The spotlight is on music blogger Gogo Ba

Blogger Gogo Ba

It was exactly one year ago today that Mooreeya opened to the global internet community. The site offers winning music mixes from resident artists hot on the club/dance scene. At just the click of the button these catchy tunes can be yours to add on the I-pod. Gogo Ba, the owner of Mooreeya, chats with Bizzom about his personal experience as a DJ, childhood, and his music blog.

Bizzom: 1) What’s the reasoning behind naming your blog Mooreeya?

Gogo Ba Well, in my language (Bosnian) – murija (mu:ri:ja) is a slang for police, so there was an internal joke between me and my buddies about that. When I wanted to create a blog I really didn’t know how to name it, and that was the first thing that crossed my mind, and to make it easier for people who don’t speak Bosnian i called it Mooreeya (mu:ri:ja).

Bizzom: 2) Describe your childhood growing up?

Gogo Ba Besides spending a part of my childhood while war was at rage in Bosnia, I have to say that i had a pretty good childhood. I didn’t have Nintendo, PlayStation and stuff like that , but we were kids with big imagination and when we were not shot at we had a pretty good time

Bizzom: 3) How has music influenced you in your everyday life?

Gogo Ba Everywhere I go, whatever I do, there’s always some music playing, whether it’s at home/work on speakers or on the streets. I hate it when i forgot my earphones and have to walk without the music on. Actually, I think I couldn’t live without the music. It’s just a big big part of my life.

Bizzom: 4) How do you juggle blogging and life outside the web?

Gogo Ba Very easy actually, i have enough time for everything. Sometimes blog posting suffers because of long nights out and stuff like that but i have to say that it’s pretty easy. I have to say that i really enjoy blogging and talking about music so h’m never too lazy and i always have time for that.

Blogger Gogo Ba

Bizzom: 4) At what age did you start DJing?

Gogo Ba Ever since i got in touch with Electronic music, djing has been very interesting to me. Then i found out about computer programs like Traktor and such and started «djing» at my home, on my computer, just for me. I think that was about 6-7 years ago(when i was around 18). I actually enjoyed it pretty much, and i was doing it just for myself. Then last year i bought some equipment and started practicing and playing at my house or some of my friends places. In May this year my buddies were organizing a party and needed a third DJ to play and they invited me, I accepted, and that was my first gig.

Bizzom: 5) Have you played at any clubs or local parties? how has the experience been so far?

Gogo Ba I played at a couple of clubs and parties in Sarajevo and I have to say i enjoyed every time. The feeling when you’re playing some music and you get the feedback from people is amazing. I really like it and hopefully i will be playing even more in the future.

Blogger Gogo Ba

Bizzom: 6) Has anyone ever acknowledged you or your site outside of the web? If so, what was it like?

Gogo Ba There are many cool people who support my blog and support what I’m doing. There’s been situations when i talk to someone and that someone tells me he found a cool blog on the web and that blog is actually Mooreeya. There’s also been a lot of people approaching me after the gigs telling me that I played great and stuff like that. It’s always good to hear someone praising what you do, but it’s important to accept negative critics too.

Bizzom: 7) If you weren’t writing for DJing, what do you see yourself doing?

Gogo Ba Well, I actually work already at a software company, but i can see myself doing a lot of different stuff, but hey, daydreaming is always good

Bizzom: 8 ) You’re attending school, correct? What are you majoring in?

Gogo Ba Yes I am. My major is Information Technologies.

Bizzom: 9) Do you have any upcoming projects lined for the future?

Gogo Ba Only for the near future, actually. Right now I’m doing a redesign for my blog, it’s almost over and I like it a lot, also I’ll buy a domain name for my blog very soon and I will be having some gigs too. That’s the near future,I have different ideas and plans in my head for the future but we’ll see about that eventually.

Stay connected with Gogo Ba via his Twitter/GogoBa, Facebook and Myspace.com/Gogoba

Also, be sure to check out his blog regularly: mooreeya.blogspot.com

Are you ready for Airis?

Musical Artist Airis/Trybe Records

At first listen, the insanely addictive Without You(Trybe Records) immediately caught Bizzom’s attention. Without You is the first single offering from eclectic musical artist Airis. Airis has a powerful voice, stunning looks and a down to earth personality-key recipes for success. Recently, Bizzom caught up with the up and coming singer about her debut disc T.A.P(The Airis Project) performing on stage for the first time and much more!

