LOL@ Dante Ross responding to our blog...
Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 6:37 pm
In reference to this: http://philaflava.blogspot.com/2009/05/ ... -ross.html
Dante Ross sez:
Glad I'm so interesting to you guys. I am going to set few things straight:
I liked No Need For Alarm. I put alot of work in to salvaging that record. When it was delivered it had no 3-verse songs, very few memorable choruses and needed a lot of work. I dug in, helped sort out the arrangements and helped make it a better record. The first version while Del was killing the rhymes had very little structure to it. I am proud of that record and the job I did on it. I really dug in and made that record way more coherent than it was initially. Go ask Domino and Ice cube if you need verification. I would give this record a 7 and half good but not great. My efforts on it were some of my best as an a and r guy and I really helped the record make sense. I would give my efforts a 9 and a half, it proved to me if a artist was willing to listen I could help there record be that much better.
T.I.M.E was a bad record sorry. It made it crystal clear Busta was being held back and needed to go solo. He did and the rest is history. I have no regrets in my criticisms of that record it was at best a 5 more like a 4 and was a complete failure.
Hard To Obtain: Gamble and me did most of the tracks on that album and while I really dug our end of the record meaning the beats the rapping wasnגt amazing it was mediocre with Taste sounding way too much like Grand Puba most of the record. I don't hate the record but it's a 6 at best. I was disappointed that we used those tracks for those rappers and wished someone better had spitting on those joints. I was and am my own harshest critic. I would give the record a 5 maybe a 6 at best.
As for KMD's drums on the first record they sounded kind of thin as they wouldn't really let Gamble get his hands dirty and tighten them up. Great record probably a 7 and a half/8 but the drums being more knocking and it would have been a 9 I believe. This was an example of the group not hearing me or on a deeper level Gamble really as he engineered the record.
As for Gamble doing the work on our various projects over the years and me being Puffy thatגs bullshit, I just am not an engineer like he is. I am a programmer and a digger, I make all my own shit and always have. These bullshit assumptions come from people who have never seen me in action. I'm an easy target I'm not the humblest guy in the world but I am as honest as the day is long. As for Gamble heגs a great guy, very talented but since we broke up he never made 1 record while me I have caught 2 gold joints with out him and made 10 records at least. That should be proof enough no?
I did write a song on the last Santana and one for Anthony Hamiltonגs sophomore record as well. I have been scoring films, video games and commercials the last few years and making nice money at it. Watch TV for an hour one of my commercials will come on the boob tube trust me.
I say this all the speculation is funny; I'm not worth your guys emotional out pouring over mediocre records nobody really cares about. I look at the big picture of life not the small which has allowed me to remain relevant on many levels for 20 plus years and I feel the need to say this: Those records are a small part of my legacy as a creative person. I have recently been writing on a HBO TV show, nailed 2 pilot deals for my TV hustles of late and am about an inch away from having a full-blown show on the air. This will be the next area creatively I conquer watch.
I am a creative guy. I am a relentless hustler and worker. I probably do more stuff in a day then most do in a week. My weeks are like most peopleגs months and my months like most peoples years creatively speaking. I understand I'm easy to hate for some. I am a bit arrogant and prone to whip a chumpגs ass if I feel disrespected. My temper is legendary and so is my right hand. My love of the ladies is another reason for hatred, sorry I date fine chicks always and I'm sorry if I smashed your lady shit happens. I feel these things have as much to do with the speculation and hatred I get as anything. All I know is I live life to the fullest on many levels and music and my legacy in it are but one facet of my life. I do not put as much import on it as you guys apparently do.
Funny I have given so much back to the culture on so many levels something I love doing and will never stop doing. I get way more love back than the hate I see here and occasionally else where. All good I say but when you hate ask yourself this hard question:
" What have I given back to the culture I have taken so much from?"
After you ask yourself this question and your done gut checking yourself I believe you will have a bit more humility and respect for creativeגs like myself. It's called universal law and it's really that simple. Iגm sure you guys all have your own equation at the end of that question but I believe it will help your souls to ponder that one for a few. God knows seems like some of you need some gut checking.
Here is the credo I live my life by: Give Love, Get Love.
It's really basic and it works. My life is an example of it!
Iגm sorry I'm so opionated and can come off arrogant at times in interviews. I need to say this though. Busta, Del, Everlast, John Gamble, Domino, Pete Rock, My Cypress Hill brothers, ODB RIP. RZA, The Brand Nubians, MF Doom, Curious, Santana,Anthony Hamilton,Korn and dam near every one I have been in the trenches with has love for me and vice versa. This is a fact.
I wonder can anyone else commenting around here say that? When I pass away there will be a full page obit in the NY Times and a line around the block of teary eyed people who have accomplished a gang of great stuff, my contemporaries or peers so to speak. Thatגs what a legacy is all about making a mark, not going unnoticed in the big picture, raising peoples consciousness' and making the world a slightly better place on a good day.
I wonder can anyone else here lay claim to a legacy of import or are you guys just in to hating instead of creating. To say it short but sweet, donגt worry about me, worry about you!
Food for thought
Dante Ross
NYC
