Producer Jon Bonus and his new group HAHA-Yo
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PRODUCTION CREDIT: “Do What I Want” video featuring Asher Roth, Original Music and song Placements for movies “Soul Ties” and “Nothing But The Bests,” video for “Close Your Eyes” by Aurielle (American Apparel, David LaChapelle, Penguin…), Single Ladies (episode 207), Gossip Girl, America’s Next Top Model, 20/20, Young Dro, Phife from a Tribe Called Quest, Samiyyah Dixon, DJ Rasta Root, Asher Roth, T-Pain…
I’ve heard of your road to discovery and it is a very interesting and humbling one. Give us a run-down on your background and introduction to becoming where you are today?
I started playing piano when I was 4 and kept up with it all the way till now. Along the way, in high school, I was in band, ensemble, chorus…anything having to do with music, you name it. I was also that kid who knew all the lyrics to all the rap & R&B songs – Biggie, 2pac, Jodeci, Bone, DMX, Usher, No Limit…whatever (ha ha). In college, I was in the music certificate program so I was in orchestra and chorale and took a bunch of music classes like history of music, music theory, and some others. It was in music recording that I got the fundamentals to start putting down my own music, along with free programs like Fruity Loops and Pro Tools. Back in the early 2000’s, recording gear still wasn’t as cheap so you still needed to go into the studio at the school to record. Luckily, after I graduated college, I bought a Powerbook and an m-box 1 on my credit card and started my production/recording journey. Up to this point, I was working and going to school. I had jobs as the campus news and music video show producer, I interned at Earthlink Live (Center Stage now), and even a start-up later with Chicago/Atlanta rapper 4-ize, as their lone client. As I was continuing to teach myself
how to record/produce on my own, I luckily got an internship at Sony Music in Atlanta, after having faxed my resume in for 3 straight semesters! Finally, I got a call from the second in command saying, “if we give you 5 hours a week to start unpaid, will you take it and stop sending your resume in?” Needless to say, I stayed there as an intern, learning the label and marketing side of things for a year and a half without pay. Meanwhile, I was finishing my master’s degree, and working at a gym and an FYE with another one of the interns at a mall down the street. Unfortunately, the effects of Napster and the digital movement hit by mid 2000’s and labels were downsizing and closing offices. The Sony office was immensely downsized, and my internship ended. I continued to teach my self and experiment with my own production and worked with a couple local bands to help manage and put their music out in stores. Luckily, a position at EMI (Capitol/Virgin/Blue Note/Etc) opened up, and I was a new Artist Development Rep for the Atlanta region. This was an awesome job for me, and I got to work with great people on the label side and on the artist side, including releases by Janet Jackson, Rolling Stones, Norah Jones, Janelle Monae, Big Boi, and others. During this time, I wrote a lot of lyrics, melodies, and concepts and kept them stored on my computer.
Once again, though, EMI downsized and got rid of their Chicago and Atlanta offices. Some of my work-mates who were there for more than 2 decades were let go with one phone call. It was a sobering sign of the digital transition of music, and the labels were reacting to their lower sales and profits by slashing their workforce. I was forced to work out of my home and was let go within a couple months. During this time, I
made the choice to move out of Buckhead into a house outside of the Perimeter, to save money and work with Maverick Records/Trustkill Records band City Sleeps. They were good friends of mine, and I went on the road with them for a couple shows, while figuring out my next move. They eventually broke up, and it seemed every music opportunity I had gotten into had not panned out.
Instead of taking an office job, I started valeting and fell behind on my rent trying to figure out how to stay in the music industry. It was this period with a lot of time on my hands that I spent hours in the basement of the friend’s house I was staying at, that my production and recording knowledge really stepped up. I had upgraded my gear with the last of my money and built a recording booth and started recording anyone I could and producing as much music as I could, good or bad. Luckily through my roommate at the time, Solomon Kim (Jackmaster Solomon), I was introduced to DJ Rasta Root (Phife Dawg, Dwele, Smokin Needles) who I began to work with in the studio. We would later place a lot music together with artists, TV shows, and other media.
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Source: Scott Murphy
Interviewed By: Patrick Kelly
Contributors: Jon Bonus & Patrick Kelly
Checkout HAHA-Yo’s latest videos.
