09-19-08

THA HOOD / BBS ON REMOTE PRESENTS:


GREENGUY:


AKA KWIN MD,


AKA MCKOMAN DONI:


Quizzote-"If you wanna play the Referree in this arena, you shouldn't be throughin Jabs too.

S.O.A.z REMAIN suprizzy"

-Me, Sniches....



That was a real Quizzote from Greenguy on the Garageband BBS Forums.

BBS FORUMS FROM 2000-2006 were where this whole blog was born. Excerps of the BBS are in THA HOOD powered by Yahoo 360, also linked to earlier posts that were made here back in 11/07 and 12/07 and 1/08....

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"S.O.A.z, Singutter, AND THE EXTENDED FAMILY VOLUME ONE" Is coming out real soon. CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PICS....

Tracks:

1 "We Ride Remix" created by Singutter of Sluggerville studio 7, Featuring 2PAC and Rihanna.....Watch the Video on the YOU TUBE....

2 "Where it's out" Emcee Lo Down

3 "The Other Side" Metaphysiks

4 "Awake" Havard Blue

5 "Hustle Remixed" Produced by Indecent the Slapmaster....Rappers: Krypto F/ Yun-Gun

6 "Aint Nothin Changed" Rosco P Coldchain F/ Akon

7 "Kriminal Minded" 2Pac F/ DJ King Assassin

8 "Fuck a Hater" by 1DANA

9 "4th of July" Produced by GP Beats, Recorded & Mixed by Popwiz at Backdoor Studios on 7-4-08.....Rappers: Kwin MD & Omega Redd

10 "Inferno" by Omega Redd (at M.A.U.)

11 "Watching U" by DJ King Assassin F/Snoop Dogg

12 "Reign Supreme" by Common Ground

13 "I Got everything I wanted" Emcee Lo Down

14 "Warning Shot" by Trizzy

15 "Throw Down" recorded in Richmond, Va in 2001 before that Vocoder became such a Fad.

Eyesometrik, and rapped on by: Kwin MD

16 "Street Justice" Va'Les at M.A.U.

17 "Fallen Soldier (RMX)" by Singutter of Sluggerville

18 "GMH Camp Freestyle" from Sluggerville

19 "Shut Up (215)" by Popwiz

20 "Across the Map" Produced by Va'Les and his cuz Willy from Philly Rapped on by Kwin MD F/ the voices of Lil' Debo Aka Desent and Dr. Fa-Q

21"Got it the Best" by Harvard Blue

22 "Freestyle from S.O.A.z Radio" by Metaphysiks, Kwin MD was the host....

S.O.A.z Radio Show & Popwiz Radio with Guest Kwin MD

Click HERE to view all the S.O.A.z Radio Shows & also the Popwiz Radio Show that had Kwin MD on as a guest caller...

Va'Les is Home!!!!!!!!!

THA HOOD ON REMOTE: Presents----SINGUTTER

Peep Sluggerville Studio 7 this is Omega Redd's cousin made a hot video by mixing 2PAC & Rianna
Click below where it says Sluggerville Studio 7 to watch the video of 2PAC & Rianna
made by Omega Redd's cousin Singutter from Chester Pa. My man Singutter is the best video maker in the Philadelphia region and he's got some S.O.A.z vids he's uploadin soon so stay tuned!!!!
Sluggerville Studio 7

He got mad videos, S.O.A.z videos common on Singutter's video...

Check out my Man

Bonus FLAVE!!! "Throw Down" is an extra S.O.A.z JUNE song in the contest

Click the "Featured on Garageband" button for Details... Oh Yeah, this video is a snippet of the song "I'm a S.O.A." which you can download the ringtone for (FREE) on the S.O.A.z Page at www.mckomandoni.com

Constellation

Well for the last 2 months Kwin MD (above) aka: Greenguy or McKoman Doni & Omega Redd (pictured in the previous post) have been working on the new album they plan on releasing sometime soon called "Andromeda". The concept involved the idea that this is the closest galaxy able to be seen with the naked eye. This is because, Musically, the metaphor of Andromeda being the closest visit galaxy to be seen from earth with out a telescope can be compared to where we are going with the music. We are bringing a whole new sound, far from our normal style but not too far away that you need a telescope to peep the style.

Today, (Me Greenguy) I read about 15 books about astronomy. (Not cover to cover) I was researching the Andromeda Galaxy. You see the title of this post right. Andromeda is not a Galaxy. Andromeda is a Constellation. Pisces is a Constellation, Libra, Virgo, and Aries are Constellations. M31 is a Galaxy.

M31 is short for Messier 31. There is mad Messier Galaxies. So many Messiers, they all are called M-this & M That....Like to give more Detail on Andromeda as a Constellation:

There are 6 Galaxies or more in Andromeda. M31, M110, M32, 7640, 891, & 404....

M31 must be referred to by a whole lot of cats as Andromeda. It's a Galaxy in Andromeda.
M31 is the Galaxy in Andromeda which people can see from the surface of the Earth without a telescope. They say M31 is like Milky Way's Twin.

There are 2 stars in M31. I am gonna try to find a book written by Paul Hodge called "Atlas of the Andromeda Galaxy".

He wrote a book & called this jon a galaxy. One of the 15 books I was reading called it a Constellation. Now I'm all F'd Up. I thought it was a Galaxy all along, this cat Paul Hodge calls it a Galaxy but the last book I read called it a Constellation.

I was lookin for names of planets in Andromeda, to use in lyrics & skits & intros & shit. But after reading almost every source a college library has on this, all I can say is, at this point, the damn Galaxy or Constellation or whatever is just too far away for them to name any planets on it.

After Pluto, (And I know about this new debate on Pluto), I think they gave up on namin planets, all they have is star names. The Stars have names like Hotel Rooms or Dorms or Apartment #'s.... Like this one in Andromeda, must be in the projects, C410. That's the name of a star in Andromeda.

The Center of the constellation of Andromeda culminates at Midnight on September 18th every year.

Now the Concept of this album is told. I am posting most of this now because I might refer to it later & here I can't lose it, this paper, I could lose.

Me & Omega Redd talked about a Mix Tape Album to come out before "Andromeda" called S.O.A.z/Common Ground Present: "The Milky Way" and put out at least one new song for the "Milky Way" make a Intro & a Outro track on there explaining "Andromeda" & "The Milky Way" and it will in Music (through your listening & imagination) take you from Earth to M31.

"The Milky Way" will give yall what we took back on "Triple 2". We promised yall when we took "Triple 2" off the market we'd bring that music back in a more new & improved format. "The Milky Way" is gonna be the replacement for that. Songs that were on that album might show up on the "Milky Way" and we will have "The Getaway" on there. We want to give yall for one last time a feeling of what The S.O.A.z & Common Ground were like (our usual style) before we go out to M31 on a spaceship.

So after "The Milky Way" album is released, we will have to travel 2.2 Million Light Years Away for the next album of "Andromeda". That's why they didn't name any planets there. It takes a long ass time for the light from those stars to get here. 168 million miles per second is how fast the light has to travel for us to see it here on Earth. George's Star aka Uranis & Neptune wheren't even named until just recently. Within the last 400 years or so. Pluto wasn't named until 1800 somethin... So All I needed to know to end my search on the name of a Planet there was that Pluto wasn't named until that time frame & Pluto is So many "Miles" away. They didn't find it until then (and by accident). That is Miles. Andromeda is 2.2 Million Light Years. Million Light Years is something much more far away then Miles. They can't see Planets that far (as far as I could research). They can find Stars. There are 300 Billion Stars in Andromeda. C410 is one of them.

The Milky Way Galaxy has 100 Billion Stars & is 80,000 Light Years Wide.

So for The S.O.A.z to travel through 2.2 Million Light Years, we gotta take our time with the Math & Science on this na mean, we don't wanna put the laser beam on all wrong & end up cookin ourselves on the way there. We are Gonna travel far & wide on this.

With reality in mind, we are gonna travel far & wide. We plan on visiting Richmond Va to collab with Metaphysik & also traveling to California to collab with Indecent & Krypto. The "Andromeda" album might have more on it as well. We hope to surprise yall.

The Homie in New Hampshire Ziplok might also add some guest appearances. There so much more in store, I want to leave the rest secret.

We still haven't recorded the Bonus Track (#23) for "Golden Land" yet. We will have so much new music for yall very soon the whole thing would have gotten close to ready (As far as those Bonus Tracks & "The Milky Way") but our main Studio we like going to M.A.U. Computer was crashin on us the other day after we had a few vocal tracks layed down. We will surprise yall.

The May 2008 S.O.A.z Flavor of the Month supposed to been went up on Garageband but, the internet & me aint been find time for each other much these days, it's only the what 7th? I got it for yall, I'm thinking about changing to a differant song instead of the scheduled one though. The only thing that keeps me thinkin to put this on & not change it was that before Va'Les got locked up he kept naggin me about making this song a Flavor of the Month. Like every time I saw Va'Les we would talk about songs we'd make a Flavor of the Month & he would always say this was one he wanted as a S.O.A.z Flave. This was his first choice everytime. If I change it, & this song aint a S.O.A.z Flave by the time he gets out of the bin, he's gonna be heated. So I guess I should just make this a S.O.A.z flave now & stop playin before he gets out. Va'Les is my man I'm just messin around.

Scream @ ME

Saturday May 3rd, 2008

Today, Omega Redd was supposed to do the studio session by himself. Nothing went according to plan. This picture is of Omega Redd in West Philly, in a alley behind M.A.U. studios. Kwin MD ended up wakin up early and chose to meet up with Redd & record. Reese from M.A.U. was runnin late so, Kwin MD & Redd was chillin back here for a while. When Reese got there we started recording a potential song that could be #23 on "Golden Land" as a Bonus Track, or a song for "Milky way" or a song for "Andromeda". This song "You'll get Knocked" was getting started, a few tracks were layed & the computer just kept crashin.

