Hawdwerk is Jamil Potts...but more on that later.

Had the great pleasure of re-connecting with fellow SGV alum, Hawdwerk.  We met up in Alhambra, then cruised over to Eagle Rock, to my new studio to catch up and create some photos together.  Check out my interview with The Rough Handed Bandit below and leave a comment...best comment gets a signed 8x10 and an awesome Hardwerk merch T-Shirt mailed directly to you! 

 ec - How long have you been making Hip Hop music?  Do you produce and write all your own raps? 

HW - I've been making music since 2006, I write my own songs for now and I'm just learning how to produce beats so everything up to now has been produced by other talented producers.

ec - Can you talk about your creative process? What is the ideal situation for you to make and create art and music? 

HW - I like to work with producers that can create a wide range of sound and I only pick beats that I feel like only I can rap on.  I've also started producing music to make sure I never have a lack of "HAWDWERK type beats," it's hard not to sound like yourself on your own beats. From there I just let the beat take control of the songwriting and come up with hooks before I work on verses.  I'll record lil bits of lyrics or melodies or beats into my phone and then build on that when I get into the studio.  I like to come up with all the lyrics in my head and write it all out after it's recorded cause it frees me from putting myself into a rapper box where you can only use a notebook or a phone note pad or anything that's dogmatic to creation of music.  The more I can come up with unique ways to get the ideas out the more in control of my destiny I am.  I have an awesome home studio where I get to create what I want when I want.  I have access to other studios though when I need to change the vibe or have more people in on the session!  I really don't worry too much about ambience (lights, art etc) although that stuff is definitely a plus, if we have equipment to make music we're making music.  

ec - 5 great, current albums/projects? 

HW - Wow let's see, Jay Z - 4:44, Alex Isley - Luxury, and since I'm not listening to a whole lot of full projects these days (to keep my sound pure) I'll say - the Future Beats SoundCloud channel,  Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow" single, and Cam Gnarly's "Juice" single. 

ec - Where can people find your latest work? What’s your favorite social site to interact with fans at? 

HW - I'm everywhere you are - Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music etc., just search HAWDWERK but you can also visit my Bandcamp (hawdwerk.bandcamp.com) and I'm building my SoundCloud now (soundcloud.com/hawdwerk).  And, Instagram for sure!  I get super creative there and even have Instagram tutorials, you def gotta follow me on the gram!

Thanks for reading and let me know if there's any other rad artists you think I should give a Lissen to.

ed 

ART SHOW! 2016: A Year of Light

Hello blog fan, I've missed you.  I've missed us. 

Here's all the info for an art show I'm throwing with some friends on Saturday February 25th, 2017 at Lucky Cat Labs in El Sereno.  As usual, there will be photos, a beer tip jar, music, and good vibes. In-house artists will be selling and showcasing their awesome work too. 

2016 : A Year of Light

Reflecting on the past year in photographs, art and creativity. 

Photos by John Cizmas, ed cañas,  Graham Walzer and Zach Coco. 

Live Perfomance by the one and only Yonas Michael himself! So pumped for this!! 

DJ Set by Palo Xanto 

In-House Lucky Cat artists: 

Parkman Woodworks

Nie Lights

Kola DPW

L.A. Sign Shop

Victor Castillo Art and you can catch him at his facebook here. 

Vendors/Pop Up Shop: 

Second Time Around Thrift and Vintage

Hate Mail

Electric Bibliotheque Bake Shop

DefinitionXMK

Parkman Wood Works

Graham Walzer

Pictures For Heroes

Lissen Up! R-Mean : L.A.'s Humble Warrior

photos by ed cañas : words by paul st. vale 

LOS ANGELES, CA.  We had the recent pleasure of catching up with R-Mean, one of L.A. rap's hardest working and most promising talents.  Just getting home from his first trip to his native land Armenia, we were able to meet up at Footsie's, a dive bar in the northern outskirts of Downtown L.A.  We discussed his recent work over a few beers, including how the many aspects of his hustle as an indie artist helped "7 Deadly Sins" become one of the first Hip Hop successes on Kickstarter. 

Footsies, Highland Park, CA 2015.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? 

R-Mean:  "I was born in L.A., raised in Amsterdam then moved back to L.A. at 18 for college & to pursue music. I've been independently releasing albums & mix tapes since 2005. Currently pushing the album "7 Deadly Sins," released July 2015."

R-Mean in Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA 2015. 

