Arizona has a hip-hop scene? What? :: JACKI O

Arizona has a hip-hop scene? What?
by Jacki O.
courtesy Your Invisible City

Yeah that’s right…….and actually it’s pretty damn good! From The Drunken Immortals and Brad B blowing up to local hip hop label extraordinaire Universatile Music, to Morse Code, to the Phunky Radio Show - if you are into hip-hop Phoenix is one of the best places to be. Avenue of the Arts is a group of artists that get together to help other artists out with shows and promotion and just about everything and anything related to our burgeoning hip hop scene. For more info on Avenue of the Arts check out www.AOTcrew.com


I got to interview DJ Les from the Unusuals, Tiffany Richards, and Courdek and here is what they had to say:


What is Avenue of the Arts?
DJ Les: Avenue of the Arts is a group of other groups and individual artists. Inside AOTA there is The Unusuals (Dj Les, Conrad), Central Products (Cashtue, John Humbles, Dj Les), Ohm, Anglo Saxon, Courdek and Stereo Typed (Ame, Beatnick, Dj Blest). We help each other with shows and promotion.
Tiffany Richards: A collective of progressive hip hop artists w/ the goal to inspire, educate and entertain all who will listen.
Courdek: Avenue of the Arts is a collective of individuals and groups that all work together in one big obscure family.

What are AOTA's goals?
DJ Les: AOTA’s goals are to put good music in our listener’s hands and to expand our selves through out the world. We don’t follow formulas and use gimmicks we just be ourselves and hope that people like us for what we are and do.
TR: I think the goals of AOTA are to share their talent with the world.
Courdek: I would say the common goal here is to provide OUR music to people who want to listen. As well as expanding to many more people as much as possible with no loss of quality or compromising. For myself, I just make the music I feel and am constantly expanding my own horizons to grow musically and personally.


Why was something like AOTA needed in AZ?
DJ Les: We didn’t make AOTA because we thought AZ needed us. We made it cause we were all good friends and we all had good music. So, we decided to form AOTA to help each other out.
TR: If you haven't noticed, Phoenix is a little behind the times. Having a group like AOTA really helps to bring the valley where other major cities are now; culturally.
Courdek: I think that we bring in a different approach to things. AOTA is something new yet familiar, something many people can identify with. Its a melting pot of styles, ideas, and presentation. Like a cool refreshment after eating a lot of salty crackers, ha-ha or something like that. Arizona needs AOTA because it decided to come to our shows and tell us it needed us.

What has AOTA done in the past that has been really successful?
DJ Les: Conrad and my self came up with the idea 4 years ago to throw a yearly event called the Phunky Radio show that displayed hip hop at its purest form by having B-Boy Battles, displaying graffiti art, showing the Dj’s get crazy with the turntables and of cores we also invite well respected MCs to finish of the night. The last two years we also decided to add fashion to our show cause we do feel that fashion is a part of the hip-hop culture. Every year has been a success and we always have fun putting it together.
TR: AOTA has had the opportunity to tour with some of the best indie hip-hop performers; 2Mex and Busdriver…..
Courdek: Just making the music we wish to make really. A Solid performance definitely helps as well. The Phunky Radio show is the staple of AOTA success. There is not a single other night that I have that much fun.

Who are some of your favorite local acts right now?
DJ Les: I’m liking Brad B, Drunken Immortals, Conscious Collective, and of course my crew.
Courdek: Aside from my AOTA family, I would say....Antedote, Drunken Immortals, Nappe, Element, Ariel, The Code, Pickster, The Feebles, Brad B, Mike Cause, Lulu in Hollywood, Jawa, Hyder, Mosha, Gizmo, Natasha Diggs, and Jcut.

What is the AZ hip-hop scene all about?
DJ Les: I don’t know. Its different for many people I’m focused on me and what I want to do with it. But, I guess everyone is trying to get bigger and gaining recognition in witch I don’t have a problem with.
Courdek: I've seen the scene here go up and down quite a bit in the time I’ve been involved. However right now the scene is on the best path it possibly could be. The unification inside is at a high level and there’s a massive positive feeling coming. For a while the scene had always felt like every man for himself with the exception of a few, but now its all about working together. Blow up Co-Op(eration).

Can you compare hip-hop in Arizona to other places you have been involved in?
DJ Les: I’ve only been involved in hip-hop in Arizona but as far as traveling to other states and checking out their scene, I hardly ever notice a difference. Just that in some places different styles of hip hop are liked. Some like more lyrically advanced MCing other like it simple some just like it live and hype.
TR: I used to tour with Cirque du Soleil and went to several hip hop events all over the US. It seems so evolved in other places. Out here, it's still a baby, although it is bigger than anyone thinks. It's hard to tell the difference between the real hip-hop lovers and the posers out here. In other parts of the country, it's just who you are. You don't have to wear certain labels or your hat a certain way like out here to "fit in".
Courdek: I can't really say I’ve been involved in other places scenes beyond performing there. With that in mind though different places have different levels of inhibitions, or so it seems. Smaller towns tend to be less restrained in showing appreciation prominently where as bigger places tend to show you love afterwards. I've been told by people from out of town that our scene is real dope, and I would agree.

Where do you see AOTA going in the future? Will you still be here enlightening the valley?
DJ Les: I see AOTA crewmembers running into each other in different cities while being on tour. Being successful and happy at where we are. I think I will always be making beats as long as there are dope mc’s that are wanting to work and put together albums. Ill definitely be still spinning on the turntables.
Courdek: The near future holds a lot of record releases starting with Central Products(FEB 15) and Anglo(APR 1). We are shaping '05 into a big year for us and the AZ scene. In the far but hopefully near future we will be given the opportunities to travel the world. Of course we will always be here in Phoenix. I’ve been here for 21 years so I’m attached. I really want us to go overseas to Europe and Japan.

What are some of the best clubs/shows/events to go to in the valley?
DJ Les: The Old Brick house, Kill Mill, and The Blunt Club
TR: I personally enjoy the downtown scene. I like underground, hole-in-the-wall places. It really depends on who is performing. The annual Furious Styles Crew b-boy and dj battle is really cool. People come from all over to participate in that!
Courdek: The blunt club(Rio Salado temporarily) Thursdays, Kill Mill(Rio Salado) Tuesdays, The Brickhouse, First Fridays art walk, Essential Wednesdays @ Sky Lounge, Other Ground(the Loft) Mondays, Styllez(the Loft) on Saturdays, The clubhouse is dope, Modified, and Strive Dreams/Though Crime.

Define AOTA in two words: an adjective and a noun
DJ Les: Can’t too hard. Haha
Tiffany Richards: Hmmm.....
Courdek: Green Love

:: contact JackiO :: jackiogirl22@yahoo.com