Hip Hop Artist J. Irja

If there is one thing people want to see in their favorite artists, it would be to see the growth an artist goes through as they hone their craft.

Probably no local artist exemplifies that better than J.Irja.

The hip hop artist has shown so much growth in all aspects of her music, from her lyricism to her stage presence and performance, it is hard to fathom she is the same woman that tried (unsuccessfully, depending on who you asked) to hold her own against the artists at Spotlight back in 2006. Her persistence paid off then, and it has continued to pay dividends now.

In many ways, though, she is NOT that same woman. Oh she is still the woman that uttered the phrase “little white girl but I’m not afraid” on her hit “Blessed with the Curse”. But she is far removed (thankfully) from the woman that released the song “Ching” back in the day. But now, the single mother of a five year old daughter is stronger, more confident, and it shows in everything she does.

She has branched out on her own, leaving Spotlight behind and determined to turn J. Irja in to a powerful global brand. The future holds so much for her, you can tell as she sits with me at Harmony Café over a cup of coffee that she can barely contain her excitement for 2014.

While no longer with Spotlight, she retains certain connections to her time in that camp. She still rocks the “Spotlight” tattoo on the side of her head, and still carries with pride the “Spotlight Queen” moniker, (a decision she touches on in the interview). She has no regrets for her time with P-Nice and the boys. Like everything she does, it was a lesson learned.

Judging from the sneak preview I got of the video for her new single “Psycho”, she has learned her lessons VERY well.

What is going on in the life of J Irja?

There is a lot going on right now, especially with my music. I am exploring a lot deeper sides of myself and I am excited to share it with everybody in this upcoming year.

What has changed in your musical life?

Everything has changed. I had to go deeper and take the filter off of my music and really say what I want to say. Certain things I felt that I could not share before that I am ready to share. And I don’t have anyone dictating my music, so I can say what I want to say.

“Don’t wait for a perfect moment; take a moment and make it perfect.” When it comes to your music, what does that statement mean to you?

That statement means a lot to me, especially the second part. There is no perfect time; you have to CREATE the perfect time. The perfect time is whenever you are ready, in my opinion because you only have one shot. I want people to see me. I had to take a step back and fully develop myself and bring myself to a new mental, spiritual and emotional level in order to really express myself.

What are some of the changes you have seen in the music landscape around here since you started?

I think it is cool that since I started there is a lot more white females coming out and rapping, which is cool. There are a lot more independent females taking their music a lot more seriously. They are putting out a lot more mixtapes when before it was just singles coming out. I noticed resurgence in videos and artists taking their music to a more professional level, doing a lot more promoting. It’s exciting to get the area so more attention.

What are some of the things that could be improved?

In this area I have noticed it especially, but it’s in hip hop everywhere, just be real, man. Everyone is sick of hearing about the car you don’t drive and the money you do NOT have in your bank accounts. You know what I’m sayin’? It’s like bro; you got the Wal-Mart Money Card and not the American Express Black Card. I call it ‘wish-list rapping’. There is a lot of it in this area. I just wish people would be more true; I want to hear about your struggles. Tell me something about your real life story.

What caused the move away from Spotlight?

Anyone that has been in the music industry knows, you grow, and you change. I simply outgrew the situation I was in and knew there were bigger and better things out there for me. It’s part of my history, and I appreciate the experience I had and the things that I learned, but I know it’s time to do me.

The things that you learned through that experience, how does that help you now?

I learned a lot of very valuable but very, VERY expensive lessons through my experience. But I also learned a lot. I learned a lot about the industry and politics of the industry, and how people function from P-Nice. I learned about videos and how to structure things from Coop. I also learned a lot of deeper things, but I am going to share THAT in my music.

How do you handle the haters coming at you?

It’s funny, because I have been asked that question before, and I just don’t handle them. I just don’t think about it; I don’t let bother me. And when I DO think about it, I look at it as ignorance and confusion. Really, they love me, but they don’t know how to embrace me. The hate is always going to motivate you, and if you don’t have haters, you aren’t successful.

With the split from Spotlight, why keep the name “Spotlight Queen?”

Because it is part of my history. I have been called a lot of names in my life. For example, I used to be called Lady X, but no one is running around saying ‘you can’t call yourself Lady X anymore’, you know what I’m sayin’?

You are branching out into other avenues. Talk about those moves.

I got a lot of things coming up in 2014. Some things I can’t talk about yet, but there are a lot of things, especially fashion-wise and entertainment-label wise that are coming up that are going to be pretty big. And I am really focusing on repping for the ladies in the upcoming year. That is another reason for the move from Spotlight. I couldn’t really do female empowerment movement where I was.

Do you plan on staying in this area, or are you going to move to a bigger market?

