www.HardKnock.tv Crooked I talks to Hard Knock’ TV’s Devi Dev about Eminem’s new album, Slaughterhouse signing to Eminem’s Shady Records, working on next Slaughterhouse album and his relationship to Suge Knight and Suge’s Death Row Legacy. Plus Dev tries to get Crooked I to Freestyle. Check out http for the rest of this interview.
www.hardknock.tv Hard Knock Tv’s Nick Huff Barili caught up with John Legend to talk about the collaborative project he is putting out with The Roots called Wake Up! John says that the album concept came around the time of the presidential election. The idea was to cover some of the songs that came out around the Civil Rights Movement. He goes on to say that the music from the 60’s and 70’s is still very relevant to what is going on today comparing the War in Iraq to Vietnam and saying that the struggle and inequality in inner cities continues. Legend says that R&B today is all about Sex and glosses over the rest of humanity. With this album John and The Roots want to bring back the depth that is missing today. Interview contains clips from the first single from the project titled Wake Up Everybody, which features Common and Melanie Fiona and is a reinterpretation of HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUENOTES! Please support good music and go buy the album! For Part 2 of this interview check out www.hardknock.tv
Video Rating: 5 / 5
www.hardknock.tv To start of the interview Wiz Khalifa tells Nick Huff Barili the multiple meanings of naming his new album Rolling Papers (including that he doesn’t write his rhymes any more) and why there are only 3 features on the album ( not Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross or anyone else). Wiz continues by saying that he is doing a whole album with Snoop for the High School movie soundtrack and that he is going to work with Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka when he rolls through Atlanta. Wiz says if he had to pick a favorite track on his new album it would be The Race because it is a good representation of who he is as an artists right now. Part one of this interview ends with Wiz telling us the best Taylor Gang or comment he has ever heard or at least recently. This Hard Knock TV feature also contains SXSW Fader Fort footage of Wiz performing The Thrill, Roll Up, The Race and more. Also includes a couple cameos from Wiz’s girlfriend Amber Rose. Make sure to subscribe to www.youtube.com to get our latest videos including part 2 with Wiz next week.
www.HardKnock.tv EXCLUSIVE Dr Dre says Detox is coming out by the end of this FALL, says he wants to make sure he give everyone what they are waiting for so they are not disappointed? Dre also tells HardKnock.TV’s Devi Dev in this interview that the “Under Pressure” leak featuring Jay-Z is not a finished song, its not blended right and there is no hook on it yet! Ps the lovely lady next to Dr Dre is his WIFE! This interview took place at the 23RD ANNUAL ASCAP RHYTHM & SOUL MUSIC AWARDS where DR DRE received the ASCAP’s Founders Award.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
www.HardKnock.TV caught up with Ice Cube at Paid Dues to talk about his new album I AM The West which has got folks talking about New West Vs Old West. Cube also breaks down new songs Man Vs Machine and Hood Robbin. “[‘Man Vs. Machine’] is talking about our obsessions with machinery and how it’s taking over. Automation is taking over human beings in all our relevancy in this world. Pretty soon, machines are gonna take over and that’s just real,” Cube tells HardKnock.TV. “It’s happening in all of our lives. If electricity went out, and you couldn’t use these things, these gadgets that ya’ll using right now, we’d be back in the stone age.” “[Hood Robbin’] is talking about how big corporations is now stealing from the poor and giving to the rich,” the rapper explains. “It’s a whole thing about the things we’re going up against with housing and medical insurance … just everything people are going through. Real sh** that ain’t got nothing to do with money, cars, [and] all the sh** most rappers talk about.” He finishes of part one of this interview by addressing how LA has changed since he put out Wicked in 1991 and says that we still have to work on Black and Brown relations because we are all in the same shit. Interview by Nick Huff and Mark Jenkins for Hard Knock TV.