So this visit wasn't all for nothin, Kwin uploaded 3 beats he got from a producer named Westbound and Reese made Redd a CD of them 3. We gave Reese an update on Va'Les and his situation. Reese gave Kwin a Soundcard and a copy of Fruitie Loops which in Return Kwin threw him a couple dollars. Kwin's homie in Richmond, Magic, wants to start makin beats, that software was mainly for him. Kwin had to leave for the graveyard shift. Reese said that he's gonna fix this problem before the next time we go over there. It was sort of a productive day.

Redd made a phone blog post to tha hood/bbs "VOICE OF THA HOOD" & Redd now has the phone # so he can post phone blogs in here whenever...

H.A.C.

"HerbanAgriCulture"

This was the final album to be released on that old version of mp3.com (which no longer exists).

This album was the first Kwin MD album ever to have featuring appearances by Va'Les, Sal Graci, & Omega Redd.

Recorded between 2002-2003.

This was sn online only release.

Shortly after the H.A.C. album came out, mp3.com sold the site to current owners.
Then the site became more focused on signed artists and less helpfull to underground atists.
That was when Audiostreet, Imeem, and sites like Soundclick began to get much more bigger.

This album had "Throw Down Remix", "Yall Still Asleep", "Enemies Close", and a few other Kwin MD street bangers.

Some of this material ended up on the "Boilamaker Sippah" album. Which basically took songs from every discontinued album since "The Nutcrackka" and formed a whole album from 2001-2005 material.

"H.A.C." was centered on the Grimey aspect of Rap. It had excepts from songs Champain & Kwin did back in 1999 with Trig & Kriminal along with Godfather Geek & Lost Elements: Bash & Golden Child. Music made in Virginia Beach Lake Edwards area at 3rd Eye studio. Music made in Germantown, Splash City. All mixed in a new format by Kwin using Cakewalk software and added FX and Addlibs on the Roland 880 EX.

When Mp3 closed down, this album, "Never Done" volumes 1 & 2, and "The Nutcrackka" were some of the albums that were discontinued. AFTER MP3 WENT DOWN ONLY "STEP INTO MY OFFICE..." WAS AROUND ONLINE. So the "Boilahmaker Sippah" took songs from everything that got discontinued (by default) and added a few new songs, then you had the album which appeared to be a "2nd album".

"Forest Fire" (which was shown in a post before the making of series began) was also a song on "H.A.C."...

The "Triple 2" album is very similar to "H.A.C."....

This whole 1990's style that come across as "Rap" more so then "Hip Hop" has been the style from the start (in Kwin's case 1999). The 2 albums just mentioned "H.A.C." & "Triple 2" are both albums that included "Forest Fire" both are grimey RAP albums and there is nothing mainstream or commercial about them.

"Andromeda" is in the studio tomorro 5-3-08 and Omega Redd is starting it off like how we did "Pedals". Read the making of "Pedals". Redd is seting the table. We aint just all about this Rap thing. We grow every day.

The Making of Series (36th Edition) "Yall Still Asleep"

This was the first song that Va'Les & Kwin did together which they called a B.I.P. production.
Va'Les did the drums, the samples were found placed & mixed by Kwin on the Roland 880 EX.
That siren in the begining was from Glenolden, where APG Studios used to be. Every day the Briarcliff Fire Co would make that siren which was loud enough for Kwin to stick a microphone to the window & not even have to raise the volume all artificially to get this sound, that's how loud these sirens are in Glenolden. This song was the first Black Irish Production and it is the bonus track on the "Best of Kwin MD (est. '99 son)" album that came out August 1st 2007. It only appears on the physical CD though, it's not part of the downloadable version. It was originally on the HerbanAgriCulture album or HAC...Which is an album from the old MP3.com site: double-Uww.mp3.Com/kwinmd(whicsh no longer exists because they sold the mp3 site. When that site was sold, "Never Done" volumes 1 & 2, "HAC", and PL (Paul Love)'s "Hall of Mirrors" were all discontinued.

This song was mixed down using CAKEWALK....

The girl singing in the beginning is from Richmond VA and her name is Spanish Fly....

Today's Diagnosis

"now's the time" replaced "7th conscience mind" in the JULY 08 slot for the S.O.A.z Flavor Of the Month today. The mistake was catch yesterday (LATE NIGHT) and Omega Redd & Kwin MD talked about 10 possibles songs to replace "7th conscience mind" for JULY 2008 S.O.A.z Flavor Of The Month....

The reason the song had to be replaced is because this song was thrown in to the poll that gives anyone who votes (at) www.mckomandoni.com 2 FREE CDs (mailman is paid by Us, this shit is 100 Percent FREE)....!

This poll has been on going, but in March the poll named "I Am" March 08 FLAVE (which has been doing great on Garageband, na mean, made it to the 2nd round & today was selected to be TRACK of The WEEK by Garageband).

So the new poll has the loser of the last battle "Damn Shame" against "7th conscience mind" but when that happened, no one looked at the 2008 Flavor of the month schedule until now (about 3 weeks later) to see that "7th conscience mind" was scheduled to be JULY 08 Flave...

So now "Now's the Time" is in that slot, and the poll decides the JUNE 08 Flave. Vote now & get 2 FREE CDs.
Sal Graci made the instramental on both of these songs "now's the time" & "7th conscience mind" ....

1

EARLY! (about 2 & a Half Hours early)

Just for coming to tha hood/bbs on remote right now, yall have a chance to get the new Omega Redd album about 2 & a half hours before the scheduled released date of April 8th, 2008....To check it out just Click Here....

The Making of Series (35th edition) "Pedals"

The process of making "Pedals" was not the normal way that the S.O.A.z do things. Omega Redd went to MAU Studios and recorded his solo track (which will be on the upcoming release "Yall Done Fucked Up Now") called "Inferno (which can be heard here in THA HOOD/BBS on Remote for free. Redd layed the first verse and had Reese at MAU burn a CD for Va'Les & Kwin to listen to....

Kwin went over to Va'Les crib in G-Town (the one on Sheldon Lane off Wister)...Va'Les played the CD MAU burned for REDD and said "Redd was just over here, he wants us to finish this song off".

Kwin MD did not write his lyrics for "Pedals" until they got to MAU a few weeks later. He wrote them, literally while Va'Les was in the booth recording the Hook.

Va'Les did the singing on the hook.

The addlibs on "Pedals" during Kwin's verse were done by Kwin & Chocolate Diamond (that Freesyle with her was done at MAU the same day).

Va'Les about 6 months later went to APG Studios and layed a new addlib track to the hook there.

NEWS: 4-1-08

The previous price for "Boilahmaker Sippah" was $11 to download & $11 to buy the CD plus shipping.
Today, the price went down to only $3 to download & $5 to buy the CD plus Shipping.

The 2005 Release has made it to the class $5 mark...Don't worry it aint going out of stock & becoming a collector's item like "Step into my Office..." did (no time soon).

You still can get if for free by voting the poll at www.mckomandoni.com

All 5 Singles from the upcoming "Yall Done F'd Up Now" album by Omega Redd...

The scheduled release date of April 8th, 2008...We released 5 singles from the album. "Yall Done Fucked Up Now" has a song called "Come & Get it". Omega Redd & Kwin MD had a meeting on Saturday 3-22-08 and got some pictures taken all over tha hood. During the meeting several plans were talked about.That meeting will be covered here in THA HOOD/BBS On Remote all throughout the week.The next song from the album which will be released as a single is free to stream, (like this song here) but you can download this next song, as well as 2 others to come as singles from this album at Soundclick. The next song has a link to stream (FREE) and Download (for only 75 cents) here. This song is called "Still Laughin" by Omega Redd featuring Kwin MD and Va'Les. The other 2 songs that were released as singles was "What if..." and "Inferno"...The rest of the album will not be availible until 4-8-08...Signed mainstream artists always release radio singles and Music Videos before the album comes out, we do things similar but differant (in our own ways)...After the album comes out, this post might be erased from tha hood/BBS on Remote because it has the autoplay (which makes the music come on automatically)....Now you can hear all 5 singles right here at soundclick, just click play on this screen & check it out for free...

The Making of Series (34th edition) "Still Laughin"

In 2003, Champain aka New Jack was released from Jacksonville County Jail.
Grandfathered in to the S.O.A.z, he was known to Omega Redd and Va'Les through letters while incarcerated. He and Kwin kept in touch from day one, till his release.

All 3 Common Ground Members made many trips to Virginia and other places as often as possible. The day that Tampa Bay played the Eagles in Lincoln Financial Field's first ever regular season game (L.J. Smith's debute game, he dropped the TD pass), these 3 guys (Kwin, REDD, & Va'Les) were headed to Florida to visit Pain (and most likely record & promote down there).

JAX town bound, for some reason, Kwin & Redd were headed to pick up Va'Les in G-Town.
That's right, Va'Les didn't decide he was going until late. Kwin took I-95 from Chester, then got off in South Philly on Broad and was heading for a LONG RIDE ON BROAD TO OLNEY....

A Long ride to JAX Town next (estimated 20 hours).

Never made it past Broad & Snyder. The old Hooptie (1994 Subaru Legacy) aka: The "Shaggin' Wagon" died for the first of a series of deaths which ended in a final never come back in 2004...

This car was in Kwin's Freestyle on the song "Germantown" track #14 of "Golden Land" album.

Kwin & Redd called Va'Les & Pain and told them about the car breakin down in South Philly and how the trip was canceled. Redd's car was parked at Kwin's Grandmother's crib in Glenolden. So after finding a good place to leave the car, these 2 walked from Broad & Snyder to Glenolden.

Not a long ride, a long walk. Pacing ourselves for the energy needed to drive 20 hours, this long walk was okay.

The whole thing with the plans totally collapsing and taking a long walk through Philly to the burbs was the process of inspiration to this song: "Still Laughin".

