May 2009 Herald Dispatch 03/16/2010
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V Club hosts 'Bring Your 'A' Game' tour featuring hip hop artistsMay 14, 2009 @ 12:00 AM
DAVE LAVENDER
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON -- If you need any more evidence that it truly is a hip hop musical planet, Akil The MC (ATM) of Jurassic 5 just rolled his solo tour into Cambodia in January, then rolled through those, uh, hip hop havens of Eastern Europe -- Croatia, Bulgaria and Macedonia.
Now out on "The Bring Your 'A' Game Tour, titled Bennington Bound," Akil and tour leader Quanstar have been rolling through Ben and Jerry's strongholds of Montpelier, Bennington and Burlington, Vt., on this cross-country tour bringing the best of indie hip hop to hip hop fans from Brooklyn and Philadelphia to Huntington.
Now in its sixth year, "The Bring Your 'A' Game Tour Series" rolls into the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington at 10 p.m. Saturday, May 16, with an array of underground hip hop artists from around the country.
Headliners are Akil, who is promoting his new solo release of "Collection of Expressions," and Quanstar, pushing the hip hop movie and soundtrack "Do It!: A Documentary."
Also on the tour are Evaready RAW, promoting his album "Appliable Adaptability;" Ghani Gautama with his new release "Few Against Many;" Oakland emcee and activist DLabrie The EOG; Vermont "Hip Pop" band, Strength In Numbers; and "indie" super producer and DJ Metrognome.
Opening the Huntington show is Charleston's two-man rhyme-spitting team Rabbles Rousers (B-Rude and Meuwl), who are also opening for Freekbass in Charleston on Friday night.
Cover for Saturday night's V Club show is $8 advance or $10 day of the show.
Akil, who spent 1997 to 2007 with Jurassic 5, one of the mainstays of the 1990s alternative hip hop scene and a group that played Lollapalooza, and did projects with Dave Matthews, Nelly Furtado, SouLive and others, said it's been beautiful to see the way people around the planet have taken hip hop and made it something of their own.
"I think it's cool that hip hop is everywhere and that you can't just put it in one place in New York or L.A.," Akil said by phone, after a gig in Philly. "We are going to off-the-wall places. I'm not dissing on Vermont, but it's not the first place people would say to perform hip hop. But it's been cool and I think that says a lot about the acceptance of hip hop. I have been around from the beginning of it first being on radio and commercial and to see if grow from that to where it is relevant in Vermont and Cambodia is a testament to hip hop itself."
Akil, an L.A. native whose real name is D. Givens, said this is the seventh year for Quanstar (Janale Harris) to tour his "The Bring Your 'A' Game Tour," a yearly celebration of underground hip hop connecting audiences with some of the most talented acts they will not see through mainstream media channels.
Akil, who's on the tour for the second year, said that face-to-face networking and sharing the music is what he is all about.
"I have found some of the dopest artists from all over which made me create a movement called the Unified Skills District," Akil said. "It's a movement of artists from all over the world who want to link and network together. We are trying to unify them where they are at. I started a movement in my own backyard in L.A. with Los Angeles Unified and we've taken that around the world. I run into a lot of talented people in some of the most remote places. They are looking for a way out and they see me maybe as the closest thing to them being able to make it out. I try to give them as much advice as I can and try to boost them up."
Akil said his new CD, "Collection of Expressions," showcases his writing which he honed fighting for a line and rhyme in Jurassic 5.
"I like to describe the CD as I am going down the same street but stopping at a different house with different stuff in that house," Akil said. "It's still the same street, me a solo artist, but encompasses more who I am and where I come from. I get to state more things than I did in a group setting. I couldn't do that. With four bars here or there I had to really say what I had to say. That built my style. I had to write with more meaning on every line. That's worked to my benefit and enables me to write faster in many different styles. I grew up listening to hip hop when it had a variety to it."
Akil, who grew up listening to everything from Public Enemy and KRS-1 to Masters of Ceremony, The Fat Boys and DJ Jazz Jeff, said that is one of the strengths of "Bring Your A Game," in that it showcases the diversity of hip hop, something not readily available on commercial radio.
"I think that is the natural progression of hip hop and of music in general," Akil said of so many different musical styles mashing up. "It picks up everything that comes close to it. The music has brought everything together. R&B is hip hop and rock is hip hop and hip hop is rock. It has brought all these vibes, and it has brought everybody into it and everybody tries to add their own distinct tastes."
