MY INTERVIEW W/ ARTIST NOAH JONES - Part 1

On a crisp Southern California morning, I had the opportunity to sit down & discuss with one of the hardest working artist in Southern California by the name of Noah Jones. Very sharp, yet charismatic person, and focused on his journey which is being the best artist in his class. I spoke with about his music career, how he dropped 5 albums in one year's time, women fans, sports, etc.

Nick: THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME MAN, WHATS GOING ON?

Noah: I'm great, thank you.

WHO IS NOAH JONES?

He is definitely not NORAH JONES {R&B/Pop Singer} lol. Nah all jokes aside I'm a very complicated and driven individual on so many levels.There's no real short answer for such an in-depth question. So for now lets just say I'm an artist.

OK GREAT, WHAT GOT YOU INTO RAP & BEING AN ARTIST?

I admired the way people put artists on a pedestal and I group up as the youngest of 3 children so I chose something that set me apart. I watched Big Daddy Kane in 1988 and he inspired me.

NOW I HEARD YOU WERE BORN IN NEW YORK, WHAT MADE YOU MOVED TO ST. LOUIS THEN MIGRATE WEST TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?

Yea, I moved to St. Louis because I got into allot of illegal activity and my mother suggested I get a fresh start on life. I loved St. Louis, but I felt like a fish out of water musically so eventually I moved to [Southern] California .

WOW, YOU'VE MADE QUITE A JOURNEY, YOU'VE DROPPED 5 ALBUMS IN ONE YEAR, WHAT WAS YOUR MOTIVATION & HOW DID YOU MAKE EACH OF THESE ALBUMS HAVE THEIR OWN IDENTITY?

My motivation was to outwork all the popular artists who were getting more attention then I was. In my local region most artists put out an album or maybe to if their really grinding. I wanted to surpass that by so many albums so people couldn't deny my work ethic. There have been so many features I recorded for other up and coming artists during that time-frame as well so I recorded a lot of music. I tried different things musically on each project to make each one stand out. One was a group album with no guest appearances, one was a solo album with all original beats and a huge amount of popular features. Another one was more R&B based, the next one was a mixtape with industry beats, original beats and guest appearances, and the final project was a combination of them all with radio singles, music videos, and features on original beats lol.

YOU'VE WORKED WITH MANY ARTIST FROM CROOKED I, JAY ROCK, G, MALONE, YB THE ROCKSTAR, & KNOC'TUNAL TO NAME A FEW, WHAT MADE WANT TO WORK WITH THESE ARTIST & WHY?

Multiple reasons, I admired what they had established for themselves in the music industry and their current or past fan bases. Also I was tired of people not believing that i could take my career to the next level. So while the local acts dreamed of working with Nipsey Hussle and the others, I went out and worked with them to get that co-sign and to show them that lyrically I could hold my own against [some of] the west coasts best.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THE CURRENT STATE OF HIP-HOP & MUSIC IN GENERAL?

I think the biggest challenge is people don't want to spend money on the music they like. It doesn't effect the artists that have sold millions of copies because their name will bring them access to money. But for the up and comers like myself, we need that money so we can make ourselves more popular. If the consumers won't spend, then we're forced to keep giving our music away for free which won't get us anywhere. The smallest contribution to a smart artist can have a huge impact. I say smart artist which refers to someone like me that would use the money to become more popular and not on buying cars and jewelry.

VERY WISE WORDS. I SEE YOU PROMOTING YOUR PRODUCT ON VARIOUS SOCIAL WEBSITES LIKE TWITTER & FACEBOOK, HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT IN THE SUCCESS OF AN INDIE ARTIST?

I actually think its important for all artists not just indie. Its there for artists to interact with their fans but allot of artists don't utilize it to its full potential. I have found new ways to rapidly increase my fan base and song plays using them. I can't go into detail about it because I don't want my competitors to duplicate my strategy!

I UNDERSTAND THAT, I SEE THAT GOOD MARKETING IS KEY. WHEN PROMOTING, DO YOU FIND IT EASIER TO PROMOTE TO WOMEN OR IS EQUAL TO PROMOTE TO HIP-HOP FANS ACROSS THE BOARD?

I think you have to first look at what your promoting. Certain songs or certain styles of music work better for a specific gender demo-graph. I can't delve too deep though because the competition but I will say this. Everything I do is calculated and precise. I plan every move so I dont waste time, energy, or manpower.

WHAT MESSAGE OR FEELING DO YOU WANT FANS TO RECEIVE FROM A NOAH JONES RECORD?

Each record has its own meaning and feeling. So find which records I do that inspire you and hold on to them. I make a wide variety to satisfy every mood a person could possibly have from experience.

WHO WERE YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES GROWING UP?

Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Kwame, Nice N Smooth, Special Ed, Slick Rick, Rakim, and a few others.

WHATS THE CRAZIEST MESSAGE OR TEXT YOU RECEIVE FROM A FEMALE FAN?

I wouldn't wanna put her out there like that because chances are she's reading this interview! There have been a few crazy ones though lol. Being popular can lead to some very distracting situations when it comes to the fans.

DO YOU THINK THE WEST COAST WILL BE UNIFIED AND MAKE BACK ATOP OF THE MUSIC SCENE AGAIN?

No! I can hope for it but I don't think it will happen. The new cats think they are better then the old, the old cats wanna hold on to their legacy and don't think they can co-exist. Everyone is so selfish. When was the last time a huge DJ picked an artist based of talent and turned him into a star? When was the last time a huge rapper picked up a local act and turned him into a star of the same caliber? Now you see my point, its like its every man for themselves out here on the west coast.

DEFINITELY, I AGREE. WHAT OTHER ARTIST & PRODUCERS WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH?

Drake, 50 Cent, but if I wanna blow up i need to work with artists like Kerry Hilson, Ne-Yo, and the popular R&B artists.

WHAT DOES 2011 MEAN FOR YOU MUSICALLY & IN LIFE?

I'm gonna take some time off from recording and do more promoting of the music of mine thats actually out. I have albums of great music that has yet to be heard so I'm going old school with it and promoting it like crazy! When it comes to life, I wanna take a really nice vacation with my kids somewhere they have never been. They are old enough to appreciate that now.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO YOU IS......?

Being heard!

WHATS THE CRAZIEST THING YOU'VE DONE IN YOUR LIFE?

Spending 8 and a half years with a woman who took my talent,drive,ambition and financial support for granted. It cost me valuable years and money that i could have dedicated to my career

DO YOU FOLLOW ANY SPORTS TEAMS? IF SO WHO?

I'll always be a Indiana Pacers fan and a Buffalo Bills fan. Shouts to the Lakers though. I like to go against the grain.

KOBE OR LEBRON?

Kobe

I KNOW YOU'RE A NEW YORKER, ARE YOU PLEASED WITH THE SUCCESS OF A'MARE & THE KNICKS THIS SEASON?

I'm glad they are finally starting to pull it together! New York is a great place to play ball. Its almost spiritual at times. The energy is unreal.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF & YOUR BRAND IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS?

I'm aiming to become a household name. I wanna be on Drake and Lil Wayne's success level with pockets as deep a Jay-Z and 50 Cent.

I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK WITH THAT & WHATEVER ELSE YOU VENTURE INTO.

IF PEOPLE WANT TO GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU, HOW CAN THEY HIT YOU UP?

Twitter.com/NoahJones714

youtube.com/NoahJones714

714-553-3112 cell

NoahJOnes714@gmail.com email address

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME, EVERYONE CHECK OUT NOAH JONES ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, YOUTUBE & VARIOUS MUSIC OUTLETS, CONTINUED SUCCESS.

CAL'S GOLDEN BEAR CLIMBING TO THE TOP

After the Cal Golden Bears very impressive win over rival Stanford, freshman phenom Allen Crabbe who put up 24 points, 9 rebounds on 10-13 shooting in the victory. I had an opportunity to sit down with the dynamic now PAC-10 Freshman Of The Year. Since I spoke to him last on January 20th, CAL kicked it in to high gear, finishing 8-4 on their schedule to have the 5th seed heading into the PAC-10 Tournament.

NickHamilton (NH): Let me start off by asking you, who is Allen Crabbe?
AllenCrabbe (AC): I'm a laid back guy, Price High graduate, raised in a Christian family, loves God, blessed with opportunities, and a hard worker. Just trusting in God, anything is possible. I love to play basketball, love my family and family is very supportive, without them I don't know where I'd be.

NH: I understand that, how is everything else?
AC: I'm doing good, on this California trip, trying to put this tough loss behind us from UCLA last night. We're looking forward to this USC game.

NH: Yeah that was a tough loss. In the last 3:30 of the game verses the Bruins, what was the mindset coming out of the time out, that caused you to take over?
AC: We had a lot of time left, and I felt we could still win. We gave it that last push, but the Bruins pushed harder and were more aggressive, and just ended up with the victory that night.