I am barely in this area as it is now. I am in St. Louis, or Chicago, or Indy or Iowa. I am all over the place. I don’t broadcast a lot of my moves, because people obviously tend to copycat me, but it’s all good. I am not in this area very much. I have been traveling a lot, meeting a lot of cool people and making a lot of a cool connections.

Talk about Psycho.

It is the most dear to my heart single thus far that I have made. It is about me unleashing my different personalities and taking off that filter. For all the people asking ‘what happened with this’, or ‘what happened with that’, well, through THIS song, you are going to know. I am speaking through the music and I am going to tell my story.

Tell me about Triplegreen Wireless.

My partner, Apollo Creed, started that and I joined up a few months later. It is something we had been talking about for years, actually. I met him through doing music some years ago and we had been talking about it for a while. He opened the electronic store, and I am adding the expansion, which will be fashion. It’s gonna be hot.

You seem to be very hands on with your career. Where did that knowledge come from?          

I have been doing music my whole life. I was BORN in this shit. I started singing when I was three. I started walking around with a flute before I could even play it. I played my whole life. I have always been hands on with my music. As I began to grow and get a serious career, I wanted to know everything. My brain is like a sponge for this shit. I have to be a part of everything.

What would you be doing if you WEREN’T doing music?

I would be raising my daughter. She tells me she loves mommy in the music business and wants to be a famous singer like her mom. I am going to do everything I can do to make this female label and pass it on to her when she feels she is ready.

If you could talk to that little girl that was you in Timmins, Ontario, what would you tell her?

Trust your instincts. Never doubt yourself. If I wouldn’t have second guessed myself, I would be so much farther right now.

When all this is said and done, what do you want people to say about you?

‘Damn, she really changed the world with her music’. I want to pave that path for females. And bring females together. Just like MC Lyte is doing. I want to be a part of a bigger movement. Especially here in the Midwest. There are a lot of areas are suffering right now and I think it will be really important for programs like that to reach those areas and I want to be a leader in that.

Hip Hop Artist Jamal Shane

If you are expecting some bullshit from Jamal Shane, you will be sadly disappointed.

Unlike some of the local hip hop artists in the Green Bay and Fox Valley area, Shane isn’t worried about whether or not he is wearing the right shoes, or rocking a bunch of gaudy bling. He is not overly concerned with how many women want him or how many free drinks he and his entourage can get.

In fact, Shane’s main concern isn’t even his music, all though the Grand Rapids, MI native bust his ass to put out music that is fun, unique and most importantly, REAL. No, for Jamal Shane, the main concern in his life is his five year old son.

“My son has been in the studio with me since he was a week old,” Shane said. “He loves to record. He wants to do his raps.”

The 36 year old single dad has earned the title of veteran in the hip hop game in this area. Since bursting onto scene with the group The HeatHolders in the early 90’s, Shane has pretty much seen and done it all. And although he has been in the game for so long, he still is a very active part of the hip hop scene, and is looking to expand hip hop to the lofty perch that it deserves.

And he is bringing the future, in the form of his young son, along for the ride.

Jamal Shane. You know the name.

What is going on in the life of Jamal Shane? What you got going on right now?

Well, my main concern right now is raising my son. I am full time single parent like many of the people that like my music. So that is what I am on. Kinda putting my music on the backburner for the most part right now. I am still on the scene doing music, though. I am also working with some artists out of California.

Describe your music.

The best way to describe my music is a different kind of hip hop. I got roots that go all the way back to the 80’s. I am from Michigan, and Michigan is a little bit more east coast than it is on this side of the lake. My style is pretty much is me.

Who are some of your musical influences?

Awww, Shit…D.O.C. is one. Paris. The Devil Made Me Do It. Remember that? Spice One was one of move favorites too.

When do you first fall in love with music?

I would have to say since 1989. I Went to my first concert in ’89 and I recorded my first song as well in ’89. I was 12 years old.

As a fan, what was your first concert?

Metallica. This neighbor of mine had an extra ticket.

Tell me about Heat Holders?

That is an old group that I was in. We all grew up together for the most part back in Grand Rapids. When I moved here, I found out it was good so I ended up bringing all my friends up here. My whole crew from Grand Rapids. Once we got here, we got our studio established and started making music. We hit the scene and started doing all kinds of show back in the early 2000’s.

Tell me about the Deluxe 920 Magazine cover.

For me, I had been rapping around here for so long, even before the Heat Holders and the publisher of the magazine blessed me with a phone call one day. She said that she would love to have me on the cover. I was blessed. I got to meet a lot of cool people.

Talk about Intended Hit Crew Productions.

That is something I put together since Heat Holders is now defunct. I enjoy working with other artists. Even more than being solo. I got myself a wonderful beat guy; his name is Con Krucial. He is amazing with music. And I hooked up with a couple of MCs that I respect. Lunatic Poet formerly of Duce Duce Entertainment. And outstanding MC. Working together, we are making a collaborative effort to make good hip hop music.

