Take Time To Peep The Very First BBB Interview With the AAE General Checkmate!
I'm a very curious person, and what a better way to feed my curious needs by conducting interviews with some of my favorite people in the music business?!? Today is a groundbreaking day in BBB history...my first interview! The homie Checkmate was gracious enough to take the time out of his very busy schedule to do this interview Peep it folks!!!
What’s good Checkmate? First off, thank you for taking the time for doing this interview, you are like Neil Armstrong walkin’ on the moon for the first time because this is the first interview for the site lol. Let’s start off by telling’ the BBB viewers who you are, where your from, and what your official job title is.
Nothing but hard work and dedication as always lol. I appreciate you reaching out to me for this interview! Well for those who don't know, Im Checkmate, CEO of Above All Entertainment. I started my label in honor of my father who I lost in the world trade center (9-11-01). My father's dream was to actually record and perform music live for a living...
he's not here to continue that dream..so here I am! I was born in Austin TX, my early childhood was in Queens, NYC with my whole fam (miss ya'll!) I guess you can really call me the bridge from Texas to NYC..because no one has stronger ties to both markets and rep it fully like Checkmate! Yes I'm a CEO that happens to rap....I also handle all promotions,marketing,recording & editing (video/audio). I have taught myself the basics to web design (itscheckmatehatas.com) so go ahead and add webmaster to my list oh and I produce as well....the list goes on looooooooooook!
I took notice on your myspace page that you have a large amount of views on your page, you don’t get over 4 million hits in a couple days lol. When did you officially start rapping and how long have you been pushin’ the Above All Entertainment movement?
Lol, let everyone tell it....(Jay-Z doesnt even have that many) lol. Well Jay-Z ain't online all damn day! I manage over 8 myspace pages totalling over 200,000 friends between all of them. That's including the Above All Ent. page,Above All Models,Above All DJ's, Checkmate, Gutta, Impac, Tweeze, Big Gee, Checkmate (UK) and more! I have been pushing the Above All Entertainment movement officially since 2004, secured my first distribution deal in '06 and released IMPAC - ALMOST FAMOUS nationwide...you can check billboard.com and you will see that project there! I was blessed to do something people twice my age are still trying to do, I'm grateful for that. I just started rapping at the end of december 07.
If it wasn't for all that promo I was doing for Miami Kaos and Noizemob, I wouldn't be pursuing it like I am now. It was because of me being on message boards everywhere my name got out there a lot, beef with designers, site owners and all that lol. when I started posting songs I was working on dudes was calling me the 'R. Kelly wannabe' lol...so I posted a song called "New World Order" with a video I directed and recorded my damm self (of me)...titled the thread "R.Kelly wannabe drops an exclusive with a video" and they actually couldn't say nothing bad and said they loved the record.... I got into some more beef on Rap Mullet with this old rapper named St. Laz and then posted that song there too...then me and Kream Mgmt. happened KREAM WHAT UP!!..then DJ Rokz got at me...then the Fetti Kings series emerged! That's a quick summary of the start of my rap career lol. I gotta leave out alottttt of details because this shyt will become another novel trust me lol. This shyt wasn't no easy task, and all my hatas out there as usual...LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK!
Texas has a deep talent pool for hip hop music, but the public often thinks that Texas is all about that street soundin’ music with little depth. The media is much to blame for this in my opinion. What is your take on this? Do you think ‘all publicity is good publicity’ or do you think the media needs to get their head straight?
YES, Texas has a lot of talent...way better then talent the world sees. Gutta, hands down ain't no one in Texas better then him lyrically..dude got mad respect from nuccas in the east coast I mean come on lol. As far as publicity goes, hell, I send out blasts with pics from our shows...ALL PUBLICITY IS GOOD TRUST ME! The media, the world everyone needs to understand TEXAS is not just that candypaint shyt...you come down here to Austin, Texas and you will see Above All Entertainment and a few others actual make music with substance and still keep you dancing and thinking dig me! Ya'll hatas out there think ya favorite is the best....well keep fooling yourself, but eventually you will looooooooook and listen to THE TRUTH! A's down when ya see me lol.
There are numerous artists nowadays compared to let say 10 years ago, what do you think separates you and your crew from all these other people out on the hip hop music scene?