Common Ground never made the trip to Florida.

The next week, they recorded this song at Va'Les crib on Walnut Lane in G-Town.
The instramentals used were from a Eastsiders & Snoop & The original Dogg Pound album. All three verses were Freestyles onto the Roland 880 EX. The song was mixed at APG Studios.

This song has appeared on many S.O.A.z Mix Tapes that were in circulation on the streets from VA to Philly from '03 to present...

This song will be track # 12 on the upcoming Omega Redd album "Yall done Fucked Up Now"...

The Nascar sound effect was Va'Les idea it came from the TV turned up loud on a Nascar race & The Roland 880 EX recorded the sound through the mike...

Other effects were added to Va'Les vocals in hook were his idea as well, used the effects to mix them in CAKEWALK....

Music Meeting Results:

We did have the meeting and get the pictures, but everything didn't go according to plan.
Omega Redd did like the idea of using the New song as a second Bonus Track and keeping "Reign Supreme" as Track # 22.....

More on this meeting later on in the week so keep it locked...

The Post of the WEEKEND:

Okay, the last few days we had many posts in here.
One of these posts talked about a BONUS TRACK and A MEETING (music meeting between REDD & KWIN) and a possible RECORDING SESSION at M.A.U. studios....

That studio session was said to have a 70% of happening.

When that 70% was on Kwin's end, Omega Redd's availibility was 100%, after today, Reese at M.A.U. told REDD his computers are down so, he's gonna need about a week to straighten that out.

Kwin & REDD talked today at around 5 pm...They decided to move the meeting up to tonight at 1 am...

They are gonna meet in North Philly and ride thru the hood from Ontario & Aramingo to Chester, stopping on Delware ave, heading to Pattison, then to Island Ave, then towards S.W.P. and ending up in Chester...

Kwin might not go all the way to Chester he might just stop in his hood (Yeadon)...

The plans are to get some pictures for the internet and album art, and talk about the choices they are going to make for S.O.A., Common Ground, and solo projects (as well as the Bonus Track idea)....

Tonights meeting should have plenty of things from it to end up in THA HOOD 360, The Redd ZONE, THA HOOD (powered by Yahoo Groups), and this arena: HOOD/BBS: ON REMOTE

The Making of Series (33rd edition) "Shake The System"

The song which will be April 2008 "S.O.A.z Flavor of the Month".

Omega Redd & Kwin MD made the lyrics. Inspired by many polical talks of Va'Les, Kwin, & Omega Redd. Any Common Ground discussion of politics, Muslims, Religion, Masons, 1% ers, triangle people, 85ers....So on & so on.

This is a Common Ground Concept.

This was a B.I.P. creation beat made on ACID...Kwin MD used sounds that he Chopped & Screwed from samples in his studio tape player to slow up and speed up the samples and formatted it through the Roland 880 EX. Then mixed in ACID.

Omega Redd came over to APG Studios and recorded this song and his verse & his part of the hook of "Personal Experiences", brainstormed the REMIX of "Shorty Let me be" and also layed some addlibs for a song he did with Sal Graci....

Kwin layed his lyrics for this song and recorded and mixed the other stuff too.

Something that happened after the making of this song:

Va'Les & Kwin were listening to this in G-Town together one night right after the mix (which was normal, Va'Les would listen to give Kwin critism and direction if a flaw or change needed to be tweaked)...Va'Les neighbors had called the cops on Va'Les over some squatter bullshit. The cops came in, this song was playing on repeat lightly in the backround. The lyrics in this song are not exactly police praising...So the Philadelphia Police heard it (didn't acknowlidge it but) that ironic event was memorable and sort of funny...

March '08 Flavor of the month: Second Round Status

Yeah the Garageband Records Track of the Day yesterday (3-19-08) "I Am" has not been reviewed since Christmas Day, (12-25-01) of 2001....It was still in the first round that day. Until March of 2008, it was still in the first round.

Now it was track of the day (selected by Garageband Records) yesterday and made it to the 2nd round with out a single review.

Evolutions Artists sold this to iLIKE and the BBS was closed....So many things have happened since 2001. Allen Iverson was in the Finals & MVP verse the Lakers then, now, he lost to the sixers as a Dever Nugget yesterday.

6 years and some change later, no new reviews and all these status upgrades. Seems like the ranking system has been changed in the "Dog & Pony" show....Either that or, there been so much Garbadge uploaded to Garageband that the once #4 in Hip Hop song, is about to move up from #41 to back in that neighborhood of upper top 10 status....

Omega Redd's new Webpage:

Last post to tha hood/BBS on remote, was about the old website---www.omegaredd.comwhich is discontinued...
We had an old review written by some one between 2003-2005...

That day, a new page was built. That review was found when we did a search engine to find the old pages of Omega Redd's old site. We was gonna use some of that to build the new, but, the old didn't show up, only thing that came up in the search was that 4 star review...

Wish we knew how to find the boy who wrote that review, wonder how he'd rate the new?
We got everything but Video Casting on it now...Which is in the making...Just like how the "Yall done F'd Up Now" album is.

Which was originally annouced to have 10 songs, just been upgraded to 12.

The unofficial Song Order is:

1 No Remorse
2 Get Balboa
3 Ruffside
4 What If...
5 Come -n-get it
6 Freestyle
7 Forbidden Fruite
8 Freestyle
9 Inferno
10 I beg 2 Differ
11 Forgiveness
12 Still Laughin

Other songs might be added, the official credits will be released some time soon.

Last update for today: 3-20-08
The "Golden Land" album credits have not yet been released. If you have been in this blog reading each post, you'd remember how we posted about Omega Redd's idea to add the Bonus TRACK. Then you'd also remember that there was a better then 50-50 chance that the Philadelphia Daily News will have the "Golden Land" album in their Tuesday's CD Release weekly review. Well that didn't happen. The only American Judge on "American" Idol and 3 underground JAZZ artists including a 90 year old women got written about instead. To add insult to injury, the page had space for Jonathan Takiff to add the "Golden Land" but he went with DVD releases in the corner. Not a problem.

Didn't wanna whine about that until now, ( 9 days later) this is in THA HOOD, because it goes with what's new:

The whole Bonus Track idea is what's new. When we gave Mr. Takiff a copy of this album, we needed a Bonus Track to add because the track # 22 says: Bonus Track in the CD art. Since Omega Redd's idea was to add new music for the Bonus Track and they hadn't gotten to the studio before handing Mr. Takiff his copy of "Golden Land" on 3-7-08. The Bonus Track on his version of the album was "S.O.A.z Reign Supreme" which was Jan. '08 Flave....

This weekend (3-22) Omega Redd and Kwin MD are going to have a meeting, there's a 70% chance they will go to M.A.U. studios as well. Regardless, the Bonus Track situation will be talked about. Right now, they both agree that "Reign Supreme" is only the Temporary Bonus Track, until a new song is finished. Kwin is going to suggest (since it's already a double disc now) that "Reign Supreme" stays as Track #23 or # 22, and that the album goes to 2 Bonus tracks for the CD version, and the download version stays the same at 21....other things will also be talked about in this weekend's Common Ground Meeting.

Once the whole Bonus Track situation is settled and the meeting is over, a credits page for "Golden Land" will be made and added to the FREE CD's Choices page of www.mckomandoni.com where getting 2 FREE CDs is what people get for the simple vote....

"The old domian site:Omegaredd.com got 4 stars...."

Not sure when this review was made:

Here's the review---

"http://www.omegaredd.com/ (****)
Okay, now I'm jealous and pissed. This was supposed to be my online atlernate persona. Now I find that there's someone else who's using the same name as I!? Dammit!
Oh well, I'll give this guy some credit, he's out making the name work for him. I just made up the name (or so I thought) and just use it. He's a musician, hip hop it looks like. He has an album circulating on the street titled "Y'all done Fucked up Now". And, thanks to this website, I now have a new nic-name for Paul: 'PL' for 'Paul Love'. Wait, that sounds kinda gay. Maybe I should just stick with Paul.
From the best I can tell, this guy has his own domain, but all his stuff loads from geocities. Strange. "

We've been search for a better hoster page builder then Geocities for years.
FREE is FREE right? This guy clearly thought PL (Paul Love) was Omega Redd's real name.
That was the only part of his review that was inaccurate. PL is a white rapper from P.G. County in Maryland.
Omega Redd is from Chester, Pa and is an S.O.A. Common Ground Member...

4 stars from http://www.omegarobot.com/searching.html

" This originally started out as a blog entry idea. I spent a couple hours just entering random words to see if a website existed there. Surprises arouse and disappoints were many. Here's the results of the find, in no particular order other then in the order I found them in. I decided that I'm gonna write about websites. Just random websites that I happen upon while writing this.

The Websites Rating System
(* = Lame, *** = Average, ***** = Excellent) "

This website was discontinued in 2005....But a new webpage is being built to link the S.O.A.z Page to Omega Redd's pages online....

One thing to touch on & elaborate on: this guy wrote--- ' an album circulating on the street titled "Y'all done Fucked up Now" '

That album was not circulating on the steet, it was being promoted on that old domain name website. That album is coming out 4-8-08....It has been promoted online & in tha hood since 2003. It has been thought of since 2002. "Megaton" was another album that Omega Redd was promoting for the same amount of time....

Leap Year

Yeah this leap year thing is crazy aint it?

Easter & the Baseball season came in March instead of April....!

Anyway, the leap year got the S.O.A.z puttin out Albums in March of 2008 (3-11-08 "Golden Land" by Common Ground) and coming soon:

4-8-08 "Yall done Fucked Up Now" by Omega Redd....

So since we talkin about April in March....Let's look at the April 2008 S.O.A.z Flavor of the Month:

"Shake the System" by Omega Redd and Kwin MD...

We will say this much, it's a Common Ground Song that is not on "Golden Land".

