Since he was the topic of much of the Uptown interview posted yesterday, it’s only right that Dante Ross should be able to give us his version of events. This is what he just left in the comment section for those of you who already read the piece:
Ok now there’s a lot of inaccuracies here. First off me and CJ got none of Uptowns publishing me and CJ each got 12.5% which equaled 25% of the pub for writing the music. Tommy Boy got the rest minus samples. Also CJ and me split 500 bucks for the record making a whooping 250 a piece. As for programming the drums CJ and me both did a bit of the programming shit CJ taught me how to use the SP1200 and was nicer than I was on the SP (He was very skilled I might add) so I would say he definitely helped tighten it up. we started the beat either in CJ’s house or my pad I can’t remember but I think it was at CJ’s in the Astoria Project then we went to 12 12 and fixed it up and laid it down with Uptown in the studio with us.
As for a 5 year contract i have no idea about any of that i only worked there a year and a half and Uptown came out towards the end of my run. As for the cover I had a lot to do with it, I had the idea and Uptown thought it was tight so we rolled with it. I am a huge Warriors fan.
I also will say I do not believe anyone sabatoged his record at all, it got some burn but was no big hit song but a cool mix show record that did got played on KDAY ( The LA station of note) a bit. I think it was more popular in LA than NYC to be honest but at that point KDAY and Tommy Boy had something happening all the Tommy Boy records including CJ’s group Black By Demand got a lot of run on KDAY.
As far as the NMS being fixed I have to say I don’t believe it. Tommy Boy did not have the juice to do that, cats like IceT and Clark Kent were judges and I do not think they were playing ball with any sort of Tommy Boy artists as favorites sehnanigans. The fix was not in i was there and I was onstage. I just don’t buy it.
As for Uptown I have nothing but respect for him we made one really cool cult record that has aged very well together and I never saw him again in my entire life after the photo session real talk. Much respect to Uptown and to CJ Moore.
Dante Ross
Would it be fair to say that Uptown has a slightly inflated opinion of himself given that he’s a 2nd rate MC Shan with 1 great song where 70% of the appeal is in how nuts the beat is?
That first bar is like a top 5 bar of all time though.
*top 5 first bar*