Monday, May 13, 2013

The Men of CeaseFire: Their thoughts on Their Mission.

TY, SEAN, REV. EVANS, ANDRE W, ANDRE N, MARCUS, & SENECA
      May 1, 2013:     I must admit the original idea for this blog entry was to interview one person about their role in the organization known as Ceasefire in Lake County, IL.  However, as I would soon learn, that person was only an extension of a greater form.  Our initial meeting was tentative.  I shook hands with seven men ( Andre N.,  Andre W.,  Marcus, Seneca, Sean, Ty, and Reverend Clarence Evans), all of whom identified themselves as brothers in the cause for peace in our communities. 

      Each of these individuals got two questions a piece and were really frank about how they felt about their roles and responsibilities in and out of CeaseFire.  And I was proud to have the opportunity to speak with each of them.

NSB:  Reverend, who where you before CeaseFire?  Who are you now?

C.  EVANS:  My name is Reverend Clarence Evans.  I was a person that was working in the community with at risk youth.  I'm also now the program manager of CeaseFire. And I still continue to go out and spread the word of CeaseFire and the word of God.

NSB:  Amen.  But, who are you now?

C. EVANS:   I'm a child of God.  I can't change that one.


NSB:  Marcus, how did you get your position and what do you love about your job?

Marcus:  I got my position by referral.  I watched a lot of the other brothers that were already working through CeaseFire.  And what I love about my job is helping the youth and giving back to the community that we tore down.

NSB:  Seneca, how does CeaseFire reach out to the community?

Seneca:  Basically, Ceasefire reaches out to the community by us going around trying to talk to troubled youth at different programs, at different schools and detention centers.  We just basically try to get out there and show them a positive setting-- barbecues and so forth. For example, we got a car show coming up right now, and we just try to show them that there are different means and alternatives to the ones that they are basically taking right now.

NSB:  How can the community become proactive and more involved with itself, Seneca?

Seneca:  Basically, the community can become more involved with itself by us just standing back and identifying the problem.  The problem starts at home.  My opinion on it is all the education starts at home.  And, instead of people pointing their fingers at the police or city hall, I believe us a  community and us as parents should be able to stand back and look at ourselves and  see what's going on in our homes.  And therefore, if we did that, we would be able to solve a lot of these problems that's going on in the streets right now.

NSB:  Sean, does being a part of CeaseFire give you some perspective or insight about your own past?

Sean:  Actually, it does because when I started getting in trouble I was in school at a young age and I see that a lot of these kids out here are growing up without parents or with parents that are not paying them any attention or growing up a single parent home.  And I know that I can tell these kids that if they don't start getting good grades or staying in school they could end up in jail or shot just like me.   It took me a long time just to get out of the streets because I just thought that all the time I would get in trouble I would just get a slap on the wrist.  And that's what a lot of the system is doing to these kids, giving them a slap on the wrist.  And then they end up, later down the line, getting into some really big trouble.  Just like I did.   So, now that I've gotten involved with CeaseFire, it's actually therapeutic for me too.  Because I know that me seeing them going through the same things and in the same cycle that they could end up  going to jail.  Having been in that trouble myself, I've got three boys and I don't want to see them going through the same things.  That's why I try to keep them in their books.  Because I know it all starts at home.  So, if I make good decisions, then my kids should make good decisions.

NSB:  How do you use that insight to reach out to the youth?

Sean:  If they aren't my child, you know.  If I see someone out on the corner, most likely, I know what they are doing.  So, I just tell them where they could be heading, where they need to be, and why they need to try and find the alternative of getting a job.  Telling them that everybody got to start off small.  That's how they can climb and become something.

NSB:  Ty, how do you approach an at risk youth?

Ty:  We approach the young men as men, you know.  Just try to give them an open mind as to what is going on.

NSB:  What advice do you give to them that wasn't given to you?

Ty:  The pros and the cons.  If this is what they want to do, then this is the consequences that they are going to face.  You can either do this or you can do it that way.   It's all about the choices that you make.  My job is just strictly to enforce or just give them the right options of the right way to take--being that I've been there and done that.

NSB:  Nine times out of ten, do they listen?

Ty:  Nine times out of ten, you probably get six of them that probably will listen.

NSB:  Andre N.  What scares you the most about being a parent now? 

Andre N.:  Well, you know, I have a thirteen year old now, and what scares me the most about being a parent is growing up around gangs and I want him to especially just get an education-- something I didn't have.  I didn't got to college, I went to prison.  So, right now, the school environment right now is just infested with gangs.  And I just don't want him to get involved with any gang activity.      I just want him to finish out his education, go on to college, and just be a better man than I was. 

