Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
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Mike Tone’s new track “Motivation” is a tour through the gangsta world of Los Angeles. Gangsta rap, and especially the ’90s, when he was growing up, is home to his musical heart.
The animated video is like taking the tour through a kaleidoscope.
Mike Tone is a producer, has been for more than a decade. “Motivation,” dropping March 29, and Legends, the album it comes from, are full of beats and mixes from Mike and others and feature performing artists from what he regards as the Golden Era of hip-hop.
“I grew up on rap,” he said. “I was a young kid when the whole gangsta rap movement started, so I was heavily influenced by that era. I’m a huge fan.”
“Motivation” exemplifies the vision that created the Legends album. This track alone features five of the rappers whose music he grew up with: MC Eiht; Richie Rich; Havikk, Prodeje and Young Prod from South Central Cartel. Singer L.V. is featured on the hook.
“That’s six features on this one song, and this is just one of the songs off the album. It’s an example of what you can expect.”
The song and the album are, he says, “a melting pot of dope ’90s artists.”
“I’m not sure where you’re gonna go these days to find all these ’90s MCs on one album, right? So, that’s the concept of not only the song but the album.”
“Motivation” is the third and final track from the album to be released as a single, joining “Breathe” and “Soldiers.”
Mike grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He now lives and works in Detroit. This project, the singles and the album, began with his desire to display his production chops and, at the same time, collaborate with artists whose music inspired his youth.
“I started making contacts through social media, connecting with rappers. I did a collaboration with MC Eiht where he dropped a verse for me, and then connected with the guys from South Central Cartel.”
From there, he said, the idea “kind of blew up.”
“A lot of these ’90s rappers, that a lot of folks in my generation grew up to, they’re either not releasing music anymore or the fans just aren’t really checking for them,” he said.
“You know, we’re all growing up, we have busy lives, families, and the music market is so saturated right now with new stuff. The idea of putting out this compilation where I can bring all those old-school rappers together and put everything out on one album — I feel like that’s a great concept and something that folks in my generation can get hyped to.”
“Motivation” and Legends, clearly, are a labor of love.
But the project is more than nostalgia and more than Mike Tone.
“It’s a producer project, me being the main producer, but I wanted to mix that up as well, so I got some up-and-coming producers that I’m a fan of to contribute.”
Those include StarKore and C-Lance.
“They’re more underground and they’re new guys, so we’re mixing it up — all these old-school ’90s rappers and some new producers.”
Mike also worked with platinum certified engineer Corey Stocker to finalize the mixing and mastering for the project.
If the project is well received, Legends may end up being a volume one.
“I’ve already started on a volume two. The idea is to get some legendary producers, like Beats by the Pound, who produced for No Limit, and E-A-Ski. I think it would be really cool to collaborate with some old school producers as well.”
And after that, who knows, maybe an ongoing series.
For now, there is “Motivation.”
“There’s a lot of bangers on the rest of the album, too, another track with six different rappers from the No Limit Soldiers, a track with D12, another with Project Pat and some of the Three 6 Mafia crew.”
“I’m very excited about this album.”
See where he goes by connecting to Mike Tone on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
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Spanish pop musician Caterina Ross has had international success, putting out music on two different continents. Now she is releasing her fourth studio album, Yes, I am Cat, featuring the single “Strong,” where she sings about inner strength.
“I think that is more important than what you show on the outside,” Ross said. “It is important to be strong inside and show that you can face everything, and can do anything.”
The song is complete with a music video that she filmed with horses, which she notes are strong animals, but at the same time they are very sensitive. This is a major theme in the song “Strong,” and something she was able to bring to visual life in the video and relates to humanity, as well.
“You don’t have to be afraid of showing your feelings or weaknesses, because it is a beautiful part of being a human being,” Ross said. “
Ross was born and raised on the island of Majorca, Spain, and has been singing since she was a teenager. She eventually turned to theater acting in classical plays, and went on to television and and musicals. Ross sang in several several pop rock cover bands, but then in 2013 she released her first single titled Don’t Miss the Time.” The next year she released her first album titled Pieces of Me through her production company Blau.
In 2015 she released her second album titled Remixed that included the award winning song “Sólo Me Queda Soñar, which was a big hit in her home country. This song was originally composed for a film in international festivals, and thanks to this track, she was able to come to the U.S. to sing. She was invited to various festivals to perform after the song became a huge success. One of Ross’s songs, “Let the sun just shine” received plenty of fanfare, as well.
In 2018, Ross was the recipient of 15 international awards, and in 2020 she was “Best International Artist” through the Hispanic Music Awards in Acapulco, Mexico.
Ross’s first two albums were in English, but her fans in Spain wanted her to speak in their native language. In 2021 she released Nunca Se Pierde, which she received several awards for in Mexico and Spain.
“During the pandemic I had a lot of time to compose that album, and the one I am going to release now,” she said.
Yes, I am Cat’s title is a play on Ross’s identity, as people call her Cat for short, but it is also her favorite kind of pet. The album is composed of 10 songs in English, with sounds of pop and a little bit of soul.
“In this album, I talk about the things around me,” Ross said. “I talk about friendship and things that I find important in my life. I am more mature than in the other albums so I reflect on things that have happened to me, or around me.”
Ross touches upon aspects like nature in her new album, as well. There is a song called “If I talk to the Earth,” speaking about being thankful and also apologetic to the Earth about all that has been done to it. There is another track about stray cats called “My Sheltered Cat,” as she operates and helps at shelters.
The record was created by Ross composing the songs and recorded with the help of her producer Daniel Ambrojo. Ambrojo has worked with established musicians across Spain, and is an excellent pianist and guitar player that Ross has high respect for. Ross said they put the bass line to the songs, and add other electronic instruments to help bring her ideas to life on record.
Ross explained that she doesn’t just sit down and compose songs. Normally she is in the car driving, and a song will come to her and she’ll start singing. The melody will come and then suddenly the lyrics will be there, and voila: she has a new song.
“I think I am quite content with the ideas in this album, with the melodies,” Ross said. “I expressed so many things I have inside. It’s expressing myself through music, and that is wonderful. It makes me feel very good.”
Being her fourth album, Ross was able to put out material that she loves and is proud of. She admits that she is not a fan of her first three records, saying she can’t even listen to them because this one is so much better.
“There is an evolution,” Ross said. “Growing up and learning. I have a vocal coach and I am still learning and developing my music. I am learning from other artists, especially the artists of the ‘80s like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Madonna and Queen. I learn everyday. I want to do it better and grow up musically speaking.”
As Ross said, there is a constantly evolution in her music. She wants to improve the lyrics she has in English as it is not her native language. Ross will be taking courses in April to be able to grow as a songwriter.
Musicians like Michael Jackson have helped her develop the sound she currently has. Ross has always wanted to be like him musically, and said that his work taught her to believe in herself and put her all into her work.While she is inspired by the musicians she reveres, Ross also said it is important to not be too influenced by others and “just be you.”
“It is important to be authentic,” she said.
Check out Ross’s brand new album Yes, I am Cat, and the single and video for “Strong,” available on all platforms on March 22.
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