Post by fugees-online on Apr 26, 2006 23:34:13 GMT 1
source: www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/8835
Daily Hip-Hop News:
SOHH Exclusive: J. Period Joins Lauryn Hill in South Africa, Preps Mary J. Blige Mixtape
Wednesday - April 26, 2006 by Janeé Bolden
Lauryn Hill was recently among the headlinders for the "Redds Divas Concert 2006" in Johannesburg, South Africa. The show also featured soul singer Regina Belle and South African artists Lebo Mathosa, KB and Bongo Maffin, among others.
Hill was joined by mixtape DJ J. Period, who received mass accolades last year for his Best of Lauryn Hill Vol. 1 and 2 mixtapes. Prior to the show, J got the crowd hyped alongside the Beat Junkie's DJ Rhettmatic, before accompanying Lauryn's six-piece band during her set.
"I got a call from Ms. Hill's manager on Wednesday, to leave on Thursday, do the show Saturday and leave on Sunday," J. Period told SOHH exclusively of the gig. "Because there was so little time it was kind of impromptu, basically no rehearsal, just playing off her cues. Some of the songs we'd have the band play a samba vibe and I would come in with more of the hip-hop style, hard-hitting beats. We were able to do a couple live remixes of her vocals over other beats, I came up with some stuff for her to do live over there."
Although the two also blessed NY's Central Park Summer Stage together last year, J. Period said that his experience making the Best of Lauryn Hill mixtapes is what best prepared him for the South African crowd of 15,000.
"My audition process basically was all the effort I put into making the mixtape," he said. "The bonus for doing the show is that now I know her music really well. When we were out there knowing when her rhyme comes in, how long her verse is, you have to know her songs. That's what makes it even remotely possible for me to do a show like this weekend where we had so little rehearsal. I already had ideas in my head for what we could do."
While J. Period characterizes his experience with Hill as a creative working relationship, it's not certain whether he will be joining Hill for a full-fledged tour.
"This was the first real show I've done with her," explained the DJ. "We've been discussing ideas for the last couple months about her tour. Right now, it's just spot dates. I don't think there is a full-fledged tour in the works yet. It's really dependent on what she wants to do. I have my thing going on that I do independently and where this intersects, I get a call. Her plans are very much her own. I don't think that anyone besides her really knows her plans."
J. Period said that even in South Africa she wasn't fully able to escape the "diva" label the public sometimes puts on her.
"As far as Ms. Hill is concerned, a lot of it is sensationalized," said J. "People have put so much pressure on her that now it's like she doesn't want anything to do with it. Even at the show this weekend, there were technical problems and the show started an hour and a half late. It was because of a broken turntable but people were lambasting her in online reviews and it was totally not her fault. People love her and they love her music, when you cut through all the bull**** and it's just her music and the fans response they were going ape****. You know you have an impact on those people when the beat ran out on 'Killing Me Softly' and the people kept singing it."
Hill isn't the only artist getting the J. Period treatment. The Los Angeles native is currently hard at work on several projects of his own.
"I'm working on a project for Def Jam, the Best of the Isley Brothers mixtape, that was actually due today and I had to push it back for the South Africa opportunity. That will be done in a couple days. I'm [also]working on a mixtape with CL for CL Smooth Best Of mixtapes and doing something with Kevin Powell. He's running for Congress and I volunteered to make a promo mixtape to target the hip-hop audience.
"I'm [also] doing a Best of Mary J. Blige mixtape for Geffen and Interscope," he added. "I'm about two-thirds done. I pray it will be done by summer. She's hosting it, giving me some exclusive tracks, it's definitely going to be a big blast off when I drop. I dug into the crates with the same fever that I did with Lauryn."
J. Period performed recently alongside DJ Ge-ology at Smirnoff's Movement Studio party held at Brooklyn's Paul Robeson Theatre. He also taught a free class on making and releasing a mixtape through the Smirnoff Movement series.
"Redds Divas Concert 2006" was held to celebrate female artistry both locally and internationally and proceeds from the event went to benefit three local South African organizations that provide shelter and counseling for abused women. Ashanti was also scheduled to perform but after a local car accident involving a 17-year-old drunk driver claimed the life of her 20-year-old cousin Quinshae Snead, she was compelled to cancel her performance.
When asked about his involvement with causes like the Redd Diva's concert as well as his participation in the 2004 Def Poets "Declare Yourself" tour (which helped raise young adult awareness about voting), J. Period stressed the importance of giving back.
