Friday, August 11, 2006

Mr. Blakes - Talking With The Wordsmith

Part of the 'Lil Phil interview series

By Lil' Phil , Edward "Pookie" Hall of Urban South

From Austin to Dallas, Bavu Blakes - now Mr. Blakes - is truly one of the greatest MC's to touch the mic in the state of Texas. If you have never heard of Mr. Blakes, we advise you to go and use your Google search immediately. Mr. Blakes stage performance is incomparable whether he's performing by himself or with his eight piece band that includes the musically inclined D-Madness. Mr. Blakes continues to help the Dallas local scene by networking artists through the entire Austin music market or providing them press and exposure through print articles. Earlier this year, a regional boycott of Toyota’s Scion mixtape contest from local artists throughout Texas and the South took place as a result of Mr. Blakes being disqualified for using honest, politically charge lyrics in his entry. You can look at his live performances, or his support he has shown local artists through his writing that has reached as far as New York thanks to the help of Jeremy Miller (CEO of Source & Down Magazine), but no matter what, it is clear that Mr. Blakes is simply one of a kind!

‘Lil Phil of Urban South Entertainment and Organized Hustlin’ interviewed Mr. Blakes

1. Bavu, tell the people about yourself and how you got into the music biz.

I'm a Texas MC, one of the premier lyricists and I basically got into the music biz because I wanted to be that. I consider myself a musician who raps because I'm into the music. After high school was the early to mid 90's when anybody could get drunk and freestyle, so I was one of them. I learned a lot about the music in Dallas, but more or less got my start in Austin while I was in school.

2. How’s the scene there in Austin?

Pretty much like anywhere, but it's pretty short on venues for street-oriented artists. But really there's the same four different scenes within a scene you'd find anywhere. Above all it's a great tour market, where national acts often do very well. Whether it's S.U.C. or the Roots, man, a lot of groups that went major owe a lot to the support from Austin.

Small college town, party city.

3. That's wassup. Now the last time I saw you was at the WUT IT DEW BASH @ Tomcats in Deep Ellum, and I think you were still taking college classes. What's your major?

Broadcast journalism. I went from 92 to 97, but I still need a couple of classes. I passed a class in fall 05 on my first semester back, and I still need a class which is embarrassing. I plan to finish it all in the spring as long as my money is right. Yeah the Wut It Dew Bash was cool and we did an in-store at Richardson Square Mall. I'm from Garland and I used to walk to that mall!

4. How did you end up hookin’ up with Rapid Ric and the Wut It Dew camp?

I was working at a store that sold Sean John, Akademiks, Phat Farm and also CD's. He was a 19 year old student who came in the store trying to do consignment and find local cats to get on his CDs. He seemed like a good dude so I told him I could rap on his CD's. Four years later he became the Rapid Ric people know about. I was probably on 7 or 8 of his CD's before anyone gave a damn about him. But we did this Austin Powers CD, then the AP-2 which featured a lot of Houston cats who were blowin’ up. The marketing approach was right, and it came out around SXSW. So the Houston cats and Matt Sonzala and the fans who buy in the stores were all impressed at the right time. And now my lil' homeboy has a huge buzz! (that was SXSW in '04 by the way)

5. Back to journalism. You write/edit for DFW Quick? Am I correct?

I write bi-weekly rhymes for DFW Quick along with Pikahsso, and I'm starting a soul music show on meTV in Austin very soon. I want to be a two-sport star in music and media.

6. Now your nominated for 2 conspiracy radio awards this year? How do it feel?

I'm honored to have my name on the ballot, but it's only half the amount of awards I won last time! I did more work this time, but I guess people are steppin' it up so that's good. I keep lookin' at the ballots and it looks like Massive is gonna win from Atlanta. I won from Austin. Somebody from Dallas might wanna win it too...

7. Last year there was a lil problem with you performing - a group took to long with their set and I remember you grabbing the mic and sayin’ "My dad came to see this show!"

Yea, I had a little attitude, nothing too major. I was just embarrassed because I had family members there and a nine-piece band waiting for nothing. We had a paid show down at Vain Lounge before that, and I hated to make them hang around for nothing. But we had a good time and only D-Madness really tripped out. He was like "fuck everybody within the sound of my voice!" That was funny. And we won four awards.

8. Looks like it worked in your favor, huh?

Yup, but yea I'm way too friendly to blame somebody or just steal somebody, and I know the awards helped my reputation or respect or fanbase on some level.

9. What can we expect from you in the near future?

How many words can I answer with?

10. Go for it–

I’m finishing my second album Too Selfish so i can shop it. Next week "Same Struggle" by DJ Princess Cut hosted by Mr. Blakes & Big Tuck, lots of shows, headed to L.A. next week with Mojoe and we're playing with Dave Matthews Band soon in Houston and Dallas.

I have a show with the rapper I kinda idolized as a kid, RAKIM, a few days before my 21st birthday!

11. Dave Matthews and Rakim, that’s big

Thanks. I just got hired to be an on-air personality with the Time Warner channel MeTelevision.

12. Congrats!

Thanks. Still running rhymes in QuickDFW every other week.

Looking forward to reading more Dubya Smith articles in down, and hopefully Ozone and unsignedthemagazine.com. I'm on Money's niggahlaws and Mojoe's Classic.Ghetto.Soul.

DJ Rapid Ric & Mr. Blakes The Woodgrain Collection CD, DJ Whiz T & Mr. Blakes Concrete Rose Gold CD, Whut It Dew 4. Magno City Boyz later this month, three features on that.

Whut It Dew 4 hosted by Magno, Chalie Boy, Da Ryno, and Mr. Blakes. I have a hip-hop soul project called World Trade slated for next year, me and my boy Element7d. That World Trade album is called Channel One.

13. Okay do your thing then. So if a promoter, DJ, P.Diddy or someone like that would like to get in touch with you, they can get u at...

mr.blakes@gmail.com. I write bios for $175 negotiable. Artists get at me...

Features too get at me...and Phill you did your thing on OH3. I need to get a real copy

14. ‘preciate that– Is there anything else you want the people to know?

Umm let's see, God is real, and in the music biz it's all about who you know and then it's about who gives a damn. Those Dave Matthews shows are in two weeks! Smirnoff Music Centre Aug 19. Album no. 2 should finally drop in ‘07. Finally, Too Selfish.

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