Talk about your experience with KICKSTARTER:

R-Mean: "Kickstarter's crazy.  At first I didn't want to do it.  No one really wants to do it because if you don't really know what it is you think you're asking for money. When we looked into it it's like you're not really asking anybody for anything.  Normally, once you you drop a project you keep posting it for people to get it at iTunes & everywhere else.  With Kickstarter, instead of asking to support when you drop it, you hit up 6 months before saying support me now instead of when it drops so I have the actual money to make it.  We asked for a $30,000 goal & we got like $54,000 so we almost doubled it. It took one month of campaigning. A lot of people try it & just post on social media a couple times & think people are gonna give, it's not like that. It literally takes 30 days of campaigning.  We had a big ass show where we packed the House of Blues on Sunset, sold it out, & that was the first day we launched the Kickstarter.  And everyday we had different things going on. You have to invest. We had a $10-$15,000 budget to invest in the campaign, otherwise it wouldn't of happened.  We had a bunch of interns private messaging people & posting everyday. Basically, there was a lot of work behind it but it paid off.  Actually at the time we had the 3rd biggest Kickstarter campaign in Hip Hop.  Now it's 5th I think 'cause De La Soul did one & Run the Jewels did one too.  DJ Q-Bert & some others. Everyone above me is big names."

Viper Room, Hollywood, CA 2015

WHAT'S NEXT?

R-Mean:  "Pushing 7 Deadly Sins, dropping a few mix tapes to follow while campaigning & continuing with a series of industry meetings.  The industry doesn't know me yet the way they're supposed to.  That's really my goal, just focused on getting in." 

Now, with over 10 years experience in the music game under his belt, R-Mean remains hungry & humble.  He's got a small team of dedicated people who've been with him for years now.  In particular his manager Alex Kodo, whom he refers to many times in discussing his music journey thus far & is also the bridge between Ed & R-Mean meeting some years ago.  A few days after we met up, R-mean flew out to New York for the UMA's (Underground Music Awards) which he won the 2015 Artist of the Year award.  Looks like that goal to getting further in the industry is one step closer. Many salutes.

The Do-Over - September 2015

Photos and words by Ed Cañas. 

It's been almost a yearly affair since 2010 to get together with friends to celebrate me and my wife's birthdays at the world famous Do Over.  We usually go to the May-ish, Los Angeles openings since we share birthday's that month.  We were not able to go in 2014 (because triplets), and we also couldn't go May this year (same reason), but we WERE able to make the end of summer party at Lure, a real DO OVER...got a table and all!  We Ubered, we drank, we danced, we laughed, I took photos, and we plan on going again next year with a bigger table and more friends hopefully. 

Check out the select pics below and see ALL the photos on my FaceBook.  

Big Thanks to Chris Haycock for allowing me to bring my camera into the function! 

Regal x Honest x Designer x THURZ

Photos and words by ed cañas. 

He's an artist. He’s a rapper. He’s a father. He’s unflinching. He loves singing “Suavamente” even if he doesn't know what it means.  He wants to tailor cut his and his friends' experiences into individual pieces of musical art.  He wants people to dance.  He’s studied funk innovators extensively.  He’s figuring out his next music project.  He says it will be fun.  He throws partys in people’s actual living rooms.  A #partyinmylivingroom tour is forming.  He’s designed custom socks with Stance.  His fashion is ever evolving.  He can’t count how many pairs of shoes he has.  He believes your name is your currency. He thinks you should take advantage of your opportunity to vote.  He doesn’t have a strong connection with any current presidential candidates.  He prefers to be on time.  He draws his ideas out and scans them.  His best ideas come to him in the morning.  He really loves instagram, say’s it’s his guilty pleasure.  Twitter gives him a headache.  He hates stupid tweets and misspelled words.  The last album he purchased on iTunes was Dirty Sprite 2.  He still works with THX, DJ Dahi, Rahki and Ro Blvd.  His Designer EP cover is an actual painting by Vakseen.  That cover had a 48 hour turnaround to be turned in.  He writes all his own raps.  He say’s hip hop tries to age people but believes music is forever.  He likes Danny Brown.  He thinks XXX was ground breaking.  He thinks Drake is “the guy” but is missing that classic album to his credit which he thinks is coming.  He used to write rhymes after smoking weed, but not so much anymore.  He doesn’t like indicas.  He’d rather sip dark liquor or tequila then write.  He thinks I’m Mexican.  He was blown away by Swimm’s live performance a while back.  He thinks Florence and the Machine is the best non-hip hop live show he’s ever seen.  He thinks L.A. is a cultural mecca and the most influential city in the world.  He wants to be as great as the greats.  His new music is on the way and it sounds great.  

He is Regal. He is Honest. He's a Designer. He is Thurz. 

Special contributors :  Brooke Taylor and Stefan Rowe. 

Full video interview by Chuck Anakwenze coming soon.  

Check out our exclusive pics below and let me know what you think!