Month: August 2005

Fellow fans, you are gonna like them, for sure:)

Rating: Four stars ****
Musically speaking, having listened to the Attack Of The Weirdos and Hanni Cap Circus, you think that Rufus Johnson aka Bizarre’s solo music has no secret for you any more? Then you might be totally wrong about it.
All the skeptics about Bizarre’s talent should check this unreleased demo as well as his underground work
Thanks to a Detroit buddy, I had the chance to listen to an unreleased Bizarre demo from 1998. I had never listened to any of the tracks that are on this demo, with an exception for No One’s Iller that I consider as an underground classic. The version of the demo differs a little bit from the better known version of the song, though.
Don’t Come To Close To Me is an ill Fuzz/ Bizarre collaboration that has the flavor of the D12 Underground EP, dark atmosphere, bass sounds, Fuzz and Bizarre as an offensive duo from the 313. Don’t come too close to them, you might get your ass beaten up! A weed smoking Bizzy will introduce you into his sick/hilarious universe.
How Many MC’s is an example of Bizarre’s collaboration with The Outsidaz. This track is aimed at his opponents.
Flashback To St Andrews: Live At St Andrews will bring you back to a very boiling battling atmosphere.
While listening to Bizzy’s demo tape, you will probably enjoy the well made track Take The World Wit Me, featuring Eminem and Pacewon.
The Idiotic Bizarre will also allow you to fully enjoy the Bizarre- Kon Artis complicity.
That’s The Way It Is is another interesting Bizarre collaboration with the Outsidaz.
Piano, keyboards and scratches add to the weed smoking and sexually explicit atmosphere. Bizarre makes words rhyme in a subtle way. Weird and hilarious as always. Hip hop lovers will appreciate this track.
Also don’t miss The Ruff And Rugged Bizarre. Bizarre did a well job with his fellows from New Jersey, the Outsidaz. A rhythmic track that won’t let you indifferent. Enjoy Rufus Johnson’s 7 Mile style.
Bizarre’s unreleased demo from 1998 is one of those rare underground rap jewels that any true hip hop lover shouldn’t miss.
Check it out when you get the chance.

Many people confuse both attitudes in real life and on the net as well. Be friendly, be kind, be nice to people who cross your road whether on the net or in real life, but remember always to be yourself and don’t let anybody corrupt your integrity. Even if you like a person or a cyber contact, never be afraid to speak your mind. Use diplomacy if needed, but stay true to yourself. Never say yes when deep inside you wanna say no. Don’t be other people’s puppet.
So many people are ready to corrupt their integrity for money, for fame and even for some stupid clicks and some more traffic on their places. They are ready to compliment somebody whose topics they don’t find interesting at all, just in order to get some more attention.
Let me speak my mind about the ass-kissing mentality: it is despicable and I hate it. Being an ass-kisser won’t bring you any respect: people will use you and manipulate you the way they want to.
And to those who are tempted to call me an Eminem ass-kisser, you are totally wrong. This artist is my favorite, but I have always used my criticism about him as an artist and as a person when needed.
There is a huge difference between being enthusiastic, friendly, expressing compliments when they are sincere and being one of those stupid ass-kissers with no personality. Please don’t become one of them.

