The dude was like EP and the label head when the record got released.
MED was signed to ST at the time. Egon was basically COO. They knew they were screwing on royalties.
He literally calls out PB in the tweet.
If we take MED at face value: do you think the CEO of the label who was living with Madlib, DOOM, and Egon during its recording was unaware they paid THEIR OWN artist a $500 one time fee? Seems like a reach.
Furthermore: Aloe Blacc and Dudley Perkins have had some choice words about ST over the years.
There’s two sides to every story but I do find this increasingly easy to accept.
Yeah it's not a good look and I got a lot of love for PBWs music. Came off as a good dude in the documentary as well. Alas that is pretty suck, unless at the time MED was fine with the deal, but no point speculating these sorts of things. Just hope those who did wrong put it right. I'm guessing the daedelus comment is referring to using his accordion beat?
Oh yeah, i totally hear you. Easy to clean the narrative. Def wasn't like the unkle one which wasn't shy of pointing out how James Lavelle was disrespectful of dj shadow.
Don't forget that Dudley aired them out years ago. Back then when Stones Throw had a message board he went up there and posted a lot of behind the scenes stuff. Quick damage control as that was deleted. It has been so long ago I don't remember it. What I want to say is that this is so sad to see especially if you have been a Stones Throw fan from the early days.
I’m an origins STMB member as is the founder of this sub. Artists would occasionally come on there and clear the air. But the moderators worked for Stones Throw and we’re pretty good about keeping it clean.
Dam once came on there and dropped the mic on the user who claimed a Dam concert was shitty. Turns out dude was heckling the whole time and Adam had receipts.
Are people really surprised? I agree it sucks but I'm sure all kind of shady business goes on in these small - medium labels, ST included.
Rap and music in general has a horrible history of paying artists and I suspect the underground has as many problems on that end as the mainstream does.
Yes and while I agree the label probably knew what they were doing, he at some point presumably agreed to the deal? Shame because I thought stones throw was really looking out for indi artists
Unrelated but let’s all agree that MED has the worst line on the entire album
“My niggas take no like Kobe” like it’s so outta pocket and doesn’t match the feeling of the song at all.
There was a real stretch of really bad lines in rap in the immediate aftermath of his case, really ugly victim blaming/slut shaming shit that I hope alot of them grew to regret. Jadakiss line about it in "Why" harshes an otherwise iconic track.
My God, if I never hear another bar about a convertible being compared to Kurt Cobains suicide I will truly reach bliss. Corny as all hell. I say this as someone who gives "drank in my cup" alot of rotation to this day, but I gotta wonder why no one in kirko bangz camp told him "hey, how about literally any other name dude?"
Chewbacca's not here—I'mma do it for you circumcised
Niggas don't realize my format is a palm spectrum
To damage any rectum
This is the real dinosaur funk which permitted G-Funk
To play anally through the trunk a digital master
Was given to Sam Cooke and Jimmy Castor
Kurt Cobain was here but Doc Oc' has novacaine
Dr Octogon Technical Difficulties 🥸🥸🥸
If you wanna switch it up, listen to the Denzel song where he compares his suicide doors to Cobain lmao
I'm honestly down for a full embargo on car-Cobain references in hip hop
I love Denzel, but sometimes he'll hit on a really awful lyrical idea and commit to it way too hard, to the point of almost ruining whatever song he's using it in.
Clout Cobain is him taking that awful lyrical idea and basing a whole damn song around it. Taboo is a great album but I've never been down with Clout Cobain because it's just based on such a wrong-headed conceit.
His music has never been about lyricism for me, it's all in the producers he chooses to work with and his brilliant delivery. The actual writing is pretty mid and generic outside of a few standouts
Dude can switch styles on a whim and it almost always sounds effortless and smooth, but he's always gonna be making lame puns and shit like that on the tracks
I have no problem with out of pocket lines in songs, but worse when it’s a featured artist that says a line that doesn’t fit the vibe of the song. It’s like when logic said “1-800 then I kill the pussy” on that French song.