NSB:  What else do you want for your kids that you didn't have?

I want them to be a part of their kids life forever.  And not go to prison and leave them. 

NSB:  Andre W.  What is the source of the madness in our communities at large?

Andre W.:  Poor supervision for the youth is one of the main reasons that things are going the way the are.  What you do is sit back and pay more attention to these youngsters--focus more on them.  Be more hands on with them instead of sitting back, and letting things go on.


It is nice to know that people can change, take responsibility for themselves and turn their own lives around like these men have.  The road that they walked wasn't easy, but each of them paid dearly for their bad choices.  They own and acknowledge the choices they have made and have become better men for them each in his own right. 

That said, this conversation is not finished.  I had to ask them how they felt about gun control legislation as an effective means to curve violence in Urban Areas.  It's been on the news, the issue has been before Congress, and now I offer the issue to the men of Ceasefire.  Read the next posting about the men of Ceasefire.   Their answers just may enlighten you.  

Thursday, April 25, 2013

"Let's Shake on It": The movie; the after party.






Saturday April 20th was one hell of a night.  It is not everyday that your humble nogostreetbeat blogger treats herself to a fine film and an after party, but that is what happened to me. 

Last night,  The See It Be it production of writer/director Cornell Ford's romantic comedy "Let's Shake on It" debuted at the Genessee Theatre in Waukegan, Illinois.  The theatre was packed and people were brimming with anticipation and I was glad I got there in time to find a seat.

The story begins with Selene (played honestly and with real emotion by Shaquita Blanks) and Louis ( played by the very handsome William Anderson)  who in the beginning are very happy and in a good place in there relationship.  Things change between them when Louis loses his job, and has to depend on Selene for support. 

Louis has dreams of being a star in Los Angeles.  Selene supports that dream, as well as herself, and her daughter while paying the bills.  After Selene buys tickets for Louis to fly to Los Angeles, he loses his job, has a pity party with himself, gets drunk and cheats on Selene with a girl who gives him chlamydia.  In turn, he must take antibiotics for a week and not have sex with anybody.  As you can imagine, this further complicates matters between Louis and Selene.  They grow apart, and she kicks him out.

Two years pass, and we meet Louis' best friend Brian (played by Jarrett "JG" Glover) and his girlfriend Trina (played by Tia Pratcher).  Hilarity ensues when a friendly wager is placed between these two lovers.  And then they shake on it, hence the title of the film.

I usually don't go for romantic comedies.  They just are too predictable and unrealistic.  Some girl is waiting for some guy to save her from her circumstances.  Well, life ain't like that, and that is why it is easy to enjoy a Cornell Ford film.  Aside from identifying with the settings and people in the film, the viewer can identify with what the story throws at every character.

No, "Let's Shake on It" is not "Pretty Woman"  for the black man and it is not another regurgitated piece of Tyler Perry fluff.  Cornell has a distinct voice and vision for each of his films.  Just like his first feature length drama "Music's Son",  "Let's Shake on It"  doesn't sugar coat anything.  Just like life the film is peppered with humor and realism. 

Now, I am not known for giving away major plot points and I am not about to start now.  But, you must have questions, right?  Question that I might be able to anticipate, right?  Namely what happens.  Who wins the bet?  What is the bet?  Do Louis and Selene reunite?  Well, I'll never tell.

What I will tell you is that Cornell Ford tells a real story with real people dealing with issues that everyone deals with on the daily.  And, in reality, happy endings are few and far between.  But, fairy tales do come true but only if a person will go on faith that things will turn out alright.  And that is the lesson I took from "Let's Shake On It".

The after party:  At Big Ed's Bar and Grill was smoking hot.  The drinks were flowing and there was a positive vibe in the air being exuded by all.  With DJ Cliff on the ones and twos, the party went on long after I left until the break of dawn.  I am looking forward to Cornell Ford's next project, and to seeing more of the cast succeed in all of the endeavors.  Oh readers, it ain't over for anybody.  Not by a long shot.

For information on how to purchase "Music's Son" or "Let's Shake on It" visit:  www.sibionline.com .

Sunday, April 21, 2013

"Ceasefire 2013": a song for us.

The Messenger: Suave Da Lyricist
It is Tuesday, April 16, 2013; the day after the bombings that took place during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.  The images of that day are still fresh in my mind, but I am also reminded that right now in Chicago, Illinois and areas even closer to Nogo, people are mourning the lives of love ones lost to constant gun violence.  It is a problem more terrifying than international terrorism and it is something the people of my community live with everyday.

