SUCCESSFUL EMCEE MENTORS YOUNG MUSICIANS
WILLIAM E. KETCHUM III
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10th, 2011
As the emcee Buff1, Ann Arbor native Jamall Bufford has built a career of recording critically acclaimed music and performing around the world. Now, as he takes a break from his usual full-time musician schedule, he’s working with an Ann Arbor teen center to help other young artists achieve whatever musical goals that are in their hearts.
“Some of these kids just want to rap and it’s a hobby, the same way it was for me when I was growing up,” Bufford says. “I had no idea I’d be doing it full-time years later. But other kids really want to do this. I want to have something for everybody.”
Jamall Bufford began earning his stripes in the Michigan hip-hop scene with Athletic Mic League, a seven-member collective of Ann Arbor emcees. After several mix tape and album releases built the group’s reputation in Michigan and online, Bufford’s group mates approached him to pursue a solo career. Bufford had two challenges: writing more material than he was used to, and standing out from other emcees in Michigan, which is one of the most competitive hip-hop scenes in the country.
“I knew I couldn’t talk about gunplay or hustling, because that’s not part of my life. Other cats are way doper [sic] than me with (rhyme) patterns, metaphors and wordplay. You don’t hear me talk about brands of clothes, alcohol brands, cars, nothing material,” Bufford admits. “…I just make music about my family life, my relationships with women, how I was brought up, my perspective on hip-hop, and sports. To this day, I still don’t know how I was able to get by without doing all those popular things in hip-hop, but I’m thankful that people appreciate my voice and perspective.”
The honest approach paid off. Teaming with the ASide Worldwide management and marketing company, Buff1 released two mix tapes in 2005 and 2006. His first two albums, Pure (2007) and There’s Only One (2008), garnered critical acclaim from top music publications, while being named Real Detroit Weekly’s “Best Solo Rap Artist of 2007″ and a member of URB’s annual “Next 100″ list of promising new artists. Bufford’s success enabled him to quit his day job and make a full-time living as a musician. He was recording and touring worldwide for much of 2009, including a tour with Mayer Hawthorne, a bubbling ASide artist signed to Universal Republic. But at the top of this year, after he had toured Europe with Los Angeles DJ Rhettmatic to promote their December 2010 album Crown Royale, he was ready for a change of pace from the full-time musician lifestyle.
“The fact that [people in foreign countries] like my music enough to talk to a promoter to say, ‘Bring him to my city so I can see him live,’ that’s amazing to me,” Bufford beams. “It was good money and all, but I never really concentrated on myself, solely and completely. I decided to cut down on the guest appearances and the touring, chill a little bit, focus on me, and see what I wanted to do with my next official solo album.”
Once he settled back in Michigan, Bufford inquired about an opportunity to work with Neutral Zone, a youth-driven Ann Arbor teen center with the mission of promoting personal artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas. The center has been around since 1998, the year after Bufford graduated from high school. He had performed at the center with Athletic Mic League several times, so he had a relationship with the staff and admired their work.
Months after the center’s Emcee Workshop Coordinator left to pursue his music career in Seattle, Bufford was hired to fill the position. He officially began working there in September. Every Tuesday evening, Bufford heads a workshop at the center for two hours. He gives the more experienced kids advice on how to steer their careers, market their music and prepare for life on the road. For brand new artists he is helping them learn musical fundamentals like rhythm, timing and performance skills. Aside from tutoring middle school students years ago, this is Bufford’s first experience in this line of work.
“I had gotten into the rhythm of touring and recording, and I wanted a new challenge. I always thought that when I was done with music I could be a teacher or a social worker,” Bufford says. “This was a good test to see if that’s even possible. I see what a teacher has to deal with; I respect it even more now.”
Bufford’s goal is to have all of the students record a couple of songs together and perform in front of an audience. He says that even though many of them are talented writers, the largest area of improvement for the kids so far is delivering and performing their material. He makes them freestyle or recite verses among each other every week to build comfort. The biggest challenge for him has been keeping the kids’ attention for two hours every week, much less for a school year.
He insists that all is well so far, though. At the time of the interview, Bufford was six weeks into the new gig and days into listening to beats for his new album, which he’ll release under his real name, Jamall Bufford, instead of his former Buff1 moniker. With a new crop of emcees under his wing and his own music in the future, Ann Arbor hip-hop appears to be in good hands.
