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XL MIDDLETON SPEAKS TO THE WEST COAST - July 2008
 First
off, big thanks to all those who have continued to support what I do! I've
been laying low for a few reasons. This rap shit has seriously gotten
old to me, I'm tired of politicking with these Hollywood cats and being in
the presence of artists I ain't feeling.
Over the years, hip hop has become the most polluted form of music out and
yet it has the potential to be the most profound. All these muthafuckas
hiding behind the philosophy of "don't hate, I'm just getting my money" have
seriously hindered the art form.
Out here on the West, we have the opportunity to start something fresh and
new because we don't have that mainstream attention. We don't have a
signature sound anymore, but right now there's not enough quality music
coming from here for us to really be a factor. I'm sorry if anyone in
particular feels like I'm knocking them, but what West Coast hip hop that's
out right now will be remembered 10 years now? How about 20? Granted, that's
the situation of rap music in general, but you'd think that if we've fallen
out of the mainstream spotlight as a region, that we'd at least be making
the absolute highest quality music that we can in order to get back to where
we were in the game years ago.
The majority of what I've been doing has been on the production side.
That's why things have been so quiet on my end....matter of fact, a lot of
what I been doing is outside the realm of hip hop. I've been doing R&B,
rock, even pop, and of course funk! Through that, I hope to figure out a way
to bring a fresh sound to hip hop, which is my core. It's what I
started out doing, so I can never turn my back on it.
What's different now is that I don't have as much interest in getting money
from making my songs - I can get more money, consistent money from branching
out into other genres and producing for other artists. I'm working with some
artists that everyone's definitely heard of, I just don't wanna speak on it
until everything is super official. I'm taking the money I've made
from album sales and production and I'm investing it into a reality TV
venture with some of my partners. But fuck that, money is not the
issue at hand. The biggest mistake I ever made was letting the money fuck up
my creativity. I've lived off of music for years, nothing flossy but I've
made a decent living. I've toured Japan, my CD's are in some of the
biggest corporate chain stores in Europe right now...with all of that, I
still don't see the longevity in trying to make a living as a recording
artist.
But what's important for you to know is, that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop
making music! If anything, my music is gonna be better now because I'm truly
making what I wanna make. My next album is called "The Sickness" and I'm
giving it out for free! I can't say it's coming soon but I'm giving everyone
a track I finished recently called "Middle Class Blues" just to give folks a
little new music to fuck wit. I don't know if it will be on the album
or not but enjoy!
Now I'm back to the lab to do what I do. I'll be back at y'all in a
minute next time there's something going down that's worth speaking on. And
y'all can still hit me at My
Myspace or My
Crown City Entertainment Page.
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Xl Middleton -
Middle Class Blues [Exclusive New Audio] ......................................................................................... |
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