Alexis Johnson | Writing SamplesTitle: 10 Years of FrontinType: Blog PostPublication: The MarketDate: June 3rd, 2013Original Post: http://www.itsthemrkt.com/2013/06/03/10-years-of-frontin/

10 Years of Frontin10 Years ago today the original skateboard P released one of the greatest singles of all time,Frontinfeaturing Jay-Z. Yes its been 10 years!!! Makes you feel old huh?Not only has the song become a classic track, but whats even more memorable was the video. Look back at it, it features some of todays most recognized faces and boy have they grown up. So where are they now, what happened to them? Here are 10 things that have happened after 10 years of Frontin.1.) A young Lauren London goes from Girl in the Frontin video to Nu Nu in ATL to Lil Waynes Baby Momma2.) Early 2000s video girl and Co-Female Lead Lanisha Cole went on to continue as a model for the Price Is Right until 2010. Now you can catch her on Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files that airs on SyFy.

3.) If you go to 2:36 in the video there is a DJ (Who I think is Green Lantern, not sure) but he has on a Fam-Lay shirt. I didnt actually spot Lay in the video but hes still settled in the state he continues to rep the most, Norfolk, VA baby! Hes released a few tracks every now and then and hes also a very interesting person to follow on social media, @HitMyBeeper4.) Most recently BAPE founder Nigo announced that he will be stepping down as creative director for BAPE after 20 years

5.) The more laid-back, out of the spotlight frontman Shae Haley becomes the first N*E*R*D* to get hitched in 2010 with Jackie Garcia.

6.) Co-Star Trak Founder and Neptunes Producer Chad Hugo has most recently formed yet another collective with DJ Daniel Biltmore called MSSL CMMND and released a mixtape in March called Why Fight the Space Age.

7.) Pusha T, one half of StarTrak duo The Clipse, is now signed Kanyes GOOD Music, and is set to release an album called My Name is My Name in July that will feature production from The Neptunes.

8.) Jay-Z claimed that he was to old to be Frontin back in 03 and released Bonnie and Clyde with then girlfriend now wife Beyonce. #PowerCouple.

9.) Pharrell turned 40 this year and hasnt age one bit.

10.)Pharrell went from Frontin to Getting Lucky with his latest single with Daft Punk.

Title: Who We Could See on TDEType: Blog PostPublication: The MarketDate: June 8th, 2013Original Post: http://www.itsthemrkt.com/2013/06/08/who-we-could-see-on-tde/

Who We Could See on TDEAfter waiting, waiting and more waiting. We still have not heard a confirmednew Top Dawg Entertainment signee. So we came up with possible artist. Feel free to suggest your own.1.) The Come Up Kid- Chance the RapperHes unsigned, young, and has one of the best mixtapes released this summer, Acid Rap.2.) Who we thought- Jhene AikoJhene has a pretty close relationship with the TDE fam. Shes a Cali girl with a beautiful voice, why not!3.) The First Lady-3D NaTeeMight have not heard her name but heres a go hard girl from the N.O. She gained a little bit of buzz this spring at SXSW and even got to freestyle with Kendrick on Sway In the Morning.4.) West Coast Click- Dom KennedyHalf of what makes TDE so great is its west coast connection. Dom has worked with a few TDE members in the past and he is still unsigned.5.) The Unexpected- ???From the little information that we have gathered it is one, possibly two people. Someone young. A female from NYC??? We cant keep up anymore.6.) What we really want- To keep it how it isIts like going to a restaurant so many times but still continuing to order the same meal over and over because you dont want to be disappointed about something else they may have to offer. We love TDE for where they stand now, at the top. Why change?

Title: DJ Such N Such: Yesterday Comes TomorrowType: Blog PostPublication: HU ReactionDate: June 20th, 2012Original Post: http://thehureaction.com/dj-such-n-such-yesterday-comes-tomorrow/

DJ Such N Such: Yesterday Comes TomorrowLook out HU, because the class of 2016 is full of students who exempt creativity and talent. One student who will be sure to make a mark on the mecca is DJ Such n Such from Chicago, Illinois.Such n Such has been producing since he was 13 and began spinning around the same time. He put ahiatus on his hobby as an underclassman in high school and picked it back up heavily junior year when he began playing the trumpet and fell in love with jazz. He is currently apart of an upcoming team of artist in Chicago called SaveMoney which including the band Kids These Days, Chance The Rapper, Caleb James, producer Thelonious Martin and others.I want to be able to give people something to hold on to or find bliss in and I want to do it through the way I find it myself, which is music. I dont want the music to just be good, but Im aiming to try and make timeless music along with a timeless name and when I say that, I think of all of the great producers/musicians and how people have found life in their music decades after its put out and will be able to find it in years to come and think thats what I want to be for people.DJ Such n Such plans to be heavily involved in the music program at Howard University as a Music Education major. Be sure to download his most recent mixtape Yesterday Comes Tomorrow by clicking the cover.

Title: Why Sampling Isnt StealingType: Persuasive Publication: N/A- Principles of Speech ClassDate: November 9th, 2012

Why Sampling Isnt Stealing

General Purpose: Prove that sampling is not stealing.

Specific purpose: To justify to my audience that sampling is a form of art, a contribution to musics predecessors and not a form of stealing.

Thesis: More musicians and producers are getting criticized for the use of sampling as a lack of creativity. Also the new genre of mixing is growing and it should be respected as well.

I. Introduction

A.) Attention Material: I grew up in a jazz influenced hip-hop household, rocking to the sounds of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. I remember the day I discovered the depth sampling. I was riding in the car with my dad and T.Is Why You Wanna comes on the radio. My dad says you know that song is old? Old? It was the newest release off of King and the hottest track at that the time. It turns out that Why You Wanna sampled the beat of Crystal Waters Gypsy Woman and the lyrics of one of my favorite songs Find a Way by A Tribe Called Quest

[Example: Comparing the three songs]

B.) Credibility material: Most of your favorite artistes songs, in all genres of music, are sampled from previous songs. Sampling is simply lifting a section of a song to include it in a new song. Some people believe that sampling is stealing and that creativity and development of music should never emerge from prior songs.

C.) Preview: As sampling grew in popularity copyright laws also caught up, making it difficult and expensive to sample music. Shouldnt sampling be taken more as a sign of respect instead of a form of theft? Sampling is most widely known in the hip-hop genre with artist such as Kanye West and producers like DJ Premier, but the roots of sampling date back all the way to rock and roll.

[Transition: Sampling DID NOT start with Hip Hop.]

II. Body

A.) History of Samplinga. 1st Sample: James Tenney Collage #1 (1961)b. 1st Sample Lawsuit: Dickie Goodman and Bill Buchananc. Sampling jump: Jazz and Hip Hop (1970s & 1980s)

[Transition: Hip Hop Sampling began as a tribute to the past]

B.) Sampling used as a sign of respecta. Culture builds on the past b. Rolling Stones vs. The Verve

C.) Helps keep people interested in old music a. Tracking the past: The YouTube Erab. Closed generational gap

D.) Sampling is a form of arta. RIP: A Remix Manifesto (Documentary)b. Artist: Girl Talk

III. Conclusion

A.) Why artist should not be so quick to take legal actions

B.) Old and New generation work together a. Tom Lehrers letter to 2 Chainz for Old Dope Peddler sampleb. (Reverse sampling) Johnny Cash Covers Nine Inch Nails song Hurt

C.) End Quote

Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples