I will take the stage for what is probably my biggest performance to date. Phi Sigma Pi and UNT's Progressive Black Student Organization will be hosting UNT's Got Talent starring a slew or artists, performers and entertainers - including myself, all competing for a cash prize and whatever other small time acclaim and notoriety comes with winning a campus-wide competition of this magnitude.
I introduced a poll using facebook's new question feature inquiring my friends, fans and supporters of which song I am to perform. Of Heart on a Record, Speak Up and Waiting For Tomorrow (a currently unreleased track), an overwhelming majority chose not one of the two songs they were most familiar with but the new, unreleased Tomorrow - a track very few, if any, have heard. It's both exciting and nerve-racking knowing that I'll be performing a song I've never done live and that the audience is unfamiliar with. But with every challenge presents an even greater reward. Hopefully, all goes well tomorrow and I can show those in attendance that I am ridiculously serious about my dreams of pursuing not just music - but a place in society as the voice of the people.
Hope to see you there!
(footage will be uploaded in the impending weeks so stay tuned.)
Speak Up is muscle of Unsung. Every song projected for the mixtape has a unique personality - each track a facet of who I am and Speak Up represents not only my dissatisfaction with the Hip-Hop industry and the prolific figures we idolize within it, but my readiness to stand up for what is right and the urgency and expectations I have for my listeners. In these lines, I not only express from my own perspective of what the artform has become, I urge the audience - The Resistance - to take a stand alongside me and demand more from the practitioners of this craft. I understood as I wrote this song the potential this track had to offend the artists who fit the targets of my criticisms (if they even care - I'm a 20-year old independent MC from Dallas, lol, rather mighty of me to assume they're even listening), but I felt that the track (produced by Farhan Kahn) created an epic enough canvas to convey some feelings I've had ever since I've been exposed to mainstream Hip-Hop. When I first heard the track on Youtube, I immediately thought to myself, "Oh, shit! I can't let anybody else hear this!". Fortunate for me, the track was available for purchase so I whipped out my Dallas Cowboys debit card with a balance of roughly $4.60-something cents on it (the same account presently overdrafted $59, btw), bought the beat, downloaded it and got to writing that night. Never in my life has such profundity flowed so effortlessly from me. I knew immediately exactly where I wanted to go with the track and surprised myself with how easily the message coalesced. The song was completed in a week and uploaded as described in further detail in a previous post (http://bit.ly/e33jmA). I've never been as proud of my own work as I was with Speak Up and if the response I got from this song is indicative of the hype that is to be expected from further releases, this rise to acclaim may not be as steep as previously assumed. So there you have it, Behind the Lines: Speak Up.
Favorite Lines:
I told myself I wouldn’t do this, stay focused on my music, away from the newsprint. Hold on to my two cents because the minute I use it may be the moment I lose it.
Hey, maybe I’m mistaken; maybe when you sold your soul you’re just playing, maybe every single time you bring it up you faking, it wouldn’t be the first time you’re caught perpetrating. Ungh (shots fired! lol)
When Bornfree breathes you’ll stop and freeze. When Bornfree blinks you’ll pray “not me.” I’mma keep hunting til the motherfuckers running have enough courage to stand and SPEAK UP!
those who resist either remain independent or are paid the very minimum attention by the System until the people in power look down and collectively decide that it’s time for one of us to be silenced.
Are you here to spit the truth or to prove to your allegiance?
what is your reaction when you listen to the music influenced by a movement started by youth to distract them from the same negativity embraced in it now, fakes are the face of it now, enslaved by the pay, caged by the fame only to be slain by the same kid that PRAYED for the day to be among you cowards.
I guess I sort of forgot to mention, my first ever interview was published online. Wake-N-Bake.net granted me an interview over a month ago and after weeks of waiting and harassing them via email (lol), the interview finally went up February 15.
Welcome to wake-n-bake Bornfree, lets start with a quick introduction for any peoples who may be unfamiliar with you and your work…
Well, I’m Bornfree, I’m an artist and my canvas is Hip-Hop. I’m from Dallas, TX, I’m 20 years old and I like to think that I have a huge difference to make in the world if people take the time out to really listen to me.
How did you get started in the game, who or what influenced you?
