreciate everyone who’s helped us get where we are. We hope people will keep an open mind and tell others when they like what we do. The independent game is a tough one, but what good is making music when you can’t share it with anybody?
We can be booked through our record label Mastermind Productions at (502) 744-0788. Our website is www.10crown.com and our MySpace page is myspace.com/10crown. People can email us at eric@10crown.com. Our album is available for purchase at http://www.CDBaby.com/10crown or for download at iTunes.


- Online

10 Crown share a neighborhood and a dream

By Maisy Fernandez

Not everybody can say they're still in touch with kids from the neighborhood where they grew up. But the 10th Council District-including Camp Taylor, Parkway Village and Germantown – proved fertile breeding ground for 10 Crown, a seven-man Louisville hip-hop outfit whose members all share the same neighborhood stomping grounds.
10 Crown consists of vocalists John “Mr. MA$H” Pfeiffer; Doug “M.M. Mozilini” Harman; Joe “N-Doe” Roach; Eric “Medley” Medley; and producer/vocalist InSub Beckley.

Sound

With subject matter that ranges from serious to fun-loving to gangsta-influenced, 10 Crown’s cuts are as diverse as its members. “We’ve got a few songs that send a good message and a lot that don’t,” Beckley said.
But don’t expect the norm, especially on the song “How We Ride.” “You always hear (rappers) on the radio, them talking about their big rims,” Beckley said. “But we talk about our crappy cars because it’s all we can afford. I think a lot of people can relate to that because everybody’s been there.”
Beckley, who also serves as the group’s producer, said he makes the backing sounds from scratch, playing each instrument separately until he’s got his beat. Heavily influenced by West Coast producers such as Dr. Dre, you might also hear some techno inspiration in 10 Crown’s music. “Techno and hip-hop are kind of like brother and sister when it comes to making music itself,” said Beckley, who had four years experience producing techno. “It’s not really much more than changing the tempo.”

Background

10 Crown formed with five members in 1999, and Beckley and Medley joined in 2003. Up until last September (when they started working on their upcoming album “The Tenth District”), 10 Crown performed regularly around town at nightspots like Headliners, Woody’s, Zena’s and Yuri’s Bistro.
But when people kept requesting CD’s at their live shows, they decided it was time to get something recorded. The result: A 17-track disc that will be released in the coming weeks.
In addition to organizing several parties, including 10 Kinds of Nasty at El Paraiso and XXXmas in July at The Gate, 10 Crown has opened up for UTP and Lil’ Scrappy.
With a large roster of vocalists – all of whom have jobs or attend school – it isn’t always easy to get together for practice. Still, they manage to work in one full meeting each week.
For information, visit www.10crown.com.

Outlook

Once the album is out, the group plans to hit up college radio stations. “It’s hard to get on the radio without being signed to a major label,” Beckley said. “If we can get in the back door through college radio, maybe we can catch the eye of a major label.”



- The Courier-Journal