Today, I got the opportunity to speak with Suave da Lyricist, Glen C. Pitts the CEO of IND.TouchStudios, & producer Twan (aka Hey Hey Hey This a Twan Beat) about their song "Ceasefire" and the negative effect that black on black violence is having on the youth in our community. 

Who is Suave da Lyricist and how long have you been making music?

Suave da Lyricist:  Suave da Lyricist is just a person.  And I don't want to add no spectacular synonym to the name, I'm just a person.  I'm just me.  I'm somebody who has been doing music ever since I can remember.  At least a good ten, twelve years, I've been doing this.  Suave is just a person relaying the message, he's a messenger.  I relay the message through words.  That's pretty much it.

What brought about the creation of the song "Ceasefire"?

Suave da Lyricist:  Well, the reason I brought my guys here is because they pretty much came up with the idea for it.  Twan--I don't know how he came up with the track, but Twan had the track.  And Glen called me over, and Glen said, we got to do a record about all this killing going on, and I think this was after Janae McFarlane got killed and he was like man we got to do a record because there is just so much going on right here.

What's been going on out here, I was kind of cold to it because I grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes.  So people getting killed and all that, I'm conditioned to it.

Like you're numb?

Suave da Lyricist:  Right.  So, the passion they had about it is like how I felt in '93-'94.  So when they spoke on it, it unleashed some suppressed feelings about it.  So, I took his idea with it and I got to writing from a parents standpoint.  So, it just bled out.  I don't know how long it took to write; it may have taken about ten to fifteen minutes.  And it just went from there.

Twan:  And we told him not to hold back on his words.  Express what he means and how he really feels to make it real, you know.

How do yall feel about how the song "Ceasefire" turned out from a producers standpoint?


Glen Da CEO   "Stop the Violence, stop the shooting."
Glen da CEO:  I feel that it's great.   I mean it's got a few lines that can be changed.  Some words can be changed.  You know, some people might not relate to it, like the church people.  But, the message is clear about what we are trying to do and what we are trying to stop.  I mean, we didn't want to just stop with the song.  We wanted to take this to a whole 'nother level with marches and rallies.  All that type of stuff.  But, we are still working on that right now.

How can hip hop contribute to nonviolence and community outreach for our community particularly?

Glen da CEO:  Depending on the message.  Everybody can be swagged out cool without the violence.  You know what I'm saying.  Everybody wants to be cool and be this person that they want to portray themselves as, but they're not.  So, through music, I think we can contribute to the community by giving them something to listen to, something to vibe to, but from a positive standpoint.  Something different.  I think that is how we can get through to the community with something positive that we talk about in these lyrics.

Suave da Lyricist:  I agree.  I definitely agree, but just to piggy back on what I said before, I grew up in a neighborhood where, excuse my French, that shit was accepted.  It becomes an ice cream truck comes down the street and a nigga get shot, somebody gets arrested, somebody gets beat up--like these things are what we become conditioned to and its acceptable then.  But when you get older, I mean, we all parents now.  I can't even fathom burying my shorty especially because somebody shot him.  And then there is no real reason behind it.  So just like Glen say, I mean like this music, this music is a vessel.  And unfortunately, these kids are more relatable to the music then they are to they parents as teachers.  Cause they look to teachers, I mean to be straight up, they aren't looking to these teachers.  I mean, they there in school because they got to go.  But they'll listen to these artists.  Because that is who they dream to be.  But, somebody got to be able to add some sweet to the bitter.  Because it is bittersweet, but at the same time, if it's all bitter we can't be mad if they grow up and become a product of what's going on now.

Twan:  I mean, basically, we are trying to change a little bit of what the children are hearing and thinking from all this other hip hop.  By them hearing this message, it could give them some perspective about what life is about.

And about what life could possibly be for them.

Twan:  Yes.

Glen da CEO:    Not only that, if hip hop/rap music was incorporated into the schooling, I think it would give kids more to do.  Like if they had a music other than just playing the type of musicals they be doing at the schools, if they incorporated like a hip hop class in school, in the music class to give them something positive, because they not going to let you rap about killing and shooting in school--they're not going to do it.  So, if this was incorporated in the school more, maybe it would get a bigger message out there to the kids.

