"THE BRITT-ISH IS HERE!" INTERVIEW WITH WARREN S. BRITT

Warren S. Britt is an artist from NYC. I recently got put on to his dope music from his fellow crew mate Truth Now of Fam!LL... This kat's styles are not to be slept on!  A behind the scenes chat with hard working MC: Making albums, doing live shows, and of course the occasional "Spittin' in the Whip" episode. We take you now into the music and mind of Warren Britt as he shares his insights on the state of Hip Hop, trading the corporate hustle for the true passion of creating music, and more... Hold on tight, Fam!LL is in the house!

        

JP:  So first I'm glad I got connected to your music... You have some real talent bro, respect! Tell us who are you, and where are you from?

Warren: Thank you very much Mindcontrol... My Name is Warren S. Britt.    The "S" stands for Samuel and I'm from BROOKLYN!!! WHAT?

JP:  So who you crew with if any? And how long you been in the rap game?

Warren:  I represent Fam!LL with my homie BS, Albert Rhymestein, The MC Faceman, Grey Matter, and Truth Now. I also represent a group called the Underdogz with a goodfella by the name of OTiS CLaPP. I've been rapping since 1996, professionally since 2002 and loving it!

JP:  That's the FAm!LL connection... Of course I got put on to your music through Truth Now... Who I've recently collabed with... Y'all have a great talent set in your crew, man for real... Big thangs! How old are you?

Warren:  Thank you very much sir... Fam!LL has such a creative group of minds that contribute to the Oracle in different ways.I'm very proud to be a part of such a dynamic force in Hip Hop today. As for my Age I'm 26.

JP:  The album "The Britt ISH is Coming"... Can you talk a bit about this project? Was this a first release?

Warren:  Actually The Britt ISH Is Coming is my second professional release.

JP:  What was your first release... Let's start from there. Who's on it, etc.?

Warren:  My first release was a 28 minute EP titled @TheMethLab and I named it after a line in one of my favorite Gym Class Heroes songs "Taxi Driver". There's only one other person on it, my homeboy First Class who I used to be in a group with by the name of Absolute Truth. He left the group, and we did like five songs, I put four on there. I miss the dude for the record and I wish him nothing but the best wherever he is. He left due to personal reasons.

JP:  So I see in your bio that you had an epiphany about the "everyday job hustle" that brought ya back to the MC status. Can you tell us a bit about that, and was this after that release of @TheMethLab?

Warren: This was a bit before @TheMethLab. I had fell back from rapping in 2006 when I got a job working for a banking & investment firm I will not name. It really was killing my spirit. I would go to work and feel like a drone. Just a robot. Plus I felt a certain way about Hip Hop and the direction I percieved it to be going and that wasn't helping my life line anymore either. I was shot at what the media was putting in our music and I was tired of what the corporation was doing to my mind. But I was still a fan of MUSIC. I picked up The Foreign Exchange record Leave It All Behind and it was a moving project. It had a Bonus Instrumental Disc and I pretty much started vibing to that and next thing I knew I was writing a song about my then girlfriend. Sooner or later, I got sick and called out of work right after Thanksgiving vacation. The next thing I know I came back and they let me go. I felt empty for literally 5 minutes, then I realized, this is the best thing to ever happen to me. I'm FREE! My boy First was like YO! We gotta do this group thing now man, this is our time. And that's when I decided to come along for the ride and get back into Music for real. No turn arounds. I'm forever connected to Music.

JP:  That's whats up bro. I'm glad to hear you using that experience to make something so positive like music and give back to the listeners a piece of that lesson in life. Big ups. Let's get to the new album, The Britt ISH is Coming... How'd you develop this album and who's involved?

Warren:  I was in the studio with The MC Faceman, I think we were talking about his project Up From The Ashes which is like one of my top 3 favorite joints of the year. And I was just like I'd love to be able to get this type of mindset to help me direct this EP because man... I just really dig that project a lot. It was intimate and detailed a lot of emotion, and lyrically ill. So I asked him if he could help me and he accepted. It was an experience that I'll never forget. On the record we have my little brothers BS, YC the Cynic, J.Monopoly, Jose Nova, Texas RnB singer Jovanna Lopez lends her super steller vocals and DJ Dyllemma does cuts on a joint. Production was handled by Spills, Don Willi, KO Beatz, Gabe Starrc, Ron Solero, and Manny Faces. All contribute greatly to this effort and I am very thankful for their assistance.

