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Moni Pearson Starts 0:00

Good sunny Sunday morning, almost afternoon. My name is Monika Pearson also known as La Doodlebug. You can find me @LaDoodlebug on Facebook IG. My show the world sucks was previously a radio show where air on YouTube in the coming weeks was supposed to be on by now. But if COVID not the pleasure of speaking to three very hard working gentlemen based out of the DMV, we have the marketing director of the coalition DJs Mr. Eugene Smith, I’m sorry, marketing director of the coalition DJs DMV DJ, big sip and the artists 7pm aka Logan H. James. So I have so I have the marketing director, DJ artists all three on the line with me how you gentlemen doing first and foremost, thank you for taking some time this

DJ Bigg Sipp Starts 0:55

Morning!

Moni Pearson 0:57 Okay Let’s get started. So, Mr. Smith, Mr. Eugene, how about the coalition DJs and what role they play in black music.

Eugene Smith 1:15

Well, about 12 years ago, a group of DJs down in Atlanta got together and they, they formed a coalition. They started playing artist tracks and inside nightclubs in the Atlanta area in there, their bond was so tight that they made the group larger and larger. And before you know it, they’re able to play the coat the artists music in the clubs and affect the charts on the radio spins. So 12 years later, they’ve got chapters in different areas, different regions, and the DMV is the most diverse chapter because it includes three different markets DC, Maryland, and Virginia. And I do the marketing for that with the CEO sleep don’t reach street saying our him and I we we operate new music Wednesdays which is where artists from all over submit their music in our DJs some of the best DJs in the area from Baltimore to Richmond listen and give feedback so artists can get their their music played on the radio every time our DJ spin the coalition DJs is unique because every time they spin an artist record, it counts just like a radio play. So it counts for, you know, for BDS and billboard spins and everything else. So it’s pretty powerful to make an artist career starts that starts right here. It’s called breaking a record. That’s what coalition DJs do.

Moni Pearson 2:32 That’s really though. So tell me Have you seen changes since everything’s been going on? And the political awareness levels since the, you know, the protests and all the things began? Really strong following the murder of George Floyd?

Eugene Smith 2:50 Yeah, I think that I think that it’s been it’s been obvious. I mean, sift can back me up on this, but, but what’s going on? What’s going on is When it looks when it looks like people are submitting songs normally what we’ve been getting for the last two years is a lot of what you hear an underground scene. But what’s been happening lately with us is we’ve been hearing a lot of conscious and positive submissions. And we’ve had some submissions lately, with, with no curse words in it, which is these are all positive changes and indicators that I see. And we’re on the grassroots level, where we’re where the artist starts, like all the artists that the kids are listening to and their headphones start with our DJs I think, to back me up on what he’s been hearing what you’ve been on that you’ve been on the calls, you’ve been on the virtual new music Wednesday, so,

Bigg Sipp 3:37 um, yeah, I also agree, um, you know, just as recently as last week, was past meeting, we had, um, you know, we had you know, quite a few conscious which would you consider conscious submission, um, submitted to us so, you know, know the music industry. as a whole has become more aware and is putting out more conscious more family friendly. Um, you know, music with more again, so I guess meaning I guess, for better choice of words where

Moni Pearson 4:41 I’m sorry. Um, has hasn’t been easier to like, since the club meeting and everything, like I felt more empowered to play things right.

Bigg Sipp 4:56 Um, it has been easier. to diversify, mixing and online, things of that nature, due to the pandemic me coming from a more of a not more of a club background, that’s just one of the type of thing us a player. It has been easier to diversify because people want some type of hope, you know, people want to feel good, something that has been distracting them and you know, you know, getting their mind off of what they’ve been going on. So they’ve been wanting to hear more feel good, more, more dough bags, you know, just just that type of thing and, and it has opened up the avenues for me to play, you know, different music. You know, what a different message with a broader message. So, the pandemic and everything that’s going on has definitely affected …You know, the way we’re able to play?

Moni Pearson 6:04 That’s Yeah, I mean that like….

Bigg Sipp 6:11 creatively, uh, it’s honestly, it’s hard mentally. You know, we’re dealing with a lot, especially as a black man. Um, you know, it’s hard to, it’s hard to, you have to kind of be the strong one for, you know, maybe millions of people to, you know, you know, the to mess with you. So, it’s, uh, me personally, it’s affected me uh, you know, just self esteem wise and you know, because there’s a lot to deal with, you know, you just don’t know and the act of not knowing is really really it, you know, it messes with your you know, creative process, but you know, sometimes we just have to Suck it up, you know, provide a service for everybody else, you know, try to lift their spirits and get their mind off everything.

Moni Pearson 7:09 Or we’re, I hear that. So my final question to you is, do you think that everything that has happened will affect how club culture is Do you have any type of drastic effect?

