In the late 80’s, a new sound arose on the hip hop scene.  The sound was called “bass music”.  Originating in the South, bass music was the foundation to many artists who has since become known as legendary.  Not legendary in the sense of a past president or civil rights leader. But legendary in that they were instrumental in creating something new the music world had never heard.

 

Two gentlemen, whose artistic expression heralded for years on end, were forefathers of the bass movement.  Raheem The Dream and Kilo Ali set the pace for this new sound and has graced our radios and clubs with some of our most well-known rap records to date.

 

Recently, I had the opportunity to catch up with Raheem and Kilo at an Old School Sunday showcase event at Atlanta’s Major League Bar and Grill.  We discussed their rap careers, how the internet has helped their movements, business venutres, and much more.  Check out our STACKS Magazine exclusive below:

 

L to R: Kilo Ali, Bels (STACKS Mag), & Raheem The Dream

For the people that are not familiar with you two, let them know who you are.

 

Raheem: Well I’m most known for “The Most Beautiful Girl (In The World)”. I also put out a lot of groups like Dem Franchise Boyz with “White Tees” and Yola Da Great with “Ain’t Gone Let Up”. I put out Drama with “Left Right Left”. I put out The Dream (R&B star The Dream), Fa-Bo (D4L), Young Dro (Grand Hustle)…a lot of cats. So I’ve been pretty much behind the scenes in my later years putting out groups.

 

I started out in ’86 putting it down as Raheem The Dream in the south representing when they only had 12 inch vinyl and cassette. People nowadays they don’t even know about that. They like “what is that”. Aye, we did it from 12 inch, cassettes, to CD’s to what is now downloads.

 

Kilo Ali: I’m rapper Kilo Ali. I first started off as Kilo… Kilo G. I start doing the “Ali” when I moved to the Islamic field. I haven’t been up and practicing lately, but I was raised in that field [religion]. But I was like the 9th rapper out of Atlanta, out of Georgia. So, that’s when it was new. We laid a lot of ground for brothers to come up and enjoy themselves in music. I was the first rapper to do “bass music”. Some people in other places call it “go-go”. I was probably the first one to do a rap over it. It was a group called Success-N-Effect they did a bass beat. But in Atlanta, I was the first rapper to put a rap over it and started kicking it like that. I actually designed that style of rap in Atlanta. I designed “bass rap” in Atlanta. So I’ve been having fun. I’m from that Zone 1, that Bankhead, doing my thing. I just saw Shawty Lo just a few minutes ago. Carlos (rapper Shawty Lo) was little back in that day. Those guys were like 10, 11, 12 years old something like that. But, those kids out doing their thing. Shout outs to all the kids in Atlanta who have followed their dream and do what they wanted to do.

 

But, I had some songs like “Love In The Mouth”, which is now my biggest idea. My first single was America has a problem “Cocaine”. My second song was “Do You Hear What I Hear”. I had another hit called “Ghetto Drop” I don’t know if you guys heard that. I came back with another hit called “Tick Tock”. Then I went to “Show Me Love”, “Nasty Dancer”, and “Love In The Mouth”. Songs like that. I had fun. Professionally, I’ve released 7 albums under contract. I’ve been working now with a couple people. Raheem been working with me. Shout outs to his mom. She’s been doing a lot of bookings for us. We just want to give people a selection to do. I’m working in the studio now. Me and my partners, in Secret Services, are working at being a production team. Thank you for letting us get in the magazine.

 

 

Bels: I’m a big fan of your music. I grew up on it. It’s timeless.

 

Raheem: YES! Because today, they still book us. It’s 2012 and their still booking me and Kilo for shows. That’s timeless music. You got a lot of artists you don’t hear about them no more. Like MC Hammer and them, they were huge but you don’t hear about them no more. But certain music that we make is still here. Me and Kilo went in the studio just made two songs together. Believe that. They gone trip out on that it. Raheem and Kilo in the studio and made a record together! Yes, two records. [laughs]

 

What is the biggest difference in the music industry, then and now?

