I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rasheeda of Intellectual Chocolate.  We talked empowering the Black Community, the power of the pen, and of course we talked about Soles For Sale.  Check out the full interview below.

 

If you don't know now you know that producer Emilio Bucks and myself have formed an alliance in the form of Senior Class. We just want to bring some grown folks hip hop music to the game and we were fortunate enough to have a meeting with WGCI Music Director, Al B. Sylk.  We played him our joint "Finding You" feat. Russoul (Another Chitown Artist), and he apparently liked it. 

We were fortunate enough to have the song played on 107.5 WGCI and we received a good response. We just want to give a sincere thank you for the opportunity. If you want the song to continue to play on WGCI, free free to hit em' up at albsylk@wgci.com and tell him to play that Senior Class, "Finding You" 

As any musician will tell  you, we always want the opportunity to express our talents and be paid for them at the same time. I'm happy to report that 2014 has started out on the right foot of even the left foot if you prefer that one. P5Audio, a fantastic artist by the name of Djoir Jordan, and myself were blessed enough to have a song we wrote called, "Party Rockin'" placed in the trailer for the "Best Night Ever." It's a good start. Let's Get It Let's Go!

I had the opportunity to talk to two dope gentlemen that understand the gift of being swift with a pen. They were gracious enough to want to inteview me about all my adventures in Holllywood and how my pen game has lead me to write songs, a book, and now a documentary film.  Check out my interview on The Next Episode with Harlem and Fave. 

THE NEXT EPISODE - THE HASSAHN PHENOMENON EDITION 

What's Good Party People!

So you know we have been hard at work over with DEMOS. Whether it's the movie, the web-series, and now the soundtrack, our team is working to give you a quality product that hopefully influences, inspires, and motivates you to give the best DEMONSTRATION of you. Besides, a DEMO is nothing but a brief representation of who you are. It is your choice who you are or decide to be. With that being said, check out the latest news from DEMOS. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2013

CHECK OUT THE FIRST OFFICIAL SINGLE FROM THE
SOUNDTRACK TO THE UPCOMING FILM
DEMOS: AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST'S GUIDE TO SUCCESS

SKYZOO & TORAE AKA THE BARREL BROTHERS
"THE GET UP"

The wait will soon be over, as anticipation builds for the release of the long awaiting documentary film, DEMOS: An Independent Artist's Guide To Success. Set for an online release of May 22nd, DEMOS will fuel independent artists with the knowledge needed to catapult their careers to the next level.

Accompanying DEMOS (the film) will be DEMOS (the soundtrack), featuring all new music by artists such as Rapper Big Pooh, Planet Asia, Tanya Morgan, King Mez, Truck North, Supastition and many more.

The first single comes from Brooklyn's own Skyzoo & Torae AKA The Barrel Brothers with their Shawn J produced / !llmind mixed track "The Get Up". The single is available now on iTunes and can be streamed on SoundCloud.

LISTEN TO "THE GET UP"

PURCHASE ON iTUNES

ABOUT DEMOS:

How do I stand out in the sea of Hip-Hop artists trying to make it the business today? How do I build a brand and create an image? Should I put out a promotional mixtape or work on a full album first? How can I get sponsorship for shows and tours? Do I need a booking agent?

These and countless other questions have been asked by independent Hip-Hop artists across the country for years. And for the first time DEMOS: An Independent Artist’s Guide To Success answers these questions masterfully with, with the help of Hip-Hop legends, successful independent artists, and tastemakers covering the entire span of the Music Industry and Hip-Hop culture. With appearances by Talib Kweli, Naughty By Nature, Black Thought, DJ Quik, Rapper Big Pooh, Siedah Garrett, Tony Rock, Dwele, Mack 10 and a host of others, DEMOS is guaranteed to become a much needed, revitalizing game changer for the Independent Hip-Hop community.

The brainchild of new documentarian Kareem Fort, COO of HiPNOTT Records and co-owner of Cypher Lounge Radio, DEMOS is not your average film. It truly serves as an awe-inspiring guide to success for independent artists at any level of their career.

To help bring his vision to life, Fort brought on HiPNOTT Records CEO and renowned Hip-Hop blogger Kevin Nottingham, who shares the executive producer credit; along with Hip-Hop artist and Cypher Lounge Radio Co-Owner and Host Hassahn Phenomenon and manager Soul Wallace as Producers on the DEMOS project. The result is an honest and dynamic look at the real success reflected across the Independent Hip-Hop community.

DEMOS was created to educate and inspire aspiring and emerging independent Hip-Hop artists to re-evaluate their approach to the business and accelerate their path to success. The film’s primary objective is to provide insight on the myriad ways to establish and further a successful independent music career. Each of the industry veterans and established artists featured share experiences, advice and techniques in an unusually candid manor, providing an invaluable and unprecedented resource for the up-and-coming artist. From scholarly advice about branding and getting noticed, to revelations about submitting content to the media, DEMOS leaves no subject untouched, making it an instant must-see for any serious musician.

Set for a May 22, 2013 release, DEMOS will thoroughly examine how the music industry has changed over the course of the last 20 years and how to navigate those changes from the unique standpoint of the artists. Now more than ever, artists need to empower and equip themselves with the biggest asset to maximize their chances at success: information. DEMOS offers every secret weapon to catapult an independent artists career to the next level.

FOLLOW DEMOS:
Facebook
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Official Website
View Trailer
FOLLOW SKYZOO:
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FOLLOW TORAE:
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What's good party people! If you don't know, now you know that we are just about ready to release DEMOS Documentary to the world. Kareem Fort and I have been traveling around the US screening to film to various audiences and the response has been overwhelming! Our first screening went down at The Grammy Museum during Grammy Week so that was a hell of a way to kick off this new journey.  We can't wait for everybody to see this film but for now enjoy Episoode 1 of the DEMOS Web Series. 

Now we have linked up with Daily Motion to bring to you the DEMOS Web Series. Daily Motion is the world’s second largest video destination with 112M UMV and #31 site online ranked by comScore,  Last week we released the exclusive first episode of the highly anticipated web series, DEMOS, to help educate and inspire independent Hip-Hop artists. The series, which is the brain child of rising documentarian Kareem Fort, features top Hip-Hop artists sharing their own stories and insights of how to make it in the world of independent music. Eight inspiring episodes will be released exclusively on Dailymotion once-a-week leading up to the premier of Fort’s debut film, DEMOS: An Independent Artist’s Guide to Success, on May 22, 2013. The 30 minute intro to the full length documentary will also be simulcast only on Dailymotion.
Featuring  interviews obtained during the making of the full film, DEMOS: The Web Series gives artists and fans a unique look into the world of independent Hip-Hop and what it takes to make it big. Episode one features artist Black Thought discussing how acceptance in music has changed and how embracing one’s individual talents can help one find success in their own niche. Subsequent episodes feature Talib Kweli sharing the risks and rewards of being a leader, Murs delving into the concept of group advancement, Kendrick Lamar conveying the importance of connecting with one’s fans, and four other insightful episodes.

“Dailymotion prides itself on providing both an outlet for independent content creators to grow and the guidance they seek to reach new heights,” says Neil Gladstone, VP of Content for Dailymotion US. “The DEMOS Web Series reflects these ideals and more, and Dailymotion is excited to partner with Kareem Fort on distributing these episodes ahead of the DEMOS film premiere.”

The DEMOS film and web series showcases over two years of work by creator Kareem Fort, as he set out to show the world an alternate view of success in Hip-Hop. As COO of HiPNOTT Records, Fort knew first hand that success as an independent Hip-Hop artist is more than attainable; it happens daily, across the globe, and in many different ways. DEMOS brings new light to the countless artists who have found success outside of the major label system and the myriad ways in which they have created that success.
The result is an unrivaled resource for aspiring Hip-Hop artists that both inspires and educates through the experiences, advice and proven techniques recounted by an elite group of Hip-Hop legends and industry tastemakers.

“I am very excited to partner with such a well-respected brand as Dailymotion,” says Kareem Fort. “The fact that the entire team understands and supports my vision and shares my enthusiasm about DEMOS and what it can contribute to the hip hop culture makes me confident that this is just the beginning of a great relationship.”
The DEMOS Web Series, which is slated to continue on past the documentary’s premier, is the latest content featured on Dailymotion as part of an ongoing effort to connect content creators directly with their audience. To learn more about Dailymotion and its extensive premium content library, please visit www.dailymotion.com. To learn more about the DEMOS documentary, please visit www.demosdocumentary.com



DEMOS — Black Thought: "Choose Your Lane" by DemosDocumentary

Some of you may not know and I believe most of you do that I have been working on a documentary film called DEMOS for the last two years. The film is the brainchild of my partner in crime and Executive Producer/Director, Kareem Fort. He recruited me to write and co-producer the film and I was honored to jump on board to help out in whatever way I could.  Along with Kevin Nottingham, Soul Wallace, Kelli Jones, Dae One, Big Dho, Dwayne Johnson, Reggie "Nobody Famous" Perry, and a host of others, this thing has really come together. It goes to show you that one small vision with the right plan and execution can lead to something amazing.

We had our first official screening of the movie at the Grammy Musuem located in th LA Live complex of downtown Los Angeles. We have more screenings coming up that we will be announcing but for now I just want you all to see the Official Trailer for DEMOS. Follow us @DemosDocFilm and check out the website at www.demosdocumentary.com. Love Life, Live & Learn!

Ever since the 2009 release of “Pressure,” which was the debut album of Hassahn Phenomenon where Emilio Bucks served as the Executive Producer, the streets, industry, and everyone else have been wondering… what happened to Chicago’s dynamic duo? The answer to that question is SENIOR CLASS and “Finding You” is the first single.

Channeling his inner Lebron James, Emilio Bucks took his talents to the country of Colombia where he has been orchestrating world tours, producing & playing for a Latin Jazz band, while still creating sonic designs for some of Chitown’s finest MC’s and crooners. Fresh off of dazzling the celebrity panel at the iStandard Producer’s Showcase in his hometown of Chicago where iStandard founder J Hatch said, “Emilio Bucks is dope and the game needs his original style of production,” Emilio Bucks is ready to put pressure on the game once again by linking back up with his partner in rhyme.

Hassahn Phenomenon took a hiatus from the stage to lend his pen game to world of television and film licensing. With songs now placed on NBC, ABC, CW, HBO, Spike TV, and more recently the major motion picture, American Reunion, Hassahn is ready to show the world exactly why he deserves the name Phenomenon. Adding film producer/writer to his resume for his work on the upcoming documentary, DEMOS, HP is ready to return to his roots by linking back up with is musical a-alike.

Together, Emilio Bucks and Hassahn Phenomenon have formed the tandem, “Senior Class.” The name speaks for itself and the duo is ecstatic to be working together again and will be releasing the upcoming EP, “Life Moves Pretty Fast.” The project is adult contemporary hip-hop with a Chitown essence that is scintillating enough for the grown & sexy yet edgy enough for the young & the restless. The first single, “Finding You” is a soulful banger that features Chitown R&B crooner, Russoul that is guaranteed to have the streets, Internet, radio, & the club lost in the groove.

 Uuumm, I just want to know what I was thinking when I decided to keep my shades on in the booth. Either I'm on some Hollywood Sh*t or I'm hiding my lazy eye from the microphone! 

Posting the lyrics to "The Good Life" for JabbaWockee1000 just becasue you requested it 

 Let’s get this party started,
This how it’s going down
In every big city,
In each and every town
Enjoy the good life,
At least for one night
Bartender fill my cup
It’s time live it up

PRE-Chorus
Let’s get started, let’s get down
In every city, in every town
Let’s live the good life, Let’s do it right
Buy a drink, tonight’s the night


VERSE 2
I know you feelin’ good,
it’s time to get it in
We only met tonight,
and now we all friends
Just keep the party going,
we ain’t gone never stop
Just a little bit for a little bit,
we made the planet rock

Greetings & Salutations Party People!

So why am I posting the trailer to American Reunion? Well, I actually enjoyed the first and second American Pie films so I figured since this one had the original cast, I would probably enjoy this one as well.  Naw, I'm lying...well not about enjoying the film but about the reason I'm posting the trailer. On April 6, 2012 the movie comes out and the film as well as the soundtrack features a Pop song I wrote called,  "The Good Life" featuring Laura Watkins.  It was produced by my fam over at P5Audio. The funny part about is that when we finished the song I knew it would get placed in a film just because of the nature of the song and my strong belief that we have the ability to influence our surroundings by the energy we put into the universe.  Before I get all metaphysical on you,  just go check out the movie.   So when you are sitting there watching the movie, don't  leave until you see my name in the credits...LOL!  With that being said enjoy your day and remember to believe in the absolute wonder of you.  

The answer is yes. Due to the historical ramifications surrounding African Americans in this country as well as the current social injusticies that still exist, it is absolutely harder or we must agree that it is at least different to raise a Black child in America.  That is not to say that raising children of other ethnic backgrounds is easy, but Black parents have to deal with other issues that  many other parents don't.  This is not just my opinion, this is actual fact based on years of research and the current state of social conditions surrounding many Black communities. 

I personally come from a middle class Black family where I was surrounded by options that varied from the street life to  college life.  I chose the latter based on my upbringing but many of us don't have positive examples to follow. Instead we follow what has been taught to us and passed down from our ancestors.  For example, many Black parents still whoop, whip, or hit their children as a primary form of discipline.  Although, I have never had a whoopin', I was raised in a large family where that was the general rule of thumb.  For years, I never really saw anything wrong with it until I got a little older.  Truthfully, it is a form of discipline passed down from slavery that I choose not to utilize. I don't condemn anyone for the way they raise their children as long as they aren't abusive but I would suggest trying something new or at least adding depth to the disciplinary repertoire.  With that being said, I was introduced to amazing program created by  Dr. Kerby T. Alvy, Ph.D called the "Effective Black Parenting Program."  After speaking many parents that went through this program, I was convinced that Dr. Alvy had something here.  I was so convinced that once he offer me the opportunity  to co-write a book with him that would tell the life-changing stories of  these parents,  there was no way I could turn down this amazing opportunity. 

With that beind said, written by Dr. Kerby T. Alvy, Ph.D. with Earnest Harris, Lisa Nicole Bell, and myself,  The Soulful Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy and Successful African American Children brings the excitement and goodness of what the Center for the Improvement of Child Caring (CICC)’s Effective Black Parenting Program has done for numerous parents nationwide, through stories about how they have used the teachings of the program to create happier homes and happier and healthier relationships with their children. Their stories are accompanied by illustrations of what the program teaches, so that you too can make use of the skills and parenting ideas of the program in your relationships with your children.

So the this entire concept of having a friend with benefits is something I'm familiar with in past and I must say, it actually worked out for me.  The ONLY way it works is if both parties are completely honest wtih themselves and the other person involved.  If one person starts to catch  feelings as they say; change your name to Saran cause it's a wrap.  Speaking of honesty, let's be absolutely truthful for a moment; 9 times out of 10 there are some sort of feelings present before the friends with benefits relationship actually takes place so trust me when I say, somebody in the duo was already "caught" before before the  lay down situation even happened. 

Where I am going with this, you ask...Well, after having a personal experience with this topic, I found it quite ironic that the new show on NBC, entitled, "Friends With Benefits." featured a song, "You and Me," that I wrote back when I was involved in the "FWB" relationship.. It's so a funny how a song I wrote during that time in my life is just now finding it's way to NBC to support their idea of the aforementioned complex relationship many of us have dabbled with. The show aired on 8/12/11 and I think I wrote the song back in 2007.  Whatever the case, I ain't mad at NBC for choosing "You and Me," which was produced by P5Audio, nor am I mad about my Friends with Benefits situation. 

Representing for Cypher Lounge Radio, Hassahn Phenomenon teams up with KevinNottingham.com,and  HiPNOTT Records and returns to the A3C Hip Hop Festival this October to present The Underground Express.  this year’s showcase will feature performances from Rapper Big Pooh, J-Live, One Be Lo (of Binary Star), El Da Sensei with DJ Puerto-Roc, Khrysis & Sean Boog AKA The Away Team, Boog Brown, Bodega Brovas, The Regiment, Raven Sorvino, Lyric Jones and Moke & Tone. DeeJaying the event with be HiPNOTT’s own DJ Mark-1.

This is an event you won’t want to miss. Good music and good times. Plus we’ll have merch and some special surpises! Check our YouTube Channel for highlights from last year’s showcase. See you there!


Event Date: Thursday, October 6, 2011

Event Time: 6:00pm – 11:00pm

Event Location: A3C Hip Hop Festival @ Masquerade | 695 North Ave, Atlanta, GA 30308

A3C Hip Hop Festival tickets are available on the A3C website. 3-day passes are $33 and daily passes are $15/day

What's Good Party People! I hope, pray, and wish that you are living life to the absolute fullest while enjoying being the wonder of you today and everyday.  It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you without out a dope beat to step to.  Anyway, for those that have asked and for those of you that may have inquired a time or two, I am finally back in the lab and ready to do some new music.  I have been working hard on a few other projects so I have been busy with that.  What other projects you ask... Well check them out below.

Cypher Lounge Radio - Check out me and Dasha, The Divine Divah every Wednesday night at 7pm.  We just attended a taping of Affion Crockett's new show on FOX called "In The Flow."  You may see me on TV so make sure you check it out when it drops.

DEMOS Documentary Film - Yes, I'm officially a producer and screenwriter now...LOL
 
The Soulful Parent - This one I'm very excited about. By the end  of June of this year, I will be a published author. I'm basically one of the co-authors on a book the centers around the  stories of the fortunate individuals that have participated in Dr. Kerby Alvy's, PHD,  "Effective Black Pareneting Program." The book is called, "The Soulful Parent." When you hear the stories of these people, you will not only be touched but you may also pick up a parenting jewel or two. 

With that being said, check out this little freestyle I did on my iPhone over EPMD's "So Whatchu Sayin."  As always, Let's Get It! Let's Go!

