What up ya'll? I'd like to welcome you to another exciting episode of "Pope's Underground Spotlight!!!." Where we take some time out of our busy schedules to dig deep into the underground and uncover an up and comming artist! I'ma drop an interview, some pics, and free mp3 downloads for each featured artists. Lets look at this as a way for the Juggalos to broaden their horizons and check out some new stuff, and for some fresh ass new artists to spread the word about what they got goin on. For this edition we're heading to the land of wings, snow, and Canadian fence jumpers, Buffalo, New York! We're gonna have a little heart to heart with the Crescendovillain himself, AJ Jordan! He is a businessman, MC, graphics designer, producer, and pretty much a jack-of-all-trades. So hit up the freshness below where you'll find a full on interview, some links, pics, and some free mp3s. Also, give the pic below a click to visit his official myspace for more info and tracks. So read on and get schooled by AJ Jordan, The Crescendo! btw my stuff is in this color and AJ's stuff is in this color. Click Here to Download "AJ Jordan - Hey Now.mp3" Click Here to Download "AJ Jordan - Stronger (Remix).mp3" Click Here to Download "AJ Jordan - Heartbroken" - so first off, tell us about AJ Jordan. i.e. where yer from, how long you been in the game, anything else we should know, etc. Hi, My Name's AJ Jordan, a 25 year old starving Underground recording artist from Buffalo new York. I'm your not-so-friendly neighborhood Crescendovillain, and I've been lurking around deep in the shadows of the Wicked Underground for almost 10 years now, performing all across the country and creating masterpiece beats & graphic design for other well-known artists, as it's known I've brought alot of cats into the game by starting them off and teaching them how to produce & engineer music, all the while I was going through different alias as my music evolved into what it is today. I'm one of those artists that everybody has heard of but nobody knows nothing about, and sometimes I like to keep it that way, mysterious almost. I've been conjuering up a sick CD for the last 4 years, writing & speaking on everything I've wanted to ever say inside, and kind of took a hiatus to collect my thoughts on what I would really like to do, and honestly I have just been brewing beats and scribblin' lyrics like a "behind-the-scenes" vision...my sophmore debut to the Underground is highly anticipated and set to release this summer on Tuesday, July 22nd 2008! - What kind of projects have you worked on in the past? You might have heard of "The Darkest Angel" out of Dallas, Texas who performed at the MC Contest at the GOTJ2000 and gave out over 5,000 sampler CD's of the wicked shxt "Decayin' In Tha Ground". Then in 2002 I moved back to my hometown of Buffalo, NY and met these dudes Undaground Conspiracy (UGC) and we started a massive overhaul on a more conscience-minded level of marketing our hip hop music. We evolved into making our own beats and learning the business end of the music industry and advertising promotions, and created a huge stir within the local hip-hop scene in Rochester, NY that still lingers of envy. In 2003, I parted my creative ways from UGC and release a solo album under my real name AJ Jordan entitled "The Different Shades Of Grey EP", basically my freshmen release as a solo recording artist. I took on a broader market and passed out over 10,000 sampler CD's locally through Western NY and beyond, and the hit single "People Change" got heavy rotation on local college radio, all which gave me heavy publicity throughout local newspapers like the Artvoice and in the course of a year we sold 1,500 copies of my debut EP. So, needless to say, I've put in work! Speakin' of which, there's many artists giving me inspiration that I'd love to jawn on a track with, my favorite by far just killin' the scene right now is the Murda Mitten's own Menacide, dude is a great businessman and even better friend to his fans & listeners - cop that Street Symphony CD in stores now! I'd also like to record a track with Devin The Dude (I know, he's not really "Underground"), but I can't get enough harmony and he's hilarious. Rumor has it you'll be hearing alot of guest appearances on my full-length LP, such as the False Profits Coalition's own B-Lo-C, Cap One from Simken Heights, Lo Key & Saint Sinna from 7th Seal Entertainment, and mad more in the mix! - Whats currently in your cd player? Ok, here we go...I have a very eclectic range of music from LA The Darkman's "Heist of The Century" on some old Wu-Tang 'ish, you know we gots to have Tech N9ne up in the whip bumpin' (my mornin' wake-up music), Cage from Definite Jux, Hard Target from Florida and the Black Op's crew with DZK, some Prophet Posse (former members of Three Six Mafia), my homie Ajax from Detroit (Go get that Out Of Body/Out Of Mind EP!!), a little bit of Pastor Troy old & new, some Tool and Pantera, and yes even old school Everlast from House of Pain gets steady in that steady rotation clam-bakin' the ride! - you have a wide variety of styles. do those come from different influences, experimenting, or something else? man, music has always been a part of my SOUL. And that's the type of music I will always intend to make: For the people who can relate. I honestly don't listen to my own tracks because they are more of a psychological thing for me just to get out the stress sometimes, but even the good times will roll and we're always in the studio laying down fresh-hot beats. My style of producing beats is genuine to alot of other Underground cats- When I moved back to New York I picked up "beatsmithing" as the producers call it, and learned the technicalities behind sampling old-school breaks off wax vinyls from an old friend of mine. We'd sit there til all hours of the night spinning old records looking for the hot breaks & melodies, and you can hear the influence and sometimes may even be able to call out which song of old that I sampled for whatever beat. It's a process, but music = my 1st and only true love. - Every artists has good stories from the road, tell us one. Ah man, let's talk about Detroit. I went out there to rock a show with Lavel and Marz, and it was supposed to be some kind of bikini carwash like the tickets said, right on 8 Mile Rd in the heart of the Diamond District. Now you people from Michigan know what's good in the D, that is the craziest hood I have ever gotten lost in, going down 8 Mile (more like 25 Mile!) and when we finally found the place an old crackheaded lookin' dude tried to show us directions down a one-way back street saying they moved the venue. He told us that there'd be a dude there who can give us directions to the real place, and we were like hell naw and peeled out of there! Come to find out the concert was like an hour away, and eventually we found it & had a blast anyways! - your talents go far beyond being an MC. Your completely self made. Look, designs, beats, lyrics, and web work. How do you do it? I've pretty much taught myself how to do everything in the last 10 years. I went to college and obtained my Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design & Media Advertising, which gave me alot of background into web design and internet marketing. I've always liked drawing and art, and music came hand-in-hand, too. So over the years I've developed my own personal style & taste, being the huge perfectionist that I am, and gathered a knack for good publicity. My writing influence comes from my Great Uncle John C. Gardner, who was a well-known author in the late 1960's for his controversial midevil-inspired novels. I have always loved writing since I was a young boy I would walk down the sidewalk making up tunes in my head or I'd constantly be drawing and writing poems. Recently I've been booking all of my own shows locally, and try to rock a concert at least once a month to keep the fans happy out here in Buffalo. I've learned what the people want and what they don't, and how to approach the media with a buzz that couldn't be denied even in the out-of-state regions past NY. - Whats yer drink of choice? It's a toss up between a Jack & Coke, but I am highly addicted to the Blue Monster Energy Drinks and have to have one every day. Haha. - Whats yer favorite city/venue to play in? There is NOTHING better than a local show, if you lived in Buffalo you'd feel the love [and the hate, but it's fun - I like drama ;p ] Other than here I'd have to say Dallas/Fort Worth more specifically the many venues in Deep Ellum - don't mess with Texas, they know how to party! - Other than music, what else do you do? Currently I am helping a business partner market and manage a restaurant, he does everything out of there from the famous Buffalo Wings & Pizza to Tacos, we have a video arcade and our own Entertainment company spinning local artists, and all the while being waitressed by the lovely ladies of Lake Ave Hotties, in which we also run a modeling company and photography & design entrepenaurship LLC through. - What’s your goal in this game? As in, why do you rap? Honestly, I don't just like to "rap". In alot of my music you'll hear me only on choruses breaking it down with mad melodies, and one day I plan to experiment with live instruments and form a solid band that can play only what I hear in my head now. As I'm always analyzing my music and others around me, it's hard to form a concrete product out of rap and hip hop alone when there are so many fans down with metal and rock music, as well. My