 

Raheem: Now, the way you buy music. That’s the only difference. We own our record labels so we use to be directly with the mom and pop stores and independent distributors. Now you don’t have no mom and pop stores and small distributors because everybody is downloading. Plus all the majors got ringtones, etc. So, if you’re trying to get your record in a deal these days, you have to have a lot of internet, a lot of ringtone action, download. We used to make promo CDs. But now they making like thousands of promo CDs as giveaways. They’re not putting a single on there. They are putting whole albums on there. I never did that. I love and appreciate my music too much to go in the studio and record 15 songs to give them all away to you free. I have to spend money on that, pay these producers et etc. This is our work. This is our lively hood. So what I’m saying is that we took time and put a real album together. That’s why we still here. We didn’t make them quick singles. We are here here.

 

Bels: Do you have a different opinion?

 

Kilo: No. I think that Rah hit that pretty decent. It’s the change in how products are being sold. You know it’s so many people that are talented because we all are born with inner talent. So everybody’s interested in ideas. With that, with it being flooded and the way it’s sold.

 

 

Do you think that the internet and technology are beneficial for you two?

 

 

Raheem: Yes, you can get it to people quicker now. When we used to do it, you had to hear it by word of mouth. They call it the “underground”. We’d get hot in this town, then hot in this town, then hot in this town. But with the internet, you can get hot worldwide in a week.

 

As far as the down time, I know that you’ve spent some time locked up. Did your music change? Did your mindset change before you went in to now? What are some of things you do differently?

 

Kilo: I don’t know. I think that every generation is adjusted to another ear. So, another sound another ear, that what makes it fresh to them. I would say that in order to save something you got to keep reviving it and make it younger. And have your own team. The guys do a good job. And fashion is top play now. Fashion and being able to host to people. Being able to take them out an idea. I see a lot of genuine ideas going on. And education is taking a bigger play and that’s what they want. That’s what they want to compliment themselves in their education. So that’s what they do.

 

 

What are some business ventures both of you are involved in?

 

Raheem: I’ve done a DVD. I’ve written three books, “How To Get Paid From the Record Game”, “The Record Game Can Be A Dirty Game”, and The Music Industry 101. I was given them information in the books because everywhere I went (and I go) everyone (artists, producers, managers) ask me a million questions. A lot of them were the same questions, so I decided to write a book because you don’t have to ask me a hundred times. You can thumb through pages and get all the information you want. They made me become an author to add up under my repertoire. I’ve done 12 albums, 3 books, a DVD, and put out several artists out of Atlanta. That’s pretty much all I’ve done since ’86.

 

 

Kilo: My next thing is… I want to get into the art world. I do abstract art now. I have a lot of paintings that I’m working on now. Just working around getting it introduced to the people in the correct direction. So that’s what I want to do, lay back and have my own gallery.

 

 

What’s next with the music?

 

Raheem: I finished an album it’s called “Back To The Future”. So I’m taking them “back” to the “future”. So it’s like a combination of where we started at because some people have to go back and sample records. We don’t have to sample. We just make them original.

 

 

Kilo: I’m sparring right now. I wouldn’t just say working on a project. I’d say adjusting a sound. Adjusting your lyrics, adjusting your swag, and it takes time to do that. So I’ll say I’m sparring. I’m in the gym.

 

If you are a fan and would like to stay updated on Raheem and Kilo’s next projects, following Raheem on Twitter @Tight2DefMusic, Facebook.com/Rah4Life, and Raheemthedream.com.  Kilo on Twitter @Talk2KiloAli.

 

 

 

Check out a few videos of their performance:

 

 

To see Raheem & Kilo’s perform other classics, go to our Youtube page, STACKSMAG!

 

 

Special shout out to KC & Tory of Major League Bar for the media access and Six08Portriats for the pics!

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