Crib Notes

JUICE CREW ALL-STARS: One of hip-hop’s earliest posse cuts, “The Symphony,” was produced by Marley Marl, who constructed the beat around a poignant piano loop sampled from Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.” Click here to listen to the original.

Ever since the organizers behind the highly anticipated A3C Festival announced that members of the legendary Juice Crew – including producer Marley Marl, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, MC Shan and Craig G — would reunite for a performance on March 21, heads have been wondering why at least one name (in addition to Kool G. Rap) was conspicuously absent from the bill.

Turns out Masta Ace is not missing in action, but he will miss the reunion.

Though a veteran of New York’s legendary Juice Crew, Ace never became a household name like many of them. But he has still enjoyed a remarkable solo career, releasing five well-received solo albums, including 2004’s largely slept-on A Long Hot Summer.

Later this month, his new group eMC will release its first album, The Show. eMC also features Lyricist Lounge staples Wordsworth and Punchline, not to mention longtime Ace collaborator Sticklin.

We talked to Ace about the new group, the surprising story behind his inclusion on the classic Juice Crew posse cut “The Symphony,” and the reason he won’t be participating in the Juice Crew reunion concert at the A3C Festival this year.

So why aren’t you coming to Atlanta for the reunion?

It’s the exact same weekend that we’re promoting eMC in New York. We have a whole bunch of interviews set up, and release parties in Philly, New York and in Boston, all right around that weekend.

I had my stuff planned out already; when it’s a group effort, you have to sacrifice for the sake of the group. Cool V, who is Biz’s DJ, called me about a month ago, and mentioned [the reunion] to me, but we had already had this stuff planned. Our album comes out March 25, which is the Tuesday after [the A3C Festival], but that whole weekend building up to the 25th we’re going to be doing promo and shooting videos.

Are you disappointed?

A little bit. If I didn’t have anything to do I’d like to go down there and see everybody. It would be cool to see dudes, and to see dudes perform. I haven’t seen all these people perform in a long, long time. I feel like I’d be more a fan than a part of the show.

When’s the last time you guys got together? (more…)

Bookmark to:

A3C BOUND: The Cool Kids head to Atlanta in March.

(Photo courtesy Biz 3)

Back in December, I interviewed former ATF Records co-owner Brian Knott, and promised I would follow up with exclusive details about the upcoming 2008 A3C Hip-Hop Festival, which takes place March 20-22 at C&W Midtown Music Complex. Unfortunately, Knott embargoed most of the information. But with the event only a month and a half away, I called him and pressed him for some details.

Knott told me Del the Funkee Homosapien, Aceyalone, the Cool Kids, Guilty Simpson and Blu & Ta’Raach (aka C.R.A.C.) will definitely be at the event, and MySpace.com is a major sponsor. He declined to give any more names, but said an announcement will be made very shortly. He also said that A3C 2008 will feature an incredible assembly of performers — including some gold and platinum stars — fashion shows, video-game presentations and other treats.

Early-bird discounts for three-day passes are available, but Knott warns that prices will go up in a matter of days. You can purchase a pass at Ticketalternative.com. More information soon.

Bookmark to:

Many people within Atlanta’s indie hip-hop world already know that Arc the Finger Records no longer exists. After putting out three albums in 2006 (Cadillac Jones, Collective Efforts and Intellekt & Dirty Digits), the label has been inactive all year. It seemed like it would return once its owners, Brian Knott and Kevin Elphick, reorganized the business. Instead, Arc the Finger Records is officially finished.

Casual readers of Crib Notes may not understand how important Arc the Finger Records was to Atlanta. When I moved here two years ago, Arc the Finger was the only game in town, and the only label consistently mounting quality shows. (Peace to Dropbombz and 4 Kings Entertainment.) Its roster — Psyche Origami, Collective Efforts, Minamina Goodsong and, momentarily, Intellekt & Dirty Digits — was the best of the city’s backpack crop.

But at the dawn of 2008, the backpack era is ending. Proton, Supreeme, Gripplyaz and Yelawolf, all former outcasts in the sometimes conservative indie-rap scene, have put in major work this year, performing dozens of local gigs and cranking out mixtapes. Along with them, and a new wave of artists, including the Dreamer, Clan Destined, Stacy Epps (who just moved back from L.A.), Mojo Swagger and many others, have created a fresh and provocative underground hip-hop scene unencumbered by expectations of keeping it real or rejecting the ever-present mainstream.

Knott acknowledged as much when I conducted an interview with him last week. “As a record label, when I think about our legacy, what we accomplished was to define a specific era in Atlanta underground hip-hop,” he told me. “As this year ends, and our record label’s done putting out those records, now we’re curious as to who will define this next era of what comes out of here.”

Yes, it appears that underground hip-hop is finally coming back and reinventing itself. But don’t forget that Arc the Finger kept the scene alive when it was at its weakest point and, to be frank, a lot of those aforementioned acts were sitting on their ass and not doing shows. Love it or hate it, the label made its mark in local rap history.

Initially, my conversation with Knott was not only going to include details of ATF’s demise, but a preview of the upcoming A3C Festival, which takes place March 20-22 at the CW Atlanta complex. However, Knott says he has some exciting news about the festival, and he can’t reveal the official details until sometime during the next several days.

So this interview is split into two installments. The first covers Arc the Finger. I’ll post part 2, which encompasses A3C, when Knott is ready to make the announcement.

(more…)

Bookmark to: