For The Critics

If you’ve been following the site for more than a day (or listened to any of the songs on the sidebar) you’ve heard us post some tracks from the following Artist.

Franchise is a hip hop artist…YES! an Artist not a rapper, spitter, ect so on and so forth. He encompasses a different flow, a different presence even a different understanding of music that alot of today’s rappers just don’t understand or care to implement into their music.

This is….Franchise, Braddock’s Spokesman, Soon to be Pittsburgh’s Commander in Chief

ForTheCritics.com: First, I’de like to thank you for taking the time and letting us pick your brain a little bit about your views of hip hop and what your trying to do with your music. The first question I have is where did the stage name Franchise come from?

Franchise: Honestly when I first started rapping I was about 14 and my stage name was T-Rock hahaha and I knew I couldn’t rock with that for very long so I came up wit Franchise one day and it kinda just stuck foreal

ForTheCritics.com: When you sit down to write your music, what steps do you go through that bring you to telling your story?

Franchise: Everyday life, I might just be in the car gazing out the window thinkin of lines or even when I go out to clubs and what not….it’s crazy foreal, I get motivation for writing everywhere and with everything I encounter on my daily basis

Franchise: Everyday life, I might just be in the car gazing out the window thinkin of lines or even when I go out to clubs and what not….it’s crazy foreal, I get motivation for writing everywhere and with everything I encounter on my daily basis

ForTheCritics.com: There’s a few different types of Hip Hop…There’s the true gangster rap, backpacker music, Hypebeast music and so on…where do you feel you fit in the big scheme of things?

Franchise: Well truely I’d say I’m kinda in the middle of everything because I write and spit about things I’ve seen, experienced, and even things I’m going through presently….you may listen to perfect storm which is my 1st mixtape and say I’m commercial with a hood swagger then you may listen to newer tracks and also Schitzophrenic Mindset and say it’s hip-hop and I even have backpacker joints. I just been working on rounding myself and perfecting the craft for about the last 2 years of my life.

ForTheCritics.com: Who were your biggest influences in music and what artists are currently motivating you with your music?

Franchise: Well coming up it was definently the pioneers such as: Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Kool G Rap, Notorious Big, 2Pac, Big L, Big Pun, Jay-Z, Nas, Mobb Deep, The Lox, etc….as far as what’s present and in rotation now i haven’t really listened to the radio as much as I did about 3 or 4 years ago but I’m liking raekwons new album, when that dropped it had me real excited for hip-hop, I’m feeling how Fabolous is killin things, umm….lol I’m stuck foreal but I am open and entertained by alot of the music today I truthfully get alot of motivation from all the Pittsburgh artists doing their thing because it’s good to day that finally Pittsburgh is starting to come together and show more luv to one another as artists out here and I really do go to timebomb and other local spots and grab up everybodys tape when i hear people are dropping so it’s alot of everything and everybody that moves me musically out here.

ForTheCritics.com: This summer you dropped one of the best mixtapes in the city with Schitzophrenic Mindset and up until recently you were supposed to be dropping “Henny and Haze”…The fans are waiting so whats your next project and where are you headed musically?

Franchise: First off I will thank you for supporting and showing luv to SM i appreciate that. But Henny & Haze is still dropping we just pushed it back to the top of 2010 look for that sometime from Jan-Mar for sure but in the mean time I will be dropping an 8-track EP on November 16th over the internet and Itunes titled Money, Sex, & Drugs…all original beats and jus basically a mini-concept album which shall get the people involved and make them pay attention until H&H gets here ALSO i just did a video for a song i have off of the ep so lookout for that in about 2 weeks or so.

ForTheCritics.com: You have some more personal bars and verses on your last tape…What was the biggest situation in your life that influenced your music the most?

Franchise: Yeah I’m real big on keeping things genuine and as real as possible, I give the fans only what I know and what I’ve been through and a lil imagination here and there but having my son on December 17th of 2006 changed my life musically that’s what made me put things in gear and get this movement going.

ForTheCritics.com: If you could choose one artist to collab with on a track, who would it be and why?