August 2009 Charleston City Paper 03/16/2010
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Things should groove hard this evening (Aug. 27) evening at the Pour House as rapper Akil — known best for his work with L.A. group of Jurassic 5 — and Quanstar headline a late-night set and N.C. roots/groove act Laura Reed & Deep Pocket do double-time on the deck and as the opener in the main room. Jurassic 5 released their first disc back in 1997 before signing to Interscope Records and issuing their major debut, Quality Control. They effectively broke up last year. Akil, a.k.a. Akil the MC, currently works as a freestylin’ emcee, DJ, studio producer, and community activist.
“I’m just a down-to-earth brother from South Los Angeles, born and raised,” he says. Akil’s debut solo album is in the works. Expect a hectic and lively mix of old-school funk, turntable scratchin’, and conscious rhymes. Admission is $12, $10 (adv.).
Monday, June 7, 2010
Tacoma Weekly 11/2008
‘Do It! A Documentary’
Film by hip-hop icon Quanstar teaches valuable life lessons
By Matt Nagle
Tacoma Weekly
mnagle@tacomaweekly.com
THAT’S A RAP. Quanstar’s live shows feature tracks from the five CDs he has released along with new material he’s constantly writing.
Janale Harris, a.k.a. Quanstar, is a man of many talents, and he is working his tail off trying to get others to realize it too. An underground hip-hop artist, emcee, author, publicist, promoter, booking agent, the father of a little boy with a second one on the way, and working two jobs, Quanstar could easily be called the hardest working man in hip-hop. One thing is for sure: Quanstar’s life proves that trying to make a name for oneself in the world of entertainment is indeed a hard knock life.
Despite the big load that is on his shoulders, Quanstar strives to keep his spirits high with good friends and a caring family, who appear in the film, to support his dream of “making it” whether that is in the lights of a concert hall marquee or in the eyes of his sons. He is determined to go the extra mile in all of his endeavors, and he has produced a documentary that shows exactly that. On Nov. 24, his film “Do It! A Documentary” will be shown at University of Puget Sound’s Rausch Auditorium at 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Directed by Anthony Neal, “Do It!” is a real-life account of Quanstar’s life over the course of six months as he works to balance all the things that are going on in his life with his desire for personal achievement. It is gritty, not glamorous, and refreshingly honest. Whether he is in the studio laying down tracks, on the phone trying to line up sponsors for his annual “The Bring Your ‘A’ Game Tour,” almost running out of gas in the middle of nowhere trying to get to his next gig, or relaxing at home celebrating his son Janale Jr.’s birthday, the camera is there recording it all and the results are fascinating and at times heartwarming. Seeing this film, you may easily find yourself caught up in his journey to the point that you are rooting for the guy to succeed. Above all, it teaches a real-life lesson to believe in your dreams and to never give up on yourself.
“If you want it, you gotta get it no matter what it is,” Quanstar said from his home base in Atlanta. “You have to get up every day and be committed to it.” He said one reason he made the film is to help younger artists just starting out. “They don’t understand that it’s hard…it’s a business. I wanted the movie to talk about the day-to-day struggles.”
The film also clearly shows how much the genre of hip-hop music is an unabashed expression of life. Just as a graphic artist picks up a paintbrush to share their view of the world around them, so does Quanstar but with a microphone. The lyrics he writes are said to bring hip-hop back to where it used to be during its golden age in the early 1990s, that being music by the people and for the people rather than so much “bling and booty” content that is heard today, according to the Compton-born artist.
Quanstar has already released four albums, not including the 12 song CD soundtrack that accompanies “Do It!” His book “Water From Turnips: The Book,” about his life of perseverance starting from childhood, was released this past September and he is about to start recording an album to go with it. His second book, “A Rapper’s Words: The Graphic Novel,” is due out in early 2009. He is also working on a third novel, “Message From a Single Dad,” which will be a compilation of essays written by single fathers to help counter the unfair stereotypes about black men’s lack of involvement in their children’s lives.
Active in the non-profit Hip Hop Congress, Quanstar said this organization is an excellent resource. “If you ever want to make a difference and get around positive people in hip-hop no matter what you want to do, go to http://www.hiphopcongress.com,” he said.
Quanstar said he is looking forward to the day when he can sit back, watch his film and smile about the way things used to be, perhaps even with a sense of melancholy for those crazy times. “I can’t wait to look back at this and laugh at it,” he said. But in the meantime, “Where I am right now, even though it’s hard and trying, I’m grateful where I am because it makes for a better story and I can help myself and more people the way I’m doing it now.”
