This week is a special one for Chad Krystals. The local hip-hop musician is releasing his new, third independent album, Mind Games, today, off his own independent label, Krystal Clear Inc. He's giving Valley music fans a little taste of the album with a special showcase at Phoenix's Hidden House on July 8.
While that show will feature Krystals emceeing as the solo act, he also performs with his group Chad Krystals & the Beat Lab, which features two live drummers, giving more of a rock sound to his music.
At the Hidden House show, he'll be performing Mind Games track, "Keep It Live." Check out the song, along with lyrics and what inspired it, after the jump.
What inspired the track?
The inspiration for the track "Keep It Live" is simple: keep it live, keep it interesting, keep it fresh! Hip-hop/pop music has become such a mundane, recycled sound over the past few years. Artists continually 'bite' or replicate what the last success story in music was for sales, instead of coming original sometimes. It confuses me how we have millions of recording artists on this earth, yet the radio dictates the sounds and producers that control it. It makes everyone have the same vibe, and I believe the great part about life is the differences in styles and fashions of all of us. Yet we're stuck listening to the same 40 songs on commercial radio. It's never been something I've loved, so I wrote a song about it.
What does the song mean to you?
The song "Keep It Live" means that it's important to have talent in music. Just because it's become a game of image and big business, talent is the underlying factor [in] whether people will really respect the sounds you create. I mention "Facebookers and auto-adders" in the third verse. This pertains to the fake Internet scams that bump up artists plays, views, and fan counts for a fee to make them 'look popular'. I can see what you're trying to do, but I can hear your talentless messages and sound. Nice try, but you have to work at music, too, because there are very few shortcuts to the top in the music industry. I just had to address it, because it gets on my nerves when I see fake artists.
What do you hope listeners take away from it?
I'd hope that the listeners would take away my message and the fact that I actually take time out to write, produce, and manufacture all my own material. I go to a studio to record, too. I have recorded some songs in personal settings, but there have been few 'hit records' that haven't been recorded inside a professional studio. I think people can hear the difference between what I do as opposed to someone who doesn't put their money or effort into their music. I'm trying to relay a message of independence and originality, and though few people might be able to relate to that, I feel people will take that away from listening to the song and all the music I produce.
Keep It Live
And now I'll talk to 'em,
show 'em how I'm doing.
Give you something to ride with and while you're moving.
I make moves while my styles blooming, and booming,
and dooming the dudes that don't know what they're doing.
I ain't losing, or falling victim to stupidity.
Feel the repetitious trying to get rid of me.
They don't spit it B- they don't get it either.
I stand proud, spit it loud, never ever "beaver."
You're trying to be Justin Bieber,
I'm more like lust and leisure.
Girls I love to tease ya, hotter than jungle fever.
Keep passing out this ether, the crowd is all tripping.
You're slipping, I can see it near or even from a distance.
Shatter your resistance with intense information.
Spit it gangster or for those with college education.
Really I've been waiting, for this detonation.
Keep it blessed, success, my only destination.
Keep it live
Keep it live
Keep it live
Now let's address, the music and its mess.
Everybody going out, claiming they're the best.
I don't see too many emcees making bucks.
What really sucks, everybody downloads!
With clown flows, you brown nose the A & R's.
The "pop" artists, well they all sound the same.
And if I'm lame, well I say "Ce la vie."
Cause I'm not impressed with how you do, so I'm just staying me.
Radio ain't playing me, they're just playing you.
Commercial rappers selling out, never staying true.
Auto-tune your raps out, you'll make a million too.
I'm hip-hop to the core, I score by scoring through.
The winter through the fall.
The writing's on the wall.
Every word every breath of this, I'm giving it my all.
So when we ball, you know we got to keep it pro.
Scotty Blanco's on the beat and Chad Krystals kills the flow!
Keep it live
Keep it live
Keep it live
To all you Facebookers and auto-adders.
It's not your online presence, it's your talent that really matters.
Do you have the strength, to go the extra mile?
Some really don't, so they hate on every style.
That's not their own, but that's not how I roam.
Allies keep me on the rise, keep me playing in your home.
I hate being alone, unless I'm in the zone.
Explosive thoughts that I've brought -- to leave the dome blown!
Phone Rome. Tell the Pastor and the Pope.
Chad Krystals is the master, cause he's always spittin' dope.
It's written hope, and hip-hop is the faith.
It's not just underground, cause it's all up in your face.
Waste nothing, still cutting, slam muffins.
You glam gangsters, need to shut the F* up 'n!
Talk's nothing, cause the actions speak louder.
Lace the game so "cocaine," you spit baby powder!
Keep it live
Keep it live
Keep it live