JP:  Definitely a dope album I must say! Who are your main influences in the hip-hop scene or just in general... What pushes Warren S. Britt?

Warren:  P.O.S - Optimist. "We Are Not For Them" All Day! Besides him I've been bumping a lot of Willie Green, El-P, Aesop Rock, Jesse Abraham, A.M Breakups, The MC Faceman, Doomtree, Dollar Coffee, Truth Now and BS, and Premonition lately. Major influences have been Blink-182, Redman, Green Day, Keith Murray, Rakim, Kurupt, Black Moon, Motion City Soundtrack, Dump Body, Fall Out Boy, SET YOUR GOALS, The Honorary Title, Sing It Loud, NaS, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G and of course Tupac. Tupac is my favorite artist of all times. And Motion City Soundtrack is my Favorite Band of All Time. And Christopher Gutierrez is also a Poet who has influenced everything that I am.

JP:  Dope to see ya have some of my hometown on there... Doomtree definitely reps, my favorite being Sims. Cat goes hard! What do you feel about the current state of hip-hop both in your scene and nationally?

Warren:  Hip Hop in my scene has restored my faith about Hip Hop nationally. I don't think we're going to "save" music. I think there are too many evil people out there that are trying real hard to eliminate any progress being made so I don't attack it from that standpoint. But I do believe that the more we reach out and understand the problems that are running rampant in the music community the more we can at least see eye to eye. But I'm all for just doing us, and not bending over for any corporation that's looking to destroy our quality of life. And since a lot of us LIVE music, it's all about survival. I'm trying to find a means where we can celebrate through the trials. It's going to get worse before it gets better. We gotta lot of cleaning up to do within ourselves. But I'm happy for where Hip Hop is going. You see a lot of our faces getting some prime slots on TV and Radio and all you smile... And just think one day, it'll all be better. One day it will all come together. Not for any sole individual, but for Hip Hop.

JP: Most definitely, inspiring words..! What do you have coming in the future and what can we expect from Warren S. Britt in 2011?

Warren:  Well you can expect The Underdogz LP with my homeboy OTiS CLaPP coming soon, and then I've just started working on a joint with Producer Willie Green who is my favorite producer right now. I'm also working on an EP with producer A.M Breakups who's definitely in my top 3 list of composers as well. There's a project I'm also working, The Brothers Piff EP with The MC Faceman and Precise of Illicit Visionaries that's actually another group I'm apart of. Then maybe we'll be able to see my "official" debut LP The Art Of Warren somewhere in the mix for 2011. We'll see I suppose. Plus I wanna fit skydiving in there somewhere. All of my friends got to go skydiving this year without me and I'm kinda mad I missed out. So we'll see if we could get on that pony as well.

JP: Alright, well thank you very much for this opportunity to reach into you and your music, I appreciate the time. You definitely got some real raw underground flavor, I'll be sending you beats soon... You got any last words or shout outs?

Warren:  Shout out to you DJ Mindcontrol and Truth Now for this opportunity to speak. Shout out to those who support my homies. And shout out to those with Good Intentions. From Brooklyn, NY to Minnesota... We Are Not For Them!!!

TEAM SHELLS REVOLUTION! THE INSIDE SCOOP!

"INSIDE THE MIND OF SHELLS"

AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY DJ MINDCONTROL

It's that time of the year again! Time to drop mix-tapes and seasonal releases.

For those who know I have been hard at work myself recently on two albums, both collaborative efforts which have given me a great insight into many more new artists.

Along with great talent comes those who live, eat, sleep their craft, always fine-tuning and ever engaging along the musical journey.

This year has been a great year for many. One fine artist I'd like to introduce to you, or rather for some re-introduce...

Shells of Team Shells Productions!  

One of the hardest working B-girls in the industry bar none! 

Welcome to "Inquiring Minds" to Shells! I'd like to first say I've recently joined forces with Shells on some things, and also with crewmate Inseyet of Kozmoknots.

JP- For those who are inquiring, who are you and where do you rep?

I am Shells Head Producer/Engineer/Instrumentalist/DJ & founder of "Team Shells Productions" which is a group of artists (producers/DJs/emcees/singers & graphic designers) Even my manager is part of the team. There is nothing better than knowing you are part of a group of trustworthy individuals.