Learn more about Quanstar, download his music and writings and order his CDs at http://www.ftent.weebly.com. Also check out http://www.myspace.com/Quanstar.
Film by hip-hop icon Quanstar teaches valuable life lessons
By Matt Nagle
Tacoma Weekly
mnagle@tacomaweekly.com
THAT’S A RAP. Quanstar’s live shows feature tracks from the five CDs he has released along with new material he’s constantly writing.
Janale Harris, a.k.a. Quanstar, is a man of many talents, and he is working his tail off trying to get others to realize it too. An underground hip-hop artist, emcee, author, publicist, promoter, booking agent, the father of a little boy with a second one on the way, and working two jobs, Quanstar could easily be called the hardest working man in hip-hop. One thing is for sure: Quanstar’s life proves that trying to make a name for oneself in the world of entertainment is indeed a hard knock life.
Despite the big load that is on his shoulders, Quanstar strives to keep his spirits high with good friends and a caring family, who appear in the film, to support his dream of “making it” whether that is in the lights of a concert hall marquee or in the eyes of his sons. He is determined to go the extra mile in all of his endeavors, and he has produced a documentary that shows exactly that. On Nov. 24, his film “Do It! A Documentary” will be shown at University of Puget Sound’s Rausch Auditorium at 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Directed by Anthony Neal, “Do It!” is a real-life account of Quanstar’s life over the course of six months as he works to balance all the things that are going on in his life with his desire for personal achievement. It is gritty, not glamorous, and refreshingly honest. Whether he is in the studio laying down tracks, on the phone trying to line up sponsors for his annual “The Bring Your ‘A’ Game Tour,” almost running out of gas in the middle of nowhere trying to get to his next gig, or relaxing at home celebrating his son Janale Jr.’s birthday, the camera is there recording it all and the results are fascinating and at times heartwarming. Seeing this film, you may easily find yourself caught up in his journey to the point that you are rooting for the guy to succeed. Above all, it teaches a real-life lesson to believe in your dreams and to never give up on yourself.
“If you want it, you gotta get it no matter what it is,” Quanstar said from his home base in Atlanta. “You have to get up every day and be committed to it.” He said one reason he made the film is to help younger artists just starting out. “They don’t understand that it’s hard…it’s a business. I wanted the movie to talk about the day-to-day struggles.”
The film also clearly shows how much the genre of hip-hop music is an unabashed expression of life. Just as a graphic artist picks up a paintbrush to share their view of the world around them, so does Quanstar but with a microphone. The lyrics he writes are said to bring hip-hop back to where it used to be during its golden age in the early 1990s, that being music by the people and for the people rather than so much “bling and booty” content that is heard today, according to the Compton-born artist.
Quanstar has already released four albums, not including the 12 song CD soundtrack that accompanies “Do It!” His book “Water From Turnips: The Book,” about his life of perseverance starting from childhood, was released this past September and he is about to start recording an album to go with it. His second book, “A Rapper’s Words: The Graphic Novel,” is due out in early 2009. He is also working on a third novel, “Message From a Single Dad,” which will be a compilation of essays written by single fathers to help counter the unfair stereotypes about black men’s lack of involvement in their children’s lives.
Active in the non-profit Hip Hop Congress, Quanstar said this organization is an excellent resource. “If you ever want to make a difference and get around positive people in hip-hop no matter what you want to do, go to http://www.hiphopcongress.com,” he said.
Quanstar said he is looking forward to the day when he can sit back, watch his film and smile about the way things used to be, perhaps even with a sense of melancholy for those crazy times. “I can’t wait to look back at this and laugh at it,” he said. But in the meantime, “Where I am right now, even though it’s hard and trying, I’m grateful where I am because it makes for a better story and I can help myself and more people the way I’m doing it now.”
Learn more about Quanstar, download his music and writings and order his CDs at http://www.ftent.weebly.com. Also check out http://www.myspace.com/Quanstar.
ISU Bengal 10/2008
The Idaho State University Bengal
Do It: The Quanstar Chronicles
Stoler, Jesse
Issue date: 10/22/08 Section: Life
The documentary Do It will screen at Idaho State University on Wednesday, Oct. 29, and
Thursday, Oct. 30. The film chronicles six months in the life of Janale Harris, aka Quanstar, who is
a well-known rapper in the underground scene. Quanstar serves as a producer on the film, as
well.
"I wanted to make a movie that was real to life," Quanstar said, "not some garbage about some
superstar, I wanted to connect with people."