Music
LIKE MIKE LAUNCHES GREEN ROOM LABEL FOR HIS SOLO PROJECTS
After a huge decade of success, culminating in Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike’s return to the top of the DJ Mag Top 100 poll, Like Mike expands his reach in the music industry with the announcement of his new label Green Room. Mike had an impressive number of self-released solo singles last year, such as ‘Best Friend’, ‘Lies’, and most recently ‘Sinner.’ Currently working on his first solo album, Mike launches Green Room and streamlines his output in the process.
The first release on the label comes in the form of ‘High off Love’, a Like Mike track featuring Angemi. With a release date of February 14th, the track gives fans an insight into what they can expect to hear from Like Mike throughout the coming year. Never happy to rest on his laurels and always looking for new ways to channel his innate creativity and ambition, Mike releases music that crosses multiple genres and generations. It’s clear that the launch of Green Room is a stepping-stone to similar levels of success for Mike’s already highly decorated career.
instagram.com/likemike_greenroom
For more information check socials:
www.facebook.com/LikeMikeMusic | www.twitter.com/likemike
www.instagram.com/reallikemike | www.soundcloud.com/likemikemusic
Source: Urben Rebel
Music
Hardwell announces 12-week return to Ushuaïa Ibiza with exclusive new show ‘Hardwell’s Carnival’
global DJ star Hardwell now returns to his adopted party home of Ushuaïa Ibiza for another season of spectacular summer fiestas. Always keen to push the envelope of his production as well as his events, summer 2015
Following a summer that saw the Dutch titan complete his debut residency on the world famous island of Ibiza, the Revealed Recordings head honcho and global DJ star Hardwell now returns to his adopted party home of Ushuaïa Ibiza for another season of spectacular summer fiestas. Always keen to push the envelope of his production as well as his events, summer 2015 will see Hardwell launch an all-new event for his exclusive Ibiza show – Hardwell’s Carnival!
Embodying the sound of a modern generation of dance-lovers, rave-worshipers and electronic enthusiasts, Hardwell announces his return to Ushuaïa Ibiza every Tuesday, for 12 epic weeks of Hardwell’s Carnival. Picking up from last years hand-picked roster of talent which spanned a range of fresh, upcoming artists mixed with a selected group of heavyweight star DJs, Hardwell and his team have been busy working on choosing an impressive array of A-list artists and emerging new talent for this years season on the White Isle, with full line-up details to be announced very soon.
Taking the Carnival concept to a whole other realm, as this exclusive new clubbing experience collides with the festivities of dance, culture, costumes and most importantly, music, expect to hear the peak-time workings of Hardwell and friends sound-tracking the moments of the Summer season, surrounded by stilt walkers, masquerades and carnage-creators, that are unlike anything else Ibiza will see in 2015.
Hot off scooping 5 IDMA awards this year with accolades including ‘Best Global DJ’ and ‘Best Podcast or Radio Mix Show’ for his globally syndicated ‘Hardwell on Air’ show, Hardwell takes his total of industry-recognized IDMAs received to 11 – a rare and impressive feat for any world-class electronic artist, only signalling his sparkling future ahead – with his commanding attention to detail and driving force in the live arena, poised to accelerate even further for 2015. With his debut album ‘United We Are’ shooting up the global charts to claim the #2 position on the iTunes Album Chart worldwide, Hardwell’s next offering is set to follow in similar suit as he readies for the release of his brewing Summer anthem ‘Follow Me’ featuring Jason Derulo.
Since his first trip to the island of Ibiza in 2010, Hardwell’s career has swelled to arena-dominating status with his latest colossal offering being the launch party of his ‘United We Are’ album, as well as his world tour kick-off, which took place at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome with 2 sold-out events to rapturous applause on both nights! During the weekend’s launch event Hardwell beamed his sound global once again as hundreds of thousands tuned into the livestream across all four corners of the globe to watch one of the most in-demand artists of a generation deliver a show of truly memorable proportions and the Summer season madness in Playa d’en Bossa is next in line…
www.facebook.com/DJHardwell | www.twitter.com/Hardwell www.youtube.com/hardwell
Music
American Idol Cancelled: Reality Singing Competition Axed After 15 Seasons
“American Idol” will say goodbye to audiences around the world in 2016, announced Fox on Monday morning. The singing competition will be back for its 15 and final season next spring with judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr.
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Enrique Iglesias, Luis Coronel Lead ‘Premios Juventud 2015’ Nominees [FULL LIST]
Enrique Iglesias keeps proving that he’s the king of awards show! Not only did the Spanish crooner win big at the 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards, but…
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