Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Bishop Lamont : 6 Singles

Hey homies !! Bishop has sent a message from his twitter : "In light of recent leaks beyond my control here's some officially released s*** from me to you... Merry Christmas Bitches!"

Thanx to Bishop Lamont

Here are 6 singles :



DOWNLOAD .MP3






DOWNLOAD .MP3






DOWNLOAD .MP3






DOWNLOAD .MP3






DOWNLOAD .MP3






DOWNLOAD .MP3

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Bishop Lamont - Who's Yo' Daddy, Bitch



Here it is a reference track from Detox, recorded by Bishop.
Shout out to Rebel, for the song

DOWNLOAD

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Info (11/23/2010) : "Change is Gonna Come" Video + Tracklist of "Mecha God Spilla" Mixtape



Bishop Lamont plans to drop the official music video for Change is Gonna Come [Produced by DR. DRE]. The video will reveal a very personal side to Bishop which will premier on Thanksgiving day right here on http://bishop-lamont.blogspot.com/ and on www.aftermathmusic.com! We're also hearing that the video may be accompanied by the video to the club banger Sadatay.

Both songs are from Bishop Lamont's highly acclaimed street album, The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3, which you can download here: Link

Also, Bishop released an exclusive mix-tape with DJ Couz for Japan. We are hearing that the mix-tape got leaked on the internet a couple days ago and features unreleased gems produced by Dr. Dre as well as vocals from Nate Dogg and so much more! Check out the tracklisting below:

1. Mecha-God Spilla Intro
2. Sadatay (Produced By Diverse)
3. Blow Yo Mind (More) feat. Xzibit, Crooked I, Jelly Roll (Produced By Scoop Deville)
4. That Feelin' feat. KES (Produced By Dicey Ent.)
5. Nothing Could Be Better (feat. Suga Free, Butch Cassidy) (Produced By Battle Cat)
6. I'm Faded feat. Nate Dogg (Produced By Warren G)
7. Flashy (Produced By Dr. Dre)
8. Freak Freak Ya'll feat. Nikki Grier (Produced By Dr.Dre)
9. Unbreakable feat. Godfather J, Mike Anthony 9. Unbreakable (Produced By Focus)
10. I'm A Rider feat. Chevy Jones (Produced By Siege)
11. Where Do We Go feat. Mike Anthony (Produced By Thx)
12. What Goes Around feat. Warren G, Focus, T-Lee, Mike Anthony (Produced By Focus)
13. Alright (Produced By Drama Beats)
14. Let That Thang Go feat. Balance (Produced By Big Tank)
15. Money Over Everything feat. Paul Wall (Produced By Siege)
16. Born Alone (Produced By Dready Beats)
17. Iron Man (Produced By Dicey Ent.)
18. I Can Do It Too (Produced By King Karnov)
19. What's Up Wit U feat. Turie The Vocalist, Mike Anthony (Produced By Battle Cat)
20. I Wonder (Produced By Warren Campbell)
21. Pass That Shit feat. Black Kent
22. Dirty Girl Pt.2 feat. Ryu, Bobby Light (Produced By Drama Beats and C4)
23. I'm Watching (Produced By Jake One)
24. U Better Back, Back feat. Warren G (Produced By Dr. Dre)
25. U Scared (Produced By Thx)
26. Gone feat. John Mayer (Produced By Drama Beats)
27. American Dream (Produced By Focus)



CHUUUUUCH

Sunday, November 21, 2010

DJ Couz and Bishop Lamont Presents : Mecha God Spilla




Check the Bishop Lamont mixtape which is only available in Japan. This mixtape contains some inedits tracks

