I recently caught up with Grammy-Award winning producer IWWMG for an in-depth sitdown.
During the interview 9th Wonder breaks down the new Middle East Movement and what is means for NC/VA/MD, gives an update on the IWWMG label and it’s artists, getting beats from Hi-Tek for upcoming projects, talks about scoring the upcoming NBA Elite XI video game (formerly NBA Live),”selling your soul” in the music industry, the opening of his new recording studio, Bright Lady, drops the title of the upcoming Buckshot & 9th Wonder album, why New York hip hop is not dead, plus more.
The video also includes a photo recap of the Reflection Eternal {Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek} concert during it’s recent stop through RDU {Raleigh, NC}.
Many thanks to IWWMG, JAMLA, The Academy and M.O.I. Photography.
ok.
the "middle east" is obviously a marketing/packaging thing–because from a culture and GEOGRAPHICAL stand point, North Carolina is a Southern state. period. but i can see where he's coming from in the sense that dudes from NC do seem quite "New York-ish" and for that reason NC isn't really "Southern enough" for the rest of the Dirty, Dirty.
i don't agree with it but i do see the logic in doing something like that: create the demand and others will follow because of his background. i'm interested in seeing what comes from it honestly.
so what do you think about the Karolin South movement? is that a marketing/packaging thing too?
of course it is. and it's just as silly as this "Middle East" thing that 9th is pumping. giving yourself a new name isn't going to get people on–the mentality has to change. the talented artist of North and South Carolina need to do shows (which means they need venues to perform in), they need to work with artist outside of their cliques (and their home State), and they need to learn how to "service" radio stations so that they can get radio spins.
9th has the power and influence to do all of that and I wish him the best but it's kinda disheartening to hear one of my hip-hop heroes all but disown his Southern heritage. why not create a CAROLINA movement that includes both States instead of aligning yourself with people (DMV) that call you "bama"?
I’m from NC and this dag gon middle east thing is ridiculous. It is what it is but NC is not the middle east, it is the south east. Culturally and geographically, transplants have changed it such that now it has become other than. I think some people run with that because the deep south doesn’t really accept NC as the “real south” but that’s like someone tellin’ me I ain’t black. I am not goin’ to rephrase what I am because someone tells me they view me as something else. NC is the south east regardless of who says what. Anytime I went to Va they picked on the way we talked and had they jokes. Not all of course but my general experience was such. The Carolina movement makes more sense to me, I do see unity but there definitely could be a lot more with all the talent between the two states man!