Name an artist, alive or dead, that you would want to do a song with?

Of course Tupac, but I would LOVE to do a song with Redman.

You are making a mixtape of our all-time favorite songs. What is the FIRST song on it and why?

The first song on there would be “Gotta Get Mine” with MC Breed and Tupac. That song is just one of my favorites. I just love that song.

One song that describes your life.

It would be my song “Whatever it Takes.” Why? Because it is all about my pain and struggle with being a single dad. It is pretty much what my life is right now.

What are some of, in your mind, the good things about the music scene in this area?

One of the good things is how many wonderful artists are coming out of this area. And how open it is for people that WANT to come out and want to do it. And how other people are open to them. People talk about that there isn’t a lot of love around here, but when you look at it compared to other scenes there is.

What are some of the things that need to be improved around here?

More recognition of non-clicks. There are a lot of clicks within this music scene.

Best performance you ever gave.

Did a dope performance up at Main Stage with Dubceez. That was pretty dope.

Worst performance you ever gave.

Probably one of the recent shows I had. I was performing some of my new songs where I am rapping fast, and my wind isn’t like it used to be.

“Don’t wait for a perfect moment; take a moment and make it perfect.” When it comes to your music, what does that statement mean to you?

To me it means don’t miss the moment. I have been rapping and writing for over 20 years now. I am an older cat. I am pushing 40. I write in that moment. I take my emotions in that moment and put it in the song in THAT moment.

Who are some of the local artists that you listen to?

One of my favorites is Stream of Conscienceness. He needs more recognition around here. P-Nice is pretty dope with it. IIlluminosity. Those two young cats are pretty cold with the flow.

When all this is said and done, what do you want people to say about you?

I want them to say that ‘he was a dedicated original artist. A good father and a stand up dude.

 

Nicole 'Netay' Simmons

The first thing you notice is those eyes. They are mesmerizing; piercing, with the ability to see right through a person. If you can get past the eyes, then you notice the tattoos. After that, you see the long slender body that has probably been the wet dream of many a man that has crossed her path.

But if all you see is the beauty and the physical of Nicole ‘Netay’Simmons, you have seriously missed the point.

She is NETAY, OK?

The 2006 Kimberly High School grad (and Chicago Bears fan) has been rocking mics

and stages since 2008. From tearing up the stage with groups like Pluto and him&her, to her time with camps like On Da Right Trak (ODRT), Simmons is a veteran in the game, and it shows in her music. She is a throwback artist at a young age, an old school soul. She refuses to use profanity in her music. Her influences include some of the titans of old school hip hop.

Her ups and downs in the industry go from getting extensive airtime for her songs on 95.9 KISS FM to being booed out of a venue while on tour. From a split with ODRT to being on the ground floor of the explosion of Heavyweight Entertainment.

A single mother of a five year old son, Netay (pronounced ‘KNEE-tay’) will be ‘Married to the Music’ literally, in December. That is when her first ever mixtape drops, and according to her, the accompanying party is going to “huge”.

Like I said, she is NETAY, OK?

What is going on in the life of Nicole?

A LOT of big things. “Married to the Music” will be my mixtape coming out in December. It is my first ever mixtape, so I am really, really excited about it. We have lots of big shows coming up. I am now with Heavyweight Entertainment, so we have lots of big things. We have Trina coming in on the 7^th, so we will be doing a show with her. We have the Up and Coming Tour with DJ Unk. Lots of things in the works right now.

When did you first fall in love with music?

I have been writing all my life, but I started music in 2008. I don’t know if you ever heard of them, but there was this group out called Pluto. There were in a living room and everyone was kind of microphone freestyling and thought ‘I can do this’. So I rapped something that I wrote and they thought it was good. Ever since then, I couldn’t leave it alone.

Who are some of your musical influences?

Lauryn Hill, Definitely. Remy Ma. Really, any old school female artist. Biggie, Ludacris. Tupac. Not so much as an influence, but because of the old school aspect.

Describe YOUR music.

 I would have to say alternative hip hop. Old School hip hop. The one thing I think is different from other female mc’s is I do kind of gear my music towards a younger crowd. I don’t like to swear in my music. I like it radio-ready. So I can perform places where there are kids and families and it is appropriate. That is what makes me different from everyone else.

Name an artist, alive or dead, that you would want to do a song with?

Hands down. Biggie Smalls. He is amazing. He is old school. He switches things up. He takes beats and makes songs that no one would think are cool and make them cool. He is an amazing lyricist. I love him.

One song that describes your life?

That is a tough question. I will be honest with you and have to say “Whatcha Doin”. The things that I talk about in that song, perhaps I have tried that and really hasn’t worked. Now I am telling everyone else why are you doing it that way? What are YOU doing with your life? Haven’t you seen the things that I have seen? IT does describe my life, I am just turning it around and portraying it for other to see and kinda look at themselves.

