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What's up ya'll? If you're reading this it means you either know me, would like to know more about me or you're bored to death. Either way, you're in the right place. This is where I'll be storing information about what I'm up to and what's on my mind. There's a lot going on so don't forget to scroll down for all the blogs. Peace!

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Over the holiday I had a chance to sit down and really dig into 'That Was You?' by Stahhr. For those of you who are new to Stahhr, the 2 h's in her name stand for Hip Hop and she represents it to the fullest. This album is a collection of features and remixes so you know I was hyped to dig through it and catch a few verses that slipped through the cracks.


After my first listen through of 'That Was You?' I had to put it on shuffle repeat for a few hours and just vibe out. Stahhr is the truth, a real emcee with something important to say. Just in case you weren't sold yet, listen to 'Chorus Collection' or '16 Bars of Gold' for an instant conversion. Check out the video for 'Mansa Musa' below and click here to purchase 'That Was You'.

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The other night I was going through my hard drives and organizing files when I came across a dope track I did back in the day with my brother Lee Majaz. It's been a while since I stepped in the booth but listening to this track has me reminiscing about how fun it was to create songs.

This one came together in a very casual way. I was at the crib chopping up a sample on my MPC when Majaz came through with his girl. He heard what I was working on and started writing in the corner. At the time I had just gotten a Proteus 2000 so I was messing with the sounds and adding to the beat. Out of the blue Majaz stood up and started spitting his verse.  The verse was crazy and the concept really matched the upbeat vibe of the instrumental. Majaz told me to get on the track with him and I was reluctant at first but eventually decided to give it a go. After we recorded our verses we sat there thinking about what to do with the chorus and Majaz just walked in the booth and started singing on some Nate Dogg (R.I.P.) meets Tribe tip. I'm really digging the result so I wanted to share it with ya'll. Enjoy!

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You can deny a lot of things but you can't deny good music. Good music makes you feel a certain way. It has the potential to change your mood or it can put your feelings into words in a way you couldn't do yourself.  

Last week I had an opportunity to see the OxyMorrons perform live at the Brooklyn Assembly and I must say they have some good *$#@ing music. These guys tore the stage up for half an hour and had the entire crowd (including myself) going crazy. Their stage presence is amazing but is equally matched by the originality and quality of their songs.
Check out the video below to see an exclusive interview with the Oxy's then head over to their website to download the new single "Padded Sky". I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
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It's been a pretty busy week here at Green Studio. We have some exciting news coming soon including some incredible new additions to our team and website additions including the official launching of the Beat Bank. The Beat Bank is where you will be able to sample and download tons of beats from different producers affiliated with Green Studio. I'll even be throwing some of my beats up there so be on the lookout for a blog announcement in the near future.

Also, much love to the staff and workers at New York City Industries for the Blind (www.NYCIB.org) in Brooklyn. NYCIB is a not for profit organization that trains and employs people who are legally blind. These guys overcome tons of obstacles to do stuff that you and I take for granted everyday. Next time you say something is "hard" or you "can't" do it, check out the video below and you might think differently.
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It’s not often that I come across a young emcee who can tackle a serious subject in an interesting way.  One listen to Flosikk’s “Won’t Come Easy” and you’ll instantly recognize his talent and maturity. Flo’s ability to paint a vivid visual combined with the fact that he presents subject matter that is too often neglected make this track definitely worth checking out. Tracks like this got me feeling good about the future of hip-hop.

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Although I love being in the studio, I hate when I'm there wasting time. Some engineers can just chill while their client is wasting hours away, but I can't do it. I can tell you all types of stories about clients wasting their studio time but that wouldn't be useful. Instead, below is my list of 5 simple things you can do to avoid wasting time in the studio. Do these 5 things and your next session will flow smoother and your tracks will sound better no matter where you choose to record.
1) Practice your song out-loud multiple times before getting to your session.

I've seen this one tons of times. You write something and practice it over and over in your head or in a low whisper. You get in front of the mic to record and the tone isn't right or you start running out of breath. The reason is you did not practice out loud before your session. When you practice out loud, you work out things like tone and breath control before you get to the mic. You'll also be able to record your songs in less takes because you already have the muscle memory down. This is a simple yet often overlooked step.

2) While you're in the studio, keep the noise to a minimum.

An engineer's most valuable tool is his ears. While you're recording, the engineer should be paying close attention to see if you're make any mistakes or if there are any noises in the booth. During mixdown, the engineer needs to pay close attention to audio levels, effects and overall balance. All of this requires that he can clearly hear everything that is going on. Take it from an engineer, it's in your best interest to keep the room quiet during your sessions.
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3) If you're bringing an instrumental for your session, back yourself up and bring it in a variety of formats.

This one can be a session ender. You practiced your song ahead of time, made the trek to the studio and you're hyped. You hand over the instrumental CD to the engineer, he puts it in his computer and Oh *#@! it doesn't read. SESSION OVER. Well there are a few easy ways to stop that from happening. The best way is to send the tracks over to the studio via email before your session. If the file is small you can email it to yourself and download it while at the studio. Another way to back yourself up is to have the file on an external hard drive or thumb drive along with the cd. The ultimate backup is to do all of the above.

4) Think about the sound you want and tell the engineer about it before the mixdown.

Songs can be mixed in a variety of ways. You can have a dry sound or effects heavy sound or anything in between. Describe the sound you are going for to the engineer. If you're not sure how to describe it, bring in a few songs that have a sound you like. This way the engineer has an idea of what you want and won't waste time mixing your songs in a way you won't like.

5) Show up on time and ready to work.

The best way to waste time is to show up late and unprepared. Show up to your session on time and ready to work. You're paying for the time so make sure you take full advantage of it. 

Let me know what you think below or tell me how you save time in the studio. 

Peace,

Morocco