Voice Of The Metro

It seems funny to the casual rap listener that there would be an MC from the DMV area to be considered a “vet”, since there hasn’t been much commercial success in hip-hop down here. But when speaking on OUR scene, trust me when I tell you this…KayeM? He’s a vet! Almost 10 years into the music game, the 23-year-old rhymespitter, nicknamed “The Middle East Beast”, has had his share of ups and downs. From being a young prodigy in the production side of the game to lyrical prowess and beefs in the artist’s side of the microphone, KayeM has experienced a lot in his tenure with this industry. Currently in Atlanta, working on his music and talking to major labels, KayeM speaks with Voice Of The Metro to clarify his history in this game, what he has planned for this year and his home in the DMV, and his former beef with none other than the “Ambassador”, Wale.

Voice Of The Metro: So to start this off…introduce yourself to the world, joe!

KayeM: The name is KayeM AKA “The Middle East Beast”, straight outta the DMV!

VOTM: And for the people that ain’t been paying attention or don’t know much about you yet, give them some history on you.

KM: Well first off, I’m an artist/producer/songwriter/engineer/all that good shit. And let me make this clear… I’m a seasoned producer. I’ve been doing tracks since 2000. I’m not a dude that raps and got an MPC, and now he’s a producer, too. We call those “beatmakers”. I’m not a beat maker, I’m a producer! I started off doing tracks only when I was 14, and started doing records for niggas around the way. It was cool. It was all growing up in the music trade. I actually did my first production situation with Ginuwine when I was 18, fresh outta high school. It was me and two other producers that I had a team with. We ended up only doing records with his wife, Sole’, and a couple records with him, but the label, Bag Ent., never launched. Again, another learning experience. Then I jumped on the road with the BYB (Backyard Band). Thanks to my niggas Jay Pooh and Coop (management). I traveled with them doing these shows. Best damn time I’ve had in my life!

VOTM: (laughs) I can dig that!

KM: Hell yeah, shit was crazy! That’s how I got my stage game straight, because being behind Backyard, a whole damn band, you got to have a hell of a show or the people ain’t going to pay you ANY attention. A year or so later, I came across Chink Santana (Grammy-winning, multi-platinum producer) and we connected instantly. He used to kick drums for JYB (Junkyard Band). Back then, his name was Dre. So he understood what I was doing and felt my angle. He told me that he was putting together the DC “super group” and he wanted me to be a part of that. Being as though he’s straight outta South East, he knew how the city should be represented. So he grabbed me, niggas from Straight Face, the Oy Boyz, P.O.P., Kingpin Slim, and Dirty Redz. You know, real niggaz!

VOTM: And that was how Black Flag got started then. So right now, you’re down in Atlanta. What you working on down there?

KM: Yeah, I’m in ATL, grindin’ like everyday’s my last. Before I left, I linked up with T-Pain and did a record, and it didn’t pick up like how I thought it would in DC. I personally feel that the reason that the radio didn’t grab the record was more than music, but either way, it didn’t. So I moved to where music is accepted from anyone, no matter where you’re from, what you stand for, what you gotta say about anyone, they will take hot records! So, I originally came down to promote that record, “Sassy Chick”, and to do a Gangsta Grillz joint wit DJ Drama, but when I got here, the people took such a liking to my material that I basically had no choice but to stay. I linked up with the producer I’ve been working with named Primo and came up with some bangers! He got picked up by Maytone Music, which is a management company owned by Curtis Mayfield, Jr and Antonio “LA” Reid, Jr, which is the head consultant at Def Jam. So I’ve been in at the Def Jam office a couple times a week for the past few months gettin things “straight”.

VOTM: Hmm…so will the public be seeing a Def Jam logo on a KayeM album?

KM: Well, its a possibility, but there have been a lot of contacts made since I’ve been here. That’s the one that’s just been the strongest, but I’m not about a name, I’m about a dollar. If the money’s right, I’ll sign the line.

VOTM: Definitely. So you mentioned the Gangsta Grillz mixtape. How’s that working out?

KM: It started off as doing a mixtape, but my record “Get it In” got picked up by an alliance called the HitMen DJs and put on an 8-week promo. It’s an alliance of about 250 DJs, from VA to Miami, that choose a record to break every quarter of the year, and I’m the artist for the first quarter. So I’m focusing on that right now instead of the mixtape. One thing that I’ve seen out here is that one hit can get you a million dollars, straight up!

VOTM: Damn, that’s what’s up, joe! So, some of the fans know that you had an album called Reality Check. What happened with that?

KM: Yeah, it was a record I did in ‘06. I wouldn’t really call it an album because there wasn’t a budget behind it. It was just some niggas with beats and Pro Tools wanting to do music. But yeah, the streets loved it, just like my first street record, City 2 Tha Burbs. Some people weren’t feeling some of the subjects I touched on with the Reality Check record, but you know how it goes. If the shoe fits, wear it!

VOTM: You really got on some deep subject matter on tracks like “I Ain’t Shit”. That song was about actual incidents?

KM: Yeah. I thought that record was gonna get some tires slashed, windows knocked in, and some more shit. It didn’t, though. It actually turned into a fan-favorite, for real.