Thats easy, we not doing what all of Texas is doing..or the south in general. it's all dance songs with verses some 5 year olds could rap. most of these dudes is lames real talk, they rap just because they think it's part of the dope game and shyt lol. Half of these dudes aint even getting money in the streets like that but rap about it all day. What most of these other rappers get confused is that, they snitch on themselves. You rap in all your songs where you get it from, who gives it to you...then when you get locked up you screaming fukk the cops lol. Shyts stupid and I don't condone idiocracy at all. Most of these other labels are full of morons, Above All Ent. isnt... most of these other labels dont represent they hoods, Above All Ent. does... most of these labels sell you wack ass mixtapes for too much, while Above All Ent. gives them out free at all our shows.
We work harder, we're better lyrically, we loooooook better then these generic ass hip hip kit dressing ass lames, our quality is better, we do more shows then you can imagine in a month, our site has all our updates and we put free songs for download on there and more... WE REPRESENT MORE, AND GIVE MORE BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT US IN THE STREETS AND ONLINE! These other labels ain't doing that man. Half of them are only online and don't even press up they damm covers. take Miami Kaos for example...dude is a beast with them shyts right? Half of his clients dont even press up their cd's lol. Which brings me to my next thing im gonna say because it's on my mind... " THATS WHY I DONT GET WHY WIZ HOFFA HAS STOPPED KAOS FROM DOING COVERS FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS HIS BIGGEST PRESENCE IN TEXAS!" You know how many folks know of him in this area now because of me? Lol. Anyway, that's what seperates us from the rest...we real, I know I'm a grown ass man, and politics don't fukking run Checkmate, I do this for my father hatas!
What styles of music and which artists inspire you to create the music you create? Who are you feeling musically right now in the game?
JOE BUDDEN, JOE BUDDEN, JOE BUDDEN LOL! Nah, Joe Budden, 50 Cent, T-Pain, Flo-Rida, T.I...those are my favorite artists and who inspire me period! Budden is the best to do this rap shyt ever! Niggas that don't think so either haven't heard his music or two, ain't been through shyt in life to understand the strength of his records. I can listen to Budden's album from '05 still to this day like it dropped last Tuesday...because it has relevance! Joe if you reading, dammit I need two 16's from ya lol. Don't get me started on 50 Cent, dude is a pure genious from the hood and has created ways for others to make it too...that alone should be inspiration for any real dude out there! I know Checkmate is the realest, so I recognize that shyt...hatas don't...man they so lame lol. Ok I'm not gonna break down each artist and how they inspire me...aint nothing in my paypal from them lol loooooooook! ps: and for the record, Biggie is my all time fave, this list is "now"
It appears you are a jack of all trades lol. What do you like to do when you get a break from the grind and handling all the tasks you handle, what else would want to learn how to do when your not on your music grind?
Lol, well I would have to say hoop! basketball is my first love...don't get to play like I want to because nothing would get done and then I would be like half of the other indies out there...SITTING STILL! To answer the other question I would love to further my knowledge on real estate and land. Owning shyt lol.
You covered the various artists who you are feelings right now. Let's switch to the production side, which producers are you diggin' right now? Who does Checkmate want beats from?
Dammm.... let's see, Serge Deff of course, Grinch, Uncleruck been giving Gutta heat so send more for him lol, Drumma boy ,Polow Da Don, DJ Nice got some nice tracks, Joey Bags as well man, I know of so many it's crazy lol. Shoutouts to the hardworking producers out there, if ya tracks are nice and you wanna work hell hit me up! aaeceo@gmail.com
If you could do a collabo with just ONE artist in any genre of music who would it be and why?
Damn just one!? Lol. Well...it's gonna have to be Joe Budden then. I say Budden because he makes very great mood music man, dude is very talented and speaks his life on records and keeps it real....just like Checkmate!
Let's talk a break from the music discussion and talk about politics. How do you feel about the current state of the economy and what George W Bush has done in his 7 and half years in the Oval Office? Does Checkmate have any future ambitions in the politics game?
All I will say is this...my father was killed in the 9-11-01 attacks in 2001. He was a port authority police officer and saved lives before losing his own....my father is gone because of him and there are way too many rumors about why 9-11 even happened. So damm politics in general and especially IN HIP HOP!
When legendary Texas rapper Pimp C passed away, the media tried to blame his death on 'lean' although it was an accidental overdose with medication he was taking. How did his passing affect you and what are your thoughts on the whole 'lean' epidemic going on right now?
