Game Rebellion
“I think [Russell Simmons] knows me through a couple yoga classes, a couple girls, but it’s interesting because that’s never been my thing to ask, ‘Here’s what I’m doing, can you help me out?’ You hustled to get where you are, I hustled to get where I’m at. It’ll get to me when it needs to get to me.” – Netic
Game Rebellion is a lash out against conventions in audio. The Brooklyn-based Rap/Rock outfit puts the word "nigga" proudly in the hands of Rock & Roll's lineage. With edgy lyrics from emcee/frontman Netic, the group tackles topics from snitching, to the loss of producer Disco D to the importance of New York's largest borough, Brooklyn.
That borough-love led the group to work with acclaimed deejay J.Period on their latest works, the mixtape Searching For Rick Rubin. The effort pairs original, studio-crafted recordings against altered music from the '80s Rap producer (LL Cool J, Run-DMC, Public Enemy) who went onto Rock with Slayer, Tom Petty, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The mixtape knocks down walls and kicks in doors, and DXNext took a closer look at the unsigned Game Rebellion, based on a conversation with Netic and J.Period.
Hailing from: Brooklyn, New York.
Current Works: Searching for Rick Rubin mixtape with J.Period.
Connects: J.Period, Jean Grae, Jon Moskowitz, Afrika Bambaataa.
Philosophy: "My approach to music is very athletic-based. The harder you train, the better you’ll perform at game time. My brother and my cousin are in the NFL. My family is very athletic. It’s very ironic that I music because my family said I should be in the NFL. That’s what we do."
Band history: "A few of the members of the band have known each other for years before we even played music. Both guitar players I’ve known for upwards of 15 years. We watched each other grow up. It was really interesting that we all ended up making music together ‘cause it wasn’t necessarily in the cards like that. The band has been together four years. We have a new drummer, and he’s been a blessing in disguise and we’re very appreciative to have him. Everybody that’s in the band we knew through Brooklyn. It was a Bedstuy thing."
Thoughts on term “Rock/Rap”: “I always get the Rap/Rock [label]; I’m just a Hip Hop kid doing some Rock shit. That’s really where I come from. Ultimately, for me, I liked the music that those guys did – I liked Korn, but I didn’t feel like there was anything really Hip Hop about Korn except for [Fieldy] wearing Adidas outfits. I got the [Rap/Rock label] with Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. To me, Limp Bizkit had hard music, but that dude Fred Durst couldn’t rhyme – that was it for me as an emcee. My thing with him is he wasn’t a good rapper. You expect your guitar a be a good guitar player…and you’ve got this guy [as a rapper] who’s trash. Nobody would say he’s good. That’s my major issue with Limp Bizkit. Same thing with Linkin Park. I have recently have been a little bit warmer to that dude Mike Shinoda because I feel like he was never really good as a rapper. He wouldn’t hold his own – not on my block. I felt like the difference between us is, I can still go and put out a Hip Hop album tomorrow and people are gonna [say] it’s bananas. What I really like to do is, I like to rock – and infuse the two as wholesome as I can or as integral to both art forms; I don’t want to sacrifice the integrity of either genre of music in the process of me molding the two.”
Political Influence: “I’ve never been in the drug game heavy. I’ve never been a hustler. I always had money ‘cause I was always looking for a scheme to stay afloat, but I never pushed keys. I’m not Young Jeezy. What I am is… I’ve always been pretty astute, I’ve always been interested in circumstances that push people to do those things. I’m intrigued by real go-getters and real moneymakers. For me, the two are very closely related. What I explore in politics in Game Rebellion lends itself a relationship and understanding of why Jay-Z or Young Jeezy say what they say. Dudes will appreciate what I say and what I’m observing, but it’s not from their position.”
Interviews on mixtapes for J.Period: “Part of that, really, is me being just a genuine fan of the music and experiencing it as a fan. The best stuff I’ve ever gotten – I got [Mary J Blige] in a hotel room, while she was in rollers and sweatpants, and it was super, super casual. I just start talking to them about what inspires them. For me what happens, you take people in their mind back on this journey to where they started. It’s really humbling for them. It’s going inside. Q-Tip was like, 'I’ll give you 15 minutes.' I sat down and started asking him questions, and two hours went by, and he had no idea. I’ve considered publishing these interviews one day.”
Relation to Rick Rubin: "I did my senior thesis [in college] on Rick Rubin. It made perfect sense to me, Searching For Rick Rubin, because I felt like Rick Rubin was the Bobby Fisher of music. I named it after that movie Searching For Bobby Fisher, which nobody knows really [realizes]. They just think it’s a band searching for this uber-producer. Really, it was about my personal relationship and obsession with this guy who I felt like was the best in his craft, yet was very obscure and in and out of the scene."
Hip Hop Relevance: “It’s not everyday that there is a Rock band with a frontman who is a real emcee, who came up and knows about emcees. You’ve got your Linkin Parks and stuff, with a sort of phony frontman – not really a rapper, not really a singer; these guys have good quality music and an emcee. That made me listen closer," says J.Period.