NH: Allow me to go back for a moment, you were one of the highly recruited freshmen, what made you choose CAL?
AC: I felt like CAL was a place that wanted me, the coaches came out to every single game, my junior year [Price High] CAL's style of play was perfect for me. Coach [Mike] Montgomery has had experience at the NBA level and he knows what it takes to get there, so that why I'm here at CAL.

NH: How was the first meeting with Coach Montgomery?
AC: It was really good, at the time it was fun to have coaches interested and talking to you, a great experience.

NH: Ok, with your game style, how well do you feel you fit in Coach Montgomery's system?
AC: Good, I definitely feel his system his system fits my style of play. He [Coach Montgomery] runs alot of plays for guards to get open shots, that's what drew me, and I couldn't pass up that opportunity to be here at Cal.

NH: Understandable, what was the biggest transition for you, going from high school to college, academically and athletically?
AC: Academically, you're on your own in college, having to be more responsible, more accountability. Getting to ALL my classes, papers are huge in college, writing papers every other day, its alot.
Athletically, much more intense on the court, more physical play. In college you can't take any plays off, verses high school where they're times where you can take a play off. Much more focus in the college game.

NH: Great. I watched the Arizona State game and Cal was up by three points, the last few seconds of the game you get fouled. You miss the first free throw, what was going through your mind?
AC: Basically I thought about the Arizona game previously, we were down three, and I thought I just have to make one more and we get the win & go home. I saw myself making it, I released it and it went in.

NH: That's great focus. Now when Cal played Washington State and Klay Thompson, that night Thompson scored 36 points. Were you intimated at all in that game?
AC: No, not intimated at all, I’m confident in my game and have been during the season. Having an opportunity to start, definitely built my confidence even more. That night my teammates did a real good job finding me, I was hot knocking down 3’s, and hitting open shots. Some plays I was more aggressive going to the basket and just playing one dimensional type of ball.

NH: I remember, also remember you dropped 30 points that night in the win.
AC: (smiles) Yeah that helps too.

NH: Indeed. I notice alot of your games you start off slow in the first half, then you pick it up in the second half, is that because you are still learning the offense, or are you reserving yourself for the end of games?
AC: Honestly I feel sometimes I'm not locked in at first. Usually I go with the flow of the game and allow that to dictates my play, which is not always a good thing but I'm working on it. Its a problem I had even in high school, I know I have to start well and play 40 minutes. I know I have to do a little extra to help my team and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help my team. The mindset I have is be aggressive for 40 minutes.

NH: What's your view on the NBA’s one and done rule?
AC: I don’t think its a problem. If a player is talented enough to go pro, why not? School is going to be there forever, but the opportunity to play in the NBA is once in a lifetime, you have to take advantage.

NH: I agree. Its amazing how many people don’t have the same criticism when it comes to players who play baseball or even hockey coming out of high school. Very well said Allen.
Out of all the Pac-10 players you’ve played against who was the most challenging to defend against?
AC: They’re alot, but I have to say between Isiah Thomas at Washington and Klay Thompson. Isiah did an outstanding job breaking down our defense. It was one of those nights where we we’re clicking on defense, so Isiah did want he wanted to do that night (Crabbe shaking his head). Klay [Thompson] is a shooter and a scorer, so he comes off picks, can spot up and shoot from anywhere. Its difficult to guard a guy like that.

NH: Coming up you have USC with Fontainne and the big man Alex Stevenson. How do you defend a team like the Trojans?
AC: We’re going to have to play good team defense, especially stopping Stevenson from getting the ball down low.

NH: USC likes to run, I noticed Coach Montgomery plays some zone, how do you control the tempo to get the victory?
AC: Our zone really works, when everyone is focused on their assignments and communicating, we can take teams out of their rhythm. We are a force to be reckoned with on the floor.

NH: What was your goal at the beginning of the season?
AC: Our goal is to win the Pac-10, even despite our current record (which at the time of this interview was conference 2-4). We have alot of games left, alot can turn around for us. We can get the road wins, which is a huge boost for us, especially in conference play. We stay focus & positive, we can make a top seed and surprise people in the Pac-10 Tournament and hopefully make it into the NCAA Tournament.


NH: Ok sounds good. Being a native of Los Angeles, who do you mold your game after & why?
AC: I would say I mold my game after Kobe Bryant. Not just because he’s my favorite player, but how he’s a leader and his work ethic. His work ethic shows on the floor, I mean he goes hard every night no matter what. He doesn’t take anyone lightly, and he’s focused. He’s that clutch type of player, that's the type of player I want to develop into.

