Pay interviews Aaron Abernathy aka "AB".

Not only was Daru Jones on European tour with Black Milk, the very talented musician Aaron Abernathy, b.k.a. AB, was part of the band as well, playing the keys for Milk's live shows.

AB is not just skilled on the instruments, he is a great singer and songwriter as well. This interview got interrupted in every which way possible, yet AB remained a trooper and even caved in to singing and playing the piano live, just for me. Stay up on this guy right here, cause he is about to blow up.



www.aaronabernathy.com
www.twitter.com/abmusic
www.myspace.com/abmusic

Pay interviews Daru Jones.

Everybody who knows Pay, knows she absolutely loves live instruments. Having grown up between musicians with guitars, piano's, drums and such, she always has a special love for people involved with instruments.

Daru Jones, a drummer and producer extraordinaire, was in Europe, touring with Black Milk as his drummer. This talented young man, still very humbled, was excited to talk to me about his career as a musician.



Blog // www.darujones.blogspot.com
Rusic // www.myspace.com/rusic
Beats // www.myspace.com/darubeats
Twitter // www.twitter.com/darujones

Pay interviews StaHHr.

When I was in ATL, Jarobi got me up with one of the dopest female MC's in the game today. StaHHr Tha F.E.M.C.E.E.. She's been on a lot of fresh rapper's projects (MF Doom, C-Rayz Walz, Scienz of Life etc) so it was about time Pay got up with her. If you aint familiar with her music yet, watch the interview and check out her work.

She is definitely reppin' for the ladies in this Hip Hop game and seeing how I was running around with the homies the whole time I was there, I’m glad I got up with an inspirational woman with skills.



www.myspace.com/StaHHr723
www.twitter.com/StaHHr

Pay interviews Dubelyoo.

Pay is really switching it up and throwing in different passionate artists out there. Not just musicians.

Dubelyoo is a great artist when it comes to the visual aspect. I got up with Dubelyoo's work through my good friend and illustrator artist Mike T. Of course I had to get up with Dubelyoo while I was in ATL. At a B-Boy event at this Hip Hop spot The Bench, I spoke to Dub about his art and his vision for the future of his art.




www.dubelyoo.net

Pay interviews GLC.

As you could read in my ATL Adventures blogs, I got introduced to GLC, a rapper signed with Kanye's label, G.O.O.D. Music. A Chicago native, now residing in Atlanta, he took the time out to talk about who GLC is and where he is going. He also explained what his upcoming album is about and what he is trying to tell with his music. Having traveled to Europe before, with Kanye West, he also spoke about some experiences he had on the other side of the Pond. Watch the 20+ minute interview where GLC definitely (and luckily) wasn’t someone I had to challenge into talking.

Shout out to GLC for sharing his time with me.

The Adventures of Pay in ATL! (pt. III)

Amsterdam, it's the place I call home. I have been back for a week now and heavily on the grind and working hard again. I have been slacking on posting the last part of my adventures in Atlanta so let's get that out the way.

The last days in Atlanta were just as dope as the first week really. I got to meet up with GLC again to knock out the interview I been wanting to do since I first walked into his crib the other day. He made some time out his day for me and yapped his ass off on camera. =)

My last Friday was probably the only day I really didn't do anything. I had met this girl Melanie at Straits the first week, saw her again this week and she invited me to go to this pool party w/ her friends. So of course 4IZE and me rolled through for that. I absolutely had a blast. Met some interesting people as well and it was pretty much the only day I felt like I was on vacation, seeing it involved sun, a pool, good food (grill) and good people. Punchline came through for a minute as well.

I also got up with my dear friend Suice who scooped me up to go eat at a restaurant called Two Urban Licks, very bad name in my opinion, but very good food. It was somebody's birthday and I fell into the dinnerparty full of strangers. I met singer Case there though, Suice is Case's manager so this was the first time I met him. Not to mention there happened to be a girl who is Surinamese and related to this famous soccer player from Holland. Funny.




That week I also finally got to meet up with Jarobi (A Tribe Called Quest). We were introduced to eachother somewhat years ago through our mutual friend, a DC based MC, Head-Roc. Jarobi is one of the dopest people I ever met and our physical meeting only confirmed it more. He introduced me to female MC StaHHr and I got to do an interview with her as well. If y'all ain't up on her work, GET ON IT. She is one of the females in this Hip Hop game that makes me proud to be a woman. She definitely represents for the women in this industry.

The 4th of July is a big thing in the States and I always enjoy it when I am out there, yes, mainly cause of all the BBQ's and good food ha! 4IZE and me went to Upstairs Studio where they had a BBQ and later on we went to a friend of his who also had a BBQ fest going on. I accidentally bumped into people from Belgium over there. Can you imagine? Me being all the way in some outskirt of ATL, at someone's crib and I run into people that speak my native language.

