40-TITANIUM-I know we been jumping all around with our questions. But let talk about the different music magazine out here?

VANSILK-What about these magazine out here?

41-TITANIUM-Well for one what do you think about the SOURCE, XXL and VIBE MAGAZINE?

VANSILK- I have no thought about any of them they are not even on my radar these dayz.  I support all of those magazines. VIBE is last on my list. To me right now FEDS and DON DIVA is the new shit for the last couple of years. Much props to Tiffany Childs at DON DIVA and Antoine and Artie at FEDS Magazine. But for real the top line magazine need to increase it contents. Reach out to hip-hop globally. Teach the fans about what going on in HIPHOP around the UNIVERSE. I see the Source have struck a few deals to print in different language. Great. They need to thank the ZULU NATION and Afrika Bambatta for setting the stage around the world over the last 30 years. And maybe they need to employ some of the hiphop true pioneers to write article for them to keep it real for HIPHOP. Other wise some one else will do it and they all will be non-existing magazine real soon. XXL is doing a great job so far.  I really love that magazine. Dennis Page is doing a great job there. I will be calling you so DENNIS.

42-TITINUM-I realized that most of these black magazine are white corporation owned, what you outtake on this matter?

VANSILK-Again my out take don't mean anything. But I rather see some of these rappers spend their paper on forming something that can benefit them after they can't sell anymore CD 's. When their career is over and no one is feeling them anymore. After seeing these show like cribs and how many rides this one has or what it cost. The start up cost of a magazine is less then the $200,000.000 dollars spent on a ride or platinum diamond chain for real. It really hard for some to understand the power they have. Most of these artists can't even realize they have been exploited to the degree of slavery. Time is coming of age real soon just like how many artists who had deal are now putting out their own cd's. Well the same way can be for publishing your own magazine. And this is not to say everyone has to put out there own magazine, but some one must take the step to make it happen. This business is very small these days and artists must know how everything is done. That why I can see Titanium Magazine being a force in this industry Independency is very important in life. Also BE (BLACK ELEGANCE) magazine which is now totally black owned by Florence Anthony. She is some one every body needs to know.

43-TITANIUM- Mix tapes game did it hurt record sales?

VANSILK- Are you crazy, the mix tape game is the savior for this shit period. Now this is something that really needs addressing for real. Mix tapes is what hip-hop is all about, but it has gotten to a point of some asshole bootlegging real artists CD'S and the whole game is wack now. When the game of mix tape came about it was about skills of the dj. But any fool with a computer can make a cd and a cover with a list and call himself a dj. Now the mix tape game is more complex than what many think. With big time dj's like KAYSLAY, CLUE, BIG MIKE, WHO KIDD and CUTMASTER C these guys are the best ears for the streets and as far for creating the new rap artists they have shit on lock. Without KAYSLAY the whole story of AZ, ALPO & RICH PORTER may have never come to light. Or how CLUE got the buzz going on FABOLOUS and now pushing PAUL CAIN. Or who would have known about CASSIDY battling FREEWAY. Mix tapes also gave us all the hip-hop wars or beef going on Dj P-CUTTA & DNA did the STREET WARS series. Record companies are not spending money promoting jack shit. I even love new rappers like RED CAFÉ, REMI martin who is the shit. Also the YOUNG GUNS are hot. Now how did we find out about all these new rappers? Through the mix tape, the freestyles, talking shit and all. This is what hip-hop is all about, and this is coming from one of the pioneers of this CULTURE. HIP-HOP IS DEAD ALREADY, KILL OF THE MIX TAPE GAME AND IT OVER.

44-TITANIUM- So you really feel that strong about the mix tape game, but how about all the bootlegging of the pre released cd?

VANSILK- That all a game, the record companies are letting music out to decreased sales of these artists. But on the other hand rappers are giving the top dj's advance copies of their songs because they know the record companies will not promote their records. Here a good example of what is wrong, BEYONCE had a song that Ghost face went in and added 16 bars himself. And it made the record even hotter, but Columbia sent out email to radio station telling them not to play that version. Reason why, is that they had nothing to do with what Ghost face did and all the radio stations was playing that version. Some of these record companies executive need their ass twisted to understand how the streets work, fuck all these white consultant who are consulting BLACK RADIO. No one BLACK is consulting POP radio. It's not a racial statement, it the truth. All these big ass corporation who own these radio stations calling themselves the best in HIPHOP & R&B. And they have all these young listeners sucking up to the bullshit. Playing the same bullshit everyday and playing the payola game. Pay for play is still in effect in 2004. I HAVE NOTING TO LOSE, for one who really need radio to make money in this business and to top it off face elimination if you don't live by the rules of this industry. A sellout will always be a sellout. I rather have my sanity then to be caught up in something I will never have any control over. Once you gone as an artist, you can't come back. Britney Spears is riding high, but what so hot about her Beyonce had hotter songs and sings better. Or Justin Timberlake is not better than Usher. Why don't Entertainment Tonight and all the mass media give Usher the same amount of exposure as Justin and see how big he can be. But we all can see the how the KKK still works in this society. They only wear suit today. Justin is a fake wanna be Michael Jackson but we have no choice but to accept him. Now the boy can sing, but come on people he not that great. To be honest I would like to see Justin & Usher go one on one. Then you see the same bullshit that happen to black artists 20, 30 and 40 years ago happening today. They will always find a white singer, who can be like a black singer and steal all his glory. PERIOD. Ask LIL RICHARD. Or even RONALD ISLEY they know the real deal.

