Friday, December 26, 2008

Get a writer's credit for Mega Ran 9.


I used to love those 'choose your own adventure' storybooks when i was young...

so I'm offering you guys a chance to help out and make this Mega Ran 9 album extra special.

join the discussion here: The Random Hip Hop Board


and read the current story so far. then, add your 2 cents.

no matter how silly or crazy, i'll consider it... just dont say he meets Mario or something ridiculous.

My Capcom-Unity blog isnt letting me log in, so the good news is that this place will be updated more often.
I'm out in Philly with the peeps, freezing...

got a show tomorrow with Chief Kamachi, havent seen him rock in at least 2 years.

so, join me at the forum so we can make Mega Ran 9 THE BEST RANDOM ALBUM YET.

Peace.


join the discussion here: The Random Hip Hop Board

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Aki Con FTW.






first year con.

an hour away from the city.

crappy weather...


a recipe for disaster, right?

BZZZT! WRONG!

I had a BLAST at Aki-Con. great staff, friendly con-goers.. and I felt like a celebrity there.


but it started off a little worrisome...

I arrived in Seattle at the airport with no clue on my travel arrangements to the hotel...we just hadn't discussed it. I thought about renting a car until I saw a shuttle service that would get me to the Hotel for $30.

so I did it.
little did I know, the con chair's family was waiting for me at the exit, but with nothing to go on, we missed each other...

problem was fixed when I got back, because they were nice enough to reimburse me for the shuttle.
I get there and there's a full itinerary for me.. so for the weekend I:

judged a dance contest
judged a karaoke contest
judged a swimsuit contest (I volunteered for that one)

in addition to performing and stuff.

So on Saturday, I was determined to do some sightseeing... and did.

traveled to the Seattle Center, where the Space Needle and other things are. took a ride up the Needle and took some pics.

got back to Everett and rested up before the performance.

RIGHT before the performance, I got a hold of Mr. Marriott, aka DJ PM3, a dope DJ who stays in Seattle. He volunteered to come out and DJ my set, which went well. his friend got some great pics.

Overall, a great time... rainy, but it was a calming rain..plus coming from Phoenix, it's good to see some wet stuff sometime.

highlights
-a plush room to myself
-a full itinerary = no boredom
- Derek: my biggest fan that I never met.

great story: I was talking to Karl Olson, another tatented artist, and a guy came up and asked me 'excuse me, are you Random?' when I said yes, he went ballistic and said I was his hero, and that he plays my music all time for his friends. all I could do is blush. Not sure how superstars can get tired of that...

anyway, during the show, when I got to the grand finale, a little tune called "Grow Up" and I invited Derek onstage to sing along..and it was epic.

Great times. Looking forward to getting back to the North West soon... Sakuracon and PAX, are you listening!?!? :)

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Mega Man 9 + Random = Mega Ran 9? Maybe.

Okay, I have an announcement to make.

At first it was funny, even cute to know I was nominated for an award.

But now,



I can't lie, I want to win this Online Hip Hop Award-- and I need the
peoples' help.



I'm about 60 votes out with 5 days to go.

I get asked a lot everyday if I'm gonna make a new Mega Ran album.

So, I'll make a deal with you guys.

IF I WIN...

I promise to record a NEW Mega Ran EP (tentatively it'll be titled
"Mega Ran 9") using only the music from Mega Man 9.



I've been playing Mega Man 9 a lot.. and dying a lot.

but the ideas are already swimming in my head....



Best of all-- it'll be FREE to anyone in the Capcom Music group, the Yahoo! Mega Ran group or members
of my forum:

http://randomhiphop.proboards.com/index. cgi

FREE!!

So, all you have to do is vote for the next 4 days, right here:



http://onlinehiphopawards.com/index.php?page=nominee&nomination_id=1761



And help Mega Ran get into office, and I'll show the love right back.


I haven't even announced this to the world yet, and not sure if I will.

BUT-- You're the first to know.

what are you gonna do with the knowledge? and the power?

let MC guns-hoes-and- drugs win the award?



NO!



you need substance...style..Mega Ran.



you're gonna make the right choice....right?



http://onlinehiphop awards.com/ index.php? page=nominee& nomination_ id=1761

There were some weird issues preventing me from getting the votes I
needed yesterday (dimpled chads or something), but they seem to be resolved.



60 votes, 4 days... lets do this.




remember-- I win, you win.. WE Win.

now tell someone!!

















