BFochs: Mr. Jones, what’s the good word amigo? Thank you for takin’ time out of the grind for the interview, how are you doin’ mane? Your “Family Guy Mixtape” just dropped so I know you grindin’ extra heavy, are you happy with the success of the project thus far?
Phoenix Jones: You know im doing well Fochs. At far as the mixtape goes, I wanna thank Dj Chong Wizard for the mixing and all of the artists and producers on the project. I got the internet goin nuts on the cd fa sho, u know. Now its time to add in the street hustle of the grind. with that being said, and this being my first solid project since Machine Killers, Im extremely happy.
BFochs: Let’s get it poppin’ with a good ole intro, tell the find readers who you are, where you are from, what movement you are reppin’ and the craziest studio session story you got in the mindpad.
Phoenix Jones: I am Phoenix Jones, Em-CEO of Telakinetic Recordz (TEKSET), Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio bka Tha Cleopatra bka 216 bka Da Creepshow bka Raccoon City. As far as my squad allegiances..Im the general of my movement (Tekset), but i put it down with Da Ellamentz, Machine Killers, The Plague Co., The Resistance, The Force, Above Da Rest...the list goes on...i got family everywhere! The craziest studio session...i dont know...im waiting for the day i can get some skull duggery while spittin on some Biggie shit!!!
BFochs: You are a repper of the most slept on region in the industry, the Midwest, I ask everyone from the Midwest this question, and you sir will be no different lol. What is your take on the Midwest not having it’s ‘reign’ in the game like the other regions? What do you think are the three main reasons the Midwest doesn’t get the respect it deserves?
Phoenix Jones: Well I kinda gotta disagree on the fact that the Midwest or Nasty North aint getting its due. We have some of the biggest talents in the game (ie Bone Thugs, Eminem, Nelly) reppin the mid. Its just that since we are such a melting pot, nobody sounds similar. some midwest cats sound more like east, west or southern acts. So we dont really have a defined MIDWEST SOUND. If I had to say a style we originated, it would be the Twista/BTNH speed rapping mixed with harmonizing, which cats like Flo-Rida, Timbaland, Chamillionaire, T-Pain and others have adopted and utilized to make HITS.
We as a region have to stand up for what little things we got and show why its OURS (reason #1). We also have little to no unity. You dont see the Eminems working with the Bones and Nellys and vice-versa. The east was built on collabos and the south has it now. We never really bonded on those levels to solidify our region. Cleo gotta work with Detroit, who gotta build with tha Chi, to Mil-town, to the Lou, thru Nap-town...(reason #2). Also, we dont have any labels based in these cities. Chicago is the 2nd city and its tourism ranks up there with NY, LA, ATL, and MIA but the labels ain't checking for the surronding territories...(reason #3)
BFochs: In the lead single off your mixtape, you basically coin a new term that I personally wasn’t familiar with until I heard your track. Please define “Family Guy,” tell us the main differences between a “Family Guy” and it’s opposite.
Phoenix Jones: A Family Guy is somebody who needs to stop rapping gangsta and take care of they 4-6 kids. Go pay some f'n chisp (child support). The opposite would be a real mufucka. Its nothing wrong with taking care of ya family, but people need to make sure they setting the right examples for their children. You can't be rappin' about mass murdering then go home on ya leave it 2 beaver shit. And if you slanging weight like Nino Brown you A.) shouldn't be rappin' bout it and B.) shouldnt endanger your kids behind rappin about it. Get a 9-5 and build ya team up!
BFochs: The ‘e-streets’ also known as the internet, has changed the music game forever, but has it been for the good or for the worse? What is your take on the explosion of the digital era? Is the internet revolution overall a good thing for entertainment?
Phoenix Jones: I use all my internet connections 2 build my fanbase. As an artist, you can't be everywhere and talk 2 everyone. So I embrace what it has done for communication and developing strong realtionships. on the flip side, downloading has crushed sales of physical "copies" of cds and drove internet sales. The game has evolved and those who dont evolve with it get ran the fuck over. Any thing that helps me sell records in Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, Africa, Australia...I gots to fuck wit it!