Suave da Lyricist:  Hip hop as a genre is shunned in the school system because of the representation that comes from it when the genre is mentioned.  When you mention hip hop, people already associate the ones that are you know thugging.  They're not speaking on LL Cool J, they're not speaking on the ones who are relevant still that are on the other side of what's going on.  So that's why there is a salty taste in their mouths but just like Glen said.  But, mainly, first and foremost, you got to stop being afraid, and that's another reason why so much stuff is foing on and not being fixed because people are scared.  So, that was another reason of making a record because people--and I'm going to be all the way honest--people know me and about my affiliations in the city.  But, for me to do a record like this, it lets them know that, yo, this is some of how I felt. So, if I can't bring you the real, then you can't respect me as a man because we all got to be able to stand up and conduct ourselves when stuff out of balance.  So, this is definitely a record that when delivered right  and a message is given by somebody that can be respected then it will go far.  Because if the messenger can't be respected for what he is saying, than the messenger can't go far either.

There was a time when a person could learn a lot from hip hop: about themselves, about religion, about their culture and about positivity.  Now, it seems, there is a gun culture, a drug culture, and a gross sexual culture in hip hop that needs to be weeded out in order to become more positive than what it is.  Do you foresee hip hop falling by the way side in the next 5 to 10 years if things don't change?

Twan:  Nah, I don't.  I mean, hip hop is basically the way that people live.  You never run out of things to talk about what you doing and everything, so no.

Suave:  I think as long as the big corporations still got they hands on it it's not.  Because, they going to always try to keep up with what going on as a trend as far as the record labels go.   It's different from the BDPs and like we talking stuff from 25 years ago.  I mean, I remember those records, and I know then those labels weren't doing stuff they doing now. These labels these days are personally handpicking records that going to be only be applicable for right now.  As long as they can try to find somebody who can do what they want for right now, they going always be able to keep it alive, but it's going to always be records like "Ceasefire" that's going to exists that aren't going to get heard.  I mean, Interscope, Def Jam, and those people aren't trying to hear "Ceasefire".  For real, for real, because that means all that money that they make off all that other stuff is not going to make any more money.   All it takes is one record and one person of importance to hear that record and then there you go you losing your money.

If people take nothing else from this one piece of music, what is it you want your listeners to get from the song "Ceasefire"?

Glen da CEO:  The message is clear:  ceasefire.    Stop the violence, stop the shooting.  Save our kids. That's the message that we want to give.  Other than that, there's nothing.  That's the whole message that we want them to get is just to stop. Stop the shooting, stop the killing. Even if you shooting at your target and miss, than there goes a kid getting hit by a stray bullet.  So, the whole message is just to stop it.  I wish we could go back to the days when you wasn't doing nothing but fighting.  But nowadays they shooting side ways.
So the whole message is just ceasefire.  PERIOD.

Twan:  Also, I think,  another message, what Suave said in the song basically  like not just our kids but we got to look out for each other.  And just for the parents to step up and be parents for all kids.  Not just your own.

Glen da CEO:   Like back in the day.  When your momma could whoop me and my momma could whoop you.

Suave da Lyricist:  I did a show the other night that was I guess you could say was just circled around the whole movement.  And, there wasn't anybody there.  There was just the artist that was booked, and just a few stragglers and nobody else.  What I want people to take from the record is stop always just showing up to funerals.  You know what I'm saying.  We'll show up to funerals.  We'll show up with the bears and the flowers and the candlelight visuals and all that.  But, we don't show up to the stuff that prevents it.  So if anything, just to get up.  And to piggy back off what Glen was saying about the record,  I could have done this record without cursing initially, rather than having to go back and do a radio edit, but it was the rawness of it.  My momma ain't never water down nothing to me.  The people that cared about me ain't never watered down nothing to me.  So I felt like to put this record together it was me really  giving you me.  This wasn't nothing edited so I could send to the radio so they could play it because it is bigger than radio.  I could care less if the radio mess with the record because it ain't just for them.  9 times out of 10, those radio directors don't know what's going on in our hood personally.  They hear it on the news like everybody else.  Those people don't even know who Janae is; they don't know who Hadiya is personally.  They only know because channel 7 broadcasted it.  I given that message on a strength of if I can't give it to you in the raw, then I can't give it to you because that is how it is presented to us.  I mean, these kids getting whacked ain't edited.  I just got a call earlier and heard that one of my guys sons got killed.  I mean, he was only half way from school and he got whacked.  I mean, I'm sure he had other plans this afternoon.  Why give it to them watered down?  Give it to them raw because that is what they are going to respect.

Well, we were all in agreement.  Something must be done to combat the erosion of morality and life in our communities.  Not just in North Chicago, but in communities around the world.  We pray and we feel for all who tragically lose their lives.  And I personally want to dedicate this blog entry to Janae MacFarlane and Hadiya Pendleton.  Both young ladies are gone to soon, and both are still remembered and missed by their loved ones and friends.