Keep it locked here for the making of series to continue with "Shake the system"

"Yall Done F'd Up Now" coming soon

Omega Redd's new album is coming out April 8th, 2008....

Check out Omega Redd's Forum called The REDD ZONE

More information will be posted here in THA HOOD/ Garageband BBS "On Remote" about this album as time rolls along. All we have for yall now about this album is that it has 10 songs and it will be availible for download (powered by Sound Click) for $4.99

"I AM" is March 2008 S.O.A. Falvor of the Month

"I Am" was selected by the voters of the last Poll to be March 2008 S.O.A.z Flavor of the Month.
It did so well so quick it (was at one time ranked #4 in Rap) got into the second round. (Which we were anticipating) Garageband Records just selected this song to be Track of the Day on 3-19-08....

Today's Post

It's funny that Rick Ross came out after we made our song "Bosses" because in the hook we say "Big Original Bosses"

We like Bruce Springstein, the Original Bosses.

We don't say Boss on every song either.

We don't have to convince ourselves of it.

This picture is of a new album coming out on 4-8-08

Called "Yall done Fucked Up Now" by Omega Redd.

It will be availible by download for $3.99

Oh yes, we did try very hard to have Damon Williams, Jenice Armstrong, or Jonathan Takiff

write about today's release by Common Ground "Golden Land"...

Jenice said she doesn't do music. She recommended Damon Williams (who we never got in touch with) but Mr. Takiff did get a copy of the album on Friday (Before it came out) and this was what we included in the envolope with the CD:

Common Ground Bio- 3 Artists make up Common Ground. Omega Redd,
Va'Les & McKoman Doni. All 3 artists had a solo career in music before forming a
larger group called the S.O.A.z...The S.O.A.z is a group of artists who own the rights
to their own music contributions. Publishing, Royalty, and promotions all get taken
by record labels and given artists a small percent. Any "Self Owned Artist" gets 100%
of the rights to all money earned for any song of their. In the past, the Common Ground
name was said in lyrics on S.O.A.z albums. Since 2003, these 3 artists made music
together, this will be the first album to come out under the Common Ground Name.
These are the 3 founding members of the S.O.A.z
"Golden Land" is being released online 3-11-08. You can walk into any
record store that has Super-D distribition and make an order for the McKoman Doni
"Boilahmaker Sippah" album. This album, "Golden Land" is coming out online only
at www.mckomandoni.com
There are 2 ways to get this album, For FREE by voting in a poll online in a
package deal of 2 FREE CDs for your vote; or buy the download version for $4.99...
To Vote is FREE, to hear the 2 Songs and figure out which one you like better is free,
we pay the mailman! The FREE CD we mail out has a Bonus track making the # of songs
22. The Download Version only has 21.
Every Month the S.O.A.z release a new song on Garageband Records called
the "S.O.A.z flavor of the Month". The last poll got only 6 votes, but it decided the
March 2008, "S.O.A.z flavor of the Month". This poll now, decided the JUNE 2008
edition of "S.O.A.z flavor of the Month".
The "Golden Land" album focuses on the inprovisation aspect of Hip Hop.
Most of the Lyrics were not written, they were freestyle. On track #20 "alway's daydreamin' (ohio
mix)", made by B.I.P. (Black Irish Productions: Va'Les & McKoman Doni). Va'Les
plays the Organ and the Bass Guitar was added at Blue Moon in Columbus, OH...
On Track # 5 "Pedals" Va'Les sings R & B style. Track # 17 "You Know I Know" was
recorded in front of a Live audience at Champayne Cafe on Chelton Ave in Germantown.
There were a few songs on this album that were written. Anyone who lives in
the Philadelphia area should appreciate the written lyrics in # 8 "Cream Cheese"
because the message is about how people who use guns think their "SO TOUGH"
with a gun killing someone. This song takes an unusually approach to the senseless
violance in the community and mocks the people who shoot guns instead of fighting
fist fights and so on.
The "Golden Land" album does have explicit lyrics. The name of the album
comes from the era of Hip Hop it fits in with most. The Golden Era of Hip Hop
(1980-1997) was when Rap had a message, KRS-1 & Rakim were popular, Live
Performances were not done with so many Hype Men, before Hip Hop turned so
Corporate. Today Hip Hop is in the ICE AGE (1997- Present) when rappers get signed
to major labels and are groomed to make dance music like Soldier Boy, Pop songs
like Timbaland, or talk about Jewelry, Money, Cars, and drug dealing. Common Ground
only mocks the Ice Age and does not glorify this negative machine like this. This
album brings a "Golden Age" vibe and cators to the FREESTYLE PHANATICS.

Today's Update

"Golden Land" has a better than 50-50 chance of getting into the Philadelphia Daily News. On Tuesday 3-11-08 Jonathan Takiff might have this album in his column (in the Yo section).

(Details are in THA HOOD 360)

There you can read today's post about why the album is now a Double Disc album.

This whole Daily News thing is the reason that only one post was made this week.

Talking to Jenice Armstrong, Jonathan Takiff, and making preparations to release this album by Common Ground on Tuesday took priority over the blogs here at:

THA HOOD/Garageband BBS on REMOTE...

There's still an outside chance that if Jonathan Takiff doesn't write about this that Damon Williams writes about it. That who Jenice suggested, she does write about music, she's always had great material in the Yo Section of the paper. She has the most interesting stuff in the paper that isn't sports related. She was also on Sports Talker 950 AM a few weeks ago. She's always looking for the Sexy Singles in the Philly Area, around this time of year she does a segment on them. Kwin wasn't able to help her with that when she asked him, because he's married and most of his single friends are all in Virginia...

The Making of Series 31st Edition: "U-Turn"

This B.I.P. song appears on the "Golden Land" album. After recording "You Got me" with Luana Lewis, Va'Les & Kwin made this song. Va'Les made the beat on a drum machine that he had borrowed from M.A.U. from 2002-2004...His song is on the intro and Addlibs. The hook was made up on the spot by Va'Les. Each verse was a Freestyle. This song was mixed down at A.P.G. Studios.

FEB-'08 S.O.A.z Flave Update:

Last update here about this "S.O.A.z Flavor of the Month" was about the first 2 review it recieved (which were both fraud reviews because neither user actually listened to the song).

So that said (in about 3 posts now), "Vietnam Nights" has just recieved it's first Legit Review:

rawness this is for the lyricists and streets, vocals diverse and all strong, sampler is simple and sick though, lets the vocals be main focus. this is for a particular croud of hip hops heads that would love to hear this. rawness. serve it up!
Reviewed by: jwillis1000 from Kelseyville, California

The "Dog & Pony Show" continues, iLIKE & Garageband were notified about the 2 FRAUD reviews and still left them on the record of "Vietnam Nights"...But, if you read the post here on this blog aboutm Production (Production...Wutz Hood) it talks about two ages of Hip Hop (the Ice age 1997-Present and the Golden Age 1980-1997)....It is clear that jwillis1000 is a fan from the Golden Age. His comment about "this is for a particular croud of hip hops heads" is not referring to the T-Pain, Soldier Boy, or Fabolous Croud...So it's nice to see a fellow veteran of the Throw Back Era here to review this song....

For Golden Age Fans, the "Golden Land" album will be out on 3-11-08...

Record Release Announcement: "Golden Land" by Common Ground

"Golden Land" will be released exclusively to the internet, download only, powered by SoundClick. The date is set, for 3-11-08. APG Forx is just like all the other ones, release the music on a Tuesday. The 21 songs will be on the download only version, although, a bonus track will be added to the FREE CD promo we mail out to voters of the new poll (that will decide the JUNE 2008 Flave)... This Bonus Track was Omega Redd's idea, so, when this Bonus Track gets recorded (a brand new song) it will be #22 on the CD track line up, that bonus track will be execlusive to the FREE CD Promo at http://www.mckomandoni.com/ and will not be added to the downloaded version powered by SoundClick...

To get a sneak preview of the album Click Here.....By the way, on 3-11-08, you can cop the download version for only $4.99

The Making of series (30th Edition) "You Know, I Know"

"You Know I Know" is one of the best examples of a B.I.P. song. Va'Les came over to APG Studios one night to record "Bald Black" track #18 on "S.O.A.z Featured Presented" (a CD that came out online as a choice for FREE CD awarded to voters in the Polls we have) this song is also known as "Lyrically High & Most"...That night they also recorded "The Mickey Remix". Before recording they went to a near by Liquor store & copped some Crazy Horse 40s, after Blazin & drinkin & recording in the Basement on the Roland 880 EX, Kwin & Va'Les watched a movie together called "THE BIG CHILL". This movie, is probably the most unlikely movie to inspire any rapper to have a concept for a song. Since Va'Les & Kwin used to hang out about every day back then (2003) they had great chemistry as artists. Kwin MD used to say "You Know" all the time, that, Va'Les's kids used to say "You Know" everytime they saw Kwin. In the movie "THE BIG CHILL" there was a scene where the movie sound track cutts to a song from the era of oldies music (between 1950-1970) where the female singer sings: "I Know"....Va'Les got the concept at about 4 AM that night watchin this flick. His idea was good. We sampled the skit from the S.O.A.z first street CD track #12 on that CD...All 3 Common Ground members (Omega Redd, Va'Les & Kwin MD) say in harmony "You Know" and we slowed & screwed both samples (the Big Chill Sample of "I Know" & this one) for the hook. Va'Les sings on the hook. The first verse was recorded at APG Studios, the rest of the song was recorded at Va'Les crib on Walnut Lane in G-Town....The entire song was recorded using the Roland 880 EX and mixed down using Cake Walk at APG studios.

The day after these 2 watched the movie, Kwin went to a local corner store to cop some cheese steaks for him & his grandmom. While on the way home, (about a 3 block walk) Kwin wrote the first verse in his head. After eating the cheese steak with his grandmom, Kwin recorded the first verse.

