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This week's bonuses

- a never before heard Random track
- new exclusive beats from DN3
- Scribble Jam battle footage
- video footage from Zia Las Vegas


yeah!

so get in there.

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Big Ran at Scribble Jam

What up... wild weekend in RanLand:

I entered the Scribble Jam preliminaries in Phoenix this weekend, just for the heck of it... and WOW! I won!

best part about that is that my homie Storyville won the NY Prelims so we'll be meeting up in OH at the end of the month.

but I knew there was a reason why I had never entered an MC Battle before...

rappers have egos..but at the same time they get super sensitive when they lose.

So I had a problem arise out of one of the non-winners of the contest asking me for a rematch in the parking lot, and me not being interested.

This leads to some internet thuggery, of course.



So do I have my first rap beef? let's hope not.

Common Sense meets Random Thought. In a Blender.

This Saturday.








On newsstands now!

:-)

This time, I'M asking the questions....

In my quest to make "the 8th day" album an experience, I needed good music, so I got with good producers and emcees. Then, I needed great artwork, so I got with Kasey.
so for everyone who has complimented the artwork, thank you...but you have this
man to thank. So I decided to interview the man himself responsible for it,
Kasey Moore. In addition to being an incredibly talented graphic designer, he
also is a huge hip-hop head, with quite an impressive list of clientele.

so if you're looking for some great work, check him out...

and now... the interview...


1. how long have you been doing graphic design?

I've been designing for about 8 years... or
at least what I like to think of as design. I've been
professionally designing for a little over two (I
don't know if college counts)


2. any big projects?

I don't know if you have heard of Random's
new album, The 8th Day, but I did that... ha. I have
also done some big projects for Miller Lite (they are
the main client I work on), but have dabbled into
Samsung, Sara Lee and Pur Water Filters.



3. What inspired you to come up with "The 8th Day"
artwork?

When Random told me his idea it kind made a
spark. I didn't follow what exactly he was asking for,
but I understood the theme and feel that he was
looking for. I started thinking about the idea of new
beginnings and the whole idea of starting over. To me
a good way of representing that was with a kind of
dystopian feel where this new life was emerging from
the destruction (aka the flower).


4. have you heard the album? what's your favorite
track?

Why yes I have heard the album and I am
absolutely proud to be even a little part of it.
Obviously there is more than one song that I'm really
feeling, I can't decide which I like the best... I can
narrow it down to two. Placebo is amazing. The theme
of the song in general is what really does it for me.
I think it really talks to an issue that's going on in
this country that needs to be confronted, not to
mention the hook that caught my attention immediately.
I am also really into Fastlane. I just love the flow
of the song and the way Random can sound so one with
the beat. The man knows what he is doing.



5. have you done album covers before? if so,who?

I have never done an album cover for an actual artist,
but in college I did my senior thesis on hip-hip cover
design where I created 10 different album covers for
some of my favorite artists. The whole thing was
directed towards independent artists and reasoning for
having well designed albums, but that's for another
interview.

6. What made you take on this job?

Well, I first heard of Random from the Megaran album
(which blew my mind) and then from there on I listened
to whatever I could from him. Album design has always
been my passion, so when Random presented me with the
opportunity I took it. I'm always willing to do what I
can for somebody that is actually making intelligent
music that doesn't have to do with nursery worthy
rhymes and bling.

7. How was it working with Random? (feel free to be
honest!)

It was great. Random was very receptive to
my ideas and understood what I was trying to do. I
appreciate that he allowed me to have creative freedom
on his album.

8. what do you do when you're not doing graphic
design? any family?

I have the normal family stuff. Parents and siblings,
no wife or kids... I need to stay young for a little
while longer. When I'm not doing graphic design, and
well even when I'm doing design I'm buying and
listening to music as much as possible... it's kind of
a problem. My girlfriend would probably tell you that
I'm playing 360 too much, but can you really play too
many video games?



9. Who are you listening to these days?
Hmmmmm.
Great question. Well, not to kiss too much ass
but Random's up there on my list. I'm really feeling
Murs and all the Living Legends for that matter. Let's
see I love M.F. Doom even though he has been a hiatus
as of late. One.Be.Lo is amazing (I'm originally from
Michigan so I'm a little partial). Ok I'm taking too
long so Chromeo, Ed O.G. (old and new), J Dilla (RIP),
Eyedea and Abilities, and Hanger 18... I want to name
more but that would be annoying.



10. How can people who are interested get in touch
with you?


Drop me an email at lyricalholix@yahoo.com. Working on
a website, but it's not fully functional yet (I hope
someone gets that reference).

Thanks!

08.08.08.08.08.08.08.08....

well, happy new year to you. August 8, 2008 is an important date for
many reasons, one being the Olympics starting today, and another that 9000 couples are getting married...

but also because
my new album "The 8th Day" is now available. Some of you might have
gotten it early, and I appreciate your feedback on it. The Special
Editions are not quite sold out yet, (70 sold, so 18 more of those are
available!) after that you'll have to get the standard edition, which
is actually FAR from standard...because it includes:

-different liner notes

-an added bonus track "New and Improved" produced by DN3

-a lower price....just $8.88!

now can ya beat that?? nah, you can't.


and of course with both, you get a free download link to DN3's jazz
album.

