Friday, June 29, 2012

Mono Bagends talks about his new single "On Fire", working with D.R. Period, appearing on 106 & Park and more in This Interview


The Blast Blog:  How did you get the name Mono Bagends?
Mono Bagends:  Basically, I like to spend time by myself and not hang out with a whole crowd of people...I don't need a whole entourage.. so friends started calling me Mono....meaning the prefix for one.  Bagends is a slang term for when you make money....you bag-ends...It added flare to the name and that's what I am in this to do..make myself money.


The Blast Blog:  What inspired you to become a rapper?  
Mono Bagends:  I always had a love for it, but one day I was chilling with my friends and one of them suggested I become a rapper because that is all I talk about. Then I heard this voice in my head tell me to do it...and I turned and looked at him and told him I would become a rapper. They thought I was nuts...but most people do. God influenced me to do it. Thats who the voice in my head was. 


The Blast Blog:  How long have you been rapping? 
Mono Bagends:  Around 10 years.. 


The Blast Blog:  One of the milestones in your career as a rapper is that you appeared on 106 & Park when you barely had anything under your belt as a performer, how did that come about and what's the story behind that? 
Mono Bagends:  That's funny that you call that a milestone...it was the first time I ever picked up a mike and rapped in front of anyone. One of my boys was basically daring me to do it so this idiot called the show and got me an audition. I had to go once that happened. I couldn't back down.  I battled 3 people at one time at the audition and made the show.  It was a great experience. 


The Blast Blog:  Who all have you worked with so far? 
Mono Bagends:  The most famous person I have worked with producer wise would be D.R. Period...he did "Ante Up" by M.O.P..."Hey Ma" by Cam'ron and a whole host of other things.  I like working with up and coming artists and producers because they have that hunger. 

The Blast Blog:  Who would you like to work with in the future? 
Mono Bagends:  I would love to work with DMX..he is my favorite of all time...Ludacris, T.I....being from Brooklyn...Jay-Z would have to be up there on the list. Eminem as well. 


The Blast Blog:  Where do you see yourself in 5 years as an artist? 
Mono Bagends:  I never like to answer this question because you can't really plan out your future. You never know where life will take you. The expression is "the quickest way to get God to laugh is to announce your plans to him".  


The Blast Blog:  What's the story behind your latest single "On Fire"? 
Mono Bagends:  It is a positive inspirational song that the entire world can get behind. I've gone through a lot in my life and have persevered. When I heard the beat my soul lit up....I got chills listening to it and felt that I had to do it. I really took my time with it..the most I have done with any record I have done. 


The Blast Blog:  Who did you work with for this single and video? 
Mono Bagends:  Luxxury Music is the producer and Brian from wearepopstudios directed the video. I recorded it with my boy Filthy Rich in New York who also did the mix.  Everyone involved did a great job. 


The Blast Blog:  What are your plans for the single? 
Mono Bagends:  To make it pop off!!  I have received reports with tons of downloads and plays being referenced in the reports from music professionals. This song is a hit and it just needs to be heard. I am going to be attacking internet radio hard and promoting the video. 


The Blast Blog:  What projects are you working on next? 
Mono Bagends:  Right now I am finishing up my second album..It is untitled right now.  I have a few ideas for it but won't be announcing it just yet. 


The Blast Blog:  Why did you decide to go with The Giant Blast for extra PR and promotion for your single?  
Mono Bagends:  Upon talking to Jay, I felt like he was a honest person with integrity who answered all my questions with the right answers.  He got back to me in a timely fashion and was professional.  Those are the things I look for when deciding who to work with. 


The Blast Blog:  Is there anything else you would like to plug, any shout outs?
Mono Bagends:  Check out the video on youtube for "On Fire"...it really brings the song to life. I would like people to know where to check out my music, buy it if they are feeling it and where to read about the latest updates with my career.  The links are below:







Thursday, June 28, 2012

DJ Colossal's I-Pod Pick: D.I.V. "Wake & Bake" (Music Video)


This week's I-Pod pick is dedicated to D.I.V.'s new music video "Wake & Bake" produced by Jay Chef and the video was directed by Dic Willie.  This is definitely one of the best videos I've happened to see this summer.  D.I.V. starts the video off by rolling an L and driving while talking to the viewers and it kicks into the song with D.I. spitting hot rhymes of a slick soul sampled track.  Check it out for yourself below.....

 
  

Get more updates on D.I.V. here at http://www.divnews.blogspot.com

Friday, June 22, 2012

Mixtape Spotlight: Dolo the Bandit THE HEIST - CODE: BLACK OP





Check out the latest mixtape from New York based emcee, and current Giant Blast featured artist Dolo the Bandit!  The mixtape is titled The Heist - Code: Black Op and the project features 18 tracks of pure raw underground hip hop with Dolo the Bandit spitting clever word play, and rapid fire lyrics with multiple syllable rhyme patterns over banging traditional "boom bap" chopped sample based beats.  Listen as Dolo the Bandit brings hot rhymes over dope beats back to the game with this anthology of certified head bangers!

