Rob DA Noize and the SugarHill Gang

by Leroy Moore/PNN

Tell us what is your relationship to Sugar Hill
Gang and others on the tour.

Well my brother Diamond has been a member of the Sugarhill Gang for 15 years, and Wonder Mike is my cousin. This is my first time working with Kurtis Blow and Melle Mel. I am working on their new CD.

Where are you going in Europe?

We will going to Italy, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, France, The Netherlands and The UK. The U.S. tour starts in May and goes through June [we will visit] 21 cities.

As a disabled artist what do you bring to the
tour?

Well I composed the theme song for Visit Florida.com one of the major sponsors. I also have a couple of
on their new CD The Big 3. I'll be assisting my brother Diamond who is the DJ, perhaps a bit of live keyboards
and because of my background in the martial arts a little security as well.

Your brother has a disability. Explain.

No, Diamond is not disabled.

What do you think about the Krip-Hop Project?

It is one of the most innovative moves made in the music industry. We are the unheard voices in the industry.[There is] so much vanity in the music industry. I thank God for Leroy Moore's vision, and I am behind him 123% [Its time] to get our message out there. It's out time to shine, it is Divine law.

You will be hanging out with the fathers of Hip-Hop but you have been around too. Give us your background in the music world.

I've been producing records since 1980. I was the first artist signed to Jive Records as a member of the group Conway & Temple. I have been playing in live bands since 1968. I have had a few number 1 dance hits and spent 9 weeks on the Billboard charts. I produce in multiple genres from Gospel to Hip Hop and own my own record label Solid Noize Records. I have been an ASCAP publisher for over 20 years with a publishing catalog of 7,000 songs.

What is your advice to disabled hip-hop artists?

First believe in yourself, study your craft and the biz. Create your own buzz, the music industry has changed you can put out your own music on the internet. Although it would be nice to have a major record deal, you don’t have to wait for a deal or hear record execs tell you to come back when you're better, or we can't market you, do your thing.

What do you want to see coming out of this tour?

The opportunity for a disabled artist to be involved in a major tour. The chance to work with living legends who were not afraid to give me that chance. To go on the road and produce and write tracks for them they respect me as an artist. To be able to continue spread the news about Krip Hop

What do you see in your future?

Krip Hop Volume 3. Making more records. The Temple Dynasty Tour for our new releases, we are currently # 1 on the Dance charts with Keep Rising on Deep Haven Music, He'll Give You Shelter on Rapture Trax and Lose Control or Fuzion Records. This year has been very productive with UK remixes of Beyonce, Chaka Khan, Mary J Blige, Keisha Cole, P Diddy and R Kelly, all out there in Europe at the same time. People will be surprised that all this was done by a disabled artist, [it will be] a Mystery.

Tell Krip-hop readers more about this tour.

This tour is to create a bridge for the youth today to identify and acknowledge the gifts and contributions of the originators of Hip Hop It will feature The Big 3 The Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Kurtis Blow. The tour's major sponsor is Visit Florida.com. This tour will have European and U.S. concert dates. It is both an education in Hip Hop and a historical event as well. With a live band to also be incorporated and I'll be on the keyboards, a first in Hip Hop.

http://www.hiphopanniversary.com/index.html