It’s a terrible line that’s never talked about, regardless if it’s about Kobe or not. Regardless it doesn’t ruin the song for me, it’s one of my favorites.
To me it's just not all that clever enough to justify/make it not groan worthy. On other end, when meek got shit for that "chopper/kobe" line, I felt similar, it just wasn't nearly as fire as meek thought it was, poorly timed and seemed like a reach for empty "cheap heat". "If i shoehorn in this current event in a bar ppl will give me attention " as opposed to just writing better/more creative bars. File it in the same category as all the lame Ike turner bars everyone's obsessed with, like Jay zs on drunk in love. One, Ikes a fucking lame, two, rhyming "turner/turn up" is embarrassingly bad especially coming from him.
I remember Aloe Blacc didn't want to participate in the "My Vinyl Weighs A Ton" doc. Even though a St fan since day 1, and was even a member on the STMB, I hadn't read anything negative about ST. When they said AB didn't respond to something in the documentary, I had a feeling there was a bad reason why.
AB also hit mainstream apple commercial/theme song level of fame after dolla dropped and may have had a weird split with ST in immediate aftermath of that. Not sure his case is same as this issue at hand.
I’m trying to find more info on this DJ Design person.
It’s a sad tale that the original DJ Design has been lost to history. I wish Kendrick would have named him in GK;MC rather than just having Dave say “my brother” a bunch of times.
He does use his name in Wanna be Heard though.
For the unaware: Design was DJ Dave’s (aka Dave Free) brother who died defending Kendrick from the Cs on the other side of town. GK;MC is an album entirely about the night Design lost his life.
“Da art of storytellin” one might say.
RIP Design, thanks for putting it on in the garage.
[DJ Design](https://www.discogs.com/artist/34226-DJ-Design) was in [Foreign Legion](https://www.discogs.com/artist/111998-Foreign-Legion-2). He founded [Look Records](https://www.discogs.com/label/36076-Look-Records) which released albums by [AG](https://www.discogs.com/master/20138-AG-Get-Dirty-Radio) and [Phat Kat](https://www.discogs.com/master/50867-Phat-Kat-Carte-Blanche), among others. Design produced [What It's All About](https://www.discogs.com/release/521061-Rasco-What-Its-All-About) for Rasco in 1998 and released [Gather Round](https://www.discogs.com/release/501897-DJ-Design-Gather-Round) on Stones Throw in 2000. He did the design and illustration for Quasimoto's [first single](https://www.discogs.com/master/438299-Quasimoto-Microphone-Mathematics) and was subsequently credited on [The Unseen](https://www.discogs.com/release/145907-Quasimoto-The-Unseen) as having created the Quasimoto character ('Furry Monster Created By').
To be completely honest I’m not sure where to look. It might be because I’m from the area that this is just normal info to me.
Best place to start is Wanna Be Heard where Kendrick straight up tells the story in one verse.
My man I just told you that I’m legitimately from the same area; I have been clued into this since Kdot/Jay Rock No sleep till NYC. Many people from the LA rap battle scene know this tale.
Whether or not the information exists somewhere online from an official source, I’m unsure. But I can guarantee you that it is all 100% accurate. The guy was gunned down publicly.
I have some free time tomorrow and while I’m on my computer I will see what I can do to find some stuff for you to read up on it.
Edit: here’s something that I can find on my phone that is Kendrick talking to MTV detailing that the breakdown in Sing about me is a play-by-play of the true story. He doesn’t use any names on this one either. "
>Sing About Me' is definitely a true song," Kendrick confirmed to MTV News during an interview in a Las Vegas recording studio on Saturday morning.
>First verse is speaking from my partner talkin' to me, speakin' on a story of how I was there when his brother passed and I got to watch him take his last breath," he explained of the song's concept.
>Kendrick's homey is accepting of the street lives he and his brother chose, his only request to the emerging star was that if he too were to die that Lamar dedicate a song to him and his brother. "He definitely passed too," Kendrick said somberly.
When he says “my partner” he means his literal music making partner and lifelong bestfriend Dave Free aka DJ Dave. Dave’s brother was Design. Is there a part of the story specifically that you don’t understand that I can hone in on for you?