I'm Random and I approve this message.



thanks!!!



again:

Monday, September 29, 2008

get on Board.



Why join the Random hip hop board??

you'll get:

exclusive links to unreleased Random and Mega Ran tracks:

news and updates on Ran and RAHM Nation first

to rant and rave about your favorite and least favorite stuff

to chat with me! whenever!!

get on board.

http://randomhiphop.proboards.com/index.cgi

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.

http://randomhiphop.proboards.com/index.cgi

Monday, September 22, 2008

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.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

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!

Thursday, August 07, 2008

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!!

Friday, July 25, 2008

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.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

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.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

8th Day, Rhyme Torrents, etc

sorry I haven't been updating this place much... with so much going on these days, it's difficult. to recap, I'm:

-blogging for a videogame site www.thatvideogameblog.com
-working on a new album "The 8th Day"
-producing (my latest credit is Zealous1 (www.zealous1.com)'s joint "Til We Die" which is featured on THIS free compilation from rhymetorrents.com:

http://www.rhymetorrents.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=260&f=2



RHYME TORRENTS VOLUME 7


CD 1
Kabuto the Python - RHYME TORRENTS 7 INTRO
MC RSI - Remember the Geek
MagiTek - Gold Teef (For Err Body)
Don Vito - Welcome Back to the Web (ft The Ranger, T.Y.T. & MC Gigahertz)
funky49 - Starblazer
Shinigami - It's Gone
Antisoc - Guitar Hero
Random - Inbox (Remix V3.0 ft The Ranger & Jermicide)
Desmond Fox - Lady Indie
Ham-STAR - Dump Stat
IllGill - Poser (D20 Mix)
ZeaLouS1 - Til We Die (ft RandomBeats)
Kabuto the Python - Da Ill Shit (ft Poopyhands)
2Thirteen - The Anthem (What Should Have Been ft High C, Ham-STAR & T.Y.T.)

CD 2
Id Obelus - Gangster?
Able-X - What If
Interstellar Dwellars - No Others
MAD DPS - Juggernaut
Whoremoans - Operation British
MC_Loki - Hymn of the Ahroun
D-Form - Nerdastedicz (ft Polkcounty Killa & Projekt Zero)
Reverend Badger - The Rage
nYgel - Rap Fanatic (ft The Ranger, Jesse Dangerously & Logic One)
MC COOL WHIP - Party at the Cawdor Castle
Geek Funk Records - Bumpin These Geeksta Rhymes (ft T.Y.T., MC_Loki & Mfk)
Teh_Rhymerer - Girl Named Nerdcore (D-Form Remix)
The Ranger - The Rhyme Spit (ft Whoremoans, T.Y.T. & Kabuto)
PoP Stick - The Hamster Song

BONUS TRACKS
The Ranger & Grandmaster Pink - We Alright
Tres Walsh - Thank You

if you'll notice, I have 2 credits there. check out the inbox remix too!

Um... I guess that's it. take care.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

smh.

this is sad.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

इन्तेर्विएव इन विरेड मग.

http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/06/straight-outta.html

:)


along with the extra questions:

> 3) Why the move to Arizona? Teaching gig?

Well, that was just part of it. I was also teaching in Philly, and I
loved it, and could have stayed there and probably earned more money,
but I felt like I was drawn here for some reason. I applied to schools
in 7 different states but got the most calls from Arizona. I found out
that AZ is ranked 50th among the states in quality of
education....50th. That's like, dead last. I heard that 3 out of 10
students in middle school right now out here will drop out of high
school. I think I need to help change that.

I also felt like as a person, and as a musician, I had to make a move
to grow. I told another interviewer a while back, I think I'm kinda
like Ryu at the end of the Street Fighter II video game... he won the
tournament, but didn't even stay for the ceremony; he was leaving to
find the next challenge. I didn't necessarily 'win' anything in
Philly, but I was ready to move on to a new challenge. I can't say
that this is the last stop, or that one place is better than another,
because I'll always be a Philly native, but being out here has offered
some different opportunities, and different inspirations...not better,
not worse, just different... but the 110 degree days have me really
missing the East Coast...

> 4) What are your thoughts on hip-hop's new century? Is
> the underground
> more vital than ever, now that the overground has almost
> been tapped
> out?

