Friday, November 6, 2009
Oktayne's Checkpoint
I got the most love for Hijos Del Sol and Jose "Sin-X" Alonzo for helping me on my first gigs. There was a time where I was never getting any type of love on the gig getting process but slowly things change. With that begin said I hooked up with a PR from Sacramento, Ca. She made my bio more professional, and basically told me things about marketing that I would of never knew if we never connected. Anyways I got more promotion going on with the net, and other aspects of promo. I'm at a point where I can't give up on my music at all. I live and breathe this music so NO ONE can tell me different and that's that. I got love for all the venues that said no, and all the venues that said yes. I got that drive to keep going and that's it. I got some footage of my Halloween gig coming up in my next entry.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
33 Revolutions El Cerrito, Calfornia
So recently after my second time performing at the Paddys Coffee House in Union City, California. I decided to ask Dave about setting a show at his 33 Revolutions spot in El Cerrito, Calfornia. As I went in the spot, I noticed Nas Nigger album on vinyl. I don't say Nas or Untitled because I'm a real Nas fan. Anyways Dave gave me a flyer, his email address as he told me to send any links to check out. So I sent three or four hip-hop acts including myself. I also included some very good bands I know. The people I sent for him to check out were Oktayne, a rap group called The Realists, Yun Doe, Alvin And The Pussycats, Explicit 4, Zephyr Riot and TrainFace. I send him so much information and also included a set list of each act that was there was no way he could of wait until a month later to contact me. I called the store for the first time then a girl answered and took a message, and yet I didn't get call back. I called again I got the voice mail, I was starting to get pissed off. I waited at least a week, then I called him again on my way to school. He answered and we talked about the gig setting, then he told me that his spot doesn't do hip-hop. The spot is a mellow and chill joint. Dude I performed at Paddys Coffee House and it just the fucken same. It's like a relaxing spot, and the vibe of my music didn't change that They just not as big as your spot in size nor are they a record shop.
First off, Dave must not realize he's in a middle of a urban area. What do urban areas tend to listen to, umm yea my point exactly. Secondly, you do not decline hip-hop artists for gigs and sell hip-hop artist material in your record shop. ie. NaS. And third, if I can't perform what about Alvin and The Pussycats, TrainFace, and Zephyr Riot, so realistically I'm not selfish. I care about other indies, who are good, or trying to be good. You either get better or worse with practice, and that's real talk for your ass. So Dave I know a lot of people who chill in your spot and they tell me they need hip-hop in there. So if you don't change up your act, then you eventually lose some customers. You got to be fair to everyone.
First off, Dave must not realize he's in a middle of a urban area. What do urban areas tend to listen to, umm yea my point exactly. Secondly, you do not decline hip-hop artists for gigs and sell hip-hop artist material in your record shop. ie. NaS. And third, if I can't perform what about Alvin and The Pussycats, TrainFace, and Zephyr Riot, so realistically I'm not selfish. I care about other indies, who are good, or trying to be good. You either get better or worse with practice, and that's real talk for your ass. So Dave I know a lot of people who chill in your spot and they tell me they need hip-hop in there. So if you don't change up your act, then you eventually lose some customers. You got to be fair to everyone.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Union City's Paddy's Coffee House Oktayne
Footage from the yearly Transformation, Oktayne coming with California Soul and Neva Thought
Wildy's World Album Review Self-Explanations
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Review: Oktayne – Self Explanations
Oktayne – Self Explanations
2008, Chozen Swag Entertainment
Rodeo, California’s Oktayne has a plan. Not one for simply thriving on a dance beat, Oktayne raps and rhymes about whatever is on his mind, whether it’s dreams of being a rap star, social issues, having fun and partying or even bringing a little Barry White smooth to his rhymes. Born in 1987, Oktayne has deep respect for the history of hip-hop, with influences including Ice-T, 2PAC, Jay-Z and Nas. Oktayne’s debut album, Self-Explanations, was released in 2008, and continues a slow-but-steady build in internet buzz.
Self-Explanations opens with What I Am, a declaration of self in song that's fairly stereotypical for Hip-Hop/Rap. The rhymes here are strong but Oktayne doesn't really offer much that's new or interesting. Hat Game is a bit perplexing. I had a hard time figuring out whether Oktayne is praising the trend of wearing/collecting different team hats or making fun of it. On one hand there's a fair amount of sports knowledge and love expressed by the song, but there's also a tendency in the song to change teams like the wind depending on whose winning. I Am Tayne is a much better intro song that the opening track. Oktayne gives you a look at who he is and why. Unlike a lot of popular rap artists who might decry the world for their own betterment, Oktayne gives the impression that he lives for the music itself.
Oktayne takes some time to praise the fairer sex on I Wanna Be High. Barry White smiles benevolently on this song as someone finally figures out how to bring the slow jam vibe to a rap song and does it right. Oktayne is a student of Hip-Hop as well as a performer, and pays tribute to its Soul and Funk roots on California Soul. Oktayne distinguishes himself in the Rap world with Neva; a gooey love song that says all the right things about love, commitment and family. It's a positive image that is often left aside in popular rap. Sexademic, however, could have been written by Luke Campbell himself. Fans of old 2 Live Crew material will love it.