About one week later, Kwin went down to G-Town and Va'Les was ready to record this song. His family members were all chipping in with addlibs, which can be heard through out the song from the first hook to the end of the song. Va'Les freestyles the 2nd verse. The format for the 3rd verse is all over the place. It's not line for line, it's a freestyle that was sort of like a live performance where Va'Les & Kwin shared the mike & showed the great chemistry they truely have. Some of the lyrics in the 3rd verse are also in "Splendid". Those lyrics were done by both Va'Les & Kwin together (In "You Know I Know" they spit it at the same time, recorded on one live track)...This is the reason that on the upcoming "Golden Land" album, "Splendid" is track #16 and "You Know I Know" is track #17. These lyrics that are in both songs are lyrics that both Va'Les and Kwin used to recite together almost every day. That's how good the B.I.P. chemistry is.

The beat for this song is just like 2 other songs, "Love 2 Smut" featuring Lil' Debo & "Across the Map" (another song that will be on "Golden Land"...The reason why this beat is like those 2 songs beats is, Va'Les and his cousin: Willy from Philly made these 3 beats together in the basement at APG Studios on Willy's Beat Machine. Willy's voice can be heard on "Love 2 Smut" between the first verse & the Hook as a bridge saying "Blah, Blah,Blah, Blah,Blah, Blah, bring it back"....

Production....wutz hood

In 2002, Kwin MD and Shallow had a conversation about production. They were talking about the classic "Wu Tang Enter the 36 Chambers" album and how RZA master Mixed it with some unusual levels, on purpose. Not by accident. On purpose.

When the "Boilahmaker Sippah" album was Master Mixed, Kwin MD used a simalar philosophy.
This is not news, to read about that click here....Or peep this exerp: "You can't just push play on this CD you gotta bump it on your own settings for bass and treble..."

On Purpose, not on Accident....

Track #13 on the new "Golden Land" album (coming out very soon) is gonna be "Across the Map". Not giving away too much before the Making of Series covers this song, the levels were E-Qed a certain way for artistic purposes (on purpose, not by accident)...Leading to the inspiration of this post:


Review of Veitnam Nights by S.O.A.z Genre: Rap murder it.this one got murdered by the mix. the mix is so crucial that my speakers just shut off. its all ruined.
- ziplokdotcom Hudson, New Hampshire February 26th, 2008

Ziplok is a cat who is into the market and mainstream aspects of the Hip Hop business economy.
Move Units, record with state of the art pro tools, and put product out that matches the production quality of the artists who are signed to major labels. He's the A & R kind of cat.

Hip Hop began one day many years ago. Wu Tang was out when the game was in the later stages of the Golden Years. 2PAC, B.I.G., KRS1 & Rakim were the best back then. Back then, Jay Z was a nobody.

This was before the "THROW BACK ERA", Va'Les used to always say, himself, Kwin MD & Omega Redd were "Veterans of the Throw Back era".

Now Hip Hop is corporate.
Ice, club music, platinum, and suites making the choices of what's what.

Back in the Golden Age of hip hop, performing live was your finger print in the game, how you held your own on stage. Hype man? KRS-1 did it well and did encores with no hype man. Back then, "production" was not this type type big deal. We left the studio with a master copy on cassette tape. CD? What? In 1999, if you left with a Burned CD, you had connex, man your studio was the shit.

I got a tape from the golden era where Big L murders Jay Z in a FREESTYLE, but Jigga did pretty nice job on it (even though Big L was unstoppable).

I aint gonna explain "Vietnam Nights" again, The Making of Series has that covered.

I just wanted to talk about the Golden Age of Hip Hop, before all the suites came in to direct cats like Soldier Boy and the makers of "A Bey Bey" and all the other Bubble Gum crap that watered down this music. Metaphysik had made a nice song about this new generation of bullshit back in 2001. The Golden era of Hip Hop was real, man. So when "Golden Land" comes out, think about the Golden Era, 1980-1998...The best 18 years of real hip hop. Flavor Flav was Flavor Flav, Ice T was shittin on bitches, Will Smith said "You saw my blinker bitch" as the Fresh Prince, and Biz was Biz Marke...Underground was Hip Hop, Hip Hop was underground, not this rediculous corporate nonsence.

When Fabolous does his 3 song performance with 55 hype men, and walk off the stage scared shittless in that club in D.C. where that Norega video was made (I think it was DREAMS), he is the symbol for the ICE AGE of Hip Hop.

The Golden Age was so much better then the ICE AGE.

Anyone as old as me remembers the old CD singles you used to be able to cop (or gank)...

CD Singles were the shit!

Now, the internet has killed that.
The "WEB" & the "NET" are words that are slang for the internet right?
A Spider uses a WEB or a NET to Kill it's prey.

The internet will suck the whole population of the world in (like bugs, trapped in a Spider web) and take over alot of shit, both small & big. As small as a CD single, as big as anyone could emagin....

DOG & PONY SHOW

Check out this link: DOG & PONY SHOW


Those 2 reviews were both signs that this song could not get a high rank right?
So how is this song ranked 194th out of 271 Rap songs?
194 of 271 is not high, but, look at it like this....It is ranked higher then 77 other songs, the 1st review didn't hear the song at all, the 2nd one stopped listening when he got fed up with the fact that the production quality and mix down was too poor for his standard. Either those 77 songs were really bad, or this contest is a dog & Pony show.
Since the year 2000, Garageband has never had a rap or hip hop song be ranked #1 overall. Since the year 2000, Rap & Hip Hop has been the most popular genre on the radio & billboard charts out of all genres. The sight has always been a "Dog & Pony Show" Fraud...But don't get me wrong, don't get it twisted, I like uploading the music there, because I value the listener critism & oppinion. It was never an effert to try and "blow up" or win that contest, it was always the exposure.

That's why I have this post here, I like to get the feedback & critism, these 2 reviews here are both pathetic. The irony is, we get these 2 reviews after I post an example on how to review here & in THA HOOD/BBS on Remote....My example is better then about 95% of the reviews I get as far as how to review. I don't need it to be that well done, but damn, these 2 didn't even listen to the song. I want people to listen to it, as far as I'm concerned, both of these reviews should not count....

The Making Of Series (29th Edition) "Bosses"

"Bosses" was a B.I.P. song. Va'Les made the Beat with his Keyboard and Drum Machine at APG Studios. Kwin MD added the sound effects and mixed it down. This one only had verses 1 & 2 on it for a while, the 3rd verse wasn't added until later on. Va'Les wrote the hook. Va'Les didn't like the 3rd verse too much. This was recorded at first in November of 2005. This song was recorded, Mixed, and finished before Rick Ross ever made a song to come out Nation Wide. Unlike Rick Ross, we don't say "Boss" in every song we do. We just made this song before he made all of his songs with "Boss" in it. Since Rick Ross did so many songs with the word "Boss" in them, this song looks like we took ideas from him. We were the originals...Other songs like "Damn Shame" and "Triumphant" were also done that day.

This song is one of the 21 songs on the new (Coming Soon) Common Ground Debute album:

"Golden Land"

Every Time THA HOOD/BBS On Remote refers to APG Studios, (as mentioned above) it is referring to the room that this picture provided in this post is taken from. That was the same room, Kwin MD's father grew up from kindergarden to High School living in, the same room Kwin MD's Great Grandmother lived in (and died in) and the same room Kwin MD lived in while living with his Grandparents as a senior in High School in 1999 as well as from 2002 until 2004 Kwin MD stayed in that room. After moving to West Philly with his Girl friend (now wife), Kwin MD turned the Bed room into a studio (took all the furniture out and change the closet into a vocals both)....

The picture is from 2003 when the Roland 880 EX was the main recording system and APG Studios was primarilly the place for the mix down. The mix down was what Kwin was doing while the picture was snapped...

Garageband BBS (On Remote) Post:

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-wE14_Io8eK2Dz8zZLaGTpYx7Ew--?cq=1&p=40

Before Ali P. took away the BBS Forums on Garageband.com this is the type Posts I used to do...

This is why this Arena is called "THA HOOD/Garageband BBS on Remote"

I copied it from THA HOOD (created back in 2006 when they banned Greenguy: my screen name on the BBS from GARAGEBAND BBS)....OF COURSE THEY LIFTED THE BAN BEFORE iLIKE BOUGHT GARAGEBAND & THEN THE BBS WAS CLOSED OFF....

ANYWAY, THAT LINK ABOVE IS TO AN EXAMPLE ON HOW TO REVIEW A SONG ON GARAGEBAND.

I feel as though an example like that should be on display because so many reviews do not provide any critism or any substance. Most reviews are very lame and lack any kind of insight....

So this would have been a BBS Forum post, here it is here, on remote...

Second Tha Hood/BBS on Remote Video

Watch it...

Breaking NEWS:

Well Well, the Poll we had that gave you 3 FREE CDs for your vote, which was the decider of the March 2008 Flavor of the Month, is now official closed. Thank you to all 6 of the voters, one of them voted annonomously and did not ask for the FREE CDs, oh well right? "I AM" won 4 to 2. It's a Damn Shame that "Damn Shame" didn't win. Oh well right? So the March '08 Flave is gonna be "I AM". The next poll will be set up soon, it will decide the Flavor of the Month for JUNE 2008. Hopefully we can get more then 6 votes, but of course we will still start with 2 FREE CDs and bump that up to 3 for holidays & to sweep the final weeks of the poll (like we been doing with the previous polls, e'y poll so far, we been giving out 3 for promos like Holidays & such)....

Yeah, "Golden Land" is almost ready to be released. The goal is, to get the Common Ground debute album out & online (availible through download powered by SoundClick and through FREE CD Promos) before we set up the new POLL....

We are not sure if "Damn Shame" will get a second chance in a new poll or not but "Damn Shame" is the top cannidate for the next poll. We might put a new song in there, we might put one in from the collection like "Grilled Cheese" which is a Common Ground underground top secret (only Common Ground & friends have heard that song so far, it's a private classic)....Who really knows...?

