Dollar$ & Daialogue 1.5 Tracklisting & Cover

Stay tuned as the follow-up to Dollar$ & Daialogue, (nominated for Hottest EP of the Year) prepares to drop this month!

Slangston Hughes & L’Daialogue DiCaprio Presents: Dollars & Daialogue 1.5

TRACKLISTING:

1. Bruised Fruit * produced by Blaze the Verbal Chemist

2. I’m So Raw feat. Top Billion

3. Do It Tonite (SlumVillaDillaDawgRemix)

4. Mike Swift Interlude

5. Overworked & Underpaid feat. Robin Barnes * produced by J-Snizzy

6. Paygrade * produced by Blaze the Verbal Chemist ˚

7. Plankin On A 20

8. Sallie Mae

9. Slangston’s Plankin Interlude

10. Tardy * produced by Brad M.˚

11. Suck It Up Rmx feat. Tygah Woods (J-Dubble, Blaze The Verbal Chemist,

Mr. J’ai, Lyriqs da Lyriciss, D. Francis, O.T & Wes Beez)

12. Debt Ceiling ˚

- Production by L’Daialogue DiCaprio & MiZUnderstatistic except

˚Additional live drums & Nord keyboarding by Nick "Soul Nick" Solnick

and Andrew McGowan of Fo On The Flo

24 Facts about Dollar$ & Daialogue (Pt. 1)

With the impending release of the re-up to Dollar$ & Daialogue quickly approaching, I decided to put together 24 random facts (D&D dropped on 2/11/11: 2+11+11 = 24) about the initial project. Check em out and see if you find out something you didn't know. Dollar$ & Daialogue 1.5 drops later on this month!

1) Dollar$ & Daialogue was developed as an official follow-up to Slangston’s first mixtape, Money & The Message. The idea was to continue the discussion of money and how it affects, hinders, and stimulates us for better or worse.

2) The original idea was for Slangston to do all of the writing/vocals with a Daialogue verse or two at the most with him remaining behind the boards the majority of the project, but with the energy and dichotomy that came about as songs manifested, a collaborative effort was a better fit.

3) Dollar$ & Daialogue was recorded in four studios, Wes B’s Blu Deuce Studios, Inner Recess Recording Studios, The Hut Studios and L’Daialogue’s home studio.

4) With Slangston’s Blueprint mentality, the only two features for Dollar$ & Daialogue are Hip-Hop Soul singer, Suave and fellow New Orleans emcee, Lyrikill.

5) If you listen closely, there’s a special hidden track at the end of this LP with a certain New Orleans flavor.

6) Despite the large amount of talented producers throughout New Orleans, Slangston chose extended Tygah Woods fam and Memphis native, L’Daialogue for this type of project because of the chemistry that developed in what Slangston calls “one of his best verses written” in the Tygah Woods x L’Daialogue collab “Marie Laveau” (http://bit.ly/odP2kh).

7) The artwork for Dollar$ & Daialogue was created the night before its February 11^th release and features the same font that's used on each denomination of US currency.

8) The first song written and recorded for the project was “Do It Tonight,” Slangston’s personal rebuttal to the pessimistic and negative Twitter posts ending in the phrase #FML or Fuck My Life.

9) Not an overtly avid fan of today’s bounce music, Slangston was surprisingly convinced to do a Hip-Hop track with a bounce beat after hearing L’Daialogue’s Triggaman sample flip and production on “Hands In the Air” (http://bit.ly/njIZcl)

10) The idea for “Ladies In The Crowd” came about after watching a Black Milk performance video that displayed a solid, enthused front row of female Hip-Hop listeners at one of his shows, something that isn’t often seen at Hip-Hop shows generally speaking.

11) Writing/recording for Dollar$ & Daialogue started around March/April of 2010.

12) Olde Soul, longtime producer and L’Daialogue contributor, added the Jay-Z cuts from “Some Like It Hot” you hear on the title track.

