About the Music
Music by MYSELF. Visit them on MySpace for information about upcoming shows, management and the ever important “Protest Pack.”
The debut album “Protest in Disguise” is due in June.About the Video
Directed, Shot & Edited by James Wade & Cody Lucich
Visit them on MySpace or at lafco.tv
We met MYSELF a few weeks back in New York City. We saw the video. Loved it. Loved the way it mixed music video and documentary. And then had a chance to talk about New Orleans, music, spirituality and the business of getting yourself (er, MYSELF) out there.
ScribeMedia: Your answering machine says: “You have reached Couture Music Wear (tailor made to fit everystyle)….” What is Couture Music Wear?
MYSELF: I felt a need to incorporate my musical stylings with my appreciation of fashion… and with COUTURE being the super elite fashion lifestyle it sums up the best of both of my WORLDS… I’m actually also starting a clothing line with the same name… embracing couture sensibilities with an edgy punk feel!!!
ScribeMedia: How did the name MYSELF come about?
MYSELF: The name MYSELF was never really intended upon… it just happened!!
I really value the importance of [individual] names. I wanted something that everyone could identify with… it’s obviously a creative play on words, but most importantly it’s more of a SELF-reflection.
People in society put an enormous emphasis on being someone or something they’re not, so I wanted to address this and put more of the focus on my music — me being an artist, hence that was the birth of MYSELF!!!
ScribeMedia: What styles of music do you draw from? Which musicians helped shape MYSELF?
MYSELF: When it comes to music… I draw from so many inspirations depending on my mood, where I’m at spritually in my life.
John Coltrane was once asked what is his religion? He replied that he’s a devout musician!! I can attest to his testimony.
Music to me is my spirit.. I tend to really appreciate singer/songwriters who have a strong message to deliver, I love music that moves meaning songs or styles that evoke emotions… (hip hop used to do it for me circa the 1986-1992 Golden Era of Hip Hop, roots organic reggae has a special place in my heart, social conscious rock & roll)… as you can see i can talk about this topic all day, but let’s just say that I never box MYSELF in when it comes to what type of music I listen to or the type of music I create.
When I was younger still developing my artistic vibe… I embraced cats like Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, rakim…
As I got older and started growing as an artist/musician/producer I started to pay homage to the great ones like Fela Kuti, Jimi Hendrix, Sun-RA, Miles Davis, Bob Marley….so many more to name.
I guess you’ll have to purchase a copy of my upcoming album “Protest in Disguise” so you can get a chance to hear for yourself some of my influences that have been INSTRUMENTAL!! [laughs]
ScribeMedia: How did your upbringing in New Orleans influence your understanding of music?
MYSELF: Being from New Orleans — not only the birthplace of Jazz music and culture — but probably one of a few cities in America that actually has an indigenious culture has been a huge asset to my career and also has given me such a profound overstanding of music — not just music in the form of entertainment, but music in the form of a healing tool & ritual.
Growing up listening to The Marsalis Jazz Family, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, The Meters, Dr.John, The Neville Brothers all these different flavors and spices of music makes up what we call Gumbo Funk — and once you incorporate and embrace New Orleans Hotness (not the humidity!!) you understand the role and connection that New Orleans music has to Africa (the drum continent). That’s when you’re able to fully understand the rhythm and pulse (heartbeat) that people all over the world need to survive.
ScribeMedia: Your music video was shot in post Katrina New Orleans. Can you tell us the story of the video?
MYSELF:The video manifested itself… I was in New Orleans visiting family members for the first year memorial of Hurricane Katrina.
A hip young film crew out of Los Angeles was in town shooting a documentary called “Pocket Change,” which Oliver Stone & MYSELF have cameo apperances in. After hearing me speak in regards to my own family’s Katrina mishaps and devestation, they were compelled to do a video of me… so we shot one whole day in New Orleans in some of the most deplorable neighborhoods (7th Ward & 9th Ward…it doesn’t take a genius to realize that these were 95% African American communities).
I co-directed the video implementing elements that the “Big Easy” is widely known for, i.e. French Quarter, Treme’, Congo Square , etc.
The way the video came about was a blessing in disguise, but also it showcases being in the right place at the right time!! The video is more of a documentary style piece of film work combining two of my singles in one “God is so Funky”/”Where we Going?” Shot on Hi-Defintion… all the while capturing the beauty & and at the same time capturing the destruction, aftermath & remnnants of KATRINA.
ScribeMedia:What was your personal experience of Katrina?
MYSELF: My whole entire family was affected in one way or another by Katrina…my mom & dad lost their whole house. They watched our family house literally burning down on CNN — how crazy is that????
Fortunately no lives in my family were lost but spirits, hopes and dreams were definitely altered if not altogether destroyed.
ScribeMedia: What do musicians say about post-Katrina New Orleans?
MYSELF: From what I’ve been hearing and seeing with my own eyes is that musicians both from New Orleans and outside have been getting involved with the rebuilding efforts and taking pride in speaking up about the way the government took advantage of the people in New Orleans and the other Gulf states.
NYC particulary reached out with open arms to New Orleans musicians who needed a new place to call home.
Anytime we can turn negativity into positivity I personally think it’s a triumph for all mankind in the face of adversity rising to the occasion. New Orleans musicians in particular are slowly but surely going back home to New Orleans to prepare for the rebirth of what I like to call the New New Orleans.
ScribeMedia: We know that there is a lot of effort to revive the culture of New Orleans. Do you feel they are succesful?
MYSELF: I feel like the efforts have been positive…but there’s so much more that needs to be done starting with the public educational system.
