Sleepwalker Unite Interview: MIDIMarc

Check out this NEW MIDIMarc interview on the blog "Sleepwalker Unite". This is some real good stuff.

-L'Daialogue

LINK: http://thevisualkid.blogspot.com/2009/07/sleepwalker-showcase-midimarc.html


This showcase is so easy to write that I almost might not give it the justice it deserves. I mean MIDIMarc is Wal-Mart when it comes to producers making a name for themselves. He’s a one stop shop. Beats…got em…marketing and self promotion…on it…winning resume…got it…personality…got it. The guy even raps! The list goes on, but I need to slow down and fill you in on the back story.

I met MIDI for the first time around that 2003 era when us Columbia, SC cats were trying to put together albums. Anyone that knows MIDI knows that if you hang around him long enough you’re gonna lose quite a few calories from laughing! From our first meeting he’s always been a great person to be around and call your friend, but even then I could see his drive and determination just in his name. MIDI (space) Marc!

He got his name after the human interface component of a traditional instrument redesigned as a MIDI control device. Such a device provides a musical keyboard and perhaps other actuators (pitch bend and modulation wheels, for example) but produces no sound on its own. I know I had to school you real quick, but we’re back now. (lol) I had to respect him from the get go as a manipulator of tunes from his name, and his beats back him up.

Hustler is defined as an enterprising person determined to succeed; go-getter. Indeed that’s basically what a Sleepwalker is, and MIDIMarc has proven himself over and over to be one! Just a week and a half ago I was back home in Columbia where I witnessed him win his 3rd SC Beat Battle! His remixes of Jay-Z, and Nas albums have brought him strong buzz and fans all over the globe (no joke).

What sets MIDI apart though is that he markets himself and his products so wisely you’d think he went to school for it. Whether it’s a comic character of himself on a flyer, carrying BEETS on stage at a BEAT BATTLE, blogging, or collaborating on mixtapes…MIDI will find a way to get his name out there and make you remember it. Although he may associate himself with other entertainment groups, MIDI really pushes on his own dime and his own steam. When other people would give up, he keeps pushing. When we sleep, he’s being productive! That’s why I’m 100% sure that the only thing that will stop this Sleepwalker is himself! If you haven’t already, you’ll definitely be hearing about him soon enough!





I asked MIDI the top 5 Sleepwalker questions and here’s what he said:

When did you first start Sleepwalking?
I've been doing things that gave people a glimpse of my interest in music my entire life. The memory that always stands out to me is the summer that Wu-Tang Forever came out. I was still too young for a summer job so I spent everyday listening to the album. I was already a fan of their music, but The RZA switched his style completely on that one. It sounded so good to me that I made up my mind that I wanted to make music forever. In short...I started Sleepwalking on June 3, 1997

What motivates you to keep going after your dream? The thought of changing my life for the better, and the lives of the people that are Sleepwalking with me.

Wake up: What have been some of the biggest challenges in going after your dream? Honestly, the biggest challenges I've had have involved me trying to motivate my friends to continue to Sleepwalk. I'm usually the one that people in my circle call for insight and inspiring words to keep going.

Don’t sleep on this: What’s one thing you have learned in your craft that fellow sleepwalkers shouldn’t sleep on? I've learned that "Who You Know" and "What You Can Do" are very important factors. Its important to get out there and meet the right folks, and its important to be good at what you do. Some people say its all "Who You Know", but trust me....being good at your craft will keep you around.

Top 5 accomplished sleepwalkers you admire in your craft and why?
1. 9th Wonder - For succeeding and keeping it Carolina since day one.
2. RZA - For taking sampling and song arrangement to a new level
3. Mannie Fresh - For really incorporating musicianship into his beats
4. DJ Paul and Juicy J - For continuing the Memphis sound and turning it into a pillar of southern production
5. Pete Rock, J Dilla, DJ Premier - i had to make 1 spot into 3..haha. But I admire these three for crafting styles that are synonymous with HipHop.

If you’re looking for beats, or miss the refreshing boom bap in Hip Hop beats then check this Sleepwalker out here:

http://www.myspacebeatsbymidimarc.com/
http://midimarc.blogspot.com/

DOWNLOAD Snizzy's Simple Soul Beats (2009)

Finally....some Snizzy in this thang mane!!!!!