If Quanstar's intention was indeed for the film to be brutally honest, his goals were met. Most of
the 85 minute film are interviews with Quanstar, in which he rants about his two jobs. "People
think that because I've had some success as a rapper that I must have it made," Quanstar said.
"Truth is there are some months that can I barely pay my rent." In the film, we watch Quanstar
cope while he sees the first leg of his upcoming tour fall apart, due to a major sponsor falling out.
Even when he finally gets on tour, the film depicts his troubles getting from point A to point B.
The final scene of the film is the most telling. The camera is jammed into Quanstar's face as he
walks to work. He is laying it all out about what he feels about his most recent tour. He is
distraught and on the verge of tears, but at the end of his rant, he comes to the conclusion, "If it
wasn't for music, I'd probably kill myself." At which point, the words "Do it" appear on the screen.
Not "do it" in the ominous way. As depressing as the film can be, the film is ultimately a
celebration of hip-hop culture and hip-hop music. "It really keeps me going," Quanstar said. "It
gives me a purpose." The film observes underground rappers spitting rhymes to nearly nonexistent
audiences in some cases. But they do it because they love the music so much, that's all
that matters.
Quanstar clearly has a love for the game. "When I'm not working, I spend a lot of my day on the
internet trying to find new acts," Quanstar said. "I'm addicted to it." Quanstar was raised in a
house where music was played all day, but he was the only one that could play an instrument (the
violin). But it was at the age of seven when he knew hip-hop was his thing. "That's when I heard
Radio by LL Cool J for the first time," Quanstar said. "I said to myself 'this is rap.'" After that, it was
Public Enemy. "I grew up in Compton in the 80's," Quanstar said. "Police would seriously beat you
for no reason. But Chuck D kept me out of the streets, and he made me look at rap in a different
way." Public Enemy's influence on Quanstar is undeniable, due to some of the political content of
some of his songs.
Do It was shot on a budget of $1,500, which wouldn't even cover the catering costs for one day on
the set of Transformers. "We only used two cameras," Quanstar said. "We did all of the shooting
ourselves." The director who helped Quanstar out was Anthony Neal, a co-worker of Quanstar's at
Starbucks. "I'd been wanting to make a movie about my experiences for a while," Quanstar said.
"Anthony had been looking to make a movie too, it worked perfectly." The film is representative of
the youtube generation: low-budget, shaky photography but personal and meaningful. "I'm really
proud of how the film turned out," Quanstar said. "The response has been great." Quanstar plans
to continue working in the film arena; he plans on starting up a video blog next year, which at
some point will film his trip to Africa. "I don't mind being on camera so much," Quanstar said. "I'm
pretty comfortable with it." Although Quanstar keeps an easy-going persona on screen, that did
require some editing. "There were a couple of things we shot that made me look horrible,"
Quanstar said. "It didn't take me too long to cut those parts out."
http://media.www.isubengal.com/media/storage/paper275/news/2008/10/22/Life/Do.It.The.Quanst
ar.Chronicles-3498350.shtml
Do It: The Quanstar Chronicles
Stoler, Jesse
Issue date: 10/22/08 Section: Life
The documentary Do It will screen at Idaho State University on Wednesday, Oct. 29, and
Thursday, Oct. 30. The film chronicles six months in the life of Janale Harris, aka Quanstar, who is
a well-known rapper in the underground scene. Quanstar serves as a producer on the film, as
well.
"I wanted to make a movie that was real to life," Quanstar said, "not some garbage about some
superstar, I wanted to connect with people."
If Quanstar's intention was indeed for the film to be brutally honest, his goals were met. Most of
the 85 minute film are interviews with Quanstar, in which he rants about his two jobs. "People
think that because I've had some success as a rapper that I must have it made," Quanstar said.
"Truth is there are some months that can I barely pay my rent." In the film, we watch Quanstar
cope while he sees the first leg of his upcoming tour fall apart, due to a major sponsor falling out.
Even when he finally gets on tour, the film depicts his troubles getting from point A to point B.
The final scene of the film is the most telling. The camera is jammed into Quanstar's face as he
walks to work. He is laying it all out about what he feels about his most recent tour. He is
distraught and on the verge of tears, but at the end of his rant, he comes to the conclusion, "If it
wasn't for music, I'd probably kill myself." At which point, the words "Do it" appear on the screen.