1. Mecha-God Spilla Intro
2. Sadatay (Produced By Diverse)
3. Blow Yo Mind (More) feat. Xzibit, Crooked I, Jelly Roll (Produced By Scoop Deville)
4. That Feelin' feat. KES (Produced By Dicey Ent.)
5. Nothing Could Be Better (feat. Suga Free, Butch Cassidy) (Produced By Battle Cat)
6. I'm Faded feat. Nate Dogg (Produced By Warren G)
7. Flashy (Produced By Dr. Dre)
8. Freak Freak Ya'll feat. Nikki Grier (Produced By Dr.Dre)
9. Unbreakable feat. Godfather J, Mike Anthony 9. Unbreakable (Produced By Focus)
10. I'm A Rider feat. Chevy Jones (Produced By Siege)
11. Where Do We Go feat. Mike Anthony (Produced By Thx)
12. What Goes Around feat. Warren G, Focus, T-Lee, Mike Anthony (Produced By Focus)
13. Alright (Produced By Drama Beats)
14. Let That Thang Go feat. Balance (Produced By Big Tank)
15. Money Over Everything feat. Paul Wall (Produced By Siege)
16. Born Alone (Produced By Dready Beats)
17. Iron Man (Produced By Dicey Ent.)
18. I Can Do It Too (Produced By King Karnov)
19. What's Up Wit U feat. Turie The Vocalist, Mike Anthony (Produced By Battle Cat)
20. I Wonder (Produced By Warren Campbell)
21. Pass That Shit feat. Black Kent
22. Dirty Girl Pt.2 feat. Ryu, Bobby Light (Produced By Drama Beats and C4)
23. I'm Watching (Produced By Jake One)
24. U Better Back, Back feat. Warren G (Produced By Dr. Dre)
25. U Scared (Produced By Thx)
26. Gone feat. John Mayer (Produced By Drama Beats)
27. American Dream (Produced By Focus)


DOWNLOAD : Megaupload / Mediafire

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Update

'Your Lover" and 'No Equal' was youtube rips.

So, here is the CDQ version

DOWNLOAD Your Lover
DOWNLOAD No Equal

Monday, November 1, 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Bishop Lamont feat Liz Rodrigues - Rain (Produced by Dr. Dre)




Here is the long awaited single, RAIN, produced by Dr. Dre, from The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3.

And I also want to say happy birthday to Bishop Lamont !!

CHUUCH



DOWNLOAD the single

Bishop Lamont (Message To The People)

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Info : Bishop Lamont – Rain (Prod. By Dr. Dre)



Trick or Treat? It’s definitely the latter, as Bishop Lamont releases a brand new exclusive single on Halloween- Bishop’s birthday. The song, featuring Liz Rodrigues of The New Royales and produced by non other than the good doctor, touches upon a haunting and personal tale from Bishop’s past that occurred on the night of All Hollow’s Eve. Play very close attention to this story as it is indeed inspired by true events.

RAIN will also be accompanied by its official music video which seamlessly translates this dark story cinematically to your screen.


Keep checking www.aftermathmusic.com and http://bishop-lamont.blogspot.com/ for the single and the street album, "The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3", which will drop the 1st November!

The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3 features Kurupt, Busta Rhymes, RBX, Talib Kweli, and Marsha Ambrosius, among others. This musical treasure also features production from Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, DJ Khalil, J. Dilla, Lord Finesse, Focus, and King Karnov, among others.

CHUUUCH

Monday, October 18, 2010

Bishop Lamont - Mecha God-Spilla Japan Tour [Part 2 of 3] (2010)

Bishop Lamont - Mecha God-Spilla Japan Tour [Part 1 of 3] (2010)

Bishop makes his first visit to Japan touring with DJ Couz, Damizza, Elijah Allan-Blitz, LRH & PCP (Bishop's Brother).

