It’s a crazy time right now for artists, label owners and especially fans of music. We are well into the transitioning from physical goods bought and sold in brick and mortar retailers into a world where music is streamed, downloaded, purchased and consumed in everything from phones, to car dashboards, and even videogame systems. The frail, faltering war drums of the ancient and dying Major Label system have been trailing off in public for years now. But the indie guys are most definitely feeling the pinch too.

No one is buying CDs anymore. Not you — the listeners and fans — not the distributors, not the stores. It’s on its way out. We are either purchasing our music online, mostly as MP3s, or we’re downloading them for free. Regardless of how you obtain your music the old way of doing business in the industry is over.

Vinyl was the first format casualty; it was always a tricky proposition for an indie label. It’s expensive to manufacture, expensive to mail, you have to worry about returns and printing enough or not too much, and it is sold at a price to distributors and stores where maybe — just maybe — you’re breaking even. But more than likely you were losing money on vinyl as a means of promotion. (Serato, we *heart* you). But then CDs got hit…Damn…The Venerable Disc That Could…Stores started ordering less, distributors began receiving less. The writing was on the wall for the way labels had done business for decades. The packaged good was no longer dependable as a source of income.

After a brilliant ten year run, El-P has officially announced Def Jux is “wrapping up in it’s current form and re-imagining [it's] collective and individual futures”. Which as a brand is most likely true; let’s take El on his word. But make no doubt about it: the Definitive Jux record label is gone. And that’s sort of a sad thing I think, because they were certainly a powerhouse in their time.

El-P wrote on DefinitiveJux.net:

In 2000 starting a traditional record label made a lot of sense. But now, in 2010, less so and I find myself yearning for something else to put my energy into. I also see newer, smarter, more interesting things on the horizon for the way art and commerce intersect, and as an artist and an entrepreneur, I’m eager to see them unfold. The evolution of this industry is, in my opinion, exciting, inevitable and it would be nice to see the DEFINITIVE JUX brand be a part of it. In other words, maybe we can turn this hoopty in to a hovercraft.

You may not have enjoyed their music or liked any of their artists, but from a business standpoint and a model for brand recognition, Def Jux was among the top ever in hiphop. Their fans were referred to as, “Def Jukies”; an insignia which united them all over the world. The label’s art direction was unified, bold and coherent across media: Print, album art, merchandise and website. And Def Jux pumped out a considerable amount of videos, some of which I thought were brilliant — perhaps beginning with its very first one: El-P’s, “Deep Space 9mm“.

Hey, what can I say, I was a fan. But I was also a business partner with Def Jux at The Giant Peach where we manufactured and sold their entire clothing line. They were right there with us when we started back in 1999, among only a handful of labels we affiliated ourselves with. To this extent, I feel like our respective companies grew in parallel together, and we were brothers-in-arms at this indie rap game.

I’m getting sentimental, but that’s how I’ll always remember Def Jux. I hope their legacy will go on to empower hiphop because things seem strange and almost quiet on the independent tip at the moment.

“This Is Our Label, We Are Very Dedicated.”

Peace out, Hoppy Harrington. Ya’ll did good.

• Read El-P’s sendoff, “Of Hooptys And Hovercrafts”
• Definitive Jux clothing, t-shirts and merchandise at The Giant Peach

I came across an interview I did with my homie, Blockhead in 2001 — right before Aesop Rock’s Definitive Jux debut, Labor Days dropped.

I’m going to re-post it here since it is no longer available online anywhere else. I’m also going to re-post the original images that were used for the interview since everyone is mad young and looks funny as fuck (Block is 24 in the interview).

(Photographs Courtesy CentralCali.com)

Yameen: WHATS UP BLUD???

Blockhead: Nuttin…Chillin like the internet villain that I am.

Y: So, yo. Aesop Rock’s, Float (Mush Records) was the shit. How much did you produce of it?

B: I did 8 joints and the three little instrumental interludes…

Y: And you’re doing some work on the next joint too?

B: Of course. I did 9 joints out of 16. Movin’ up in the world…

Y: Does the next one have a name yet?

B: Yup, Labor Days. Ironically enough, that’s about when it’ll be dropping too.

Y: Hot. How did the El-P / Definitive Jux team-up come about?

B: Well…Aesop’s publicist is also El-P’s. I think she gave him a CD and he liked it enough to what to put out his new record on Def Jux. Also, being down with Cannibal Ox and the Atoms Fam is a bonus.

Y: Do you wanna talk about the kind of equipment you use?

B: Sure…I use an ASR 10. No more, no less. What do you want to know about it?

Y: How long you been rockin it?

B: Hmmm…about 5 or 6 years now. I just paid my last installment a year ago though.

Y: Have you been able to perform live? Do you bring the ASR out with you to shows?

B: Nope…that would be hell. The ASR is like a big ass keyboard. It weighs about 80 pounds. I’m not trying to move it anywhere. I think DATs, records and CD’s work better for live shows anyway. I’d look like a dickhead on stage pressing buttons.

Y: Do you make a ton of beats and Aesop picks the ones he digs?