aim is to one day make a household name for myself as a guru of all fields in the entertainment business. I will never stop making music or art, my determination far exceeds anybody's expectations. Someone will have to take me out of the game or make me sign a contract, because I'm always hungry & never satisfied! - Next week the America's Nightmare Tour kicks off. Tell us about it. Click the Pic to Enlarge This tour is going to be full of controversy and that's why I'm on it. I love the rumors and people spreading them like an infection. It only fuels my desire to rock more venues. The whole thing of this tour is that many of our artists aren't well known, and we are trying to get them out there as hard as possible. Alot of us are coming out-of-pocket just to drive the 12 hours to come to your very own city or town and rock a small venue, but I'm that type of dude who loves the social interaction and observing the whole thing, just soaking it all in and learning new things from good peoples. Fact is I've never been afraid to put in hard work, and it has paid off as people all over the world are starting to know who AJ Jordan is and are turnin' the dial to tune in! - Where can people learn more about you and check out your music? You can google search and find about 89128238923 things about me, or just visit WWW.MYSPACE.COM/AJJORDAN for more info and FREE CD Downloads! Click Here to Download The Crescendovillain Mistape 2008 - rant time, you get 20 sentences to say whatever the hell you want. GO! Well, I think I've taken up enough time on Faygoluvers' behalf, and I would just like to state (with no reflection of opinion anybody else's but my own, mark that as a disclaimer), I cannot stress enough that if you are old enough to vote, please go to your polls this voting season and place yours in!!! Our country is under alot of stress with this "war", our current President lies and we need an honest soul to bring our nation back to greatness again. I've had to deal with several homies of mine just wanting to get out of this city and joining the military, only to get shipped overseas and months or years pass by and you finally hear word, only to learn the dude you grew up with on the corner just chillin' kickin' it is now "DECEASED". Many songs have been wrote with subliminal thoughts of passed-on soldiers, and my heart reaches out to all the families in America involved. Our sons should be growing up to carry on our family names, yet instead we are sent to a warzone for our "authorities" to live lawless in thier filth? I'm ashamed at our governmental system, and think we deserve change. So, please, place your votes, people! I don't know if that was 20 sentences, Pope...but this is very important. I've noticed alot of cats on the Spotlight don't pay homage to thier roots of what we as artists were blessed with. The talent...the "ear" for music...a written form of expression....turned into speech...use your rights and strive on kid! - what do you think of the current state of the "industry?" The Industry is a joke, behind every successful person lies a pack of haters. I'm greatful for all the real heads that bump my shxt, but for the ones that love to screwface, don't waste your time! Sorry, I have a lot of disgrace for the commercial industry these days, the music being put out is nothing new, just packaged differently people!! - all the Buffalo Juggalos talk about the live AJ shows. Just what goes down at one of those? oh man, chaos, great times & great people. I have alot of pride for Buffalo, and one day plan to put this city on the map. The City of Buffalo also has alot of respect for me as an entertainer and there is no denying I am a public figure for the youth out here. I have been on local talkshow broadcasts, live college radio and interviews, in magazines and local newspapers, it's great to feel your work makes a difference in a world full of intolerable people and constant crime and poverty which we all feel the backlashes from in our communities. Our live shows are full of high energy and we just like to "get it all out there" so when we're done we feel accomplished. The people around our city and surrounding surburban areas are hooked onto our music, mostly because we are REAL with what we spit lyrically, and it is the kind of music that you can jam out to, or even at times get low and learn from your experiences, like I have. I'm here to make music for a cause, what that is I'm not sure: But I feel it inside. How many artists can say that? Most of them are just out there bragging about things they don't have, or in the Underground, killing when they haven't lifted a finger, or smokin' out like everyone's already done it. No thanks, where's the reality in your taste? Bitter, but true is what I