While the mainstream radio seems obsessed with shoving remedial Hip-Hop down our throats and obsessed with presenting an arrested development of the culture, rappers, and minorities in America (Eminem and Asher not withstanding of course) there seems to be a rebirth of underground Hip-Hop. One of the groups on the forefront of that movement is Tanya Morgan. With 4 albums (mixtapes & EP’s included) I had a moment to speak to to the group about the 5th project, Hip-Hop, and all points between. Catch a cab to Brooklynati with me friends.

Saule Wright – Thanks for sittin’ down with me and the readers of nappyafro.com. Sounds like we are short one member?

Illyas – Yeah, Von is taking care of family business.

Everything is good right?

Illyas – Oh yeah man, he’s good.

Aite, that’s good. So how was memorial day fellas?

Illyas – Man, I’m back in Ohio for the first time in like 5 months so it’s good to see family and enjoy family. Got some good food, ate too damn much, and just feeling good around my people.

Don – I’m good man, just chillin’ out. You know I got that good food in so I’m good.

We really appreciate you taking time out to talk to us. I know your promotion for this album has been serious and the travel insane, so thanks again for taking time out from your busy schedules to chat with us. Now I know that you always answer the question about the name and what it means and all that. You also tell the story of how the group cut music, so what I wanna know is, has AOL signed on to promote the group yet?

Illyas – Haha. We actually talked to them recently and talked about getting something done, a reality show or something about cutting an album in the same room. We’ve only got about 5 songs done in the same room as a group. So, if you can grease the wheels a little bit, ya know…

Don – I mean, I’ll let Illyas punch me in the mouth if that means we can get paid, I’m with that.

Illyas – (laughs) see man…

Hey, that’s all you need is a little controversy.

Don – Ya know?

Even with you only recording 5 songs in the same area, I can’t tell by your chemistry. Like, no way can I listen and tell which 5 they were. You all have a great chemistry and play off each other well.

Illyas – Well, with the internet and the technology out there, relationships are different anyway. Like, even when we are together we do our thing, but we always hang out online anyway. Like, I chat with Von or Don on a routine basis like they are right here anyway so location shouldn’t affect our chemistry, we’re always in touch.

I can dig it. I love how throughout Moonlighting skits you all play some of your other music. It’s almost like a treasure hunt when I listen to more of your other albums, I stumble across that song and it makes me appreciate Moonlighting even more. The same thing can be said for Brooklynati. I love the transitions; they most recently remind me of Timeline by ya boys Nicolay and Kay of the Foundation. The flow of your albums seems very deliberate and seamless, how much of that is your focus when you go into what songs actually make the album?

Illyas – I love that question, I wish Von was here to talk about that. Like, Von is the executive producer of the album. We all collectively produce it, but he’s really the one who puts it all together. He’s a beast man, like, he can sit down and listen to the skits on The Chronic and he’ll hear the way people are talking in the background and the clinks of glass and stuff on the table, and he’ll ask how he can reproduce that sound. Me, I just hear a skit, that dude, he puts it down like an art form.

Don – Shout out to Nicolay and Kay and the whole Foundation crew. The art of putting together an album like De La with skits and things to link stuff together is deliberate. We try to make it more enjoyable each time you listen to it and help you put together the “puzzle” of Tanya Morgan.

Illyas – Outside of the name of the group, nothing we do is by accident. We are deliberate and methodical as a group so we put together our albums so it’s an experience.

It’s dope cause hearing you say that validates me jumping between albums. Like, I’ll be listening to Grand Vonye and I’ll hear something that sounds like something on Moonlighting, then I’ll play Moonlighting and hear one of the songs from Grand Vonye in the background of a skit. That’s dope, helps keep the album new. I also like how you all are pretty candid about folks not liking your entire album from start to finish, like, you don’t go by the cliché and say, “Yo, my album is going to change the game…it’s all classic” and when you get it you’re like …song x is bullshit and you know it’s bullshit. Y’all are pretty candid.

Don – I mean, to be honest, I don’t agree that there is something for everybody on an album, like, everything isn’t meant for everybody. People put out albums and like 5 songs are hot and you can feel them and the rest you may not really fuck with. But because you’ve invested time in the album and money in the album, you take time to listen to the entire thing and it grows on you. That’s what I want to happen with our music. You invest in it and allow yourself to experience the album.

