Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples

Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples

Title: 10 Years of Frontin
Type: Blog Post
Publication: The Market
Date: June 3
rd
, 2013
Original Post: http://www.itsthemrkt.com/2013/06/03/10-years-of-frontin/

10 Years of Frontin
10 Years ago today the original skateboard P released one of the greatest singles of all
time, Frontin featuring Jay-Z. Yes its been 10 years!!! Makes you feel old huh?
Not only has the song become a classic track, but whats even more memorable was the
video. Look back at it, it features some of todays most recognized faces and boy have
they grown up. So where are they now, what happened to them? Here are 10 things that
have happened after 10 years of Frontin.
1.) A young Lauren London goes from Girl in the Frontin video to Nu Nu in ATL to
Lil Waynes Baby Momma
2.) Early 2000s video girl and Co-Female Lead Lanisha Cole went on to continue as a
model for the Price Is Right until 2010. Now you can catch her on Fact or Faked:
Paranormal Files that airs on SyFy.

3.) If you go to 2:36 in the video there is a DJ (Who I think is Green Lantern, not sure)
but he has on a Fam-Lay shirt. I didnt actually spot Lay in the video but hes still settled
in the state he continues to rep the most, Norfolk, VA baby! Hes released a few tracks
every now and then and hes also a very interesting person to follow on social media,
@HitMyBeeper
4.) Most recently BAPE founder Nigo announced that he will be stepping down as
creative director for BAPE after 20 years

5.) The more laid-back, out of the spotlight frontman Shae Haley becomes the first
N*E*R*D* to get hitched in 2010 with Jackie Garcia.

6.) Co-Star Trak Founder and Neptunes Producer Chad Hugo has most recently formed
yet another collective with DJ Daniel Biltmore called MSSL CMMND and released a
mixtape in March called Why Fight the Space Age.

7.) Pusha T, one half of StarTrak duo The Clipse, is now signed Kanyes GOOD Music,
and is set to release an album called My Name is My Name in July that will feature
production from The Neptunes.

8.) Jay-Z claimed that he was to old to be Frontin back in 03 and released Bonnie and
Clyde with then girlfriend now wife Beyonce. #PowerCouple.

Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples
Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples

9.) Pharrell turned 40 this year and hasnt age one bit.

10.)Pharrell went from Frontin to Getting Lucky with his latest single with Daft Punk.











































Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples
Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples

Title: Who We Could See on TDE
Type: Blog Post
Publication: The Market
Date: June 8
th
, 2013
Original Post: http://www.itsthemrkt.com/2013/06/08/who-we-could-see-on-tde/

Who We Could See on TDE
After waiting, waiting and more waiting. We still have not heard a confirmed new Top
Dawg Entertainment signee. So we came up with possible artist. Feel free to suggest your
own.
1.) The Come Up Kid- Chance the Rapper
Hes unsigned, young, and has one of the best mixtapes released this summer, Acid Rap.
2.) Who we thought- Jhene Aiko
Jhene has a pretty close relationship with the TDE fam. Shes a Cali girl with a beautiful
voice, why not!
3.) The First Lady- 3D NaTee
Might have not heard her name but heres a go hard girl from the N.O. She gained a little
bit of buzz this spring at SXSW and even got to freestyle with Kendrick on Sway In the
Morning.
4.) West Coast Click- Dom Kennedy
Half of what makes TDE so great is its west coast connection. Dom has worked with a
few TDE members in the past and he is still unsigned.
5.) The Unexpected- ???
From the little information that we have gathered it is one, possibly two people. Someone
young. A female from NYC??? We cant keep up anymore.
6.) What we really want- To keep it how it is
Its like going to a restaurant so many times but still continuing to order the same meal
over and over because you dont want to be disappointed about something else they may
have to offer. We love TDE for where they stand now, at the top. Why change?



