The Blast Spotlight: G. of RAHM Nation Recordings

The Giant Blast:  How has 2010 been so far? 
G:  Quite. Just moved to Miami, so I'm still trying to get settled in my new home. I'll probably be back to performing in the next month or two.

The Giant Blast:  What plans do you have as far as music this  year?
G:  I'm still running around with American Scholar.  A lot of people embraced it when it first dropped last year, but I know there are plenty more music fans out there I haven't reached yet that would love this project. American Scholar is kind of like a soundtrack to higher learning. Graduation season is coming up, and this would make the perfect gift for someone looking to make the next step in furthering their education. So I'm looking forward to getting back out there and talking with high school and college students, and getting the music in the hands of college DJs.

The Giant Blast:  What does G. get into besides music?
G:  Fans who've been with me since day one know that I am also the President and In-House Counsel for RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC (home to Ohene, Random, and Greg Soundz). I also teach a course at University of Miami. That's partly what brought me down to Miami, but mostly I had to get back to a city with a robust arts scene. I considered moving back home to New Orleans, but the situation just wasn't right. I also thought about New York and LA, but Miami just stuck out for some reason.
 




The Giant Blast:  What's in the future for RAHM Nation  Recordings?
G:  That's something Ohene and I have been discussing a lot lately. The full gamut is being considered. You may have very well seen the last RAHM Nation project in American Scholar. Of course O and I will always make music, but it might not necessarily be hip-hop and it might not necessarily be through RAHM Nation. Keep watching. Something big will happen soon.

The Giant Blast:  Do you plan on bringing any new artists  and/or producers to the label,
or is the plate for RAHM Nation pretty  much full right now?
 G:  Well, as I said, we might all move in whole new direction. The worst thing an artist can do is stay stagnant. I've released two lyrical, metaphoric, 4:4, sample-based hip-hop projects. So has Ohene (along with two soulful, 3:4 and 4:4 sample-based hip-hop projects). So we're ready to evolve. A lot of fans in America let "Without Words" slip by, but that was a taste of our diversity.

The Giant Blast:  For those that are unaware how would you describe  American Scholar?
G:  American Scholar is like finding out everything you ever learned is simultaneously correct and incorrect. It's like finally understanding the wisdom of past scholars like WEB DuBios, Jacques Derrida, or Martin Luther but also noticing your own wisdom at least meets if not surpasses theirs. It's pawning a diamond necklace for grad school tution, then realizing you never really owned either. It's Charles Mingus, DJ Jimi, Marvin Gaye, and Whitney Houston discuss music over a bottle of Merlot. It's the best $9.99 you will ever spend on something you cannot hold.

The Giant Blast:  Who did you work with for the project?
G:  Full credits are on the inlay, but just to throw out a few names J-Coleman, Ohene, Random, DN3, I. Right, Phreman, Srcap Ill, and E. Arcas.

The Giant Blast:  Who would you like to work with in the  future?
G:  I would like my next project to be overseen by Bob Marley, 2Pac, Jimi Hendrix and Billie Holiday.

The Giant Blast:  So far what would you say has been a highlight for  your career?
G:  The highlight has been all fans who have come up to me or emailed me, thanking me for making a project that speaks to them. While it beautiful that so many in hip-hop have taken negative life experiences and turned them into something positive, but it is almost as if earning a college degree, equating monogamy with respect for your significant other, or putting musicianship over the loosely defined "swagger" are seen as anti-hip-hop. So I'm happy to be the voice of young Black America that you do not hear much on urban radio. The Rapdemics and American Scholar are albums a lawyer can ride to on his/her way to court; Legend of the Chancellor and The Call are albums with which PhD student can introduce his/her lecture; Greg Soundz' collection of singles and Nina Simone by Ohene are tracks a couple can play at their wedding. Don't we need that?

The Giant Blast:  What has been one of the worst experiences you've had  in the music
industry so far and how did you learn and grow from  it?
G:  The hardest thing is the flip side of what I just spoke of: disappointing fans I am not able to reach. When a fan MySpaces me or tweets me, I'm just not always able to get back to everyone. I hate that for them because I know it would mean so much to them to get a personal response, but I am just not able. I try to remind them that everything they are looking for - the sage advice, the insights to life, the affirmations of who they are - is all in the music. You don't have follow me on Twitter, just listen to the album. That's were you'll really see the beauty of me (and you).

The Giant Blast:  Is there anything else you would like to plug?G:  Hmmm, let's see. The next appearance is April 7th at University of Miami. So keep checking www.reverbnation.com/G504 or www.g.rahmnation.org for more info on that. Make sure you sign up to get my SayNow updates at www.saynow.com/G504. I think that'll be easier for me to get in touch with everyone than Twitter. For those that enjoyed my twitter updates, sorry to take that away. I'll still send general updates through that account, but - for the reasons I was just discussing - you'll need to join SayNow to get the personal updates. Shout out all of RAHM Nation - Ohene, Ran, Greg, E., DN3. Shout out Paula Campbell, Brienne Moore, The World Blanket, J-Coleman and every other indie doing their thing. Peace.

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