T-Baby

Crossfade met Miramar's The Last at PPR101 music conference in downtown Miami where they were taking notes on the industry and performing in a showcase.

We shot a quick video clip of them performing acapella in the upstairs lobby of the Hilton (freeze frame at right), and their message was "Fuck the radio."

The Last have since continued their quest to smash through the "glass ceiling" that keeps independents from breaking through to the mainstream. As such, Dreezee and Toogaloo are performing in St. Louis on September 12 as part of the Harrah's Next iBar Star competition.

Here's the story of how that came about in the words of The Last themselves.

We represent the part of our community seldom seen in the typical rap video. We represent the everyday people, from the nine to fivers to the college kid struggling through school, or anyone for that matter who is strong enough to dare to be themselves. That's who we make music for and that's who we cater to. In truth our music is as varied in the spectrum as they are. Our upcoming LP reflects the struggles, joys, pain, determination, and heart often needed and experienced in traveling the road less traveled.

The South Florida music scene has always been kinder to the artist that knows how grind and do for self. So with that in mind we started searching popular websites for legitimate showcase opportunity's and contest. We found Nextibarstar.com, immediately put together a performance video and asked our friends and fans to vote. Our hard work payed off and we were selected to compete in St. Louis. In this second round of competition we are given 6 minutes to win over a crowd of strangers and convince them to vote for "The Last."

In addition to our usual regiment of studio time, showcases, and open mics, we've been rehearsing tirelessly with vocalist Marcel Ledoux IV and guitarist Bryant Del Toro in preparation. So as far as ready goes, we are. God gave us a talent and is known to bless hard work. We carry that with us everywhere we go.

We feel like the glass ceiling is a necessary evil. Necessary because with anything worth having there should be hard work to obtain it. Evil, because unfortunately the immediate powers that be in the Industry often are hesitant and reluctant to work with artist which are considered "outside the box". All the same though, we always look at success in this industry as a fight. We are not worried about the end result, we just fight like hell, the rest will fall in place.

We're influenced largely by our upbringing. Both of our parents are Jamaicans who came to this country and built a life with little to nothing. We've been exposed first hand to the joys and hardships of working everyday towards a better life and attribute this in part to the type of artist and people we are today. As far as musical influences go we've been inspired by such great artist as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Outkast, Trick Daddy, Biggie Smalls, and TI to name a few. We hope to help bring back to the game an era in which the music was less about making it rain and more about making an impact in the lives of our fans, whether it be by making them dance or making them cry we strive to impart truth in a time where that is rare commodity. We ask nothing from the game but hope God will bestow longevity and prosperity upon our friends, our families, and ourselves.

Everyone can follow us and or contact us at these different places. twitter.com/wethelast
www.myspace.com/thelast00 or wethelast@gmail.com.

By Jacob Katel
Thursday, Sep. 10 2009 @ 11:42AM - Miami New Times

In the Melting Pot of rhythmic culture it is difficult to find substance in a flooded material world. Hip-Hop to some has crept toward an early grave, gradually burying itself under simplified lyrical content, and drab punch lines. Cue The Last the surviving group whose title exclaims their presence in hip hop culture. The Last are truly the survivors of a dying breed. The smooth Patois vibes of Dreezee, with his confident demeanor and versatile rhyme scheme, and Toogaloo with his inventive wordplay and Southern drawl mesh to create a sound that resembles a new frontier in the Hip-Hop community. They have created a niche unlike any other. The cultural mesh of Hip-Hop, Reggae, and Rock is a cool breath of fresh air reminiscent of REAL Hip-Hop. The ‘80’s’ babies of Southern Florida have transcended from the norm. Their LP self titled: The Last treats Hip-Hop like a woman. Through the album The Last formulate a relationship with Hip-Hop explaining she ‘had been beaten and exploited by the world’, ‘her name was Hip-hop, and out of all who loved her he would be The Last… We had a chance to sit down with the booming group between their busy schedules to see why THEY are The Last of a dying breed.

PS: Some say Hip-Hop is dying, what do you feel you contribute to its revival?

We feel like we contribute ownership. We take responsibility for our lyrics and content. Some artists think of it as a way to make a quick buck, and not a craft that you have to master. We definitely think it’s a huge tool to get a message across; something that can uplift the future.

PS: How was The Last formed?