As a fan, what was your first concert?

Please don’t judge me (laughing) but Hanson. I was REALLY young and I was a big fan. Don’t bash me for that one. I was a young girl and everyone loved Hanson back then.

You are making a mix tape of your all-time favorite songs. What is the first song on it and why?

Married to the Music’. It is basically the anthem to my mix tape and it is just an amazing song. It breaks down the fact that we are in love with the music and this is what we are all about. It comes at the end of December.

What are some of the good things, in your mind, about the music scene in this area?

There is definitely lots of buzz going on. Lots of very talented artists. There are a lot of big artists coming into the area. I think there is a lot of….inspiration. When you see a big artist perform, it inspires everybody else. It’s ‘why don’t WE do that.’ I have seen a lot of good things in the last couple months and the scene in this area is growing. It inspires me to get my stuff out there and want to be those openings acts and get my music out there.

What are some of the things that need to be improved about the music scene?

I think it’s too repetitive. A lot of the times it's just ‘ok, it’s another show at another club with all the same people. UGH. I think there needs to be new ideas and different groups collabing with groups that NO ONE would think they would collab with. Something different; step out of the box. That is what this area is lacking.

Best performance you ever gave?

I would have to say Chicken fest. We were with the Undiscovered Tour. My family was there and a bunch of kids and you just don’t get that very often. We rocked the stage, and when we came off, they were asking for autographs. It was one of the best things I ever experienced.

Worst show you ever did?

It was also on the Undiscovered Tour, I don’t remember where we were but we will call it Unwanted, WI. They played the wrong track for me, and I just went with it. The bar, which was basically a biker bar, said they did not LIKE hip hop, and literally shut me off mid song and booed me out of the place.

Tell me about him&her.

Oh boy (laughs.) That was a different stage in my life. Definitely had a lot of new experiences with that. Ummmm, listening to my music, I have definitely matured over the years. It was a good experience and it gave me a little taste of what the musical world was really about. That was my big step of really getting into music. But I kind of drew away from that because I was getting pushed into a way I didn’t want to go in music. I just had to step back and re-evaluate myself as an artist.

The things that you learned through that experience, how does that help you now?

I think I have more of a grasp of the basics of music. Of the industry and how things work. Things like going about booking shows and promoting myself. I took a lot of that out of it, and it was a good experience. Again, with the maturing factor in my music and how I come across in my music.

Tell me about Swaggatrotious?
I can’t even talk about that song. That is in my past. It was a cool song when it came out. We kinda took bits and pieces of other songs and made it cool.

Swaggatrotious got some serious airtime on 95.9. What was that like the first time you heard yourself on the radio?

I kinda laughed. It was cool that I was on the radio. I was PUMPED. One of my other songs when I was with Pluto, Kitty Cat, was also on the radio and won the battle one week when it went up against another song. It was cool that I was on the radio. Hopeful for some more airtime soon.

You have rocked with ODRT and Heavyweight Entertainment. What have you learned about yourself from those camps?

I have learned where my priorities lie. I don’t want to say anything negative, because I give props to every one of those people; there is no hard feelings (with the ODRT camp). It’s just I needed things as an artist and I wasn’t able to develop the proper way. And I learned that I need to take a step in a different direction. The experience made me a little bit of a more out of the box type of thinker. I appreciate everything they have done for me.

When it comes to women in hip-hop, what do you thing is missing?

A positive role model. That positive influence in music to bring it back to hip hop and what music is really all about and NOT trying to project those images. We all have kids. Would you want your kids listening to f-this and f-that and I do drugs. I feel like that positive influence or image for young ladies is missing.

When all this is said and done, what do you want people to say about you?

I want people to say that I was the one person that made a difference in music. I don’t just want to be another musician or another artist. I want to make a difference. I want you to be able to listen to my music and say ‘wow, she really made an impact in my life’. I want to make people think about things and make a positive change in people’s lives.

Ladies First, Ladies First

I LOVE a good female MC.

I mean, a great flow, nice lyrics, and the confidence to grab the mic and rock the stage with the big boys, that is something VERY entertaining and downright sexy to me.

The question is, WHERE ARE THEY? Where are the MC Lytes? The Queen Latifahs? Hell, I would settle for a Trina or a Lil Mama.

You ask the average hip hop fan to name a female MC RIGHT NOW, and they are hard pressed to come up with an answer. Well, other than Nicki Minaj. You can dissect every record chart around and you won’t find another female MC on them other than Nicki. (Sad commentary: On the Billboard Top Rap Songs chart there is NO female MC this week. KESHA is on the fucking chart, but no female MC. On the R&B/Hip Hop Chart, again, no female MC other than Nicki. JUSTIN BEIBER is on the chart. That just makes me sad).