B: It’s different. Most of the time Aesop will come over and just listen to my new beats. If he likes something, he takes it. Sometimes he will actually write to the beat but most of the time he just picks a beat that suit whatever mood he’s written for. I got mad beats too so it’s not like he’s limited to just a few kind of tracks. He surprises me sometimes. Sometimes he’ll pick a beat I would never think he’d be into. Other times he’ll not be feeling a track that I would assume he’d be feeling…You never know with him…

Y: A little background history if you would please: Age, residence, preference in female anatomy?

B: 24 years old. Downtown NYC and and round ass with a flat smooth stomach connected to some nice titties

Y: A lot of cats may not know this, but you’re a sick freestyler and rhymer in your own right. Do you still get down?

B: Hah! Sick rhymer…that’s funny. Nope…I gave up emceeing a while ago. I realized that my voice just wasn’t there for emceeing. Too bad more mc’s don’t realize that…I will tell you this though: Me and my boy Jer (you know, from the Overground) are working on a parody album. We rap on that. We got a bunch of tracks so far but we just need to fine tune them. It should be dope. We did the illest R&B song ever. [This album became Party Fun Action Committee, released on Definitive Jux in 2003 - Ed.]

Y: What was it like working with Dub-L and the rest of the Overground crew. Do you guys still hang out?

B: Of course. We chill all the time. It’s just now we’ve seperated musically. Dubs is doing his own thing. I’m doing mine. Jer is doing instrumental work. And Niles is going to be a famous filmmaker. But we do shill on the regular. That’s my party crew. We get fucked up together.

Y: The thing that always struck me about your crew was the amount of creative talent and things ya’ll were into, like the public access show or making music together. How long have you known Aesop? And how has it been for you personally in the Do-It-Yourself age of indie hip hop?

B: I met Aesop in 94 at Boston University (where he graduated from and I dropped out). I think the Overground was a dope thing. I will always be a silly person. I’m not serious about much. Some heads take life too seriously. The Overground and the Baby Show public access TV show really put that in me.

As for indie hip hop business…man I have no clue. When it comes down to it, unless you’re the boss, you’re getting fucked one way or another. Indie or major.

Left to right: Murs, El-P, Blockhead, Cryptic, Aesop Rock

Y: So what’s up with your solo record, Let A Player Be A Player?

B: Well…it’s pretty stagnant right now. I got like 6 or 7 joints done (Aesop, Illogic, Slug, Percee P, Chase Pheonix, Beetlejuice) but the rest I’m just waiting on. I do all my recording at Aesop’s crib so with him being the busiest man alive (believe that!), I haven’t had a chance to record. It’s be a while…let’s just say that…

Y: You are, in fact, one of hip hop’s O.G.’s as far as the Internet and Usenet are concerned. Has feedback been good regarding your production and to the album as a whole online? Do you feel the internet serves any true advantage to the artist beyond promotion?

B: Well, as far a album feedback, it’s been mostly good. People’s biggest problem with me is that apparently I have weak drums. Who knew? It’s funny to me how people can go out of their way be like “He’s ai-ight but his drums suck.” I’m a pretty realistic person. My drums ain’t the illest but they’re good enough. Other then that, it’s been mostly positive. As for the Internet helping…oh yeah. Man, this whole shit wouldn’t have gone down if it were not for the net. But at the same time…sometimes I think the net is too much. Like, I never imagined Aesop or my fanbase would be what it is. For better or for worse. The net’s got it’s fair share of newjacks with opinions that just piss me off. Other than that, it’s all gravy.

Y: A lot of cats on the net, you have to remember though, keep to themselves and don’t express their opinions vocally. So, for as many people that are quick to talk shit, there’s just as many not saying anything at all, nahmeen? For better or for worse.

B: Of course…I just wish the vocal ones would pipe down once in a while and instead of talking shit, maybe learn the history of the music they think they know everything about. As much as I talk shit about the net I can’t deny what it’s done for me. Not just me but a lot of good music that would otherwise go unheard.

Y: And with that: your thoughts on MP3s? Aesoprock.com launched a successful promotional campaign targeted at MP3.com and shot “Obedience” to number 2 on their charts [At the time MP3.com was the largest MP3 portal -Ed.]. Do you feel MP3 technology empowers artists such as yourself and Aesop or does it detract from a larger potential?

B: Well…in the case of Aesop’s early shit, it did nothing but good. It’s because of shit like that we’re where we are now. But nowadays when some new Aesop joint leaks on to Napster, that’s money out the pocket.

Y: You’re entering new territory being signed to Def Jux, huh?

B: Oh yeah…Def Jux is real deal.

Y: Will you guys be touring?

B: Aesop will. I won’t. They asked him to go in June but he works a full time job, has a serious girl and has mad bills to pay. Hopefully it’ll work out for him. I’ll be chilling in the cut regardless. He-he.

Y: So next up for Blockhead: More ass, more videogames, solo joint and new Aesop joint?

B: Hmmm…hopefully more ass (as apposed to the same ass, ha!). I’ve been steady playing Nba2k1. That’s my shit. I’ll challenge anyone. My solo joint will come out but when I have no clue. Also keep an eye out for this breakbeat record I did for Mush Records, Blockhead’s Broke Beats. That should be out soon. And of course Aesop’s shizzle will be heard by all. I swear…heads ain’t ready for his new shit. Oh and I’m working with a bunch of different MC’s that will be named later…

Peace to Stinke! Aesop, the Overground…Anyone I’m down with.