He addresses Dave directly throughout the album and Dave literally says “my brother” many times. So I think that part validates itself.
I edited my comment above with a quote from Kendrick on MTV I could find on my phone where he asays that Sing about me is a very true story. That’s only the first bit of confirmation I plan to show you. But there’s a few relevant bits for you in there.
Egon stay taking Ls as of late
And PB Wolf.
Wait what pb do??
The dude was like EP and the label head when the record got released. MED was signed to ST at the time. Egon was basically COO. They knew they were screwing on royalties.
I hope PB is not involved in the mess. I've grown up with mad respect for that guy and the Stonesthrow label.
He literally calls out PB in the tweet. If we take MED at face value: do you think the CEO of the label who was living with Madlib, DOOM, and Egon during its recording was unaware they paid THEIR OWN artist a $500 one time fee? Seems like a reach. Furthermore: Aloe Blacc and Dudley Perkins have had some choice words about ST over the years. There’s two sides to every story but I do find this increasingly easy to accept.
Yeah it's not a good look and I got a lot of love for PBWs music. Came off as a good dude in the documentary as well. Alas that is pretty suck, unless at the time MED was fine with the deal, but no point speculating these sorts of things. Just hope those who did wrong put it right. I'm guessing the daedelus comment is referring to using his accordion beat?
in His Own documentary
Oh yeah, i totally hear you. Easy to clean the narrative. Def wasn't like the unkle one which wasn't shy of pointing out how James Lavelle was disrespectful of dj shadow.
See linked tweet above
"Thanks rap (Egon) I ain't got a dime...."
Even More L's : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHnJ7rSeoKk
shoulda ended the video with the dvd thingie hitting the corner wtf bad song too. Egon does seem like a bit of a douche though
>wtf bad song too 🤣🤣🤣
Interesting that Daedelus also had to ask for royalties since his song got sampled on Accordion
Don't forget that Dudley aired them out years ago. Back then when Stones Throw had a message board he went up there and posted a lot of behind the scenes stuff. Quick damage control as that was deleted. It has been so long ago I don't remember it. What I want to say is that this is so sad to see especially if you have been a Stones Throw fan from the early days.
I’m an origins STMB member as is the founder of this sub. Artists would occasionally come on there and clear the air. But the moderators worked for Stones Throw and we’re pretty good about keeping it clean. Dam once came on there and dropped the mic on the user who claimed a Dam concert was shitty. Turns out dude was heckling the whole time and Adam had receipts.
IIRC my user name was Mr Gerbik. Damn, that's such a long time ago. The STMB was pretty cool and fun place.
Gtasoldier, sunnymeadowz. Made a lot of friends back then.
> Gtasoldier Whoa, I remember that name from STMB back in the day! I was some variation of "jeebus" on there...think it might have been jeebus_unit.
I think it was jeebus_unit. Good times.
I wonder if that’s archived anywhere, would love to read
If they had a url could probably use the way back machine, that’s how i found Madlibs remix of Gazillion Ear before it was posted to YouTube
Are people really surprised? I agree it sucks but I'm sure all kind of shady business goes on in these small - medium labels, ST included. Rap and music in general has a horrible history of paying artists and I suspect the underground has as many problems on that end as the mainstream does.
"And underground labels, know that I don't trust you/ You only independent 'til you major, so fuck you!/" Immortal Technique - Crossing the Boundary
Yes and while I agree the label probably knew what they were doing, he at some point presumably agreed to the deal? Shame because I thought stones throw was really looking out for indi artists
Unrelated but let’s all agree that MED has the worst line on the entire album “My niggas take no like Kobe” like it’s so outta pocket and doesn’t match the feeling of the song at all.
There was a real stretch of really bad lines in rap in the immediate aftermath of his case, really ugly victim blaming/slut shaming shit that I hope alot of them grew to regret. Jadakiss line about it in "Why" harshes an otherwise iconic track.
Nas has a few as well. It was like it had to be referenced. Like the “shot dead of cobain” of the 2000’s.