R.I.P. to Pimp C... after Pimp passed, it woke me up and I actually started giving more music a chance...I learned a lot about Texas music and the more of how these Texans respect real dudes...Pimp has influenced me to be real as possible because the videos I seen of him he talked to regular folks at gas stations in the hood and all..on camera! thats some real ish when your an icon in hip hop. Far as the lean.... too many folks dying in relation to it...LEAVE IT ALONE please.
What does the future hold for Checkmate and AAE? Tell the BBB viewers what do you all got going on so they can stay tuned to the AAE movement.
Itscheckmatehatas.com that is everything to AAE right now! Yes it has my name and not Above All..that's because I'm the most visible right now, my artists are too but I am a brand right now and soon as I get them online and in better positions too...you will see more sites coming! myspace.com/aaegutta, myspace.com/aaeimpac, myspace.com/aboveallmodels, man we have so much going on. We doing shows in Texas every weekend,I upload everything and share with the world free..for now lol, Hi Def is everywhere online and the streets and her as a model for Above All....JUST CONTINUE TO LOOOOOOOOOOOK! we have more mixtapes coming; Fetti Kings 4, Feed Me Beats, Bully Musik, Hi Def's DVD and so much more just ask Kream!
Any last words you would like to give the BBB viewers?
Thank you for your support and time. I hope you see me for who I really am and listen carefully to my music..I write truth and speak trust! Shoutouts to my dear Kream! the Bosslady of Kreamteam, rapmullet.com, dirtysouthradioonline.com, mixgrind, NYC & Texas!, Danger, Grinch, Serge, my new designer Tino!, Gutta, Crowley, my nucca Lo & Mike and Ike, BBB for reaching out, all the dj's who reach out to me because they enjoy the music, all the hatas what's good let me hold me something lol, Flukey, Nitty, TRP whats good dammit! Shoutouts to everyone damm that! What up AUSTIN, TEXAS IT'S CHECKMATE HATAS BE SCARED TO LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK!
What’s good Checkmate? First off, thank you for taking the time for doing this interview, you are like Neil Armstrong walkin’ on the moon for the first time because this is the first interview for the site lol. Let’s start off by telling’ the BBB viewers who you are, where your from, and what your official job title is.
Nothing but hard work and dedication as always lol. I appreciate you reaching out to me for this interview! Well for those who don't know, Im Checkmate, CEO of Above All Entertainment. I started my label in honor of my father who I lost in the world trade center (9-11-01). My father's dream was to actually record and perform music live for a living...
he's not here to continue that dream..so here I am! I was born in Austin TX, my early childhood was in Queens, NYC with my whole fam (miss ya'll!) I guess you can really call me the bridge from Texas to NYC..because no one has stronger ties to both markets and rep it fully like Checkmate! Yes I'm a CEO that happens to rap....I also handle all promotions,marketing,recording & editing (video/audio). I have taught myself the basics to web design (itscheckmatehatas.com) so go ahead and add webmaster to my list oh and I produce as well....the list goes on looooooooooook!
I took notice on your myspace page that you have a large amount of views on your page, you don’t get over 4 million hits in a couple days lol. When did you officially start rapping and how long have you been pushin’ the Above All Entertainment movement?
Lol, let everyone tell it....(Jay-Z doesnt even have that many) lol. Well Jay-Z ain't online all damn day! I manage over 8 myspace pages totalling over 200,000 friends between all of them. That's including the Above All Ent. page,Above All Models,Above All DJ's, Checkmate, Gutta, Impac, Tweeze, Big Gee, Checkmate (UK) and more! I have been pushing the Above All Entertainment movement officially since 2004, secured my first distribution deal in '06 and released IMPAC - ALMOST FAMOUS nationwide...you can check billboard.com and you will see that project there! I was blessed to do something people twice my age are still trying to do, I'm grateful for that. I just started rapping at the end of december 07.
