"SHAME" Article in Examiner.com (PSM 2010 Interview Series)
ARTICLE LINK - http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-...enticity-to-Hip-Hop-PSM-2010-Interview-Series
There's a family-like atmosphere when you have been in a music group like NW Washington's Darxiide. As stated in a previous article, each member of the group takes the responsibility to contribute lyrics and beats, and each member reaps the reward of having music recorded on a mixtape or hearing the applause at a show. It should come as no surprise then that two members of the group would know each other so well that they could collaborate on a mixtape created almost completely by their beats and lyrics.
Such is the case of Shame and Sicill (Sick-ill), members of Darxiide and featured artists on Pandemic. Shame explains, "I can rap on any beat. Sicill had some beats he made that had been lying around for years, he burnt me a cd and I got so excited I wrote to mostly all of them." Pandemic's This Is For the Addicts is track number 14 on the Puget Sound Mixtape released in June 2010.
Shame has been a member of Darxiide since 2003, getting his start by performing at open mics at Jazzbones and Shakabrah Java. He has often performed as a solo artist or a collaborator in addition to being a group member of Darxiide. But his development as an artist came from as early as high school, being inspired by rapper Bow Wow and battling with classmates. Shame writes, "I remember freestyling and battling was a fun thing to do. We got in circles and just started spitting. I wasn't even worried about recording songs at the time".
Shame feels his best skill as a hip hop artist is as an emcee. He explains his goal is "soon to be known as one of the best emcees in the northwest". The themes in his words reflect the authenticity of who he is, writing about his faith and life on the streets. That life on the streets has changed his actions and his music. He now has a greater interest in the quality and content of his music.
Of the hip hop genre, Shame writes, "My opinion is the state of hip hop is in emergency mode. A crtical shift between what is hip-hop, rap and pop needs to be made. Too many are getting repelled with mainstream rap because it's not about the lyrics anymore, and it's taken on an even more salesman approach with recent declining cd sales." It's not so much an issue of embracing the new technology; rather, it's the concept that performing at small venues and battling with local hip hop artists is not enough anymore. Rather than authenticity, many artists are more interested in fame and greed. The problem with such thinking is that those same artists fail when they forget why they fell in love with the genre, and they fail when they ignore the history of the hip hop genre and attempt to make it something it is not.
Readers can see Shame at his upcoming show with Darxiide (whose original members include Breeze, Nick Dominguez, Sicill, tVicious, and the recently incarcerated Mo Greenz) at Juice Radio sponsored Puget Sound Mixtape's Release Party at Hell's Kitchen on July 28. Then, on September 17, Darxiide will perform with Josh Rizeberg, Mr. Von, illizm, and $krilla at Krickett's. Shame's new CD, "Some Hate and Most Envy", stealing from the letters of his name, will be released in the fall of 2010.
Stay up to date with Shame through Darxiide's website, youtube channel, twitter, and myspace. Artwork and ringtones are also available on Darxiide's website.
Readers can download the entire Unofficial Puget Sound Mixtape at
Datpiff - http://tinyurl.com/282gums
Zshare - http://tinyurl.com/2ehczwd
ARTICLE LINK - http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-...enticity-to-Hip-Hop-PSM-2010-Interview-Series
There's a family-like atmosphere when you have been in a music group like NW Washington's Darxiide. As stated in a previous article, each member of the group takes the responsibility to contribute lyrics and beats, and each member reaps the reward of having music recorded on a mixtape or hearing the applause at a show. It should come as no surprise then that two members of the group would know each other so well that they could collaborate on a mixtape created almost completely by their beats and lyrics.
Such is the case of Shame and Sicill (Sick-ill), members of Darxiide and featured artists on Pandemic. Shame explains, "I can rap on any beat. Sicill had some beats he made that had been lying around for years, he burnt me a cd and I got so excited I wrote to mostly all of them." Pandemic's This Is For the Addicts is track number 14 on the Puget Sound Mixtape released in June 2010.
Shame has been a member of Darxiide since 2003, getting his start by performing at open mics at Jazzbones and Shakabrah Java. He has often performed as a solo artist or a collaborator in addition to being a group member of Darxiide. But his development as an artist came from as early as high school, being inspired by rapper Bow Wow and battling with classmates. Shame writes, "I remember freestyling and battling was a fun thing to do. We got in circles and just started spitting. I wasn't even worried about recording songs at the time".
Shame feels his best skill as a hip hop artist is as an emcee. He explains his goal is "soon to be known as one of the best emcees in the northwest". The themes in his words reflect the authenticity of who he is, writing about his faith and life on the streets. That life on the streets has changed his actions and his music. He now has a greater interest in the quality and content of his music.
Of the hip hop genre, Shame writes, "My opinion is the state of hip hop is in emergency mode. A crtical shift between what is hip-hop, rap and pop needs to be made. Too many are getting repelled with mainstream rap because it's not about the lyrics anymore, and it's taken on an even more salesman approach with recent declining cd sales." It's not so much an issue of embracing the new technology; rather, it's the concept that performing at small venues and battling with local hip hop artists is not enough anymore. Rather than authenticity, many artists are more interested in fame and greed. The problem with such thinking is that those same artists fail when they forget why they fell in love with the genre, and they fail when they ignore the history of the hip hop genre and attempt to make it something it is not.
Readers can see Shame at his upcoming show with Darxiide (whose original members include Breeze, Nick Dominguez, Sicill, tVicious, and the recently incarcerated Mo Greenz) at Juice Radio sponsored Puget Sound Mixtape's Release Party at Hell's Kitchen on July 28. Then, on September 17, Darxiide will perform with Josh Rizeberg, Mr. Von, illizm, and $krilla at Krickett's. Shame's new CD, "Some Hate and Most Envy", stealing from the letters of his name, will be released in the fall of 2010.
Stay up to date with Shame through Darxiide's website, youtube channel, twitter, and myspace. Artwork and ringtones are also available on Darxiide's website.
Readers can download the entire Unofficial Puget Sound Mixtape at
Datpiff - http://tinyurl.com/282gums
Zshare - http://tinyurl.com/2ehczwd