As with the last two DJ’s whom we’ve interviewed (DJ Benzi and Mick Boogie), DJ Burn One is a tastemaker that you need to keep an eye on.
A little over a year ago, Burn One and Pill released 4180: The Prescription, a mixtape that would eventually take the Pink City native to the cover of XXL Magazine and place him on the roster at Asylum Records.
Striking early this year with Yelawolf’s January first release of Trunk Muzik, Burn One contributed to the Alabama artist’s quick rise in popularity and recent deal with Interscope Records.
Now, setting his aims on more cohesive projects, rather than the average “mixtape,” Burn One plans to create a number of albums containing roughly 10 tracks where an artist of his choosing will go in over his production.
DJ Burn One recently stopped by the HipHopAtLunch.com offices to discuss being on tour with Wiz Khalifa, Yelawolf, and Jasmine Solano, how he came about hosting both Pill’s first mixtape and Yelawolf’s recent Trunk Muzik project, and what he plans on doing next.
Big shout out to WhiteboyD and DJ DIRRTY for introducing DJ Burn One to Pill and Yelawolf’s music!
I like Burn One’s strategy of releasing projects on off peak dates for the extra exposure. I’ve often wondered why so many artists choose to drop mixtapes on the same day. I can understand dropping an album on the same day as other artists in hopes that fans in record stores will make multiple purchases, but multiple mixtapes dropping on the same day just creates clutter.
Here are the standout tracks, produced by DJ Burn One, off of Pill’s 4075: The Refill mixtape:
Pill – “Music”
As we heard in the interview, “Music” is the first song these two created together – talk about getting off to a great start!
The motivational intro (seen below) set over a soulful sample has me coming back to this song from time to time:
“I mean, I aint got no choices,
Music is my everything,
It’s all I got,
Aint no turning back from here,
So it’s like, it’s either this or the block.”
If more people felt like that about their profession, the world would be a better place.
Be sure to also check out the other track on 4075: The Refill produced by DJ Burn One, “Coastin’.”
Freddie Gibbs – “Do Wrong” (Featuring Pill)
“Do Wrong” is one of the lead singles off of Freddie Gibbs‘ upcoming Str8 Killa, No Filla mixtape and serves as another example of Burn One’s production skills. After our interview, he played me a few of the unreleased tracks he produced for Freddie Gibbs’ upcoming projects, and all I could comment on was the way Gibbs killed the smooth laid back production!
Stay on the look out for DJ Burn One to pop up in more music videos and mixtape covers in the near future. Until then, be sure to check out Burn One’s website, Blvdst.com.
Artists Tagged
Pill
Tyrone Rivers
Label: Asylum Records
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Pill’s music is refreshing, as he paints a portrait of the streets in a very natural and real way, effectively shaming all the artists who pretend to be from his part of town. The XXL Magazine Freshman turned heads with his debut video for "Trap Goin' Ham," directed by Motion Family, as it graphically portrayed the poverty taking place in Pink City, five minutes away from a police precinct and seven minutes away from the state capital.
So far all of Pill's releases have been named after the various locations in which he grew up. 4180: The Prescription refers back to the Kimberly Court Projects on 4180 Cant Street and 4075: The Refill refers to the address of Pill’s aunt’s house. His next release, hosted by DJ Drama, should be a major turning point in his career as he's sure to be exposed to a wide fan base. Gangsta Grillz 1140: The Overdose is set to drop on June 1st.
Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha
Label: Ghet-O-Vision Ent., Interscope Records
Hometown: Gadsden, AL
Yelawolf's Trunk Muzik mixtape, hosted by DJ Burn One, catapulted the Alabama emcee into the emerging artist spotlight in early 2010. This project's buzz coupled with numerous co-signs (including Eminem) helped to land Yela a record deal at Interscope.
Described by Mike Bigga as a mix between Outkast and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Yelawolf’s style is thoroughly southern. The southern drawl adds to Yela's unique sound which often meshes hip hop with classic rock. Other unique aspects of Yelawolf's persona are his love of skateboarding and appreciation for classic rock, which help him stand out amidst a sea of emerging hip hop artists.
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http://hiphopatlunch.com/2010/08/interview-yelawolf-81810/ Interview: Yelawolf – (8/18/10) | Hip Hop At Lunch – The Latest Hip Hop News And Emerging Artists
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http://hiphopatlunch.com/2010/10/dj-burn-one-bobby-cox/ DJ Burn One – “Bobby Cox” | Hip Hop At Lunch – The Latest Hip Hop News And Emerging Artists