BACK 2 SCHOOL FASHIONS MIXTAPE REVIEWS COLLECTOR’S EDITION Re-Defining The Mixtape Game DJ WHOO KIDG-UNIT’S GENERAL ADDS $TREET VALUE TO THE GAME JAE MILLZ PLUS: POPS OFF A CONRAD DIMANCHE XAVIER AEON MILLION ROUNDS HAWK VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2 DJ VLAD THE BUTCHER CUTS IT UP >DJ WHOO KID On the cover and this page: (“Street Value” Pg. 44) Photographed Exclusively for Mixtape Magazine by RON WEXLER FEATURES CONTENT VOL.1 ISSUE 2 44 DJ WHOO KID $TREET VALUE G-Unit General or G-Unit Soldier? Crown the kid king if you call him anything. DJ Whoo Kid in his most upfront story to date alerts the game about his strategy and formula for worldwide, not just domestic success. By Kay Konnect 70 Xavier Aeon 74 DJ VLAD 80 Jae Millz THE BUTCHER Rhythm and Blues new Mix it up. Blend it up. Jae Millz, the lyrical sharp- boy wonder from the CT, Whatever you do, make shooter steps to the streets Connecticut to be exact, sure to cut it up. DJ Vlad in a Mixtape Magazine explains in an uncut manner “The Butcher” slices the exclusive. He drops bullets the difference between a mixtape game in half with regarding his demeanor and typical artist and one with exclusive compilations from operation in the mixtape rap an edge. Shaken with a the east-south-mid-west. world. Ready as ever, Jae Hip Hop feel, Xavier Aeon DJ Vlad’s story plugs the Millz pops off a million exposes his sharpness. world to his sword-like rounds easily. approach in the game. By Isegoria By Kay Konnect By Suvadip Bose 6 www.mixtapemag.com COLUMNS 26 Awesome 2: Beauty and CONTENT VOL.1 ISSUE 2 Beats Special K and Teddy Ted mix beats and beauty with the world renowned femme fatale DJ Eque. DEPARTMENTS 16 Editor’s Letter Champ in the Ring of Kings, Mixtape Magazine battles it out with their second hit issue. 18 Feedback This month’s featured mixtape: A Tribute Mixtape To Big Pun “The Punisher” by DJ Suss One. 20 Corporate America Profiting on Urban Community: An inside look at those profiting from minorities being held in prison… 32 Executive On The Run Conrad Dimanche, Senior Director of A&R for Bad Boy Entertainment, runs down the daily grind of an executive in charge. 34 Industry Profiles 52 MixTech Gadgets, gadgets, and more gadgets! Peep our exclusive Back 2 School technology section. 56 Reviews Industry professionals step into the ring to access the latest mixtapes, albums, and DVDs on the streets. 66 West to East Reputable DJs nationwide report the top 5 songs and local talent on their play list. 84 The DJ Vault Pt. 2 Open the vault. Take a glimpse at DJ hot flashes! >DJ VLAD 87 On this page: (“DJ VLAD” Pg. 74) Back 2 School Fashions Photographed Exclusively for Mixtape Magazine Mixtape Magazine walks the corridors of autumn by RON WEXLER with the hottest gear wear. 11 p l a n B v o l u m e 1 Founder, Publisher and Luigi Agostini CEO Co-Founder and CFO Richard “Ricstar” DelGiudice Editor-In-Chief Karen “Kay Konnect” Hudson Art Director Max Lora Music Editors plan B Staff Photographer Ron Wexler Contributing Photographer Felix Natal Jr. Fashion Director Damarko GianCarlo Marketing & Circulation E. Entertainment Group Management and Publishing Street Team Management Rissa Entertainment & Promotions Contributing Writers Suvadip Bose, Charles Hairston, Dave House, Lindsay Whitney, Special K & Teddy Ted, J. Daspin, Isegoria, Frankie Boy, Joshua Stalsworth, Urban Connects Editorial and Advertising Information 244 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2371 New York, NY 10001-7604 TEL: (212) 340-1999 EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.mixtapemag.com All content of this publication and subsidiary web site content, including photographs, images, and illustrations are the exclusive property of E. Entertainment Group & Publishing/Mixtape Magazine, LLC and its contributors. Therefore, any reproduction in content without the express written consent of E. Entertainment Group & Publishing/Mixtape Magazine, LLC is strictly prohibited. E. Entertainment Group & Publishing/Mixtape Magazine, LLC reserves the right to edit or refuse all material and listing submissions and it is not responsible for errors, edits and or omissions. E. Entertainment Group & Publishing/Mixtape Magazine, LLC assumes no liability for, nor endorses any products or services advertised herein. © 2004 E. Entertainment Group & Publishing/ Mixtape Magazine, LLC All RIGHTS RESERVED EDITOR’SLETTER CHAMP IN THE RING OF KINGS... Armed with the leather rounded weapons, the glove pen and glove pad, Mixtape Magazine made it through the first round issue without any life threatening injuries. We are just happy to be here yanno! The first stage of the magazine brawl was bagged and hemmed up like an