Surprises are coming in the next few months. Snizzy can tell ya'll better than me. Check below:

"Whattup world, it's been about 10 years and some change since i dropped off anything new, so i figured i'd drop this lil beat tape. How you like the cover? Dope ain't it? Anyway, these are a collection of beats i felt comfortable letting go while at the same time promoting myself, i have waaayy too many beats in the stash and it's time to let em go, instead of havin them couped up collecting dust. They are just no strings attached soul beats for peeps to listen to or even rap on, some of the tracks are tagged, but i tried to keep the majority of them without or just a few at the beginning. The tracks instrumentation are also kept within the same range, for mastering and tracking purposes, so if you hear some beats with the same drum or w/e it was prolly done intentionally. Anyway hope ya dig em, listen to em, kill em and w/e else. Just to have the oppurtunity for someone to hear what i've been making out of all this time being alone in that small hot azz bedroom is a relief. All i ask is that you just pass it along if you like it, peace."

Versatilities Gift 2, Coming September 2009.


-L'Daialogue

DOWNLOAD Snizzy's Simple Soul Beats (2009)

LINK: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?zmwy2y3wmzu

MIXTAPE MONDAYS: A Letter To The Justus League/ TwentyNine/ Da' Shape Of Ya'

Yo,

Here is a 3-song mix coming from L'Daialogue DiCaprio this week. Each song has a totally different theme and producer.

The first, MiZUnderstatistic produced "A Letter To The Justus League" is an ode to the North Carolina hip-hop collective Justus League. His unofficial commentary outlines the legacy and the collective's ultmate potiential. This song is moreso a wish to hear a collective album from a crew that boasts sales over 200,000 as a collective.

The second song is from an up-and-coming North Carolina native J-Snizzy produced "TwentyNine" which is featured on L'Daialogue's DJ Kenny Kaign's recent mixtape: Bluff City Daialogue 2. This soulful SWV sample along with L'Daialogue fierce lyrical flow is a perfect complement to J-Snizzy's smooth production.

The final track entitled "Da' Shape Of Ya'" is produced by South Carolina native MIDIMarc and is the first single from L'Daialogue's upcoming EP, InDAIpendent. MIDIMarc handles all of the production on this upcoming project as this song itself breaks down the demeanor of people into form of shapes with the same sharp lyrical lines that surrounds each of these songs.


-MiZ



LINKS:

A Letter To The Justus League :
http://www.mediafire.com/?t3nme3tyza5


TwentyNine: http://www.mediafire.com/?mkk5wetyyvt


Da' Shape Of Ya': http://www.zshare.net/audio/63219311f39a437f/

"The Kid That Dunked On Lebron (Gag Order)"

It's more than one song...lol.

Jordan Crawford is the "kid" and he is the thing that urban lore is made of. First, he took King James to the hole with not a one-hand but two-hand dunk. Crazy, right . Second, he scared Nike into hiding this tape for 4 weeks after the infamous B-Ball camp where he made the Basketball Jay-Z look like Bow-Wow on some sonnin' type ish.

Check out the unofficial video for "Gag Order" off of the Odd Daialogue Mixtape produced by Oddisee of Low Budget fame. Shouts out to TMZ for their ever-ranging connections. It's really kinda scary....but hey, enjoy anyway.

It's not that bad James....lol.


-L'Daialogue

Gangland - Kill Or Be Killed (LMG Gang Is Memphis. Tennesse) [Full Episode]

The Good Old LeMoyne Owen Gardens.

If you are really from Memphis....you know what's up.

Yeah, it was that real coming up. Check out this Gangland episode mane.


-L'Daialogue

Fat Rat da Czar "Do Whud I Do" VIDEO

Yo,


This is Fat Rat da' Czar new video and lead single "Do Whud I Do" produced by MIDIMarc off of Da Cold War 2: Da' Day Afta album.

Can we say "hustlin'" mane? Lol.

These South Carolina boys are hustlin' hard. I need the rest of these guys to catch up PLEASE.

But, peep...this video is floating and getting ALOT of hatin' and much more love.

Also, MIDIMarc has won ANOTHER beat battle this past Saturday (I can take solace in knowing that I called this one WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY before he won it). This is madness and this song is that slow-knockin' groove that got that backwoods banger feel to it.

I personally like this joint.

And on another side note: the video has already been featured on Thisis50.com. Did you hear that?????? Thisis50.com!!!! (*shaking my head in digust at this mans grind*)

Haters, please catch up....dang. Lol.

Fat Rat is up next, mane. Check him out.


-L'Daialogue

Drake-So Much To Obtain feat. L'Daialogue DiCaprio (NEW EXCLUSIVE!!!!!)

L'Daialogue Presents Odd Daialogue (PRODUCED BY ODDISEE)

The Backstory:

I saw that Oddisee had a new release entitled "Odd Summer" per a google search and I checked it out immediately. Now, it was pretty much a instrumental album from what I saw and it was tight. Alot of undeground flavor with some world/live samples mixed into the set.