Rating:5 stars*****
From 2003 to 2005, Proof made us wait for his Searching For Jerry Garcia LP.
During those two year quest for talented guitarist Jerry Garcia, he has kept working hard on two jewels, two mixtapes, I Miss The Hip Hop Shop and Grown Man Shit. He has developed a style of his own. Deshaun Holton is a perfectionist who comes up with an brand new explosive album.
Detroit is in the house! Besides very interesting artistic collaborations like B-Real of Cypress Hill and Methodman, Proof hasn’t forgotten about his hometown : many Detroit talents like Obie Trice, BR Gunna, First Born of Purple Gang, King Gordy, J Hill and many more have contributed to Searching For Jerry Garcia.
The first track called Knice brings us back to the atmosphere of DJ Knice’s Detroit Hip Hop Awards at St Andrews.
From the very beginning to the end, you can feel Proof’s realness. He’s the kind of man who won’t let money corrupt his real me. True to the local scene, Proof expresses his love for his homies during the whole CD.
Clap With Me is mixed with rich musical themes that are announced in Grown Man Shit and makes you feel Proof on the run, always trying to be « better than best ».
Proof’s album has not been made for oversensitive souls: the better Proof gets in his artistic inspiration, the darker his themes. Death, suicide, invitations to suicide are numerous on the album.
Proof mentions the murder of John Lennon and Kurt Kobain’s suicide. By mentioning Jerry Garcia and icons like John Lennon and Kurt Kobain, Proof’s constant quest for real artists is constant. Contrary to a common opinion, a real and talented artist is a rare thing. So many so called « artists » have nothing to offer to their public but some weak commercial music: obviously they are just the « product » of the music industry. Unfortunately, they have no artistry and originality of their own to offer.
Proof is totally right about it:
« It’s exactly that, they were icons within the music industry. The biggest things about those guys are that they were artists. Today in the industry, man, you get a lot of the artists who duplicate what is already out there. They make it like everyone is manufactured as a product; they don’t even want to be an artist no more. »
The second thing is that a real artist never exists only by himself. If you have a look at any great artist, he has always been inspired by other past and contemporary great artists. The concept of an « artist » never excludes the concept of the « fan ».An real artist is also a fan, a music lover. Proof has never stopped being a fan: a fan of international artists and a fan of the local Detroit scene. You can see him on MTV and freestyling in his hometown afterwards as well.
Track Nr 3, Bilboa Theme reminds us of Proof’s constant quest for the talented guitarist Jerry Garcia actually was.
Proof’s album might explore the darkest themes, it also offers the attentive listener more insight about Deshaun’ s sensitive side. On track Nr5, Forgive Me in collaboration with 50 Cent, Proof asks God for forgiveness for his words and actions. It explains his dysfunctional family and his quick temper, his mistakes. Sounds of violin mixed up with piano sounds and rapid beats will make your heart melt in no time. Flashback to the time Bugz was still alive and words of love and recognition addressed to his long time friend Marshall…pure emotions. Proof pours his heart out.
Track 6 in collaboration with Detroit group Purple Gang is more offensive and aimed at Proof’s enemies who keep running their mouth.
Among Proof’s most valuable tracks, I’d highly recommend High Rollers featuring B-Real and Methodman, Pimplikeness featuring D12 (Eminem is present on the track too),72nd & Central featuring Obie Trice and J-Hill. Also, Don’t miss track Nr20, Kurt Kobain, an excellent and dark « Goodbye » track in which Proofs applies to his well known quote: « “If I was you, suicide would be a way of life. If you was me , you’d kill you.â€? A touching ode to suicide that won’t leave the listener indifferent.
Drugs and hoes are part of Derty Harry’s universe. The streets of Detroit are represented from the beginning to the end. Deshaun Holton has shown his full integrity as an artist. His realness is touching. If you love pure hip hop, you gonna love this album.
The musical background of Searching For Jerry Garcia is rich. Proof is always in search of new sounds and new techniques. Violons, piano, guitar, keyboard sounds, xylophones and many other instruments will make you appreciate the masterpiece Searching For Jerry Garcia actually is. Searching For Jerry Garcia deserves 5 stars. Check it out: it is really worth your interest.

