As I hope many of you are aware, Nappy Roots are dropping their new album, The Humdinger, tomorrow and it’s really good so I suggest ya’ll go out and support! With that being said, I wanted to switch it up a bit. Instead of dropping a new song, video, etc. I wanna let my man Jonathan Hay (Nappy Roots’ PR) air out a few things. Check the insert below then hit the jump for the full entry. This is quite interesting especially if you wonder about the inner workings of releasing and album, etc.
We have released over 20 songs (via internet) on all the major hip-hop sites in the past four months, and a significantly successful mixtape with DJ Smallz, called Cookout Muzik. I remember personally breaking-out the underground single “No Static.” Originally, the song wasn’t even going to make the album — it was sort of an afterthought — but I gave it exclusively to HipHopDX and it exploded into one of their highest-rated songs (giving the powers-to-be no other choice but to include it on The Humdinger – see, the people really do decide).
The Humdinger Experience
The Diary of an insanely stressed-out publicist
By: Jonathan HayI stepped outside today for the first time in weeks and was greeted by a blinding light of something I vaguely remember as being called “sunshine.” After nearly seven months of ordering in Chinese food, having sandwiches delivered from the local Jimmy Johns and showering maybe once a week (If I’m lucky) in between phone calls, I have found myself growing closer to the sanity of a normal life. Our group, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated Nappy Roots, is releasing their highly buzzed about album The Humdinger…the moment we’ve all been anticipating.
Seeing The Humdinger in this Sunday’s Best Buy advertisement causes me to reflect on countless hours of phone calls, emails, interviews and, of course, many, many sleepless nights. But here we are at the big release. All of our i’s are dotted and our t’s crossed. The In-Store is set to jump off in Louisville at Ear X-Tacy, we got huge power-players like Best Buy, Circuit City and MySpace pushin’ the project, numerous radio interviews lined up and retailers such as Target and FYE are already ordering enormous quantities of the album. The Humdinger’s artwork is incredible, and the actual record itself – well, it is everything you’d expect from Nappy Roots and more, it’s fantastic.
We have released over 20 songs (via internet) on all the major hip-hop sites in the past four months, and a significantly successful mixtape with DJ Smallz, called Cookout Muzik. I remember personally breaking-out the underground single “No Static.” Originally, the song wasn’t even going to make the album — it was sort of an afterthought — but I gave it exclusively to HipHopDX and it exploded into one of their highest-rated songs (giving the powers-to-be no other choice but to include it on The Humdinger – see, the people really do decide).
The people responded and voted for the promotional download of “Election Day,” which was crazy, too. I ended up co-producing and threw my own lil’ spoken word intro on it and we had great success with that one, also. Atlanta’s most powerful radio personality, Greg Street, single-handedly broke the summer anthem “Good Day,” blowing it up and causing a massive explosion in the south, landing it a spot on BET’s #1 rated show, 106 & Park! Rap City featured Nappy Roots’ music, too – and the list goes on and on. Everything seems to have fallen into place perfectly and I feel that God is behind this project and will reward our diligence.
But yet somehow, I can’t seem to silence that gnawing feeling of anxiety in the pit of my stomach, that restless syndrome that has robbed me of much-needed sleep, that relentless voice whispering, “what if, what if, what if….” What if we missed something? What if we should have done something differently? What if I fail my team? What if I let down the families counting on this release who have sacrificed the presence of their husbands and daddy’s at little league games and family dinners in order to support this project? What if I’m left with nothing but an unfulfilled aspiration and a cabinet full of Jimmy John napkins and leftover sweet ‘n sour packets?
This week alone has been absolutely insane, to say the least. My BlackBerry and Gmail are screaming for empathy, with all the constant conversations between radio stations and various media – including internet, print magazines and newspapers — vendors, retailers, promoters, managers and Fontana/Universal and RBC Records. My assistants have had to hire their own assistants, my business partner, Chad Kiser (Hoopla Media Group), is buried somewhere beneath a pile of flyers and promos I threw at him and my fiancé is still swollen from standing in as my punching bag during this stressful process (figuratively speaking, of course). However, with N.R.E.G, Fontana/Universal, RBC, Juggernaut, and Hoopla Media Group behind us, we’re destined to soar to great heights.
So, this is The Humdinger experience in all its transparency — the good, the bad and the ugly. But, everything considered, it’s been a wonderful journey overall. Given the honor of representing such an amazing group – Nappy Roots — and making great relations inside and outside of the industry has been a rewarding expedition in itself. An amazing team of people have donated the best of their skills toward the birth of this baby, who will soon take on a life of its own. I’m sure we’re all experiencing a bit of pre-game jitters, but we’ve poured ourselves into this mission, knowing all along that it would soon hold the power to walk on its own, with just a little nudge from us.
It’s true that, after this week, I may be able to take a shower in peace, without being interrupted by Jay-Z in my bathroom, rappin’ “Moment of Clarity” on my BlackBerry while I hastily rinse shampoo out of my eyes and fumble around for the phone, but it’s still sort of sad in a sense, to be coming to the end of it all. To be honest, I’m going a little mad – haywire — this week. But soon, this psychotic load of pressure will subside and Nappy Roots will be back on the road, continuing on The Pursuit of Nappyness tour. Stores worldwide will carry The Humdinger and the hustle of the now will be a thing of the past. But tonight, I can’t sleep. Being a multi-platinum publicist, I’ve been down this road before. I’ve seen stadiums laced with crazed fans for events such as these, and I’ve seen less than satisfying numbers swallowed in the capacity of large stadiums — even with the most in-demand artists – and, you know, a disappointment is almost always blamed on a lack of awareness by the public…truthfully, the publicist.
So, as you can imagine, there’s plenty of expectation and weight resting on my shoulders, along with the rest of our camp, not to mention the Nappy Roots crew and their families. But with the fate of The Humdinger riding on our backs, the entire state of Kentucky anxiously awaiting and the whole world looking at Louisville, there’s still an insane amount of work to be done – we’ve got Finite Studios shooting a video promo of the event and numerous others contributing to a hopeful outcome of this release —
– wait a minute, hold on, damn! My phone’s blowing up again — “Turn the music up, turn the lights down, I’m in my zone…” — check it out, as if on cue, Skinny Deville just hit me with this text, “we gonna be aiight fo’ sho. Without you, we’d still be in the dark ages.…” See, now that’s what I’m talking about. The appreciation and love these dudes have shown throughout this progression have made this whole thing worthwhile for me.
The Humdinger. Yo, you gotta get this album. These cats deserve the love and it’s well worth the drive, even with the high gas prices and all. You’ll find yourself cruisin’ all the way back home to a gang of great hits — and if for some reason you decide you’re not happy with the Nappy, holla at me and I’ll order you the best Chinese takeout this side of the coast.
…and if you’re still not satisfied, we’ll gather the whole frickin’ neighborhood together for a Cookout Celebration, fire up the grill, get some Southern Smoke rollin’ and serve up some good ol’ Chicken, Watermelon and Gritz, Nappy style. Awnaw!!
Okay, now I’m hype! Let’s go, let’s get it, get it — it’s time for us to drive this baby home!
