Scotty B & AshlynRenee: WhoisMunchy Part 1 Interview

AshlynRenee and I sat down with WhoIsMunchy on my recent 

trip to Columbia, South Carolina.  I met Munchy a while back on Twitter 

and after listening to his music I knew I had to get an interview when and if 

the opportunity presented itself.  This was one of my favorite interviews 

because of his for love music and the authenticity of the conversation.  We broke this 

interview into two parts. Watch the first half below! Enjoy! Stayed tuned for Part II

                 

 "WORLD PREMIERE"

   Hip-Hop fans around the world had been impatiently anticipating the release of Kanye West's new album. There was months of speculation and rumors about the actual release date, the title, and the hype that surrounded it. That thirst was recently quenched via TIDAL, where "The Life Of Pablo" was finally made available to the masses. The buzz now has fresh legs as debates repeatedly hatch over social media based off of differing opinions. All the hoopla got me to thinking about some other notable "premieres" that range from the savvy to the exceptional. There have been quite a few but I must admit I'm sort of bias to two in perticular. One which deserves a standing ovation for showmanship and the second a simple salute to the growth, greatness, and elevation of ones stature to expand across multiples genres.  
    Before WorldStarHipHop became a major outlet and Twitter or InstaGram could catapult you into platinum status;  106 and Park held down center stage for musical talent looking to crack into the big time, cement themselves in the spotlight, or simply to extend their fifteen minutes of fame. 106 could literally make you or break you. No one capitalized on this more than 50 cent and Kanye West in the epic "Clash of the Titans." It all started when Kanye pushed his album date up to drop on the same day as Fifty's. Leave it to Kanye to always think of a way to cash in when it comes to publicity stunts, he has definitely mastered the art. Even though Ye's singles were actually doing better than 50 cent's on the charts, 50 cent felt he had a stronghold on the streets at the time and that this would propel him to the top when it really mattered. That sparked Fifty to issue a challenge stating that his album "CURTIS" would surpass Ye's album "GRADUATION" in first week sales. It quickly snowballed into much more as radio host, critics, cashiers, your next door neighbor, the guy at the bus stop all began to chime in with their prediction of the outcome. Even "Rolling Stone" came knocking, placing them on the cover, which only intensified the build up.

   






    The two eventually battled it out live on a special episode of 106, performing singles from their upcoming releases. Not to sound cliche but it was like the "Thrilla in Manila" for hip hop. The 106 and Park faithful, studio and TV audience alike, were literally keeping scorecards after each performance. Never mind who the victor was, this was HIP-HOP HISTORY...PERIOD. An extremely clever promotional scheme that not only captured the undivided attention of loyal fans but also caused the casual onlooker to tune in as well. You'd be hard pressed to find any moment in hip-hop that would rival this one in attention garnered.      
 
    This next one probably gets overlooked due to this individuals long list of accomplishments that only seem to get more astonishing by the year. I have a strong love for the hip-hop culture, in a close second is my love for sports. So whenever these two worlds find a way to come together I'm all smiles. Especially when it happens to involve one of my all time favorites. When Jay Z retired in 2003, I along with many others, had a strong feeling that it wasn't for good. When the hiatus ended in 2006 he really didn't have to do a single promo, he basically was his own publicity. Yet and still he went over and beyond to inform us of his return to the throne. The best example of this was debuting the video of the  first single "Show Me What U Got" off the "KINGDOM COME" album on the Lexus Halftime Show of Monday Night Football. Let that sink in for a minute. Do you understand the size of the audience that would be viewing this? It ranks among the top of all cable TV shows as far as ratings is concerned. Newsflash folks: most of those people don't even listen to rap!