That Video we put out here in THA HOOD/BBS On Remote is the first video we ever made with that camera. We plan on putting more in every once in a while, we thought we could get more last minute votes with that gimmick. It didn't work, but oh well right....Dust it off & try again....

Today's Post

Yo, people who been following us around in Tha Hood, been asking:

"How yall gone put the "Golden Land" album out and end the Poll before yall release it?"

That is true, the FREE CD poll ends on 2-25-08 and the "Golden Land" album is supposed to come out in March....

Here's the thing, we will have a new Poll in place before the new album comes out.

We got yall covered....

One

SoundClick Banners

Regular Post

Yesterday's annoucement about "Vietnam Nights" had a Button to visit the Garageband Records Page for the Feb. 2008 Flavor of the Month, that button for some reason is not working. So, if you want to see that song on Garageband just visit www.mckomandoni.com and go to the S.O.A.z Page, then click S.O.A.z News, then go to the Flavor of the Month Page, it's right there at the top.

"Golden Land" is about 50% ready for it's debute as a downloadable Album Powered By Soundclick....

Click the Soundclick button at www.mckomandoni.com and you will see some new songs were posted yesterday and today. They are availible for 75 Cents to be downloaded individually. These are about half of the songs that are expected to be on the "Golden Land" album and are all marked as "Golden Land" album songs...

FEB 2008 Flave is Here/ The Making Of Series Addendum

The S.O.A.z Flavor of the Month is now in The Active Contest Powered By Garageband Records.

Feb. 2008 Flave is "Veitnam Nights" and this song was just in the Making of Series a few Days ago. Something we might have left out in that making of series for this song is the sample that was used.

So here's the info about that sample, we sampled part of the 3rd verse from the song "Walkin thru the Jungle" by PL & Kwin MD saying together "Livin the night life, skippin breakfast & Lunch" we screwed to down to slow speed. We added to random parts of this song here...

The Making Of Series (28th edition) "Alwayz Daydreamin' (Remix)"

This song is very execlusive. This song was only released on a Street CD that circulated in Richmond, VA only in the summer of 2004. Most people have only heard the original "Alwayz Daydreamin" which is found on the double disc album "Best of Kwin MD (est. '99 son)"

Coming sometime in March of 2008, this song will be released again, on the upcoming album by Common Ground called "Golden Land" (availible through download and FREE CD promos only).

On one of the early S.O.A.z mixtapes that was in Circulation in 2004, a differant version of this B.I.P. song was released. Extra addlibs from Va'Les old crib in G-Town on Walnut lane as well sounds from Va'Les playing an Organ (which was brought over to that house by Common Ground by a donating party who had endoursed the S.O.A.z movement). This version had parts of the addlibs also done by his family members as well. This version was known as the remix and not many copies of that mixtape were in circulation. This version will never get released again.

That version was brought to Columbus, Ohio and Kwin MD used the Organ parts that Va'Les played, some of those addlibs by Va'Les & his family members, basically some of that REMIX, and Kwin MD layed a new Vocal part and basically doubled his lyrics from begining to end at Blue Moon Studios in Ohio...

This Blue Moon Version also has a new Bass Guitar added to the B.I.P. Production, making it a B.M.A.B.I.P. song (Blue Moon and Black Irish Production). This version is only ever going to be availible on the "Golden Land" album. This album was supposed to be released by now, but the released date has been pushed back for a few reasons. One thing that is in the works is making about 10 copies of "Golden Land" on CD to get some people who have had a connection with Common Ground to get a copy and to get some of the fans who have been loyal a copy in Virginia, Georgia, and Philly. That is something in the works. The album artwork and CD Cover and such is still in the making, but the musical aspect is ready now. Also, promotion is a big part of the whole thing too.

When this album comes out you can expect a major announcement here in THA HOOD/Garageband BBS on Remote, as well as the parent websites: www.mckomandoni.com and also THA HOOD 360 degrees (powered by Yahoo) and Tha Hood newsletter and Forum (Powered by Yahoo Groups)...You will recieve a FREE CD paid for by APG Forx records (you pay nothing, not even postage) for joining THA HOOD (Powered by Yahoo Groups) just visit www.mckomandoni.com and while you're there, from now (2-20) until 2-26-08 ( 5 more days) you can pick up 3 more FREE CDs just for voting in our poll at www.mckomandoni.com (which is a total of 4 FREE CDs availible now and you can get one of them to be an artist that isn't on our list, you name the artist, we'll mail you there hottest music for FREE along with some more music from our list of choices)...

If you read this after 2-25-08, we will always offer the One FREE CD for joining THA HOOD (powered by Yahoo Groups) only the poll is expiring during this time, the poll will reopen soon enough as well. It is only closing for inventory and to name a winner...

The Making Of Series (27th edition) "Cream Cheese"

This song "Cream Cheese" was written & inspired by Common Ground concepts & conversations when Va'Les lived in G-Town still on Sheldon Lane. This was around April of 2005. Kwin, Redd, & Va'Les were supposed to record this song at M.A.U. Studios. Kwin was living in West Philly at the time, he was working graveyard shift and slept through the time to meet up at M.A.U.

Then in the summer of 2005, Kwin & REDD were waiting outside of M.A.U. studio & Reese at M.A.U. didn't show up for to open the studio (So Kwin went to Atlantic City instead & REDD went home)...

Then in November of 2005, APG Studios was reopened without the Roland 880 EX but with that Mike Stand & high quality Mike Filture that was mentioned yesterday on the 26th edition of the making of Series.

"Cream Cheese" was the first song recorded with this new set up at APG Studios. It was done the same night as "Veitnam Nights" and "Verbs" was done.

Master P beat came from Omega Redd's mixtape collection. Kwin MD's studio tape player lined into the PC. Ripped off the cassette tape into the computer on ACID.

Same Gun Shot Sound Effect used in "Bison" but chopped & Screwed differantly. That sound came from Wu Tang Forever Song which begins with this sound "As High As Wu Tang Get.....If You can't wear it....well don't fuck wit it.....Tical got a hold on ya do it exactly, what the fuck a marajuana...."

That song....

The hook was a concept that Kwin Ghost wrote all together.

The Va'Les addlibs & Omega Redd addlibs during Kwin's verse were planned on paper.

The 3rd verse was 100% freestyle by Va'Les & Omega Redd (that one Kwin Addlibbed)...

"Veitnam Nights" The Making of 26th Edition

The 26th edition of the making of series is about the song which is coming out soon on Garageband Records as the S.O.A.z Feb. 2008 Flavor of the Month very soon. This song was made around the same time frame as "Bosses", "Verbs", "Damn Shame", "Cream Cheese" and others mentioned before in other Making Of Series posts....

November 2005 was the time frame. Before Greenguy's return to the Garageband BBS Rap Hip Hop Forum (a polar event) and after the Roland 880 EX had been sold and was no longer being used.

The studio equipment used in APG Studios to over-come the lack of the Track Machine (Roland 880 EX) was a very high quality mike filture, a good mike, and a very nice Mike Stand & Spit cover. The mike was lined onto the PC and the recording was done on the software known as ACID....

The method with the Roland 880 EX was similar but, Cakewalk was the software used to mix down and the Mike had no stand & no spit cover, They used a clean sock as a spit cover back then.

The mike & all that was upgraded to compisate for the lack of the track machine. The studio was no longer portable as it was with the 880 EX though....

Now, this song "Veitnam Nights" had an instramental that Big L used in the past, it was Omega Redd's collection of instramentals that inspired Common Ground to record this. It was Madden 2006 that inspired Va'Les to have Marty Booker's name in the Hook:

"You don't wanna end up droppin the ball like Marty Booker"

That was written By Va'Les although Kwin MD spoke the lyrics there...

The Miami Dolfins did just cut Marty Booker recently too.

That laugh from the 2nd Hook heading onto the 3rd verse was unrehersed. Va'Les was naturally laughing & got caught on record, Redd & Kwin laughed at how it sounded in the sound & they both insisted that Va'Les keep it in there as a addlib...

That's the fun we have when the Common Ground 3 records together....

Track of the Day 2-12-08

Garageband Records has selected "S.O.A.z Reign Supreme" by Common Ground the fathers of the S.O.A. coalition to be the Track of the Day on Tuesday 2-12-08. This song was uploaded to the contest as Jan.-08 Flavor of the month. The Honor is all S.O.A.z to be Track of the Day...

The Making of Series 25th Edition: "Verbs"

Recorded at APG Studios. On this song Va'Les says in his freestyle "We at Nan's" which was true, that was where APG Studios was located at from 2002-2006. Nan was Kwin MD's paternal Grandmother who lived from 1933-2007. Nan was a great friend of Omega Redd & Va'Les as well as Va'Les' family and even Champain got to meet her. That is who Kwin MD lived with from 2002 until 2004.

When Kwin MD moved to West Philly with his girlfriend (and now wife) he left his studio in the Bedroom he was staying in at Nan's House. Everyone misses Nan may she Rest In Peace.

This was one of the last songs recorded at APG Studios. A simple Freestyle done by Common Ground after finishing off the written lyrics to "Cream Cheese". This instramental was also used for written material on a song by Common Ground called "Earth up in the Air"....

Usually when Common Ground gets together to record a written song at least one Freestyle song is recorded that same day...

During the time of this recording (October 2005) the S.O.A.z / Common Ground street movement had began to slow down. The internet movement was starting to become the main focus. This was only 2 months before Greenguy's return to the Garageband BBS Forums (only to find a bunch of Hip Hop Haters ganging up on Indecent3000 in the Hip Hop forum)...

This same time this song was being worked on, songs like "Cream Cheese", "Death Toll", "Veitnam Nights", "Damn Shame", & "Bosses" were being worked on. Between October and December of 2005 these projects were being thought of & recorded in the studio. All of these songs mentioned and more will appear on the upcoming "Golden Land" album...