That night I decided not to go out seeing I had such a long day running around in the heat and I figured I had seen enough clubs in ATL before I go home. My friend Sean from Michigan was in town to visit his brother so we got up and hung out. The next day I flew home.



This trip was probably the most productive trip to the States that I've ever had. It has everything to do with the wonderful host I had. Much love to 4IZE for making my trip the best ever and for putting up with me for more than 2 weeks straight. Without him driving me around, taking me everywhere and introducing me to everyone, this all wasn't possible nor would I have seen the artistic side from Atlanta. I definitely have found a new love for this city and its people. The next weeks I will be busy putting my documentary together. "From the A to the A." But I have decided to put the most interesting interviews online first so bare with me and keep track of www.payology.com for all the footage.

Peace & Blessings,
-Pay

More info:

4Ize http://www.myspace.com/4izessp

GLC http://www.glcitymusic.com
Jarobi http://www.myspace.com/jarobi

StaHHr http://www.myspace.com/stahhr723

Homecoming in Cameroon…

Home coming in Cameroon… Hip Hop is a crusher of language barriers. Where long ago people from different cultures would only say: “Hello, my name is bla-di-bla…” These days they will greet each other: Yo! My brother. How ya doing? What’s popping? Ya heard the new Nas, Jay Z… etc etc. Right on! Fight on! One love!” It would be an understatement to say: we have come a long way.

So Pay went to Atlanta. And I still have to go to Cameroon, central Africa. Both in search of Hip Hop. And in my case in ‘search’ of family. Which I certain will run into, find those who I want to see. And some of those I don’t want to see, will find me. But hey, that’s family.

Cameroon is a bilingual country. The two official languages are French and English. Sadly non of the original non-occupiers languages are recognized as official languages. The lion share is Francophone. A small part, the Southern Cameroons, are English.

This is how it works roughly: in the Anglofone part, all speak two languages. Everything is stated in French and English. In the French, most part of the country, everything is in French and just… French. So typical. Just like France in Europe. Trying to communicated in English, doesn’t make you any friends. And I just paid enough attention in high school to say fluently ‘I don’t speak French’, in French. Seems I gonna have a crash course again. But on the positive side: French is a beautifull language.

So the Anglophone peeps are a bit fed up with the arrogance of the Francophone government. The name Southern Cameroons is also illegal and not wise to mention. (Hey, story of my life). To keep the people in check, there are a lot of military around in the English part of the country. Most military do not speak English. It’s a classical case of ‘Divide and Rule’. How nice. And quite frustrating. Definitely if you are young and full of energy and dreams.

"Hip Hop is now a globalised culture that is locally used to articulate protest. This is, in itself, remarkable and, indeed, more vital than ever in our post-democratic world where corporations exert undue influence over national and international political decisions and electoral processes are too often defined by apathy (in the West) or corruption (in the rest)," from the book 'Where You're At' by Patrick Neate. To put it in a nuttshell: how do my nephews and nieces experience Hip Hop? And how is their strugle? What are their dreams and stuff?

Well first problem: how to get there? So getting to Cameroon, the tickets are not cheap! And I need three for my family. It’s cheaper to fly to Hong Kong, Brazil, South Africa and even to Atlanta, than just to go to central Africa from Europe. How much does it cost us to spent money and time in Cameroon? Visa are €80,- for a month, and € 120, for a one month till three months.

‘Auch’, that was €360,-. Not very inviting. My wife is not allowed to mantain her Cameroonian nationality, as she became Dutch, so she need a visa to visit her own country too. But she is allowed to keep her valid Cameroonian passport?! In Dutch we say: ‘Met de Franse slag’ (do it the French way). To put it simple: does it make sense to go on holidays to our beloved homeland? Would it not be better for all mankind if it would be easier and cheaper to visit the motherland. So everybody can experience the original homecoming?

So, for all that money we have the visa, finally! But we did not get even a friendly smile or a nice coffee with a cookie. Tss, greedy. Well, there is a small smile as soon as we, my wife that is, starts to speak French. Even here at the Cameroonian embassy in The Hague, English is not very welcomed. So I ‘bonjour’ myself away. All the money we would like to spent in Cameroon, or supporting family kids to go to school, is now spent on bureacratic red tape. Next time for holidays, we will just forget about Cameroon… If that would be possible.