Ceasfire everybody.  Let's all come together and stop the madness. 

The music, the song, the message is *CEASEFIRE* 2013   <====  Click here to here the song and support your local artists and support and believe in the message.

 

Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Place to go in North Chicago: Delores's Place 1536 Sheridan Road

April 4, 2013 10 am:  Nogostreetbeat #2 is on the move again.  This time I'm a little closer to home at 1536 Sheridan Road in North Chicago across the street from Abbott Laboratories and next door the post office.




Owner(Pit Master):  Fred Williams; Specialty:  Barbecue
Delores's Place is a new family owned restaurant that has been open for seven weeks in our fair city.  Service with a smile is the first thing on the menu when you walk inside.  The prices are low, and by low I mean really affordable. 

Today, I had the salmon croquettes with scrambled eggs and rice.  It was delicious and completely satisfying.   You can imagine my excitement when the owner of the restaurant Fred Williams agreed to sit down with me for an interview after I ate.  We sat a spell, conversed a little, and then began to discuss in and outs of Delores's Place.

 

How did you come up with the name for Delores’ Place?


Well, I came up with the name of Delores's Place from dealing with my mom, she loved to cook, and we always got together and was always  talking about opening up a restaurant.  So, we decided to try and get something together and we found out that it cost a little bit too much money so we put things on hold.  But, eventually, my mom ended up passing.  And then when I came up to par with a little bit of change then that's where I decided to open it up and decided that I'm going to name this place after my mom.  So, you know, we just wanted to have something to remember her by.

   



Head Cook:  Jimmy Pitts  His specialty?  Well, what do you want?
     I just had the Salmon Croquettes with rice, scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast, and it was very good.  Are all the recipes hers?

No, no.  It's really not.  Everybody has a hand in putting food together here.  My cousin that works here, his name is Jimmy Pitts, he's here cooking back there.  So, what he does, like the Salmon Croquettes are his specialty.  But everybody has their own little specialty that they bring to the place.

       
And Fred Williams, what is your specialty here at Delores's Place?

Well, my specialty is my rib tips and my ribs.  I'm a smoker.   I love to barbecue.  That's one of the main reasons why I opened up my own restaurant.  Just so, I could have a barbecue spot.  I came up with the concept with breakfast also for the fact that my mom was just a great breakfast person.  She and I would love to eat breakfast anytime of the day.  So, I just came up with the concept of when the diner is open to have breakfast anytime that you want from open to close.



How close is the actual restaurant to your original concept?  Or, what did you have in mind when you decided to open Delores's Place?
 

Wow. Well, the original concept of Delores's Place was supposed to be a 1950s-1960s style setting.  But, what it came to be was we decided to just do a barbecue because my dad said  No don't do that.  Just go ahead and do your own barbecue bit.  We don't want to be too old fashioned with it.  His name is Chester Williams. So we decided to just go on and do what my father said and that is how that came to be.


When people eat at Delores’ Place, what do you want them to take from the experience?

The main thing I want them to know is that, when they come in here and eat, the food is delicious and that the money that they spend is worth it.  I want them to be able to eat and get full.  You know, not just to come in and just eat.  Anybody can do that.  No, let's come in, get a full stomach and let's go home in peace.  Let them actually feel comfortable, warm when they leave here.


Let's talk about the menu:  You mentioned breakfast, you mentioned your specialty which is barbecue, but is there any category of cooking that generally defines the food here at Delores's Place?

Yes, we also have the Southern, old school cooking on Sundays.  So we serve the old school food like from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm.  You know, collard greens, smothered pork chops, smothered chicken, corn pones, macaroni and cheese, pinto beans, and you know, we could go on and on talking about Southern food.  We try to make a variety of different foods out here cause everybody has their own different likings. You know, we started with the breakfast, then we went to the lunch, which is dealing with the ribs and also fast food.  And we have pork chop sandwiches, chicken and philly steaks, other little odds and ends, so that everyone can get a wide variety of foods.

Well, you definitely have that.  Most definitely. You know, a lot of restaurants pride themselves on home cooking, but if we can cook it at home why should we come back to Delores's Place?


Well that brings me back to [my original statement] I want the people to be fulfilled.  I want them to go home feeling that this is a comfortable place, a comfortable environment for them to come in and be able to sit down and talk, drink a cup of coffee and enjoy each other.  You know, it's just a comfortable surrounding.  I love this.  It makes me like when I was young and my father would take me out for a cup of coffee.  And we didn't have that around here for so long.  Now, I can sit around and watch our older people come in, enjoy themselves and have a good time.  I love this, it's great.