NH: Hard work does pay off. How has your work ethic enhanced since arriving at Cal?
AC: A little more, but just because the schedule of college, up early with classes and the team schedule. Trust me I'm in the gym every day, bettering my game.

NH: Well good luck with the rest of the season, thanks for the time.
AC: Thank you, you got it.

THUNDER PREPARE OF FUTURE NOW & LAKERS LOOK AHEAD FOR FUTURE

Interesting how Oklahoma City Thunder just signed Kendrick Perkins to a multi-year deal estimated at over $30 million. Which tells me that the Thunder are definitely serious about the future and winning, especially being able to compete with the Lakers.

Now the Lakers in order to stay competitive in the Western Conference or even in the NBA for that matter, its imperative that they sign Dwight Howard and another top notch player as Kobe makes his departure. It is indeed possible, especially with the new Time Warner Sports deal that the Lakers signed for the next 20 years starting next season. It will definitely make the Lakers the Yankees of the NBA.

Time will definitely reveal especially after the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) gets resolved and ironed out.

THE MAMBA STRIKES IN OREGON

At the end of the highly anticipated National Signing Day, there was one top notch recruit that not be claimed. Highly sought after & explosive player RB DeAnthony Thomas made a life changing decision on Wednesday, regarding his future & football career.

The Crenshaw High School phenom known as "The Mamba" has been watched by many for the past few years, with his dynamic play carrying the Crenshaw High Cougars to a state championship a season ago and helping Crenshaw return to a city championship this past season. Anthony made a verbally commitment to USC, but in a strange turn of events, decided to take Oregon up on an offer to visit their campus to speak with head coach Chip Kelly & staff this past weekend.

Thomas has decided to become an Oregon Duck, as he made his announcement at his High School in front of family, friends, coaches & teammates. He broke down crying stating that he has so many friends going over to USC, it was a hard decision, but ultimately he had to do what was best for him.

This was definitely a huge blow to the USC recruiting class, despite their great day signing many A-1 recruits.

Under the new PAC-12 scheduling, USC wont play Oregon every year, so the huge question remains, has Oregon become the powerhouse that USC once was?
Time will reveal the answer, for DeAnthony Thomas the journey for The Mamba has just begun. This is going to be one exciting season for PAC-12 football, Oregon, and the Ducks fans.

2011 NBA All-Star Jam Session Video: Nick

San Diego State Sinks Navy After Flood in Poinsettia Bowl

SAN DIEGO, CA - After the southern California monsoons passed, the San Diego State Aztecs looked to reign down over the Navy Midshipmen Thursday night at Qualcomm Stadium in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.  Navy was led by top notch quarterback Ricky Dobbs, who has had a spectacular season. He has scored 48 career rushing touchdowns along with 12 passing touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, San Diego State was led by their balanced attack featuring freshman Ronnie Hillman, who rushed for 1,000 yards this season, and the dynamic wide receiving duo of Vincent Brown and DeMarco Sampson, who each have over 1,100 yards receiving. The game had all the ingredients which made for a classic matchup.

It was amazing that the game was able to be played at all after the stadium was flooded a day before by the torrential rains which had plaged the California coast line for days.

SDSU was looking to win their first bowl game since 1969. The Aztecs came out firing, behind tailback Hillman, who scored on an explosive 22-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead. Navy failed to score on their early game drives, Aztec quarterback Ryan Lindsey threw to wide open receiver Vincent Brown to make it a 14-0 for SDSU.

In the second quarter, Navy shook the rust off its offense behind the electrifying Dobbs, who got the Midshipmen going by setting up a touchdown toss to wide receiver Greg Jones on a spectacular play, cutting the lead to 14-7. Dobbs also set a new Navy passing record, throwing for his 49th career touchdown. The Aztecs weren't done yet, in a game which proved to be a Hillman affair. Hillman rushed for a 37 yard touchdown, to make it 21-7 in favor of the hometown team.

It seemed as if the Midshipmen offense saw the light, as Dobbs started off rushing for a total of four plays and 19 yards before passing it to his favorite target Greg Jones for a 40 yard strike. The Midshipmen scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Dobbs to make it 21-14 SDSU at the half.

Both teams played great defense in the third quarter, however the Aztec offense would not be denied in the fourth, using their other secret weapon, wideout DeMarco Sampson, who caught two big passes totaling 45 yards to help keep an Aztec drive alive. Ronnie Hillman capped it off with a 1-yard touchdown to make it 28-14.

San Diego State added another touchdown to insure the victory, making it 35-14. It proved to be the Ronnie Hillman show, as he rushed for 228 yards, 3 TD's and set a new Poinsettia Bowl rushing yardage record previously held by Navy's Adam Ballard back in 2005.

The Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and Poinsettia Bowl game MVP Ronnie Hillman said "My mindset was basically to do whatever the coach wanted me to do, and whatever the offensive line allowed me to do. They are a great bunch of guys, I cant speak on them enough."

On the other side of the ball Navy QB Ricky Dobbs spoke about the loss.

"We missed out on key opportunities, that cost us. Missing reads, but hats off to those guys [Aztecs] over there, they played really well tonight, they deserve all the credit."

Aztec wide receiver Vincent Brown also set a Poinsettia Bowl record with eight catches for 165 yards. SDSUfinished out on a high note, building great momentum going into next season.

USC FIGHTS FOR APPEAL, PAC12 CONFERENCE HAS ARRIVED?

USC gets set for their appeal hearings tomorrow in Indianapolis. Looking to get their scholarships returned, also the relevance, or lack thereof, of USC's compliance efforts & the Cam Newton/Auburn and Ohio State cases. They have a great chance of winning the appeal, however time will tell.

The NCAA can't afford for USC to be out of the big money picture any longer, lets be honest. Oregon was nice and a breathe of fresh air for the PAC10 (soon to be PAC12), and helped to bring light and attention to other schools like Arizona, Stanford, and up & coming Washington. Oregon became a rock band of sorts, everyone wondering what uniforms they were going to wear for the week, it was amazing. Lets not forget, under the Pete Carroll era, USC were like the Beatles (sorry Lebron), it was a craze that was sweeping America, whether you loved them or hated them, they were winning, they were exciting & getting better every year. Oregon and many other school used that blueprint and tailored it to fit their programs.

I see they're {USC's} prominent return in about a year or so, of course with them winning the appeal. Its to much television revenue, along with mass media press not focusing on the Trojans & the Pac12 as a result of these sanctions. Always look at the economics of the situation, if you don't believe me, study the NCAA and how they "handled" the Cam Newton case, by allowing him to play in the National Championship game. It was too much at hand for Newton not to play, once again it goes back to the economics.

The sanctions for USC as harsh as they are, may have been a blessing in disguise, and how its given light to other schools & a conference that was sorely overlooked. Yes the SEC is the top conference, but make no mistake about it, the PAC12 is the second best conference, with powerhouses like Oregon, USC, and inclining teams such as Stanford, Arizona, and possibly Washington & Utah, the PAC12 is making bold moves to sway the public on their side with great marketing & fantastic play. PAC12 Commissioner Larry Scott has done an outstanding job turning this conference around in the right direction & making it relevant.

Don't be surprised in a few years down the road, that schools such as Texas (even though they received a huge ESPN deal), Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M joining the PAC12 Conference. Call me crazy now, but in the words of the artist Drake, you can thank me later.

Stay tuned as the USC story develops, they'll be some interesting turns, and look for a timely decision in this case.

BLAKE GRIFFIN: THE MONSTER, THE ROOKIE, GREATEST POWER FORWARD??

I love watching the NBA, it truly is exciting. As dynamic as Clippers forward Blake Griffin is (and he is), this guy is an absolute beast. Proving that once again on Monday against the Indiana Pacers as he dropped 47 points, the most for a rookie since Shaquille O'Neal back in 1993. I hear so many say how he's the best power forward, or how they haven't seen anybody this good since Karl Malone, hello Tim Duncan was pretty good. This isn't an argument for Duncan, as it is that I'm not ready to give Griffin that title as of yet.
Lets face it folks, Griffin has played half a season so far, I'm looking for consistency & longevity. Lets see what griffin does in 2 years, 3 years from now. He could be better, he could be stagnant, or dare I say it, could be worse?
I think we as society or media are so quick to crown the next big thing, that we don't give it time to see if it can even develop into that next big thing. Griffin has alot of years ahead of him, so time will tell. Forwards like Tim Duncan, & Karl Malone have bodies of work to back up their crowns as best power forwards. Griffin does have the tools necessary to achieve a big goal such as that, until then lets just watch, observe & enjoy the excitement that is Blake Griffin or as he is commonly known as "The Blake Show".
Make no mistake about it once Griffin's contract is up, he'll be free to contend for titles with a team that has a purpose for winning. And winning titles is another great way to solidify your legacy as the best power forward in the game, ask Tim Duncan. Let's allow Griffin to continue to grow & find his way. I will say this, stay out of this monster's way, he will hit you head on. Looks to be an exciting season, specifically for Blake Griffin, and yes I'm calling it 2010-2011 Rookie of The Year.