Then there’s the always deceptive means of Louisiana Politics that needs to be done away with (misappropriation of funds, etc.) I think there needs to be a sense of spritual cleansing taking place and from there a cohesive plan of action needs to be constructed.
First off [we need] to inolve the 70-80% African American New Orleans population and not excludie them. After all, African American and the Native Americans were repsonsible for physically building and cultivating New Orleans so it’s only fair and just that these people have a voice and say about what’s to happen with New Orleans future.
ScribeMedia: How do musicians affected by Katrina find a way to participate in the rebuilding effort?
MYSELF: One of the best ways for people to get involved with the rebuilding efforts is to donate time, resources, money… There’s many organizations such as Habitat for Humanity plus countless of others.
I would also encourage people to visit the city of New Orleans and experience the richness for themselves. Tourism is by far still the one and only main industry that New Orleans co-depends on a daily basis.That’s a direct way for you to see with your own eyes and also contribute locally to the economy.
ScribeMedia: Are the songs in the video a call to action, or is it something you did for yourself?
MYSELF: Interestly enough, the week I originally finished recording my album “Protest in Disguise” was also the week that Katrina hit, so ironically songs like “Where we Going?”, “Be That Way”, “Easy Come” strikes a chord because I’m talking about some of these same issues that were prevalent in New Orleans before and after Katrina so call it faith, destiny, whatever… all I know is that my album addresses the racial divide, poverty and social injustices that seem to be ongoing trends in America which we saw first hand in New Orleans.
I don’t believe in coincidences, however I do believe that everything happens for a reason, so if I’m able through my music to entertain, educate and uplift then I feel like I’m doing my part to fix the unbalanced equation.
ScribeMedia: Sometimes negative events have positive outcomes. Katrina exposed the racial and classs issues of everyday living in New Orleans? As it rebuilds, do you think these issues are being addresed or do you think they will be forgotten?
MYSELF: I feel in order for racial class issues to be truthfully addressed there needs to be a total upheaval of the governmental system… currently in place beginning with the US-constitution, the Supreme Courts, the ever over-populated Prison System, tax advantages for the rich, racial profiling, police brutality… need I go on!!
Until these things are reversed no one is being held accountable. We’re all just hiding and disguising ourselves within the so-called American democracy.
ScribeMedia: Internet has changed the business of music. How did you leverage technology and social media to launch your band? Can you give us some examples of how you’re using Web sites, MySpace and other platforms to promote MYSELF, and what you think the effects are?
MYSELF: I’ve been very fortunate to utilize technology, before it started to abuse me.
We as a people still more than ever take the human element for granted. I always tried my hardest to maintain balance with everyting — especially the music industry.
For me being a social activist whose mojo just happens to be music, I always approach things from a grass roots movement oriented perspective. Even to this day being signed to a major records label, I still wear many hats.
I’ve always had to self-manage MYSELF and my band, I always had to be my own publicist, booking agent and street promoter. So tools like myspace.com , sonicbids.com, youtube.com are so empowering because they give artists an opportunity to expand their brand and also cross market and connect with other industries.
Personally, I think there’s value in all various types of new media and alternative marketing strategies. I’m open to exploring what works and what doesn’t
See this is were lots of people get stumped: they’re unaware of their strengths & weaknesses.
What I do is try to establish rapport with other industry contacts and associates and then build from there! A ton of the music industry is about who you know, not how good are you, or how you sound, so it’s just a matter of utilizing the myspaces of the world to position and strenghten your brand.
ScribeMedia: On April 17th, the two new singles are coming out on iTunes from your album which will be released in June. Are these songs going to be free?
MYSELF: The 2 singles we are releasing are dropping April 17 (itunes, napster, rhapsody,etc..) It’s a “buy one get one free” deal. It’a way to introduce the MYSELF brand to the world!!
So you can buy “God is so Funky” and get “Where we going?” for free.
My album “Protest in Disguise” drops in June. We are going to offer a pre-sale/limited edition MYSELF signed CD, poster, sticker and button as a pre-album launch April 15 where fans and people can get exclusive copies before it hits the store. I’ll talk later in this interview on how you can get your hands on the Protest Pack.
ScribeMedia: In the new business models of music distribution, how do you decide on the timing of the releases? Do you know how the promotion is going to work? Are you mostly relying on digital promotion or pitching to radio stations?
MYSELF: Music distribution as we know it is going through a major transformation right now. Traditionally, albums were marketed and scheduled for release 3 months in advance to street date.
Now it’s all fair game, you can record it on Sunday and have it out by Friday depending on your distribtion setup and strategy. The game is changing, it’s just the major players are the same!!
I tend to self-promote whenever by any means necessary. It’s truly essential for artists to value their artistic commodity as a way to sustain longevity. We’re concocting new ideas and disciplines regarding my project (i.e., not the same old street fliering, overproduced video budget, mixtape circuit) we’re relying on college radio, good ol’fashion touring, merchanding, publishing, multimedia cross marketing, email blast, electronic media, satellite / internet radio and last but not least word of mouth, the best thing since southern lemonade and slice bread!!!
ScribeMedia: As a musician how involved are you in promoting your band as opposed to relying on the PR department of your record label?
I’m involved with everything. You would be surprised how incompetent Record label clones/robots can be. Believe me they know who they are!!
ScribeMedia: Do you want/need to be so involved or would you rather concentrate on making music and performing?
I’m involved with every aspect of my career!! At the end of the day I view it from an artistic perspective. I think of it as the same as as recording in the studio or the same as rocking a crowd of 10,000 MYSELF screaming fans. It’s an extension of who I am.