One night as a small child – maybe five or six years old, I was with my family around the TV – my mom, pop, older sister and little brother – all of us when this commercial for a Rap compilation disc came on. It was like ’95 or ’96 so there were songs by ‘Pac, Biggie, Nas, Snoop, Dre, the Wu etc. you know, the classics. And even at that age, I felt the music, real strong-like. This may’ve had something to do with the fact that my old man was in a rap group, the NFG, and had amassed respectable local notoriety at the time but nonetheless, my dad peeped me feeling the excerpts from the commercial and, along with one of those real fatherly type of head rubs, told me “that could be you one day, homeboy.” In response, I woke up the VERY NEXT MORNING and told my old man that I wanted to learn how to rap and that day we sat down – then and there, and he helped me write my first verse: a six-bar quick spit about safely crossing the street. I still remember it to this day. So above all else, my father is my greatest influence in getting me into rap. He surrounded me with it, taught me how and encouraged me to grow in it. So all my props and credits go to my Dad first and foremost and if I ever get put on, he’ll be the reason why. Secondly, I’m extremely influenced just by the shit I’ve been through and the knowledge I’ve been blessed with. I haven’t had the easiest life but then again, who has, you know? I just feel my personal testament to my existence is interesting enough for the world to learn something from. Lastly, my artistic influences, MC’s whose message, style and career have molded mine include firstly, Nas. Nas: The Thug Poet, yeah, he’s my absolute favorite MC, after that, Tariq Trotter better known as Black Thought from the legendary Roots crew, André 3000, Lupe Fiasco and more recently, Kid Cudi, Blu and J. Cole.
What does your city mean to both who you are as a person, and as an artist?
Dallas, TX, man – Pleasant Grove, specifically, I’ll scream it until the death of me. Again, my pop has a major part in me taking pride in my hood. I know the streets, my hood history, its trials and triumphs because my old man made sure I knew. My hometown is of big importance to me because, although I consider myself a really worldly individual, Pleasant Grove, Dallas, TX taught me that roses occasionally grow from the concrete, all diamonds are squeezed from coal and it is a man’s choice whether or not he is defined by the stigmas attached to his upbringing. Dallas isn’t the worst of cities, but it’s a tough one. And I learned a lot from the streets and the classroom, you know? The corner and the library. Dallas is especially important to me considering the music scene. I pay special respect to those who have made it from here which includes such notable artists like Erykah Badu, Dorrough, The D.O.C., Fathead Newman, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Usher (even though he hails ATL). These artists, especially Ms. Badu, The D.O.C. (who was my favorite rapper at one point) and Stevie Ray Vaughn, have inspired my artistic growth and pride for Dallas because their individual successes and dedication to their craft. For the most part, the hip-hop scene – even the musical scene as a whole in Dallas is generally pigeonholed to club music, you know? Booty talk, slabbed out cars, and DANCES – oh my damn, if we’re not the city of a million dances, I don’t know who is. And just being surrounded by that influenced me to be more than that, to cultivate my artistry like those who have made it out of my city without conforming to the standards, or lack thereof in my opinion, of the entertainment industry.
Who have you worked with before? Who would you want to work with in the future?
I really try to throw my hat in all available arenas. Currently, I’m primarily involved in two projects. First being me – my solo career, Bornfree: The Unsung One. I feel like my individual message and potential contribution to the game is a burden I have to carry alone. After that, I go back to my roots. For a little over ten years now – maybe eleven or twelve, even – I’ve been the second-in-command of my family’s hip-hop group, Southern Kingdom. We’ve released two albums since our formation and ultimately seek to elevate the standards of our people through reestablishing an understanding of our roots, the love of knowledge and demanding a better quality of life for ourselves, you know? Other than that, I willingly collaborate with local and state artists, most recently being GregGiant, a real cool cat from Dallas now living in Beaumont. He produced the track for Heart on a Record (http://bit.ly/e3WUOQ), my first solo single. It’s funny because my girlfriend, Desi, actually hooked me up with him because she’s very involved in the young music scene, artists typically considered Leaders of the New School and whatnot so her influence in the circle has greatly helped me progressed as an artist (shoutout to my Lioness, right there). Additionally, my boy Kane Jetson and I will be working together real soon, Nicholas Marz, Bobby Session, E-Piffa, Romyo and Pandora are among others I intend to work with very soon as well. My dream would be to do sort of an Jedi Council-type of all-star track with Nas, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and my dad, you know, dropping knowledge like we all do very well. That’d be heat. I’d also like to work with Lupe, Andre and do some unconventional collabos with artists like Big Gigantic, Prince and Ky-Mani Marley. And how could I forget Erykah? That would be wonderful to go back to the Kitchen Studios with Ms. Badu and just vibe to something then and there, you feel me?