Franchise: I always wanted to do a real/deep track with Styles P….I feel that even though SP is a gangster rapper he brings alot of versatility to the table and I just think he’s one of the illest lyricists still relevant to the game and still gets respect and thats how I would hope to be someday-respected as a lyricist and emcee.

ForTheCritics.com: Your also a part of one of the best up and coming groups/affiliations in the city [East End Empire] How does the EEE team help keep you sharp and on top of your game?

Franchise: We all are pretty much on each other…we rock shows together, hit the studio, go out-were all pretty involved in each others music

ForTheCritics.com: We’ve hit a couple points and got to know Franchise a little bit…is there anything words you have For The Critics?

Franchise: Stay tuned to the movement, TRIPLE E’s we coming up and defly keep it locked wit ya mans franchise cuz my next move is my best move

- Franchise x ForTheCritics.com

One of the city’s hidden gems is producer Len’Ox…He’s been in the lab working and organizing Keystone Records, his new artists and focusing on future projects. He gave us a little bit of his time to let us know EXACTLY what he’s been up to…Check it…

For The Critics.com: First and foremost…What is Keystone records? Where and when did it originate?

Len’Ox: In 2006 Keystone incorporated was started by C.Scott, Pheni, Keith Konnects and myself. Our purpose was not to just provide the masses with great music and entertainment but to help create an outlet for artist of all genres through shows, media and various forms of networking. The Keystone is center piece in a bridge or arch that’s holds the foundation together. That’s what we stand for in this narrow shot of the music buisness.

ForTheCritics.com: What about the name Len’ox, where did that come from?

Len’Ox: That’s funny…The name Lenox actually originated in 9th grade in Highschool. I used to hustle Cd’s like it was work maan!!! My man Looch said I had the music game on lock like Ox [from Belly]. It was to a point people were buying CDs off me, copying and then selling them for themselves. This was before cd burning was everywhere man on my life and in 99′ burners was only @ 4x speed. I was buying kicks, & clothes like it was no tommorrow. I would stay up all night burning 15-25 CDs 4 days a week @ 5 a pop instead of studying. So the name became a trademark for all cd purchases and it stuck with me ever since.

ForTheCritics.com: Are you satisfied with what’s going on with your music right now? Is there anything your creatively trying to do different?

Len’Ox: Definitely not content but somewhat satisfied with the progression. The past couple of years have been a straight learn mode. I spent the first 5 just making beats and then I started upgrading equipment and learning more of the engineering side of things next thing and now I got a full studio set up. So with that growth in the basics of engineering, my production style has become one of the most diversed sounds in the city [PittsBurgh]. I try to bring somthing new to the table each time I make a track whether it’s using a sample, synth or heavy jungle drums. People couldn’t even beleive I did the whole Feelings & Beats project only cause all the tracks sounded completey different. That’s my main focus not being one dimensional or repetitive. People make too many tracks that all sound alike everybody wants to sound like Gucci’s beats, or whatever is popular at the moment. It’s got me wondering where the creativity going honestly…

ForTheCritics.com: Who’s influenced your musical style the most?

Len’Ox: I’ve been influenced by alot of people but as far as Producers go Timberland, Bink!, Pharell, Just Blaze, Havoc, 9th Wonder, Dilla, Premier and the Justice leage have influenced me the most. I’ve probably borrowed something from all of them at one point in time

ForTheCritics.com: We haven’t heard much from Len’ox and Pheni lately since Feelings and Beats…Where ya’ll been?

Len’Ox: People been asking where we been all the time. We got new mouths to feed and for me to say we feeding off this rap shit is a complete lie. We work 9 to 5s just like the next person, somtimes that’s a drainer in it’s self but sombody gotta do it when the bills are up. We don’t plan on working 9-5 forever and this music shit is no walk in the park, it just takes time. We are are still aware of what’s going in this Pittsburgh music scene, personally I don’t feel we are missing much and could take over at anytime. Just be in a look out for Pheni’s Past Due Project for the fall.