So, here's my quarterly blog post.  I have been very busy this last year.  Indyground has been a major factor in hip hop in mid Missouri, like I knew it would, but the actual impact for me, was amazing.  I got to record and release my debut record, and it's done better than my expectations by far.  I also got to go on Steddy's 'Style Like Mind' tour, with him and Mahf.  Which was an experience I will never forget.  A vital experience for the live show, which by the end of the tour, had improved tenfold.  That leads to me now, having the most confidence ever musically, going into a concept project EP!!!  To explain, I am making the "Faces" talks, a reality.  At first, I wanted to get this thing rushed and out by mid Jan, but thank god Steddy talked some sense into me, and were gonna wait until mid April.  It will be all story songs.  Named after the fictional characters the songs are about.  The songs, 'She' and 'Suicide' were many peoples favorites on the first record, so those people will be happy to know, more of that is coming.  It will be between 5 and 7 songs.  A free download at first too!!!!  The December 4th reunion show is going to be a big one too!!  An amazing lineup of hip hop, and it's a free show!!!  Get the shit out of here!  Yeah, many things are brewing for this next year, I do plan on releasing another full length album before the end of 2010, so don't think Faces is all your getting next year.  I am learning it takes a lot of time to do it all right.  One thing is for sure, I am down to get it right.  Thanks for supporting local hip hop.  Peace to you.

-Dallas

When we woke up today, it was to sad news about my good friend Jules.  I have worked with Jules for many years DJing around the lake.  He has been an amazing person to so many people, and..... no, he has been a saint.  I wouldn't dare throw that word around if it weren't true.  He worked more hours than any human being should, and managed to keep a good spirit most all of the time.  That is worth an award in my opinion.  His awesome girl Renee, has baby-sat for us, and all of our friends for many years.  Jules stopped breathing last night, and after battling all day at Lake regional hospital, they aren't very hopeful he will make it.  I am a mess writing this now, and my heart and prayers go out to his entire family and friend-base.  It is like taking the shepard out of the valley of lost souls.  I know it all is part of a bigger scheme, but it doesn't seem right.  Too young.  I'll miss you Biggen.


-Dallas

So, here I am blogging again.  That's weird to write or say for me, I don't know.  MY RECORD!!!  It's coming along very nicely.  I am finishing up the last 4 or 5 tracks for it currently.  I have 12 tracks for sure going on right now, and 4 others in debate.  I have to re-record every track before mastering.  That's not an issue, in fact It will help the sound.  I am way better at my delivery on everything now, than a year ago when couple of them were recorded.  I am going to use Centro-Cellar Studios to master.  They're based out of Columbia, and I guess I will let the cat out of the bag now on this.  I'm pretty sure my family and I, are going to move to Columbia this next summer.  Which means, Columbia and mid MO are going to see a lot more of Dallas.  I will officially be entering the arena of touring acts this next year when that album is finished.  My name is Dallas, and my record will be entitled, "Yeah, that's my real name"  In all of my professions, I've been asked, is Dallas your real name?  And people always give me this look like, come one, you can tell me, I won't say anything if it isn't.  I'm gonna start telling people no it isn't, my real name is Richard Anus.  Yeah, the old Dick Anus gag. ha. 

So anywho...... I plan on getting around this great country of ours, and pushing the holy shit out of this record.  Part of the reason on that, is another release at the end of summer.  I am working on a concept album right now too.  I go into detail on that record in previous blogs.  But right now is crunch time for me and Yeah, that's my real name.  Steddy will be coming down in the next month to put the finishing touches on a track called Anti-hype.  We will also work on a flow of the album, picking song orders, and shit like that.  I am also putting a completely different stage show together for the 'Green Party' in Kansas City on 4-17-09.  That show will be an absolute motherfucker of a good time.  (I been working on my hand drums yalls)  If you haven't caught a fresh underground hip hop show in a while, peep that shit!  It will have David Hasslehoff on Acid, Ghostly Japan, Steddy P, and myself on the bill.  Good times.  It will also mark my one year anniversary of hooking up with the Indyground crew.  I met Steddy at the Green party in Columbia last year. 

So as of right now, I have a gang of people with their hands in on this record.  My boy Llama, Samwichez, Helias, Triphazzard, (crossing fingers on a Ben Bounce joint) DJ Mahf, DJ Innovation, Steddy P, Rhyme U, J Bomb, EMFB, and for some reason, I know I'm forgetting like 3 people.  If you are in on this shit, and I didn't mention you, sorry.  I'm ripped right now, I'll get my shit straight before I do the credits on the album!  Thanks for giving two shits peoples.  Peace.

So here I am, not even 11 months into my myspace experience, and I'm well over 20,000 profile views and 33,000 plays.  Get the fuck out of town, right?  I have to give MAJOR props to the whole INDYGROUND record label for getting me out of my house, and making music for the masses.  I have been bedroom recording for sooo many years, it was either this, or quit it.  The idea of not making music, turns my stomach, like listening to comercial rap music.  My girl has been influential and vital, to the process of getting the studio and myself, going as well.  I will always appreciate her support, more than she knows.   And Indyground is so about ready to blow on the underground scene America.  You guys don't even know.  I am so fucking stoked to be messing with some like-minded, motivated, cats like these.  I am wanting to thank the entire town of Columbia, MO, KC, MO, and Lake Ozark, MO.  Because there are a lot of people behind what I'm doing in those cities.  Ya'll make me proud to rep it wherever it takes me.  You know?  I am getting closer and closer to a finished album.  It will be self-titled, "Dallas .....yeah, that's my real name".  It will be my first real release ever.  That may be odd for someone with a 65 song library to say, but it's true.  I have been handing out burnt cd's for almost a decade now.  Damn, I'm glad to be moving on from that too though.  I'm also working on a follow up to that record, it will be called, "Faces".  I have this set as a concept record.  All songs will be first names of people, and tell stories about those people.  Each song a snippet of their lives.  Some happy, some sad, some completely irrelevant.  Yes, this is what I consider one of my strong points.  I can telll a story in a song like a real motherfucker, from what people tell me, so I'm gonna go with it.  A full album of story raps.  I haven't heard about anyone doing it before, if someone has, holla at me with who, and when, etc.   Anyway, these live shows are amazing to do.  People are starting to know words to my songs.  These people don't  have a cd or anything, that lets me know where these damn plays on my page are coming from.  Thank you people, I appreciate the love.   I have a new track up with a beat from Helias, and another for the Faces record.  So be ready for that.  I have another track for the Faces disc from Samwichez as well, named Leonard.  You can peep it on his page right now.  And let me just say, if everyone in the music business was as cool as my man Samwichez, the music business would kick way more ass.  Thanks for your work too, homie!  I have a track in progress with my homie Triphazzard also.  This is called, "Off the deep end".  And it's fucking crazy.  Also, '22 Stout', the new track on my page, is my homie EMFB.  We go way back, and he is easy to record with.  We are also working on a collabo EP, called 'Shake the Baby'.  It will melt you face when we finish it.  Be careful.  And finally my homie Dead Llama, is always on the grind.  He has a techno-ish album he just finished, while making a shit-ton of beats for my record, and this continues to this day.  Thanks again to anyone who actually read all this.  Peace, from the Slowzarks.

-Dallas 

    My name is Dallas.  Yeah, thats my real name.  Mom was a cowboys fan from way back.  I grew up in Peoria IL, and came to Lake of the Ozarks MO in 91'.  Around the turn of the century I got out on my own and began living in Columbia MO.  I started writing and recording hip hop in early 2001.  The first songs were mainly just a bunch of party anthems that got played by our close friends, and that was it.  I've been taking it a lot more serious in the last three years.  I have started a family with the woman of my dreams and her two awesome boys.  This has slowed down the process (of making music) for me a little, but made the quality of what I do put out, so much better.  She is my motivation, 100 percent.  
     Dead Beat Productions is what I've been claiming for almost seven years now.  A google search on that name let me know that would NOT be the name we would use for the music biz.  It started as my boy Drew, and myself.  Rapping at house parties and making low budget discs in one of our many bedroom studios we've used.  Then comes Eric Bizzle and DJ SAVAHO.   E-Nuts was a fantastic find lyrically speaking, and Drew was stepping back to focus on school at the time so it worked well.  We did a few things, but nothing to really get out there.  
     Fast forward almost four years.  I had been saving money, building a working studio, and writing material for what seemed like forever.  I guess I was also dreaming for the day when I would meet someone who made beats that I liked.  Berry's shit was dope, but it was geared for his style.  That was the only concern for me.  Then, through the amazing powers of the Coffman family, I met DJ Dead Llama.  He is a good producer already and he is just getting started in this profession.  I have for some reason, been meeting so many amazing people, and talented musicians for years now.  I have great feelings for the future of my music thanks to all of the kick-ass people that I have in my corner.  Thanks for giving a damn about local music, Dallas.