45-TITANIUM- Man you dropping knowledge on us?

VANSILK- It's not knowledge, it just the truth period. I can give a fuck what any one thinks right now. This shit been going on for years, they did it to PRINCE, LITTLE RICHARD. Now they are doing it to MICHAEL JACKSON the real KING of POP. Fuck ELVIS! Elvis sells more records than any artist in the BMG companies still in 2004. ELVIS was a drug addict plain and simple, but you have to label the real KING as a CHILD molester. Then they label artists like R KELLY as a rapper, that nigga is a certified writer of some of the greatest R&B songs over the last 10 years. But again it's the white media doing this to us. Niggas have no power in this business at all. And this is for real. The most powerful black in this entertainment industry is RICHARD PARSONS at TIME-WARNER and they figuring on trying to rid of his ass now. They want to blame the whole AOL failure on him. They got rid of BOB PITTMAN AND STEVE CASE and Richard is the final key to all this so call mess proclaimed on that merger. The RIAA is trying to say lagging sales is because of all the downloading of song. No that not the case, it's the recording of bullshit songs by these artists, who life span is less than 2 singles including videos these days. They really need more SIMON COWELL & RANDY JACKSON at these record labels listening to these non-talented so call artists today before they get a contract.

46-TITANIUM-Damn Van you really letting shit out the bag?

VANSILK- that's is the problem today to many losers running around on empty air. Let's face the real issue who really losing? THE FANS. Paying hard earn money for garbage.  Man niggas need to be real in life and take it as it come. If some don't agree, then that to fucking bad I hate to have pull up some niggas skirts, but life is life. I like seeing niggas skirts get pulled up. Then you see what really going on. Ashanti, Mya and these other talented sisters should get the same amount of love as Britney, Pink & Jessica Simpson and who ever else is living well because of their race. AT ONE TIME I couldn't stand Mary J as artists. Over the years I began to like her a lot. She the real QUEEN I love that woman to death. She survive the struggle, so did Toni Braxton she real family comes 1st. But the labels are always looking at the bottom line.

47-TITANIUM-So what do you feel is the key to changing the industries outlook on things?

VANSILK-We need a balance, the only job that a black man can achieve in this entertainment industry that carries any respect is being a bodyguard for a star. Or video director, and the so called manager or boutique record deals given out by the major labels. Who in hand still call the shots and control everything. All these boutique labels do is all the legwork. And as for the bodyguards, believe me I RESPECT any one who will put their life on the line for someone who supposed to be popular. Some artist need bodyguards because of the lifestyle they lead before coming into this industry. The street game is still in effect no matter who you are. Then some need protection because of crazy ass fans out here. The industry needs to give more blacks the same chances as they give all the ASHTON KUSTNER's and RYAN SEACREST's. Having TYRA BANKS hosts a show looking for the next top model, she deserves that. BUT WHAT ABOUT MORE BLACK hosts on PRIME TIME NETWORKS? That will never happen because of the RACISM. There is more RACISM now then during the days of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Some will think we are moving on up to fast, getting to live the good life so soon. Have you noticed the 1st question always asked by a show host is how much money you are making? You never heard that question posed to a white movie star or artist. Just we BLACKS folks who are supposed to still be living like this is the 60's: how many black host are really on MTV? On ESPN we have Stuart Scott. 60 MINUTES Ed Bradley. DAYTIME T.V Wayne Brady and Montel Williams, Oprah don't even count anymore because she achieved what no black person has ever experienced as a talk show host. The view has Star Jones. Why is it that we can't have more than one black on any giving show besides a sitcom? Nighttime talk shows we as black folks don't have shit. BUT SOONER OR LATER THEY WILL FIND SOME TOKEN NIGGER to give the spot to, and then come up with bogus numbers that no one is watching like the did to ARSENIO HALL some years back. Look at him hosting STAR SEARCH, NOW WHO GONNA WATCH SOME SHIT THAT Ed McMahon done ran into the ground. Who really gives a fuck about STAR SEARCH when you have AMERICAN IDOL giving away a million dollars to the winner, it's like smoking crack all night and flipping through the channels and you catch SOUL TRAIN or SHOWTIME at the APOLLO on at 3 AM in the morning.

48-TITANIUM-Van let's call it a night and I'll give you a call in a few days to digest this shit.

VANSILK-Do that because nothing really ha changed and this is 2004.