Enjoy the music and take care.

take a look at 'em:


Deluxe Version:
http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00ZRH9QY


Standard Version:
http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00ZOK554


info here:

Press:

http://i-newswire.com/pr191479.html



(I-Newswire) - Mega Ran blasts toward "The 8th Day" on 08.08.08



Philly-born, Phoenix resident emcee and teacher Random ( aka Random
Beats, Mega Ran ) is prepared to release his newest album, the
conceptual project "The 8th Day" on August 8, 2008.



"The number 8 is the number of new beginnings; therefore I wanted to
release a special project on that day, talking about new beginnings.
Also, turning an 8 sideways will make the symbol for infinity, so I
feel this album will also make a statement that hip-hop will live
forever, in some form or fashion."


The album includes guest appearances by LMNO of the Visionaries,
Naledge of Kidz in the Hall, nerdcore hero MC Frontalot and more.
Production will be handled by Samik ( "Raze The Bar," G-Unit, Ruff
Ryders projects ), DN3 ( executive producer of "The Call" and "Mega
Ran" ), Storyville and more.

Singles "Exhale" feat. Naledge and "On the Wall" are currently in
rotation.

In a move that can only be described as Random, "The 8th Day" will
contain 8 tracks, which are actually 16 songs. Each track will include
2 songs in one, containing two different takes on one concept.


Random's past albums "The Call" and "Mega Ran" continue to rack up
huge accolades, garnering rave reviews from press outlets and leading
to feature articles in Wired Magazine, Complex Magazine, Exclaim! and
Blender Magazine. He has recently wrapped up a national tour, hitting
cities up and down both coasts.


The 8th Day will hit stores and digital retailers on August 8th, 2008.

Pre-Orders are now being taken at Random's myspace site,
www.myspace.com/random215, and at the email address given. Those who
pre-order will get a free copy of co-executive producer DN3's
experimental jazz album.
###

RAHM Nation, LLC
Philadelphia, PA 19104
thecall@rahmnation.org



let the games begin!!

exhale...

shoop, shoop....


nah, but really,





Random feat. Naledge - Exhale - Produced by Young B and Doug Funny
Scratches by DJ Akshun

http://www.zshare.net/audio/1597202316b1b70a


the story:

This song transformed right before my eyes. It started out as a favor to a very good friend of mine. Doug Funny is a dope producer out of Ann Arbor, MI, who hit me up one day and asked me about us collaborating in the future. I agreed, so we started working. Doug asked me which artists I liked, and made an effort to track them down. He asked me about working with Naledge, and I was all for it, as a big fan of the Kidz in the Hall album. Now, fast forward, and they're bigger than ever, touring the world, performing at Rock the Bells, getting on Madden 09, and more…well deserved, IMO.

A few tracks in, the idea for the Mega Ran album hit me, so I had to abandon ship on Mr. Funny's collaboration plans. Anyway, the song was just 2 verses, me and Na just spittin', no real concept. I wanted to get Reef on it as well, but I think he was out of town...But when I called DF to get a mix of the beat for me to use it on The 8th Day, he didn't have it.
So, the beat had to change...as it did, the song got smoother, and smoother....Enter DN3, who found a track that he had been sitting on forever (he always keeps stuff from me for situations like this), and he formatted it to fit the song. I liked it..but truthfully I didn't love it. I kept looking, deadlines looming...

Enter Young B, a talented cat from Australia that I met through DJ Speek Greene, DJ for Jaz-O, and NYOil's executive producer. It fit like a glove. I got DJ Akshun, my Philly homie, to lay down some scratching, and the rest is history. Funny story is that Naledge went to Penn, and I went to Penn State…it's like it was kinda destined to be...well not really. And trust, the project with Doug Funny (no title yet, I'm thinking about "Funny, in a Random Kinda Way") will happen one day.
The song is toward the end of the album, expressing the joy at hip-hop's new beginning, while stressing creativity and lyricism...ironically, it's the same sample as "Hip Hop Hooray," and that wasn't all that coincidental when you think about it.


enjoy, and gimme your thoughts.

The 8th Day. The Song.

The song that explains the entire premise of the record...


The 8th Day (produced by Samik)

http://www.zshare.net/audio/157869195a46e734/


The Story:

Samik is a guy that always brings good music and ideas out of me. I have plans to one day do an entire project with him, I think that'll be really awesome. Many of you might remember the story of how we created "Raze the Bar" back in 2006 (it involved me, him, some Wendy's nuggets and pouring rain), but this one was a lot different. This time, he sent me a beat that was already completed, in hopes that I'd have something for it. I sat and pondered on the beat for a long time... and eventually it became the song that would set off this entire project. No intros, no speeches, let's just get right to the music. This song is pretty self-explanatory, but in case no one listens to lyrics anymore, it's about me having a dream that fake hip-hop artists are exposed and run out of the business. It works well at the beginning, but it gets way out of hand, when the powers that be start coming after any rapper who exaggerates in any way… and eventually they come after me. Another strange concept record that I may be beginning to be known for… and that's a good thing, I suppose. I can't explain how this stuff comes to me, but it's all about a strong desire to do something different. Definitely one of my favorites.

__
Quick Review.

The album:

-releases on 8/8/08.
-will be released in a special edition DVD packaging for physical copies, only 88 of those will be sold.
-features LMNO, Naledge, Rashid Hadee, DN3 (The3rdOne), CJ, Storyville on the beats and rhymes
-is bangin'


thanks for listening...feedback appreciated.