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September 28, 2001
(Pasco, Washington) - After nine years of recording over twenty albums, John Book can now list "nominee" as one of his many accomplishments.
Under the name Crut, Book has become a nominee as Best Hip Hop Artist in this year's 5th Annual Hawai'i Music Awards, for the release of his 19th album, WEEK.
"The album, simply put, is seven songs exploring each day of the week through sounds and samples. The ideas in each song are those that I've had for awhile, and I'm glad it turned out the way it did. What has happened since then is just extra". Oh hell, I'm writing this press release, what am I trying to prove here?
Yeah, I live in Pasco, Washington, but I have never stayed far from my home. Much of the music I've done has always acknowledged my culture and my home. I explored this with album #18, WITHOUT BREATH, the title being the English translation of the word "haole". It was also the last album that featured my voice. I had always rapped and sang on my songs, but for some reason people were quick to tell me they preferred my music. "The music is tight, but your flow is doo doo" said one Mike Burke, a former regular on the rec.music.hip-hop newsgroup. At the time, I felt I was the only one who could say the words I was feeling. WITHOUT BREATH was my way of closing one phase of my music, and entering another, which was the instrumental side.
That's where WEEK came in. The album took about four months to record, as I wanted to make sure it wasn't just a simple album of seven songs with seven loops. Some have called it my most in-depth piece of work to date. Personally, it comes from the most creative period in my life so far. There are a lot of puzzles within the album, some known, some unknown. In the grand scheme of things, WEEK is just another sample-based album by a guy who has been down with hip hop for 22 years.
But it has managed to make me a nominee in the place I call home. For a few weeks, I was the sole entry and it would have made me a winner by default. But due to a small technicality, I now have competition, in the form of Kutmaster Spaz. Nonetheless, by being a nominee in the Hawai'i Music Awards, I hope to shed light on the growing hip hop scene in Hawai'i, and to prove that the music and culture is much more than what happens between the East and West Coasts.
If you want to vote for me, you can fill in the ballot at www.hawaiimusicawards.com
p.e.a.c.e.
-John Book
http://www.john-book.com/Crut
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