Khary Turner and the Metro Times caught up with Hot Lava Records head honcho, Jesse “Crane Novacane” Wilson recently and write about him, his record label and their star artist, Stretch Money.
Stretch Money and his Hot Lava bosses are feeling the love in Detroit these days but they have humble roots.
Writes Turner:
The foundation of Hot Lava’s philosophy mirrors the brothers’ story, which is to embrace life’s grind.
And that grind began to show dividends in 2004 when J. Mitch introduced Crane to Darren “Stretch Money” McCullough. Stretch had great wordplay, but he wasn’t serious.
“I wasn’t trying to pursue it,” Stretch says. “I just knew how to rap. [Crane] said ‘You got somethin’.’ [He] turned nothin’ into somethin’.”
Stretch could relate to Crane. His baby face is one thing, but the rough edges tell his story. After graduating, Stretch enrolled at Baker College and got off to an honor roll-level start, but didn’t last a semester. Stretch says his addicted dad went “off the deep end.” That strained their once strong relationship.
“I was straight-on college, homie,” Stretch says. “But I had to get money.”
He began cooking at an Applebee’s, and dabbled in drug dealing. Hot Lava gave him hope and opportunity, and he took a chance. Next he recorded a mixtape, Heat Rocks, which the HL team used to create a buzz with street giveaways. And then, in September last year, they released Stretch’s debut, Take Money to Make Money.
Stretch performed with such stars as Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane and Rick Ross. Stretch did a college tour, and they shot five videos (two for Stretch) using their own resources. They’d eschew city permits and use their own vehicles to block off streets for filming.
Take Money was a slow burn upon release, but the crew’s a relentless pack of promoters. The title track and single — radio-friendly with a groove that’s fit for Detroit hustle ballrooms or Chicago step clubs — has become a power on the radio. Now, Stretch’s manager says, “Take” is getting about 150 spins per week on local urban radio. (Stretch and his confident baritone co-headlined Hot 102.7’s Summer Jam concert last month.) The album has sold 5,000 copies in Detroit so far, which is pretty amazing for indie hip hop.
Despite an 18 year sentence on a concealed weapons charge, Crane, Hot Lava and Stretch Money have high aspirations and are working on Money’s second album, Money Talks.
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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REEKBROCK | 27-Jun-07 at 7:45 pm | Permalink
Good shit. It goes to show that having music that appeals to a wide audience.That song contains a sample from Maze. Its got old folks singing along too.