Track Masons albums available at Gallery of Sound, Wayne’s World and iTunes. On March 24, there will be a “March Mayhem” Track Masons show at Bentley’s (2300 Rt. 309, Ashley) w/ DJ Hersh, Bee Ez, Crusafix and Rukus. Info:
by Alan K. StoutMusic Columnist
We spend a lot of time in this column talking with local rock bands that are making records and looking to find an audience. Sometimes it’s a modern-rock band, sometimes it’s a roots-rock act, or metal, or indie, or even a folk or country artist.
But anyone that’s paid any attention at all to the world of popular music over the past 20 years knows that one of the most dominant, chart-topping, constantly evolving forms of music has been hip-hop. And though rappers don’t grace the NEPA landscape in the same number as rock artists, they are out there. And Track Masons, a locally based hip-hop production team, is helping them make records.
Track Masons is steered by Dana Barrack, a 2006 graduate of Wilkes University. Barrack says that while studying at Wilkes and working at WCLH-FM as the hip-hop director he began to see that there were quite a few talented hip-hop artists in the region. Fortunately for them, he was willing to hear what they had to offer.
“I got several calls from artists that were in the area, saying that they’d like to come on to the show and spin a couple of records that they’d produced,” he says. “And I started realizing that there were a lot of people in the area trying to put together hip-hop music to present to people.”
Around the same time, Barrack befriended classmate Juan Carlos Jimenez, and the two started producing their own hip-hop sounds. Their goal was to produce their own beats — without using samples — and then have other local rappers work with their material.
Track Masons was born.
“I didn’t really want to rap,” says Barrack. “I’ve always had more of a desire to make the music. My whole idea was to make the beats then give the people that spend more time rapping or writing lyrics the chance to shine, and hopefully, our instrumentals would also shine.”
In 2006, Track Masons released its first CD, “Dana B. Presents … Vol. 1.” Barrack says they then met producer Joe Loftus of JL Studios in Wyoming and, for the first time, felt they had a proper base to record their music. Track Masons then contributed three songs to local MC Gino’s debut LP, “The Prelude,” and also began work on a new compilation CD, Track Masons “(i.e.),” which would feature Bee Ez and Gino. They then produced a self-titled solo LP for Bee Ez, which featured Gino & Crusafix and Chris Fields & Colyeon. Next was Crusafix’s solo album, “Speech of The Beats,” and then came their third compilation album, “The Product.”
They’ve been busy.
And they also have their sights on some new endeavors.
“For the past year or so, the focus has been to make Track Masons a record label, where we have a couple of different producers on the roster, and we have artists, the first two of which are Bee Ez and Crusafix,” says Barrack. “Basically, we’re going to keep our circle disposable to one another. I’m trying to make a record label, or an umbrella, where all of us likeminded folks can make our efforts more effective.”
Barrack, who was heavily involved in the former “Where It’s At” hip-hop shows at the River Street Jazz Caf�, says that though Track Masons’ primary goal is to promote its current catalog and roster, his ear is always open to working with other artists interested in collaborating. He says that local hip-hop artists face the same challenges as local rock bands: few venues to perform in and little airplay. Still, his passion for the music, and his knowledge that others feel the same, allows him to push forward,
“I’m aware that there is a demographic that enjoys hip-hop and r&b, or urban music,” he says. “While doing radio, I watched it grow over the years. But it is extremely difficult. One of the biggest challenges is finding venues to house us. Either they feel there’s not going to be anyone present, or they feel there’s some sort of negative stigma with hip-hop or rap. We’re trying to focus more on popular hip-hop and r&b. I want to make commercial records for stations like 97 BHT or KRZ. My goal would be to see some of our efforts on a Top-40 station.”
Barrack adds that he’s not only inspired to create his own beats but also inspired by his collaborators.
“If there was a pool of 100 rappers, or so-called rappers, or guys that want to rap and want to put records together, you could probably easily eliminate up to 90 percent of that pool based on their work ethic and their ability to really set goals and work towards them,” he says. “Both of the guys I’ve done solo albums for have displayed that work ethic over and over and over again. Bee Ez and myself have years of history. I’m always trying to find opportunities for him to perform and always trying to find opportunities for us to promote each pother. It’s a matter of really being serious and dedicating the time that is required to make this happen.
“Outside of just thinking you can do this, there’s a whole world of work behind it.”
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