  
   Think about what it takes to pull something like that off. Some artist have a hard time just getting spins on the radio. This is a multi-billion dollar industry we talking about here. Their not going to let just any artist DEBUT A VIDEO. Perform maybe, but not too much more than that. They have a world-wide brand to protect. So unless you appeal to a vast majority of their audience it's just not happening.  What does that tell you about Jay Z? His respect level is unmatched in the rap game. Anybody could have a hot track out and have the media in an uproar about appearances and exclusives. This wasn't any of that. This was an extremely lucrative corporation recognizing the greatness and the influence that this one individual has. The cherry on top is the fact of where he came from and the doors he's been able to walk through as if he always belonged right there. Inspirational to say the least. If that's not amazing to you then you're simply just hating.
    Call me old school but I never miss an opportunity to reflect on the paths in which hip-hop has taken. So many times it gets loss in the shuffle of the here and now and disregarded as valuable reference pieces. I just enjoy shining the light on these moments as a reminder to those of us with short memories. We are quick to throw MC's in the all-time great category, but let's make sure they've actually done something great first.
                                                M*R-PERIOD         

                        "HONORABLE MENTION"

     Take a second and refer to your "mental rolodex". Now see if you could pull up the tattoos you've most often seen duplicated. I guarantee ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE ME finished near the top of your list. Coincidently, the rapper whom some consider responsible for this, would also finish near the top of the list for G.O.A.T. This week marks the twentieth  year anniversary of the release of Tupac's All Eyes on Me (February 13, 1996) on which the song "Only GOD Can Judge Me" was featured. So for those of you who may have overlooked the significance of this album, for random reasons, allow me the pleasure of adjusting your rear view mirror so that we may take a look back at a great moment in hip hop.
    Do understand that this was a double disc made up of entirely original material, the first of its kind in hip hop history. Before anyone down plays this by assuming this could easily be achieved, I would quickly advise you to reconsider. This isn't the same as a couple of iPads full of verses that your favorite rapper has on standby. Neither should you make an attempt to place any double disc release parallel to Pac's in hopes of comparing them. The difference would simply be- QUALITY OF CONTEXT. Tupac basically barricaded himself in the studio for several hours at a time and emerged with a gem in less than a month. There were no "dance jingles" included to possibly boost radio play. It wasn't an album full of A-list features geared to trick the masses into giving it a listen. There were references to money,women, and drugs but not highlighted in a matter where it became the focal point. Real issues, real experiences, real emotions expressed through verses that gave us what we crave the most from hip-hop...the ability to RELATE.
    Right off the back Pac puts his adversaries on notice with "Ambitions Az A Ridah." From the moment the beat drops and you here Micheal Buffer's voice in the background "Lets get ready to rumble," there's a surge of adrenaline as you anticipate the heat that follows. Its the rap equivalent to James Brown's "The Big Payback." All throughout the first disc there's rap genius sprinkled over underrated beats that hold you mentally hostage to the point that you almost felt like it was your story being told instead of Pac's. He also seemed to bring out the best in the featured artist on disc one who weren't exactly household names. This is strikingly evident in the track "Tradin War Stories" where both C-Bo and Dramacydle deliver above-par, short and to the point verses, that ensure no drop-off of momentum throughout. To me that just lends to the brilliance of it all. Pac entrusted some very unusual suspects in the making of a masterpiece.
    Disc two doesn't let up, in fact it steps it up just a notch with a couple of  bangers that become instant classics. The title track All Eyes On Me awakes the sleeping giant inside of you. Kind of like he's saying "not only am I not going to shrink under the spotlight, ima stand 10 feet tall in it." It's that head high, chest out, Nino Brown/Scarface feeling of invincibility. Next up is "Picture Me Rollin" where the title basically speaks for itself. Its a combination of redemption and revenge laced shout outs. He's burning a visual image inside the minds of those who celebrated his downfall or made an attempt to hinder his progress. How beautiful is that? Placing your success firmly in the view of your enemies, giving them no option to look away.
    There's so much more to cover, but to breakdown every track would only do it an injustice. Only the personal experience of hearing it flowing through your own ears allows you to give this album the kudos it deserves. So take some time in the near future to not only pay homage but bless yourself with some classic material that's sure to inspire. Regardless of how you feel about the messenger, you can't ignore the rhyme and reason for the message portrayed in All Eyes On Me.
                                                     
                                                                 M*R-PERIOD