Illyas – Like when Ready To Die came out, I fucked with the singles real hard. When I played them out, I started listening to the rest of the album and that’s when I really fell in love with it. So like Don said, you experience the album.

So, am I far off when I say that the album sounds like the concept is basically a day listening to WFMJ Cold 98 FM, the radio station in the city of “Brooklynati”.

Don – Nah, I mean, we always get comparisons to Little Brother as it is so we didn’t want to bite and be like, “They lil’ Little Brother for real.” But we did want to make you feel the CD and how it was put together. It’s not just radio though, we have the public access shout out and other media in there too so it’s an album that takes into consideration different forms of media and getting the word out.

So let’s get more into the album. “Don’t U Holla” talks about the game as far as promoters and such, folks trying to get something for nothing or just flat out not paying on the business end of things. How often does this happen?

Don – Man….far more often then I’d even like to talk about.

Illyas – Man, I just got an email last night (laughs)

Don – Even outside of the promoters though, sometimes folks will hit us up and ask us to record something and what you gonna say? They know you recording the shit at home, so. (laughs). Sometimes, you have to give a little. You know, if you respect the artist/producer and their talent, you can’t look at the money part of it.

How do you keep from conforming to the regular devices and cliche’s of the industry now. Like, you don’t go off into Auto Tune – shout out to T. Wayne East (Illyas laughs) and you don’t rap about rims and such, is that because you are independent as in on a indy label or because you are independent as people.

Illyas – Like, being honest, you either talk about what’s going on in your life, or you talk about what you want to be goin’ on in your life. So now, I rap about being broke because I am broke. But if we get some money, I can’t say that I won’t be rapping about cars and money and stuff. Like, I’m not one to brag and be all flashy anyway so it will never be like that, but if I get some money, I will talk about it.

Right, just gonna change out the metal spikes for gold right?

Illyas – (laughs) right, nah, PLATINUM MAN, I’M GOING PLATINUM.

Don – Right, I think that as our level of success changes, our lyrics may change, I’m not going to lie about that. I look forward to that big deal where we can have the money and things like that. Shows and ladies screaming and stuff.

Funny that YOU bring up women Don…I hear you are the “Macho Man” pulling all the Elizabeths…is that right? PAUSE

Illyas – (laughs) yea…..

Don – Well, I have the ability to make young ladies feel like they can conversate with me and feel comfortable.

That’s very Obama of you, very political. You just ran for office on us with that answer.

Don – Man, it’s politics.

Illyas – It’s always political with that dude.

So Don, when you gonna do that Love album?

Don – Like, a album for the ladies?

Yeah.

Illyas – Ah man, that’s what his new project is about.

Don – Well, I did the whole album based on the movie and I have a lot of cameos but each cameo is cast like a movie. So like Von Pea is Kevin Smith and so on. So I’ve got a lot of people on there playing roles and it got so big that I ended up straying from the concept a little bit to finish the album. But it’s close to finished, I just have to record two more verses, get them mastered and then I’m done. I’m definitely trying to get at the ladies on this one, you niggas can have the hardcore rappers and shit.

(collective laugh)

That’s wassup man, and shout out to Hardcore Gentlemen. But man, you got a problem on your hands with “Laura’s Song” forreal. That shit is like instant classic fam.

Don – Thanks man.

Speaking of projects, Yo Illyas, wassup with your solo joint? Prelude was dope, when we gonna get more?

Illyas – Man, it’s coming, it’s coming. I’m on some other stuff this time. Folks are going to see a different side of me on this one man. I don’t even want to talk about it, I’m just gonna hit them out the blue with this one.

Uh oh, you getting YOUR “Hardcore Gentlemen” on?

Illyas – Man, I can’t even talk about it. It’s gonna be different

Don –Yo, I’m going to give you an exclusive on that Hardcore Gentlemen too. I heard they plan on trying to drop a video soon for this and trying to ride the success of our album. They don’t text or deal with technology, them cat’s still on that old Nokia brick and even though they didn’t do a good job of staying in the business with trying to sound like Onyx and Ill Al Scratch and all, they are talking about trying to get in and may even drop the video the same time we do something.