Don't just take our word for it, you can stream it and even download the entire mixtape at this link

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Mono Bagends "On Fire" Official Music Video


New single from rising New York recording artist Mono Bagends, depicting a man conquering his inner struggles to fulfill his destiny. Produced by Duane Fowlkes (luxxury music).

Buy on Itunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/on-fire/id525915334?i=525915339

Monday, June 18, 2012

D.I.V. "Wake and Bake" Video

Check out the latest video from D.I.V. titled "Wake and Bake". For more updates on D.I.V. and more music and videos just go to http://www.divnews.blogspot.com

Friday, June 15, 2012

DJ Mega-Blaster Interview (talks about 8-Bit Video Game sampled beats, plans for the Future and what gets his Creative juices Flowing)


The Giant Blast recently sat down with former club DJ, present beatmaker DJ Mega-Blaster about his idea to produce video game inspired and sampled beats and remixes, who he would like to work with, and where he plans to go with this project here in this in depth one on one interview.  Read all about what he has to say here.......


The Giant Blast:  Why do you call yourself DJ Mega-Blaster?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  It was a name I called myself way back when I was DJing, kind of like "I blast the hottest music loud when I spin" type of thing.  I just ran with it, and when I started getting into making beats, I decided to keep it... I was considering changing it up for the video game theme that I'm running with now, but someone told me that it may work because the video game character Mega Man's arm cannon in the Mega Man X series is called the "Mega Blaster" so I decided to keep rolling with it.  That's also why I use the Mega Man X power suit as my new logo.  Although it's music, I want people to make no mistake that I'm going hard with this video game theme and video game remixes.  To some it may look "corny" but I say it looks "different" and something new and different is exactly what this music industry needs.


The Giant Blast:  What inspired you to create video game sample based music?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  I'm just a fan of that old 8-Bit Midi classic Nintendo sound, plus I'm a video game nerd too.   When playing those classic games from the late 80s and early 90s, I would sometimes just put the game on pause and listen to the beats.  Some of those classic game beats had better rhythms and patterns than some of the stuff that's on the radio.  So once I started going from a DJ to making my own mixes and beats I would grab some of those hot classic sounds and loops and flip it my way with hard hitting drums.  For those who aren't really into those games and can't recognize the sounds they wouldn't know the difference anyway.  Good sounding music is still good sounding music at the end of the day and you can't deny that it's dope.


The Giant Blast
:  Although you heavily sample video games, and use video game sounds as the base of your music how would you describe yourself as a beatmaker?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  Dope.  That's all I can say.  Just because I primarily sample video games, don't get it twisted, the drums are hard hitting, the bass is thumping, and the snares smack hard!  Don't take my word for it, just listen to the sample clips here at http://www.youtube.com/djmegablaster and there is more to come!  For anyone reading this interview don't think "oh he samples video games" and write it off as some type of novelty, cute little, pop sounding bull, because it's far from that.  To put it another way, think more along the lines of late 90's Timbaland and Neptunes sound but with a more current swag to it with 8-Bit effects.

The Giant Blast:  What video games have you sampled so far?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  You would have to be a real hardcore game nerd to know some of these titles, like The Adventures of Dino Riki, Blaster Master, The Sword of Valis, Adventure Island 2, etc., but as for popular titles I've jacked and remixed beats from Castlevania, the Mega Man series, Duck Tales, The Legend of Zelda and X-Men just to name a few.... but I will tell you what video game I have NOT sampled, and will not sample and that's any from the Super Mario Bros. series.  It's been done to death by producers who have tried to dabble in Video Game sampling.  Although I have never ever sampled Super Mario, I get e-mails from people that have heard the beats and they all go "yo that's tight, you got that from Super Mario didn't you??".  I think it's because it's a very popular game series and that's all people know.  When I say, nope I flipped that from this game or that game they aren't familiar with those titles, but like the beat regardless.

The Giant Blast:  What video games do you plan on sampling in the future?
DJ Mega-Blaster:   I have some eerie Final Fantasy samples I looped but haven't done anything with.  Um, let me see... I'm trying to do something with the default dungeon music from the very first Legend of Zelda, but I just can't bang out the drums to it the way that I want so I'm going to come back to it later.  Maybe something off of Metroid too.  I haven't touched it yet.

The Giant Blast:  Who have you worked with so far?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  Right now I have a track with Celsius911 rhyming to it.  I found out about Celsius911 through The Giant Blast e-mail blasts, and was feeling the music.  So I reached out through The Giant Blast to have him rhyme over one of the instrumentals.  I also have a song with Blaq Planet, the group that has that new single with Shabba Ranks, & Krumb Snatcha.  I have a song in the works with Charles Bronson that should be out soon.  More to come very soon.