If it wasn't for all that promo I was doing for Miami Kaos and Noizemob, I wouldn't be pursuing it like I am now. It was because of me being on message boards everywhere my name got out there a lot, beef with designers, site owners and all that lol. when I started posting songs I was working on dudes was calling me the 'R. Kelly wannabe' lol...so I posted a song called "New World Order" with a video I directed and recorded my damm self (of me)...titled the thread "R.Kelly wannabe drops an exclusive with a video" and they actually couldn't say nothing bad and said they loved the record.... I got into some more beef on Rap Mullet with this old rapper named St. Laz and then posted that song there too...then me and Kream Mgmt. happened KREAM WHAT UP!!..then DJ Rokz got at me...then the Fetti Kings series emerged! That's a quick summary of the start of my rap career lol. I gotta leave out alottttt of details because this shyt will become another novel trust me lol. This shyt wasn't no easy task, and all my hatas out there as usual...LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK!
Texas has a deep talent pool for hip hop music, but the public often thinks that Texas is all about that street soundin’ music with little depth. The media is much to blame for this in my opinion. What is your take on this? Do you think ‘all publicity is good publicity’ or do you think the media needs to get their head straight?
YES, Texas has a lot of talent...way better then talent the world sees. Gutta, hands down ain't no one in Texas better then him lyrically..dude got mad respect from nuccas in the east coast I mean come on lol. As far as publicity goes, hell, I send out blasts with pics from our shows...ALL PUBLICITY IS GOOD TRUST ME! The media, the world everyone needs to understand TEXAS is not just that candypaint shyt...you come down here to Austin, Texas and you will see Above All Entertainment and a few others actual make music with substance and still keep you dancing and thinking dig me! Ya'll hatas out there think ya favorite is the best....well keep fooling yourself, but eventually you will looooooooook and listen to THE TRUTH! A's down when ya see me lol.
There are numerous artists nowadays compared to let say 10 years ago, what do you think separates you and your crew from all these other people out on the hip hop music scene?
Thats easy, we not doing what all of Texas is doing..or the south in general. it's all dance songs with verses some 5 year olds could rap. most of these dudes is lames real talk, they rap just because they think it's part of the dope game and shyt lol. Half of these dudes aint even getting money in the streets like that but rap about it all day. What most of these other rappers get confused is that, they snitch on themselves. You rap in all your songs where you get it from, who gives it to you...then when you get locked up you screaming fukk the cops lol. Shyts stupid and I don't condone idiocracy at all. Most of these other labels are full of morons, Above All Ent. isnt... most of these other labels dont represent they hoods, Above All Ent. does... most of these labels sell you wack ass mixtapes for too much, while Above All Ent. gives them out free at all our shows.
We work harder, we're better lyrically, we loooooook better then these generic ass hip hip kit dressing ass lames, our quality is better, we do more shows then you can imagine in a month, our site has all our updates and we put free songs for download on there and more... WE REPRESENT MORE, AND GIVE MORE BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT US IN THE STREETS AND ONLINE! These other labels ain't doing that man. Half of them are only online and don't even press up they damm covers. take Miami Kaos for example...dude is a beast with them shyts right? Half of his clients dont even press up their cd's lol. Which brings me to my next thing im gonna say because it's on my mind... " THATS WHY I DONT GET WHY WIZ HOFFA HAS STOPPED KAOS FROM DOING COVERS FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS HIS BIGGEST PRESENCE IN TEXAS!" You know how many folks know of him in this area now because of me? Lol. Anyway, that's what seperates us from the rest...we real, I know I'm a grown ass man, and politics don't fukking run Checkmate, I do this for my father hatas!
What styles of music and which artists inspire you to create the music you create? Who are you feeling musically right now in the game?
JOE BUDDEN, JOE BUDDEN, JOE BUDDEN LOL! Nah, Joe Budden, 50 Cent, T-Pain, Flo-Rida, T.I...those are my favorite artists and who inspire me period! Budden is the best to do this rap shyt ever! Niggas that don't think so either haven't heard his music or two, ain't been through shyt in life to understand the strength of his records. I can listen to Budden's album from '05 still to this day like it dropped last Tuesday...because it has relevance! Joe if you reading, dammit I need two 16's from ya lol. Don't get me started on 50 Cent, dude is a pure genious from the hood and has created ways for others to make it too...that alone should be inspiration for any real dude out there! I know Checkmate is the realest, so I recognize that shyt...hatas don't...man they so lame lol. Ok I'm not gonna break down each artist and how they inspire me...aint nothing in my paypal from them lol loooooooook! ps: and for the record, Biggie is my all time fave, this list is "now"
It appears you are a jack of all trades lol. What do you like to do when you get a break from the grind and handling all the tasks you handle, what else would want to learn how to do when your not on your music grind?
