Last week, G-Unit CEO 50 Cent announced the launch of a new subsidiary label called G-Note Records.
With his artist Hot Rod spearheading the new venture as the alternative label’s flagship artist, the guns and bulletproof vests were purposely left out of this marketing plan.
“G-Unit Records is hardcore street influenced hip-hop music, but with G-Note it’s more of a pop, dance and R&B feel. I’m like a fusion of both. You’re still going to hear me rapping but it’s on a different style of production,” Hot Rod tells VIBE.
Having signed to G-Unit in 2006, Hot Rod struggled to find his lane amidst the gangsta bravado associated with the label. After his Mary J. Blige-featured buzz single “Be Easy" failed to meet expectations, the rapper's future looked uncertain.
“50 sat us all down—me, Spyder Loc... everyone," continues the rapper born Rodney Toole. "He told us straight up 'You got to make yourselves hot. I can’t just be doing everything.' He wanted to see what we could do independently. This was back in ’07.”
He continues: “That’s when I took to my own grind and found promoters and did things on my own. Touring really was a big part of me getting to this point. I didn’t lose faith, I just realized I had to step up to the challenge.”
Now based in Los Angeles, Hot Rod’s new musical direction draws heavy influences from the electro and house sounds that he became accustomed to while touring Europe.
“G-Note has been established, but we just didn’t go public until now. The whole plan was to put out 'Dance With Me' as the first single on G-Note. I’ve been touring worldwide since 2007 and hit over 20 countries on my own. All the influences from the road, that's what really took me into this new lane."
Hot Rod is currently working on his debut LP, tentatively titled My Life, and confirmed that he has plans on collaborating with producer David Guetta, Akon and Pharrell.
My Life is slated for a summer 2011 release. It's lead single, “Dance With Me,” is available on iTunes now.
http://www.vibe.com/posts/hot-rod-talks-transition-g-unit-g-note-to...
Tags:
Permalink Reply by Still-FloW...DHH|CC2 on December 21, 2010 at 1:28pm
Permalink Reply by Broken-English B&E on December 21, 2010 at 1:33pm
Permalink Reply by Ian Whitaker on December 22, 2010 at 6:32am kind of surprised he might really drop an album that soon, guess this will be totally independent then. I really hope he'll have some good hip hop tracks on his album as well, I really liked some of his older hip hop stuff but this dance/techno s*** just ain't for me.
Permalink Reply by Cashflow on December 21, 2010 at 1:51pm
Permalink Reply by Andre (Maussberg) on December 21, 2010 at 2:43pm
Permalink Reply by Rhapcker on December 21, 2010 at 3:41pm
Permalink Reply by THE GENERAL-5stars-OG on December 21, 2010 at 4:29pm
Permalink Reply by Dr. Dre's A**. (RSTA2SMTH) on December 21, 2010 at 8:41pm
Permalink Reply by Infamou$Hill on December 21, 2010 at 8:46pm
Permalink Reply by T- Make it rain €€€€€€€ on December 22, 2010 at 12:01pm May 17, 2013 at 11pm to May 18, 2013 at 4pm – PIER 4
0 Comments 4 Likes
akiao commented on akiao's photo
akiao commented on akiao's photo
akiao commented on akiao's photo
akiao commented on akiao's photo
akiao commented on akiao's photo
akiao commented on akiao's photo
akiao commented on akiao's photo
Iams Mais commented on Iams Mais's photo
© 2013 Created by 50 Cent.
