There’s no place like home. I feel safe in assuming we are all familiar with this saying and its connotation. Apparently Jotsone has his own take on the phrase. Once you listen to the track affectionately titled ” New England (Fuck You) ” it is crystal clear what that take is. Its definitely no secret that there is prevalent ” crabs in a barrel ” vibe in the RI / southern MA music scene. Although not the first to address this issue, Jots make dam sure he puts his 2 cents in.

If you’ve been keeping up with Jotsone’s more recent stuff, this is definitely a departure from that. This is straight Hip Hop, pure and simple. With a super smooth / funky instrumental provided By Josh G, it was pretty much Jots’ job not to fuck it up, and he didn’t. Jots is currently working on his album ” Nothing Good” tentatively slated for a summer/fall release.

Being a local artist myself i can feel where he’s comin from. Shit is real. Take a listen to see if you agree with his outlook on the current climate of our scene. Lets us know if you think this scathing critique is a spot on snapshot, or a jaded emcee’s empty rhetoric.

I almost forgot. I could be wrong, but after a few listens I think I noticed some subliminal (or not so) shots being fired at a fellow 401 emcee ???

Big show coming up at Scotties pub in Fall River on April 17th, featuring performances by: Afu Ra, Troy Cities Finest, Big City Bumpus, Jotsone, Axe Butane and more! click the read more for the flyer | $10 | 18+ | Doors @ 9pm

Live @ Jerkys, 71 Richmond St, Providence, RI | Broken Ground (First Providence Show), Big City Bumpus, Brzowski, Shane Hall, H.W., Jotsone | Music By DJ Emoh Betta (of the Deck Demons) | Doors @8PM | $7

For More Information please visit: www.DelusionalRecords.com

read the flyer and such for info!

Thats right what you have all been waiting on, from Jotsone and Jon Wayne…the last pokemen.

This is for Big City Bumpus’s Cd “Everything I Do Is Badass. performances by: Big City Bumpus, Need Not Worry, Meta P, Jotsone | $5 | Doors @ 10pm | AS220, 115 empire st, providence, ri | March 18th!!!

Live @ AS220 on December 16th | 90Sevan, Hazardous Wastes (H.W.), Shane Blakemore, Big City Bumpus, Jotsone | Doors @ 9 | $6!

10-09-2008 19:00 at The Garage (FREE SHOW!)
79 north water st, New bedford, Massachusetts 02740
Cost: FREE

Performances By: H.W. (First full set) | Big City Bumpus | Shane Blakemore | 90sevan | Jotsone

this is a free show and will start at 7 so effing be there!!!

Big City’s name is certainly appropriate for the Fall River-based emcee. I remember seeing him at the first show I ever did with him and thinking that he picked rappers like me out of his teeth on the daily. It took me at least 2 more shows just to work up the courage to say hello to the motherfucker, but I was quick to find that City is nothing if not a genuinely good guy. With a stage presence that can rival anyone jocking for position in this New England underground and rhymes that can hold their own against anyone you listen to, City has finally put it all together on his album, Everything I Do Is Badass, which will be out on Delusional Records very soon. City and I took a while to converse about it, amongst other things, recently.

JotsOne:
word up
so yeah i sort of forgot to prep any questions, but i’m gonna do it up tomorrow
so whenever you’ve got time tomorrow hit me up and we’ll do it

Big City:
is tomorrow night after 11 cool?

JotsOne:
yeah that’s perfect
i’ll be here

Big City:
I work 11 to 7 in the morning but I just sit around at work

JotsOne:
haha nice

Big City:
I’ll hit you up tomorrow night

JotsOne:
well are you at work right now

Big City:
yeah

JotsOne:
alright then, screw it, lets just do it now – i want the interview to come out like a conversation between two people instead of the dry question and answer format, so let’s shoot the shit about the album for a while

if you’re down, i mean

Big City:
yeah lets do it

JotsOne:
alright cool
so the album is titled ‘everything i do is badass’ – a bold statement. what made you choose it?

Big City:
well the original title for the album was gonna be called “The City Never Sleeps” I came up with that title like 5 years ago
but then the beatnuts started the group Big City with the same album name so I had to change it. Im glad I did

I said I was gonna name the album “Everything I do is badass” kinda jokingly but then it grew on me

JotsOne:
good call. making a claim like that in an album cover challenges people to listen to see if you’re lying or not. we all know you’re not, but they’ll have to find out when they buy the disc. what types of vibes can we expect from this album?

Big City:
classic hip hop. the type of shit that got me into hip hop. not underground. not commercial. just straight up hip hop.
the cats that make “commercial” hip hop all talk about the same shit. money. guns. bitches.

JotsOne:
This is true. who made the beats?

Big City:
Crown did most of the beats on the album,but I also got beats from Dox of Poorly Drawn People, 8th Wundah’s got a jointm, Ruckspin and Cold Legistics both have a joint as well

JotsOne:
any guest spots?

Big City:
nope. Thats also why I wanted to call the album Everything I do is badass

its not that I dont like to collab. It just kinda happened like that

JotsOne:
so listeners who’ve been waiting all this time will get the all-out city experience – nothing wrong with that. what’s your favorite joint on the album?

Big City:
I dont have a favorite joint. They asked Tom Brady which was his favorite Super Bowl win and he said “the next one” so my favorite song is the next one

JotsOne:
as much as i hate tom brady, that’s a pretty dope quote. is ‘cheebahawk’ going to be on it? please tell me it is

Big City:
yeah I have to put that one on it.