But, the question is: the beats??? Did Oddisee really think that any emcee in his/her right mind would let these gems go to waste? I hope not, because if not for myself...I rocked them off the strength alone that you needed some sort of lyrical reference with these records. These are those sunny-day, "top-back" type tracks and you know I had to put a little M-Town flavor down for the summer.

So, that's it. Pure lyrics. Hard beats. 4 tracks. A free project that's VERY UNOFFICIAL!


Check it out.


-L'Daialogue

P.S. Cop ALL of Oddisee's releases mane. Diamond District and the Odd Summer EP. As for myself...cop the Bluff City Daialogue 2: http://www.zshare.net/download/60834708c5a1aa2a/
and stay tuned for the next project.



ODD DAIALOGUE LINK:

http://www.mediafire.com/?nikobm21mwu

Do you REALLY Want to F*ck Every Girl In The World? (L'Daialogue Article from PimpFocus.com)

LINK: http://tinyurl.com/nevfsz

“If you could, would you really want to have sex with EVERY girl in the world?”

This is how the whole thing started.

One day I was on Twitter and I was scrolling down a very long list of replies between my friends. I saw a very interesting discussion started by my homegirl StilettoJill that seemed to be engaging judging by the sheer volume of replies she was receiving.

The subject was concerning one of the hottest songs out right now by the Young Money collective featuring Lil’ Wayne, Drake, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda and Mack Maine entitled “Every Girl.” She was only asking one question.

“If you could, would you really want to have sex with EVERY girl in the world?”

I read the question. I read it twice. I gave it probably the same amount of time that any man would do and replied with an immediate “yes”. But, this was before I grasped the intent of the question.

She wrote me immediately and said “But think about it…EVERY girl in the world?” Then, I thought about the sheer amount of weight that term “EVERY” could carry. It took me back.

I could remember a time when I was a pre-teen and finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life. Other than music and drawing, girls took up the majority of my time. Plus, I could only stand under 2nd floor stairs copping a peek at random girls underwear for so long. It had to be a smarter way to do this without (a.) going to the principal’s office daily or (b.) going to jail.

After some long thought, I came up with an idea. I sat my mother down and told her my bright idea. I wanted a be a gynecologist. I figured that she recognized why her first born son decided that his life’s work will be the examinations of women’s vaginas. She wasn’t slow.

First, she looked at me crazy as any mother would. Then she paused and said sarcastically,”That’s fine if that’s REALLY what you want to do with your life. But you do know that you have to look at ALL women’s vaginas. Not just the pretty girls.” Then, she started giggling. I didn’t get the joke at first.

Then, it came to me.

All I could think of was of 12 hour days with a barrage 60-year old hairless womb-having senior citizens or a plus-plus-plus size woman that made you second guess that she even had a region below her belt. I’m not even counting the women that was just unattractive to begin with. Man, with odds like my mama alluded to, the Lauren Londons and Halle Berry’s I was dreaming of would be few and far in between.

And that brings me back to my point. Women are God’s greatest gift to the world and were made in plenty shapes and sizes to accommodate the imagination of every man. But, would you really have sex with EVERY girl in the world?

After thinking about the options (and TRULY thinking about all of the options), Lil’ Weezy and company is only giving a small part of the story. I am straight on ALL of the women in the world. I mean minus the lies, diseases and natural “ugly” (inner and outter) that comes with most of these women..I reiterate, I AM STRAIGHT!

For now, I wil focus on this club I’m going to tonight and fantasize with a mental condom because thinking like that could get you caught up easy. Yes, the Young Money song is good to listen to but the practical application is far from something I want to do.

-L’Daialogue

Young Money- Every Girl feat. Lil' Wayne, Drake, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda & Mack Maine

Radio, Music & Michael Jackson Died Together [Article]

So,

On this very sad occassion (MJ's funeral today in Los Angeles), I couldn't help but think about how Michael Jackson has not only helped the world in his charitible efforts but the music game in general.

Today is certainly a celebration and the world needs to always take into account what MJ has done beyond the surface.

Here is an article that breaks down the symbotic relationship between MJ and the mediums that have made him.

Now, I'm going to continue bumping this Thriller album for the rest of the week and ride out. Check out this article.

Holla back.

-L'Daialogue

---------------------------
LINK: http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/

By Jerry Del Colliano

One cannot help draw comparisons between the death of the King of Pop, the music industry that created him and the radio stations that made him a star.

First of all, there would be no MTV videos, no world tours, no enormous record sales without radio stations playing Michael Jackson's music.

In fact, without radio there would likely be no Michael Jackson.

Those of my programming brethren who, like me, played plenty of Michael Jackson hits (and catalog items disguised as recurrents and oldies) know this for sure.