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

UPDATE (Old songs and mixtape)

Alright, I post some songs which I didn't have, or which I had forgotten to put on my blog. And there is a mixtape too. Propz to Cios and MiGHTY for some songs and the mixtape


Big Wy feat Bishop Lamont & Gangsta - I Run L.A. DOWNLOAD


Bishop Lamont - No Stoppin' Carson DOWNLOAD I don't know how I do to be able to forget this music. It is very very hot


Bishop Lamont feat 50 Cent & R Kelly - It Could've Been You DOWNLOAD


Bishop Lamont feat Prime, Indef, Friday, Oowee & Dee Brown - The Listening part.1 DOWNLOAD


Bishop Lamont ft. Glasses Malone & Chevy Jones - Up & Down [Prod by Scott Storch] DOWNLOAD


Damani, Sly Boogy & Bishop Lamont - L.A. L.A. (New York Remix) DOWNLOAD


Dutchez feat Bishop Lamont, Dr. Stank & Dirty Birdy- Headbanga Boogy (Produced By Dr. Stank) DOWNLOAD


Macadoshis feat Eastwood & Bishop Lamont - Hustle Hard DOWNLOAD


Strong Arm Steady feat Bishop Lamont. Mistah FAB, & Planet Asia - Sunny CA DOWNLOAD


Styles of Beyond feat Bishop Lamont - Savin' LA DOWNLOAD


The Reyes Brothers feat B-Real & Bishop Lamont - Fight Night DOWNLOAD



HERE, DOWNLOAD ALL THE SONGS (1 link)



Now, 6 songs from "In The Mid-Nite Hour", Warren G's album

Warreng G - On My Mind ... 11.59 PM (Feat. Chevy & Bishop Lamont) DOWNLOAD


Warren G - Make It Do What It Do (Feat. Bishop Lamont) DOWNLOAD


Warren G - Garilla Pimpin' (Feat. Bishop Lamont) DOWNLOAD


Warren G - I Like That There (Feat. Bishop Lamont) DOWNLOAD


Warren G - Yes Sir (Feat. Snoop Dogg & Bishop Lamont) DOWNLOAD


Warren G - Ahh (Feat. Bishop Lamont, Frank Lee White & Chuck Taylor) DOWNLOAD


Warren G - All I Ask Of You (Feat. Frank Lee White, Chevy Jones & Bishop Lamont) DOWNLOAD




Bishop Lamont - On My Way To Own The Biz (Mixtape)



1. Welcome 2 LA
2. It's Bishop
3. Body Language
4. Let's Get It Poppin'
5. Put Your Glasses On (Feat. Guerilla Black & Tyrese)
6. Purgatory
7. Blast Off
8. Do That Shit (Feat. Chevy Jones)
9. Cheerio
10. Guerilla Pimpin' (Feat. Warren G)
11. Unstoppable
12. Change The World (Feat. Tyrese)
13. We Ain't Gangstas
14. Karma Sutra
15. New West Order (Feat. Tyrese)
16. Throw Ya Hood Up
17. Do It

DOWNLOAD THE MIXTAPE

Friday, October 1, 2010

Bishop Lamont - U Ain't Fresh




New track off "The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3" produced by King Karnov

DOWNLOAD

shoots to Aftermathmusic.com

Thursday, September 30, 2010

NEWS (September 30th, 2010)

  • About "The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3" : After the success of "Hollow Eyes", Bishop decided to give everyone another taste of his first album since he left Aftermath. The song is called "You Ain’t Fresh" and is produced by King Karnov.Here, there is a snippet of the song :





"The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3" will feature production from Dr. Dre, DJ Quick, DJ Khalil, Lord Finesse, J. Dilla, King Karnov, Focus and more! The special guests include Kurupt, RBX, Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli, and Marsha Ambrosius, among others!


  • About "Team America : Fuck Yeah!" : Bishop Lamont and Indef will be finally rereleasing Team America: Fuck Yeah! UNTAGGED this Christmas. Moreover, an exclusive bonus track never released will be also released as well as exclusive music videos and behind the scenes director and actor DVD commentary- all in mega puppetron surround sound!

  • About "The Product" : Indef is also planning to rerelease an UNTAGGED version of "The Product", his street album hosted by Bishop. wish you ready for the untagged premier of the single The Howling, featuring Bishop Lamont, this Halloween.



