http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lDz9MwDJd4

So here's whats going dow--I want to know how you all feel about the album, in your own words.  So this is your chance to play music editor--XXL gave my album an XL--what would you give it?

So what i'm looking for is a critique of my album, track for track.  Tell me what you liked--what you didn't like--what collabo's you thought worked, what you would like to see next from me, etc.

All entries must be sent to my inbox with the title "TEK GIVEAWAY". Please leave your mailing address, as the top 50 entries will be sent an autographed copy of my brand new mixtape hosted by Clinton Sparks and Big Mike.


This is a one time offer--which i will run for one week!!! (ENDING NOV. 6)

 

All my life—my music and my family have shared a close bond.  One of my greatest memories is waking up to my father, in the kitchen cooking breakfast, singing an old Bobby Womack song. From that moment on, a connection was made, and I knew music was in my veins.

                

Growing up I learned that music had its place in my family, and it seemed everyone revolved their lives around music. I happen to have had a huge family, and we are extremely close so that meant everyone from my pops to my uncles, to my grandmothers and cousins played their part.  I often remember weekends that I would stay at my grandmother's house (which was like the center of the family universe) and by day it was all about the old records she would play--while either cleaning or cooking, and night it was more of a social club setting.  My father and my uncles and older cousins would gather around—singing, and playing guitar.  I realized how important music was to my family; it represented togetherness in our lives. It was actually my uncle who was the first person to put a guitar in my hand.  He was self taught, and schooled me to the first elements of music; picking notes, forming chords, etc.  Both my father and my uncle went on to become members of the music group,  D'Italians, which had a deal with Mercury Records.  The group later changed their name to 24 Carat Black, and although their album's never really received much props, they did record the heavily sampled track, "Ghetto: Misfortunes Wealth". But it was those gatherings were which served as the blueprint for what would be later known as "Family Jam Sessions".

 

Since I opened my studio, TekLab, I made sure to leave one Sunday open a month in an attempt to re-create those memorable family gatherings that once was apart of.  I went from banging the screen door for percussions, to leading a session, with mic'ed up instruments and real production. As a producer, I truly believe this is what it means to produce.  What innocently started out twenty years earlier in my grandmother's backyard transformed into a full live session with fifteen plus family members present all adding their input. With my pops in the vocal booth, my uncle on guitar, and countless young nieces and nephews all doing the, "ooh, let me do it too", the Willie Cottrell Band was formed.

 

Way before Nas and Olu linked up on "Bridging The Gap", I had recorded several songs with my pops.  It wasn't until recently, while recording in the studio with Dion, that I realized how timeless these unfinished projects were.  On the new album, the world will finally hear our work.  The first record, "Josephine" was recorded about 2002, and was created at a Family Band Session; the other record, "People Going Down", is more of an inside view of how an actual jam session might sound. There's my pop's singing, my uncle on guitar, me on the drums, even my little niece crying; my goal to bring these "Family Jam Sessions" to the next generation, and literally  "bridge the gap".

This can also be read as i do the guest blogging at XXL.

Click here.

"MARLEY AND ME"

When I was younger I remember buying the Juice Crew's "The Symphony" record, and I immediately fell in love with that song. I memorized every line, and must've played it so many times—that the record sleeve ripped. I even remember sitting down at the piano and self-teaching myself that piano loop. I had never been to New York at that point in my life, and I knew that Queens was far from the 'Natti, but listening to this record—I felt like I could've been right there in the QB projects.

 

Now let's fast forward to last week. I am in the elevator in New York, on my way to sit down and record an interview with Marley Marl for his show Future Flavas on Power 105.  Excuse me, the LEGENDARY Marley Marl. My mind starts racing and a million thoughts come to mind. All I can hear in my head is that piano loop from "The Symphony". Over the elevator the speakers are bumping some club-friendly song that uses the same drums from "Impeach The President", I look on the wall an see an ad for the radio station with LL Cool J on it and think to myself, "Mama Said Knock You Out" It immediately reminded me what a huge contribution Marley has made to the Hip Hop.  I begin to think this man is one of the pioneers of the game, the first dude to really chop up samples to produce records. He was the original "King Of Digging"—he found all the dope break records, and manipulated them into works of art. What could I really tell him that I've done, that he hasn't done already a hundred times over?

 

As the door opens, I'm escorted into his studio.  My nervousness turns into humility as he embraces me, and let's me know what a fan he is of my music. We break the ice by talking about new equipment, and mutual studio's we've worked in—and I'm soon feeling as if I'm accompanied by an old friend rather than the larger-than-life person I had made him up to be.  As, the interview jumps off—I start to feel really comfortable—Marley's laid-back demeanor, and his questions brought out some of the best answers of any interview I've ever done.  In my experience, some of the interviews I've done ask—I've received some generic-ass questions. Marley's questions were so authentic that I poured out some of the most genuine answers I've ever done. He wasn't asking the questions of a fan or of a magazine editor getting paid to a job—these we're sincere questions coming from the heart, from the mind of a fellow producer, a member of hip hop.  Now in my career I have done many interviews, and I can tell the difference between writers who have been "prepped" versus the people who know of my music, and I was amazed that he was a dear fan of my work. 

 

As we've moved on from the cassette tape days to the mp3 days, I think back to the crate of records I have back in my studio, my "Crate Of Classics".  All names synonymous with the golden age of hip hop; Kool G Rap, Eric B & Rakim, the Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, Biz Markie. They are all bound together by one man. Marley Marl.  His influence on this music, is awesome, he is truly a hip hop icon. People like him pushed me to do what I do. The Afrika Bambaataa's, the Marley Marl's, and the Jam Master Jay's the true purveyor's of our music, and I can only hope I leave a mark on this game like they do. Thanks Marley.

 

What do yall think of the new page layout???

Here's a couple of quick links for the weekend..

Check out my new page up at Okayplayer here.

Go enter to win my competition at Spine Magazine here.

Next week i will be XXL's guest blogger, you can check it out here.

 

Couple of quick pics from my trip to NY...

First off, heres a picture from the Dynamic Producer's Conference

(Hi-Tek, Ammadeus, Angi (DP), Focus)

The Legendary Marley Marl--FUTURE FLAVAS!!!!

Me, my man Alonzo, and the boy Weezy F Baby