But I digress. I asked in a social forum did people think that Minaj HELPS or HURTS females in hip hop. The thought process seemed to be split. Some feels she is a hindrance to the game. I have heard people say she isn’t really hip hop, but a cartoon character. But I have also heard that she is the next generation of hip hop (by no other than MC Lyte). I personally am not a big fan. To me, there is no substance to her. Like another one of my blogs asked, what have you got to say? And to me, she doesn’t have anything to say.

Now locally, there are some great artists. (And I will preface what I am about to say with I KNOW I WILL MISS PEOPLE.) My personal favorite? RockzSolid. She on her own could be a movement that takes the ladies back to the heyday of females in hip-hop. Her flow is old school with a fresh feel that works in a new era. Her lyrics are real and from the heart. And most importantly to me, she CARES about her CRAFT. It ain’t about money OR fame with her. It’s about the MUSIC. I got MADE respect for her for that. Check out “BringThat Beat Back.” I actually have it playing while I am writing this.

The best hustler in my opinion? J irja. The Spotlight Queen has been through A LOT in her young life, and it comes out in her music. Her song “Mirror” is probably the realest shit I have heard her do. “Bad Bitch” is anthem for the ladies that are strong and independent. Those songs ALMOST make up for “Ching” which is just an absolute train wreck of a song and should be burned and never played again. Another thing I like about her is that she has that sex appeal. Pretty face. Bangin’ body. But she isn’t over the top with it. And it isn’t forced. It’s a part of who she is.

There are others out there that are doing the damn thing. MC Spryte is a vet in the game. Shania P is cute as a button with a great flow and a bright future. Ms. Felony gives me the same vibe that Rockz does: Very real with hers.

Seems to me the female side of the hip hop game is in good hands around here.

 

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SAY???

What Have You Got to Say?

Music used to mean something. You used to have to have some semblance of talent to be a part of the music industry. Be it the able to sing, or play an instrument, or a unique combination of both, you had to be able to over something that not everyone could. You also needed to have something to SAY.

Excuse my language, but shit ain’t like that no more.

With the influx of the internet and social media, anyone with a laptop and too much damn time on their hands can put out music, photos, articles and the like to the masses from the comfort of their bedroom or desk or mother’s basement. (And yes, the irony that THIS blog falls into that category is not lost on me as I write this.)

Every single day, I and millions of people all over the internet are bombarded with request to check out the music pages and songs of artists. And every single day, I and those millions of people all over the internet are told by these artists that “we haven’t heard anything like this!!” or “This is that HOTNESS!!!”  We are supposed to believe that these artists have something unique and …..different to say and THAT is what we should click play.

I have been clicking play….and I have been lied too.

Everything I click on, and listen to and have been told is supposed to be that hot shit is not even close. What happened to creativity? What happened to TALENT? What happened to lyricists? They are either writing simplistic rhymes over someone else’s already hot beat, while stealing their already hot hook, or putting out some shit that is so weak and boring my 16 year old could write it.

I think the main problem is these so called “hip hop artists” need to stay in their lane. No, you ain’t rollin’ in a Bentley; this is Wisconsin. No one in their right mind would roll a Bentley here. It SNOWS here. No, you don’t have the baddest bitches on the planet. Again, you are in Wisconsin. That statement ALONE makes your bad bitch argument invalid. No, you ain’t the Best Rapper in Wisconsin. And in the grand scheme of things, is that REALLY something you want to aspire to? Being the best Rapper in Wisconsin is kinda like being the tallest midget. At the end of the day, you are still short.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some GREAT artists here. Just to name a few, in my humble opinion, you have cats like Dubceez, who is an absolute legend here; the squad over at Spotlight; Handz Onn, Ms. Felony, RockzSolid and Lou Streets. There are others, but those are the names that come to mind for me.

The main problem for THESE artists is that the market is just diluted with such bullshit. Too many mumble mouth motherfuckers that ain’t got a damn thing to say, and put out such crap that REAL artists get overlooked because they just assume since its hip hop, it’s got to be as bad as the other shit they have heard. And that is SO far from the truth. The artists I named and artists associated with them take the time to work on the CRAFT. (Now, me and Mellow G had a disagreement about IMAGE, but Mellow still crafts a helluva song, so I will give him a pass on the image shit.)

And that is another thing: Why are some many of these so called artists so worried about what they LOOK LIKE and what they are SEEN in, and NOT worried about honing their CRAFT? You think Kanye STARTED in $250 t-shirts? No. He started by crafted GREAT MUSIC. The material shit for artists like Kanye and Jay-Z came because of the CRAFT. They took the time to hone the craft ALONG with the image.

So again, I ask…

What have YOU got to say?

Joe "Lil Joe" Posorski

I am just going to put it out there. It ain’t easy for a white dude in the rap game. There are the inevitable comparisons, be it good or bad, to Eminem, and the inevitable insults of being called Vanilla Ice (which I always find interesting. You want to insult a white rapper by calling him Vanilla Ice, a dude that had ONE album sell FIFTEEN MILLION COPIES worldwide. That’s an insult?)