Shoots to Aftermathmusic

CHUCHHH

Bishop Interview : Talks About Jay-Z, West Coast, "Shawshank" & More



Shouts to Rebel

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Bishop Lamont Interview With The Source

With people still awaiting Dr. Dre’s Detox and the label shrinking by the day, Aftermath survivor and latest escapee Bishop Lamont sheds some light on his experience in the house that Andre built and his run-ins with industry rule #4080 on the way to his latest project The Shawshank Redemption

So Bishop, what's going on with the new project Shawshank Redemption?
Where did that title come from?

It started out as a joke really. That's what I would compare my label stint at aftermath at times! I felt like an innocent man being punished for some shit I didn't do!

Lets talk about it. What makes you say that?

I was there for almost five years with no release date! That's a bid nigga! (Laughs) But at the same time like the movie, it made me smarter, stronger, and more resourceful! And it never could break me!

Speaking of which, you dropped some pretty strong hints in your first single “Hollow Eyes” about some of the things that went on behind the scenes at Afterrmath. Care to elaborate?

Cut throat fellow artists for one! You’re busy helping them, feeding them on your food budget, and recording budget! You cut a record, come back the next day and they done re-recorded your joint (stole your idea) but kept the hook and turn it into Dre like they did it! Two, no A&R! You’re booking your own studio time and reaching out to the producers yourself! But with no front end funding for securing records, how you gonna get shit done? And all the hits you do get first you never get paid for, so records like the Nottz joint Scarface did, or the Jake One track that ended up the Hot Rod/Mary J. Blige, are just a few! Oh yeah! And the “Conglomerate” record! But Bussa Buss is the big homie so it’s all good! And it was a great look for one of the illest, most amazing producers, that nigga focus!

So you’re saying, you’d record records and they'd be given to other artists with no credit for you? What Did Dr Dre has to say about all this? Couldn’t you go to him and fix things?

Ah! Remember I tell any more and I'll ruin the ending! But just cause you're a wonderful guy I'll say this. In the case of the Nottz record, Dre was ready to go in, but by then it was too late! We heard it on the radio!

But you weren’t without your own hits I'm sure. What stopped you from putting out your own records? "Making yourself hot" as they say?

I tried! Hence all the street albums! Three singles on the radio back to back! “Do It” and “Up And Down” produced by Scott Storch, “Feel On It” produced by Focus, and finally “Grow Up!” That was a number one record on Power! Came back from research one hundred percent but the label issued a cease and desist against the station! Even threatened to sue them! Hilarious! Who does that? Thank you to all the DJ's who supported the record still, against orders even! Bless you especially Mr. Chock!


Did Dre respond to you asking why his label would put out a cease and desist to an artist on his label?

Lmao! You don't quit do you sir? Yes and no! Without giving away the movie. We even went back in the studio to discuss how to make it all work! Obviously it didn't! And at that point you gotta pull the parachute some time, or you're gonna go splat! It was an eye opening experience! But I must say Dre tried the best he could to a certain degree! Again with out giving away the movie, he would always say to me at a dinner or some engagement, or the studio "You came into my life at a weird time, a hard time, but just be patient with me!” So I will always have love for him and we will remain family. But business is business as I soon learned the hardest way!

I believe in "live and let live." Karma can handle her own business! So I should handle mine! I'm just thankful to still have an opportunity to have a career finally! To still be relevant and have more fans now and notoriety, when I signed back in 2005! A true blessing! Remember all that while, I never got to grace any magazine covers, no major features, and I'm still here! It was like sitting in a cell and watching life go by! I use to see Ne-Yo in the studio with my boy Six John way before he got signed, out of here now popping! I saw Rick Ross while I was living in Miami before he took off I met Drake working on Detoxrecords. Luckily he didn't sign, and look at him go! (Laughs) I think you get my point!

I guess what makes this so crazy is that with all the behind the scenes insanity you’re alluding to, you were always in your interviews repping Aftermath and making it seem all good.