And the main thing is it's yours.
   
Yes.  (laughter) Yes it is.

What are the hours here at Delores's Place, Monday thru Friday?

Monday thru Friday, we are open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.  And Saturdays, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.   Sundays we are open, 12:00 pm. to 4:00 pm.

Are you think of expanding the hours in the future? 

We are thinking about expanding the hours, but we're young and we are getting more and more experience at this. And we're working it out.  It's going to take a little time, but we are getting there.

I could say a great deal more about Delores's place but the main thing is that if you live in Lake County, you should come experience the food and the grace yourself.   I mean, you can read about it all day, but wouldn't you rather taste the comfort of home cooking yourself.

I know I would.

Delores's Place is located at 1536 Sheridan Road in North Chicago, Illinois right next door to the post office and across the street from the Abbott parking lot.   Please look over the menu and say hello to the lovely Quinnesha Williams or the equally lovely Alexandra Williams.  Both will take your order with courtesy and a smile.   And don't forget about those ribs.    


    

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

My thoughts on Beyonce or Why I won't BOW DOWN.






The source for the reaction video above is http://www.theroot.com/views/beyonc-s-bow-down-pro-women-anthem   

Read and decide for yourselves what is right for you, but I am not going to spend anymore time on this.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Smokey Da Bandit: Hear about, Speak about & Support Your Local Artists!!!






Here at Nogostreetbeat, I am all about supporting the local music scene.  If you are about your own business, and trying to get ahead, I can't hate that.  That said, one our local music champions is back in the ring once again.  Smokey da Bandit and his brothers at Empty Soulz Entertainment have done it again in typical Midwest style.

The track to the video above is called "MISS ME" and "MISS ME" will be featured on Smokey Da Bandit's latest endeavor Speak No, Hear No, See No Bulls#*!.   The mixtape will be available in July 2013.  That's right, this summer!

Smokey has been doing his thing with the ESE for a while now, and like most well known artists from this area on their grind, Smokey has fans all over the world wide web. No doubt, he will make more. 

This video was shot exclusively in Waukegan, IL by Darius Ayo Jones of Dee Jay Films.  And I have to give him a shot out for doing an amazing job. 

One love to Wauk-Town, please continue to read Nogostreetbeat and as always, Support Your Local Artist!!



Wednesday, February 27, 2013

1320 MEGADEF: The Beat is the Life

During the this cold February month, I had the privilege of interviewing a North Chicago legend.  1320 Megedef has done it all on the music scene and rubbed elbows with some of the best in the business.  When I met him, there was definitely a straight talk no chaser vibe about the man.   Megadef is all about the business of making custom beats and working with real artists who want to move something.   More than that, in an industry where anyone can shine like new money for a second before their gold turns to brass, 1320 Megadef is probably one of the most honest, and forth right businessmen alive today. 

The man, the music maker, the legend:  MEGADEF
On the afternoon of February 15, 2013, I went to his self made studio/home in North Chicago to learn about the man and his motivations.  I learned a lot.  And I hope to be working with him soon.       
 

 

Tell us about yourself:  

 

I was born in Waukegan and raised in North Chicago.  My mother is from here; my father is from Waukegan.  I’ve been doing music since 1987, back when the TR808 was first out.  I’ve been doing music since then.  And I’ve been through various episodes in my career with people and artist, working with people who didn’t want to work and thought they wanted to work and that ended up putting me in financial strains because they didn’t want to put in the work like I was doing.  They weren’t as driven.  And I learned a lot from that.  I learned that if you do good business you keep good business.  So, if there is any kind of mistakes in business then I know to leave it alone.  Because it’s not going to work out.

If I was just being friendly then I know it probably would work out, but not when there is business involved. And I’ve noticed that people don’t like to see people out here doing something.  They don’t like to help them because they might not help them no more.

When I first started, I didn’t have nothing.  I just had a dream of doing it, because of some instances that I had happen in my life.  I found that I had better be more focused on this (dream) more than anything.  So, I dropped everything that I was doing—cars and all this other stuff.  And I just started buying 2x4s.    I would try to talk to guys and they really didn’t see what I was seeing, my father was drawing up plans for the space and stuff like that so I was thinking of this dream in a real way.

So you had a vision of where you wanted your life to be as opposed to where it was heading?

