How Drakeo the Ruler recorded an album from jail

https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/how-drakeo-the-ruler-recorded-thank-you-for-using-gtl-from-jail-joogszn-interview/

by firloop • 6 years ago

83 42 6 years ago

apalmer• 6 years ago

I mean a lot of this seems to be human creativity... Wasn't so much they were able to record cleanly or clean up the vocals afterwards as applying effects that really distorted his voice but in an enjoyable way.

hnzix• 6 years ago

In a similar vein, Vybz Kartel (who's worked with Diplo in the past) has been releasing music from jail since 2011.

https://www.dancehallmag.com/2020/06/25/news/just-how-does-v...

pessimizer• 6 years ago

What's the earliest example of this? I remember being astounded when I heard that "Sacred Love" by Bad Brains was recorded the same way in 1986.

https://dangerousminds.net/comments/sacred_love_the_bad_brai...

3131s5• 6 years ago

Drakeo probably got this idea from Mac Dre, an earlier California rapper who also recorded an album from prison. Drakeo talks about Mac Dre in his lyrics and both share some stylistic tendencies like creating their own lingo.

Ccecil• 6 years ago

Yeah...I was thinking the same thing. "Romper Room Gang"

Mac Dre got a lot of respect due to his refusal to inform on the others (even though supposedly he had nothing to do with it). Sad story. He died in a car which was shot at after a show. Very ahead of his time musically.

3131s5• 6 years ago

Wow! Do HN people actually know Drakeo? I never expected to see this here.

Free Drakeo!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lzAefl8KIs

mrslave• 6 years ago

The social values promoted in this video are appalling. I'd like to see viewer's age demographics but I'm afraid I already know the answer.

(Also anticipating downvotes. Hopefully the set of those interested in this article can withhold downvoting-for-disagreement.)

hi5eyes• 6 years ago

its west coast trap music what do you expect

3131s5• 6 years ago

Ha! The video I posted is tame for gangster rappers. What exactly are you outraged by in the video? Crashing cars? Guns? Drinking lean? The lyrics?

What's really appalling is that Americans enacted stupid policies that pitted the police in war against the gangs over drug profits. The part of Watts where these rappers like Drakeo and 03 Greedo grew up is absolutely brutal, but the Crip set there is well connected after 50 years of activity. I guarantee these guys don't care whether you like it or not... but it's reality until you can overcome your outrage and legalize the things that make gang life so potentially lucrative.

anm89• 6 years ago

I think the music is lacking value more than the social values are lacking.

GaryNumanVevo• 6 years ago

Pearl clutching over adult men driving cars, then smoking weed and hanging out. It’s west coast trap music, that’s a fairly tame music video.

s_trumpet2• 6 years ago

Greedo, Drakeo and Shoreline Mafia are probably the most exciting West Coast hip hop artists at the moment.

hm-nah2• 6 years ago

If you're excited by a simple, Seuss-esque rhyming pattern with hollow lyrics. Its rather the trap beat and vocoder that appeal (to anyone); viral sounds; ear worms; thats about it. Nothing moving the culture ahead. Nothing revolutionary as far as content goes.

gridlockd6• 6 years ago

Free Drakeo!

Yeah, no. He belongs in jail. Maybe not specifically for murder, but certainly for some of the other stuff he has been involved with.

3131s5• 6 years ago

And why is that? Being friends with gangsters is a crime now too?

ericns• 6 years ago

Why would they stop their violence and be held accountable when the authorities people like you put in power aren't able to be held accountable?

How do you feel about the board and executive team at Purdue Pharma? Weird how we invaded Afghanistan and then how much does it hurt and how much heroin do you need became part of every medical diagnosis.

genieyclo2• 6 years ago

This interview hints at it, but the much bigger story is LASD & the DA’s insane crusade against Mr. Mosely https://www.thefader.com/2019/07/11/drakeo-the-ruler-murder-...

https://www.thefader.com/2019/09/03/drakeo-the-ruler-charges...

Acquitted of all counts pertaining to murder and attempted murder and still remains incarcerated in solitary confinement inside the COVID-wracked county jail — without the option to post bail.

cocaracer2• 6 years ago

I actually served on the jury panel for this case. I would agree that his solitary confinement is excessive and cruel, but that article is incredibly biased. He's still incarcerated because there's a fairly strong case for the two remaining charges he faces .. has nothing to do with a vindictive crusade.

devin4• 6 years ago

I knew nothing about the case before reading this. Could you post a link that you think better represents the facts?

trabant00• 6 years ago

LASD & the DA’s insane crusade against Mr. Mosely

What's insane is sheep shouting "we caught guard dogs doing bad things, we should make it right by letting wolves roam free in the pen!".

gnu8• 6 years ago

That is a very black-and-white metaphor. I agree that letting the wolves roam free is a naive and unworkable solution, but something needs to be done about the guard dogs eating the black sheep all the time, and the white sheep who think this is their proper function.

ghostcluster• 6 years ago

It's not amazing sounding. Sounds like phone-quality audio like you would expect, and the production isn't very good either. Find myself in disagreement with Pitchfork on this one.

devin4• 6 years ago

Strongly agree. Nothing remarkable, not even a little bit. It doesn't even sound _good_.

3131s5• 6 years ago

It's like some forms of metal and punk, being raw is part of the appeal. When most of your songs feature long interludes of "mud"-induced rambling, it's not that important than your prison-phone vocals sound pristine.

dang• 6 years ago

Ok, we've taken the amazing sounds out of the title above.

Hasz• 6 years ago

03 Greedo is apparently also releasing music from jail.

How Drakeo the Ruler recorded an album from jail

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