[With a promising 2015 on deck for Mass Appeal's Fashawn, the rap middleweight talks to SOHH readers about his love for Nas' record label being regionally-welcoming and not signing to Def Jam Records.]
I would hope [the regional element] is deliberate. I’m sure with the people that are involved, with the people with power over at Mass Appeal it’s deliberate.
I think the whole name Mass Appeal is self-explanatory. But I think that’s dope, how else are we going to do this thing? We got to represent not just as a record label, but a dynasty in rap. We’re coming after all these great dynasties, and covering our bases South, the North the East and the West.
So I think we’re not only trying to mirror that, but we’re trying to take it to the next level, and take it to a whole other extent as a record label, and as a company. I’m happy to be the only West Coast representative, it’s a big deal to me, especially being under the umbrella of Mass Appeal, I feel like this West Coast district, I gotta hold that down, a 100,000%.
For the record, shout out to Def Jam, I love and respect them.
I wanted to sign to Def Jam. What kid growing up in the 80s and 90s didn’t want to sign to the label LL Cool J was on, or DMX, or f*cking Warren G for that matter. I was so confused by the notion, but what they did, I was just really confused. I don’t have no beef with Def Jam, I love Def Jam.
But I’m Mass Appeal and that’s that. They had the chance and they took it. They even invited me to the f*cking office but they told me not to do it.
This one time, I found that really confusing as a young artist. It’s just one guy, I don’t have nothing towards to the whole staff of Def Jam. -as told to SOHH writer Nikita Rathod
Be on the lookout for multiple Mass Appeal projects from Fashawn including The Ecology in 2015.
Good move by Fashawn to sign with Mass Appeal Records. Fashawn does not need a major and also I would not want him to get shelved at the bigger labels. The days of a major label are numbered for African American artists. Many people have done well independently in all styles of music. Good move on NAS part to become a co-founder of mass appeal records with Peter Bitten-bender who has a lot of experience in the music industry.
Co sign your statement