As the youngest of the DJson Jammin’ 98.3’s “Basement Crew” program, the only show on the station thatplays hip-hop, Antonio Criss is always looking to update the playlist.
“We do old-school hip-hop,’90s and ’80s,” says Criss, who DJs under the name 2 Tight Tony. “I’m alwayspushing for more ’90smore Death Row.”
Lately, though, he’s alsobeen pushing to give airplay to music he’s even more invested in: his own.
Criss has long beenrapping under the moniker Immortal, opening for acts like T.I., Ludacris andSlick Rick and co-recording a rally song for the Green Bay Packers, “Bringingthe Pain.” As his first album, Shook UpMy World, nears completion in time for a 2008 release, Criss has begun topromote his latest single, “Real Woman,” on “The Basement Crew.”
“It’s a come-on, but it’sabout real women, not B’s and H’s,” Criss says of the song. “Tupac always saidthat you rap for the women, because women are the ones that buy your records.Men will follow suit, but women are the target. So when I played the song andwomen started calling in and saying, ‘Hey, that’s hot,’ I knew I was on tosomething.”
Like many local rappers,Criss views rap as a competitive sport. The rewards are particularly high in Milwaukee, he argues, because unlike other major cities, Milwaukee’s rap scenenever produced a signature talent. In his view, Milwaukee’s rap scene is malleable, eager todistinguish itself and crown a star. “The gate is there,” he says, “and it’s arace to be the first one out of it.”
Criss thinks he’s drawnthe perfect template for Milwaukeehip-hop: relentlessly modern, with flourishes borrowed from the South, but agrounded, no-frills mentality, an emphasis on smooth hooks and an understated cordialstreak. “Real Woman,” for instance, is auto-tuned to mirror the latest LilWayne hits, but distinguishes itself with its unexpected chivalry.
Criss also knows that Milwaukee’s playing fieldis tilted gently in his favor. He has access to the airwaves, while radio playis all too elusive for most rappers.
“It’s a hard city to makea name for yourself in, and nobody wants to open the door for you,” he says.“At 98.3, we try to expose local talent when we can, but at V100 [FM 100.7],they don’t support local artists. I’ve heard stories about local artistscalling V100 and saying they’re from Atlanta,just to get some airplay. That’s horrible.”
In the coming weeks, Crisswill be building on the interest piqued by the radio exposure of “Real Woman.”He’ll perform at the Six Degrees Club on Nov. 21, then at Quarters thefollowing night. In December he hopes to do a “Storytellers”-styled concert,where he’ll talk about the meaning of his songs, then an official CD-releaseshow.
In the meantime, he’s putout a mixtape, Tale of the Tape,which he’s giving away through his “Basement Crew” program. Just call theFriday and Saturday evening program at (414) 799-9830, he says, and he’ll setyou up with a copy.