The Giant Blast:  Who would you like to work with in the future?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  This list could go on for days.  I'm very interested in just working with artists that are open to working with me and this type of sound.  A lot of artists don't like to take risks and think outside of the box artistically, and I feel that having artists jump on one of my video game remixes will surely challenge them creatively and lyrically.  I would also like to add that although I am flipping video game sounds and making tracks that doesn't mean I want the artist to make some type of novelty song about "video games", I would love for the artist to do them.  Like, say for instance if I end up working with an artist like Blaq Poet... not saying he'll do it, but just as an example I'd like for Blaq Poet to continue to spit some hard gutter NYC s**t over the beat although it's a video game track that's being flipped!  Or if an R&B singer wants to sing to one of the joints, I still want 'em to do his or her thing... sing about a topic they would normally sing about... it's just going to have that 8-Bit sound.  As for actual names I'd like to do something with Adam Warock, Mega Ran, YT Cracker... you know... guys in that genre.  That Nerdcore style music.  Outside of the Nerdcore genre I'd like to do something with a few underground hip hop artists like Phonte', Action Bronson, Mayhem Lauren, guys like that.  I know they normally spit over the traditional Boom Bap and grimy samples, but I would love to have voices like theirs rock over what I do.  I would also like to work with a hungry, up and coming artist or group and do a collaboration project with this sound.  I would love to do some type of funny, comedy rap album too, but with an artist or group that can actually spits some hot lyrics.  Kind of like The Lonely Island, but with actual serious skills.  Not saying Andy Samberg and them are wack, but they are mostly comedians.  lol.  I have a lot of ideas, anyone reading this interested in putting something together feel free to contact me at DJMegaBlasterMusic@yahoo.com


The Giant Blast:  What projects are you working on right now?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  I'm working on two projects right now.  One is an instrumental project called N.E.S.trumentals, and the other is a free compilation/ mixtape project with various emcees spitting to my tracks.  I already have the Celsius911 and Blaq Planet joint on there and there are a few more being worked on.  I plan on releasing the instrumental project first.  It will be 100% free and it will be available on my blog and youtube channel.  "The Bleeding Eyes of Dracula" is the test single to the instrumental project just to get feedback and reactions.  It's working so far, especially thanks to The Giant Blast.


The Giant Blast:  Do you plan on making any beats outside of the video game sample mold?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  I have, and I can, but right now I don't mind being stereotyped as "the guy that makes those video game sounding beats"... especially sense my non video game sounding beats sound.... too much like what everyone else makes.  Once I learn to develop my own sound then I'll start producing non video game sampled tracks.

The Giant Blast:  Who are you listening to in your i-pod or CD player right now?
DJ Mega-Blaster:   I downloaded that David Banner Sex, Drugs and Video Games mixtape the other day.  I'm feeling that.  I'm absolutely loving the collaboration project between El-P of Company Flow and Killer Mike called R.A.P. Music!  I heard the clips in ad on Adult Swim and I just had to check it out... he is going hard on that "Reagan" track by the way!  I was never really a hardcore fan of that whole Definitive Jux sound but I'm am seriously f***ing with the beats El-P did for Killer Mike.  I always keep a Mega Ran joint in rotation too.  Just to let everyone know, I found out about Mega Ran AFTER I did what I did, so I'm not biting him but I am totally glad that there is someone doing this type of music other than myself.  I think this sound can totally blow up and get love with even the non gamers.  Like I said earlier, good music is good music at the end of the day.  The Mega Ran joints I'm banging now is "Astanyx" and "The Galaxy"... I'm mad that I didn't beat him to this!  These joints are hot!  I'm also listening to a lot of music from The Brown Bag Allstars too... The Audible Doctor is a beast!   I'm also feeling the music that I see in The Giant Blast e-mail blast.  D.I.V.'s "Puff Pass" is dooopppeee.   I would also like to collaborate with the King of the Carolina himself Ike Ellis, he has a great voice!  I'm loving that new single "Shake Ya Body" and  I wonder what he would sound like to one of my tracks.


The Giant Blast:  What made you decide to go with The Giant Blast to assist with promoting your music?
DJ Mega-Blaster:   I've been downloading music from The Giant Blast e-mails since as long as I can remember.... always great stuff!  Plus I'd say you all are #1 when it comes to breaking new artists!  I've noticed a pattern that all the featured artists in The Blast tend to end up getting a huge Internet buzz some type of way and I just wanted that for myself!  So far the results have been great!


The Giant Blast:  Any shout outs or plugs?
DJ Mega-Blaster:  Yeah check out my blog for updates on what I'm doing!  http://www.djmega-blaster.blogspot.com and my youtube page http://www.youtube.com/djmegablaster I plan on having new tracks and remixes up there sometime at the start of next week so keep checking back!  Celsius911 and Blaq Planet for taking the time to drop some hot s**t to my tracks!  To all the artists that gave me drops!  To all the people that want to support something new and different!  and to The Giant Blast for helping me come up with a plan to introduce what I do.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

New Single from Ike Ellis "Good Good" (Official Video)


Check out one of the latest videos from rising independent rapper and Giant Blast featured artist Ike Ellis here on youtube. The name of the song is titled "Good Good" and it's featured on the Please Rewind Mixtape. For more information on Ike Ellis check out his official blog here at http://www.ikeellisnews.blogspot.com

Friday, June 8, 2012

R.I.P. Lil' Phat



Lil Phat Dead At 19 Years Old
Lil Phat (a member of the Trill Entertainment family) passed away last night from a fatal shooting outside Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 19 years old.  R.I.P.