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'Mighty Mixtape' brings together rising Tri-City hip-hop artistsOct 22, 2009 (Tri-City Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Alex Saenz is an old school cat whose futuristic dreams brought together more than 40 Mid-Columbia up-and-coming hip-hop artists for one giant collaborative effort, The Mighty Mixtape Vol. 1. In December 2008, recording studio owner and Kennewick musician Saenz sent out an online S.O.S. asking for artist submissions for a massive mixtape. Saenz was contacted by J-Factor, Sarahenity, B The Lost Cauze, Dizzy and more. "This will help other artists and help our organization come together under one roof who just want to get their music out there," Saenz said. "I hope somebody will pick up the gauntlet and make a mixtape of their own. The more the community gets behind us, the more we can put the Tri-Cities on the map." Saenz, who runs several organizations under his umbrella at Majestic Soundlab & Production Facility in Kennewick, plans to release Mixtape for download-only Oct. 23 on iTunes, CDBaby.com and more. A bundle of actual CDs will be given to each artist featured on the Mixtape to give away. After that, no more CDs will be made, making them somewhat of a collector's item. Instead, Saenz is relying strictly on the power of the internet. "CDs now are a calling card," he said. "You can't get rich off of them like in the old days. We don't have to depend on recording studios or labels anymore. People underestimate the power of the internet, and we're capitalizing on that." Saenz's private company Nobodies From Nowhere is a prime example of how the internet is helping spread music, with clientele from Texas, Mexico and Australia. He hopes to eventually work with more Tri-City artists, but for now, sessions and consultations are by appointment only. Those who do work with Saenz must first get the "heartbreak initiation." "We break your heart, and then work with you," Saenz said. People can learn about the three steps of the initiation process online: Nobody knows you, nobody cares and nobody can help you. This mantra is meant to strip people of their preconceptions of the music industry and to have them develop their own tools for success. "We take in professionals," Saenz said. "It doesn't matter if it's for a church, if you do rap or country; we can do it all. You have to follow your dream. If you want to play the guitar, play as often as you can because you might not have that time in the future. It's good to have that tunnel vision. Do it because you love it and everything will fall into place." An invite-only Mixtape release party is also planned today, but Saenz hopes to include everyone else through the power of the internet. "The funny thing is we're here in the Tri-Cities in this tiny little studio doing things on the computer," Saenz said. "We're about unification. What draws people to us are the ideas and creativity we spawn. Anyone can look in a magazine and order equipment or rent a building for a studio. It's because of the artists' voices coming together. We're just happy it's going to finally be released." a-- On the net: http://nobodiesfromnowhere.com To see more of the Tri-City Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tri-cityherald.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |