SFT Blog: E.A.R.T.H.

The first post in a new segment: “Straight From The Blog: Chopping it up” Where the “Yet Unsigned” introduces themselves. Two Categories in one post. “I does this.”

Quick Intro:

I got this email from E.A.R.T.H. management, along with various (tons) of other music and links from other artists, Thursday night with one of their songs “sextin’ after textin’ “. As usual I listened to it with a skeptic ear but known the less played it twice then four times… haha. It caught my ear. I was later finding myself searching links and posts to other E.A.R.T.H. material. E.A.R.T.H. stands for E.verything A.round R.evolves T.hru H.ip Hop. They are a Southern Cali Hip Hop group. Reminds me of De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Outkast. So I’m sharing with you guys on my blog:

E.A.R.T.H. :

By djleche at 2009-05-16
(left to right) Ro Tone, NoE, Write Words, Double Negative

First off thank you for taking the time to be the first Interview on my new blog site : Leche Is Chillin. (reference to milk dee song “milk is chillin” from top billin’)

Here we go:

Who is E.A.R.T.H. and where did that name come from? How did the group meet and start?

Ro Tone:
E.A.R.T.H. stands for Everything Around Revolves Through Hip hop, We are a group of 4 emcee’s (Write Words, Double Negative, NOE, Ro Tone) that all love hip hop. We all met at the University of California Riverside all at different times. We were just a bunch of young cats that appreciated rhyming and because of that we would all meet up and start freestyling together or just lay down tracks for fun. We used be those dudes at the party always battling cats or cyphering outside. That’s how we got down. The original E.A.R.T.H. Crew used to be around 9 people deep but as you can see, as the years went on the numbers started to dwindle as well.

How long have you guys been fans hip hop? Let me rephrase that: Do you remember your first contact with Hip Hop?

Ro Tone:
I’ve been a true fan of hiphop since 94, about since I was about 11 years old. I started rhyming when I was 13 but I didn’t get good until I was about 16 years old. I was a big wu-tang fan and I had all the wu records, even the affiliates. My first contact with hiphop was when my cousin Simon put me on to the Dre Day record. I don’t know how he was allowed to play that tape at that age (he was born in 83 like me) but yea, that was the “first” memorable hip hop exposure. When I heard the lyrics, I was shocked but at the same time the music sounded real raw so it captivated me.

Write Words:
As an immigrant, I’ve been a fan of hip hop since I got introduced to the underground scene. I remember printing out lyrics
of Bone Thugs & Harmony and reciting Bizzy’s rap. The culture itself especially the bboying, graffiti, djing and beatboxing
got me hook into hiphop. I tried bboying, grafitti when I was young but I got into the mcing of things because
I did spoken word.

Double Negative:
I have been a major fan of hip hop since a kid. My older brother would bump Wu-Tang, Rakim & Eric B, De La Soul, etc.. That was the beginning of my hip hop experience, and I just fell in love with it ever since.

NoE:
I bought a tape of “the chronic” by Snoop and Dre and it was over.
Actually my mom bought the tape for me..

What are some artists that inspire you and continue to inspire you?

Ro Tone:
Past, well I have to put the whole wu tang movement. Everyone that was in wu had something about them that made me want to spit. Dan the automator, Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, HI-Tek etc…I mean I would literally listen to how they put the albums together, not just the lyrics but production, artwork, beats, cadences, flow all that. I mean there were alot of dope cats and still are alot. Noreaga’s N.O.R.E. album was banging, Prince Paul’s Prince Among Theives showed me how to think outside the box as far as concepts and structure are concerned. There are so many I could name…ATCQ, De La Soul, Diggable Planets, Fat Joe’s Don Cartagena was hella dope. E-40 was and still is killing. E-40 had been known on the west for a long time before people outside of Cali started messing with him heavily. He used to do records with alot of San Diego cats like Lil Cs and Jayo Felony. As far as grind is concerned, I know I heavily respected the Living Legends crew and what they were accomplishing without a major record label. Man….too many to name.

Write Words:
Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Ice Cube, Biggie, Tupac, Canibus, Talib Kweli, Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul are some of the artists that have influence me.
Even Saul Williams because I am into poetry. In addition, Jay-Z, T.I. and I love Busta Rhymes energy when he performs.

Double Negative:
Well, I was born and raised in California, so the West Coast music has had a huge impact on me as well. Cats like: Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg (old snoop), Dogg Pound, Too Short (old too short), WC, etc.. But, I have never really discriminated on coasts. I got love for the East coast too: Rakim, Wu-Tang (all of them fools), Roots, Redman, etc.