BFochs: You have a new mixtape, “The Family Guy Mixtape” making some noise right now, when you made this project what did you set out to do? Conceptual projects are of a dying breed, so it was nice to see an artist do something original, do you think the art of ‘originality’ is a lost trait or artists aren’t pushing themselves enough? If you had to compare yourself to any character on “Family Guy,” who would it be and why?
Phoenix Jones: It was originally concepted by a beat made by Camp Crystal Lake, given to me by DJ G-Spot. G knew that Seth Macfarland was pitching "The Cleveland Show"( based off Cleveland Brown from Family Guy) and that me being one of the premier artists from cleveland I would be able to capitolize off the movement. I like to let the DJ set the tone as far as concepts go. Chong Wizard did an excellent job bringing my vision to life.
I pretty much told him we need Family Guy Samples and drops from all my homies. He went on to craft the masterpiece outta all the puzzle pieces i gave him. Combine that with the Art Direction of Sonny Wong and Jis The Future and you get tha tape!! Artists definitely sell themselves short on originality vs the quick buck. I put that on the radio, labels, and video shows for shoving bullshit down the peoples throats. The artist is forced to dumb it down to fit in to a genre that was intended 2 be diverse. now its the same shit back 2 back. and as far as characters, IM STEWIE. Ball headed and ready to take over the fuckin world!
BFochs: What type of things does Phoenix ‘jones’ for. If you could only have 5 things on this entire planet for the rest of your life, what would they be?
Phoenix Jones: 1. Purp. 2. L’s 2 roll purp. 3. Papes 4. Poohnanny 5. Salma Hayek
BFochs: It seems like nowadays people are getting more afraid to invest into hip hop buy purchasing albums and what not, what are 3 reasons why people should still purchase albums?
Phoenix Jones: 1. Best buy still slanging cds at a loss for the 1st week. 2. Im still rapping. 3. To preserve the artform.
BFochs: You are a native of Cleveland, so I know the King James not making it to the finals thing probably grinded your gears, even if you are super good, if you don’t have a good team it doesn’t matter, what are the 5 key ‘players’ in one’s music career?
Phoenix Jones: 1. A mean internet squad. 2. A badass producer 3. A slamming dj 4. 50 loyal fans 5. 1 mic…….
BFochs: What does Phoenix Jones think about the economy and all that jazz. What is your take on that world as we now know it?
Phoenix Jones: Man on the real Fochs, we fucked. Only thing that’s gonna survive is the roaches. I’m tryna stack my Euros up at this point. I’m on my Bloomberg TV shit. I don’t blame President Obama neither. We gotta fight our way outta credit hell.
BFochs: You got the Family Guy mixtape out now, you also have another big project coming out soon, why don’t you tell these kind folks about that. What are your goals for the new decade that is creeping up upon as soon?
Phoenix Jones: I really got a couple of projects coming out. First is Donny Arcade, Chong Wizard and Me hitting them with Machine Killers 2 Bad Robot. Next up is The Plague ( Buddie Boie, Okelis, and Donny Arcade)Black Super Villain Musik. Then coming is Da Ellamentz( Big Norf Da God, Nervism) International Mixtape. Also I have projects with Flexing Twon (World Domination) and Lord Zelakhan (Grind Or Die). And then a mixtape with Harley Hustle and one with DJ Showtime. My next solo project is gonna be Permanent Midnight, entirely produced by Noel Goff of Almost Blue (Atl rock band).
Im hoping Kevin Nottingham (Hip Nott) and I can get together on some project. I'm also doing a project with the homies at MFN entertainment (wat up Ill Gaimez). Im also tryna get the Mitch and Murray project out with Mikel J. You know me and you gotta drop something Fochs! For 2010 im just pushing the bar up so people recognize Cleveland on a national, then world wide spectrum. Hopefully the Cavs get us a championship next year so us Cleveland artists can build off of that.