I'd say so. I'm working on a new project, 'The 8th Day,' and it's all
about new beginnings, because I feel that all of our lives are heading
towards a new start... the music business, and hip-hop especially, is
no different. Nowadays, independent is the way to go. This is the
generation of DIY. No more do you need a record label, a major
artist's cosign, or a bunch of start-up money to make a name for
yourself, all you need is your imagination and a video camera.
Creativity in mainstream music has hit a wall, and now those bigwigs
have to look at US, the people, to determine what's 'hot,' instead of
the days where they could just tell us what to like and we'd accept
it. I love the change. I welcome it with open arms...but make no
mistake; if everyone started doing what I do right now, I'd move on to
something else...something Random...yeah.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

bad news, good news, bad news, good news.

BAD NEWS: My XBOX broke last week..got the RED RING OF DEATH.

GOOD NEWS: Microsoft extended the warranty.....so they'll fix it for free

BAD NEWS: for the time being, I'm stuck w/o an XBOX and nothing else to do since I'm out of work.

GOOD NEWS: I fixed the XBOX, thanks to the Towel Trick


BAD NEWS: as I kept reading more sites about the Towel Trick, that apparently voids your warranty.

GOOD NEWS: I can play GTA 4 again!

BAD NEWS: If the RED RING doesn't come back, I can't send it back to Microsoft for the free fix.



GOOD NEWS: School is over! yay!

BAD NEWS: I didnt turn in all of my paperwork, so now I have to find it....


I guess I should get on that now.

In the meantime, go read this older Random interview, one of my faves.


shout out to Z. of Hipster, Please.

http://www.hipsterplease.com/2007/11/free-to-be-random.html

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Random Thoughts, 5.30

School is out!! yesss! summer break here I come.

LOST's finale was pretty awesome...wow.

I'm addicted to twitter. get on there and follow me: twitter.com/megaran

just found an app on the iPhone for it....sweetness...


and now, here's some important info.

my new album "Patches and Glue" will only be available in physical form for a short time. this is a limited album, that I hope and pray will be worth something one day..see, i think about you guys... I want you to have something that you can put on eBay someday...


so, if you order P&G here for $7,

http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00HJ126P

I'll personally send you a nice FREE gift to hold you over while you wait for the CD.


in addition to a shout out here.

act fast.

Love ya.

-Ran

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

all the Marvin Gaye tracks

for a limited time:



SO Sorry, but the free download time is UP. hope you got em!! 4 more coming soon.

Friday, April 18, 2008

MarvinGaye, the 3rd.

"Work It Out," Produced by RandomBeats:


http://www.zshare.net/audio/1076463434f0cde1/



sample: "Funk Me."


enjoy!!


oh yeah, and cop that PATCHES AND GLUE! remember, I'll send you a FREE gift!!! MANY MANY thanks to those of you who have copped.
















and read below for the breakdown :)

Monday, April 14, 2008

The Breakdown.

“Like we always do at this time.”

I’ve always wanted to start an album off with these words, since I heard “The Chronic” for the first time.

But I didn’t do that with Patches and Glue…maybe next time. “Patches and Glue” is a name that refers to what I would ask for at the corner store if my bike tire went flat. That $2.00 kit would get me up and rolling in a matter of minutes, depending on how well my patching skills were.

So for this EP (which actually isn’t an EP), I decided to take it back to the block, so to speak. So that means I enlisted help from some of the homies from the ‘Stock, our affectionate name for Woodstock Street in the West Oak Lane section of Northwest Philadelphia… like Chris Bantum, who did the artwork, and JonBap, who’s on the vocals, but more on that later. So, let’s break it downnnnnn:

1. Words from the Beagle produced by Storyville

Another thing I wanted to do on this album, that I actually got a chance to do was get someone else to rap on the intro. So, I asked my man DN3 to say a few words to set it off, and he didn’t disappoint. DN3 (Mel) wears many hats; he’s my show DJ, primary producer and engineer, and co-host on the weekly podcast we record. On top of all that, he’s a dope MC. I think his voice and style are amazing, and better than 95% of full-time rappers who think they’re the next big thing. I always try to get him to work on a solo album, but I don’t think he’s interested in a true solo rap career.
Anyway, he killed this joint! I had to chuckle at the “Ran’s a hefty dude” line.
Producer Notes: Produced by my man Storyville, who constantly raises the bar with his production.