"Whether it's 'Declare Yourself' or teaching a class, music is a small thing in the world and it's important for me to use that
Daily Hip-Hop News:
SOHH Exclusive: J. Period Joins Lauryn Hill in South Africa, Preps Mary J. Blige Mixtape
Wednesday - April 26, 2006 by Janeé Bolden
Lauryn Hill was recently among the headlinders for the "Redds Divas Concert 2006" in Johannesburg, South Africa. The show also featured soul singer Regina Belle and South African artists Lebo Mathosa, KB and Bongo Maffin, among others.
Hill was joined by mixtape DJ J. Period, who received mass accolades last year for his Best of Lauryn Hill Vol. 1 and 2 mixtapes. Prior to the show, J got the crowd hyped alongside the Beat Junkie's DJ Rhettmatic, before accompanying Lauryn's six-piece band during her set.
"I got a call from Ms. Hill's manager on Wednesday, to leave on Thursday, do the show Saturday and leave on Sunday," J. Period told SOHH exclusively of the gig. "Because there was so little time it was kind of impromptu, basically no rehearsal, just playing off her cues. Some of the songs we'd have the band play a samba vibe and I would come in with more of the hip-hop style, hard-hitting beats. We were able to do a couple live remixes of her vocals over other beats, I came up with some stuff for her to do live over there."
Although the two also blessed NY's Central Park Summer Stage together last year, J. Period said that his experience making the Best of Lauryn Hill mixtapes is what best prepared him for the South African crowd of 15,000.
"My audition process basically was all the effort I put into making the mixtape," he said. "The bonus for doing the show is that now I know her music really well. When we were out there knowing when her rhyme comes in, how long her verse is, you have to know her songs. That's what makes it even remotely possible for me to do a show like this weekend where we had so little rehearsal. I already had ideas in my head for what we could do."
While J. Period characterizes his experience with Hill as a creative working relationship, it's not certain whether he will be joining Hill for a full-fledged tour.
"This was the first real show I've done with her," explained the DJ. "We've been discussing ideas for the last couple months about her tour. Right now, it's just spot dates. I don't think there is a full-fledged tour in the works yet. It's really dependent on what she wants to do. I have my thing going on that I do independently and where this intersects, I get a call. Her plans are very much her own. I don't think that anyone besides her really knows her plans."
J. Period said that even in South Africa she wasn't fully able to escape the "diva" label the public sometimes puts on her.
"As far as Ms. Hill is concerned, a lot of it is sensationalized," said J. "People have put so much pressure on her that now it's like she doesn't want anything to do with it. Even at the show this weekend, there were technical problems and the show started an hour and a half late. It was because of a broken turntable but people were lambasting her in online reviews and it was totally not her fault. People love her and they love her music, when you cut through all the bull**** and it's just her music and the fans response they were going ape****. You know you have an impact on those people when the beat ran out on 'Killing Me Softly' and the people kept singing it."
Hill isn't the only artist getting the J. Period treatment. The Los Angeles native is currently hard at work on several projects of his own.
"I'm working on a project for Def Jam, the Best of the Isley Brothers mixtape, that was actually due today and I had to push it back for the South Africa opportunity. That will be done in a couple days. I'm [also]working on a mixtape with CL for CL Smooth Best Of mixtapes and doing something with Kevin Powell. He's running for Congress and I volunteered to make a promo mixtape to target the hip-hop audience.
"I'm [also] doing a Best of Mary J. Blige mixtape for Geffen and Interscope," he added. "I'm about two-thirds done. I pray it will be done by summer. She's hosting it, giving me some exclusive tracks, it's definitely going to be a big blast off when I drop. I dug into the crates with the same fever that I did with Lauryn."
J. Period performed recently alongside DJ Ge-ology at Smirnoff's Movement Studio party held at Brooklyn's Paul Robeson Theatre. He also taught a free class on making and releasing a mixtape through the Smirnoff Movement series.
"Redds Divas Concert 2006" was held to celebrate female artistry both locally and internationally and proceeds from the event went to benefit three local South African organizations that provide shelter and counseling for abused women. Ashanti was also scheduled to perform but after a local car accident involving a 17-year-old drunk driver claimed the life of her 20-year-old cousin Quinshae Snead, she was compelled to cancel her performance.
When asked about his involvement with causes like the Redd Diva's concert as well as his participation in the 2004 Def Poets "Declare Yourself" tour (which helped raise young adult awareness about voting), J. Period stressed the importance of giving back.
"Whether it's 'Declare Yourself' or teaching a class, music is a small thing in the world and it's important for me to use that
