BREAKING NEWS...95 RETIRES

As most of you know, I (L-NO) have been working on providing content for Live From The Dub with 95 for a little over 6 months now. Today, I've been called upon to bring some sad news to the LFTD nation. Chris Kessell, better known as 95, Mr. G-Mode, IRUNSHIT and more, has decided to hang it up as producer/promoter/etc. I've known Chris since about 2002, and it saddens me to know that along with Paycheck Game (pictured with 95 above), WV is losing 2 of it's greatest legends to retirement. I'm glad to know however, that Chris is blessed with a wonderful wife, Monica, and three beautiful children. He'll be focusing on them as well as whatever new endeavors come his way in the future...but you know this guy is WV hip hop for life! Here's a statement from the man himself:

Sitting here looking out the window at this rain/snow slushy mix of grey wintery weather sets the perfect stage for what I’ve been thinking of for a while. I know I’m not a superstar where anybody other than my friends and family actually care about my decision… but I just wanted to put it to words for myself. I am retiring from the local music scene in all of my various jobs. Website owner, promoter, producer, song writer, blogger, DJ, music reviewer and advice giver… there I said it.

When music has been such a big portion of what you’ve done, dreamed about and for the good and bad become known for by your extended circle of friends and associates it is hard to quit. Every day there is a call or a message about this or that. It is easy to keep being sucked back in… wanting to post something on LFTD or comment on something or try to make this collaboration happen. But if you are not going to be 100% behind your product and putting your all into it why do it at all? You are doing a disservice to those who look at, listen to and read the product. That is where I sit at today… without the heart to continue in the only way I know how. Full speed ahead.

Big Meuwl… His loss no doubt has been a catalyst in this decision. I will admit that it has been hard to get over and I’ve spent many a day at work and hours while driving here and there listening to music we did together on repeat. The whole time spent rerunning the memories of not only what really was some of my personally favorite creative moments, but the friendship that we shared and the circle of friends that was built during that time. Even though I was never “officially” DayOne, those guys are all my family…

I just want to publically say thank you to everybody who has helped me along the way. From DJ Agony and DJ Press who let me carry crates and pass out flyers to cut my teeth in the “business” to Billy Plat and David C. Bennett aka Rebels of Ruckus who showed me you could makes beats without owning a SP1200 and even rapping over those terrible beats I made back then. There have been so many guys who I’ve become close friends with through music that it is hard to separate that portion of my life from who I actually am and the life that I live.

My brother Charlie Blac, CYN, Woody, Fields, Addison, Jus… G Mode. What fun times those were. Making money, doing music, setting around and philosophizing with the best of ‘em and who could forget the parties… the city ON SMASH like nobody before and nobody since. More good, no make that GREAT memories and friendships.

It would be impossible to sit here and thank everybody else all by name, relive every memory without forgetting somebody or something (or spending 30 pages). I am not going to even try to name the rest. You all know who you are. I just want to give these people a sincere thank you from the bottom of my heart for playing such an integral role in helping me accomplish the things that I’ve done so far in life, and helping to set the stage for what I am going to do in the future. Today is the first day of accomplishing something big in something else.

There is one job I will never retire from though… and that is of FAN. Artists, keep making us proud.

Finally, Live From The Dub will carry on. I will now be running the show solo for the time being, and I have some ideas about new ways to continue bringing you the best in West Virginia hip hop news. Let me say from all of us in The Dub, Thanks to 95 for all the great music, hard work and dedication in elevating our scene to the place where it is today!