Freestyle take turns style on the simple song format of this song "Verbs" recorded & Mixed by Kwin MD and the beat was unoriginal material...

The making of Series 24th Edition:

"I'm a S.O.A." is a song by Common Ground. Recorded with Maurice at 72nd & Lindbergh in S.W.P.....

Shallow made the beat, the concept was organized at Va'Les crib on Sheldon Lane in Germantown.

Omega Redd layed his verse in 1 take.

This is a studio that Montana Black uses frequently. This was the studio where the beat for "Everybody's Got a 12 Pack"

Kwin MD did verse 2 in a few takes.

Va'Les did verse 3 in a few takes too.

The whole song was recorded with Pro Tools...

More Announcements from APG Forx Records and the S.O.A.z

The 1st announcement is from APG Forx Records:

The Poll for FREE CDs we have been offering 2 FREE (regularly) and 3 FREE from now until 2-16-08 will be closing soon. This poll is at www.mckomandoni.com and it will close at 2-25-08.

The results will be announced on 2-26-08. The results may not decide the March 2008 S.O.A.z Flavor of the Month. If the results are too close to a tie, the S.O.A.z Flave in March of '08 will be decided by Common Ground Members at a meeting. If the results are good enough to define a public consensis and point out a public favorite, then the results will be the decider of the March '08 Flave....

So far after offering FREE CDs like we have been, we only got 5 votes, and one of the voters doesn't even want the FREE CDs, they voted annonomously....

Also, the "Golden Land" album release (download only online & also as a choice for the FREE CDs for voting poll) date has been pushed back. We are now looking at a release date of 3-18-08.

The reason for pushing back the release date is, the Sound Click web host for the MP3 Downloadable Album is not ready yet. Also, we are not 100% sure the track order is where we want it yet. Common Ground started in 2003, and after so many recordings and other music making gatherings and performances, the first Common Ground album to ever get released is this "Golden Land" album. So it is very highly anticipated...

Special Annoucement 2-6-08 (expires 2-16-08)

The 2 FREE CDs for your vote at the poll located in www.mckomadoni.com has been upgraded to 3 FREE CDs for your vote. As promoted in the sister blog, THA HOOD, here in THA HOOD/ Garageband BBS on REMOTE, we make it official... Just send your e-mail with your 3 choices off the list, and similar to the rules for the 2 FREE CDs, if the list isn't appealling enough, give us the name of any artist, we'll include the hottest CD we can get from that artist but instead of you getting one from the list with the artist you name, you get 2 from the list with the artist you name....Send your 3 CDs you want or an artist name & 2 picks from our list, along with a mailling address to send the CDs (scardy cats and girls we aint stalkers we are a low budget label called APG Forx Records we'll mail it to your Uncle's house if you're a scardy cat) and any way, your mailling address & your picks & the vote & 3 Free CDs will arrive na mean APG Forx pays the mail man for ya!

The e-mail address is mckomandoni@yahoo.com and we had a someone annonmously vote last week who didn't claim their CDs too. We are sad about that though. Yeah we save the postage money but, we really want people to have these free cds though...

So you have from now until 2-16 to get 3 FREE CDs, the offer is only good for 10 days.

You should mention in the e-mail you read about the 3 FREE CDs in THA HOOD.

Feel free to sign up for THA HOOD YAHOO GROUPS NEWS LETTER because in that arena, just like this arena, you can make comments too...

The making of series 23rd edition:

"Damn Shame" is one of the songs in the Poll that awards voters 2 FREE CDs when they vote. This poll asks for your oppinion at www.mckomandoni.com about "I Am" and "Damn Shame".

The way "Damn Shame" was made is very unorthadox. Omega Redd brought a disc over to APG Studios with intramentals. The instramental for "Damn Shame" came off that disc, this was brought by when he was there to record his lyrics for "Death Toll" in October of 2005.

Shortly after that, he brought the same disc to Va'Les crib in S.W.P., they both wrote lyrics to the song and made a hook, this was planned to by a Common Ground Song.

In November of 2005, Va'Les went over to APG Studios and Recorded his verse and from his verse came Kwin MD's verse which was inspired by Va'Les verse & Va'Les idea of the concept that Omega Redd & Va'Les were writing about at Va'Les crib...

When Omega Redd came back to APG Studios it was May of 2006. He had been in the Bay Area of California for a while so between the start of the recording of "Damn Shame" and the end of the recording Omega Redd spent about 3 or 4 months in the Bay Area of California...His verse is first on the song and it was his verse recorded last....

The Making of Series 22nd Edition:

"Bison" is a song produced by "Odd Couple" Productions. Sal Graci & Va'Les were good friends but when they collabed on making beats together they called themselves "Odd Couple" because they would argue (in a creative fun argue way) over how to make the beat all night long.

The beat was made at Sal's mom's house in 2003. Omega Redd layed the first verse & the 3rd verse. Kwin, Sal & Va'Les made addlibs on the introductory part of the beginning of the song.

Kwin MD and Va'Les were line for line on verse 2 but some where in there Omega Redd snuck in a few lines too...So credit Common Ground on verse 2.

The song was recorded in Germantown on Walnut Lane with Kwin's Roland 880 EX and later mixed at APG Studios. The gun shot sound effect was sampled from Wu Tang's 2nd Album, "Wu Tang Forever", the reverse effect was added to make the shot sound as if the bullot came out but then got sucked back into the gun or if you had John Madden instant replay and you rewinded it in. Would have made for a nice music video. The Explosion effect came from a sample in Kwin's secret stash.

Omega Redd's concept of Bison was a metaphor & referance to the cliche MCs who all sound the same flocking together like a heard of Bison...

Special Announcement (Execlusive to Tha Hood/ Garageband BBS: On Remote)

From now until 2-2-08, when you referance: THA HOOD ON REMOTE to mckomandoni@yahoo.com with your vote at www.mckomandoni.com (which is free to vote) we'll add a 3rd FREE CD to the 2 free cds for your vote offer. The regular offer gives 2 free cds. With a referance of THA HOOD/Garageband BBS on Remote blog (this arena), we'll give you a 3rd FREE CD just for reading our blog here...

The Making Of Series 21st Edition:

"Shorty Let me Be Remix" will be the Making of 21st edition song.

The original song by Dream aka Kameil Madison who's website is found on the S.O.A.z page at www.mckomandoni.com was track # 1 on the "Best of Urban Underground 2002" put out by Garageband Records. The Collector's item series 1st Edition here in THA HOOD/Garageband BBS on Remote explains the original more...

The remix was done in 2003 by Kwin MD & Omega Redd. Omega Redd assisted in the Mix Down process and he was the MC on verse 3. Kwin MD did addlibs to add to the hook and other parts of the Remix. Together Kwin MD & Omega Redd looped a small part of the original beat from the introductory begining part of the song. That was added to the intro part of Kameil's 3rd verse from the original. The remix was recorded at APG Studios on the Roland 880 EX.

The Remix is figured to be track #19 on the upcoming highly anticipated debute album by Common Ground called "Golden Land" which will be restricted to the internet as far as availibilty. It was projected to have 23 songs but after Omega Redd's final say, it got cut down to 21. The track order has not been finalized yet, but the order that is being talked about now has "Shorty Let me Be Remix" by Kameil Madison & Common Ground at #19. This album will be sold execlusively on Sound Click as Download only and also offered for FREE in the Poll at www.mckomandoni.com that is giving out 2 FREE CDs for your vote.

Also let this be known that Kameil Madison does know about the Remix and was sent a copy of this song through e-mail attachments...She has been very active as an Underground artist and was requested for more S.O.A.z collabs and has not responded much about that....

This song also appeared as a Bonus Track on the "Self Owned AllStarz" street CD...

The Making of Series 20th Edition:

"Boilahmaker Sippah" is the song (that the album was titled after) that we will give the making of for the 20th Edition of the series.

First the instramental:
Kwin MD made the instramental out of samples he put together & looped...

The Lyrics:
Most pf these lyrics were originally used on the unreleased album "Double Up Double Down"
and since this was around the time that it was determined that that album was not getting released, Kwin MD used much of the lyrics from various songs on that album and meshed them together for this song.

The Samples:
A great Book: Heart Of Darkness that Kwin Read in Atlanta, Ga while living there in 1998, was turned into a movie and Remixed the setting with similar plot & Charaters called "Apocolyps Now"... Kwin Sampled the movie when Kurts says "They were gonna make me a major for this, and I wasn't in their fuckin' army any more..." in the begining of the song. The sample was slowed down a bit or "screwed"....

The end of the song samples the original first recording of "The Pussy Clinic" with Champain & Kriminal on the end of that song (recorded in 1999 with Splash City in Germantown in all 3 MC's first time at a studio)....Kriminal is from Darby, Pa...

The Making of Series 19th Edition: "Judgement Night REMIX"

As written in THA HOOD/BBS Forums On REMOTE:
"I am" & the original "Judgement Night" have common verses by Kwin MD (written in 1998 in Petersburg) The Atlanta, Ga & Petersburg, Va lyrics written by Kwin MD from 1998-1999 were the reason for his alias: The Dungeon Rapper...Locked up & Court ordered while writing those lyrics in Petersburg with Godfather Geek & in Atlanta with Little Dee....

In May of 1999, Kwin MD was Free & living in Philadelphia.
By 2000, Kwin had moved back to Richmond, Va.
The Summer of 1999 was when Kwin MD and Champain aka New Jack met & went to studios in Germantown (a part of Phila.pa) and West Philly. Kwin MD also recorded music that summer with Godfather Geek and L.E.P.....
In 2002 Champain moved back to his hometown of Jacksonville, Floridia....
To give more about Atlanta, Kwin lived there from August of 1998 until May of 1999...
Little Dee was from Tennessee and that was someone Kwin Rapped with in Atlanta who got a Shout out in the "Step into my Office..." song "Money$"...

