During his entire career, producer Young RJ has consistently stepped up to the plate when the opportunity or obligation arise. As half of the production duo B.R. Gunna, he helped construct a new sound for Slum Village after group mastermind J Dilla left to pursue a solo career. When Black Milk was busy pursuing his own projects, Young RJ produced the third installment of Gunna’s Dirty District series on his own. And when he was given the chance to work with G-Unit emcees Lloyd Banks and Young Buck, he rep’d the D by producing bangers that landed on their respective albums.
Now, Young RJ is set to face a couple more challenges. His Concert Hall EP project with Frank Nitty (of Frank-N-Dank) is on iTunes now (click here for the project’s single, “Automatic,” and a rundown of the song by Frank), and he’s currently working on The Recipe, an album with Rapper Big Pooh, the slept-on half of North Carolina’s indie mainstay Little Brother, and Dirty District Vol. 4. In an interview with MichiganHipHop.com, Young RJ talks about a family-first policy, impending projects, and the status of B.R. Gunna. Continue reading →
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Chances are you’ve been a Fat Ray fan for a long time, even if you didn’t realize it. The 7 Mile veteran has rep’d the D proudly since the days of the Hip Hop Shop, whether it’s with fellow Detroiters like Black Milk and Young RJ as the trio of B.R. Gunna, or in the national spotlight as a contestant on 106 & Park’s Freestyle Friday. But this year, you’ll know who you’re hearing: after enjoying breakout success in 2007, Black Milk has started his own label, Music House. The label’s first release is The Set Up, an LP that features him behind the boards and Fat Ray on the mic. The album has garnered critical acclaim, putting it at the forefront in what many have dubbed as the year that The Mitten finally gets the attention it deserves: a destination that Fat Ray has been working toward for years. As he says in the interview below, “When it’s your time to shine, and the camera lights turn on, you gotta be ready.”
When hip-hop heads buzz about the renaissance of Detroit’s rap scene, Guilty Simpson is universally recognized as one of its most important components. Widely known as a protégé to the late J Dilla, the Guilty showcased his gritty, throaty vocals on albums like Jaylib’s Champion Sound and Dilla’s The Shining before signing to indie powerhouse Stones Throw Records through his old friend. Under the LA label, 2007 would see him release the mixtape Stray Bullets and his debut album Ode To the Ghetto, the latter featuring production from the likes of ST breadwinner Madlib, fellow Detroit heavyweights Black Milk and Mr. Porter, and one beat from Dilla Dog himself.