Not "do it" in the ominous way. As depressing as the film can be, the film is ultimately a
celebration of hip-hop culture and hip-hop music. "It really keeps me going," Quanstar said. "It
gives me a purpose." The film observes underground rappers spitting rhymes to nearly nonexistent
audiences in some cases. But they do it because they love the music so much, that's all
that matters.
Quanstar clearly has a love for the game. "When I'm not working, I spend a lot of my day on the
internet trying to find new acts," Quanstar said. "I'm addicted to it." Quanstar was raised in a
house where music was played all day, but he was the only one that could play an instrument (the
violin). But it was at the age of seven when he knew hip-hop was his thing. "That's when I heard
Radio by LL Cool J for the first time," Quanstar said. "I said to myself 'this is rap.'" After that, it was
Public Enemy. "I grew up in Compton in the 80's," Quanstar said. "Police would seriously beat you
for no reason. But Chuck D kept me out of the streets, and he made me look at rap in a different
way." Public Enemy's influence on Quanstar is undeniable, due to some of the political content of
some of his songs.
Do It was shot on a budget of $1,500, which wouldn't even cover the catering costs for one day on
the set of Transformers. "We only used two cameras," Quanstar said. "We did all of the shooting
ourselves." The director who helped Quanstar out was Anthony Neal, a co-worker of Quanstar's at
Starbucks. "I'd been wanting to make a movie about my experiences for a while," Quanstar said.
"Anthony had been looking to make a movie too, it worked perfectly." The film is representative of
the youtube generation: low-budget, shaky photography but personal and meaningful. "I'm really
proud of how the film turned out," Quanstar said. "The response has been great." Quanstar plans
to continue working in the film arena; he plans on starting up a video blog next year, which at
some point will film his trip to Africa. "I don't mind being on camera so much," Quanstar said. "I'm
pretty comfortable with it." Although Quanstar keeps an easy-going persona on screen, that did
require some editing. "There were a couple of things we shot that made me look horrible,"
Quanstar said. "It didn't take me too long to cut those parts out."
http://media.www.isubengal.com/media/storage/paper275/news/2008/10/22/Life/Do.It.The.Quanst
ar.Chronicles-3498350.shtml
Southeast Performer 8/2008
The Southeast Performer, July issue
Do It! Documents a Hustler’s Struggle
By Charley Lee; photos by Wendy Englehardt
Atlanta indie rapper Janale Harris, better known as Quanstar, knows exactly how to get his hustle on. And if there’s anyone who knows what struggle is all about, it would be him. Quanstar began his rap career as most rappers do, freestyling in front of mirrors and writing lyrics. He soon delved into the underground rapbattling scene and in 2001 he hooked up with Evaready RAW to start First Team Music. The band dropped two mildly successful albums but couldn’t breakthrough. Since the inception of First Team, Quanstar has been on the grind developing his style and becoming a shameless self-promoter. He has released five albums, booked six national tours, and is holding down two jobs. Not to mention this has all been done amidst housing foreclosure and Quanstar’s duties as a father.
“After 10 years of progression as an artist, regression as a student and unhappily functioning in society, working places that I hate for people that I despise,†says Quanstar, “I decided to step in the game.â€
The process of trying to break through and become a recognized artist has been well-documented on Quanstar’s latest project, Do It!: A Documentary. The project chronicles six months in which Quanstar and crew devote all their time and energy to promoting, touring, recording and trying by any means possible to get the word out.
“Anthony Neal [the film’s co-producer] and I worked for Starbuck’s at the time,†recalls Quanstar. “I knew he had a production company, and he knew I rhymed and toured all of the time. One day I pitched the idea to him, and we started recording the next week. We did the whole film on a $1500 budget. The funniest thing about the movie is that 60 percent of the camera work was done by me. I carried that camera everywhere for six months. I think we had over 100 hours of footage between the both us, and Anthony went through all of that himself to cut it down to the best three hours. Then I came through, and we chopped it up some more until the finished project was ready.â€
Borrowing a little from old school hip-hop and politically conscious rappers such as dead prez and Common, Quanstar’s message isn’t necessarily politically motivated. Quanstar is more so on a mission to change the rap game rather than the world. Quanstar along with his friends from the Hip Hop Congress (HHC), is putting out a message to evolve hip-hop culture by inspiring social action and creativity within the community through local music events.