There it is , exclusives on nappyafro.com. Be on the look out for “Hardcore Gentlemen”. Now for those of us that remember the Golden Age, are you feeling that kind of appeal coming back now or is this just a fad?

Don – I will say that, it’s cool with the way the labels are picking up the blog rappers and internet rappers because that shows that the labels are paying attention to how people are getting their music and what they like. It kinda hurts to hear folks talk about Hip Hop and how only the Eminem, Jada and Rick Ross albums are the only one’s to check for. Like, that’s absurd to even thing that that’s all that’s out there. If you are really trying to find good Hip Hop, you can like, go to Google, type in “Hip Hop Albums”, and buy some real Hip Hop. Maybe even listen to it before you buy it. So, I think it’s been going on for a while, but since the label heads are taking notice, it’s being noticed.

Word man Now, as far as fame goes, do you feel like because so many of us have watched you grow and come up in that classic underground way, do you feel like your approachability makes you all seem too accessible? You know what I mean? Like, when folks meet LL, they’re not gonna tell him that xxx song sucks, but when they see you, they may feel like they can tell you that because they saw you come up in the game. So do folks come at you disrespectful at all or anything?

Don – (laughs) nah, that hasn’t happened. What does happen though, as addressed in “Just Arrived”, is that we get folks that try and give us unsolicited advice on things. Like, they will email me a line by line breakdown of what they didn’t like about a particular song.

Illyas – YEA MAN! Like, you aren’t a writer or producer. Who ARE you?

(collective laugh)

Well fellas, I know you gotta run, we appreciate the time again. Wanna give any shout outs?

Illyas – Yo, shout out to the whole Illuminati crew, Cincinnati crew, man and shout out to everybody.

Don – Yo man, shout out to the nappyafro.com readers.

That’s real fellas, see you around Brooklynati. (click link to take a tour)

King Jerm sat down with Justus League member Joe Scudda last week, now another Justus League member goes one on one with King Jerm. Meet Chaundon, one of the illest cats you probably never heard. But just because he isn’t a household name..yet, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to know him now.

King Jerm: What’s up? Do you mind telling the readers where are you from Chaundon?
Chaundon: I am from the South Bronx. Hunts Point Avenue to be exact!

That’s the place off an HBO documentary I’ve seen. How long have you been rapping?
I’ve been rapping for 16 years. Wow. That’s a long time.

16 years? That is a good minute. Of all the cities that you have performed in, which city did you enjoy rocking the most?
That’s a tough question. So many cities show a lot of love. I cant choose just one! How about I’ll choose 6? 1. NYC, 2. Chicago, 3. Boulder, 4. Orlando, 5. Baltimore, & 6. D.C.

That is a good list of cities right there. What do you have cooking in the lab at this moment?
I am about to complete my 2nd album No Excuses. I can’t wait to put it out! There is a lot of heat on there and the kid that got the majority of the production is 16 years old! Watch out suckas!

Can’t wait to hear the new album when it comes out. Which artists are on your “wish list” to work with?
The wish list is extensive. Joell Ortiz, Dr. Dre, Outkast, Nas, Black Thought, just to name a few.

I see that you and Scudda are real close, how did all of the Justus League meet?
We all met in North Carolina. Phonte, Big Pooh, Big Dho, 9th Wonder, and I all attended North Carolina Central University. I met Scudda through 9th in Raleigh. We were all liked minded individuals that clicked immediately.

Who are some of your early influences?
My early influences are Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Rakim, B.I.G, Big L, Lord Finesse, Big Pun, Nas, Jay-Z……The list is crazy but I think you get the picture.

All of those rappers are first ballot Hall of Famers! I have a quick question for you: You are about to hit the road, what ONE album are you grabbing?
My 1st album Carnage! It has everything I need to get inspired. Dope beats, and dope rhymes. What more do I need?

Good one. Can you tell everyone something about Chaundon that we do not know?
I slapped box with Jesus and licked shots with Joseph. Nah, something about me that yall don’t know… I write rock & pop songs. I also write for other artists. chaundon@gmail.com. If you need a ghost writer hit me up.

