Dirty Mouff Produce

Dirty Mouff Produce is a street hip-hop group that knows how to incorporate its roots, using crisp beats and and diverse samples to drive its sound.

Despite a struggle to gain recognition in a music scene with little rap representation, the Cliffwood section of Aberdeen, New Jersey, rhymers say they will stick around.

"At this moment, DMP plans to complete an EP with eight to 10 songs just to test the marketability of our talents," said Laverne "Young Munk" Finley, a member of the group.

"Getting venues in the state of New Jersey is hard, because when we do have a gig, it always seems that the show is canceled. It seems like someone is going to different clubs with a poster of us saying don't let these guys perform or something. We usually go out of state, like New York or Connecticut, to promote and perform. I'd rather represent my state like no other, but the opportunities aren't here."

"DMP is recording an EP as we speak," said Nicholas "P. A." Lin, prior to its December release. "It will have five brand new songs on it. We already recorded, like, seven or eight possible tracks, but we will only release the top five. Ugly Yukling is designing the art for the untitled EP."

DMP's wide influence range lies in the backdrop in its samples and the forefront of its lyrics and vocalizations.

The group's influences include Slick Rick, Nas, Al Green, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.

The group innovatively vamps 70's to modern grooves.

Samples range from raw bass lines, disco backbeats and crunchy guitar riffs. Most are created courtesy of Lin. The process involves getting the group's input. This comes after listening to other music to find quality material to sample.

"Songs either start off as beats, or as concepts," Lin said. "I'd say 95 percent of the time, me or [Rob I.C.] "Truth" [Rodriguez] will make a beat that later becomes a song. Once in a while, someone will come up with a song idea. We will all talk about it, and then me or Truth will make a beat to go with the song. It's a beautiful thang."

Lyrically, the group sticks to writing what it knows and feels.

"When I write a song I usually think about my experiences I've had or it could be the way that I feel at that moment," Finley said. "It's not difficult. When I grab a pen and pad, the words and emotions pour from my soul.

"I talk about it all from sex to drugs, violence, poverty, politics, life or death, the struggle and, of course, myself," he said.

"(I write) whatever's on my head at the time," said Sam "Filthy McNasty" Moore.

DMP began in the fall of 1996 when ten high schoolers began a group named King Soldiers. In 1998, creative differences forced the number of members to drop to seven, renamed M.I.S.E.R.Y.

"(That was) because of all the bad experiences and mishaps they suffered up until then," Finley said.

Two more members were lost in 2000. Another artist named Misery emerged, so the name Dirty Mouff Produce was chosen.

"It was a good name for the group, since it described them so well," Finley said. "Produce is what they're trying to push in the streets. A new and fresh way to weave into the rap game."

Finley still remembers how he began rapping.

"When I was 12, my older brother and a group of his friends were free-styling," he said. "My brother put me on the spot and made me join in. The first thing I ever rhymed about was my Nikes. It was funny 'cause from that point on, I did it for respect from the older crowd and then I fell in love with the endless possibilities."

The "music itself" got Moore started.

Central Jersey remains a tough area for original bands to maintain a following and attain gigs. These rappers continue to struggle with concert promoters who ignore them.

Hopefully, DMP's energetic and true-to-itself efforts will earn it the respect it deserves.

[ Website: www.dirtymoufproduce.com ]