underground fighter snatching up a champ. We fought to get a buzz, and my goodness did we punch the living daylights out of the mixtape media scene. The little six by four glossy magazines with palm trees and spring breeze on the cover, snuck in the game dominated by big boy publications like a thief jamming off “Thief’s Theme” by Nas. Mixtape Magazine virtually sat alongside the big boys in the VIP ring side section without any fear. Is this seat taken? Whether it is or not, Mixtape Magazine is in the building. Knuckle up before you get knocked out! Rewind and Review... Miami, Florida Memorial Day was memorable, and the high-time temperature was boiling point blank. The fact that The Bottom’s hottest DJs Khaled, Irie, Epps, and EFN graced our first cover in a sheer and positive union proves how much Mixtape Magazine respects and recognizes the hustle and success of the dirty south. With praise out the way, set on deck, Mixtape Magazine is proud to note the vision of our second focus. Leaning Forward... Without second-guesses, the hottest commodity holding down Mixtape Magazine’s second issue is: beat bang and remix please!!! DJ Whoo Kid, the music movement master. Second Issue Installment... Touch bases with sharp-shooter rapper Jae Millz. Profile with new profile producer R-LES and unsigned profile rap artist Hawk. Mix the party scene up with DJ Tafari. Get social with key promoter Medina Styles while getting familiar with sultry R&B star Xavier Aeon. Staff writers The Legendary Awesome II catch up with femme fatale DJ Eque to converse about her position as a female disc jockey. DJ Vlad brings the east, mid, and west coasts together with his themed mixtapes. Conrad Dimanche, our comrade and Senior Director of A&R over at Bad Boy Entertainment plugs the game to his role as a major executive on the run. Networking crew Urban Connects preps cats about The 7 Industry Sins to stay clear from. Peep our mixtape and feature album reviews. Preview our MixTech special on the latest and hottest gadgets to complete the hip hop image. Mixtape Magazine would like to introduce our new Fashion Director, Damarko. Flip through our fashion styling and hood profiling section. Check out all the industry folks Mixtape Magazine rallied to welcome in the autumn season. Big shout out to Babs, Ness, Gloria Velez, Paul Cain, Peedie Crack, Nicole Ray, Lazy K, Akon, Joe Buddens, and all who came out to the shoot. History! Mixtape Magazine would also like to send a special shout-out to Blackhand Entertainment’s own Grafh, who blessed our first issue. He successfully inked a deal with The Roc army. Congrats also goes out to the PaperBoyz who signed an exclusive recording agreement with NextSelection Lifestyle Group. Mixtape Magazine continuously aims to thank our supporters. We could not have moved in this deadline-driven magazine game so slick without you all plural. Grassroots marketing is Mixtape Magazine’s tool for success. Mixtape Magazine is a small team with big dreams. Build with us. Grow with us. Do remember that We Break Artist By Words. Please note: because of the size of our magazine, articles and artist stories have to be short and concise. For full coverage visit our website at www.mixtapemag.com! Signed, Sealed and Delivered By, Kay Konnect Editor-in-Chief 16 www.mixtapemag.com Let me start by saying that Big Pun is one FEEDBACK up my fav lyricists, right up there with KRS ONE… Overall DJ Suss One made an impressive mix of Big Puns hits, that really makes the mixtape worthy of being called a TRIBUTE TO BIG PUN. I recommend anyone to go pick this tape up. The tracks are really quite impressive; right from track one, with smooth transitions, and impressive cuts. Not too many shout outs on the mix tape (I really hate “DJ Clue’s” shutouts for ex.) DJ Suss One takes it way back on track 14… with a striking blend of old school and new school, with many more mixtures that will leave you grooving from start to end. DJ Golden Groove Hoboken, NJ A Tribute Mixtape To Big Pun “The Punisher” By DJ SUSS ONE This mixtape suffers from the ailment plaguing most of its kind – excessive noise DJ Suss One hit the nail on the head with from the host DJ. The focus on this tape this tribute album. Every track shows the is mostly Pun’s lyrics – as it should be. lyrical prowess of the one and only Big Most of the cut and pastes are either his Pun. From “Dream Shatterer” to “Punish album highlights or one of his MANY guest Me,” Suss One takes every verse Pun ever appearances. One of my favorites was ripped it on (by rhyming multiple times in the effortless blend of “Dream Shatterer,” between bars on numerous tracks), and Suss One was able to go back and forth mixes it in, with clean cuts and blends.