Ive done shows on the road and seen dudes in cowboy hats get down to it. as far as Im concerned thats a hit record.

JotsOne:
haha you ain’t jokin. that song can get anyone moving.
so what are you bumping these days, besides yourself

Big City:
Hurricane Chris

JotsOne:
hahahaha

Big City:
joking.
no but I listen to Everything. I listen to Dilla,Madlib,Wutang, Lately Ive been listening to mad oldies music.
I started just looking for samples. Now I just listen cause I enjoy it.Funk and soul music is incredible
Im a sucker for a horn section
Im a big Beatles fan cause I grew up on that.

JotsOne:
nice selection right there
alright, we’re gonna do a little thing where i give you two choices, and you’ve gotta pick one

Big City:
lets do it

JotsOne:
obama or mccain?

Big City:
obama. I heard mccain said that he doesnt know how to use the internet. I dont trust someone to run the country who cant
get on google

JotsOne:
yeah, he scares the crap out of me.

Big City:
he did take a bayonet to the groin. that sucks.

JotsOne:
yeah, that takes balls (ha). marvel or dc?

Big City:
dc

JotsOne:
eff that, marvel all the way man. blonde or brunette
or redhead, if that’s your thing

Big City:
i know you have to pick one but ALL OF THE ABOVE
and pink haired suicide girls too

JotsOne:
spoken like a true gentleman. i think on that note, we’ll wrap this up. any shouts, last words, and all that nonsense?

Big City:
Buy my album.Dont burn it. And if you like the album go to the shows. Shout out to HW. He’s paying for it. Shout out to Jots for doing the interview. And shout out to my job,cause that where I am right now. Not working.

JotsOne:
whats the release date looking like for the album, by the way?

Big City:
we dont have a date yet but it’s sometime in August/September
its being mastered right now

JotsOne:
sounds good. we’ll be on the lookout.

Big City:
no doubt son.

so there you have it. Everything I Do Is Badass is coming at you very soon, so keep an eye open. also check City rocking the living room with Wigsplita and Tame One on July 31st, which should shape up to be a great show. and furthermore, leave some feedback on the interview, dammit!

So we arrived at the venue way earlier then the show, this was because our radio trip had ended at the Providence line. We hit up Wes’s rib shack in the middle of nowhere, City was ranting about how great this place was so I decided to check it out…my final verdict was: bad choice.

We then decided to head over the the blackstone club, which we had all once played when it was in nowhere Cumberland, Ri. This newer version of it was supposed to be a great and grand improvement. It completely was, I mean this place was much bigger then the older one. It had all kinds of goodness like a lounge area for anyone to come and chill at and lots of great atmosphere and pool tables. so far the venue choice was at least a good one.

I found my way to the couches while City hit up the bar and held it down! I was busy talking to myself about how I couldn’t wait to see what happens here with the whole sneaky pete and jotsone thing. Let me just cut that down right now, nothing went on. I was happy about this but at the same time the 5 year old in me wanted to see what pete would do. but anyway on to the opening part of the show

I was slightly aggravated by the early part of my journey so I decided to sit back and not really interact with the crowd so much. I just sat and watched and really didn’t let anyone know I was there (not that people know who the hell I am anyway). The show was supposed to kick off at around 9 and with the epic amount of rappers/emcees/suckers that were there I was expecting this to be run like a chaotic dash from a overflowing mountain top that is just about to erupt. The whole night I kept saying “how are they going to fit everyone on this, what are they going to do like a song each and call it a success?”, well the show officially kicked off round 9:40-10:00pm and when it did I looked around the room. It seemed like not all the acts had even shown up yet. I figured most might drop off, like the ones that actually have names around the area. I mean really why travel to Pawtucket just to do a track with the possibility of it only being seen by other rappers that don’t really like rap music (or at least try not to be a fan of other local talent). I was slightly upset when they (ALE) kept saying they were going to bring up the first act and then would break into one of their own songs or freestyles or whatever. I thought to myself is this what the plan was? to try and rope in all the other acts fan bases if any just to showcase yourselves to them? I hoped not and I don’t think it was by the end of the night. Let me say this, the fact that it was free was probably the best idea ever cause I know I wouldn’t have came through if I had to pay more then 5 to get in.

So the first couple of acts go on, some are great (like Jotsone, CI, Afterlife, SBO) SBO took me by surprise when he just started ripping it up! Ive seen him perform at least 3 or 4 times before and I hadn’t seen him kill it like this ever. Some acts were just terrible, but I mean hey I’m not the greatest myself and maybe they were just starting off and needed a home base to take off from, whatever the case it was painful to watch at times. I met challz in between sets and I must say the guy is straight up one of the nicest guys I have met. He asked me how it was going and I said alright, he then asked how to make it better and at the time I didn’t have a response and well I still don’t about it. I thought musically Challz was pretty good too. I know I’m jumping around here but one thing I must say is, I had heard some girl tossed a glass at the bartender and sneaky pete went and had a nice talking with that girl and I was to say, I’m glad he handled it, I also want to say that jumping up during someone else’s time when you don’t really know the people and getting in their space is not a good idea, and it makes you look bad.

I bounced round 11pm since I had somewhere else to be so however the rest of the night went I have no idea. I had heard kozz won had shown up but I didn’t see him, hope he did his thing.

overall the night was more like an open mic and such then an actual hip hop show. I’m not sure if the crowd was even fans at all or just rappers and their entourage. I expected a disaster and I ended up enjoying the show.

peace. -Josh/HW

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