Charles Hamilton Part II - just in case you missed a moment.
I was on Twitter last night, watching this whole mess unfold. I have to say it was far better than television (although I don't have one). What everyone is getting upset about is this:
I first caught wind when I saw this on Twitter from DJ Houseshoes...
@charleshamilton Dilla hit me from heaven and said he dont know who the fuck you are and to leave his name off your trash.Hamilton, possibly having learned from the last time he took something that didn't belong to him (a beat from Black Spade which he tried to pass of as his own - to Spade's face) thinks it's best to try to sort these things out over the phone.
This message is to all HATERS. If you really got an issue with me, send me ur number now. Charlesthehamilton@gmail.com. Callin FANS later...So Sweeney from Rappers I Know sent his number & Hamilton calls him up - Sweeney blogs the conversation...
Whattup Sweeney.
Who’s this?
Charles Hamilton, what’s the hate?
It’s not hate. I just think you’re kind of a dweeb.
Ok, break down what your issue is with me so we can come to a mutual agreement to where you don’t have to say anything to me or support my music and you can go about living your life.
I only say anything about you in a public forum when I feel it’s something ridiculous like crediting Dilla as an executive producer of your album.
Do you know my relationship with Ma Dukes?
No I don’t.If you don’t know my relationship with Ma Dukes, proceeds from my album are going towards the J Dilla Music Foundation, which is basically a temple. My issue is, if you don’t know all the details of it and simply are putting out negativity about me and what it is I’m doing, especially since I actually have a very good relationship with Phat Kat and everybody else involved, especially since I was in the studio with Pete Rock when he was mastering the Jay $tay Paid album. Do you really want to put such negative energy out there on a public forum?
Listen, that still doesn’t mean the man did anything for your album–
The thing is —
Let me talk. I let you talk, now let me talk. It’s cool that you’re giving proceeds from the album, I’ll admit that, I don’t have any problem with that. You crediting him as an executive producer of your album when you never met him is just foolish.
How do you know I never met him?
Fine. When you never had a working relationship with him, which I know you didn’t because I think I would have heard about that.
Really?Yes.
What do you know about James Yancey personally?
What do you want me to say? I never met him personally–
If you don’t know James Yancey, his little brother or his mother the way I know them, then you can’t put any negativity out there. That’s slander. Now I’m not taking a legal approach, I’m approaching you man to man–That’s not slander. You have no basis to take a legal approach, that’s ridiculous of you to say that.
Yo…just deal with the fact that you don’t know a large percentage of the information. You don’t want to buy the album, don’t buy the album
I’m not going to buy the album.
By the way, don’t make this a bigger issue than it already is.
How am I making it a bigger issue?
By how you talking.
All I’m saying, I’m not saying you don’t have a relationship with the family–
If I’m putting him as an executive producer, and executive producer gets a percentage of the album, what are you so mad at?
I’m not mad. I think it’s laughable that you’re crediting someone who you never had a working relationship with, and yes I’m going to make that assumption, as an executive producer on your album. Outside of you supposedly giving proceeds of the album to the J Dilla foundation, I think this is a publicity stunt, in some way, shape or form.
Are you upset that I’m giving money to the foundation and that could possibly get publicity?
Not at all. I’m not upset at anything, I’m laughing at it. I laughed when I first saw it. I’m not upset.
In the heading of your email you said ‘Hate.’
Yeah, it was a tounge-in-cheek comment. In your twitter you posted, ‘any haters email me your number,’ so I was like, ok, if this is what you’re calling it, then I guess this is going to be what he classifies as hate.
Nah, but see you didn’t ask a question, you simply stated what you thought was a fact. So what I’m trying to tell you is, upon asking Ma Dukes, or Illa J, or even his daughter, you don’t know how close to the family I am. The Hamilton family and the Yancey family have a very good relationship, so I just want you to be clear on that. The next time you want to make a statement or anything about me, do realize that I’m the type of person that will ask for your number and call you.
That’s fine. Save my number. Call me anytime. Listen, I’m not taking anything out of pocket besides the fact that I think it’s ridiculous that you’re crediting him as an executive producer. You don’t have to credit him as an executive producer to donate proceeds of the album to the foundation, that’s just how you’re choosing to go about it.
Hello?Hello?
The response from Houseshoes was one of the biggest ethers I've ever seen in my life.
@charleshamilton just got off the phone w @madukesyancey she dont know who the FUCK U ARE. Nail in the coffin. FATALITY.Charles bumbles along merrily not realising what he's done and who he's dealing with. These people are not like the graceful & mild mannered Black Spade. These people might actually kill him. Here are some lowlights from Charles over the course of the evening as he descends in to denial followed by self doubt and I imagine, fear.
Madukes just told me to repost this from her own mouth. " Dilla left exec producing to Madukes. He does not come down for the bull****
Ma Dukes was right. No one would believe me.(I think that was in response to this from Hexmurda, Black Milks rather notorious manager - whose bio reads "I dont give a fuk." )
The beauty of it? You're all still visitin my page... Who loses?
@hexmurda does that include getting shot? Yay! Bullet wounds will stop my bafoonery!!! =-)
Congratulaions @charleshamilton, u made "THE LIST". & tell niggas to quit callin' SeanP askin' me to chill. Fuck yo' life, nigga....
And my plan, again, has worked. Twitterworld,I just brought more attention to the Detroit hiphop scene. No thanks needed.He then wrote this on his blog to er, justify himself?!
Just hung up from @nicklenine.i understand y'all, Detroit. @houseshoes get in touch wit me. No disrespect meant at all. Misunderstanding. Up
And ain't nobody coppin a plea. Kill me if you want. This is for MUSIC. Not my pockets.
I was just on the phone with someone getting ethered. Don't remember who. I'm sure I deserved it...
I learned my social skills from watching BET and National Geographic. Can you blame me?
Of course I learn from life experinces. That's why I'm smiling right now. Self-depreciation = public masturbation
Not to say that I am a ghostbuster, but I do believe in being guided by spirits who have expertise in whatever field you are trying to excel in. Dilla virtually mastered the vintage sound. Prayer, meditation and belief in God allowed me to have a STRICTLY PARANORMAL relationship with Dilla, to master the album. Because of how deep the feeling was, how real the experience was, and his influence on my music, the right thing for me to do was to repay him.At the end of the day, in the highly unlikely event Dilla really had been an exec. producer he would have been able to strike the deal himself rather than take whatever it is Hamilton is offering. The issue is that he doesn't have permission, and if he really wanted to be charitable he could have just given a large donation and said the album was inspired by Dilla. Not exactly the altruistic philanthropist he purports to be...and there is no amount of money that can make up for his flagrant lack of respect for the legacy, rights, and artistic integrity of the man he claims he is so inspired by.
An executive producer gets a percentage of the album's sales. When the album goes to stores (late summer/early fall), proceeds will go to Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey and the J. Dilla estate. Basically, whatever money she gets from the album, it will go to whatever she wants to do with it. Whether it's lupus research, paying residual medical bills or supporting his daughter, I want to help, as a token of appreciation for how he's helped me.
I don't imagine this will dent Hamilton's following, or even his day, considering how quickly the Black Spade event was forgotten. He might want to stay far away from Detroit though. And LA. And anywhere in the world there are people from Detroit...