www.HardKnock.tv Ron Artest (new single Champions is out now) talks about Kobe Bryant, Shaq and best NBA rappers. He also tells HardKnock.TV that he has a song about Eminem and why he thinks Em could be the best rapper of all time or just in the top 10. Artest aka Tru Warier and Mistah FAB shout out their favorite freestyle rappers. Interview by Devi Dev and Nick Huff Barili also contains clip from Mistah FAB’s freestyles on the streets of SXSW. Check out Hard Knock TV for the full versions of freestyles.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
www.hardknock.tv Exclusive in-depth interview with Theophilus London. In part 1 Theophilus talks to Nick Huff Barili about growing up in Brooklyn and listening to a lot of Calypso music, Notorious BIG, Jay-Z, Michael Jackson, Mase, P Diddy, Marvin Gaye and so on. Theophilus recalls his first Hip Hop memory as watching Snoop Dogg’s Gin N Juice Video with his friends and being amazed when Snoop morphed into a Dog. TL goes on to say that Kanye West’s Late Registration was the first rap record that blew his mind. TL said that he likes the relationship he has with Kanye because they talk about Women and Music. He added that he is not in a rush to run into the studio with Kanye and that for now it’s good to just have him as a friend and mentor. Not needing a Co-Sing or having big features on his album Theophilus instead worked on his relationship with Brands, his imaging and custom building his clothes. He went as far as quoting Madonna “If no one wants to use you, you are worthless?”. Say Word?? The interview continues with TL talking about how his sound developed from his mixtape This Charming Mixtape to his new album Timez Are Weird These Days, which he didn’t use samples on because he wanted to show people that he can write songs. The album was built on spirituality and faith in progressive music and not trying to work with producers or artists to try to sell records. Make sure to subscribe to www.youtube.com/hardknocktv for our latest videos, including part 2 of our …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
www.hardknock.tv Exclusive in-depth interview with Terrace Martin, Devi Dev and Badd Lucc. In part 2 Terrace talks about working with Wiz Khalifa and Kendrick Lamar before their major buzz and what he sees as keys to their success. Terrace who has songs in the vaults with numerous artists plays us a song where he sampled Jodeci, which Wiz jumped on. Terrace explains that Wiz was at his house when they made the song and that he prefers to work with artists on a personal level and be involved from songs conception to the mastering and that he doesn’t send artists beats over email. At the end of the interview Terrace cautions artists to stay humble because one is always a student of Music and never a master. On Wiz and Kendrick “I’m proud of ’em man. They didn’t do it the shortcut way,” Martin explained when asked about Wiz Khalifa, Kendrick Lamar, and other successful artists he’s worked with. “They came about at a time where people was there to believe you had to have a huge cosign to be successful in this business. And Wiz Khalifa did it without [that]. He did it ground roots. Wiz Khalifa did it like a blues band. A blues band records a demo and goes on the road and sells demos at every spot in a little van with a trailer. He did it like that. The same thing with Kendrick. Kendrick was flying. And Kendrick got his buzz by just being good. It’s no secret to it. You’re dope you’ll fly. If you work hard you’ll fly. And he’s flying right now. Them two cats is flying right now …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
www.hardknock.tv Travis Baker sat down with Nick Huff Barili yesterday to talk about his new solo album “Give The Drummer Some” coming out March 15th. Travis explains the meaning behind the title and how DJ AM would include James Brown samples on their mixtapes and live performances together. AM was an influence to Travis helping push his musical boundaries even further and introducing him to new hip hop and dubstep. Travis recalls his early Hip Hop memories of listening to Whodini, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, RunDMC and how later when he was skating he would listen to Tha Alkaholiks, Pharcyde, Wu-Tang, Hiero (Same stuff we grew up on!). One of the standout tracks on the new album is “Let’s Go” which features Busta Rhymes, Twista and Yelawolf. Travis explains how the track came about and how it almost seems like a rap contest cause each MC sounds like they are trying to out do the other. And that’s just the beginning, in the rest of this in depth interview Travis talks about RZA, Pharrell, Lupe, Chuck from Cool Kids, Tom Morello , being part of a Jazz Bands, his friendships with Game and Lil Wayne and more! Make sure to subscribe to www.youtube.com to get our latest videos!
www.hardknock.tv Nick Huff Barili caught up with Saigon recently at our Hard Knock TV studios and this is part 2 of that interview. This segment starts of with Saigon breaking down what happened with his former label Atlantic and why his record never came out. Sai gives us insight as to how Atlantic was trying to change him as an artist, which he wasn’t feeling. The conversation transitions into Lupe Fiasco’s current situation with Atlantic delaying the release of his album. The Yardfather also talks about his relationship with Jay-Z and how Hova has taken 3 beats that Just Blaze made that Sai wanted for his own project. Speaking of Just Blaze, when asked to rank him in the best hip hop producers of all time Saigon says he would put him at number 3. Can you guess whom he put at 1 & 2? Saigon shares a couple other stories during this interview but we don’t want to give it all away. Make sure to subscribe to www.youtube.com to get our latest videos including part 3 of this interview. Part 1 is already up! And also check out othe exclusive Freestyle Saigon laid for us www.youtube.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5