The Scholars
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The Scholars

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"Interview from www.irepmag.com"

Check the interview at:

http://www.irepmag.com/The-Music/All-Music/thescholars.html

- Joseph Toomer


"(The) Scholars At Rock The Vote 2008-Richmond Edition"

http://www.blog.rockthevote.com/2008/09/richmond-va.html

Richmond, VA
Tuesday, September 16th, 2008
11:21 pm - The bus hit two events today. First a brief voter drive at Virginia Commonwealth University where we registered the small contingent of very sleepy students who managed to get out of bed early enough to catch our bus in the mid-morning rain, register, and then wander back to bed or to class or wherever else their near catatonic states took them.
The second event involved our crack squad of newbie roadies throwing together a stage, speakers, DJ booth, and sound box in a frantic fifteen-minute flurry after the power went out at Virginia Union University. Power outage notwithstanding we drew three or four hundred students out of a student body of twelve hundred for a concert with The Band Belief, Bugs Raleigh, C4, and the Scholars. Of those we had a hundred voters freshly registered.
The concert - to use the phrasing appropriate to our generation given the times - kicked ass.
In order to really celebrate fully, I felt that it was important to lose my hotel key. This is a dangerous proposition in our current hotel, as it is run and occupied by nincompoops and wretches. To be fair, they are renovating the hotel which may make it a livable place in some few years. For the moment though the only tap water available scalds the skin off your palms; the towel racks are positioned to bludgeon the unwary bathroom goer; construction debris litters the hallways; the weight room has only a ten pound weight and a Pepsi machine rather than water; jackhammers wake you in the early morning; zombies roam the basement; the spirits of the damned haunt your dreams; and - really, genuinely - one of our party woke this morning to find two construction workers in his room. Fortunately, I caught the day-shift desk attendant before she left for the evening and she was willing to remagnetize some plastic cards for me.
Unfortunately, both my roommate - DJ Aaron James - and I lost our keys later in the night, forcing us to brave the lobby after the witching hour. The desk attendant, probably a perfectly reasonable woman before she was reincarnated in her present profession, made the new keys with little fuss, but while we hovered in the ghoulish lobby, we saw two separate domestic disputes progress from yelling to violence with little reaction from the hotel staff or any lobby dwellers.

Tomorrow we head to our nation’s capital early in the morning and then to Annendale, VA for an afternoon of vote rocking. - Rock The Vote


"(The) Scholars Featured On London-Based, www.hip-hopkings.com"

http://www.hip-hopkings.com/2008/12/the-scholars-interview/


“Procrastination is assassination of motivation”- This motto is what emcee Deronta “King” Baker and emcee/producer Derail “Hurracain” Hampton live by. Formed in 2005 The Scholars are vastly becoming one of the Indies top acts. Receiving various forms of press and performing at such huge events as Rock The Vote, The Scholars are indeed the future of not only Hip-Hop, but popular music.

The duo sat down with Hip-HopKings.com to talk about their success and future projects.

Hip-Hop Kings: Thank you Hurracain and King for taking the time to speak with us. For those who may not know, can you give a brief introduction to “The Scholars”?

TS: We are the “essence of excellence” Hip-Hop at its finest. Grade A music, schooling the competition. The pretty girls give kisses recipients (laughter). Dope beats, dope rhymes, and life.

King: (Emcee) Just to let EVERYONE know, King is my NAME. Not a title, just my name. Regardless, I’m a King to the people that look up to me. I mean, every man should feel like a King.

Hurracain: (Producer/Emcee) Yes, the name Hurracain came by ways of a comment a friend made in 9th grade. He said that I destroyed an emcee like “a hurricane” So from there I spun it to my meaning with the “Hurra” (like hooray, or cheer) and “Cain” like dope (dope rhymes) so, Hurracain.

HHK: You represent Richmond, Virginia which is quite unrepresented on a global level. What is the Hip-Hop scene there like, and how much support do you get locally?

TS: *Sigh, the following may make some people…..upset.* Growing up, Richmond was like “the almost city.” We had lots of talented acts that ALMOST blew up. As far as R&B there was the success of Chris Brown and Trey Songz, (from nearby Tappahannock and Petersburg) but when it comes to rappers, Skillz is about the only one doing something. The problem is Richmond gears more towards indie rock acts, and it’s difficult to get Hip-Hop into the major Richmond clubs. The talent we have here is beyond comparison, if not better than the bigger cities. But, with that, there are a few apples who attempt to spoil the bunch. We need to be ourselves, and showcase Richmond, VA, NOT Atlanta, VA or New York, VA or Miami, VA, but Richmond, VA. And when we say Richmond, it’s not that we don’t have love for other cities (specifically the Virginia Beach area), but there has been Missy, Timbaland, Clipse, and The Neptunes, to really emerge and make a stamp on the industry. Richmond has yet to produce talent because IF there is a big show with some “very important people” they have to sit there and see a couple a Richmond rappers “dumb themselves” and think that proclaiming to be from Richmond, and “repping VA to the fullest” while snapping your fingers with an Atlanta fitted or talking with a New York accent is really doing good for our city, when it’s not. We love Richmond, and if you love something it hurts to see it not reach its full potential. We get support because of this. People see that we really love Richmond, and we are determined to give it the shine it is suppose to have.

HHK: You’re a relatively new group, in an era where bubblegum production and uninspiring lyrics seems to be popular. How do you market yourselves to new audiences, and plan to continue your success on a global level?