The music industry, busy lobbying Congress for the repeal of radio's performance tax exemption, would rather concentrate on all that good free content the nice folks at the labels are giving away to radio -- or so their spin goes.

But there is no denying that Michael Jackson's success was started and fueled by radio even though stations could not receive any of the profits.

Can you imagine Steve Jobs ever going for that deal?

Radio was free to listeners and free to record labels. Now they want to be paid for radio making their talent popular.

In fact, Michael Jackson barely made any money off the labels considering he sold $300 million worth of music before his death -- only $12 million a year on average for an icon of the stature of Elvis, Sinatra and John Lennon.

There was a fascinating article circulating recently called "Michael Jackson and the Zombieconomy". As the author points out, "The world's top hedge fund "managers" regularly pull in hundreds of millions. That's an order of magnitude difference".

Jackson is remembered for "Thriller" and putting music videos in the public consciousness and for breaking race barriers with his music.

And, becoming a U.S. world export in an era when this country is importing more than it exports.

Without radio during Michael Jackson's career, there would be none of this today.

Not so in the future.

When I was interviewed by reporters after the death of Michael Jackson they wanted to know if we will ever see the likes of his iconic self again.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

This is taking absolutely nothing away from Michael Jackson.

But the next Michael Jackson will be made of the Internet and mobile space. Fueled and possessed by social networking. Unprecedented stardom will be available to the next icon that is born even though we will not be measuring success by the number of albums they sold.

We can't even measure Michael Jackson's death in terms of records sold any longer.

Bob Lefsetz, the music industry blogger, writes "MJ only sold 422,000 albums. But he sold 2.3 million individual tracks! Now that album figure is physical and digital combined. 225,000 were digital. And there was only so much physical product in the stores. But it turns out that online people only want the single!"

Fans are not pining for Jackson's entire albums. They are cherry-picking the cuts they want.

When Elvis died, fans were forced to buy his albums -- and the commemorative ones that followed --- if they wanted to own his music.

Jackson's death will turn out to be the demarcation point in history to best illustrate the changing of the guard.

News of Michael Jackson's death was broken by TMZ not CNN even though the parent company, Time Warner, owns both news organizations.

The New York Times failed to adequately cover the Jackson death and all the strange events that accompanied it consistent with its motto "all the news that's fit to print".

In fact, print had nothing to do with getting the news of Michael Jackson's death.

His many generations of fans were not getting the word from news radio or for that matter radio. And radio came up lame in lots of places including being slow to drop voice tracking and syndication to take control of live programming on appropriate formats.

Radio was on auto pilot.

MTV passed the job of mourning Jackson in a fitting way to VH1 -- in my opinion.

We've already covered the music industry's plight -- not enough product in the stores and not enough consumers wanting to buy "product".

This was a shining moment for YouTube as more people decided to watch "Thriller" for free than own it. That, in and of itself, tells you where the music industry is headed.

The value of music in financial terms is now zero.

Free downloads through bit torrent sites. Social network sharing.

Young people already know all of this.

The media establishment -- the one that thought HD radio was the next thing or that consumers would still pay for albums -- is as clueless as ever.

The torch has been passed.

The death of Michael Jackson marks the passing of a singer the nature of which we may never see again because the yardstick for measuring future success had already changed at the time of his death.

A few years ago everyone was crowded around a TV set to await the verdict in Jackson's child molestation case. New media, YouTube, social networking were just a gleam in the eye of a new generation.

Now, perhaps it's fitting that the Assistant Chief of the LAPD trying to avoid congestion at today's downtown public memorial for Michael Jackson told the public to watch it on TV and the Internet.

He never mentioned radio.

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

L'Daialogue on PimpFocus.com

Yo...yo...yo world,

I got this new project thang that I'm working on.

Seeing that I'm a writing fool and I have some extra game on my hands...I am a staff reporter for Pimpfocus.com (shouts out to R. Littal & StilettoJill).

So, between there and here...you are going to see a whole bunch of things going on in the next few weeks.

Basically, I'm going to talk about all things of the opposite sex and the pursuit of them...without giving the whole bag away. True, I don't know about all women but ya' boy got a cool hindsight reference point pimpin'.

So, visit the site: www.pimpfocus.com and leave a comment or something.

Holla back mane,

-L'Daialogue
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

MemphisMadeMe Pt. 1 (M-Town Trilogy)

Off of Bluff City Daialogue 2...check it out. Oh, and download the album too:

http://www.datpiff.com/DJ_Kenny_Kaign_LDaialogue_DiCaprio__Bluff_City.m51027.html

-L'Daialogue