Proof made us wait two years for this album. I have listened to his brand new album…It is pure fire!!!
Many interesting Detroit collaborations, songs featuring B-Real of Cypress Hill and Methodman…inspired by the talented guitarist Jerry Garcia, this album is explosive..Dehaun Holton is going to put fire to your homes. Expect some great music from an excellent artist…stay tuned:)

Credit to the Shady fiction Forum:

Have you ever heard about a young Detroit rapper named Solystic aka Slimm75 aka Zack Groulx? If not, you should really check him out, because he is worth your attention. I went to his personal website, took some time to explore him and I wondered why he was still unsigned, because his talent is quite impressing.
Who is Solystic?
Zack Groulx aka Solystic aka Slimm 75 was born on April the 2nd, 1985, in Detroit, Michigan. In the beginning, Zack didn’t picture himself as a rapper. Then, at the age of 15, he discovered Tupac. He started focusing a real interest on rap music, writing his own rhymes and doing his best to combine them with music and beats of his own.
At 16, Zack started recording some songs at a studio located at 9 Mile called The Disc.
At the age of 17, Zack Groulx was lucky to cross Lyle Wolf’s road. Lyle Wolf helped him to improve his style. Both men collaborated on different songs and their collaboration allowed Solystic to put seven more songs together, “My Chance,” “Game,” “The Letter,” “Here To Stay,” “Last Breath,” “The Edge,” and “Occupation.”
Like many apriring artists who want to promote their brand new work, Solystic started performing his seven songs for free. After performing 3 times at the state fair and twice at Checkards, Solystic made his demo, ” One Way To Go.”
Despite the hard work he had put in his demo and his strong will to succeed, Solystic didn’t receive any response from the 10 labels whom he had sent it.
At the age of 19, struggling for more independence, Solystic built his own studio with the help of Lyle Wolf, at 25 Mile and Shelby.
Solystic made a live appearance at Grand Rapids’ radio WSNX.
His songs are currently played at a local Boston radio. Solystic is currently collaborating with Dj Marqious on his new CD.
Solystic’s influences
Zack is open minded towards many musical genres. His major influences are Ozzy, Eminem, Aerosmith, Tupac and many more…
His musical style
Zack Groulx comes up with an original style of his own, a rich instrumentation, some good lyrics, various themes and a strong voice.
That’s why you’d better not categorize his style, Solystic writes like he feels it:
“My style shouldn’t be categorized , it’s just how I feel.”
Curious to discover how Solystic sounds? Check him out here.

By Katie Archer
A MISSING mother-of-three obsessed with rap star Eminem is feared to have either killed herself or left the country in search of her idol.
Susan Strentz, 43, had been taking anti-depressants to help her deal with the pain of divorce and losing custody of her youngest child.
She tried to hang herself three years ago and relatives are now desperate to track her down in case she tries to do the same again.
Miss Strentz is last known to have been on the Valley Park industrial estate in Croydon on Monday night.
The missing mother had started using cannabis over the last year and when she divorced her husband of two years, Jamshed Bruchra, he was given full custody of their five-year-old son Jai, with Susan only allowed to see him on Saturdays.
