Meet Sullee J, Poet and Hip Hop Artist

Sullee J is a warrior poet and philanthropist from Baltimore. He's an emcee whose strong will and devotion to the human spirit carries his exploration of the language, making serious play of the words that represent the deepest of the mind's pains, hopes, losses, and fears. He has recently collaborated with Young Buck, Project Pat, Joe Moses, Royce Da 5'9, Crooked I, Canibus, Cashis, Cyssero, K-Rino, and more.

Check out Sullee J's music on SoundCloud and YouTube, and follow him on Twitter.

1. When you were a kid, what came first for you--music or poetry, or did you become interested in both around the same time?

Poetry. If anything made sense at that point, it was putting my feelings into words. I felt like it was the best way to understand myself, and for myself to be heard. I would write for hours, and somehow it all came out in rhythmic patterns. The ink bled my thoughts, allowing me to escape my mind's darkest caverns.

2. What is your process like when it comes to composing new work?

Sometimes, depending on my mood, a whole song can take me under 20 minutes to write, and sometimes I will spend a week. It all depends on what I'm going through, and the current emotion I'm allowing to peak.

3. You do a lot of collaboration with other artists. What does collaboration add to your own work?

It allows me to build with the other artists and show versatility in my music. Because most of the collaborations I've had are with major artists, it really allows me to challenge myself as a musician. I will always be different--I choose not to be congruent. I want to show my fans, but also other artists on the come up, always stay true to yourself, regardless the influence.

4. What projects are ahead for you in 2016?

Stay tuned for a lot of brilliant works in the mix right now. My latest project coming out next is Andrew Slayer: The Undefined Soul. A clash between Hip Hop/EDM.

5. What is your advice to others who are interested in rap and hip hop but haven't started recording and sharing their own rhymes yet?

Don't let anyone else tell you how to feel about yourself. If you believe in your dreams, then keep going. You don't need people in your circle that are constantly putting you down. Stick to positive energy only. Life is too short to allow negativity to surround.

Thanks, Sullee J!

Introducing Sharp Detail for Mobile Car Detailing

Have you ever thought about having your car detailed but couldn't find the time to take your car in? If you're in the greater Washington DC area, you're in luck because Sharp Detailing offers mobile auto detailing services. For over ten years, the company has been coming to people's homes, workplaces, and more to provide car detailing work.

The idea behind the business is to provide attentive service to all customers. First of all, Sharp Detail is known for their careful hand-washing. They do interior and exterior work, including vacuuming, shampooing, waxing, streak-free mirror cleaning, and tire cleaning and conditioning. Whether you need a spot on your seat or carpet removed, or a detail of your engine, you can work with Sharp Detail for the services you need.

If you aren't someone who regularly has your car detailed, you may find specific occasions when it's important to get detailing. For example, having your car detailed before selling it can increase its resale value. Or maybe your car was in a small accident and needs scratches removed or other sprucing up. A friend of mine had her car stolen and had it detailed afterward, and by the time she was driving it again, she said it felt good as new--a feeling which really erased the stress of having lost her car temporarily.

Even in the cold winter weather, Sharp Detail is busy meeting the needs of their customers to keep their vehicles looking their best. They actively make sure customers are satisfied by reaching out to each and every customer after they do the job. They care about the people who ask them to detail their cars and work hard to make sure every interaction they have with the company is a positive one, including interactions with the technicians as well as the person who does the scheduling.

And finally, Sharp Detail's work is guaranteed, so if you give them a try and aren't satisfied, they will work with you to make it right!

Meet Bob Pinto, Musician and Composer

Bob Pinto lives on Maryland's Eastern Shore in a modest house with a wife and cat. He has varied musical interests and has been playing music since elementary school when he first studied saxophone and piano. These days, Bob creates contemporary, melodic instrumentals utilizing electronic synth libraries. His album, Winds and Journeys, is available on Google Play. Samples of his ambient music are also available on YouTube.

1. When did you start composing music?

I have always had tunes running through my head since taking music courses in college but never developed any real songs until a few years ago. The foundation of theory was there but no creation.

One day as I walked towards my piano, for lack of a better term, I "saw" a pattern of notes and thought I could write a complete song. It wasn't great but it was a starting point. Within time I found a style that worked best.

2. What inspires you to create music in the ambient, electronic genre?

I was fascinated when I first heard experimental music on the earliest analogue synthesizers. I also liked the synth sounds used by Pink Floyd, E.L.O., and Vengalis.

Later the music of Enya, George Winston, and Yanni opened up a great interest in this type of music. The unfortunate moniker of "new age" has been used to describe this genre. I prefer ambient electronic and even then I write these songs to be listened to and not just some background sound.

3. Your album contains music which addresses several themes; what was your process in putting the album together and arranging the tracks to cohere as a whole?

After the pieces are written, sometimes I'll look at a piece and say, "All right, what is it? What do you call it?". Here is where many music writers give some vague, otherworldly or foreign name. I could name some pieces names like that but what would they mean?

One song on the album started out as a piece to be submitted for review by people who were a go-between for A&R producers. They wanted something that could have been written by Vengalis. Well, I had always been fan of his and knew his style. The song reviewers deep-sixed it, but I didn't. I included it on the album and called it "Los Vengalis."

In nature, nice breezes are soothing as they interplay with various trees and brush. They're spontaneous yet constant. The leaves make the same sound but in arrhythmic waves. I just love the sound of it. Jesus even speaks of it poetically referring to the spirit. It can be a gentle lullabye or an invigorating rush. I love winds, so I made it a recurring theme or element in the music.

The journeys aspect of the album is largely influenced by the fact that I and many of us have undergone crisis or been thrown under the bus, either by people or workplaces or even medical crisis. You learn to get through it, recover, and, hopefully, are the better for it. The song "Journey through Crisis" deals with this in that way. It, too, is broken into three sections. The music reflects everything starting out good, then lost in seconds, and lastly the recovery begins.

One song, "Niddle Dance" (a made up word), takes place in an imaginary pub and celebrates the recovery. I actually wanted to call it "I finally got rid of the dang thing" but didn't. :o)

4. Do you have a particular process you follow when composing music?

Actually, I do it all on computer, writing the midi notes as I go. If I were smart, I'd plan everything first. But what I'll do often is write a few measures, play it back, and see what it suggests. Sometimes things flow very smoothly with only some editing of small details, and other times I have to beat it to death to make it sound right. But I'll always try to keep style and methods in mind as I go.

5. What sort of work do you do for your day job, and how do you maintain a balance between your music and your other work?

I do assembly work in a manufacturing facility. I also do church music, so time management becomes important. I do hate having to quit creating and then pick up where I left off the next day. You just try to leave outlines on how to proceed when you start the next day.

Art is hard for us to make a decent living at it. It often has to be supported out of pocket and then you have to be a genius at promoting it. And then, I don't want my wife to become an art or computer widow. A healthy balance has to be maintained.

Thanks, Bob!