2. Fly produced by Raze Brooks

“This is it right here.” When I said that at the beginning of the song, I really knew this it. The song that captured the entire album and feel… The single. The inspiration for this song was pretty simple; life. As a school teacher by day, I see so many kids at school who just don’t have any inspiration to push harder. I’m hoping this song can do that for them. It’s almost like a “Raze the Bar/Push/Salvation” mash-up sequel. This time, a cool young kid, Syl Dubenion, hooked up a smooth sax sample we used over the hook. We just shot a video for this one, a teaser and full video should be available soon.

Producer Notes: Produced by Raze Brooks of the United Kingdom, dude’s a sample head like me. He produced a joint with me and Doctor Oscify for the “Remixtape,” I think I met him through Storyville, Raze had heard our stuff and almost demanded that he get a beat on a project…so he sent me some joints and this one jumped out at me.

3. Til The Horns Blow produced by DN3

Again, they say that somewhere near the beginning of the album, you gotta have a track letting the haters know that you’re not the one to mess with…so enter “Til The Horns Blow.” When I wrote this, I had Pharoahe Monch’s “Let’s Go” on repeat constantly, trying to get back into that battle rapper mode. I really haven’t been on that kick for a long time, as I kinda lost the zeal for those “I’m calling out the rapper with no name and face” rhymes for a long time. I hate to call attention to it, but it’s the first time I ever cussed on a record. True, it’s only ‘ass,’ but still… anyone who knows me knows that’s like a big deal. Sometimes the rhyme scheme just calls for the right word, and it just works. Ohene and I used to have long debates about foul language in hip-hop, and he’d say that words are just like colors are to a painter… If the World Painters Association said “from now on, painters can’t use orange,” then how would you paint an orange tree? It’s very limiting. I’ve only chosen not to use foul language because of the many places I’ve taken my music, from the church to elementary schools to universities…but hey, it’s not like they’ve never heard it. Art is art…is art.


4. The Beatdown produced by K-Murdock

The way I met K-Murdock was very strange. I sent some materials to XM Radio hoping to get some airplay, and sent them c/o a Kyle Murdock, and hadn’t heard anything for a few weeks until I got a myspace message from K-Murdock (of Panacea) saying “yo! I just heard that Mega Ran joint! It’s crazy! Thanks for sending it to the station!” I’m like whoa…trying to put 2 and 2 together… turns out that K works for XM Radio, in addition to producing for Panacea, Raheem DeVaughn and many others…
So, K pitched me some ideas for future projects that he was working on, and I was down. He sent me a slew of beats, and one became “The Beatdown.” I’d say that if “Fly” is this album’s “Raze The Bar,” Then “Beatdown” could be this album’s “Push,” except that the sax is on “Fly.” Got that? Subject wise, Drew Thomas’ chorus sums it all up:

“When life keeps beatin ya dowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn,
Six feet under the grounnnnnnnnnnnnd.
I am always arouuuuuuuuuuund,
To lift you with that healin’ sound.”

Producer Note: Look out for a future (TOP SECRET) producer/MC project with myself and K-Murdock in the near (or distant) future.

5. Twice Over produced by DN3 and Ohene

The thing about this album is that every song was recorded at a different time, some 2 months ago, and some 2 years ago… so it really takes me back to what mindstate I was in at the time. By now you may know the story of the beat (short version—it was jacked from Ohene’s “Without Words” album—but we’re labelmates, we can do that), but the lyrics came to me very easily… in fact it kinda scared me. This is me telling the story of how I got to Phoenix, why I rhyme, and why I have no regrets.
*steps on soapbox* you know, there comes a time in every man’s life where he just sits back and does some introspection, and asks himself: “am I doing all I could be doing?” not just for myself, but for my family, for my dream…
*steps off of soapbox*
Or maybe it was my midlife crisis in digital form… who knows.

6. Inbox produced by Random
Ahh…looking for love in all the wrong places. This could’ve been called “Tainted Love” 2.5.1 or something like that. I don’t know about you, but a LOT of people I know have dated online, and most of them has ended pretty badly. I still remember my first… ah, Jamie from Chicago… man… Oh, yeah…well, anyway, the story’s not true, but easily could’ve been. Mega Ran shows up on this one, mainly because a) it’s funny, and b) I rap and produce on the cut. Seems to be an early crowd favorite.