Bigg Sipp 7:23 Um, maybe six months to a year then hopefully not hopefully because I feel like the changes for the better. I you know, people are tired. So, um, you know, hopefully moving forward, we can get back to the sense of, you know, partying and not, you know, just actually coming together to celebrate and have good time, not just, you know, be seen, I hope it changes for that. Instead of you know, it becoming a Social media so people actually, you know, come and enjoy each other’s company and, you know, let their hair down and you know, kind of rejoice, you know, I’m saying so I hope it affects it in that way, but from six months, I think you know now for six months I think the last thing on people mind is, is the clubs honestly, there’s so much going on. So you know,

Moni Pearson 8:33 I wanted to I wanted to talk to you are Mr. Logan James 7pm I want to make sure I address you correctly. I actually saw you out there protesting about Somalia and you did a song tribute recently five dearly departed Tony Redz RIP to the homie. What message do you want your listeners and fans to receive, on the things you’ve been doing since the quarantine, and you know how that hasn’t slowed down the killer cops like, what do you want people to get from from your art right now?

Artist 7PM Starts 9:10

So first, thanks for the opportunity to bow. But I want to clear up something on the video that you see me I was not out there to protest. I was there to protect the protesters to for them to have their own voice. I don’t. I don’t fully agree with everything. But one thing about me is if we’re going to have unity, it means I have to allow my brother to have a chance to speak the same way that I would want my right to be able to speak as well. So a group of us went down to make sure that there was no meaning. There was no one that was going to use the name of the protest. And like that was not it was not intended for you don’t see me saying Black Lives Matter. Because I understand that black lives do not own Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter funds, organizations that can be To assist with the creating, and the taking of lives of black men and women on a daily basis, um, I feel like a lot of people are using just social media as their basis for research. And then I really dive in deeper into actually what’s going on. I think that it right now is is transitioning from being a trend to you know, I always tell people that I always hear people saying that knowledge is power, knowledge is not power, applied knowledge is power. Just because you know, information it does not help you in any way shape or form if you do not use that information. So we understand it hasn’t been an issue. Um, one thing that I want my father was and and the people with me to understand is that if we create our own systems, and I say system, I mean everything from the governmental system that we are protected, quote unquote, protected by we have the right in this country to establish our own, but deeper than just being in this country, because the United States is a part of a much larger community, which is North America. So the indigenous members, women and children of the land of North America has given us the, the right to govern ourselves on this land. So, you know, as I want people to do more research into that, learning about how you can actually meet, make yourself free, you know, and being free.

Moni Pearson 11:37 That’s that’s though. That’s right. And I think it’s very, very helpful that you spoke on Black Lives Matter and so people can do more research about what’s actually happening behind the scenes. People should google George Soros. Yes, yes, I was just I just wrote his name down last week to do more research. Absolutely. And I appreciate you saying that. Now. You Going back to something you said about going to the protest and to kind of almost do quality control. That’s what it sounded like you were saying or whatever. Um, do you feel like the creative community has a responsibility in these times? And what do you feel that responsibility is? from your own perspective, I feel like you somewhat answered that. But I just want to get it clear.

Artist 7PM 12:22 I feel like every man in America that is Black has an has a responsibility to hold himself and those around him accountable for the actions and the words that they use. And I feel like there’s a lack of accountability and our community that allows us to do and, and portray ourselves a certain ways we have allowed ourselves to portray ourselves as monkeys because of quote, unquote, this is where we’re from, and this is what we’re used to. And we have allowed ourselves to lose sight of the fact that we were once kings queens, even if you were not a king or queen, you count From that road, you have the right to express yourself and that that we should perform being in quote unquote American. So I believe that artists should use their voice. I believe that it’s deeper than just a voice though. I believe that we need to start doing business. I believe that we need our own economic structure. I believe that we need to bring our own resources together and and start unifying our resources to start seeing who we are and what we bring to the table when it comes to treat.

Moni Pearson 13:30 Absolutely, absolutely. That was a wonderful answer. Are you working on anything currently that we can look forward to seeing hearing down

Artist 7PM 13:42 so I’m in the studio working on a lot of music, um, shout out to my guys Renaissance marketing. They are like, definitely, you know, um, we have some billboards coming up. We have a lot of music come in and we just worked in you know, And I got the movie on Netflix coming as well got a movie on Netflix shout out to Dr. Periods called catching the body. And yeah, we got a lot of stuff coming, you know?

Moni Pearson 14:09 That’s super dope, super dope. Congratulations on the Netflix flick coming up. So, you know we can only hope that tragedies like what happened to George Floyd can mobilize the black youth to make positive changes and from what you guys say you were hearing out from from what you guys are talking about. It’s already started and I definitely think the revolution may be televised, but we got a lot of work to do and I think part of that educating our people because

Artist 7PM 14:35 Rayshard Brooks.

Moni Pearson 14:36 yeah, Rayshard Brooks.

Artist 7PM 14:38 This Rayshard Brooks was murdered two days ago. Yeah.

Moni Pearson 14:44 Absolutely. Good to see his name as well. Exactly, exactly. We on a very uphill battle, but I appreciate you gentlemen. Talking to me. Again, my name is Monique Pearson aka loud doodlebug and yeah, Look forward to seeing great things from you gentlemen in the upcoming months.

Bigg Sipp 15:05 Thank you for having me.

BIG SIPP MIX: Raised Fist