So what’s next for 2011? You got any projects you working on?
Unsung will be completed real soon and available for free download on Mediafire, Soundcloud and Reverbnation. That’ll be the world’s introduction to me, my debut EP, and hopefully it reaches ears a little farther than Dallas. I’m almost done, I just have a little more writing and post-production to do so hopefully it’ll be out before the end of March. Other than that, I’m always looking for opportunities to perform so I’ll be rocking venues all over north Texas. Some features here and there and hopefully another Southern Kingdom album because people are demanding it now. Ultimately, though, Unsung is my biggest project and I plan to spam the hell out of it once it’s finally done. So keep your eyes focused and your mind wide open, I’m Bornfree: The Unsung One, Refaya – The Most High Has Healed and my success will be defined by the legacy I leave behind for generations after me. Word.
And don't forget to like it on facebook and tweet it to your followers!
According to my blogger archive, the consistency of my posts has, between January and February, dropped significantly. I went from nearly a post a day in the beginning of the year to a single post this month - and that was just an embedded video. This doesn't, however, mirror any inactivity in my life, but indicates such movement that I haven't found significant time to dedicate to the maintenance of my blog. Contrarily, this post does not indicate a lack of imperative for as we speak I am in preparation for an impending performance, imminent studio time, unending marketing and networking AND I still haven't found a job.
But my blog is important to me and I hate to neglect it and its supporters.
So we'll pick up where we left off.
One of the biggest moves since my last few posts was the addition of Speak Up to my growing library of original songs. Speak Up is the second single from the Unsung mixtape set for release at the end of March. The funny thing about Speak Up is, it was never intended to be released as a single. In fact, I'd initially envisioned it as a sleeper track - a gem for devoted fans and supporters, originally not intended to see much exposure, however I wasn't receiving much production cooperation with the intended second single. Additionally, the increased demand for another track, because of the naturally short-lived window of relevance in contemporary music, impelled to make a move rather than wait on what I wanted - and although my next logical release was The Resistance - an introductory track to THE MOVEMENT, Speak Up was written and its accompanying instrumental was done.
So there I was, balls deep, facing the potential of losing steam with each passing day. I had no money, no sessions booked and the promises of an even better next single - Speak Up was forced to suit up. I began the process of laying down what I went in thinking were rough-draft vocals in my dorm room. There I stood, garageband running on my macbook, using the laptop's built-in mic for vocals and my roommate's girlfriend's earbuds so the track wouldn't be picked up externally. And on February 13, 2011, roughly around 10pm, I stood in my room and listened to this rough draft - my roommate, Cliff, now in attendance - I listened to the rough-draft of my next single from beginning to end.
And it was the most amazing thing I had ever put my heart into.
At that moment, Speak Up was no longer a rough-draft thrown together in haste on my laptop in my dormroom - instead, it almost instantly became my greatest work, the second Bornfree single and the perfect follow-up for Heart.
You can read more about Speak Up in the coming "Behind The Lines" post.
Since then, Speak Up has racked up over 450 plays on soundcloud, the majority of which was done within the first 120 hours of its release. For the time being, Speak Up represents the pinnacle of my work, which isn't saying much, I guess - considering I only have two tracks out anyway - but still, it represents that I have intentions to only take my music higher and greater with each release.
As a result, I was granted the opportunity to perform Speak Up live at the University of North Texas's NAACP/ABSE/CoBO Tribute to Blacks in the Arts. Monday, February 28 (the LAST day of Black History Month, smh), I performed my second single live for the first time and despite the small crowd of mostly my supporters, I couldn't imagine it going any better. It felt really good to be on the stage again and having the people who have been supporting me the strongest in attendance finally able to witness Bornfree in his natural environment. There's currently a video up on youtube, recorded by my boy, Jose, but the official video will be available in a little less than a week, I'm sure.