am. Grimey. - Are there any plans for tour stops in other parts of the country? This is the start of a never-ending concert schedule with plans of storming everywhere. Our target regional areas are the East Coast (NY, PA, VA, OH, MI, FL, MA, etc) but we are looking to expand South back into the DFW Texas territory and possible talks with a tour out West with 7th seal Entertainment in the summer to include California and Las Vegas, amongst other stops out Midwest like Indiana and Kentucky. In general, I am down to book a show anywhere, if someone would be willing to help pay for the travel expenses only, for booking please call the Crescendoville Hotline @ 716-901-3295 Anytime After 9PM!!! - briefly tell us about your "juggalo" experience. The JUGGALOS! My story is unbeknowest to anybody, really. You speak of a Dark Carnival, I actually lived it! When I was 16 I was living in Texas and I started hearing about ICP and they actually came out to Dallas with the purple & green van passing out Mr. Rotten Treats tapes and promoting the idea of the 6th Jokers' Cards, I didn't pay much attention until I played the tape and got Riddlebox & eventually Milenko came out and I was hooked. The very idea of a Juggalo - to be who YOU want to be, that's what it meant to me. Family like that, people you can trust. I also did alot of drugs back then constantly trippin' on cough medicine and painting my face with a wicked original design jacked by Killa C (Thanks dude!) And eventually started trying to make my own form of "rap music" as it was easier than trying to keep our countless amounts of metal bands together. Being in music before (I've been playing the keyboard since I was 6, my Aunt who was a famous country singer taught me) I had always wanted to delve into something new and creative, and a blend with my "darker side" couldn't be stopped when I learned about the Wicked Shxt!!! - what did you grow up listening to? I grew up listening to alot of classic rock like Van Halen, Black Sabbath, The Doors & The Beatles, which gave me my influence to sample old school music and make a new twist out of it. You'll hear familiar sounds from vinyls like Simon & Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, and alot of old school Jazz and R&B such as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, all the way to other music living in the South from swing to "Big Band" music and drum and bass, of course. - How was this year's gathering? Mission: Infect was definitely in the building, that's for sure. We hitler-marched through that whole place with gaskmasks gleaming and there was so many performances that the entire 4-day event was just complete insanity, I had alot of fun and met a ton of cool people, man... there is nothing like the Gatherings and if you haven't been to (or have) I hope to see every single one of y'all there! - Last but not least, whats next? SO much more is coming up, keep your ears glued to ya speakers!!! AND: Yo, MUCH love to Faygoluvers.net you guys have been holding it down for me since Day ONE for real! Shout outs to Scottie D and everybody involved in this wonderful & highly informative/innovative website - and if you all don't mind a plug here we go: AJ Jordan The Crescendo's debut LP entitled "The Sentimental Situations" will be released nationwide Tuesday July 22nd, 2008! With the full-length CD features a wicked awesome DVD of music videos, concert footage, backstage bloopers & breaking shxt - And we have a Full-Color Glossy Graphic Novel (Comic Book) mini-series entitled "The Blue Akwizishen" Pt 1 featuring artwork by yours truely and special guests! A special thank you goes to all of the fans as of late who have been supportin' a dude like a muthafxcka, buyin' that KC & AJ CD and bumpin' it in the whip & calling up the Crescendoville Hotline (716-901-3295) almost every night - y'all crack me up on there, and thanks so much for reals. I try to get back to each and every one of you, and in the future just keep moving forward with me... 1,000,000 AJ JORDAN THE CRESCENDO WWW.MYSPACE.COM/AJJORDAN A huge thanks goes out to AJ Jordan for droppin in and hookin us up with some info. Sounds like AJ has some huge projects commin up. That Amerikas Nightmare Tour really is incredible. The fact that a group of underground ninjas without any lable support are able to book and play a 10 date Tour is a huge accomplishment. I dont think alot of people realize that. Anyways, as always, for any and all info on AJ Jordan keep your eyes glued to Faygoluvers.net, your #1 Source for Underground News. And heres a few more free tracks form AJ Jordan! Click Here to Download "AJ Jordan - Walkin' The Line.mp3" Click Here to Download "AJ Jordan - Cant Smoke Without Me.mp3" Click Here to Download "AJ Jordan - Just Say No.mp3" ~Pope~