TS: To be honest, it is sometimes tough. The issues with promotion can be troublesome. It is literally just Hurracain and King. We do EVERYTHING. At first, we used to get a lot of “why don’t you sound like {insert rap act of the moment here}” comments. Over time, people have gotten to see us and hear our music and understand who (The) Scholars are. We market to everyone. Music is the universal language, so black, white, yellow, or purple you will enjoy (The) Scholars. Our music consists of the need and the want, the dream and reality, the struggle and hustle, the happy and sad.

HHK: Who are your major influences musically, and non-musically?

TS: Musically, wow, a lot of musicians from different genres. To list a few would be unfair to the ones not listed, but just a few include Little Brother, Outkast, Eric B & Rakim, Audio Two, A Tribe Called Quest, Kidz In The Hall, Tears For Fears, Led Zepplin, Gnarls Barkley, Weezer, Maroon 5, John Lennon, Bob James, so you can see it is a variety. Non-musically, King gears toward the experience from life itself, and the impact of movies, and the hustle. Non-Musically, I (Hurracain) would have to say Will Smith, just because yes he started on the music scene but he has had a phenomenal transaction to the small screen, and big screen, and now he is a worldwide superstar. I can definitely strive for (The) Scholars at the Cannes Film Festival. (laughter)

HHK: Turning towards the music, Middle East Mayhem is an E.P that fans are downloading by the hundreds. What sort of sound can fans expect to hear when listening to your music?

TS: You will hear the Middle East at it’s finest. Now, the name “Middle East Mayhem” is derived from many elements. First, Virginia is referred to as “The Middle East” due to its location on the map. It really doesn’t look North or South. We sit right in the Middle Eastern portion of the U.S. The mayhem is from just the music scene in Richmond. It’s just, almost chaotic with all the aspiring rappers giving out demos and doing shows, so when things usually don’t go the right way, mayhem ensues, and conflict arises with one self and others, almost like what is going on in the current Middle East. So, there you have it Middle East Mayhem. It speaks of the ups and downs, the triumphs and struggles, of continuing life and the pursuit of the dream even while the backdrop of reality isn’t so sunny.

HHK: How quickly did you produce the E.P? And what are your personal favourite songs from the record?

TS: In total, the E.P. took around 6 months start to finish. We had many ideas, and the E.P. kept evolving into something that felt right for us and the music scene. Dwindling down the songs was the tough part. Of course, this being an E.P. it’s just an introduction of who (The) Scholars are and what is to come. Personal favourites include “Show Me” (the main single) and “DC’s & SB Dunks” (the buzz single) Also “Hello Success” will be the world’s anthem shortly!

HHK: You’re also performing at the Diamonds Talent Search. How did you manage to get yourselves involved, and how big in terms of exposure is the show going to be?


The Scholars Interview - www.Hip-HopKings.com
TS: In my (Hurracain) neighbourhood, there was a guy passing out flyers about an upcoming talent search. My mother got a copy and passed it on to me. I got the information and the following morning King and I auditioned and was in. We floored the judges. Later that day was the competition, and we were the only rappers in an otherwise pro-singer line-up. We impressed the judges and crowd, and finished 2nd, which qualified us to the next round. It is a pretty huge deal for us, winning prize money, and just knowing that we are good enough for the big stage. At the final show, there will be a nice purse for the winners, and who knows who will be in the crowd checking for talent.

HHK: Are there any plans for any new shows or music releases for the remainder of 2008?

TS: Right now, we are strictly focused on pushing The Middle East Mayhem E.P. while we are starting for songs on the actual album, working on distribution deals, and the administration side of things. We are always looking for places to perform, and getting more media for the press kit, looking to have the world get familiar with (The) Scholars, remember the name!

HHK: Finally are there any shoutouts you want to make?

TS: Big shouts to everyone in Virginia, helping with (The) Scholars movement, all the radio stations (iPower 92.1, (A Plus) 106.5 The Beat, 103Jamz) that are spinning the songs, Jay-D The Comeback Kid, ASean, Chris Thornton, Kidz In The Hall, Little Brother, wack folks hating us, BIG BIG shoutouts to (The) Scholars for being so dope! (Laughter), and God making all this possible. And BIG BIG BIG shouts to hip-hopkings.com and Ryan Maxwell.

HHK: Thank you again for your time, and good luck for the rest of the year!
- Ryan Maxwell


Discography

Albums:

Middle East Mayhem EP-2008
Welcome To Scholarship EP-2007

Singles:

Show Me (Middle East Mayhem EP-2008)
DC'S & SB Dunks (Middle East Mayhem EP-2008)
Hello Success (Middle East Mayhem EP-2008)
Pilots (Welcome To Scholarship EP-2007)
The Bang (Welcome To Scholarship EP-2007)
Go Outside (Welcome To Scholarship EP-2007)

Photos

Bio

"Procastination is assassination of motivation"- This motto is what emcee Deronta "King" Baker and emcee/producer Derail "Hurracain" Hampton live by. Formed in 2005 (The) Scholars are vastly becoming one of the indies top acts. Receiving various forms of press and performing at such huge events as Rock The Vote, (The) Scholars are indeed the future of not only hip-hop, but popular music. Releasing their 2006 EP, Welcome To Scholarship, featuring the local hit, "Pilots" (The) Scholars went on to move over 1,000 copies just with no major promotion. You know, in other words, out the trunk. In 2008 (The) Scholars expanded their mind and sound, and released Middle East Mayhem EP. The lead singles "Show Me" and "DC's @ SB Dunks" have received significant airplay across the United States, including the drive-time hour in California. (The) Scholars are indeed the essence of excellence, and look forward to becoming your new favorite group! For all bookings and shows, contact Hurracain at (804) 307-6668 or email hurracain87@yahoo.com. (The) Scholars are currently their own agents.