Indie artists – particularly those from urban genres – are always looking for ways to gain exposure. Don’t ever let anybody tell you it’s easy for them, because it is not. More often than not, venues that provide exposure for indie artists, seem to do what they can to take advantage – but not all of them.
I support artists because I am one. That is my humanitarian effort.
Enter Anthony Daniels a/k/a Moose Harris. This Louisiana native performs just about every task you can imagine when it comes to helping artists, a list that includes himself. He’s an artist, but also so much more, including entrepreneuer, producer, promoter, and radio host.
There just is not much Anthony does not do – and he works hard to help others. That’s the beauty of what he does – you only need to pay a little bit of attention to discover that he is in it to help artists.
Can you imagine if the Occupy Movement was Hip-hop based?
We caught up with this busy young man to see what all he is getting into these days. Let’s just say “busy” does not begin to describe him. He is a jack of all trades when it comes to the entertainment industry. We salute him and his hard work!
Here’s our interview:
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: Tell our readers what all you do.
ANTHONY DANIELS: (Laughs) That is a long answer. The short version is the only thing that I don’t do in the music business is DJ on turntables – yet! I am an artist (Singer, MC, 3 Instrument Musician), producer, company owner (Urban Groovz Records & Advanced Associates Solutions), show/event producer (The SIIMPle Circuit & The Track Meet), and radio show producer/host (Urban Flosarus & The Grapevine).
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: You strongly support indie artists & for that, you deserve some applause. What gives you that drive & how did you start out showing support for those artists?
ANTHONY DANIELS: I support artists because I am one. That is my humanitarian effort. About 75-80% of what I do in support is donated time, not on a pay scale – probably more than that. What most artists don’t realize is that there is more than just recording your music. That is the easy part. The work and drive – and I do mean drive, because Louisiana for example, is smaller than most make it. 4 Hours driving should be nothing – it takes that to make a proper name for oneself and to help others; instead of all these individual cliques of companies takes spending & losing money, and making next level sacrifices.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: Who were your musical influences?
ANTHONY DANIELS: I am a Motown Historian, so that music is first! Second actually would be 80’s New Wave – when MTV and VH1 were actual video channels. But a bunch of music genres and artists – Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic, MJ, Stevie Wonder, Wyclef Jean, Missy Elliot, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, James Brown, and The Roots. Production wise, Holland Dozier Holland & The Corporation (Motown), those that worked with Stax, especially the late 60’s and early 70’s, Quincy Jones, Mannie Fresh, Timbaland, RZA, Rick Rubin, and George Clinton.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: Where do you hope to see hip hop & urban music as a whole, in 5-10 years?
ANTHONY DANIELS: I want to see a bigger blending of music. Hopefully there is more philosophy in the street side of Rap – not talking about what is being done, but why and what can be done. I just want my people regardless of color, to get smarter – to work together. Can you imagine if the Occupy Movement was Hip-hop based?
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: You’ve been doing this for a while – how much do you think social media has impacted how music is distributed?
ANTHONY DANIELS: Social media and the internet has been a gift and a curse. The gift is to not need the suit-and-ties to do like music was in the 40’s and 50’s “Race Records” Era. People can release on their own terms. For the same reasons is the curse – the market is so flooded now because ANYBODY can just about do it. It’s too much DIY.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: If you could have a roundtable discussion with any group of people involved in the entertainment industry, who all would that include & why?
ANTHONY DANIELS: Berry Gordy for the historical influence; representatives from Hollywood to find out why the black people always get killed first, and why aren’t there more majority black casts; representatives from Clear Channel and Cumulus so they release that stranglehold on all these radio stations, Payola (that’s been illegal for the last 60 years) and the MTV and Billboard charts.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: What’s in store for your company & you in the near future? In the next 2-5 years?
ANTHONY DANIELS: Expansion of the SIIMPle (Support Intelligent Independent Music People) Circuit, syndication for my 2 radio shows, make more music for myself, introduce more artists for their opportunity, and hopefully eventually get some financial benefit.
THE HEAT MAGAZINE: Tell our readers how they can access your shows.
ANTHONY DANIELS: My new radio show is “THE GRAPEVINE”. I’m playing a mix of R&B, Soul, Blues, Jazz, and more. It’s on KDOL 96.1, Livingston, Texas from 6-8 pm on Sundays. Online tune in at www.kdol961.com. My show “URBAN FLOSARUS” is still on Wednesdays from 10pm-Midinight on KSCL 91.3 Shreveport. Online access is at www.kscl.fm.