Contact: www.myspace.com/gamerebellion
Game Rebellion is a lash out against conventions in audio. The Brooklyn-based Rap/Rock outfit puts the word "nigga" proudly in the hands of Rock & Roll's lineage. With edgy lyrics from emcee/frontman Netic, the group tackles topics from snitching, to the loss of producer Disco D to the importance of New York's largest borough, Brooklyn.
That borough-love led the group to work with acclaimed deejay J.Period on their latest works, the mixtape Searching For Rick Rubin. The effort pairs original, studio-crafted recordings against altered music from the '80s Rap producer (LL Cool J, Run-DMC, Public Enemy) who went onto Rock with Slayer, Tom Petty, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The mixtape knocks down walls and kicks in doors, and DXNext took a closer look at the unsigned Game Rebellion, based on a conversation with Netic and J.Period.
Hailing from: Brooklyn, New York.
Current Works: Searching for Rick Rubin mixtape with J.Period.
Connects: J.Period, Jean Grae, Jon Moskowitz, Afrika Bambaataa.
Philosophy: "My approach to music is very athletic-based. The harder you train, the better you’ll perform at game time. My brother and my cousin are in the NFL. My family is very athletic. It’s very ironic that I music because my family said I should be in the NFL. That’s what we do."
Band history: "A few of the members of the band have known each other for years before we even played music. Both guitar players I’ve known for upwards of 15 years. We watched each other grow up. It was really interesting that we all ended up making music together ‘cause it wasn’t necessarily in the cards like that. The band has been together four years. We have a new drummer, and he’s been a blessing in disguise and we’re very appreciative to have him. Everybody that’s in the band we knew through Brooklyn. It was a Bedstuy thing."
Thoughts on term “Rock/Rap”: “I always get the Rap/Rock [label]; I’m just a Hip Hop kid doing some Rock shit. That’s really where I come from. Ultimately, for me, I liked the music that those guys did – I liked Korn, but I didn’t feel like there was anything really Hip Hop about Korn except for [Fieldy] wearing Adidas outfits. I got the [Rap/Rock label] with Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. To me, Limp Bizkit had hard music, but that dude Fred Durst couldn’t rhyme – that was it for me as an emcee. My thing with him is he wasn’t a good rapper. You expect your guitar a be a good guitar player…and you’ve got this guy [as a rapper] who’s trash. Nobody would say he’s good. That’s my major issue with Limp Bizkit. Same thing with Linkin Park. I have recently have been a little bit warmer to that dude Mike Shinoda because I feel like he was never really good as a rapper. He wouldn’t hold his own – not on my block. I felt like the difference between us is, I can still go and put out a Hip Hop album tomorrow and people are gonna [say] it’s bananas. What I really like to do is, I like to rock – and infuse the two as wholesome as I can or as integral to both art forms; I don’t want to sacrifice the integrity of either genre of music in the process of me molding the two.”
Political Influence: “I’ve never been in the drug game heavy. I’ve never been a hustler. I always had money ‘cause I was always looking for a scheme to stay afloat, but I never pushed keys. I’m not Young Jeezy. What I am is… I’ve always been pretty astute, I’ve always been interested in circumstances that push people to do those things. I’m intrigued by real go-getters and real moneymakers. For me, the two are very closely related. What I explore in politics in Game Rebellion lends itself a relationship and understanding of why Jay-Z or Young Jeezy say what they say. Dudes will appreciate what I say and what I’m observing, but it’s not from their position.”
Interviews on mixtapes for J.Period: “Part of that, really, is me being just a genuine fan of the music and experiencing it as a fan. The best stuff I’ve ever gotten – I got [Mary J Blige] in a hotel room, while she was in rollers and sweatpants, and it was super, super casual. I just start talking to them about what inspires them. For me what happens, you take people in their mind back on this journey to where they started. It’s really humbling for them. It’s going inside. Q-Tip was like, 'I’ll give you 15 minutes.' I sat down and started asking him questions, and two hours went by, and he had no idea. I’ve considered publishing these interviews one day.”
Relation to Rick Rubin: "I did my senior thesis [in college] on Rick Rubin. It made perfect sense to me, Searching For Rick Rubin, because I felt like Rick Rubin was the Bobby Fisher of music. I named it after that movie Searching For Bobby Fisher, which nobody knows really [realizes]. They just think it’s a band searching for this uber-producer. Really, it was about my personal relationship and obsession with this guy who I felt like was the best in his craft, yet was very obscure and in and out of the scene."
Hip Hop Relevance: “It’s not everyday that there is a Rock band with a frontman who is a real emcee, who came up and knows about emcees. You’ve got your Linkin Parks and stuff, with a sort of phony frontman – not really a rapper, not really a singer; these guys have good quality music and an emcee. That made me listen closer," says J.Period.