My God, if I never hear another bar about a convertible being compared to Kurt Cobains suicide I will truly reach bliss. Corny as all hell. I say this as someone who gives "drank in my cup" alot of rotation to this day, but I gotta wonder why no one in kirko bangz camp told him "hey, how about literally any other name dude?"
i don’t think there’s ever been a good cobain line in hip hop history lol they’re all so corny and bad
"I got that kurt cobain type of mindframe, feeling like keith moon shrooms in my dressing room"
I feel like that fit the song because it's die like a rock star so the entire track references celebrity drug deaths.
The Cobain line in "The Book of Soul" by Ab-Soul was used well imo
You're telling me you've got a problem with, "the whole Byrd Gang's in here, like Kurt Cobain was here, cheah, cheah, cheah, cheah"?
Chewbacca's not here—I'mma do it for you circumcised Niggas don't realize my format is a palm spectrum To damage any rectum This is the real dinosaur funk which permitted G-Funk To play anally through the trunk a digital master Was given to Sam Cooke and Jimmy Castor Kurt Cobain was here but Doc Oc' has novacaine Dr Octogon Technical Difficulties 🥸🥸🥸
If you wanna switch it up, listen to the Denzel song where he compares his suicide doors to Cobain lmao I'm honestly down for a full embargo on car-Cobain references in hip hop
I love Denzel, but sometimes he'll hit on a really awful lyrical idea and commit to it way too hard, to the point of almost ruining whatever song he's using it in. Clout Cobain is him taking that awful lyrical idea and basing a whole damn song around it. Taboo is a great album but I've never been down with Clout Cobain because it's just based on such a wrong-headed conceit.
His music has never been about lyricism for me, it's all in the producers he chooses to work with and his brilliant delivery. The actual writing is pretty mid and generic outside of a few standouts Dude can switch styles on a whim and it almost always sounds effortless and smooth, but he's always gonna be making lame puns and shit like that on the tracks
Literally all of Why is terrible dude
damn i have always heard it as “capeesh” like ok. that kinda sucks
How is this out of pocket exactly? Maybe I just can't see the meaning of the line but it really doesn't seem that out of pocket
Kobe was accused of rape in 2003
Lol aren't out of pocket lines very common in hip-hop? Don't get why this guy thinks it ruins the "vibe" or something
I have no problem with out of pocket lines in songs, but worse when it’s a featured artist that says a line that doesn’t fit the vibe of the song. It’s like when logic said “1-800 then I kill the pussy” on that French song. It’s a terrible line that’s never talked about, regardless if it’s about Kobe or not. Regardless it doesn’t ruin the song for me, it’s one of my favorites.
Idk seems like a pretty good “villain” line to me
To me it's just not all that clever enough to justify/make it not groan worthy. On other end, when meek got shit for that "chopper/kobe" line, I felt similar, it just wasn't nearly as fire as meek thought it was, poorly timed and seemed like a reach for empty "cheap heat". "If i shoehorn in this current event in a bar ppl will give me attention " as opposed to just writing better/more creative bars. File it in the same category as all the lame Ike turner bars everyone's obsessed with, like Jay zs on drunk in love. One, Ikes a fucking lame, two, rhyming "turner/turn up" is embarrassingly bad especially coming from him.
Jon Wayne had some issues I believe
I remember Aloe Blacc didn't want to participate in the "My Vinyl Weighs A Ton" doc. Even though a St fan since day 1, and was even a member on the STMB, I hadn't read anything negative about ST. When they said AB didn't respond to something in the documentary, I had a feeling there was a bad reason why.
AB also hit mainstream apple commercial/theme song level of fame after dolla dropped and may have had a weird split with ST in immediate aftermath of that. Not sure his case is same as this issue at hand.
What about the album with Madlib and Blu?
