Vince Lawrence is an internationally recognized innovator in dance music and recognized as co-author of the first recording officially designated “house music”.  Credited with the initial organization of Trax Records, a seminal Chicago House label, Lawrence has exposed some of the dance world’s greatest prodigies, including Marshall Jefferson (Move your Body, Ride the Rhythm, etc.), Adonis, Byron Styngly, Farley Jackmaster Funk, Ron Hardy, Screamin’ Rachel and Jesse Saunders, while inspiring many others.

As founder of Slang Musicgroup, Lawrence has evolved from artist and producer to entrepreneur and marketer. Vince’s intimate relationship with pop culture and lifelong love of music have evolved into a unique insight that is eagerly sought out – from the trend hunters of Madison Avenue to the likes of pop stars the world over. Simon talks with Lawrence about his contributions in the birth of house music, working with R. Kelly and his approach to working with artists and commercial clients.

Click here to listen to Affix’s license-ready playlist of music by Slang Musicgroup.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ADrACMSUGw

We’re pleased to continue our Celebrity Playlist Series with musical selections from the Affix catalog chosen by CHAD DAVID SHEARER.  Chad is the creative director & co-owner of Atlanta based publicity firm CAREN WEST PR.  Heading up PR for the majority of the firm’s music accounts, clients have included: Camp Bisco Music & Arts Festival, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Amberland, the Echo Project, the Georgia Theatre, 99X, & ROCK 100 amongst others.  He lives in Atlanta with his 7 year old son, Tristan.

Links:
http://www.carenwestpr.com
http://www.twitter.com/chadavid

Chad writes:

“I chose the tracks in my playlist with running in mind.  I love to run.  More specifically, I love to run through the streets of Atlanta.  Having the right playlist can be everything to a runner.  Your surroundings will melt away, allowing you to think through life’s challenges while temporarily escaping from them.  And while my natural tendency would be to go for the bangers that get the adrenaline pumping and the legs moving, looking back at this particular playlist I opted for more ambient tracks.  The more uptempo tunes definitely will get you moving, but it’s the more ethereal which truly allow you to escape.”

Perfect Project - Buddah Beat

PK Music Group, LLC - Gravity

The Beat Geeks - Bass Turnt Up

Jon Pierre - Crossing the Divide

Jon Pierre - Orchestral Hotness

Buk of Psychodrama - God Bless the Child

Soulphonics & Ruby Velle - Heartlite

Michael Woodruff - Punk

Michael Woodruff - Space Dubb

Weapons of Audio - Boulevard

Michael Woodruff - Working

SMKA - Soul Sonic (Galaxy)

Richelle L. Brown - Sweat

Twentyone - It's Going Down

To access all of the license-ready tracks on this playlist, click here.  Or, check out over more than 2,300 others here.

Based in Manila, Sam Rhansum is an artist in every sense of the word.  His talents as an MC, producer, lyricist, and DJ have landed him placements with MTV, ESPN, EA Games, BET, E! Channel, Nike, and Archlight Films, among many others.

Sam took some time out of his busy schedule to video chat with Affix partner, Simon Horrocks, about the genesis of his career, his creative methods, and how he’s able to make an impact on the U.S. music business from halfway around the globe.

Click here to listen to Affix’s license-ready playlist of Sam’s music.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFLF2613Op4

We’re pleased to kickoff our Celebrity Playlist Series with musical selections from the Affix catalog chosen by artist & designer GREG MIKE.  GM is the nexus of several worlds.  He is a formally trained studio artist who commands a rich understanding of graphic design, fashion design, commercial branding and packaging.  He works in a variety of mediums and exhibits his work in galleries across the country.  GM is also founder of ABV Agency & Gallery located in ATLANTA, GA.

Links:
http://www.gregmike.com
http://www.abvatl.com
http://www.twitter.com/gregmike

GM writes:

“Another Day, Another Drawing.”

Since I was a kid, music has always been a part of my daily routine.  I’ve said for years that, “music is my speed”.  It motivates, relaxes and most importantly helps me formulate my thoughts.  Whatever it may be that I am doing throughout the day, music is right by my side as a guide to my speed of living.  Below is a quick day in the life and a few tracks I feel would best accompany these hours of a typical day.