Juicii shares mic time on Till The Sun Up; an entertaining if highly charged song about sex. I guess it's no good being a rap star if you can't brag about your prowess a little. Sosa The Champ sits in on Hold It Down, a great danceable song with real commercial possibilities. Sex appeal and dancing come together on Fast To The Ground, where it's all about the booty. This should score big for Oktayne on the club scene. There's real potential here. The dance-oriented material continues on Leaving With Me, although this tune is a bit more bland. Oktayne gives listeners a tour inside his mind with The Dreamer, a song about striving for what you want; growing up and taking responsibility for your own destiny. It's a hungry song; a positive message from someone who perhaps hasn't gotten where he wants to be yet but is certainly on the right path.
Oktayne scores major points on See You Again, a touching tribute to his aunt and uncle. See You Again is extremely well written, having a strong narrative that illuminates his loved ones quite well; it's very apparent how strongly he feels and yet done without sounding cliché. Oktayne closes out Self-Explanations by calling his own generation out for their lack of direction and seriousness on Focus. He reaffirms his own drive to succeed and calls on others to take their lives in their hands. This is one of the more energetic performances Oktayne gives on the CD and is my personal favorite.
Oktayne scores big with Self-Explanations. I thought the dance/club material was the weakest on the disc and yet still scores decent marks for quality while providing some of the most marketable songs on the disc. Oktayne is profane at times, but poetically say; he's got a lot to say. While the delivery might not always sit well with all listeners, there's always a dash of good humor in Oktayne's voice that makes even the most difficult of messages go down easier. Self-Explanations has flashes of the poetry of 2PAC, a pop sensibility that Kanye would be proud of, an occasional killer lyrical instinct in the vein of Ice-T and a whole lot of Will Smith's good guy machismo all wrapped up together. Oktayne has a great start here, and he's only going to get better.
Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about Oktayne at www.myspace.com/therealoktaynepage or http://www.therealoktayne.blogspot.com/. You can purchase Self-Explanations digitally via iTunes.
Review: Oktayne – Self Explanations
Oktayne – Self Explanations
2008, Chozen Swag Entertainment
Rodeo, California’s Oktayne has a plan. Not one for simply thriving on a dance beat, Oktayne raps and rhymes about whatever is on his mind, whether it’s dreams of being a rap star, social issues, having fun and partying or even bringing a little Barry White smooth to his rhymes. Born in 1987, Oktayne has deep respect for the history of hip-hop, with influences including Ice-T, 2PAC, Jay-Z and Nas. Oktayne’s debut album, Self-Explanations, was released in 2008, and continues a slow-but-steady build in internet buzz.
Self-Explanations opens with What I Am, a declaration of self in song that's fairly stereotypical for Hip-Hop/Rap. The rhymes here are strong but Oktayne doesn't really offer much that's new or interesting. Hat Game is a bit perplexing. I had a hard time figuring out whether Oktayne is praising the trend of wearing/collecting different team hats or making fun of it. On one hand there's a fair amount of sports knowledge and love expressed by the song, but there's also a tendency in the song to change teams like the wind depending on whose winning. I Am Tayne is a much better intro song that the opening track. Oktayne gives you a look at who he is and why. Unlike a lot of popular rap artists who might decry the world for their own betterment, Oktayne gives the impression that he lives for the music itself.
Oktayne takes some time to praise the fairer sex on I Wanna Be High. Barry White smiles benevolently on this song as someone finally figures out how to bring the slow jam vibe to a rap song and does it right. Oktayne is a student of Hip-Hop as well as a performer, and pays tribute to its Soul and Funk roots on California Soul. Oktayne distinguishes himself in the Rap world with Neva; a gooey love song that says all the right things about love, commitment and family. It's a positive image that is often left aside in popular rap. Sexademic, however, could have been written by Luke Campbell himself. Fans of old 2 Live Crew material will love it.
Juicii shares mic time on Till The Sun Up; an entertaining if highly charged song about sex. I guess it's no good being a rap star if you can't brag about your prowess a little. Sosa The Champ sits in on Hold It Down, a great danceable song with real commercial possibilities. Sex appeal and dancing come together on Fast To The Ground, where it's all about the booty. This should score big for Oktayne on the club scene. There's real potential here. The dance-oriented material continues on Leaving With Me, although this tune is a bit more bland. Oktayne gives listeners a tour inside his mind with The Dreamer, a song about striving for what you want; growing up and taking responsibility for your own destiny. It's a hungry song; a positive message from someone who perhaps hasn't gotten where he wants to be yet but is certainly on the right path.
Oktayne scores major points on See You Again, a touching tribute to his aunt and uncle. See You Again is extremely well written, having a strong narrative that illuminates his loved ones quite well; it's very apparent how strongly he feels and yet done without sounding cliché. Oktayne closes out Self-Explanations by calling his own generation out for their lack of direction and seriousness on Focus. He reaffirms his own drive to succeed and calls on others to take their lives in their hands. This is one of the more energetic performances Oktayne gives on the CD and is my personal favorite.
Oktayne scores big with Self-Explanations. I thought the dance/club material was the weakest on the disc and yet still scores decent marks for quality while providing some of the most marketable songs on the disc. Oktayne is profane at times, but poetically say; he's got a lot to say. While the delivery might not always sit well with all listeners, there's always a dash of good humor in Oktayne's voice that makes even the most difficult of messages go down easier. Self-Explanations has flashes of the poetry of 2PAC, a pop sensibility that Kanye would be proud of, an occasional killer lyrical instinct in the vein of Ice-T and a whole lot of Will Smith's good guy machismo all wrapped up together. Oktayne has a great start here, and he's only going to get better.
Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about Oktayne at www.myspace.com/therealoktaynepage or http://www.therealoktayne.blogspot.com/. You can purchase Self-Explanations digitally via iTunes.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
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