“When people want more, they’ll get more,†explains Quanstar. “The entertainment industry is the only 100 percent consumer controlled industry in this country. If people want these companies and stations to change, they have to speak a language that they understand: money. Buy shit that you want mainstream to reflect. Don’t listen to or watch stations that promote music that is unacceptable to your standards. Stop going to clubs that play a lot of the music you don’t like, and stop buying music from artists that send messages you don’t approve of.â€
The low-budget documentary features songs from the soundtrack that it’s paired with. Jazz singer Chanel Mosley adds a little flavor to the song “Drunken Man’s Prayer,†and Lena Moon provides the beats for the track “Back in the Day.†A lot of the music on the DVD is from concert gigs and improv shows from on the road.
Do It!: A Documentary takes a pointed look at what it really takes to make it in such a fickle industry. Do It! is in no way a feel-good story. At many times, it looks as though Quanstar should just call it quits — especially when his tour is cancelled due to lack of sponsors — but it’s that drive and determination that make him an underdog worth rooting for. One gets to see the ugly side of everything in this DVD, from troubles with personal and professional finances, to the sometimes futile process of promoting and the struggle to maintain a regular life amongst the chaos. It’s a realistic view of the music industry and what it takes to keep one’s artistic integrity. The DVD which is available online at Quanstar’s MySpace and CD Baby, as well as at Criminal Records and other local music spots, features appearances and performances from Evaready RAW, Metrognome, Akil (Jurassic 5), D.R.E.S. tha Beatnik, Cypher Linguistics, Ricky Raw, Bboy Fidget, Lotus Tribe, Lady Maverick and several other up-and-coming artists. Quanstar hopes that with the release of the DVD, more avenues of opportunity will open up for him.
“We live in a multimedia society,†he says. “No one wants to buy just CDs anymore. So it’s the job of the artist and the company marketing the artist to find their new angle to fans and adapt. Do It! is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re going to film two more documentaries within the next year.â€
But this is only the beginning for the 32-year-old father of one. Quanstar will also be playing The Vans Warped Tour on July 9 in Atlanta. The MC and his cohorts also have plans to go on the sixth installment of the “Bring Your ‘A’ Game Tour†in September, which will end up being part of the filming for the next documentary. Quanstar will also be coming out with a book, Water from Turnips, a graphic novel by Visual Poetry, and interestingly enough, a cooking show.
“My book will be out in October,†he says. “My cooking show will be in preproduction soon, which will be the launch of my cookbook. An investor or two with a real idea of what we do and how we do it will come along so we won’t have to do this out of our pockets.†There will also be a one-night-only screening for Do It!: A Documentary at the Midtown Arts Cinemas in Atlanta on August 7.
www.myspace.com/quanstar
Do It! Documents a Hustler’s Struggle
By Charley Lee; photos by Wendy Englehardt
Atlanta indie rapper Janale Harris, better known as Quanstar, knows exactly how to get his hustle on. And if there’s anyone who knows what struggle is all about, it would be him. Quanstar began his rap career as most rappers do, freestyling in front of mirrors and writing lyrics. He soon delved into the underground rapbattling scene and in 2001 he hooked up with Evaready RAW to start First Team Music. The band dropped two mildly successful albums but couldn’t breakthrough. Since the inception of First Team, Quanstar has been on the grind developing his style and becoming a shameless self-promoter. He has released five albums, booked six national tours, and is holding down two jobs. Not to mention this has all been done amidst housing foreclosure and Quanstar’s duties as a father.
“After 10 years of progression as an artist, regression as a student and unhappily functioning in society, working places that I hate for people that I despise,†says Quanstar, “I decided to step in the game.â€
The process of trying to break through and become a recognized artist has been well-documented on Quanstar’s latest project, Do It!: A Documentary. The project chronicles six months in which Quanstar and crew devote all their time and energy to promoting, touring, recording and trying by any means possible to get the word out.
“Anthony Neal [the film’s co-producer] and I worked for Starbuck’s at the time,†recalls Quanstar. “I knew he had a production company, and he knew I rhymed and toured all of the time. One day I pitched the idea to him, and we started recording the next week. We did the whole film on a $1500 budget. The funniest thing about the movie is that 60 percent of the camera work was done by me. I carried that camera everywhere for six months. I think we had over 100 hours of footage between the both us, and Anthony went through all of that himself to cut it down to the best three hours. Then I came through, and we chopped it up some more until the finished project was ready.â€
Borrowing a little from old school hip-hop and politically conscious rappers such as dead prez and Common, Quanstar’s message isn’t necessarily politically motivated. Quanstar is more so on a mission to change the rap game rather than the world. Quanstar along with his friends from the Hip Hop Congress (HHC), is putting out a message to evolve hip-hop culture by inspiring social action and creativity within the community through local music events.
