The Redland Jump “In the Mix” [DJBooth Interview Exclusive]

Filed Under: Interviews by richard on Dec 03, 2009

Last week, we jumped "In the Mix" with June Summers, an NYC-based singer preparing to showcase his street-certified brand of R&B on debut full-length The First Day of Summer. For the 17th installment of our Booth-exclusive interview series, we're taking readers up-close and personal with The Redland, the up-and-coming hip-hop duo who recently dropped DJBooth-sponsored mixtape The Free Album, featuring acclaimed cuts "Dreamin'" and "Don't Know What It Means."

Hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Oklahoma respectively, members Kose and Earv Legend first met as students at Morehouse College. The two hit it off immediately, and eventually left school to concentrate on their musical career. The Redland are currently unsigned, but their potent mix of insightful rhymes, soulful sung vocals, and genre-bending beats has earned them a sizable fanbase in the Booth and beyond. With a compelling sound and an uncanny knack for crafting jams that appeal to the mind, body and soul, Earv and Kose hope to build their burgeoning movement into a full-scale musical revolution in the years to come.

In this exclusive, five-question interview, The Redland discuss the inspiration behind their collective stage name, how their shared collegiate experiences have shaped their music, and their determination to make it to the top on their terms, not the industry's.

A group by any other name would sound as dope, but still, what's the story behind the name The Redland?

Earv Legend: Well, at first it came about as an ode to where we're from. I'm from Baton Rouge, which translates to Red Stick, and Kose is from Oklahoma, which translates to Red People. But since then, it's come to represent people who actively improve the world in their own way, and have a great time while doing it.

Although you left school, you're both former students at Morehouse College. How did your collegiate experiences affect your music and career?

Kose: College gave us a lot of perspective. You're surrounded by different people from all walks of life. Our experiences in college is where a lot of our inspiration to write songs comes from. Plus, being in Atlanta, you get an up close view of the highs and lows of the music industry.

Your music fuses rock, soul, folk, hip-hop and a number of other genres. Do you consider yourselves a "hip-hop' group, and if so, why?

Kose: Well, we first consider ourselves artists. We always work to just make the best music possible and putting music into genres is sometimes difficult. But we are definitely hip-hop. Hip-hop is about fusion and that's what we are.

You're certainly determined to make it in the music industry on your own terms. For you, what defines success?

Earv Legend: What defines success for me is to continue to grow our fan base and to continue to challenge ourselves as artists. We want to continue to evolve and make great music that will hopefully impact our culture for the better.

Last words?

The Redland: Thanks for speaking with us, and keep up the great work with the website. People can always find updates on us at theredlandmusic.com

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