7. Grandma's Boys featuring JonBap produced by DN3
My man JonBap and I go back like…recliners… like dyslexics…like Marty Mc Fly. I think I knew Chuck since we were both like 7. Bap was there when I wrote my first rhyme, so it’s only fitting that he’s on this project. I recorded this one almost a year and a half ago in Philly, for a short-lived group album that Bap and I wanted to complete in a week. We got like 4 tracks in, and then things kinda stalled. We had quite a few gems that I swore wouldn’t go unheard… Maybe we can save one of the others for JonBap’s album…coming…um… hopefully before Jesus.

8. The GetDown produced by Storyville
Remember that episode of Chappelles show where the girl’s boob pops out during the skit, and Dave was staring at it the whole time? He said “I felt like I did that with my mind or something!” I may have done some similar Jedi mind trick to get this beat from Storyville.
The story was: he was working on his album and wanted me to feature on this beat for a track called “Blue Collar.” I dropped my verse, all the while uber-envious of the beat, then I get a call 2 weeks later, and he asks me do I want the beat for myself!! I jumped for joy on the inside, while coolly responding, “Ok, sure.” So, a few months later, “Blue Collar” had changed into “The Getdown.” Big shout out to one of my students, Israel, who gave me the pregnant essay joke I used on there. He’s since been expelled, so I hope he’s okay.

Producer’s note: I’ve learned to trust Storyville, but this track changed a bit from my first recording until the final mix. One new part was the guitar stylings of Vince “The Rocket Scientist,” who would’ve been mentioned in the credits had he not been an 11th hour addition.

9. I Pray produced by DN3 and Ohene
I got to accomplish a few things on this EP that I dreamed about but hadn’t done before; and another was to have the final song go over 6 minutes, with some clapping, stomping and beatboxing, or ‘taking it to church’ as we call it.
This track was another Ohene-rip (maybe I should just refer to them as such), but it was mine to begin with. Let me explain…
Well, on “The Call,” I had an interlude called “The Prayer,” and Ohene played some keys over it. So, in order to keep a piece of the old projects alive in the new, we sampled that piano loop and created “I Pray.” If you’re keeping score, these are the connections:

2006- 3 part love song (Tainted Love)
2007- 2 part love song (Aqua Soul & The Continuation)

2006- Sax solo on Push (Frank Machos)
2007- Sax solo on “Megalude” (Kid Overdrive—well not totally live)
2008- Sax solos on “Fly” (Syl Dubenion)

bonus track:

Wings Produced by DN3

I don’t know. This is what I say to everyone who asks me “What were you thinking to put this kind of spin on the whole 9-11 thing?” I really don’t know. I watched “Crash” and I really liked it. I wanted to make a scenario where people crossed paths and were interrelated and have 3 sides to the same story, and then I wanted to base it around a real event… then “Wings” was born. I remember writing this on a plane, ironically. I’ve been told that this song has managed to touch a lot of people, and I’m glad, I guess. 9-11-01 was an extremely tragic event, but tragedy often creates triumph. I mean, it’s great to look at events from other peoples’ shoes and try to understand them better, so that’s what I did. Maybe if we all did that, this world would be less judgmental…whoops. *steps on and off soapbox*

Inbox (Remix) feat. DN3 and 88-Keys

I liked Inbox so much, we decided to remix it… but not just any remix, this is the “electric remixation,” as I’ve dubbed it. I reached out to 88-Keys, impressive producer who’s worked with people that I’D like to be working with-- people like Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Musiq Soulchild, and Kanye West, who’s the godfather to his baby…crazy, huh?—and he was down to work. We decided to rework A Tribe Called Quest’s classic “Electric Relaxation” and put a cyber-spin on it. Something for the nerds, something for the backpackers…something for everybody 

And there you have it, folks…Patches and Glue. Hope you enjoyed this little walkthrough, it’s not only difficult, but it took a danged long time to do! But I’ve enjoyed bringing it to you.

If you copped “Patches,” Thank you!! If not, then go do that, dude!


http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00HJ126P

Then tell me your favorite song.

Peace, love and Patches,

Random

Taxes and Patches.

order the EP NOW!!


Patches and Glue

music and vocals by:
DN3
Ohene
Storyville
88-Keys
K-Murdock of Panacea
Raze Brooks

and more!!



get it now for a special price!

then see me about a FREE Gift! :)

so go ahead, order now!