Back 2 My Roots Video

Take a gander at the Tygah Woods video for the track "Back 2 My Roots" shot by Larry Legaux of Onpoint Solutions. Featuring appearances by Rusty Lowdown, J-Dubble, D. Francis, Blaze the Verbal Chemist & Slangston Hughes of the Go Hard Gang. ENJOY!!!

Support The Home Team!!!

If you're a fan of THE Connoisseur of Fine Rhyme or my Tygah Woods crew, please support us by requesting "Money IS The Message" off of my mixtape, Money & The Message and "Marie Laveaux" by Tygah Woods on local college stations WTUL 91.5 FM (Tulane University, 504-865-5885) and KLSU 91.1 FM (LSU, 225-578-5578).

You'll also be happy to know that "Never Can Say Goodbye" off of the stellar LP, Go Hard: The Moonwalker Edition by Tygah Woods can be requested on Q93 by calling (504 260-9393)

Just In Case You Missed It...

I just like really like this picture... don't mind me.

Two-eighth's of the Tygah Woods (www.tygahwoods.com) crew;
Blaze the Verbal Chemist & J-Dubble.

Now get yo hands up and get em high!!!

Verbal Slang: THE Product of Greatness & THE Connoisseur of Fine Rhyme

D.Francis joins J-Dubble for a rendition of "Back 2 Your Roots."

Sharing the stage w/one of my musical mentors, Mr. Still Fantastic, J-Dubble.
Always a great feeling...

I got my two step minus the drink.

Rusty Lowdown, the 6 Million Dollar Hypeman and host of "A Night With Slangston Hughes," Blaze the Verbal Chemist & J-Dubble displaying the brand spanking new Tygah Woods tees.

This is probably right before the fire marshall shut down the show. An energized version of "Fall Back," which had me jumping on chairs. Check out my homie, Ken joining in on the festivities with me.

*All pics courtesy of Taslim Van Huttum of www.abiquitie.blogspot.com*

A Night of Rhythm & Rhyme

"Now you know and knowing is half the battle." Come out to Hostel Ultra Lounge & enjoy an intimate, relaxed night with Slangston Hughes & special guests, Tygah Woods along with my new band!!!

168 Hours From Now... (3/1/09)

*I wrote this on Saturday, February 21, 2009. A week prior to a show, The Winners' Cup put on by me & my production company, P.T.E. Productions.*
For some reason my mind is always progressive & forward thinking. Though my "Winners' Cup" event (http://tinyurl.com/b8xqxf) is about 6 days away, last night I thought how would this show be remembered not just by spectators & the New Orleans Hip-Hop collective but by me. What would I take away from a show with six of the city's hottest emcees and a band that can give you a funked out version of "Shook Ones" or their crisp approach to "The Next Episode?" In actuality, I'm trying to make history and feel this is definitely a stepping stone in that direction. It's also slightly sad to say but I'm already starting to brainstorm for my next several events within the upcoming months before this one has ever taken place. A gift and a curse to say the least. The 6 Million Dollar Hypeman, Rusty Lowdown put knowledge on my mind with some great advice the other night saying "take it one show at a time," but that's hard to do when both he and I know my capabilities and what I have in store. So... I say all that to say this, A Night of Champions will commence next Saturday at the Dragon's Den beginning at 10 p.m. Hope to see you there...

So... looking back on the Winners' Cup, I ask myself if I achieved what I set out to do by creating the show in the first place: a profit, history AND most importantly, a notch in the right direction as far as New Orleans' Hip-Hop scene is concerned. I can assure you that all three of those goals were met with this event. It's one thing to make money off of a show that you invested a lot of your time, sweat and energy into BUT I'm all about breaking bread with my peers and extending the Hip-Hop culture, especially in my city. Every performer, patron, fan and Hip-Hop lover in the Dragon's Den that I talked to enjoyed the show from top to bottom and were still talking about it days after the event. It's this top of response that makes me proud to be an emcee and appreciative of all the hard work that went into the event. Thanks to the venue, all the performers, bands and spectators. The Winners' Cup was more than worth it in my eyes and has helped me to continue in my quest to push the envelope. Stay tuned for more...

"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.*