Title: DJ Such N Such: Yesterday Comes Tomorrow
Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples
Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples

Type: Blog Post
Publication: HU Reaction
Date: June 20
th
, 2012
Original Post: http://thehureaction.com/dj-such-n-such-yesterday-comes-tomorrow/

DJ Such N Such: Yesterday Comes Tomorrow
Look out HU, because the class of 2016 is full of students who exempt creativity
and talent. One student who will be sure to make a mark on the mecca is DJ Such n Such
from Chicago, Illinois. Such n Such has been producing since he was 13 and began
spinning around the same time. He put a hiatus on his hobby as an underclassman in high
school and picked it back up heavily junior year when he began playing the trumpet and
fell in love with jazz.
He is currently apart of an upcoming team of artist in Chicago called SaveMoney
which including the band Kids These Days, Chance The Rapper, Caleb James,
producer Thelonious Martin and others.
I want to be able to give people something to hold on to or find bliss in and I want to do
it through the way I find it myself, which is music. I dont want the music to just be good,
but Im aiming to try and make timeless music along with a timeless name and when I say
that, I think of all of the great producers/musicians and how people have found life in
their music decades after its put out and will be able to find it in years to come and think
thats what I want to be for people.
DJ Such n Such plans to be heavily involved in the music program at Howard University
as a Music Education major. Be sure to download his most recent mixtape Yesterday
Comes Tomorrow by clicking the cover.


















Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples
Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples

Title: Why Sampling Isnt Stealing
Type: Persuasive
Publication: N/A- Principles of Speech Class
Date: November 9
th
, 2012

Why Sampling Isnt Stealing

General Purpose: Prove that sampling is not stealing.

Specific purpose: To justify to my audience that sampling is a form of art, a contribution
to musics predecessors and not a form of stealing.

Thesis: More musicians and producers are getting criticized for the use of sampling as a
lack of creativity. Also the new genre of mixing is growing and it should be respected
as well.

I. Introduction

A.) Attention Material: I grew up in a jazz influenced hip-hop household, rocking to the
sounds of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. I remember the day I discovered the
depth sampling. I was riding in the car with my dad and T.Is Why You Wanna comes
on the radio. My dad says you know that song is old? Old? It was the newest release
off of King and the hottest track at that the time. It turns out that Why You Wanna
sampled the beat of Crystal Waters Gypsy Woman and the lyrics of one of my favorite
songs Find a Way by A Tribe Called Quest

[Example: Comparing the three songs]

B.) Credibility material: Most of your favorite artistes songs, in all genres of music, are
sampled from previous songs. Sampling is simply lifting a section of a song to include it
in a new song. Some people believe that sampling is stealing and that creativity and
development of music should never emerge from prior songs.

C.) Preview: As sampling grew in popularity copyright laws also caught up, making it
difficult and expensive to sample music. Shouldnt sampling be taken more as a sign of
respect instead of a form of theft? Sampling is most widely known in the hip-hop genre
with artist such as Kanye West and producers like DJ Premier, but the roots of sampling
date back all the way to rock and roll.

[Transition: Sampling DID NOT start with Hip Hop.]

II. Body

A.) History of Sampling
a. 1
st
Sample: James Tenney Collage #1 (1961)
b. 1
st
Sample Lawsuit: Dickie Goodman and Bill Buchanan
Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples
Alexis Johnson | Writing Samples

c. Sampling jump: Jazz and Hip Hop (1970s & 1980s)

[Transition: Hip Hop Sampling began as a tribute to the past]

B.) Sampling used as a sign of respect
a. Culture builds on the past
b. Rolling Stones vs. The Verve

C.) Helps keep people interested in old music
a. Tracking the past: The YouTube Era
b. Closed generational gap

D.) Sampling is a form of art
a. RIP: A Remix Manifesto (Documentary)
b. Artist: Girl Talk

III. Conclusion

A.) Why artist should not be so quick to take legal actions

B.) Old and New generation work together
a. Tom Lehrers letter to 2 Chainz for Old Dope Peddler sample
b. (Reverse sampling) Johnny Cash Covers Nine Inch Nails song Hurt

C.) End Quote