Dreezee: When me and T met, we were Vibin’ since middle school. We had a group called Spades, with a third member. I went to UCF and left the game for a while, while Toogaloo did the solo thing gaining popularity as a solo artist down south. I came back down and we started doing a lot of shows together. We had a similar vision that was very different from the normal ‘southern’ rapper. That’s when we formed: The Last.

PS: Dreezee what do you bring to the group, Toogaloo?

Dreezee: I feel I juggle a certain level of swag, and laid back demeanor. I bring the more subliminal metaphors to the table, and after soaking in the verse you’ll see the detailed substance. Furthermore on our promo cd I actually ended up writing the majority if not all of the hooks in our distinct style.

Toogaloo: My punch lines are more in your face. If D is the subliminal substance then I’m the out loud showmanship. It’s like D is the food. It tastes good its great, and I’m the garnish that makes its presentation that much more appealing. I also wrote, structured, and told the storyline introducing each song.

PS:How has your upbringing influenced your lyrical content?

Dreezee: I come from situations where I never had to want for anything. I always had a roof over my head and food on the table, but I also saw many people around me who weren’t as well off. When I was younger and ‘dragged’ to church that formed a lot of it too, because that helped me spiritually. I’ve been exposed to upper class, lower class, and in between. We can relate to the hierarchy of the different people of America.

Toogaloo: Jamaica has influenced me tremendously. Up until 16 I had a stable family life. I saw many personalities in my household. Pops was a musician, player, and business man with a bad temper, mom was a hard worker (a realist), and my sister was a youth minister. I learned core Jamaican values, from being a man, to respecting God. I sponged from everyone, I soaked in all of the positives, and I hope it shows in our music.

PS:When you signed your first production deal with Darshan Music what went through your minds?

We felt blessed. It was an up and coming thing, a great learning experience.

PS: Do you feel your more Kanye than 50, or more 50 than Kanye when it comes to lyrical prowess?

We feel like were uniquely in our own box. When you hear The Last we make music that makes you feel better about yourself. 50 and Kanye are well oiled machines but it seems 50 is more driven by the money and Kanye uses it more for therapy. We see the business aspect by writing for other artists, but we also enjoy the artistry of creating good music and a message for ourselves. We look at rap as our baby. We’re hybrid lol.

PS: Your music is very versatile. From slow jams like ‘I Want You’ to reggae inspired tracks like ‘Never Going Back’ how will you continue to keep your songs fresh?

When we’re comfortable we have to do something different. Like the beat for ‘The Movement.’ This was a beat where everyone was like nah we can’t use that, but our versatility allowed us to make it our own. The same goes for the track ‘Video Girl.’ We move out of the box.

PS:Toogaloo you explained on the track ‘Vibing’ “Momma say I’m unique, that aint coincidental, I Dance to my own beat, life is my instrumental”, hypothetically what song would be playing?

‘What’s up’ by Four Non-Blondes. It’s like me. I wake up and I’m vibin’. The words are like:’ So I wake in the morning and I step outside I take a deep breath then I get real high Then I scream from the top of my lungs What's goin' on.’

PS: Dreezee your lyrics are impressive, wordplay like “I’m high off life I stay like this religiously, and if this rap don’t work out then school is my contingency.” What would you be doing if you weren’t spittin’?

I’d pursue a pro or amateur career in football or basketball. If I had the time to train and condition I would. Something athletic. Also I love animals, so something at Metro Zoo or helping animals.

PS: What artists would you like to work with?

Kanye West, T.I., Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D., Linkin Park, Lauryn Hill, Outkast, Alicia Keys, Common…man the list goes on.

PS: What’s in store for the future?

Whatever God blesses us with.

::Interview By: John D. Saunders - Partyspree.com

I recently attended an album listening party for an up and coming hip hop group called The Last, in downtown Miami. I was invited by Marcel Ledoux, who I wrote an article about a few days ago, because he sings the hook on one of the tracks off of their upcoming album. What I witnessed 55 stories up in the air was a refreshing surprise, in what is becoming a stagnate and stale hip hop and R&B game. I have to give respect to my friend Marcel first because the man can flat out sing and is an exciting and entertaining live act. The Last are very talented lyricists, and their music has substance which is hard to find in most hip hop acts out there today. Here are some pics from the event and some links to check out both Marcel's and The Last's music.

::Tim Young - Pop Culture for the Cultured