There you have it…the man is a ghostwriter..get at him! What was your first car?
My 1st car was a 1992 Chevrolet Caprice. Damn I miss that car.

Here is an off the wall question: What are your all time favorite shoes?
My favorite shoes of all time are shoes that aren’t over $75! So Air Force Ones are my favorite.

If Justus League could redo any posse cut, which one would it be?
Possibly Scenario

That would be dope. I wish you guys would try to work on that. Which sport you like better…boxing or MMA?
Boxing hands down. Legends come from boxing. I don’t know anybody in MMA. Just ain’t my thing.

We might have to get you to check out some UFC fights, I’m telling you, you will like it. Tell people why they should check for Chaundon.
People should check for me because I just may be the only artist who tells the truth on record. I don’t follow trends. I am the last of the original emcees since most of these dudes follow suite and want to be like everyone else except themselves. Another reason why people should check for me is because I know how to pick beats and make songs! Plus I’m nice as hell and my shows are crazy!

What is your favorite Hip-Hop review site?
Honestly, I don’t be on the internet like that. I’m mainly on twitter now. Just being real!

*(At least the man is honest!)

I recently caught up with Justus League member Joe Scudda and chopped it up about where he was from, the Georgia Bulldogs, and of course his music. I decided to turn the tables a bit instead of asking run of the mill questions, we wanted YOU the reader to get to know JOE SCUDDA the person. Sit back and check out the interview.

King Jerm: What’s Good Joe? First off, tell the people where you from.
Joe Scudda: Raleigh NC…since its b-ball tourney time lets say “Tabacco Road” haha

I grew up in NC..Greensboro (Big Shouts) to be exact. Tell everyone how long you been in the game?
I cashed my first rap check in 04 i think it was for my verse on the Foreign Exchange album…”Raw Life” was the song so lets say since then. I had only been rapping a couple years before that because I started out as a DJ.

What are some of the places you have been able to see courtesy of Hip-Hop?
It’s takin’ me a lot of places people from where I’m from have never seen unless they went into the military. I’ve been all around the U.S. many times over, been overseas to Europe, got to do a little acting gig on FX’s The Shield and got to meet people that I grew up listening to and being a fan of and got to work with some of those people I respect so its been pretty good to me so far….and its only looking up. I cant settle for the little I have had…that’s just a taste of whats to come.

I hear that. Getting some of that acting money. What are you working on right now?
Right now im 100% focused on finishing my solo album up. This is a album that should have been done and out years ago!! Due to me having a lack of focus at times…going through ups and downs its taking longer than I would have thought! I’m my own worst enemy at times…but I had to hit that bottom to get back up and go harder than before! That’s the reason I titled the album “FASHIONABLY LATE”….it fits like a glove! hahaa

Being in the Justus League has to have its privileges. Has aligning yourself with some of the best lyricists in the game helped you out?
Of course it has! When you hang around broke people…your gonna be broke. When you play sports against average talent…you can only get but so good! Same as rapping…if you rapping with some of the best then it makes you better and makes you step your game up so much. A bar has been set so you have to stay on point to stay above the bar! I think Phonte and Pooh are two of the dopest cats I have ever been around…so running with them and watching how they do things only has helped me.

Outside of the crew who would be your dream collabo?
That list is so long I could be here all day!!! If you would have asked that back in the day when I was in high school then 1 of those collabs came true because I have recorded with a lot of people from the Boot Camp!! Buckshot, Sean Price, Steele….I grew up a hugh fan of those guys!! So getting to record songs with them and just kick it was a real pleasure for me. But as far as right now….Ice Cube or Scarface!