In fact, the performance couldn't have come at a better time. It was only a couple days before, the Saturday preceding the program, I took my DJ friend, DJ MADD of KNON 89.3, a respiratory therapist at Baylor Hospital by day and one of Dallas's most premier Hip-Hop DJ's by night, up on an offer he'd extended me earlier in the week to MC a wedding reception alongside him. So Saturday afternoon, I held down the mic as he ripped the tables for a bunch of cigar-smoking, timeshare-owning, cap'n crunch and disney princess dressed ass white folks at TWU here in Denton and we rocked it. Though it's significantly more difficult - in my experience, at least - to motivate middle-aged white people to party, we received affirmations after the reception that they'd enjoyed our contribution to the ceremony. That night, shortly after breaking me off the coolest $75 I ever made, MADD offered me a job as his permanent MC - allowing me to escape plain ass Denton every weekend or so for the vibrant and more favorable Dallas contemporary Hip-hop club scene. I agreed and he assured me that I'd be hearing from him regarding the next show real soon.
I haven't had this much good news to share in a minute, and it only gets better from here.
In other news, yesterday, I officially added another producer to my roster of track credits for my upcoming mixtape, Unsung. Devin Canady (http://bit.ly/hrWyAC) of Krunchtastik Beats will be producing May This Feeling Last Forever - a celebratory tribute to my mother's contribution to my successes and triumphs. I have no doubt that his particular take on the concept of the song will create a beautiful track that both I and my mother would approve of. His sounds can be found on Soundclick.com (http://bit.ly/gKsbiw).
In addition to all of this, I was also contacted by Caroline Gates, a friend of mine who shares many similar views and visions of society as I, about contributing to a track for her experimental group, LongLiveLunacy (http://bit.ly/g7VdJh). I was honored that she'd even consider collaborating with me and the track she made to accompany our song - OH MAH GAWD! It's a beast. I spent a good four or five days writing and mastering my contribution to the song and though I sense a little impatience growing between the two of us, I am certain that this duo is well worth the wait. I commenced my first verse before the wedding Saturday and depending on what direction Ms. Gates intends to take the song, I may even have another to compose.The song is entitled Conceived In Greatness and I've decided to forgo adding it to my mixtape lest I release a special edition alongside the free download of Unsung once it drops.
This track, much like Do Work: a compilation I'm set to record with Kane Jetson (http://bit.ly/g7VdJh), Shoulders of Giants: a duo with Bobby Sessions (http://bit.ly/eFvxqN) and Mr. Me Too: a track I have with them both is among the many features I plan to hopefully do in the near future in an attempt to raise not only the public perception of myself but other quality local artists as well. I'll be showing them a lot more love in future posts because we're all in this together. If Dallas/DFW/North Texas artists combine our talents collectively, require more from ourselves individually and seek to actively support our fellow artists, we can usher in a new era of independent music here - one that seeks to enlighten our supporters, promote a higher standard of quality from our region of music entertainment and grant Dallas and its surrounding areas the respect it deserves on a national stage.
Granted, these dreams are huge and maybe I'm expecting a lot from a little. But I believe in me and the artists and individuals I vouch for. A step at a time and we'll all make it.
Speaking of which, I'm not the only one with good news. Special shout out Bobby Sessions for linking up with Fly Times Ent. I'm scheduled to see them, upon his request, to rerecord Speak Up as well as lay down Shoulders and Mr. Me Too with KaneJetson. In the meantime, he's managed to make some major moves with the team, including this:
So here we are tonight, I just got off the phone with Hip-hop legend DJ EZ Eddie D of 89.3 fm KNON here in Dallas. Homeboy has the second-longest running Hip-hop show in America and is facing losing his show because it's publicly funded. We're facing losing one of the most historical pillars of not only Dallas Hip-hop but Hip-hop as a whole. Knowing this, that the DJ I've known since before I'd learned to love Hip-hop, I contacted him and after a long, much-needed conversation affirming that my mission in music is justified, Sir Eddie D agreed to give my cuts a listen and inform me of any upcoming shows or events that I could contribute my craft to. Just as I witnessed my dad years ago handing his demo tape - back when mixtapes were actually TAPES, I've done the same - I've put my music into the hands of one of the most prolific figures in Hip-hop culture and, at this point, can only hope for his approval and wait patiently as the hours age into days.
Ultimately, I guess this update was intended to ensure both my friends and supporters that I'm still making moves, things are going great and hopefully the Resistance continues to grow. Stay tuned to both my Twitter (http://bit.ly/fCw30I) and Facebook page (http://on.fb.me/gjV73l) for updates and exclusives! Until next time, BE INSPIRED!