Well there's two points of Bishop Lamont when you look at the interviews. The fresh start happy, completely focused, didn't ever drink or smoke, green and young to the bull shit bishop! Then there's the drinking, hella-swole cause he was so angry and couldn't beat up the people doing this shit to him at the office, so all he could do was lift weights, Bishop. In the midst of beefs with niggas who he had helped get they deals, fed and clothed, or walked into a radio station for airplay! Stabbed in the back by damn near every one he put on! My grandmother died! The guilty will remain nameless, but they were playing with my checks! I take care of my whole family basically; my granny needed and deserved certain medical attention I couldn't provide for financially! And she died! I feel directly responsible even though I shouldn't! I remember holding her hand in that hospital and feeling like I had failed her! I've just barely come to terms with that and found peace as best I could! Lord have mercy! That was confession like a muthafucka right there!

So where are you now?

The full circle Bishop Lamont! The Andy at the end of Shawshank finally experiencing his dream! The no drinking, no drugs, MMA training, “Ram Dass” reading, Man vs. Food watching, retarded ass life loving nigga I was always meant to be! I have no regrets and I'm not angry or frustrated! I'm not running round beating niggas up outside clubs no more, or shaking down punk ass DJs for disrespecting! I'm working with the United Nations! Doing records with the Wailers proceeds going to the hungry all over the world! Real grown man shit! After school programs, prison outreach, and youth center projects! I'm doing and moving as God truly desired and intended for me to! Fuck these small minded, insecure, egotistical, make believe, godless, industry bitch ass niggas! U fighting over crumbs and destroying the art form, destroying the west coast, and holding up traffic! Hop yo fossilized old Asses in La Brea Tar-pits and let all these new artist in! That goes for the entire country! West coast, East coast! Where ever niggas got the runway backed up!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Bishop Lamont feat Anjulie - Hollow Eyes (Produced by Soul Nana of the System) / (Untagged)



New track off the 'Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3'.Keep checking the blog for the relaese of the street album. 'Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3' comming soon !!!

DOWNLOAD

Monday, August 30, 2010

Bishop Lamont “The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3″



In the early 1970s a monstrosity occurred in the southern parts of our great country. A monstrosity no different than any other monstrosity committed throughout history; however, a monstrosity seldom known to today’s generation. Almost 40 years ago, deep in rural Louisiana, three young black men were silenced for trying to expose continued segregation, systematic corruption, and horrific abuse in the biggest prison in the United States, an 18,000-acre former slave plantation called Angola.

After a modest string of peaceful, non-violent protests, State legislative leaders, along with the administration of a newly-elected, reform-minded governor, called for investigations into a host of unconstitutional practices and the extraordinarily cruel and unusual treatment commonplace in the prison. In 1972 and 1973 prison officials, determined to put an end to outside scrutiny, charged Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox, and Robert King with murders they did not commit and threw them into 6×9 foot cells in solitary confinement, for nearly 40 years! Robert was freed in 2001, but Herman and Albert remain behind bars. Another fairly recent example of civil monstrosities was the shocking murder of Oscar Grant by the BART Police in January of 2009.

Unfortunate occurrences like these have occurred time and time again since the early days of human civilization. Not just in the form of politics or regional agendas, but also in the subtle form of literature, public education and multi-media. In the Hip Hop world, this could not be more evident than in the case of todays most talked about rising star- Bishop Lamont. Bishop, real name Phillip Martin, caught the whole world by storm when he signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment in 2005. With a slew of critically acclaimed and fan-loved street albums, Bishop was gearing up to be Dre’s top future protégé and Hip Hop’s new savior. In the course of 5 years after his infamous signing, no solid release date was established for his major album debut. Furthermore, the world came under extreme shock when Bishop announced his surprising departure from Aftermath/Interscope in January of 2010.

What happened in the last couple years that lead to such a shocking decision and overwhelming fan response? What was the situation behind the scenes at Aftermath/Interscope? After years of silence in this matter, Bishop Lamont is continuing his climb to the top of the game, and he’s climbing stronger and harder now than ever! Questions will be answered, new questions will arise in shock, and heads will nod as Bishop reiterates his most recent true life experiences in the form of outstanding lyricism, untouchable flow, realistically controversial content, and neck breaking production.