8 AM. Quickly awaken from a vivid dream session by the iPhone alarm. Somewhat confused, somewhat inspired…
Frankie P - Soul Improv

8:30 AM. Open the wardrobe closet, throw on a teeshirt and some paint covered vintage twil shorts, Head to the elevator and descend to the lobby and walk out the double doors. BLinded by the light, Take a quick right and stroll to the to the coffee shop, the city is empty and the sun is blazing…   Spencer Garn - Vibe Down

9 AM. Head to the garage, hop in the truck, windows down, music blasting..  5 Minutes later, roll up to ABV (the studio / gallery) and review the to-do list for the day with the team and get moving on current projects…
Soulphonics & Ruby Velle - Feet on the Ground

10 AM – 2 PM. Non-stop output of creative content on multiple works in progress, super focused morning session, Time is of the essence…
Kabao - Provocateur

2 PM – 3 PM. Lunch Break and off to the house to relax for 30 minutes and cook up one of my world famous panini’s. Take a little time to catch my breath, formulate some thoughts on the couch before heading back to the studio.
Soulphonics & Ruby Velle - The Man Says

3 PM – 8 PM. Round two of the studio session, sketching, designing, drawing + painting, utilizing all mediums necessary to bring current visions to life. Full force till 8:00 PM.
Rhansum - Terminado

8 PM – 10 PM. Head downstairs to the art studio, work on some new ideas, concepts, sketches and painting’s that are in progress.
Spencer Garn - Black Cat in the Night

10 PM – 12 AM. Cut the lights, lock up the space, meet a few friends for some brews and listen to a few local dj’s spin some tunes at a few spots around the city…
The Hero Brothers - Git Out My Face

Head home, rest the head and repeat.

-GM

To access all of the license-ready tracks on this playlist, click here.  Or, check out more than 1,700 others here.

Jon Pierre brings a unique element to the Affix catalog. His dramatic soundscapes blend the intensity of classic movie scores with the street-smart sounds of Urban sensibility.

Jon began composing music in a friend’s college dorm room as a computer science and math major at the University of Illinois. Since he was a child, music was very important to him and it was noticed at an early age that he had musical talents that could take him far one day. As a child, Jon can remember composing music in his head, hearing everything from large sweeping orchestral music to heavy metal all in his mind. At the time, he really didn’t know what to do with it until he went to college, where the door was literally opened for him to start writing music, even though he was using someone else’s equipment. From the beginning, Jon knew in his heart that music was going to be a large part of his professional life. After two years of computer science and math, Jon Pierre changed his major to music composition and enrolled at one of the nation’s premiere creative arts schools, Columbia College.

While at Columbia College, after his first semester as a music composition major, he was hired as a composer at one of Chicago’s top production companies, Dupee Productions. Joining the multi-talented production team as a composer/producer and writer was life changing for him. He was able to learn how to produce music to industry standards as well as learn from more experienced composers. Dupee Productions has been credited with working with Hidden Beach/Sony’s top recording artists such as Darius Rucker, Jill Scott, and Kindred the Family Soul.

After spending five years at Dupee Productions, Jon left and started his own company, Jon Pierre Music. Since then, Jon has scored films including full length features and documentaries, video games, and TV commercials. Jon Pierre’s music has also been licensed in tv shows like “So You Think You can Dance?” and “American Idol.” Jon also writes music for TV Promos and blockbuster movie trailers. He is currently managed by Stef Angel Music, a boutique management company with clients like Babyface, Prince, and George Duke.

Jon Pierre prides himself on being able to work within any budget and timeframe. He works tirelessly to give the client what they want and need. Not only can he understand the vision of the director, but has the ingenuity and courage to offer additional creative ideas to contribute to the overall project.

After 8 years of professional experience, Jon knows that he’s just getting started and is excited about what the future will bring to his career.

Click here to listen to a license-ready playlist of Jon’s music or, use our search filter to find more music like Jon’s – click on the Urban Soundtrack subgenre under Rap & Hip-Hop and you’re on your way!