 

Right.  I wanted to make a business of myself and I wanted to be happy doing what I loved.  So, my father designed the space and I started getting 2x4s and I had a few artists and stuff.  But, they never would pay their dues and stuff.  And I was just asking for like $25.00, you know what I’m saying, I was trying to get something going.  So, I ended up leaving them alone.  And then I saved my money and did the things I did. Then when they came back I didn’t feel I could work with them because I didn’t believe in them no more because they didn’t believe in me.  So that didn’t work out.

So the people I dealt with after that, I had better experience with.  So now, I don’t do prolonged business.  I ‘m not a record company.  I don’t want to be involved with making sure artists get shows or not.  I am just strictly a producer now.  I try to do all my business legitimately.  I like to make sure everybody has their rights.  I’m not the type of person to going around chasing people and saying this and that.  I like to take care of the business up front.

So, I really try to do song contracts because I do custom beats.     I just don’t make beats and try to sell it to everybody, but I do have beats like that.  Beats that I could just sell for $5.00 or something like that and there are no rights to those. So, I try to work on what artist really try to focus on when they are doing a song.  I got a guy who wants me to do three songs with him.  SO I try to do at least 15 tracks for them to choose from so that they get best out of me and so I’m strictly focused on getting those tracks for them.

So, that is why my work kind of has a little price to it.  I work out various deals and such.  You know, sometimes the beat is so good I might want to have different kind of rights to it.   So I don’t have to go through any kind of legal things with it.  Other than that, I’m really just producing music.

 Right now, I got a project with my daughter.  My daughter is a singer.   She and I are going to do a project and one of my main focal points for that project is being original and not falling into sounding like anybody else.   And trying to make our mark.  I know I’m going to do it with her because she is just a fabulous, outstanding singer.  She is just at that level of singing that you know I have someone that is going to take me to the top.

 

Tell us about Money Tight Music:       

 

Money Tight Music was actually group a guys from the neighborhood, and we used to all hang together and we were all from various gangs.  And I’m going to go into this subject because I think it is important:   I am the person that started the saying “NOGO” and I started because back in the day (I think it was the 1990s or something like that) Chicago started coming down here and that lead to a big gang infusion.  Everybody started to going into different gangs and everybody forgot that we all live here.  We all, regardless of anything, he might be a Gangsta Disciple or something but I still know his brother or I still know his father.  Things aren’t the same from Chicago to here because it’s small.  We know everybody.  So, how can I go off and do something to somebody simply because he something else.  So that’s when I started to say it’s NOGO.  It’s not Chicago, its’ NOGO.   

And a lot of people don’t realize no one used to like North Chicago.  We used to be into it with Waukegan, Zion; all that stuff, all the time.  Now, it’s the most popular place and it is the most desecrated place because they done tore it up now.  But, a lot of people forgot about that, but I will never forget and I love the town.  I grew up going to the talent shows.  I’ve seen some spectacular stuff in some talent shows that you would never see on TV.   And they were packed!   Neal Elementary School talent shows, North Chicago High School talent shows were packed.  You can’t even do that now!

Another thing with MONEY TIGHT MUSIC is if I get behind somebody, I got to get behind somebody who wants something.  If I’m putting myself behind them, I mean, I could sit there and make a beat or something but if I get behind them then I need to know that they are willing to go as hard as I am.  I’m not even a performer or nothing like that.  I’ve done shows where I’ve paid for the deejays, paid for the sound man, did the security and all these other things, and I’ve got people who didn’t even try to show up with costumes or gear.  No stage presence or nothing.  You know, that is the thing with me I want people with talent.  People who are really talented and who are really driven.  And I’m just really starting to put myself out publicly right now. I’m getting a website and things like that.           

 

 

How much has the local music scene changed from when you started up until now?

 

It’s changed a lot.  It’s a lot more movement.  It’s a lot a more movement and there is a lot more venues that artists can get into because there used to didn’t be any venues around here.  You got local bars and clubs and stuff like that.  That’s cool, and I love stuff like that, but I haven’t seen anyone really step it up.

You know I watch this Kid Rock show—you know I watch things about people and see how they do things.  Kid Rock was so in depth about himself that when he did shows he made shows that made him look like he was already there.  Meaning, like he was already famous. 

He had big lights and pyrotechnics and he made sure he fulfilled his thing.  He just didn’t get up on stage with his band and rock and stuff like that.  He made sure that you were entertained and had a good time.  So when the record companies came to see him they had no doubt that this man could do it.  That is what I’m trying to get at.  Because I believe that if you make one good show you can make another good show.  And another one and another one.