“When people want more, they’ll get more,†explains Quanstar. “The entertainment industry is the only 100 percent consumer controlled industry in this country. If people want these companies and stations to change, they have to speak a language that they understand: money. Buy shit that you want mainstream to reflect. Don’t listen to or watch stations that promote music that is unacceptable to your standards. Stop going to clubs that play a lot of the music you don’t like, and stop buying music from artists that send messages you don’t approve of.â€
The low-budget documentary features songs from the soundtrack that it’s paired with. Jazz singer Chanel Mosley adds a little flavor to the song “Drunken Man’s Prayer,†and Lena Moon provides the beats for the track “Back in the Day.†A lot of the music on the DVD is from concert gigs and improv shows from on the road.
Do It!: A Documentary takes a pointed look at what it really takes to make it in such a fickle industry. Do It! is in no way a feel-good story. At many times, it looks as though Quanstar should just call it quits — especially when his tour is cancelled due to lack of sponsors — but it’s that drive and determination that make him an underdog worth rooting for. One gets to see the ugly side of everything in this DVD, from troubles with personal and professional finances, to the sometimes futile process of promoting and the struggle to maintain a regular life amongst the chaos. It’s a realistic view of the music industry and what it takes to keep one’s artistic integrity. The DVD which is available online at Quanstar’s MySpace and CD Baby, as well as at Criminal Records and other local music spots, features appearances and performances from Evaready RAW, Metrognome, Akil (Jurassic 5), D.R.E.S. tha Beatnik, Cypher Linguistics, Ricky Raw, Bboy Fidget, Lotus Tribe, Lady Maverick and several other up-and-coming artists. Quanstar hopes that with the release of the DVD, more avenues of opportunity will open up for him.
“We live in a multimedia society,†he says. “No one wants to buy just CDs anymore. So it’s the job of the artist and the company marketing the artist to find their new angle to fans and adapt. Do It! is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re going to film two more documentaries within the next year.â€
But this is only the beginning for the 32-year-old father of one. Quanstar will also be playing The Vans Warped Tour on July 9 in Atlanta. The MC and his cohorts also have plans to go on the sixth installment of the “Bring Your ‘A’ Game Tour†in September, which will end up being part of the filming for the next documentary. Quanstar will also be coming out with a book, Water from Turnips, a graphic novel by Visual Poetry, and interestingly enough, a cooking show.
“My book will be out in October,†he says. “My cooking show will be in preproduction soon, which will be the launch of my cookbook. An investor or two with a real idea of what we do and how we do it will come along so we won’t have to do this out of our pockets.†There will also be a one-night-only screening for Do It!: A Documentary at the Midtown Arts Cinemas in Atlanta on August 7.
www.myspace.com/quanstar
SL Weekly 5/08
Salt Lake City Weekly Music Picks May 1-7 | Live: The Swell Season, Do It!, Northern State, Elbow, Harptallica
By Jamie Gadette
Posted 05/01/2008
DO IT! A DOCUMENTARY
Anyone out there recognize Quanstar? The Compton-born emcee dedicated his life to hip-hop—that, and raising his son as a single dad—but he’s still hardly a household name. Sadly, his story is all too familiar: promising artist works overtime to “make it,” only to realize the secret to success is a trick question. In Do It! A Documentary, Quanstar offers viewers a nice reality check without veering into doomsday territory. Nitty-gritty footage follows the artist recording in a basement practice space and cramped studio, on tour, in hotel rooms with family and friends. The film itself could benefit from some serious editing, but the shaky camera work and muffled testimonies are endearing—especially to other artists trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents. Uprok, 342 S. State, 8 p.m. Info: 363-1523
http://www.slweekly.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=a030787e-14d1-13a2-9feb90884cc385aa
By Jamie Gadette
Posted 05/01/2008
DO IT! A DOCUMENTARY
Anyone out there recognize Quanstar? The Compton-born emcee dedicated his life to hip-hop—that, and raising his son as a single dad—but he’s still hardly a household name. Sadly, his story is all too familiar: promising artist works overtime to “make it,” only to realize the secret to success is a trick question. In Do It! A Documentary, Quanstar offers viewers a nice reality check without veering into doomsday territory. Nitty-gritty footage follows the artist recording in a basement practice space and cramped studio, on tour, in hotel rooms with family and friends. The film itself could benefit from some serious editing, but the shaky camera work and muffled testimonies are endearing—especially to other artists trying to make a dollar out of 15 cents. Uprok, 342 S. State, 8 p.m. Info: 363-1523
http://www.slweekly.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=a030787e-14d1-13a2-9feb90884cc385aa
Daily Lobo 4/28/08
/24/08 The Daily Lobo www.dailylobo.com
The real side of the music business
Marcella Ortega
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: Culture
For Janale Harris, the music business is not all fun and games.