For Lil Joe Posorski, the comparisons have just fueled him to succeed.

I sat down with Lil’ Joe right before the “Long Road Home” Tour with Josh “Handz Onn” Russell. The tour, which hit several states, was a success, allowing Lil Joe to get his music to a whole brand new audience.

And now, the sky is the limit for Lil Joe. And as far as the comparisons go, he is not too worried about them.

After all, he is Lil Joe, Dammit.

What is going on in your career right now?

I am actually working on THREE new albums. One of them is with Mr. King that is One Night Engagement”. Another one I haven’t named yet, but it is going to be a compilation of me and other artists. All of the proceeds from that will be going to the “It Gets Better” Project. The project is designed to stop teen gay and lesbian suicides. I believe that is a really good cause to benefit, so the proceeds from that album will go to the project.

Let’s talk about the “Long Road Home” Tour.

It’s a tour where Josh “Handz Onn” Russell is headlining. There is me, SQ, and Snake Eyez. And we are going to be going around thru a few different states. Right now we have Wisconsin booked; we have got some show in Ohio and West Virginia. We are also trying to book shows in Indiana, and a couple of other places. It is going to be a weeklong event, and it is going to be one show every night; it should be a good time.

What is the reasoning behind the tour?

Handz Onn hit me up one day and said that I haven’t been back home to West Virginia in a long time and no one there has really heard my music or seen my live out there. So let’s do it. And I said ok.

Let’s talk about Last Trac?

It’s a clothing line I started about seven years ago. We did three or four different seasons with it, and then it kind of fell off for a while. I am actually going to start producing new clothing soon. It was t-shirts, pants, hats, and it did fairly well. We had it in few stores here.

When did you first fall in love with music?

I have always loved music. I can’t ever remember a time when I didn’t love music. When I was younger, I would take songs and remake the words into the way I wanted to as they were on the radio. I really started getting into it myself in high school when I was in the choir classes. My sophomore year, I made my first song. It was horrible, and I have it on my website somewhere. I have it out there for everyone to listen to in case I want to see the progression. I recorded it because I was going to go do a talent show for Kiss-FM. Failed that miserably to. I just kinda stood there frozen.

Who are some of your musical influences?

That is a really good question. I am actually influenced by all music. I can’t really pin down who I am influenced by because I listen to everything. Any song can just spark me. That is usually how it is. When I write the depressing songs, I have listened to country. Depending on what song I write, that could tell you what I have been listening too.

Describe YOUR music.

Most of my recent music has been kind of a mix between hip hop and pop. Hip-hop, pop and dance. But I like to have some real heart-felt music in there as well. Some REAL stuff. My albums kind of clash with each other. I will have real high energy music, and then I will have real mellow kind of real music. There is not a whole lot of in between.

Name an artist, alive or dead, that you would want to do a song with?

I want to do a song with T-Pain so bad. I don’t know why, but it is one of those things where he has a LOT of talent. A lot of people say ‘oh, he does the autotune thing’, but I have heard him sing without it. He has a lot of talent. He CREATED the autotune movement, so in my opinion he is the only one that should be allowed to use it. In ALL of his songs. Dead, I was working on something with MC Breed, and we didn’t get to finished it before he passed away. I was working a joint tour with him.

One song that describes your life?

{Long pause} That is a good question. You know, it’s funny. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of anyone else’s songs that describe my life in whole. I have made some of my own. I have got a song called “On My Own” and it describes a lot of my life.

As a fan, what was your first concert?

Alabama at Country USA. IT was a good show too.

You are making a mix tape of your all-time favorite songs. What is the first song on it and why?

“Take Your Shirt Off” by T-Pain. There is just something about it. Every time I hear it, I just want to get up and start moving. It grabs me. It is the way the vocal are on the beat.

What are some of the good things, in your mind, about the music scene in this area?

There used to be a lot of really good things in the area for music. And we are trying to bring those good things back. I think a lot of people have lost focus with what they were trying to do. When I started doing this, there wasn’t a whole lot of hip hop out here and I was doing it for fun. I got one of the first venues in Kaukauna to do a hip-hop show. Handz Onn has some things going on, and Spotlight was doing their own thing. Really there were only four people doing it. I moved to Florida and when I came back, it seemed like no one was trying to work together anymore. One of the good things that is starting to happen is people are starting to work together again.

Why do you think people DON’T want to work together?

People have developed big heads. Everyone is trying to be the rapper, and no one is trying to be the entertainer. My song “It’s a Shame” stems from true events. I was coming up here to do my album release party, and while I was up here I wanted to get on a couple more show besides the album release party. And when I called up some of the artists around here that had shows booked but weren’t full, I basically got told to take a hike, for lack of better words. They basically told me to fuck off.

