The visionary and businessman behind DC's GOGO group Mambo Sauce

[Features]

Please tell DMVhustlers who you are, where you're from, and what you've done/doing in the music biz. -My name is William "Malachai" Johns sometimes known as "Redds". I've been playing guitar since I was six and began playing in Go - Go bands when I was 15. I started in a band in Annapolis called "Occupation" and then went on to play with Optymistic Tribe, Northeast Groovers, SOULO and the What Band. I also filled in with Ayre Rayde, All - N - One and Backyard. I left SOULO in 2002 and went to Las Vegas and worked as the Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for a CHR/Urban radio station (Hot 97.5fm). I went to a seminar in L.A. while I lived in Vegas and fell in love with the place. I moved there and worked with a production company that had a deal with Universal based on a female R&B singer. After seeing some live bands in L.A. and realizing that they couldn't hold a candle to the energy of a Go - Go band, I decided to try to put a band together out there with the intention of creating a national artist that played Go - Go music. I couldn't find the musicians though, so I decided to come back home and put the project together here. While I was putting the band together, I got a job as a Promotions Coordinator at WPGC 95.5fm.

How did the Mambo Sauce situation come together? Like I said, I originally tried to put the project together in L.A., but couldn't find the musicians, so I decided to come back home to do it. The original plan was to put a band together, record some songs and move the whole band to L.A. in 6 months, play some gigs and kill the L.A. scene to try to pique the interest of some of the label folks I was meeting. 6 years later I'm still here! When I came back from L.A. to put the band together, I knew there weren't any bands already in existence that would fit what I was trying to do, so I had to put one together. I was very strategic in putting the band together. I knew exactly how many people I wanted in the band and exactly what I wanted them to be able to do. I was very conscious of image, talent and temperament of the members as the goal was not just local success, but international success. I went through quite a few musicians in the quest to find the right mix.

How does it feel to see a group you put together blow up and reach the success they reached? It feels great. We all worked very hard for a long time to have an "overnight success" and it's extremely gratifying to see what started with a dream I had in my Great Aunt's guest room, end up on national television. However, the success of Mambo Sauce thus far is still just a stepping stone on the way to the level of success that I envisioned. So although I've left the situation I hope they reach the level of success that they were created to attain.

Tell us about your new artist, what attracted you to him... His name is David Corey. He's a Pop/Rock/Electro artist. He actually approached me. I really had no interest in doing anything but continuing my mission to bring Go - Go to the masses, but he's just so driven, talented and persistent that I couldn't say no. I'd already known him for a while but he was originally recording straight urban/pop Chris Brown "ish" style music that was good, but I wasn't really feeling. He showed me this one Rock/Pop track called "Radio" (You'll hear it soon) that he was about to start writing to and I said, "If you record stuff like that, I'm down." He was excited because that's the direction he was trying to go in anyway. The rest is soon to be history. Check him out at www.myspace.com/musicdc (New pics & Myspace design coming soon). I also have to give a big shout out to my man Nick Hakim (www.myspace.com/nickhakimmusic). We started working together right after I left Mambo Sauce. He unfortunately had a little trouble with his grades in school and so his parents shut everything down until he gets his grades up and his college applications together. So, hopefully we'll be able to jump back on his project again soon.

Being that the DMV is the same size of ATL in population, why do you think its not hot like the ATL music scene? There about 150,000 reasons, but I'll touch on a couple. * I would say that most of the reason that artists from DC are not successful is because they don't know how to present themselves. The presentation of your music to gatekeepers in this industry and fans alike is almost as important as the music itself. If your CD doesn't look like it just came off of the shelf at Best Buy, don't even hand it to someone at the radio station because it will go in the trash. While working for the radio station, I can't tell you how many people handed me a burned CD with their name written on it with a Sharpie like, "Hey young'! Give this to the DJ man. I'm the hottest shit on these streets!" Furthermore, you have to present yourself as something different than the last 30 people who just handed me their CD that just killed 30 people and sold 30 ki's of coke in their song. Almost every rapper I've heard in this area raps about the same exact thing in the same exact way. That's why Tabi and Wale are successful. They presented themselves differently in their music and professionally in their marketing materials. * I haven't been too exposed to the ATL scene, but from what I've heard and read, the climate among people in the business there is very different than here. They work together. I don't just mean they hop on each other's songs either. I mean the people behind the scenes work together and help each other become successful. No one succeeds alone. * Urban music in Atlanta has a very distinctive sound. Of course there are variations on the theme, but the basics are fairly consistent. Urban music in DC has traditionally been identified with Go - Go. Unfortunately, Go - Go has never quite made it's mark in the Major Label/Recorded Music industry. However, with the pending demise of the major label system and the continuing strength of the live music sector, if a few Go - Go bands can get some singles under their belt and get on the road we might see a change in the popularity of the art form. In the meantime, we should give it up to Wale, Tabi and Raheem for representing us correctly and always making sure to pay homage to DC's own music while doing it.

What are common mistakes you've seen people make in the music biz? * Trying to be like another artist * Making music for what they think people want to hear. Make the music that comes from your heart and then push it to the people who will like it. There are billions of people in the world. Someone will. * Presenting themselves and/or their music in an unprofessional manner. Don't let reality TV fool you. This is a business. * Walking around with their chest puffed out and a 30 person entourage. (These people don't last long)
* Not appreciating the people who helped to make them successful.
* Believing that it's only about the music. It's the Music Business. (10% Music. 90% Business.)

What are somethings you'd like to tell DMV artists to work on? Originality and presentation. That sums it all up.

Is there anything we can promote on DMVhustlers.com that you need? (such as beats, etc..) We're definitely looking for production for DC and Nick. I've also started a Booking, Marketing & Consulting company primarily for Go - Go bands (www.crankfactoryonline.com). I believe that virtually every Go - Go band in existence (with a few notable exceptions like Chuck Brown) has struggled with the presentation/professionalism issue that I was talking about earlier. It's a shame because Go - Go could be one of the most powerful musical forces in the world if it was packaged correctly. So, through the marketing & consulting side of this company, I hope to assist bands in finding their own identity and then packaging it in a way that the world beyond the beltway can appreciate it. Then through the booking side, create a hub where these bands can be professionally represented to talent buyers.

[Chill]

hustlin

[The Big Bossman]

STAMP DAT!

[DJ STORM]

THATS A GOOD LOOK MALLI. SOME OF MY WORDS IN THERE TOO. THIS INTERVIEW SHOULD BE A SLOGAN. PEACE

[Nate Rhodes]

oooooooooook Redds hellava read Bruva.........

[hollapiano]

Redds not bad very on point u got my vote keep it movin!