We’re celebrating Mother’s Day early at Affix.  From unconditional love to undeniable advice, no one is ever there for you like Momma.  Afterall, who else would love you after you decided that the walls in the kitchen could use a fresh coat of magic marker?  So if you’re fortunate enough to be able to do so, pick up the phone and tell Mom you love her…and maybe you can even sing her a few lines from one of these Mom-inspired tunes (but not the sexy ones, that’d be weird).

1. The Washington Projects - Momma
“Momma, how do I thank you for the love you give me?”  An appropriate question for Mother’s Day weekend and a great way to kick off this A-List.

2. Shay La'Vee - New Kinda Woman
The modern mother is a far cry from those of yesteryear.  These days Moms balance busy careers with the hustle and bustle of family life.  “New Kinda Woman” is a tribute to the ladies who somehow manage to hold it all down.

3. Sam Rhansum - Damn Ma
Who says you can’t go from soccer mom to sexy diva?  This one is for all of the ladies who jump out of the minivan and into something a little hotter for the weekend.

4. Richelle Brown - Blackberry Pie
Ahhh, the sage advice that can only come from Momma….

5. Nappy Roots - Come Back Home
This nostalgic tune from Nappy Roots reminds us of the people who are always there for us.

6. Buk of Psychodrama - God Bless the Child
There’s nothing easy about raising a family and some folks get more than their fair share of the struggle.  In “God Bless The Child,” Buk tips his hat to those who fight for what’s really important.

Click here to access all of the license-ready tracks on this playlist; or check out more than 1,600 others here.

Stacie Aamon was the big winner of this year’s Affix Music Madness. She’s a Pop-Soul princess with songs as colorful as her voice and a sound as true as her story.

February Story the EP is a musical story that overcomes, because the path to healing takes many turns. For emerging songwriting, vocalist and cellist Stacie Aamon that journey led her to create stirringly beautiful songs of vulnerability balanced by the power within all of us to overcome. As an MC called Destini from Prince Georges county, to Atlantic Records, to Def Squad music camp with the likes of Akon, Erik Sermon, and Scarface, Stacie Aamon’s path through the industry has seen the rollercoaster of successes and ugliness that has paralyzed so many careers. Stacie Aamon shares musical healing through lush songs that touch on the pain of love not quite right and the individual power that exists within each of us.

Click here to listen to a license-ready playlist of Stacie’s music.

Like many of you, we couldn’t resist the urge to jump in on the March Madness action this year.  But rather than following our gut and taking VCU and Butler to make it to the Final Four, we decided to stick to what we do best – Urban Music.  We picked 64 of the hottest tunes in the Affix catalog and paired them off into four sub-genre “regions:” Pop/R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz & Blues, and Electronic.  Each business day we asked fans to vote for their favorite songs in different one-on-one matchups.

It all came down to the wire with a brilliant and diverse Final Four of Pop-Soul princess Stacie Aamon, Jazz-Fusion guru PVD, budding Hip-Hop star Sam Rhansum, and Electronic beat master Michael Woodruff.  But in the end, after a few weeks, over 2,500 site hits and 472 votes we had the first Affix Music Madness champion: Stacie Aamon and her song “Warm Winter.”  We’ve highlighted Stacie as this month’s Featured Music Provider but we wanted to take this opportunity to tip our hat to all of the contestants who kept people coming back to listen and vote.  Their creativity and artistry was the driving force behind Affix Music Madness and what made it so much fun for everyone.  Take a listen to each song from our very first Final Four:

Pop/R&B
Stacie Aamon - Warm Winter

Jazz & Blues
PVD - Walk It Off

Hip-Hop
Sam Rhansum - Shorty

Electronic
Michael Woodruff - Moon Boots

Once a year students in search of warm weather and cold drinks descend upon lakes and beaches everywhere in an annual ritual known as Spring Break.  Sunscreen and bikinis replace midterms and sweaters and for one glorious (read: debaucherous) week, the kids cut it loose.  Of course, no self-respecting Spring Breaker would dare show up to the party without the latest tunes.  And that’s where we come in.  So tap the keg and turn the music up, this is Spring Break 2K11.

1. Fabio Legarda - Party All Night
With English and Spanish verses squeezed in between irresistible hooks and techno beats, “Party All Night” is poised to become a Spring Break anthem.