What are some of the things that need to be improved about the music scene?

I really think people need to take a look at what they are doing. Most of the rappers that are out here, the entertainers, they have never left the area. They have never done a show outside of, maybe as far as Chicago. They don’t know what it’s like further away. They don’t deserve to have a big head. I have done all that, but I don’t have a big head. I have been all over the country, and I have performed with some really awesome people, and I still like to work with everybody.

Best performance you ever gave?

{Long pause} You know it’s bad when nothing sticks out. Some of my better shows have been at ET’s Dogg Pound in Kaukauna.

Worst show you ever did?

I did a show called Local Fest. It was in Kiel. It was at Snake Eyes. It was in the middle of nowhere. He had some property, so he set up a stage, set up some sound and it was basically an outside party. A couple of fans of mine made the drive from Kaukauna to Kiel and decided to bring me a show president of a bottle of vodka and Red Bull. My friend poured a drink that was 90% vodka and a splash of Red Bull. By the time I hit the stage, about 3 hours and 2 drinks later, I couldn’t remember any of my English lyrics. The only thing I could remember was my stuff in Italian. My 30 minute set turned into me talking on stage.

Your first time on stage, you got the inevitable comparisons to Eminem and Vanilla Ice. Tell me about that.

It was that talent show I talked about earlier. I was doing a song called “Unity”. The song talks about everyone needing to stop fighting and we need to come together. I had to be the first people up there and I was nervous. I had never been on stage before, never performed one of my song before. It was the first song I wrote. I started the performance, and I just stood there. I wasn’t even rapping at the time; I was just talking on the beat because I was so nervous. A couple of dudes out in the crowd were like “you are just an Eminem wannabe!” Which I thought was funny.

When all this is said and done and the career of Lil Joe is at its end, what do you want people to say about you?

I want them to say when they saw me, they had fun. That they had a good time. I do this to entertain people. So, if I am not entertaining people when they come to my shows, there is no point in me doing this. That is all I really need for them to think.

The Spot Owner Stephanie Soto

Nothing is harder than the first year for a business. From getting the doors opened, to getting people through those doors, to keeping those doors open, that first year makes or breaks all businesses. For Stephanie Soto, the first year made her, nearly broke her, and made her stronger than ever.

Soto is the owner of The Spot, a bar and lounge, performance spot and restaurant, and all around hang out spot. From humble beginnings in a small bar in Oshkosh, to its current place on Highway 76 in Neenah, The Spot has taken Soto on all of the ups and downs that business has in store for people.

The Milwaukee native and mother of three has survived all of the ups and downs, and has prospered when most people would have packed it up and quit.

“There are times when I have stood in the middle of this bar and said ‘wow, this is mine’”, Soto said as we sat in The Spot for the interview. “I refuse to fail.”

She knows that she couldn’t have done it on her own, and the people around here are just as happy for the success of The Spot.

Tim Calloway, who is the brains behind Fox CitiesCollaboration, works closely with Soto on various things, including the highly successful Sexy Heels Contest, which is slowly becoming a Thursday night staple at The Spot.

“Working with Stephanie and the Spot was a great opportunity that presented itself and I jumped on it! I knew there would be some challenges with promoting for a club that relocated and is not in the traditional area of the targeted customer base. With that said, there a lot of opportunities that exists because of the exact situation so it’s a matter of minimizing the weaknesses and maximize the strengths,” Calloway said. “Stephanie is a hard working woman that had a vision of what she wants her establishment to be and grow into; she is about the community, friends, and family. She is someone that you can feed off her energy because of her passion so working with Steph for The Ladies night where we also do a contest where we award a prize for the best heels in the house is awesome. Some owners are hard to work with because they feel they have all the answers and are stubborn; I am not saying it’s easy and she just agrees with everything I bring up, but she is open to new ideas and is a great person to brainstorm with.”

Leanne Douglas, the CEO of 1000 Words Photography, understands the professional side of Soto, but also loves how she can keep everyone smiling while getting down to business.

“It’s always a pleasure to work with her and she makes it a point to lighten the mood which is of course refreshing and we all need a little lightheartedness in our lives,” Douglas said. “Stephanie has grown as an owner to reach a larger crowd and I look at that as SMART, everyone has a vision, but you got to put on some glasses called reality and see it clearer and she has done just that.”

Soto and I sat down in her bar recently, as she was preparing for the year anniversary party on February 9^th.

So, you are a year in. What have seen that you were completely NOT expecting?

I was definitely not expecting to go from Oshkosh to Neenah, and changing from 25 and older to 21 and older. It’s been a really smooth transition, but it just was something I wasn’t expecting.

What was behind the transition from 25 and older to 21 and older?