So we would like to forget about Cameroon, going through all that stress again. The only leverage for our irritation is that we understand how much more frustrating it is to get from Cameroon to The Netherlands as a non-European. That's a whole other moutain to climb! And still, so many young people overthere, have nothing else on their mind than the promised lands Europe and America. Like somebody keeps on telling them the streets of London are paved with gold…

Auke

For safety reasons we did not publish this article before we’re passed the customs of Cameroon)

The Adventures of Pay in ATL! (pt. II)

Yessir, Pay is still chillin' in the dirty dirty. Lovin' every minute of it. I have been runnin' around so much last week that my mind is all over the place and didn't really have the time to blog about everything. We did so much that I am sure I will forget to put down things but I try my best.

Basically, 4IZE finished his album in the studio, so we have been at Upstairs Studio a lot last week. I got up with a lot of cats there for the project. Punchline came through to lay down his last verse and DJ RastaRoot was in the studio doing his thing, he did a few productions on 4IZE's project as well next to Floyd the Locsmif. We also did go to Straits that Tuesday where I met a lot of interesting industry people and met up with my friend Xan, who is an actual rocketscientist. (Yes, now I can actually say I know one haha.) Straits was pretty cool and we discussed alot about the business and the industry.



On Wednesday it was studio time again and we also went to the Ludaplex (studio) where I got up with Josh, this really dope producer. The three of us decided to go see Transformers 2 as well. 4IZE and me were kinda beat after that but RastaRoot was playing at this new event at 327, so we decided to swing by. And by surprise my friend Tru Skills was there as well so that was pretty dope and we ended up hanging out there.

Thursday, all I can say about this day is, we were chillin' in the studio when the news about Michael Jackson reached us. It was a shock to everyone and they have been playing MJ songs non-stop on all radio stations out here since then. MJ video's are not to be missed on tv either. I was in the States when Barack got elected for president. Now I am Stateside again when a historical moment goes down, this time not as positive though, yet world affecting news.

On Friday we went to see a show from Fishhawk, this really dope alternative band who I have been following online for a few months now. Their performance was off the chain and I got to do an interview with them afterwards. It will all be up when I get home and put time in editing all my footage. After the Fishhawk show we stopped by Club Ice where I met DJ Swagger and DJ Infamous. Names out here in ATL. I also actually got shouted out again on the mic in that club. Ha.



Sunday we went to a B-boy event at this hiphop spot called The Bench. It was hot as hell out side but I got to film some bboys and I got up with Dubelyoo, a very dope artist, painter, drawer, and did an interview with him. Also managed to talk to Tre and Cookie from Mblush, a designer company. Again, all footage will be up to see as soon as I get back to Amsterdam. After that event, we drove up to Alpharetta to meet up with 4IZE's business people. Great folks. We were supposed to go to The Velvet Room on invitation of DJ Infamous but by the time we got home we were so tired already that we ended up going to sleep. Mind you, I barely got any sleep over here that whole week.

Yesterday, Monday June 29th, I wanted to do some woman-stuff. Being with the homies all day every day is cool and all, but come on, I'm in the States, gotta get my shop on as well! So I had 4IZE drop me off at Cumberland Mall while he got back into the studio to finish some sound effects stuff. I spent a little cash here and there, of course had to shop at Victoria's Secret since we don't have that store in Amsterdam. Ha. DJ RastaRoot picked up and we had dinner at Longhorn. Steak! Shit was damn good too. =) Later that night we went to Magic City. Finally! Pay gets to see a real stripclub in Atlanta! It was off the hook. I had a really good time. Met up with DJ Esco, who also shouted me out on the mic - in Magic City! Who would have thought. DJ Cowboy showed up also and invited us to an event on friday where he will be spinning. Man, Magic City was dope, the women were gorgeous and very talented so to say. I wanted this particular beautiful girl to dance for me, but I couldn't find her no more. Oh well. Maybe next time haha.

Tuesday, this is the first day I didn't set foot outside. My dear friend Megaton flew into Atlanta from Philly and stopped by the house. It's been years and it was good to meet him in person finally. (We are all affiliated but I kept missing out on him the times I was here before.) I had to get my shit together and update the blog. I do have pictures but seeing I am pretty limited in technology over here (read: I didn't bring all the cables for my photocamera), you will all have to wait til I get home before I can post the pictures. In an hour we will be heading out to Straits again for drinks and going to Opera after that where there's an MJ tribute, DJ RastaRoot will be spinning. Not sure if I will update again before I fly home but I will try.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop.

Peace & Blessings,
<3>More info:

4Ize http://www.myspace.com/4izessp

DJ Rasta Root http://www.myspace.com/djrastaroot

Floyd the Locsmif http://www.myspace.com/locsmif

Fishhawk http://www.myspace.com/fishhawkinthesky

Dubelyoo http://www.dubelyoo.net