"Step into my Office..." and the album "The Prequal...Step into my Office" both were 2 Albums that include many songs by Champain and from this era of time.

Champain came down to Richmond, Va in 2001 ( a short period of time when Champain lived in Philly and Kwin lived in Richmond )...Pain came to record "Decompose". Kwin had acquired the SP 1200 & the Roland 880 EX....Pain & Kwin used those to create some ameture recordings during this visit to Richmond.

When Pain moved back to Florida he was there for a little while & then got incarcerated. When he got incarcerated, the tracks from the original "Judgement Night" were used for the Remix.
Pain & Kwin kept in touch while Pain was locked up. Several letters were sent from Champain to Kwin in Virginia, Kwin to Pain in Jail, Kwin moved back to Philly in November of 2002, Pain sent Kwin mail to Philly, Kwin replied from Philly to the Jacksonville County Jail...About 2 years of Jail time, Pain was freed...He's doing very well now in Florida.

Champain never got a chance to hear this song. His Phone Number got disconnected and he hasn't spoke to Kwin since 2005...Kwin could catch him through calling his Grandmother or his Mother (who still lives in Philly and knows Kwin very well), but Kwin hasn't gone that route to try to contact Champain. The last time they spoke, Pain called Kwin to talk about some studio equipment he had recently bought.....

Now for the Making Of "Judgment Night Remix":

Kwin brought the Roland 880 EX over to Shallow's studio in the Fan District in Richmond, Va in 2002. Shallow ripped the Champain verse & hook off the Roland. Then Shallow tweaked the the speed of Pain's verse on the original to fit the beat for the remix that Shallow made and named the "FLYING CARPET" beat. This was like Chopped & Tweaked to fit the beat. Shallow used samples from movies to add to the "end of the world" vibe. Kwin's verse is a spin off the original "Judgement Night" from the "Prequal" album, "I am" from the "Nutcrackka" album, and "Right Hand Man" from the "Step into my office..." album...

Champain & Kwin went line for line in verse 3 of "Right hand Man", in that line for line verse Champain says: "Me & Kwin be rollin', in that black truck, dollar sign in my eyes, so don't even be surprised..." to end off the song...

In Metaphysik's verse in "I am" he starts the verse saying: "It's a War outside..."

In Kwin MD's verse of the "Judgement Night Remix" he says: "It's still a War Outside..."
"Is this the 'I Am' sequal? No, it's just another Chapter;
with no singin' on the hook, no battle shit, no long lines..."

In Shallow's verse of "I am" he says: "Long Lines waite for my arrival"

In Kwin MD's verse of the "Judgement Night Remix" he says: "Kwin & Pain-Diggody back again,
Pain my Right hand man so Pack it in, corn! Do it Mexican Style: Tomo La Corenta,
Do we own a black truck? No! It's a Rental..."

Tomo La Corenta, I don't know about the spelling, but that's en espanol....In English: I drink the Forty (40)...Translation....

Now look back to that quote: Do it Mexican Style goes back to the "Judgement Night" original where Pain's verse says "Mexican Style, hit south of the Boarder" then look back to Kwin's quote about the Black Truck....The last part of "Right Hand Man" we quoted Pain (above)...Also, the first part of that Champain quote was sampled all over the song "Money$" on "Step into my Office..."


Now on to the 3rd verse of the Remix, a comletely differant outlook on the concept of Judgement Night, Mike Pacino. Mike Pacino's real name is Sean...His wife calls him Sean. But Mike Pacino & Shallow around this time period began putting together a record label (as posted in 2007 here on tha hood/bbs forums on remote)...Mike Pacino also made the beat for "Waite in Line".

Mike Pacino & Espanosa are still together & Making Songs as a group called "Degrees of Realness". Espanosa & Kwin MD never met, but Kwin MD made a few Diss songs about Espanosa over a beef that started with Kwin MD's song with Jess "Oh Kwin MD". PL (Paul Love) met Espanosa. Metaphysik & Espanosa even did a collab. Espanosa & Metaphysik were the main 2 artists that Mike P. & Shallow wanted to promote with the label they were trying to start in 2002....

Before, the label idea. Before the Beef. Before "Oh Kwin MD" was even thought of. Mike P was always a guy who showed up in places like where Kwin MD mastered "Step into my Office..." in downtown Richmond, or at Shallow's studio in the Fan, or after that when Shallow moved to Henrico, Co.

Mike P. was a guy that made beats, he wore glasses, he even had Kwin over to his house a few times to discuss the Label ideas once upon a time....

"Waite in Line" came first, "Judgement Night Remix" came second, the Label idea came 3rd, "Oh Kwin MD" came 4th, Espanosa's Bite of the singer came 5th, Kwin MD challenged him to a freestyle battle, Espanosa Declined, then he fixed his face to talk trash in a e-mail about the neighborhood Kwin lived in Virginia in, Kwin offered a public Cypher again, then Kwin made a diss song or two...

Here's something: Both Espanosa & Mike P. live in Wamsley. Not South Side Richmond. Wamsley, in Chesterfield. That's okay, that's cool. How Espanosa was e-mailing Kwin, about where Kwin was living....It's crazy. It's like Espanosa was living in Harlem & Kwin lived in Beverly Hills....Pathetic. Not to mention, Kwin MD & Espanosa never met as of 1-23-2008....

Mike Pacino did kill it on verse 3 of "Judgement Night remix" though. His verse was so ill, Shallow gave the beat some cuts & reverbed some shit, to give a fade in-airplain-takin off type introductory to Mike P's verse. The 5 star MC flow game with excellant lyrics and flavor is worth 2 thumbs up on Mike P.'s lyrical performance.

The Making of Series # 18 "Assassin's Rain"

Much like the 17th edition of the Making of Series "I Converse", "Assassin's Rain" was made at the end of the Prequal Era, and then remade in the Post-Prequal era.

Click These Letters to learn about the prequal era.....

When "Assassin's Rain" was originally made, it was the 2nd to last song made before the Prequal Era was ended...It was not released on "Step into my Office..." but it was the 2nd song Kwin Recorded after that album was released. So when the Prequal Era was over, it was remade.

Shallow recorded, mixed, and produced this song and the original. The rain and the fade in (in the begining was his idea). He made the beat on the MPC 3000. Kwin wrote the first verse of this in Petersburg, Virginia in 1998 with GodFather Geek from East Hastings-Lake Edwards Virginia Beach, the Lost Elements. Geek also wrote the chorus/hook lyrics and told Kwin to record this song. Geek and Kwin did go to a studio called 3rd eye studio in Virginia Beach in 2000 before the "Step into my office..." album came out. They didn't record "assassin's rain" then, and they had written so many songs while being held in Petersburg, Va together.

It was 1998, when Geek told Kwin he thought Kwin had the talent as a MC to go for it. Geek was signed to Island Records at the time and he told Kwin that when they get out, they are gonna record together....2 years later they did. In that time frame of 2 years, Kwin was 17 in 1998...Kwin was finishing up time he had to spend (as ordered to) in a residential mental hospital in Peterburg, Va and a Military Type School in Atlanta, Ga...When Kwin got free, he & Geek went to 3rd Eye....The Lost Elements did their thing. Bash, Geek, Golden Child, and Kwin MD.

That time frame of 2 years from 1998-2000 when Geek & Kwin met in Petersburg until they recorded in 3rd Eye Studio in Virginia Beach, Kwin wrote alot of songs....

Most of the lyrics on this song where written either in Petersburg, Va or Atlanta, Ga.
In Atlanta, Kwin was determined to finish songs he started writing with Geek.
Even Kwin's verse in the song "I am" which is one of the songs in the Poll Question at http://www.mckomandoni.com/ where if you listen to both "I am" and "Damn Shame" and vote on the one you like better, we mail you 2 FREE CDs....

That Song "I am" as Metaphysiks on verse 1, Shallow raps on verse 2, and Kwin MD is verse 3.
Kwin's verse on that song was written in Petersburg, Virginia with Geek too....
The original lyrics has "God Father Geek Gives the Final Speech makin Hater's Weep"
This was a verse Kwin put together for a concept called "Judgement Night"...
Of Course before "I am" was recorded, Champain came to Richmond from Philly to record "Decompose". While over Kwin's crib they recorded 2 songs using Kwin's equipment he had at the time (the SP 1200 and the Roland 880 EX)....They did "Bitches" by Champain, beat by Champain aka New Jack, mixed & recorded by Kwin MD and they did the original "Judgement Night" which was the song written with Geek in 1998....
In the Version we are mentioning: Kwin's Verse in this version (written in 1998 in Petersburg)
Kwin's Lyrics:
"Champain gives a good speech, makin all the hater's weep"
The "I am" 3rd verse by Kwin is after Shallow's 2nd verse...So the lyrics go:
"Shallow gives a profettic speech, makin hater's weep"

Of course the original lyrics didn't get recorded with Geek, not like the effort wasn't there, Kwin tried to keep in touch with Geek but Geek was hard to stay in touch with. The original "Judgement Night" featuring Champain aka New Jack was released on the prequal album...That song was okay, but the production value was sub par. Kwin Mixed & recorded it, he was very ameture at mixing and recording then (and still sort of is ameture now)...Champain made that beat too, the credits for both "Bitches" and "Judgement Night" are the same....That song was put on the scraps because of the Sound Quality. This is why "I am" used this verse again....

Also, to finish on the topic that started this, "Assassin's Rain" has Kwin saying these lyrics: "L.E.P. till I die" That's what Lost Elements, Geek's Group called themselves. Geek made Kwin a part of L.E.P. in 1998, in 2000 Kwin met the whole squad...When ever T.I. says T.I.P. Kwin always thinks of L.E. (Lost Elements) saying L.E.P........Of Course Kwin doesn't remember T.I. out in 2000....He was probably out in some capacity back then but it's hard to remember...