Bizzom: 1.) What’s the meaning behind the name Airis?

Airis: The name AiRis was created from my real name “Asmaa Idrisu” ‘A’ from my first name and ‘Iris’ from my last name. I wanted my artist name to have a meaning that describes me; I worked with a friend of mine and we split my name in two and came up with a word that’s spelled ‘airis’ but pronounced i-r-i-s; Iris in the english language has various meanings, in anatomy it is part of the eye with various functions, in botany it represents a plant with a wide variety of colors; and these all describe some of my features and characteristics as a person and an artist; culturally diverse and colorful.

Bizzom: 2.) How has music made a impact in your life?

Airis: Music has helped me maintain my sanity in many instances where I was faced with difficulties. It has also helped me express my emotions in a very liberating way. I have been able to connect with people through my music. The joy of knowing that some people actually “FEEL” my music is just absoultely undescribable. I have to say it has a huge positive impact on my life and fuels my desire to make more good music.

Bizzom: 3.)Can you recall the first song that you wrote during your teen years?

Airis: Yes. It was called “Acid Rain” . I was 15 at the time and came up with it as I was trying to relate emotions with nature.

Without You by Airis

Bizzom: 4.) Can we expect a video treatment for the sensual single “Without You”?

Airis: Absolutely! A video will be coming out later this year/early next year.

Bizzom: 5.) What type of sounds can people expect to hear on The Airis Project?

Airis: Catchy, Different, Nostalgic, Upbeat, Moving.

Bizzom: 6.)Do you feel any immense pressure to deliver a quality album for fans?

Airis: I feel no pressure at all. Delivering high quality music is my number one work ethic. That is what I do and intend to do throughout my music career.

Bizzom: 7.) Is there any song in particular on the album that you’re most excited for fans to hear?

Airis: Every song in my album is special in its own form and there is something for everyone, however, I do have one song that will incorporate a lot of Popular music, West African, and Middle Eastern sounds. I’m excited to see how my fans will react to it.

Musical Artist Airis/Trybe Records

Bizzom: 8.) Do you consider image to be an important role in your artistry?

Airis: Yes. I believe image has a voice of its own. As a musician, people may hear you first and have a perception, and that perception changes to some extent when they see you. It helps fans build their own personal relationship with the artist. In today’s music industry, there are many artists with so much talent, but image also defines their role in the industry and either makes them stand out or blend in with the majority.

Bizzom: 9.) What was the experience like performing on stage for the first time?

Airis: I was nervous, then I started zoning into my song and after a few seconds it all became natural and felt right.

Bizzom: 10.) Has your diverse cultural background had any impact on the type of music you produce?

Airis: Most definitely! Although, I grew up listening to Pop, RnB and Rock music, I also listened to a lot of Arabic and West African music; so I do have a bunch of rhythms, sounds, and instruments constantly ringing in my head. Music production is always so much fun when you have such a huge pool of familiar sounds to work with.

Bizzom: 11.)Who are your biggest musical influences?

Airis: Sade, Seal, U2, Madonna, Fela Kuti, Dolly Parton, Sting, Khaled, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner; I would say are all on my Top list.

Bizzom: 12.) With the trail you’re creating for yourself , what do you want people to remember most about the artist, Airis?

Airis: AiRis introduced a new genre of music to the world!

For all the latest on Airis and her upcoming album, visit her official website: airismusic.com

Fans can also stay connected with Airis via her twitter: twitter.com/airismusic

Images: Trybe Records

A aspiring actor/writer with a big dream.

It’s funny how the world works. We think we might have an idea of what we want to do in life-become a doctor or maybe even a lawyer, but what if those plans change? That’s the case for Actor/Writer Jean Lodescar, Jr. Bizzom discovered this upcoming actor through Youtube portraying fictional character Walter Lee Younger (A Raisin in the Sun) in a convincing 2 minute monologue. Bizzom asked Jean several in-depth questions about his upcoming script, movies and inspirations. One things apparent here, Jean’s very passionate about his craft.

Jean Lodescar Jr.

Bizzom: 1) At what point in your life did you decide to venture into theater?

