Tygah Woods, Hottest Group of the Year

Left to right: Wes B, Lyriqs da Lyraciss, Slangston Hughes

L to R: Lyriqs, J-Dubble, Slangston Hughes

J-Dubble & Slangston Hughes

DJ Mike Swift & J-Dubble

A couple of weeks ago on Tuesday, October 19th, Tygah Woods took home the Hottest Group of the Year Award at the NOLA Underground Hip-Hop Awards. It's always an honor to recognized by your peers and the general public for all of the hard work and dedication to the craft and the culture. An award like this is not the end but better yet a catalyst for many more great things to come including our first full fledged LP. Shoutout to all of my fellow Tygah Woods members, J-Dubble, Mr. J'ai, Blaze the Verbal Chemist, D. Francis, Wes B, Lyriqs, Rusty Lowdown & Coke. Many, many thanks to everyone who voted and all who scream our chant across New Orleans; FUCK YEAH!!!

"Fall Back"

"Fall Back,"the lead track off of my mixtape, Money & The Message was written over a year ago sometime between September and November. I had just left a Hip-Hop group I was in for about six years and trying to come up with a song that was not only catchy but supplied a raw and emotional message that provided my new artistic direction. "Fall Back" was produced by DJ Mike Swift in 2001 from what I was told and goes to show you the timeless aesthetic of music. I had actually heard the beat before by at least a year or more when I was in my group and liked the production then but never really had any succinct ideas for the track. I did however back then think it needed a military like chorus or approach since the drums portray a "takeover" of sorts.

The lyrics came first as I saved the hook for last, wanting to end the song with something that made sense for not only me as the writer but listeners as well. The verses were my first attempt at having the first three bars be repetitive to a degree each verse. And, as some might know I took my cue from Nas' verse off the "Salute Me" Remix off of Swizz Beats' LP Ghetto Stories. The hook had to be powerful and obviously like so many choruses in musical history, summarize the song. My thought process at the time was that this would be my manifesto, my introduction into the game as Slangston Hughes, solo artist. Complete. and utter. domination.

With that being said, "Fall Back" was created. Over the past year, this has been my favorite song to perform. It provides me with the chance to display my lyrical ability and onstage energy. In all definitions of the word, "Fall Back" is RAW!!! I hope you agree and enjoy it.

* Note: the first vid is a little dark but gives you a good idea of what the song is all about. Tune in to the second vid about 8:42 in for an "amped" up version of "Fall Back."

Money & The Message "Artist Statement"

Money & The Message

I was asked over a year ago by two of my best friends and musical colleagues (what up Nishe & Blaze, I see ya!!!) what I wanted from the rap game – music industry, whatever you wanna call it! After some deliberate thought, I happened upon "two great things that tend to conflict." Being a young, middle-classed African-American – excuse me, Presidential-American – I knew the first thing I wanted was financial peace of mind and prosperity; the ability to pay off my bills and live debt free. So, obviously money was my first answer.

Secondly, over the past few years I have noticed that Hip-Hop is certainly not dead but has been flooded with materialistic and misogynistic overtones. Similar to brainwashing, listeners and audiences throughout the country find themselves cut off from anything that doesn't deal with gun talk, rim size, jewelry, how many women I've been with, drug dealing, etc. The music I grew up to and respected that talked about social, economic and racial issues has become a thing of the past. I always felt that there had to be meaning behind the music you created. It had to be something you believed in, a part of YOU. If not, then it's not genuine, but don't get it twisted, I'm not here to preach. With that being said, my second answer was a message. I wanted to send a message to ALL music listeners that Hip-Hop IS a culture, IS alive and IS MUSIC. For a while now, music has been about the beat, I decided that we should flip that concept on its back and make it about the lyrics first.

In a nutshell, that's how Money & The Message came to life. A 19-track mixtape with original production by Danny "Beatchild" Brown, Jon Jackson of American New Wave Media Group, Blaze the Verbal Chemist of Beautiful Chemistry Productions and Power 102.9's own DJ Mike Swift in addition to beats from Will. I. Am., Just Blaze, J Dilla, and The Neptunes among others. Many song concepts found throughout the mixtape, infuse these two contrasting elements that make up our everyday lives to make you as listeners not only think about but also enjoy what you're hearing. Money & The Message was released on Tuesday, December 30, 2008. I sincerely hope you can relate and enjoy my take on Hip-Hop as I continue to push the envelope.

* Money & The Message is available for streaming on http://www.reverbnation.com/slangstonhughesand at any Slangston Hughes' performance.*