Producer talks to Mixtape Daily about first single from Hell: The Sequel . By Rob Markman Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″ Photo: Kevin Mazur/ Johnny Nunez/ WireImage Behind the Beats: Supa Dups Supa Dups already has quite an extensive r
‘The album is dope. That’s all I can tell you about it,’ Denaun Porter tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman Eminem and Royce Da 5′ 9″ Photo: Courtesy of Tim Westwood Behind the Beats: Denaun Porter, Havoc, DJ Khalil and Bangladesh Eminem is looking to thrill hip-hop fans once again. Earlier this week, it was announced that Shady Records will release a joint EP featuring Em himself and fellow Detroit lyricist Royce Da 5’9″, under the group moniker Bad Meets Evil. But fans aren’t the only ones excited about the upcoming project. Producers Denaun Porter, Mobb Deep’s Havoc, DJ Khalil and Bangladesh have all been tapped to provide beats for the project and seem to be pretty pumped for the final product, which is set to drop June 14. “The album is dope. That’s all I can tell you about it,” said Porter when Mixtape Daily caught up with him at his Detroit studio. (Big Mixtape shout-out to photographer Patrick Daly.) The idea for a Bad Meets Evil EP first came about while Porter and Royce were working on Royce’s solo album. “We had one song and it turned into, ‘Yo, what do you think about getting Em on this record?’ ” Denuan recalled. Soon, Royce and Em were bouncing ideas back and forth, and more producers were eventually brought into the fold. Havoc, who also worked on Eminem’s Recovery, submitted a number of tracks to the Shady camp, but initially had no idea what Em and Royce were cooking up. “A couple of months ago I got hit up and they told me that they’re using another track for some future project,” he said. “So I found out along with everybody else what it was actually for, because they like to keep things top-secret.” West Coast beatsmith DJ Khalil has been a longtime fan of the Bad Meets Evil duo and has fond memories of buying Em and Royce’s first collaborative 1999 single, “Nothin’ to Do.” “I remember buying the 12-inch back in the day when I was DJ’in’,” he said. “It’s like a classic; I still have the vinyl.” Bangladesh , like Havoc, didn’t learn that he was going to be on the EP until recently. “I ain’t know that [Eminem] even had this beat, I didn’t even know he liked the beat. I ain’t know I was gonna be on this EP until probably like two weeks ago.” The producers couldn’t say much in terms of song detail, but Bangladesh did confirm that his track has a vocal sample in the hook, while Havoc said his beat has an eerie feel and sounds like, “You’re going down a dark hall with a whole bunch of monks just screamin’ at you.” Denuan, an original member of D12 and a longtime friend and collaborator of both Em and Royce, is perhaps the most thrilled about the upcoming Bad Meets Evil project. “I was happy to see it because I thought the songs that they did back in the day was dope.” For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Videos Mixtape Daily: Eminem, XV, Chiddy Bang, Papoose Related Artists Eminem Royce Da 5’9″
Rolling Papers producer tells Mixtape Daily they found ‘natural rhythm.’ By Rob Markman Wiz Khalifa Photo: Raymond Boyd/ Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Images Mixtape Daily: Behind the Beats Fans might not know Pittsburgh producer Eric Dan (E. Dan for short), but they sure as heck know his work. After crafting six out of 14 tracks on Wiz Khalifa’s debut album, Rolling Papers , it shouldn’t be long before hip-hop heads start catching on. In 2003, Dan opened his own studio, ID Labs, outside of Pittsburgh. When a young Wiz Khalifa strolled in looking to record, the producer took the Taylor Gang general under his wing and has been working him every step of the way. “It’s been a great thing for [ID Labs] to be involved with an artist almost from his inception to where he is now,” E. Dan said. Where Wiz is now is at the top of the charts. It was the rapper’s #1 single “Black and Yellow” that spearheaded the Khalifa craze, helping Rolling Papers sell just under 300,000 copies since its March 29 release, but it was songs like the E. Dan-produced “The Race” and “When I’m Gone” that provided the LP with its substance. “With this album, we wanted to go in together from scratch,” said Dan, who splits production duties with his partner, Big Jerm. According to Dan, the bulk of the tracks on Rolling Papers came together organically, thanks to the comfortable relationship Dan and Wiz had been building for years. “Working with somebody from that young and working with him for so long, you fall into a natural rhythm, and over time you end up building this sound together,” Dan said. The recording session for Wiz’s “The Race” sticks out in E. Dan’s mind as an example of their overall organic chemistry. “Wiz fell asleep,” the producer recalled. “We put [the beat] together; a couple of hours later, Wiz woke up and said, ‘Whoa — that’s it!’ Next thing we knew, he jumped in the booth and did the song.” From there followed “Star of the Show,” “Get Your Sh–,” “Fly Solo,” “Cameras” and the intro, “When I’m Gone.” Dan has already worked with Pittsburgh breakouts Mac Miller and Chevy Woods, but said he is excited about branching out and adding to his resume. With upcoming production for international rap star K’Naan, it shouldn’t be long before the Pittsburgh producer is a worldwide name. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out . Related Videos Mixtape Daily: Wiz Khalifa, Smoke DZA, Papoose, Alchemist, Casey Veggies