"You turn on MTV, you turn on BET and you see all these shows," he said. "It's no disrespect to any of these shows, because there's a market for it, and that's what happens. But you have a whole generation of aspiring artists that come up and think that that's the business, and it's not the business. The business is sometimes you got to sleep two hours a day. Sometimes, you're going to sleep on somebody's floor. Sometimes, you're going to wake up, and you're going to hustle."
Harris, who's known as the hip-hop artist Quanstar, will release "Do It!: A Documentary" on Friday. The film will be played at The Stove on Saturday as part of the Hip-Hop Film Festival presented by New Mexico Hip-Hop Congress.
The documentary follows Harris for six months. Throughout the film, he works two jobs, records the soundtrack to the documentary and goes on his annual "Bring Your 'A' Game Tour."
"It's really like an honest-to-God look at my life," he said. "It deals a lot with me having two jobs. It talks about me being a father. There is a huge segment on me and my son, and it happens around his birthday, and my family flies out. We interview my mother, my sister and my son's mother. It has us going on tour."
Harris said the documentary doesn't just capture the good part of the six months.
"There's no glamour to it," he said. "There are things that go wrong. My house got foreclosed during this movie. So, this is the real deal."
Harris said he had to learn different approaches to making money in the music business.
"I've been in the game professionally since 2001," he said. "But all my life, people at school or something like that. I'd walk around with, like, $50 and battle somebody for 50. That's how I'd pay rent a long time ago."
Harris said making a documentary along with an album gives the audience a visual effect.
"They get to see even more in-depth what we talk about our experience is," he said. "It gives them a more personal effect of who Quanstar is. Quanstar is a real dude. Quanstar is a person that wakes up and has to go through the things that everyone else does and sometimes doesn't get as much out of it as someone might in their everyday job. But I get up. I work. I come home just like everybody else."
Harris he would like to make more documentaries like "Do It!"
"We live in a multimedia society, and I think it's a natural progression for all media to go towards mixed media," he said. "Pretty much every album that I drop from now on will be paired with a documentary."
The real side of the music business
Marcella Ortega
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: Culture
For Janale Harris, the music business is not all fun and games.
"You turn on MTV, you turn on BET and you see all these shows," he said. "It's no disrespect to any of these shows, because there's a market for it, and that's what happens. But you have a whole generation of aspiring artists that come up and think that that's the business, and it's not the business. The business is sometimes you got to sleep two hours a day. Sometimes, you're going to sleep on somebody's floor. Sometimes, you're going to wake up, and you're going to hustle."
Harris, who's known as the hip-hop artist Quanstar, will release "Do It!: A Documentary" on Friday. The film will be played at The Stove on Saturday as part of the Hip-Hop Film Festival presented by New Mexico Hip-Hop Congress.
The documentary follows Harris for six months. Throughout the film, he works two jobs, records the soundtrack to the documentary and goes on his annual "Bring Your 'A' Game Tour."
"It's really like an honest-to-God look at my life," he said. "It deals a lot with me having two jobs. It talks about me being a father. There is a huge segment on me and my son, and it happens around his birthday, and my family flies out. We interview my mother, my sister and my son's mother. It has us going on tour."
Harris said the documentary doesn't just capture the good part of the six months.
"There's no glamour to it," he said. "There are things that go wrong. My house got foreclosed during this movie. So, this is the real deal."
Harris said he had to learn different approaches to making money in the music business.
"I've been in the game professionally since 2001," he said. "But all my life, people at school or something like that. I'd walk around with, like, $50 and battle somebody for 50. That's how I'd pay rent a long time ago."
Harris said making a documentary along with an album gives the audience a visual effect.
"They get to see even more in-depth what we talk about our experience is," he said. "It gives them a more personal effect of who Quanstar is. Quanstar is a real dude. Quanstar is a person that wakes up and has to go through the things that everyone else does and sometimes doesn't get as much out of it as someone might in their everyday job. But I get up. I work. I come home just like everybody else."
Harris he would like to make more documentaries like "Do It!"
"We live in a multimedia society, and I think it's a natural progression for all media to go towards mixed media," he said. "Pretty much every album that I drop from now on will be paired with a documentary."
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