VOTM: Yeah, people can appreciate the honesty in a track like that.

KM: Yeah, that’s the angle I’m on now. Reality music, straight up!

VOTM: So on that album…you also had a track called “Flawless Victory”…it ain’t hard to tell that you was going at another local MC, Wale, on the track. The uninformed might hear the track and automatically say “he’s hating”, but for the people that know, you have a history with him. What exactly IS that situation?

KM: Well, I met Wale back in ‘04, ‘05, when I was doing City 2 Tha Burbs through Marlon down at Aja Imani. He told me that he wanted me to form a group with this dude that was getting love from some DJs in the area. Off top, I wasn’t with that shit, just because I don’t even know this nigga and I’m supposed to form a group with the nigga? Not happenin’!
At the time, he ain’t have a place to record, and I had a studio spot. It was an apartment, recording in a closet, but it was Pro Tools and it sounded damn good. So I gave him the rate that we were charging,’ but he couldn’t really fuck with it because of his own reasons, so niggas basically did it for nothing, like a favor for my man. Didn’t have any idea at the time that he was being managed by DJ Alizay at the time, until one day, I came in the joint and Alizay was there with Raheem Devaughn. They were recording a record in the closet! This is a nigga signed to Jive, and the most popular DJ in the city, taking his artist to record in the closet! So I went smack at Alizay, like “Look, I got this record for you. I’m looking out for your artist, take a listen to this and get back with me.” I ain’t think too much of it until he hit me back one day about 2 weeks later. He said I had a record called “Sassy Chick” that he wanted to spin on the air and the club. So I went to Night Flight, put up the bread, and got the record professionally recorded and mixed so I could get them spins. So I’m going to the club…no spins. I’m listening to the radio…. no spins. I’m calling niggas’ phones….numbers changed. But every time I’m listening to the radio, they playing the shit that I recorded for that nigga for free! So naturally, I’m HEATED! I lost big bread on recording this dude for nothing, and lost more money on getting my record mixed and mastered just for niggas to play me to the left. So I said “fuck it” and went in on the nigga…pause! (laughs)

VOTM: (laughs) Understood. So I know he had a short response on his “ADD Pt.2″, just stating that he wouldn’t go back and forth dissing (”Flawless victory? Hmph, i don’t beef, dude”). Also, I remember a small altercation at PGCC during the When Rhyme Met Wine show…where do you two stand as of now?

KM: Yeah, all that shit at PG was because Tabi Bonney was recording at BlackFlag Studios with our producer, Boo Boo, and called Wale to basically tell on me and shit, talking about a record that I had, and to call Chink and all this gay-ass shit. So that morning, Black Flag called me, asking me what was good, and I told em it ain’t have shit to do with them. So when I saw him, I just let his ass have it (verbally)! That’s probably the part you saw. He stated that we were no longer friends and that he wouldn’t speak to me anymore when he saw me (laughs). I congratulated him on his progress, though, after he did his thing on the MTV Awards. But other than that, it’s been nothing.

VOTM: True. So, man…it’s ‘08…what’s next up for KayeM?

KM: Well, right now, I’m talking to folks over at Sony, Epic, and Def Jam. They all seem interested, so I have some decisions to make soon. I’m working with Mya, my nigga Sterling Simms (Def Jam) on some records, I’m recording with the Drum Squad (platinum producers), and working withn Pastor Troy. So ‘08 is looking like it’s gonna be really productive. In the end, though, I’m doing all this shit to bring it back to DC. I want DC to be like Atlanta, where you can ride the Metro straight to Def Jam, where you have resources. Until we have that, niggas ain’t gonna be able to kick in the door how it’s supposed to.

VOTM: Definitely…it’s good, though, because a problem rappers in this area always seemed to have was working together, and I’m seeing that fade away as an issue nowadays. Dudes are really about working together to get the DMV on more recently. So now…we get to the DMV section of the questions…I know you ain’t been up here in a while, so this should refresh some memories for you, joe. (laughs) What’s your favorite go-go band?

KM: BYB for life!

VOTM: Favorite carryout?

KM: Danny’s on MLK or Eddy’s in Cap. Heights…cant decide.

VOTM: Favorite clothing store?

KM: Aja Imani!

VOTM: Stamp! Shouts out to Marlon!

KM: My man, my man.

VOTM: So, name some of your favorite rappers out of the DMV.

KM: All my Black Flag niggas, Pro’Verb, Don Juan, T2, Smarty Jones, Kingpin Slim, Oy Boyz, Lyriciss.

VOTM: That’s what’s up…shouts out to all of them, all on a serious grind right now. So any last words/shoutouts?

KM: You know, shout out to the whole DMV. It’s too many niggas, I’ll be here all day and night. I just want niggas to know that I’m bringing it home for the real niggas that something to say! Not the bullshit, bubblegum, ringtone rappers. I’mma give opportunity to the niggas that are going through it!

VOTM: Stamp, joe. Thanks for the interview, and keep doing it for the DMV!

KM: All day!

For more information and music from KayeM, go to…
http://www.myspace.com/blackflagkay