I recently had to make some changes as a business professional to the Team however it was for the better as the past half a year has shown the success of the new setup and few people that come together to bring something unique and complementary to the team.

2011 will be the official debut of the Team and it's permanent members.

JP- So can you tell us in short some releases you've done in the past and some of the artists you have collaborated with?

Shells- 2010 was a good year for me. I released tracks with Prof, Sab The Artist, Orikal Uno, Anonimust, The Continental Duo... And the list goes on.




   What to do by Shells
   Tomorrow by Shells





Also I have done some exclusive Team releases (just with the mates). I also do some mainstream work, mixing and starting to produce for big mainstream artists but my love is always in the underground.

Many more artists are piling up so 2011 is going to be a big year. I have gotten a lot of recognition this past year and have worked mostly with artists from the Twin Cities, where my personal fav. hip-hop comes out of.

JP- Sweet, I definitely enjoy the different styles you hold down, and the collaboration aspect strikes home as well as I'm huge on collaborative efforts. Where did this come from for you as far as reaching out to so many artists?

Shells- I have always loved to work with others... "Team" is in my blood. Inspiration for me comes a lot with just the presence of another creative mind... I started reaching out to unsigned artists years ago that I hand selected to make music with. The people I pick are my biggest fans.

All the different genres I make are a result of starting early with the steel drums on the islands then onto the guitar (90's alternative rock mostly). Then straight to DJing at clubs in NYC at 15-16 years old, all rave-style music.

It wasn't until years later when I got into hip-hop majorly again and it now serves as my base if you will. 

JP- You have an overwhelming amount of tracks/beats and then final songs online...

I can see you spend a lot of time in the studio. What does a regular day for Shells look like?

   Actors by Shells
   This time tomorrow by Shells

Shells- Honestly most songs online to me are still a work in progress. I will even touch up an album release if needed... Whats final to me is a master. However I have released a lot of music this year with pretty good mixes I think for everyone to enjoy, with loads of different artists.

Well, a regular day: When it's studio/work time... Wake up, do some online promotion and usually speak with my manager to get the week/day rollin'. I take a few puffs on the green and get to work! I have just recently updated my entire studio as a result of the enormous amount of work mixing that came in a few months ago.

Also every beat I put out is a rough outline. I finalize the mixes as much as possible when I get vocals back and mix the entire track together. I am a POST Freeeak. And a true engineer as well.

JP- Talk a little bit about working with Orikal Uno.

Shells- I first heard of him, then saw him freestyling in a video on a radio show with Analyrical... After that I followed his stuff for years hearing just a little here and there but loving him more and more. He is one of the most talented emcees to come out and also one of my personal favorites of all time. We put out a bunch of leak tracks this year... I also just put out a huge tribute album with a 15 minute track just for him (an EP within itself), all snippets from when he came down to my studio in Chicago. We had a 4 day binge. That track is called "Uno Snacks"... It is a little prelude of what's to come in the future.

JP- What's next for Team Shells future releases...?

Well we have the seasonal "Round The Track Series", The 2nd release will be out in the Spring. I am also working on a bunch of production/DJ collaborations, always working with random artists and I have a few solo projects to finish mixing and to start some new stuff on. Expect a monster drop from "ECLIPS3" this year, "Kids Like Us", "The Continental Duo" and then I will be working as a featured producer on many other albums in 2011/2012 including reggae/pop/straight up club to acoustic live indie rock etc. I do it all. I also work with film and had the opportunity to score an entire indie film trailer and will be starting another one around early spring of 2011.

Also the "Xmas Tapes" was something I have been meaning to put out every year, this is the 1st! Last year I put a prelude track to this years EP. This year features you (DJ Mindcontrol) on cuts with all production by me. All downtempo, dubstep. It is seasonal! Also this first installment was the big one. In my head it was being worked on for over 6 years... The other will only be 5-8 tracks tops.

 

JP- EVERYONE NEEDS TO DEFINITELY CHECK OUT THE X-MAS TAPES!

THANK YOU SHELLS FOR THE INSIGHT INTO YOUR MUSIC AND WE WILL SEE MORE OF YOU SOON!

LAST WORDS OF WISDOM?

Team Shells- It's as simple as that!  

http://teamshells.com/album/the-xmas-tapes-2010

 

MERRY X-MAS FROM TEAM SHELLS!