Hip Hop and overall music lovers rejoice! www.AftermathMusic.com and http://bishop-lamont.blogspot.com/ present to you Bishop Lamont’s The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3 street album with blessings from Bishop’s very own Diocese Records! The brand new musical adventure will feature production from Hip Hop giants such as Dr. Dre, Lord Finesse, J. Dilla, DJ Kalil, King Karnov and Mark Batson along with fresh new production blood by the talented likes of Siege, The System, Dicey Ent. & T-Wiz! This new audio blast of Holy Water also includes guests ranging from Taleb Kweli, Marsha Ambrosious, Kobe and so much more!

Also keep your ear to the streets and eyes glued to www.AftermathMusic.com and http://bishop-lamont.blogspot.com/ for exclusive information from Bishop Lamont, including the future project The Unified Field Theory where Bishop plans to involve music artists from all corners of the world, such as Europe and Japan, to compete and represent on the project! There are many exciting surprises and updates coming from Bishop Lamont so remember to keep checking .AftermathMusic.com and http://bishop-lamont.blogspot.com/ for your complete, uncut, unadulterated, and purely potent Bishop Lamont fix!
CHUUUUUCH!

Make sure to follow bishop Lamont via Twitter .

Shouts to www.AftermathMusic.com , my new affiliated website, for the news.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Bishop Lamont - It Hurts (Produced By Dready Beatz) Full/CDQ/No DJ




Finally the full and untagged version (track from "the confessional")

DOWNLOAD

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Spitfiya feat Mistah Fab, Shakes L, Dubb, Bishop Lamont, & Kendrick Lamar - I'm The Man (Remix)



off Spitfiya's upcoming street album

DOWNLOAD

Shoots to The West Come Up

Monday, August 9, 2010

Elijah Allan-Blitz feat Bishop Lamont 'The Way The World Ends' Music Video

New Mixtape Comin' Soon

DJ COUZ & BISHOP LAMONT MECHA GOD-SPILLA

Get 'em Girl + And You Do Know That




Bishop Lamont feat Talib Kweli - Get 'em Girl (Prod by J Dilla_Co-Prod by Focus) DOWNLOAD (New files) or HERE (from dubcnn)

Bishop Lamont - And You Do Know That (Prod. by Dicey Entertainment) DOWNLOAD (New files) or HERE

Friday, July 16, 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Bishop Lamont feat Xzibit, Jelly Roll, & Crooked I - Blow Your Mind More (Prod By Scoop Deville)

New version of the song, with this time, the finished version

DOWNLOAD

Shoots to Higgs

Friday, June 18, 2010

Blow Yo Mind + Look At California



2 News songs :

First : Bishop Lamont feat. Xzibit - Blow Yo Mind (Prod By Scoop Deville)
A song with X and it could be the first single from his album, whose name has been changed to "God Damn Nigga, It's About Fucking Time!". In any case I hope, because it is a butcher.

DOWNLOAD

Then, a song where apear Bishop Lamont : Reality feat Bishop Lamont, Mistah FAB, & Crooked I - Look At California

DOWNLOAD

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Bishop talks new projects

Bishop Lamont knows Drama. But that’s a good thing when it’s Drama from Rob Dyrdek’s hit MTV show “Fantasy Factory.” “Drama did it — he’s a mega-producer who doesn’t get enough credit for his talent,” Bishop says as he listens to “Gone,” a new song featuring John Mayer that he cut on a recent stop by the Fantasy Factory.

“E. Sanchez hooked it up and I just ran with it. I did it for the music, I just felt it, related to it and identified with what John was singing about. And, straight-up, John may have got controversial in a magazine interview but the dude’s no racist … he was just bein’ crazy, damn, take a joke.”

Lamont stars in, and is a producer of, the upcoming feature “Fahrenheit 513” with Damion Whitaker, Bokeem Woodbine, Christian Audigier and Tom Sizemore, and he also did a track for a documentary on the Angola 3 that Samuel L. Jackson recently narrated, entitled “Land of the Free.”