Jean: Well to tell you the truth, my venture into theater was completely unexpected. As of what I can remember,acting was never a dream of mine. When I was in my early age I can only remember wanting to be a teacher or astronaut. I went through all my years of primary and high school and still acting never crossed my mind. It wasn’t until I attended Queensborough Community College that my path crossed with acting. I was taking a poetry class, as an elective, and I made real good friends with one of my classmates Michael Aquilino- who was an aspiring actor. He actually was in the process of preparing for an audition for a college production of ‘Hatful of Rain‘. He invited me to come down and audition just for fun and I did….and that’s when it all started. An unknown realm to me became a home in a matter of minutes. I was actually cast for the role of ‘Apples’ and I was excited…. I guess the acting bug bit me real hard because I went on to do two more full stage productions; Oedipus Rex where I played Kreon and Romeo and Juliet where I played Romeo.

Bizzom: 2) Who are your biggest inspirations far as acting goes?

Jean: I have four big inspirations as acting goes…two major ones. First, My personal friend Simone Black. She is an Actress/writer/director. She really does it all and she does them very well! I met her at Queensborough and she has definitely changed my approach to acting; specifically taking on a character. She has helped me take my acting to an extremely vibrant level. She has a very critical point of view and she can help me find character from a character.I really thank her for that. My next major inspiration would have to be Sidney Poitier – The Barrier Breaker. Yes he broke all barriers in terms of race and acting. He is a great actor. I believe he set the bar for many of today’s great actors. I remember reading an article that actually referred to him as the black Marlon Brando-Who happens to be one of my last two big inspirations. Marlon Brando is actually tied with Denzel Washington. I pretty much own every movie that these two have been in. There’s never a dull moment when watching these two and every time I watch them I’m reminded why I love acting so much.

Bizzom: 3) What plays in particular give you the drive to continue acting and writing?

Jean: My favorite play would have to be Lorraines Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun‘. It really gives me the drive to continue to act and write. The character Walter Lee Younger happens to be my favorite character, not only in that play, but in general. He is just such an average of a man and he does such average things but he has way above average dreams… Very Very human! I believe we all go through the Walter Lee stage in our lives whether we like it or not. I am also big on Shakespeare; His dramas in particular. Its always a great challenge to me when I pick up one of his plays because no mater how many times I’ve read the plays or seen them performed, I always find something new. Shakespeare plays have a huge influence on both my writing and acting.

Bizzom: 4) Can you tell us about the script you’re currently working on?

Jean: Well I like to keep my projects a secret until they are performance ready but I can tell you it will be a solo performance and its about a great historical figure who doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Some people probably don’t even know who he is…but when everything’s ready you’ll be the first to know!

Bizzom: 5) Besides theater, what else are you some of your other passions?

Jean: Acting on film is another passion of mine. I actually started working on film about two years ago and I’ve appeared in a few short student films and Indies. Two of the Indies are actually showing at two film festivals before this Christmas. I am looking forward to that. I also look forward to doing more work on film. Off the topic of acting, I am also leaping into the world of road biking. I’m no Lance Armstrong but I enjoy doing it and I can slowly feel it turning from a hobby into a passion.

Bizzom: 6) How do you remain optimistic in such a competitive entertainment business?

Jean: It is very competitive…but which high paying business isn’t? I was born Optimistic.lol. No matter what goes on around me I always stay positive, and that is the lighter side of things. I am a strong believer of God and I keep my faith just as strong. When he has a plan there is no stopping it. Whatever he has planned for me I’ll accept with open arms. With my faith in the right place, in addition to my hard work and soul driven determination, I strive for success.

With hard work and faith by his side Jean’s future is looking brighter than ever. Stay updated with Jean Lodescar Jr. via his Youtube: youtube.com/biggjj99

Our most recent interview is with Akomplice’s own Patrick. I talk candidly with Patrick about entering the fashion business for the first time, his brother Mike and what’s next in store for the line.

Akomplice founds Mike and Patrick

It takes blood, sweat and sometimes tears to make it big. Two brothers from Colorado shared a dream and have been living it ever since. Patrick and Mike established Akomplice in 2004. Akomplice is one of the most recognized urban apparel brands out there-with everyone from Outkast to the cast of HBO’s Entourage sporting their line.

Bizzom: What’s a day in the life of Akomplice like?

Patrick: It changes everyday, and that is one of the best things about Akomplice. One week I could be in Vegas at a trade show selling our products to retailers. Then the next week I could be putting together a release party for Akomplice with one of my favorite artists. Most jobs these days you’re a sprocket or a cog, and you have the same function in the company day in and day out. Thank god I got something that changes up so much.