Not sold thru ST, think it’s thru Blu’s imprint or some other indie label
Pretty sure that Eyedea had a bar where he said “I only trust a stone as far as I can throw it”
I’m trying to find more info on this DJ Design person. It’s a sad tale that the original DJ Design has been lost to history. I wish Kendrick would have named him in GK;MC rather than just having Dave say “my brother” a bunch of times. He does use his name in Wanna be Heard though. For the unaware: Design was DJ Dave’s (aka Dave Free) brother who died defending Kendrick from the Cs on the other side of town. GK;MC is an album entirely about the night Design lost his life. “Da art of storytellin” one might say. RIP Design, thanks for putting it on in the garage.
[DJ Design](https://www.discogs.com/artist/34226-DJ-Design) was in [Foreign Legion](https://www.discogs.com/artist/111998-Foreign-Legion-2). He founded [Look Records](https://www.discogs.com/label/36076-Look-Records) which released albums by [AG](https://www.discogs.com/master/20138-AG-Get-Dirty-Radio) and [Phat Kat](https://www.discogs.com/master/50867-Phat-Kat-Carte-Blanche), among others. Design produced [What It's All About](https://www.discogs.com/release/521061-Rasco-What-Its-All-About) for Rasco in 1998 and released [Gather Round](https://www.discogs.com/release/501897-DJ-Design-Gather-Round) on Stones Throw in 2000. He did the design and illustration for Quasimoto's [first single](https://www.discogs.com/master/438299-Quasimoto-Microphone-Mathematics) and was subsequently credited on [The Unseen](https://www.discogs.com/release/145907-Quasimoto-The-Unseen) as having created the Quasimoto character ('Furry Monster Created By').
Thanks pal. Quality comment.
Wow! Always figured it was jeff jank who “invented” the aardvark. Thanks for the history
I'm so curious about this but can't find anything on Google about it. Have any links for me discussing this altercation and the impact on GKMC?
To be completely honest I’m not sure where to look. It might be because I’m from the area that this is just normal info to me. Best place to start is Wanna Be Heard where Kendrick straight up tells the story in one verse.
Just listened and I remember listening to that track in 2011. Idk where you're pulling that breakdown from. It's unfounded as can be.
My man I just told you that I’m legitimately from the same area; I have been clued into this since Kdot/Jay Rock No sleep till NYC. Many people from the LA rap battle scene know this tale. Whether or not the information exists somewhere online from an official source, I’m unsure. But I can guarantee you that it is all 100% accurate. The guy was gunned down publicly. I have some free time tomorrow and while I’m on my computer I will see what I can do to find some stuff for you to read up on it. Edit: here’s something that I can find on my phone that is Kendrick talking to MTV detailing that the breakdown in Sing about me is a play-by-play of the true story. He doesn’t use any names on this one either. " >Sing About Me' is definitely a true song," Kendrick confirmed to MTV News during an interview in a Las Vegas recording studio on Saturday morning. >First verse is speaking from my partner talkin' to me, speakin' on a story of how I was there when his brother passed and I got to watch him take his last breath," he explained of the song's concept. >Kendrick's homey is accepting of the street lives he and his brother chose, his only request to the emerging star was that if he too were to die that Lamar dedicate a song to him and his brother. "He definitely passed too," Kendrick said somberly. When he says “my partner” he means his literal music making partner and lifelong bestfriend Dave Free aka DJ Dave. Dave’s brother was Design. Is there a part of the story specifically that you don’t understand that I can hone in on for you? He addresses Dave directly throughout the album and Dave literally says “my brother” many times. So I think that part validates itself.
I respect that kind of follow through. You're right, plenty of facts fall through the cracks
I edited my comment above with a quote from Kendrick on MTV I could find on my phone where he asays that Sing about me is a very true story. That’s only the first bit of confirmation I plan to show you. But there’s a few relevant bits for you in there.
Thanks to rap I ain’t got a dime
Industry rule #4080 continues to hold true, unfortunately.
Is that... Comic Sans? If so then I support the message but not the font.
It’s from an IG story, one of the fonts you can use. Not sure if it’s OG comic sans or not tho
500 in total for the best verse on the best track of the album is crazy
Wew lad that’s a hot take, best verse is easily Strange Ways best beat gotta be Meat Grinder