2. The Beat Geeks - Living Life Loud
If The Black Eyed Peas were cooler, they might sound like The Beat Geeks.  Loud, irreverent, and energetic, this tune is everything a Spring Breaker wants to hear.

3. Write Time - Blast In A Glass
The title says it all.  If you’re looking to let loose and have a good time, Write Time has what you’re looking for.

4. Weapons of Audio - Top Down
The road trip is a quintessential part of any beach pilgrimage and there’s no feeling quite like rolling the windows down and watching the city disappear in the rearview mirror.  Oh wait…the top goes down too?  Even better.

5. Deonna Martin - Undercover
Martin’s “Undercover” is dancefloor-ready.  Nothing undercover about that.

6. Slick & Rose - Pop Fresh
You know everyone brings their A-game to the club this week.  Spring Break is the time to look and move your best.  Slick & Rose are on top of it, and know it.

7. Tigga Bounce - Quad Drop Low
Tigga Bounce delivers on this shout out to all the girls who can work it on the floor.

8. The Agency - Dance Party 4 Yo
You can’t have Spring Break without a dance party and The Agency has the beats to get it started right.

9. Sam Rhansum - Dos Tres
Latin and electronic influences meet on this dance track from Rhansum.

Click here to access all of the license-ready tracks on this playlist; or check out more than 1,500 others here.

As Black History Month draws to a close, we want to take this opportunity to shine a light publicly on what we’ve been observing internally here at Affix.  While we celebrate the ground breaking social achievements of activists and leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. DuBois, and Frederick Douglas, we feel like it is no less important to acknowledge the significant contributions of African-Americans to the arts.  After all, the Urban Music that we love so much has a rich history that is intertwined with Black culture and no genre has captured as much of our history as Americans (regardless of color) as honestly.  So, in this edition of the Affix A-List, we honor the roots of Urban Music – Jazz, Gospel, and Blues.

1. My Dream - The Washington Projects
This isn’t your Grandma’s church music.  In fact, this modern Gospel tune would be as at home on the Top 40 airwaves as it would in the chapel.

2. Doggie Blues - Dave Herrero
Blues was born from an acoustic guitar on a front porch somewhere in the delta and while we’re not sure exactly where that was, we do think that “Doggie Blues” comes from the same town.

3. Corn Nuggets - Spencer Garn
Slightly more structured than the “Free Jazz” side of Modern Jazz, “Corn Nuggets” still leaves plenty of room for diverse solos…and we love ‘em all!

4. Slick Bottom Soul - Jaspects
Fusion to the core, this effort from Jaspects showcases funky slap-bass parts one moment and harmonious horn lines the next.

5. Interlude - PVD
Bluesy guitar licks laid over a Cool Jazz feel will leave you bobbing your head.

6. Boogie Shoes - Weapons of Audio
Ahh, the good ol’ workin’ man’s blues….  This effort from Weapons of Audio is fast, gritty, and energetic.  Put on your boogie shoes and dance!

7. It's Midnight - Dave Herrero
“It’s Midnight” is so Memphis, you can almost taste the BBQ!

8. 2 Kool 4 Earth - Jaspects
This jam from Jaspects captures one of our favorite elements of Jazz – the conversation between musicians.  These guys have chemistry and it shows.

9.  Harmonious - Mr. Fish
Mr. Fish blends a Latin percussion groove with old school harmonica in this Blues-Jazz fusion piece.

10.  Cookout at Mr. Sloan's - Dante Hawthorne
We tip our hats to the Smooth Jazz fans with Dante Hawthorne’s sax-based jam, “Cookout at Mr. Sloan’s.”

11. Love Song - Yoel ben Yehuda
In this soft-spoken, beautiful piano piece, Yoel ben Yehuda shows himself to be a master composer demonstrating a firm grasp of the concept of space.  Sometimes it seems as if the notes he doesn’t play are just as important as the ones he does.

12. Moon Halo - Kre8ta
Kre8ta uses modern processing to give classic Jazz elements a pop-radio-friendly sound.

13. Callin' - The Hero Brothers
Introspective and haunting, this Blues number is a modern take on a classic American genre.

Click here to access all of the license-ready tracks on this playlist; or check out more than 1,400 others here.