Bizzom: What’s the concept behind the name Akomplice?

Patrick: This is a funny story. Mike was going through the dictionary looking for a name and read accomplish. I thought he said Accomplice and was like “that’s hot but we will spell it with a K instead of two C’s”. As you can see, we didn’t make it far into the dictionary, which is a blessing in disguise because by having a name that starts with the Letter A, we are always at the top of the list on websites. This means that when people are shopping online or looking at stuff they end up checking us out first before they get bored of clicking other brands. We chose Akomplice because it means partner/sidekick but it kind of has a harder sounding edge because the word is associated with crime. It feels intelligent, strong, and clean.

Bizzom: What do you think gives Akomplice edge over other clothing brands?

Akomplice special collaboration tee with Stabs

Patrick: Super Hot Clothes.

Bizzom:How would you describe your own sense of style?

Patrick: It continues to change. Currently I tend to be clean and calm with a strong punch of color. I am mixing contemporary with streetwear for a lack of a better word.

Bizzom:Who’s more hands on with Akomplice- you or your brother Mike?

Patrick: Mike is more hands on with design and I am more hands on with the retailers and the musicians we work with.

Akomplice founders

Bizzom: At what point in your life did you decide to take the route of establishing a clothing line?

Patrick: I didn’t. Mike said, “I wanna actually make clothing that has a meaning”. I told him “we can’t deviate from making our music, people like it. And if we are to make it we gotta stay focused. Plus you don’t know how to work any design programs”. Mike said, “Naw, I am just going to do both”. Then boom. Season 1. Which was honestly Mike’s first designs ever. He made 10 designs and we used 7 of them.

Bizzom: Do you remember the first article of clothing you created?

Patrick: Yes we got in the shirt “Death for Peace?” The printers we used for that were shitty quality and it was before we made the blob in the background look like the USA (see pic below). We were still hyped, but we knew there was a lot that needed improvement.

Bizzom: Your clothing line has featured in prestigious magazines and worn by several celebrities-that’s a huge accomplishment. Are you surprised with the success the line has received?

Patrick: Yes and no. We put in a lot of work to grow the brand gradually and made a lot of good moves. We had a lot of great luck also. One of the biggest reasons we have been successful is because people have just naturally liked our clothes. Many brands are built on hype and connections. Our brand was built by the people. And of course having artists like: The Game, Alchemist, Big Boi, Ludacris, Raekwon of Wu-Tang, Young Joc, Turtle from Entourage, Guru of Gangstarr, Immortal Technique, Talib Kweli, and Nate Robinson rocking the gear in music videos, magazines, or just on the daily, has been inspiring and super helpful.

The Realer World tee by Akomplice

Bizzom: Entering the fashion industry takes a lot of courage, did you go in with high expectations?

Patrick: When Mike started it he just wanted to sell at the local Skate shop Casual Culture. Funny thing is Casual Culture didn’t buy our first season, but True of SF did. True was the coolest store I had ever been to at the time so we were real excited. I still remember the feeling.

Bizzom: In the Biography you state that you aren’t afraid to take risks. Do you still stand by that?

Patrick: Yeah. Not that I am always not afraid, but more so don’t not do something because you are afraid.

Akomplice collaborative tee with Leaders

Bizzom: What’s next in store for Akomplice?

Patrick: We have a lot of crazy things brewing. In October our plan is to start releasing our 5-year projects. We have a collaboration shoe and all sorts of ill joints.

Bizzom: Have you ever thought about expanding your brand? Perhaps creating a female line?

Patrick: We constantly are. This season we are releasing our first shorts, sweaters, polos and boxers. Last season we came out with our first down coat, vest, flask, scarf, New Era, and rugby. We plan on just keep doing new and exciting things.

We have dabbled in women’s clothing which always sells great, but we just haven’t put a enough focus on making a women’s line. We had a season where we made 3 exclusive women’s designs and they did great, but the next season we did get it together.

Bizzom: There are thousands of hopefuls who aspire to create their own line one day. What’s the best piece of advice you could give them?

Patrick: Don’t spend money left and right. Also if possible bring something new to the market.

Be sure to check out Akomplice’s web store. You’ll find all the exclusives there. Store: www.akomplice-clothing.com

Images: Akomplice