Friday, April 11, 2008

Thanks, Marvin.

the month of April belongs to Marvin, so on every Friday, I'll drop a new track every week.


this week:


http://www.zshare.net/audio/10407567ced6d55d/


a little joint off "Cleo's Apartment."

produced by DJ Prolifik.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

so I got a letter from Capcom...

and it said that Mega Ran is now OFFICIALLY LICENSED by the Big C!

this is pretty amazing news to me, I mean, the company responsible for Chun Li, has not only heard my stuff, but has approved.


So what does this mean? Hmmm... I don't have to worry about my myspace page being deleted :) Maybe we can see that Japanese tour with backing. Who knows?...but, knowing you are not gonna get sued has to be the best feeling in the world.

Some of yall heard the album already - purchased or downloaded. so if you haven't, do yourself a favor and help me celebrate!

Check sampler at:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/36387456abd630/

Purchase album at:

http://kunaki.com/sales.asp?PID=PX00T4AIJB

or

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/random07

or iTunes at:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=264591059



oh yeah, and KEEP VOTING on the Grow Up Remix!! so far Jonato 7's is in the lead.

Friday, March 21, 2008

The Grow Up Remix Blog.



A while back, I had a little search for the perfect "Grow Up" remix.

I got some good submissions.
I got some great submissions.
I got some submissions that should've probably stayed unsubmitted. :)

just kidding, I love all you guys.


So what I'll do is get my Simon Cowell on, and rate these bad boys and tell you why it is or isn't the one.


I'll put the best one on my player, so I need you guys' help!


The San Remix

Link: http://www.zshare.net/audio/7705075b6c1e2f

What I liked: that he probably never listened to the original.

What I didn't like: that he sampled...no drums..um.... everything. This just doesn't work. Thanks for playing, San.


The Ascension Music Remix feat/ Dan Poh

Link: http://www.zshare.net/audio/9313810963351b/

What I liked: Dan's verse. cool idea, I liked it.

What I didn't like: I can't shake the feeling that this one is off beat a little. I can't catch it.


The Fingaz Remix.

Link: http://www.sendspace.com/file/g3jlsx

what I liked: Those drums!! very nice!

What i didn't like: the same as most of them: the chorus just didn't work. but with some re-working, this could be it.




The AntiSoc Remix.

Link: http://www.sendspace.com/file/nbhguv

What I liked: Everything...very very nice.

What I didn't like: it was the chorus, but he fixed it... great stuff.


The Storyville Remix.

Link: http://www.sendspace.com/file/oe7srb

What I liked: very musical, really cool

What I didn't like: well, I don't know. I like this a lot.


The Jonato7 Remix.

Link: http://www.zshare.net/audio/931367324df605/

A very late submission, but well worth the wait.

What I liked: Awesome, kept the 8 bit feel intact.

What I didn't like: nothing. Down to the hook, he nailed it. nice job IMO.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

American Gamer.

http://www.caeious.com/americangameralbum/americangamerDLcenter.html

American Gamer.

http://www.caeious.com/americangameralbum/americangamerDLcenter.html

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Grow Up...Again.

There is a Remix to Grow Up out there, you just have to find it. here's a hint:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/megaran


you have to join to get it. :)


you won't regret it; Antisoc tore it up...

Sunday, February 03, 2008

One Two Free Four.

In the midst of tragedy, there's always a triumph. So this is what's going on with me for 2008.



Hollywood Ran, 2.0- you might remember way back in the days when I mentioned my music being in an indie film...well, Ran's back..spreadin' like anthrax. A new indie film, called "Second Skin," chronicling the life of gamers, has tapped Mega Ran and his hit song "Grow Up."



here is a trailer of the flick:

















It's being pitched to HBO and some other big names as we speak, so cross your fingers.



I am looking to release 4 projects this year. in order:







Patches and Glue-

late Feb, 08



an EP of 9 tracks, to include such joints as "Inbox" and "Twice Over." Production by DN3, Ohene, Storyville , K-Murdock of Panacea (Rawkus) and more.



read up on it in this nice write up on ThaHipHop.com:

http://www.thahiphop.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=140






RandomBeats presents AMERICAN GAMER-



so here's the deal... after I did this little "Mega Ran" album, mad folks have been sending me videogame beats, hoping I'll do some sorta sequel album....and I really don't think I'll do that....but i learned to never say never......

but that gave me an idea...I figured I'd put these beats to use.. myself and a few dope cats, K-Murdock and Pac0naut from Phoenix are working on a Jay-Z remix project called "American Gamer."

in what we all hope will be the final American Gangster remix project, we'll be sampling from popular and not so popular games on the mixtape, which will include about 9 of the album cuts.

This is one of my favorites, K-Murdock's Streets of Rage Remix of Jay-Z's "Say Hello"



take it and spread it...



http://www.zshare.net/audio/71339501fc1330




This'll be free for everyone...coming soon.
another preview is on Paco's page....
myspace.com/latenighthustle



they're EVERYWHERE!!





Marvin Gaye Tribute Album



if I had to pick just one musical influence, I'd hands down say Marvin Gaye. so, as a tribute to Marvin, I'll be recording and releasing a free album in which all of the tracks are sampled from Marvin Gaye compositions (sorry, no 'Sexual Healing'... I don't think). This'll be done just in time for Marvin's birthday in April.







The 8th Day



on August 8, 2008, or 08/08/08, the hip-hop world will begin anew. I'll be releasing a theme album based around the premise that on the day of new beginnings (the 8th day), everyone and everything must start fresh. I'm well into the recording process, and producers include http://www.myspace.com/samikg"> Samik, DN3, and MP Fiend of Baseline Ent.


and don't forget about
MEGA RAN!!


So, all in all, I got a lot of big stuff planned for this year... so stay tuned....

Sunday, January 27, 2008

RIP Mr. Sunny

none of you probably knew Mr. Sunny, but he lived directly across from me on my mom's block.



He was my homeboy Art's dad.

ya know, out of all the homies from the block, Art was the only one who lived with a mom and a dad.


Art's moved on, he's got a wife and family in Florida, and Mr. Sunny was still on the block...



Till This past Thursday.



Mr. Sunny lost his battle with the big C.



Mr. Sunny and I used to have a lot of conversations, when I ran into him fixing his van, or watering his garden.



I'm gonna miss him... I'm gonna miss the way he always called me by my nickname, in a growling kinda way... "Raaah RAHH!"

Mr. Sunny hated hip-hop. He thought it was just a bunch of rascals yellin and cussin'.



I remember a great story, my homie bought a CD of young lady by the name of BOSS. she made an album, Born Gangstaz, which my then next-door neighbor bought and blasted on the steps of the crib.

now Boss had a nice little diddy on her album called "I Don't Give a F&%" which contained these quotable lyrics...

CHORUS-

I don't give a f, not a single f***
not a single solitary f&&& I don't give a fuck motherf***!

[Bo$$]
I don't give a f*** about none of y'all!
Big ballin' a** BO$$ takin' two to
Ya head with a sawed off shotgun
Give it up cuz I'm one crazed b****!
Rollin' thick, gang full of lunatics bailin
Runnin' through the mud
Escaped from the cell block searchin' for the g** d*mn judge
Cuz its simple to get revenge on a punk
Pop the trunk, grab the pump and pull the trigger my n***a!

now that's some indubitable sh*t, son (c) Thugnificent.



Now, Mr. Sunny, like anyone who heard this, immediately wrote hip-hop off as some stupid nonsense.



So ever since then, we'd have chats about hip-hop and what it was, and what it wasn't... and I don't think I ever convinced him that hip-hop was good, but he always was willing to listen, unlike most adults at that time.

No matter what was going on, "Pops," as the fellas called him, was always around...always cracking a joke, always smiling..with his signature cigar in his mouth. I never remember him being in a bad mood.

Imma miss you, Mr. Sunny.... Thanks for enlightening us young brothers. May God bless you and your family.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

My Day off

since everyone wasn't off work today (i was, yay!) DN3 and myself decided to do some volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity over the weekend, so we helped to build a house.



now in that 6 hours of time, we did a lot, including helping to construct the 4 walls and put them in place.



I got to meet the woman who was going to be moving into the home, and she was ecstatic..



really felt good to do some good.



I highly recommend checking out www.makeadifference.org and finding something you can do in your community, it's very fulfilling.



So, what did you guys do on your 3-day weekend?



and don't feel bad if you didnt do anything, or if you didnt get a day off, you have every other day of your life to do something good for people.





Also, peep our special MLK day edition of RAHM Radio West at



http://rahmradio.mypodcast.com

with special joints by Common, Ohene, Freeway, Maja and more, and an interview w/ Haj of Dumhi.

Peace.

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