New West hustler leads Mixtape Daily through his latest tape. By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Steven Roberts Nipsey Hussle Photo: MTV News Mixtape Daily Main Pick Street King : Nipsey Hussle Holding It Down For : Los Angeles Mixtape : The Marathon Real Spit : Nipsey Hussle’s career has been more stop-and-go than L.A. traffic, but the rapper is far from discouraged. After building a sizable buzz that landed him a record deal with Epic, a shoe deal with Pony, co-signs from the Game and Snoop, and acting credits in flicks with Vivica A. Fox and Ving Rhames, Nipsey still hasn’t dropped his major-label debut, South Central State of Mind. No worries: The lanky hip-hop prospect is still delivering heat with his latest mixtape, The Marathon. ” The Marathon concept is just me stepping outside of the situation and assessing it,” Nipsey told Mixtape Daily. “A lot of times, you go through a situation where you didn’t get what you expected out of it, and it’ll get you down, but when it come to us, we done been through this a million times. We done had it, took losses and bounced back harder. And that’s part of the game: bouncing back off your loss, if you would even consider this a loss.” As MTV News continues its New West Week coverage, it’s only right that Nipsey’s name be affiliated with Cali’s rap resurgence. No matter what label Nip eventually chooses to hustle with — he recently left the Epic fold — bank on the “Feelin’ Myself” rapper to keep winning. Joints to Check For
R.E.D. Album will drop after Dre finishes Detox, Game tells Mixtape Daily. By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Matt Elias The Game Photo: MTV News Compton rapper the Game is still all-red everything, up to his crimson Mohawk. On his latest single, the Cool & Dre-produced “Red Nation,” another rapper with a penchant for the same color, Lil Wayne, performs the chorus. We spoke to the Game on the set of the “Red Nation” video, and he recalled how he got Wayne to appear on the record. “I called Wayne and I was like, ‘Yo I need you to kill this hook,’ ” the Game told Mixtape Daily. “He was like, ‘No problem,’ and he did his thing for me.” The Game usually prefers to record all of his collaborations with guest artists while they’re in the same studio rather than sending music files back and forth via the Internet, but he made an exception for Weezy. “Wayne been on this I Am Still Music tour, man, doing his thing,” the Game explained. “The only exception. That’s like my brother. We from the same side of the rag. So you know what it is, man, we representing. Me and Wayne, we been in the studio vibe before; it just wasn’t on this song.” Weezy previously appeared on the Game’s 2008 album, LAX, performing chorus duties on the introspective “My Life.” The Game’s forthcoming The R.E.D. Album does not yet have a release date. According to the rapper, Dr. Dre’s Detox album is holding up the process. “[The] release date [is] probably late July or early August, man. I’ll let [producer] Jimmy Iovine put that red paint on the calendar and give us a specific date,” the Game said. “All I know is that the album is almost finished. Dre is finishing up Detox and then he going to help me finish up mine. I’m like 90, 95 percent done. Just waiting on Dre to finish his project and then come on over and lend his ear and probably mix a couple of songs, especially the ones that he did, and we’re going to see it in stores.” Dr. Dre famously said, “Look out for detox” on the song “Higher” from the Game’s 2005 debut, The Documentary. Hopefully we don’t have to wait too long for The R.E.D. Album or Detox. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists The Game Dr. Dre Lil Wayne
