Moving up...

In the mid-80's as hip-hop was growing, so was the Detroit rap scene. There were a lot of artists in Detroit, but only a few that really shined or influenced me. Detroit radio was full of INXS & Madonna, and Wham! but my childhood nights were spent listening to Jeff Mills b/k/a "The Wizard" on WJLB and what can definitely be described as the BEST mixshow in Detroit's history.

As Detroit's rap scene grew I wanted to be a part of it. In the summer time during the late 80's I stayed up all night long glued to WGPR 107.5. DJ Billy T hosted a show from midnight 'til 2 a.m. called "Rap Tracks". During his show he would showcase new Detroit artists in a "Pump It or Dump It" fashion. I would call in every chance. For the most part, the phone lines barely were busy. Out of this show came some of Detroit's hip-hop classics. I would call in so much that eventually I became sort of the go to guy for criticism. I rarely "dumped" anyone. If I did, more than likely it was because the track was low quality. Once in awhile I would call Billy T up and suggest he play something new. I was always up on the latest and had a pretty good ear for hits. I once called Billy T up and begged him to start playing a new song called "The Man We All Know And Love". He did and showcased it in his national "Pump It or Dump It" segment. People who called in "dumped" it. That same summer as part of the Salt N' Pepa/Kid N' Play Tour this same artist came out as a special guest and dropped his pants only to reveal his polka dot boxers. The crowd went NUTS! Needless to say I'm talking about Kwame'. After that appearance he went on to have 2 successful albums and is now a much sought after producer. I actually requested a beat CD for my album and he met me at the Interscope offices. I got a chance to tell him that story and he thanked me. Detroit loved Kwame' after that summer. I like to think I had a hand in his Detroit buzz a little bit...

4 Detroit classics that influenced me early on and helped mold and shape the Detroit scene. I first heard these on "Rap Tracks" and still listen to them to this day. "Mersiless Amir- A Day Without A Rhyme, Prince Vince & The Hip Hop Force- The Force Is With You, E.Z. B. & DJ Los- Untouchable".

In 2002 I had the pleasure of having Awesome Dre open up for me at the "Roses & Razorblades" record release party. He took the stage for 10 minutes, but I was so grateful because this one song made me completely believe that Detroit would become a staple in the hip-hop scene. I have a lot of respect for him and every emcee in Detroit should as well. He laid the groundwork and was the first artist from Detroit to sign to Priority Records who later would do business with future stars such as Jay-Z.

A Detroit classic that still sounds as good as the day it came out in my books is his song "You Can't Hold Me Back".

Of course Detroit would go on to create classic joints by Kaos & Maestro, Esham, Champtown, A.W.O.L., etc. Brewing underneath it all was an underground scene that would later surface onto the big screen. We all know how that turned out.

Peace...
Hush