Lol, well I would have to say hoop! basketball is my first love...don't get to play like I want to because nothing would get done and then I would be like half of the other indies out there...SITTING STILL! To answer the other question I would love to further my knowledge on real estate and land. Owning shyt lol.
You covered the various artists who you are feelings right now. Let's switch to the production side, which producers are you diggin' right now? Who does Checkmate want beats from?
Dammm.... let's see, Serge Deff of course, Grinch, Uncleruck been giving Gutta heat so send more for him lol, Drumma boy ,Polow Da Don, DJ Nice got some nice tracks, Joey Bags as well man, I know of so many it's crazy lol. Shoutouts to the hardworking producers out there, if ya tracks are nice and you wanna work hell hit me up! aaeceo@gmail.com
If you could do a collabo with just ONE artist in any genre of music who would it be and why?
Damn just one!? Lol. Well...it's gonna have to be Joe Budden then. I say Budden because he makes very great mood music man, dude is very talented and speaks his life on records and keeps it real....just like Checkmate!
Let's talk a break from the music discussion and talk about politics. How do you feel about the current state of the economy and what George W Bush has done in his 7 and half years in the Oval Office? Does Checkmate have any future ambitions in the politics game?
All I will say is this...my father was killed in the 9-11-01 attacks in 2001. He was a port authority police officer and saved lives before losing his own....my father is gone because of him and there are way too many rumors about why 9-11 even happened. So damm politics in general and especially IN HIP HOP!
When legendary Texas rapper Pimp C passed away, the media tried to blame his death on 'lean' although it was an accidental overdose with medication he was taking. How did his passing affect you and what are your thoughts on the whole 'lean' epidemic going on right now?
R.I.P. to Pimp C... after Pimp passed, it woke me up and I actually started giving more music a chance...I learned a lot about Texas music and the more of how these Texans respect real dudes...Pimp has influenced me to be real as possible because the videos I seen of him he talked to regular folks at gas stations in the hood and all..on camera! thats some real ish when your an icon in hip hop. Far as the lean.... too many folks dying in relation to it...LEAVE IT ALONE please.
What does the future hold for Checkmate and AAE? Tell the BBB viewers what do you all got going on so they can stay tuned to the AAE movement.
Itscheckmatehatas.com that is everything to AAE right now! Yes it has my name and not Above All..that's because I'm the most visible right now, my artists are too but I am a brand right now and soon as I get them online and in better positions too...you will see more sites coming! myspace.com/aaegutta, myspace.com/aaeimpac, myspace.com/aboveallmodels, man we have so much going on. We doing shows in Texas every weekend,I upload everything and share with the world free..for now lol, Hi Def is everywhere online and the streets and her as a model for Above All....JUST CONTINUE TO LOOOOOOOOOOOK! we have more mixtapes coming; Fetti Kings 4, Feed Me Beats, Bully Musik, Hi Def's DVD and so much more just ask Kream!
Any last words you would like to give the BBB viewers?
Thank you for your support and time. I hope you see me for who I really am and listen carefully to my music..I write truth and speak trust! Shoutouts to my dear Kream! the Bosslady of Kreamteam, rapmullet.com, dirtysouthradioonline.com, mixgrind, NYC & Texas!, Danger, Grinch, Serge, my new designer Tino!, Gutta, Crowley, my nucca Lo & Mike and Ike, BBB for reaching out, all the dj's who reach out to me because they enjoy the music, all the hatas what's good let me hold me something lol, Flukey, Nitty, TRP whats good dammit! Shoutouts to everyone damm that! What up AUSTIN, TEXAS IT'S CHECKMATE HATAS BE SCARED TO LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK!
Peep Checkmate's Sites If You Haven't LOOOOOOOKED At Them Yet!!!
http://www.myspace.com/ceocheckmate
http://itscheckmatehatas.com/
http://youtube.com/aaeceo
http://www.myspace.com/ceocheckmate
http://itscheckmatehatas.com/
http://youtube.com/aaeceo
BBB@BFochs.com
Dope interview
ReplyDeletegood shit BBB
ReplyDeleteloooooooook! sorry im late lol. appreciate you reaching out and im honored to be the first interview on your site sir! more coming soon from some major artists too ya'll stay tuned here!
ReplyDelete