I was leasing from an individual out in Oshkosh, and unfortunately, they weren’t paying the property taxes on the building. The city wants their money. And because they WEREN’T paying the property taxes, the city pulled the liquor license. So I had about 2 weeks to decide what I was going to do. Was I going to close up and say that’s a wrap, or pull everything out of me to find a way to keep going with my dream? I got the opportunity to come out here to Neenah, and within a month and a half my bar closed in Oshkosh, and opened up here in Neenah.

So that was the reason for the move from Oshkosh to Neenah?

Yeah, that was the only reason to move.

What was the hardest part about this first year?

Just getting people to know who we are. Getting them accustomed to what we do, what we serve, and the kind of atmosphere we have. The first year of business isn’t easy for anybody. It’s a constant struggle and battle, not only within me, but fighting for the business too. A constant struggle to have The Spot in peoples’ mouth and talk about it.

What have you learned about yourself in this first year?

I am NOT giving up!! (Laughs). I am not giving up by any means. I moved here from Milwaukee. I made the choice to move here for the better schools, better place to raise my kids, and we have had bars and restaurants in our family for over 22 years. I know what it takes to do it. It’s not like I woke up one day and said ‘I’m gonna open a bar today’. Coming here, and going through all the schooling (Business Management) and raising three kids, I am bound and determined to be successful;  to have something for my kids when I pass on, and have a good place to go out and enjoy my time.

Originally, The Spot was 25 and older. What was the reason behind that?

I wanted a place that was more of, um….how can I say this without sounding bad? I wanted a place where we can go and kick it. I am 37. I wanted to go out with people more my age. That was whole reason behind 25 and older. I had to have something that my bar was that no OTHER bar was. And that is where 25 and older came in.

You have had some issues with a couple performers, especially Jae Mills. What ACTUALLY happened there?

The full story is this. We had him booked. He came. He had drinks. The twist came in when their manager sent the promoter the wrong music. He was adamant that he could not go on without the music he had put together to perform that night. Because he didn’t have the music, it started to get out of hand. He wanted to leave at THAT point. WE had the promoter and my COOK of all people helping him download his music so he could go on stage. There WAS a solution to the problem. During this time, I was completely unaware that he had already gotten paid BEFORE performing. While they were downloading his music, he basically said “f**k it” and left. Dennis, I followed this man to the car. And I have 300 people in the bar at this point that not only WANT to see this man perform, but PAID to see him perform. I went outside to try to get him to come back in, and I literally jumped in his truck to get him to come back in. I was NOT going to let him leave and have my customers be disappointed. At that point he made a comment that the only reason I was trying to stop him was that I was trying to safe myself. I was thinking ‘we are in this TOGETHER’. Yes it is to save myself, but it is also to save YOU from having all these fans be disappointed by having you come in, having drinks, taking pics, taking their MONEY, and LEAVING! At that point, it was already too late to bring him back and put him on stage. We had done too much arguing by then.

So when things like this happen, even though it is out of your control, it makes YOU as the bar owner look bad. How do you deal with that?

Well, it’s almost impossible to get back the same 300 people that were in here that night. For our 1 year anniversary, I am hoping that a lot of them would come back. At that time, it’s going to be more of a customer appreciation to let them know that I appreciate them coming to The Spot first and foremost. My goal is to show them that this is NOT the way The Spot does business.

For a while, The Spot was a Ruff Ryder clubhouse. What happened there?

We basically decided to go about our OWN business separate from each other. We unfortunately couldn’t come to an agreement on some key points that stood out, so it was in our best interests to go our own ways.

This is a much bigger venue than the place in Oshkosh. Has that helped you or hurt you?

It helped me. It was an upside, because even though I was leaving Oshkosh and coming to Neenah, I was going to stay in business. I went from a 100 capacity place to a 350 capacity place, and being able to hold on to that image of a cool place to hang out, and not have any issues. We are a year in, and have had ZERO fights in my club. That is almost unheard of. We have not had ONE fight in here.

In this business, you run into people that don’t have your best interests at heart, but more so ‘What can I get out of it”, or people that look at you as just a woman. How do you deal with people like that?

I think the biggest thing that I get when I am speaking with promoters and managers and different performers and genres of music, the first thing they see is a pretty face. And they see a woman. But people don’t know I am NOT brand new to this. I grew up in a family that ran bars. I grew up in a family that ran restaurants. Everything I have collectively learned over the years gives me that experience. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying I have done this by myself. I have had a number of people help me. From Spotlight, to Ruff Ryders, to Collaboration. My biggest thing is I stand for what I stand for. I am going to make The Spot what I want it to be.

What do we have to look forward to in the future?

We are really picking up on a lot of national artists. The Spot has one of the biggest stages in northeast Wisconsin, and artists want to be on stage. And THAT stage sells itself. We have Do or Die coming in in February. We are looking at some other big names coming in, but don’t quote me on those just yet. We have the comedian Shawty (of “Wild n Out” fame) coming in. The sky is the limit right now.