Her brother Ian Strentz said: “She had fallen in with the wrong crowd and started dressing like a teenager, and became increasingly obsessed with the rapper Eminem. She would come up to you and just start rapping for no apparent reason. I was embarrassed to walk down the street with her.”
Susan had been living in temporary accommodation in Park Hill Road, Carshalton, with her eldest son Lloyd, 15, for the last three months.
Lloyd had seen his mother earlier on Monday and she had also been to the house of daughter Katrina, 16, to drop off clothes, her purse, jewellery and other personal possessions.
Ian said: “She told me to give some money to my kids for her as well. It was as if she was saying goodbye.”
Although they did not see her again, Susan sent a flurry of text messages to family members –texting Katrina 30 times and her brother 15 times.
Ian said: “It got annoying because the messages were coming through every minute, so I switched my phone off for a while. I couldn’t understand a lot of them because she’d written it in rap language, but the last one at 9.15pm said to say goodbye to our family and that she was going to kill herself at midnight.”
But police managed to trace Susan’s phone moving through the Valley Park industrial estate at 12.15am, suggesting Susan was either still alive or someone had taken her phone.
Ian said: “She’d suffered a nervous breakdown and been through hell and back, and the drugs hadn’t helped her state of mind. She became heavily involved in the rap scene, dressing like a rapper, going to Croydon club Granary’s and writing her own lyrics which she sent to Eminem.
“She was always on the phone to America trying to speak to him and she went to see him at Milton Keynes and a small gig in London that only a few people went to.”
It was at this London concert that Susan handed her own lyrics to Eminem and became convinced that the raps she had been writing for him were used in one of his songs.
Susan’s brother became increasingly worried about the company she kept.
He said: “Just before she moved into her temporary accommodation she was staying with three Portuguese men who were about 18 or 19 and living in Sutton. She was apparently seeing one of them but when she refused to marry him they threw her out of the flat. She lost all her old, real friends because she totally lost the plot over the last year.
“Everyone who cared about her has lost touch with her – our brothers Chad and Deke don’t speak to her and our mum Carol, who is 62, had fallen out with her and wouldn’t tell her where she lived because Susan kept swearing at her. But she just really needs some help and support.”
When Ian went to his sister’s house in search of clues to her whereabouts, he found a letter she had written to their 84-year-old grandmother in India, saying she was the only person she could talk to.
Ian also found her passport had gone, sparking fears that she may be trying to flee the country in search of hero Eminem.
He said: “She always said that one day she would just get up and go, and if she’s alive I think she’ll be on her way to America. It’s been a few days now and I’m getting quite worried about her.”
Police are tracking Susan’s passport and phone, and have put credit on her phone so she can call someone to let them know where she is, as all calls are going to voicemail.
DS Gary Welsh, of Sutton police, said: “Susan’s phone was last traced to the Valley Park industrial estate in the area of Asda and Ikea.
“We are persisting with inquiries and tracing her last movements. We are very concerned for her welfare.”
* Anyone with information should call DS Welsh on 020 8649 0744.