Love Life, Live & Learn,

HP

Greetings & Salutations Family, Friends, & Honored Guests.  I have some exciting news coming very soon that I can't wait to share with you. Trust me, this is a pretty big one but more importantly it will be quite significant in that it shoud help out many people that are looking for answers.  I will give you a hint; it's not music related or movie related but it does have something to do with "Writing the Wrongs" in our lives.  I will make the Big Announcement on February 7th.  Until then, dont wait for a miracle to happen, be the miracle that makes it happen.

Love Life, Live & Learn,

HP

Greetings & Salutations Family, Friends, & Honored Guests!  Just wanted to drop in real quick and let you all know that The Movement continues.  This DEMOS film project that I am a part of is really taking off and we aren't even done shooting it yet. Kevin, Kareem, Velv, Matt, Kirk, and I continue to be blessed with one amazing experience after another.  I wish I could tell you about the experience I had just last night as we interviewed a few new people that you may have heard of for the documentary, but I was was sworn to secrecy...but if you text me, I might leak the info...LOL!   In the meantime , check out the article/interview below  that Velv, Kareem, and I did for Centric TV's Culture List. 
 

CENTRIC TV's CULTURE LIST -DEMOS

As the brainchild of Kareem Fort, C.O.O of HiPNOTT Records and Co-Owner of Cypher Lounge Radio, DEMOS is not just your average documentary film; it truly serves as an awe-inspiring guide to success for the struggling, intermediate, or well established independent artist.

Joining forces with Kevin Nottingham, C.E.O of HiPNOTT Records and Hip Blogger, the dynamic duo has come together once again to breathe a breath of fresh air into a somewhat asthmatic industry with this powerful film. As Executive Producers of the project, Kevin and Kareem also brought on Hip-Hop Artist and Co-Owner/Host of Cypher Lounge Radio, Hassahn Phenomenon as well as Velv Somersault as producers on the DEMOS project.

“How do I stand out from the countless other artists trying to make it? “Should I put out a mixtape or an album first?” “Do I need a booking agent?” “How do I build my brand and create an image?” “How can I get sponsorship for shows and tours?” These questions are the essence of DEMOS. The answers are masterfully supplied by hip-hop legends, highly successful independent artists, and industry tastemakers covering the entire span of music culture. Narrated by the Grammy Award winning Hip-Hop Poet, J Ivy and featuring the likes of Talib Kweli, Naughty By Nature, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Carl Choi, Rapper Big Pooh, Da Beatminerz, Jean Grae, Tony Rock, Asya Shein, Statik Selektah, Dumbfoundead, Mac Miller, and a host of others, DEMOS will soon serve as the standard by which all How-To-Guide films should be measured. Slated for a Summer 2011 release, DEMOS is guaranteed to be a game changer. Leading up to the release, the creators of DEMOS will be releasing a series of trailers, contests, and other details surrounding the film. Stay tuned and for the time being…

Please Listen to Watch My DEMO... WATCH THE DEMOS TRAILER HERE


ABOUT DEMOS

Demos is a documentary that was created to educate and inspire the emerging hip-hop independent artist to accelerate their career. Its primary objective is to provide insight on the myriad of ways to establish or further enhance a successful independent music career. Industry veterans along with well established indie artists will share their experiences, advice and techniques providing an invaluable and unprecedented resource for the up and coming artist. From scholarly advice about branding and getting noticed to revelations about submitting content to media outlets, Demos is a film that should be on any musician’s “must-see list!

Demos will expound upon how the industry has transformed over the years. Through the industry’s overhaul, the artist needs to now empower and equip themselves with this essential information to maximize their chances of success. The music industry is ever-changing and to keep up, you must be well equipped; Demos is the tool to create a metamorphosis within an artist career.

Appearances By: Pete Rock and CL Smooth,,Naughty By Nature, Shyheim, King from PNC Radio, Murs, Carl Choi, El Prez, Dae One, Statik Selektah, Talib Kweli, Tony Rock,Verbs, Wax, Dumbfoundead, Money Makin Jam Boyz, Z of DJBooth.net, Asya of Fusicology, Spintelect, Bigg PWee of KJLH, K Sparks, The Regiment, Convinced, Raven Sorvino, Jean Grae, Pharoah Monch, Big Dho, Jake Paine of HHDX.com, Da Beatminerz, Cisco Adler, Chris Young, DJ Houseshoes, J Davey, Sean Falyon, Marley Marl, TruthLive, Matt Diamond, Joe Scudda, Chaundon, DJ Rhettmatic, Kooley High, Tanya Morgan, Kyra Kyles, Tanvi Patel of Crucial Music, Mac Miller, Warren G, Verbs, Cymarshall Law, and more to be announced.