Let’s get a little personal, tell the people something about Scudda they do not know.
Well some people might know and some people might not …but I’m a borderline PSYCHO Georgia Bulldog fan!!! Its almost sad..hahah. I moved to NC from GA in junior high so my GA roots are still strong. I rep for NC but some things never left me. I go to bout 4 or 5 games a year…this past year was the first bowl game I’ve missed in about 5 years. I know EVERYTHING…the number, the name, what year they are, what position they play…what incoming freshman we got….what they play …what kids we are going after……EVERYTHING. Yeah Imma chill cause I was really about to go in….hahahahhah

Hold up, you are a Georgia Bulldog? Aw Hell! GO GATORS. Let me ask you a redundant question: who are some of the people that inspired you to become an emcee?
Boot Camp, Outkast, Scarface, Ice Cube, Snoop, Jay, Big….everybody! I always liked it all. It kinda sucks now because I rap so I look at music with more of a different eye than I did before…because I do rap so I think I’m more critical than I used to be. And really….that’s wack! I had to get out of that….start taking music for what it is and what its meant for. I think that’s a lot of peoples problems nowadays. Nobody is just a fan anymore…they either rap or produce or they are arm chair critics. I’m not saying you got to like everything under the sun but I wasn’t as hard on rappers and music back then as I am now. But the radio was a little different then too so who the hell knows..hahahaah

What is Scudda’s favorite album of all time?
No clue…way to many! Ice Cube’s first 2 albums. Big- Ready To Die. Jay-Z- Reasonable Doubt. EVERY Outkast Album!!!!!!! Ghostface- Supreme Clientel. ALL Boot Camps FIRST albums. Mobb Deep-The Infamous My favorite Little Brother album is GET BACK!! I swear if that was the album that came out on Atlantic they would been OUTA HERE!! So many I cant write it all…….my first album of I ever paid money for was Bobby Brown Don’t Be Cruel album HAHAHAHAH

Inside information: What is Scudda’s favorite place to eat?
BOJANGLES!!!!!! Chicken Biscuit Combo with a tomato…fries, sweet tea! Packet of Hot Sauce and honey mustard for the biscuit and the fries!!!!!!! Think I might go get one when Im done here!!! OH….my new shit is this place here called DICKEY’S. It’s a BBQ spot but they make Georgia style BBQ instead of NC style BBQ. NC puts vinegar in their BBQ sauce…and Georgia is more of a ketchup based!!!! I live in NC so my people from NC don’t get offended…hahaha…but NC BBQ cant fuck with GA BBQ!!!!!!!!!!! Wow didn’t know I was gonna get into that…lol

There you have it…Joe Scudda loves Bojangles chicken! Okay, Scudda’s in the club, what is he drinking?
EVERYTHING PUT IN FRONT OF ME!!!!!!!!!!!! I GO IN! But if I got to narrow it down my drinks of choice are Jack & Coke….and for the beer its Pabst Blue Ribbon or better known as PBR. I’ll drink pretty much anything with alcohol in it as long as it aint sweet. Look fellas….if your drink matches your girls dress or her purse….PUT THAT SHIT DOWN!!! You cant hang with Joe Scudda if you go to the bar and order a sex on the beach or a blue motorcycle!!!!!! I dont give a damn how good you say that shit taste….MAN UP!

Scudda is shooting a video and needs a model…who are you picking?
Used to be Lauren London but I think she got knocked up didn’t she???? Probably go with either Scarlett Johansson or Rosario Dawson…..I’m not picky though…if she fine…RUN IT!

Interesting picks. Tell the people why they should mess with Joe Scudda.
Because…..I’m that guy you could be kicking it in the bar with. I’M YOU!….I go through shit just like you…I party like you…I make mistakes like you…I pay bills like you…I miss bills like you! I think everybody is gonna be able to find something on my album that in some shape or way they can relate too!!!

This is one for the ladies out there. If you are taking a girl out where would you take her…Ruth Chris or Wendy’s?
MAAAAN NEITHER!!!!!! Damn….I’m not a cheap bastard but please….RUTH CHRIS??? You got to be wifey status to get that hahhaha. Let’s do the middle of the road on that one. Take her to a nice spot…not a chain restaurant but I nice spot downtown or something. Dim lights….little wine…little candle lit action…nice jazz music in the back! That’s if she the type of chick that deserves that……..if not….its WAFFLE HOUSE TIME!!! hahahaahahha wait….this interview took a left turn somewhere..hahahaha

Last question, what is your favorite website? (Hint)
Ummmmm NAPPYAFRO.COM

and myspace.com & twitter.com