“It’s a travesty that is a very, very deep cause for me,” Lamont says about the case of three innocent men, Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King, held in solitary confinement for more than three decades for trying to speak out against inhumane treatment and racial segregation. Lamont has befriended King, who was released in 2001, while Wallace and Woodfox remain in solitary.

“It pained me that all I was able to contribute personally was a song — I want to do a whole lot more than that. I recently met with (fellow activist and entertainer) Harry Belefonte and we have a lot of work to do together. My business manager, Damizza, had been trying to introduce me to Dave Stewart (of Eurhythmics fame), who is composing the score for both films I’m involved with. Dave introduced me to his artist Nadirah X. She’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever met. She just blew me away; her music — her soul — pours through the speakers. I just heard her in my head on the John Mayor song. She felt it too — felt what I was saying in the song with my verses. I asked her to get on it and before we know it Dave’s stringin’ up his guitar … it’s incredible. He played an outta-this-world solo using his diamond ring as a slide. I’d never seen, or heard, anything like it. Some people see the future of music as bleak — but not me … I see soul & new suits … with Dioscese ties!

“Oh, and for y’all thinkin’ I’m gonna say “Fu*k Dre” and diss him or Aftermath like every other artist that’s no longer there, you got me all wrong. Dre signed me after hearing a demo I ambushed him with at a video shoot and not only did he not blow me off, he was true to his word … he listened to it. The next morning he was droppin’ my name on radio and became my biggest supporter. I sincerely appriecate his mentorship. He took the time and put a hell of a lot of effort into my artistry, when most people in his position don’t do that.

“Now I’m guiding my own way and that’s what I’ve been training for all these years — and I can’t wait to start sharing my message and vision with the world.”

Thursday, January 28, 2010

After Aftermath: Bishop Lamont Discusses Leaving Dr. Dre's Label, His Future Plans and the State of the West Coast

Call Bishop Lamont hip-hop’s Conan O’Brien. Like the lanky late-night talk show host, the Carson-raised rapper ostensibly received the keys to the kingdom when he achieved the dream of every local MC: signing to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath, “The Tonight Show” of record labels. But things didn’t go according to plan. Despite dropping several highly regarded mix tapes and scoring a hit radio single with the Dr. Dre-produced “Grow Up,” Lamont was left to languish on the sidelines. To add insult to injury, the label sent a cease-and-desist letter to Power 106, barring the station from playing the tune -- a bizarre move that seems opposed to conventional music industry logic. (Aftermath did not respond to requests for comment.)

Of course, common sense has paid few house calls lately to the laboratory that Andre Young built. Since Busta Rhymes’ “The Big Bang” in 2006, Aftermath has released just three records, a pair from 50 Cent and another from fellow longtime meal ticket Eminem. The Interscope subsidiary handed Rhymes, Chef Raekwon, Rakim and Joell Ortiz their walking papers. As for Dr. Dre's “Detox,” the long-awaited “Unicorn of Rap,” both Raekwon’s laughably tardy “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Chinese Democracy” beat it into stores. At this point, cynics cluck that it ought to be called “Botox,” considering we’ll all need cosmetic work by the time it sees the light of day.

Yet through it all, Lamont remained the loyal soldier -- clearly frustrated with the foot-dragging but unwilling to criticize his mentor (other label executives were a different story) and laboring diligently on Dre’s “Detox” and his own debut, “The Reformation.” Over the last year, rumors swirled that Lamont had been dropped from the label, with the rapper born Phillip Martin vehemently denying the accounts. But last month, he revealed that he had parted ways with Aftermath, telling Shade 45’s “The All Out Show” " that it was like “ 'Shawshank Redemption'… I still love them over there, but thank God… I was going out to the prison yard, shaking gravel out my pants…trying to crawl through the sewer."

Lamont declined to comment further on the disarray at his old home, but spoke to Pop & Hiss about the 700 masters he left with, his forthcoming releases, hanging out with Ram Dass and his future plans for his own imprint, Diocese Records.

