News

9th Wonder readies <i>Dream Merchant 2</i>

12:39 p.m. · August 3, 2007 · by Dave Park

The crazy thing is, the actualization of Dream Merchant is an idea that is six-years old. My Uncle Fred has crazy records; he was an avid collector from his days in NYC back in the 70'''s. Back in 1987, I went to visit him and my Aunt, they lived in the South Bronx (East 169th and Grand Concourse) and it was my first trip to NYC. I was only there for a week when the newspapers flashed ''"Scott La Rock killed''" (crazy right). In 1991, my Uncle and Aunt moved to Winston Salem (North Carolina) and I was working in a UPS call-center in High Point (North Carolina) and made a crazy decision to quit my job and pursue music full-time. I went to visit my Uncle Fred afterwards, because I remembered all of those records he had when I was a kid. I went downstairs and the first record I pulled out of the crate was Jerry Butler'''s ''"Dream Merchant.''" I though the title was so fly, that I decided to do a compilation album with me doing all the beats and cats I knew that rhymed. I think more then anything; fate sparked my decision to do this all the way---just from that cover and that moment.''"