That’s why I go back to North Chicago talent shows, and I saw how these guys had worked hard to make their shows perfect.  ROBOTRON made their makeup and stuff made sure that their curtain was black.  You know, just small stuff that they could do when they didn’t even have no money.  But, they made sure that these little few things were right so that you had this big picture of them dancing.  You don’t look at them like damn that’s tin man or something.  No, you are looking at them like damn they getting off!  They jamming!!!  You’re never focused on the individual; you are entertained.

 

How much has the local music scene stayed the same? 

 

That’s basically what’s really stayed the same.  No one is taking it to the next level.  Like the Afro fest, everybody just gets on stage.  You know, you don’t see nobody coming in—like I be seeing guys talking about they got females and all that stuff.  You don’t see them with no females on the stage with costumes or anything to make the statement that they are not just coming out their just practicing, you know that they really out there trying to give somebody something.   And make sure they see you as entertainers.  So, that is what really hasn’t changed.  Nobody has stepped it up.

 

I’ve been talking to different artists at various levels in their craft since I started blogging about NOGO.  Some would say it is difficult to step it up out here.

 

It’s not.  You know why?  Because proper preparation prevents poor performance.

 

 

You think so?

 

I know so.  Because if you say to yourself you’ve got a year or even say six months, that’s time.  That means you’ve got time to get prepared.    Meaning that, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have all the money, what money do you have to make that?   Like I said about ROBOTRON, they lived in the projects.  They didn’t have a lot of money and stuff.  So they may have went and got their shoes one week and then the next week they went and got their shirts.  But in the end they got it done. 

Don’t make it so big that you can’t do nothing.  They’ve got prices up here and they’ve got prices down here.   Get what you can in order to get what you want to get so that you can get the next thing.

Jermaine Dupree told me people want us to give them a million dollar contract and they ain’t spent a thousand dollars or maybe 500 dollars in the studio themselves.  So you want us to put all this money in you and you don’t even know what to do.  We are going to waste money on you because we have to show you things.  You know, you ain’t experienced, you’re not getting out there.

 

Everybody’s not DIDDY.

Nah.  And everybody’s not a workaholic. They don’t work.  They don’t believe in it, they want the instant success. You know, and you got so many people now especially with African Americans, it used to be everybody wanted to be a ball player.  Now everybody wants to be a drug dealer, or they want to play basketball or be a rapper.   Nothing , no doctors, obstetricians, etc.  That’s all you hear from most African American men.   Just those three sections, right there.  Never education.  It appalling to me.  And the reason why I say that is because everybody wants to fill a shoe but no one wants their own shoe.  Meaning that, just because you’ve seen somebody else do it now you want to do it, but you never were determined to do it yourself.  Where is your determination at for what you want to do? 

Who’s stopping you?  I’ve let no artist stop me.  If I let an artist stop me I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing right now.  Because if you quit that doesn’t make me quit.  That makes me strong cause I know if I do that then I fell off too.

I get mad at people who say to me, “Are you still doing music?” I say I’m not you.  I‘m going to keep doing whatever I’m doing.   I feel successful even if I hadn’t made it.  Because I’m still doing it from the strength of where I used to be at.  So I’m good.

 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

 

I get it from my past.  I get it from my own personal passion for music.  Then, so many gifts have been given to me that for me that it’s been a life for me for all times. 

I remember, back in the day, I wanted a TR808 so bad that I stole one.  And what happen was, a guy that was in the group with us, who happened to be my girl’s cousin, gave it back to the dude.  He was trying to get in good with the guy, so he gave it back to him.   And that erased my karma.  

The next day, my cousin come up the street and tells me he’s got something for me.  I say “what”.  He gives me a receipt.   He tells me, it’s a TR808.  All you have to do is you have to pay $127 at Gans Music sign the papers and it’s yours. 

Right you know what I’m saying.  So it was instances like that that help me stay driven and the past is something I keep in my mind to help me move forward. 

 

Any advice you can give to the novice producers out there?  

 

The production thing really getting big now because it’s so easy now. And I like it too.   But, I just want to see be inventive. I know you can’t make it in this industry by trying to check their way in, but most people who make superstar status have something original about themselves. 

Like TI is from the south, but you don’t hear him like that, he has like a broader approach.  HE can represent the hood, but he doesn’t have to a total representation because he can say it in other ways that marinate the other people.  So he can distribute his message and make sure other people can pick up no matter what they into. That’s why white people like it.  Because they can apply it to themselves. 

Because music is an international language, so if I don’t know who you are and you saying something to me I can get my own interpretation of it.  And if it applies to me then I’m good.

Buy, mainly, we need some people to step it up and take it to that NOGO sound.    Make it a mark in and of itself.