You were able to secure your masters per the terms of the severance agreement with Aftermath. What exactly is contained on those recordings?

We’re about to finally bless the world with a lot of music. It got to the point where it wasn’t fair to the fans or to myself to have to keep on waiting. I understand that labels have obligations, but it was difficult to have fans coming up to you and asking when I was going to get a release date. There’s a lot of crazy records I got to take with me. There’s a J Dilla record that I got with the blessing of DJ House Shoes. Tracks from DJ Khalil, Lord Finesse, 9th Wonder, Mr. Porter, Focus, basically a who’s who of underground hip-hop.

And tracks from Dr. Dre?

Yes, there are tracks from the good doctor in there.

What’s the status of your relationship with Dre?

It’s as good as it’s ever been. In the course of the time it took to get out of the Aftermath contract, I never wanted it to cause our friendship to suffer. He's like my big brother. I understand that business is business, and I’m hoping to continue working with him in the future.

What’s the plan for your next release?

I’m going to put out “The Shawshank Redemption,” a mix tape with Bink and DJ Drama that will talk about what I've been going through.

You’d been working on a follow-up to “Caltroit,” the sequel to the original collaboration with Black Milk. What’s the status on that?

There was so much going on over the past year that it had to take a back seat. But we did a record called “Fat Gold Dookie Rope” that’s probably going to be one of the first singles off the new project that we release.

At one point you were planning to release a tape called “No Country For Old Men,” in which you were going to take shots at West Coast veterans for not supporting younger artists. What happened with that project?

Snoop actually reached out to me, which was really dope. I’ve known him since I was a teenager and his brother and I are friends. A lot of people thought it was a ploy for attention, but it was about older artists supporting the younger artists. Those guys are heroes to us and it’s important to carry on the tradition. But we had a heart to heart and he explained that he’s willing to support all of us, which you can see now.

It’s important to keep the West from falling into the standard boxes you think of when you think of West Coast artists. There’s a lot of talented people out here who don’t get the shine they deserve: Pac Div, U-N-I, Med and Rocc C and Oh No from Oxnard, and a bunch more I’m forgetting at the moment. I’m liking the direction we’re going in, but there needs to be more unity and I’m in a great position where I can lead by example and move at my own pace.

You’re not the only West Coast artist who has had difficulty getting a major label to release your record. At the moment, Glasses Malone, Nipsey Hussle and Jay Rock have all been able to land singles on Power 106 and still don’t have a release date in sight. Neither do Pac Div. What do you make of that?

It's ridiculous. Nipsey's been doing his thing, Jay Rock had a hit song with Lil Wayne and will.i.am. and no one can get a release date. People sometimes get it twisted that I hate the skinny jeans kids, but that's not true at all. I love that The New Boyz are speaking for kids their own age in a way that hyphy never had the chance to do. But none of the labels are giving the West Coast artists a chance right now, they're busy trying to figure out a new design for the business -- all of a sudden the machine they created is working against them. That's one of the reasons why I'm working toward getting Diocese Records off the ground.

I'm trying to build a label for everything from rap to R&B to jazz to alternative rock to country. We're trying to do everything in-house, with videos done by DJ Skee and Matt Alonzo, and radio and Internet promotion done right. Artists would come to me when I was at Aftermath and I told them that their best bet was to avoid signing with a major. They thought I was hating, but the labels want to give you 360 degree deals and take all of your publishing and your merchandise and publishing. If an artist can sell 40,000 copies on their own, they're rich. If they sell 40,000 on a major, they get dropped.

What's the status of your own album, "The Reformation?"

It's almost finished. There's so many records, but I've had the blessing to be able to sit with Ram Dass lately in Maui, and the books he's given me and the things I've learned have been so dope. I'm almost overwhelmed. It's hard to know where to begin. I've been sitting down with so many amazing people lately and learning and evolving so much, that's it's just crazy. There's nothing better than being able to have my freedom.

Saturday, January 9, 2010