‘I remember having a Kid Capri tape from ’88; I still have the cassette tape,’ Atlanta DJ tells Mixtape Daily. By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Rahman Dukes DJ Trauma Photo: MTV News DJ Trauma is taking his skills to a bigger stage. After spinning at Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 for 10 years, Trauma recently left the station to focus on being the tour DJ for Ciara and Sean “The Pen” Garrett, as well as his own Carte Blanche team. Trauma has long been a key member of the ATL DJ/mixtape scene thanks to his role as a co-founder of the Superfriends DJ clique, his work on radio and as a staple on the club scene, holding down parties for Diddy, Jamie Foxx and Jay-Z, among others. Although Trauma has plenty of hip-hop ties, he believes his breakthrough mixtape was last year’s #ialmostmadeamixtape, which had him teaming up with British R&B crooner Estelle. “I really wanted to start focusing on the music that I love to hear and I want to help the world hear,” Trauma told Mixtape Daily. “I want to create mixtapes that are not disposable. That’s part of what’s wrong with the mixtape game now, ’cause I remember having a Kid Capri tape from ’88, I still have the cassette tape. People still download the links. I want to create tapes like that, that no matter what, it’s classic. A Trap or Die [mixtape] is classic. That’s the type of mixtape I want to create. Even if it’s an Estelle, which is kind of like pop music or soul, a lot of her records are real soulful and real good music. I want to do stuff like that.” While Trauma’s output also includes a tape with neo-soul singer (and Barack Obama playlist entry) Anthony David, his latest is an EP with former “American Idol” contestant Anoop Desai. Titled Zero.0, Trauma eventually assembled all of the producers and songwriters for the project, earning himself a co-executive producer credit. “What ended up happening is it turned into a real album,” Trauma said of Zero.0, the first of planned trilogy. “It’s called Zero because everything starts and ends from zero. … [Anoop] used to sing in an acapella group. You get his soul and R&B influences on the tape but then you also end off with his single, ‘OoWee,’ which is like a straight dance/pop song.” Billboard hosted the free mixtape upon its initial release and on April 20 a high-quality version will be available for purchase on iTunes. Next, Trauma plan to drop another mixtape, The Sex Tape Chronicles 2, with Verse Simmonds, as well as his own I Am the Party project, inspired by music that gets people jamming no matter what part of the world they’re in. As Trauma put it, “No matter where you are in the world, you can party with me.” For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines .
‘I remember having a Kid Capri tape from ’88; I still have the cassette tape,’ Atlanta DJ tells Mixtape Daily. By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Rahman Dukes DJ Trauma Photo: MTV News DJ Trauma is taking his skills to a bigger stage. After spinning at Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 for 10 years, Trauma recently left the station to focus on being the tour DJ for Ciara and Sean “The Pen” Garrett, as well as his own Carte Blanche team. Trauma has long been a key member of the ATL DJ/mixtape scene thanks to his role as a co-founder of the Superfriends DJ clique, his work on radio and as a staple on the club scene, holding down parties for Diddy, Jamie Foxx and Jay-Z, among others. Although Trauma has plenty of hip-hop ties, he believes his breakthrough mixtape was last year’s #ialmostmadeamixtape, which had him teaming up with British R&B crooner Estelle. “I really wanted to start focusing on the music that I love to hear and I want to help the world hear,” Trauma told Mixtape Daily. “I want to create mixtapes that are not disposable. That’s part of what’s wrong with the mixtape game now, ’cause I remember having a Kid Capri tape from ’88, I still have the cassette tape. People still download the links. I want to create tapes like that, that no matter what, it’s classic. A Trap or Die [mixtape] is classic. That’s the type of mixtape I want to create. Even if it’s an Estelle, which is kind of like pop music or soul, a lot of her records are real soulful and real good music. I want to do stuff like that.” While Trauma’s output also includes a tape with neo-soul singer (and Barack Obama playlist entry) Anthony David, his latest is an EP with former “American Idol” contestant Anoop Desai. Titled Zero.0, Trauma eventually assembled all of the producers and songwriters for the project, earning himself a co-executive producer credit. “What ended up happening is it turned into a real album,” Trauma said of Zero.0, the first of planned trilogy. “It’s called Zero because everything starts and ends from zero. … [Anoop] used to sing in an acapella group. You get his soul and R&B influences on the tape but then you also end off with his single, ‘OoWee,’ which is like a straight dance/pop song.” Billboard hosted the free mixtape upon its initial release and on April 20 a high-quality version will be available for purchase on iTunes. Next, Trauma plan to drop another mixtape, The Sex Tape Chronicles 2, with Verse Simmonds, as well as his own I Am the Party project, inspired by music that gets people jamming no matter what part of the world they’re in. As Trauma put it, “No matter where you are in the world, you can party with me.” For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines .
‘It turns me on to stare someone deep in their eyes,’ she tells MTV News of looking out at the crowd during California Dreams Tour. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway Katy Perry Photo: MTV News Katy Perry is currently on her California Dreams Tour, inspiring fans with anthems like “Firework.” But, as it turns out, Perry is just as inspired by her fans as they are by her. “It turns me on to stare someone deep in their eyes,” she tells MTV News of looking out into the audience every night on her tour. “Sometimes I see all kinds of emotions. It’s a lot of emotion. “It’s lovely, too, because I love people that are passionate about life and music in general,” she continued. “Music has been such a helping tool for me to get through so many things. That’s why I write a lot of times, is to continue to evolve as a person, and I can see the same thing has happened with other people; they’ve just adopted the song for themselves.” What’s also inspiring Perry these days is outer space. She headed out of this world for her just-released “E.T.” video , and she credits her new wave of fans for finally embracing the pop singer, allowing her the opportunity to be truly creative. “It’s pretty exciting that I have the opportunities now to work with great directors and have 100 percent of my voice heard,” she said. “That’s always been the challenge as an artist, is for other people to jump onboard and see your vision correctly. And that’s why, sometimes, it’s hard for me to break out, especially on other labels, because my vision was always so strong, and I think with Teenage Dream, the record on a whole, I knew I wanted to give so many different flavors, so many different ideas and just make a different movie for each song, and I feel like I’ve done that.” Which Katy Perry song inspires you? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Katy Perry Related Artists Katy Perry
Wayne waxes nostalgic to Mixtape Daily recalling Minaj’s beginnings. By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Sway Calloway Nicki Minaj Photo: Jason LaVeris/ Getty Images Celebrity Favorites: Nicki Minaj There are many factors that contributed to Nicki Minaj ‘s breakout success, chiefly Lil Wayne and Minaj’s own hard work. The Young Money CEO and multiplatinum artist was so moved by his prot
‘It’s basically showing y’all how we splurge,’ rapper tells Mixtape Daily of ‘Benjamins to Lean On.’ By Alvin Blanco Young Dose Photo: Desert Storm Firestarter: Young Dose Young Dose knows keeping good company can be beneficial to your rap career. The ATL rapper’s Big Play Entertainment company hooked up with DJ Clue’s Desert Storm to help bolster the rep he was growing back home with the goal of taking his music national. The alliance reaped immediate benefits with “Where Dey Do That At,” which came to feature contributions by Rick Ross and another Clue affiliate, Fabolous. Mixtape Daily caught up with Dose as he dropped some insight into a couple of songs from his latest mixtape, No Days Off, with DJ Teknikz. “Why I call it No Days Off, because we on a nonstop grind every day,” Dose said. “We out here working 365 — 366 on a leap year — we out here.” On “Benjamins to Lean On,” Dose offers a lyrical glimpse into his rap life. “It’s basically showing y’all how we splurge,” Dose said. “How we living in the skyscrapers. How we buying the finest of the coupes and blowing this paper, basically.” The other track Dose made sure to spotlight was “Ain’t Doin’ It Right,” which features his big homey Gucci Mane. “It’s basically talking about how y’all ain’t doing it right out here,” Dose said. Other artists that Dose worked with on No Days Off include Waka Flocka Flame, Wale, Yung Joc and Soulja Boy Tell’em. Also appearing on the mixtape is fellow Big Play Entertainment rapper YC, whose “Racks,” featuring Future, is huge hit in the South. YC recently signed a record deal with Universal Republic Records. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines .
Breaking Sports Video