When people think about Detroit, they usually think about the city in negative terms: unfriendly city of cement, « Murder Capital », city of big cars and factories. People often forget about Detroit’s rich musical heritage.
Detroit’s contemporary hip hop scene is a boiling place of various talents and different styles with « a typical flavor made in the D », but Detroit’s musical history is larger than the hip hop scene in itself.
As far as we can look back to the 50-60’s, Detroit City has always had a very opened musical spirit and ear. One label in particular played a major role in Detroit’s musical history: the Motown label.
The Motown label was the first label to have an African American owner and to experience a widespread international success. The greatest musicians have been signed to Motown Records.
Berry Gordy, the founder of the Motown label
Berry Gordy was born in Detroit on November the 28th, 1929. Berry Gordy is an African American record producer. Born from Berry Gordy Sr and Bertha Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr was the 7th child of an 8 children family.
Berry Gordy dropped out of school when he was in the eleventh grade. He wanted to become a professional wrestler, but he also dedicated a lot of time to writing songs on the piano during his spare time.
Soon Berry Gordy would realize that a musical career is what interested him most.
In 1950, Berry Gordy integrated the American Army and was sent to Korea to serve as a soldier for the Korean war.
Back from war, in 1953, Berry Gordy Jr married Thelma Coleman. He decided to open a record store,3-D Record Mart, that was all about jazz music . The record shop wasn’t as successful as expected and Berry was forced to find some work at the Lincoln Mercury auto plant in order to support his family. However, he didn’t give up his plans to be part of the music industry and he spent much time writing songs during the night.
He met music producer Al Green thanks to his sister Gwen. Al Green was the owner of owner of the Flame Show Bar talent club. There Berry Gordy met Jackie Wilson.
In 1957, Jackie Wilson recorded “Reet Petite” , Berry Gordy’s song in collaboration with his sister Gwen and Billy Davis.
Berry Gordy released several hits afterwards, “Lonely Teardrops,” “To Be Loved,” and “I’ll Be Satisfied” .
An argument over royalties between Gordy and Al Green over royalties on a Jacky Wilson track lead to a split between both of them.
In 1957, Gordy discovered Smokey Robinson and his group, The Miracles.
In 1959, Berry Gordy founded a R&B label called Tamla Motown Records. The name Tamla was inspired by Debbie Reynolds’ film ‘Tammy’. Motown, as most of you would probably know, is Motor Town, home of Ford Motors in Detroit.
Not only did Berry Gordy help making black music more popular among white people, he also opened doors for many black producers.
Bringing Detroit voices and sounds to an international level
The first artists to be signed to Motown in its early debuts were Mabel John, Barrett Strong, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.
Motown’s early start in the 50’s and 60’s
The label was started with Barrett Strong’s hit « Money » (« That’s What I Want ») in 1959. Its first Nr1 R&B hit was The Miracle’s song « Shop Around ».
In 1961, the Marvelettes hit the top of the Uk charts with « Please Mr Postman ».
The Motown label started becoming more powerful in the mid sixties thanks to Smokey Robinson and to Holland-Dozier-Holland a song writing and producing team. Who are Holland-Dozier-Holland?
Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian Holland and Edward Holland, Jr.
Edward Holland helped pioneer the classic Motown sound of the 60’s.
What is exactly the Motown sound?
The Motown sound is a specific style of soul music characterized by the use of instruments like tambourine, drums and bass inspired by a singing gospel style.
Marvin Gaye’s « How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You » is an example of a typical Motown sound.
Between 1960 and 1970: bringing in “The Sound of Young America”
During this decade, top artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and The Supremes, the Jackson 5 were signed to Motown Records.
Artists from the Motown Label were appreciated among black and white audiences as well, which was certainly a great achievement for Motown.
In 1968, Holland-Dozier- Holland left the label because of a dispute over royalties. Motown Records experienced a temporary decline.
Motown in the 70’s-80’s
Great and successful artists such as Lionel Ritchie and The Commodores and Rick James were signed to the Motown label during the 70’s and 80’s.
Motown relocated from Detroit to LA in 1972. Motown started focusing on the movie industry and released films such as such as Lady Sings the Blues, Mahogany, The Wiz, Thank God It’s Friday and The Last Dragon.
Motown sold to MCA and Boston Ventures
In 1988, Berry Gordy decided to sell his label to MCA and Boston Ventures for for $61 million.
The Motown label has become a branch of Universal Music and is still active as a label.
Representative of Motown’s classic years, Stevie Wonder is still present on the label.
As the hard working man he actually was, Berry Gordy Jr has made his dream become reality. By creating the famous Motown label, he managed to make the Motown sound and black artists popular in America and worldwide.
For that he deserves a lot of admiration. Motown artists like the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye and Lionel Ritchie have influenced black music’s history and will be remembered always.
Motown Records is the first Detroit label to make it big in the music industry, but -believe me- certainly not the last.

It’s up to us to attract luck or misfortune. I know this might sound weird to many of you, but I strongly believe it.
A recent experience I made seems to fully confirm it.
I was recently confronted to a problem that really bothered me. I couldn’t see any reasonable solution for it and my first reaction was to panic.
However , I know by experience that anxiety will lead me nowhere and only worsens the problem I might be confronted to. Overreacting only makes us feel bad and weak. When we’re in a bad state of mind, we often lack a clear and objective vision of the situation. That’s why it is so much important to analyze the way we react.
At the very moment I realized I was reacting the wrong way, I decided to stop reacting and to start acting.
After several phone calls, a few appointments, my problem has eventually been solved. Not only has it been solved, things have turned to my best advantage!
No matter how dark the situation seems to be, remember there is always a way out. Remember that only your reaction to the event can hurt you and you will only be unlucky if you think that you are.
In our material world, sometimes things look bad- in appearance. Be spiritual and be conscious of your power: make the right choice.
We can choose life instead of death, happiness instead of pain, luck instead of misfortune. Choose the attitude that will make a winner of you-no matter what.