Contact: www.myspace.com/gamerebellion
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Comments 16 posts
Original Brooklyn Rocka:
This guy is big hatter.
Why dont you give props to your hometown, we all know it's not brooklyn. Yo Netic stop the bull shit. Slaming people who you wish you had the privellage of even coming close to. I also find it odd that the only artist you slammed are white boys. Stop acting like you are the messiah, I heard your skills, and you are far from a real valid and respected mc. Maybe when and ever you are some what respected you can say something. Homeboy you talk too much, you never shut up. I saw you get booed at the Nas show. You don't have Brooklyns respect yet, so stop reppin brooklyn. From an original brooklyn music nigga.
Misanthropik One:
Its funny these days how everyone wants to diss everyone. 1st off, Fred Durst can rhyme, his problem is that he oversaturated us with his face constantly and started making pop shit. Its funny how people quickly forget about "3 Dollar Bill Ya'll".
Linkin Park slowly began dumbin down the rap shit ever since they became big. If you listen to Shinoda on the "Hybrid Theory EP" and the Xero demos, you'd be an idiot to say he can't emcee.
prontic_sniple:
mang mike shinoda's far from a top rapper but he's passionate about hip-hop and far from a bad rapper. he toned down his rapping for LP but did some interesting hip-hop shit even in early years like the 'High Voltage' remix with pharaoh monch.
im replying to Dead Kennedy Rolls not Netic. thanks for clarifying btw.
1Nyce:
First saw these guys perform at the Addias boutique in Soho and walked away shocked. Great music and true passion..got the mixtape and it's nothing but good music. Rock..Rap..whatever..good music sets boundaires it doesn't conform to them and Game Rebellion is just that...good music.
Dead Kennedy Rolls:
Man Game Rebellion sound crazy - where the major labels at???????? Netic can spit damn!
Netic you R 100% on linkin park and limp bizkit - fred durst was a fucking embarrasment - mike shinoda cannot rap for shit - he's stepped it up a bit but damn he aint top 50 let alone top 10!
Who said hes a great lyricist? fuck off - lyrics are wack! "my wounds won't heal I'm so depressed" or some whiney middle class white boy shit - pleeease!!
Dazasta:
this shit tough as hell dont kno where u came from but shout to dx for bringin yall to my eye i just wanna kno one thing now where the fuck can i git a cd or sumthin a mixtape this mixtape i cant find this shit no where
KINGGS:
I think I would be able to enjoy this more if it didn't have corny metal influences.
hecFORprez:
whoa these guys was at sneakerpimps, they were nice! they got balls to do rock at a rap venue, and KILLED IT
About Time:
This shit is DOPE.
I don't know what's taken the Industry so long to recognize hot shit. I guess everybodies to busy Supermannin that hoe.
5%:
yo listen to what dude is spittin @ 12mins i think 12:05 to be exact it's nuts.
CrushGroove:
I don't have a career to protect or future relationships to build, SO I DON'T CARE.. It's TRUE them other rappers in rock rap bands Suck. Only the dude from Rage Against the Machine was remotely nice.
This kid Netic is Heavy.
SneakerFreak:
I saw Game Rebellion @ Sneaker Pimps and honestly they were the only openers that belonged on the Stage with the Headliners. I cant even remember any of the other acts. The shit on they're myspace is Fire.
Netic:
I'm the dude interviewed, Netic..
So I'm readin this article and I get to the Linkin Park part and I'm like ohh shit lol' Let the Drama begin.. I think what I was saying was takin out of context or maybe I just misstated. Let me start by saying I own every Linkin Park Album and I have wached Mike grow as an MC and I do think he is 100x nicer than he was when he began. Which says a lot about a person's dedication to their craft. I was talking about a period in time in the Late 90's early 2000's and the term Rock/Rap so I was speaking to that era.
If it wasn't for the Rage's, LP's, Limp Bizkit's and Korn's, I wouldn't be so comfortable doing what I DO..
and Let's Not get it twisted Mc Hammer sold a ton of Records that doesn't means he's a good Mc. When we start confusing record sales with skills we are heading down a dangerous path. I like Mike Shinoda more than half the hip hop shit I hear on the radio so i would never bash him or LP. We're actually looking forward to workin and tourin with them.
If you get a chance listen to "Hands Held High" off LP's new album, It's Bananas, and it's a real look at us & Iraq.
ohh p.s. The Smyrk are Dope thats Family, but they're from Philly not BK.
Keep ya hands up and Fight till' the Death. -Netic
brooklynJUICE:
these guys opened for nas at sneakerpimps...they were iite, but if you real bk rock look no farer then "THE SMYRK"
OnE3nD:
Im not trying to bash these dudes but that was cold bringing other Rock/Rap into the equation and diss them...atleast Linkin Park has 40 million+ sold worldwide and Shinoda is a pretty damn good lyricist.
Dayum:
These guys > ________