NoE:
Snoop, Dre, Outkast, E-40, grouch, murs,
tupac, biggie, talib kawli, common, the roots, camron, jay z,
devin the dude, Brotha lynch hung, man even some rock groups cant
remember unless i hear them though.

Some say you guys remind them of De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest , Outkast, myself being one of them. How do you respond/feel about that?

Ro Tone:
I take it as a compliment. I mean all of these dudes are legendary so…if we are reminding cats of legends then that is definitely a good sign. I think that means we are on a good path and we should continue to put out good music.

Write Words:
We appreciate it and take it as a compliment to be compared to such great Hip hop legends, but we always felt like our music
is not what you hear in the mainstream nor underground in the past or present.
I feel like our music is really different because of our production and the creativity
we deliver in our songs.

Double Negative:
I appreciate the love. Considering, these groups are legends, it makes us look at our music in a light that we can be that big.

NoE:
It’s an honor to be compared to some of the greatest groups of all time
in any genre.

Any stories from the road you guys would like to share?

Ro Tone:
One time we were on the greyhound to do a show in Oklahoma (yea we didn’t have a tour bus) and an older white lady started hitting on me and offered me a pair of socks….it was random.

Write Words:
Well, when we did the MTVU Campus Invasion Tour in Atlanta in 2007, we got to hang out with Rich Boy and Crime Mob
backstage and people asking for autographs was kinda weird because we’re your average folks
who happen to enjoy making music for the masses to hear.

NoE got hug by a random kid on the greyhound bus on the way to OK state. HAHA

Double Negative:
Greyhound to Oaklahoma. 36 hour drive.. babies crying, and people that stink.. enough said..

NoE:
From smokin with crime mob in the ATl, to sippin with Local artist
Uncle phil in the OK state, to many stories through the years not to
include all the capers in california.

Hip Hop albums you’re looking forward to this year?

Ro Tone:
All the albums I’m working on (lol) ummm…I really want Detox to come out…but I don’t know if that will happen. It’s real difficult to know what albums are coming out because it seems like there is no such thing as release dates anymore. All of a sudden, a new album pops out and I didn’t even know that one was in the works

Write Words:
Of course, I’m actually looking forward on how our album Grass Roots is going to look like
after years of working at it.
I’m kinda looking forward for that Eminem Relapse and Detox. I would love to hear another Fugees album.
That was on my rotation for like weeks with no skips.

Double Negative:
Im looking forward to our album. As far as other dudes, some of the new shit is wack. So, not really.

NoE:
anything with lil wayne, the cool kids, any westcoast artist
we need a revival out here its alot of artist out here
that got talent, and nobody has never heard of them.

What are you guys working on now? Another Album? Promotional touring?

Ro Tone:
Just working on new material to hit the blogosphere with. We are still promoting the Grassroots album as well. I’ve been mixing a lot of records for Maurice Meadows and I’ve been working with this cat Sal Filipelli as well. I’m all over the place. Just hit me on twitter/rotone to get at me

Write Words:
We are working on a couple of mixtape submissions. We have a film “Darling Nikki” starring Freddo Starr, theyre
using one of our songs “Feelin Alive”. We got a couple songs on some tv episodes on ON The Flip Side TV
Thanks to Aubrey Anne, the host of it. She really loves our music.
Currently trying to get this Hip Hop Documentary called THE BRIDGE.
They want us to do the soundtrack and also be on the film to be interviewed in July
Definitely be on the lookout. Currently just pushing our album independent and doing some shows here and there.

Double Negative:
Right now, we are making moves doing shows and trying to push the Grass Roots album. We are making songs here and there, but for now there isn’t another album in the process just yet.

NoE:
All of the above, we making money right now…

Question for each member: What is your favorite E.A.R.T.H. song that you guys recorded?

Ro Tone: “Something That You Do” because it is really our first non hiphop song

Write Words: Well, I like all the songs that we’ve recorded lately. It’s a lot of progression and I like the creativity
of the songs we make. We got a couple of hooks and ideas that aren’t even concrete yet and its really dope.
I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.

Double Negative: Let A Lil Sucka Know.. That was on the first album. I had fun recording that one..

NoE: Whichever one i have yet to record

Once again thank you for chopping it up with me fellas. Make sure you guys hit up links to their music and if you like it, which I’m sure you will, stay tuned and ready for more E.A.R.T.H. music in the future.

Media Links:

E.A.R.T.H. on Myspace

Follow E.A.R.T.H. on Twitter

This is the cherry popping (pause) first installment of now my favorite part of this whole blog page.

Leche is Chillin

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