BFochs: I can tell from the answer to the five things you ‘jones’ for that you are an avid herbivore. Let’s say you had the ultimate budget to make a weed anthem, who would be on the track with you, who would produce it, and what would the song be called?
Phoenix Jones: Wow. The song would hafta be called the Ultimate High...cuz thats wat my emcees would be chiefing on.
I would say Snoop (the dogg father!), Devin (the mnfn DUDE!), Yukmouth( he's definetly got 5 on it!), and Donny Arcade (my smoke out loccd out patna in cronic!). It would either be produced by Dr Dre (the chronic master!) or Chong Wizard (the ill smokey dj!).
BFochs: You said in a sense the world is coming to an end, what are 5 things Phoenix Jones would like to accomplish in his life musically before the world ends, and what are just 5 things you want to do period before the world ends?
Phoenix Jones: Musically, I want a grammy. I want 2 do a song with Wu tang produced by tha RZA. I want platinum plaque and at least 6 gold ones. I want to get a unrealeased biggie or pac verse. I want 2 do a song with Bone thugs produced by LT moE.
Just 2 do: I want own mad stocks in Berkshire Hathaway and be good friends with Warren Buffett.I want 2 holla at Sanaa Lathan. I want to holla at Keyshia Cole. I want 2 win the mega millions. I want 2 be in mad commercials with LeBron James. (note: when i say holla, i mean hollahollahollahollaholla)
BFochs: Let’s take this thing a step even further. Let’s say after the Earth was destroyed and you had an opportunity to create your own planet, what would the planet be called, what would be the official language, what would be the 5 main laws on the planet, and what would be your first order of business as the leader of the new world?
Phoenix Jones: My planet would be called Telakinesia (prn tell-ah-ken-e-sis.) We wouldnt even speak all language on my planet is str8 telepathy. The five laws are 1. smoke and get high 2. no crackheads 3. pay that man his money 4. no wack ass beats. 5. whateva else pj deems necessary
My 1st order of biz, get Sanaa and Keyshia over to my royal palace. I got babies 2 make!!!!
BFochs: That's all I got for ya bro, any last words, shout outs or comments before we wrap this thing up?
Phoenix Jones: Yea go cop Family Guy Mixtape, Machine Killers 1 and 2, Ellamentz Intl Mixtape, World Domination, Grind or Die, Permanent Midnight, Black Super Villian Music, and whatever other tapes I got comin! Shouts Out 2 B Fochs, Ellamentz, Plague Co, The Resistance, DJ Chong Wizard, Sonny Wong, Added Bonus Ent, Big Norf, Klassik, Zelakhan, Tacoma Cali, P-81, Tiana Lynn, Marcie Luv, John Rumble, Rubye D, Prospect Da Champ, Flexing Twon, Ill Gaimez, Deon Adams, Quincy, Harley Hustle, Mikel J, DJ Showtime, Vicious Graphics, Noel and Elliot, Traxx , Smoove, ADR, Coleman Graphics, DJ Legend, DC Yanni, Mauly T, Team Tuck, Kevin Nottingham, XXL mag (Omar), Jis The Future, Thick Online, Rapmullet, ALL CLEVELAND EMCEES and DJs and GRAF ARTISTS, ALL MIDWEST HUSTLERS, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee (Streetz n Dueces I see u!), Beloit, K-Zoo, Flint (Rein Da God), Detroit (wat up MZ Corlina!), LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Mo Williams, and everybody out there helping to make Phoenix Jones and Telakinetic Recordz a success!
BFochs: Thank you once again Mr. Phoenix Jones for blessin' the blog with an interview, I wish you continued sucess in your industry endeavors, take it easy bro!
Phoenix Jones: Fa sho! Mid west stand tha FUCK UP! JONSEY! CLEVELAND!
BBB@BFochs.com
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