A conversation with rapper / producer Lenny Lenn of Aires Jackson duo

By Jeanie Straub
JStraub@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Lenny Lenn and his brother, James Ray, make up Aires Jackson, a rap / producer team with a new album out recently called Independent that features a ton of extra-fabulous guests.

I first found out about Lenny Lenn (aka Leonard Jackson) because I follow King F.O.E. on Twitter and Lenny Lenn and F.O.E. are fairly close, so I got to start following Lenny Lenn and then began to love and value his tweets almost more than anyone else's. A recent but routine example: "Artist: If the crowd is thick at the beginning of your performance and by the end it is extremely thinned out, go practice."

Lenny Lenn definitely calls it as he sees it and cuts to the chase, doesn’t mince words and doesn’t waste them, either.

I always wanted to know more about Lenny Lenn since I love his insightful tweets -- especially after I heard the new album, so I started direct messaging him on Twitter and then emailing him. (I also wrote a review this month on the new album for this month’s Colorado Music Buzz, so check that out, and download the album for free at http://airesjackson.bandcamp.com/album/independent.)

Here’s what I found out: Although he started rapping as early as high school, he’s officially been doing music since 2001, their first album KIN: It’s a Family Affair dropped.

Says Lenny Lenn about his life: "I graduated from CU-Denver with a degree in Audio Engineering then I worked in radio for a while I ran the promotions department at U-102 (an old hip-hop station) then I got hired on at Clear Channel where I was a writer and a producer for the Lewis and Floorwax morning show. I also was an on-air talent for Kiss 95.7 'Saturday Night Party Mix' as well as a specialty show on KBPI called 'Sunday night Fusion' where we played rock and rap songs. I then helped start up 96.1 'The Beat' in Colorado Springs, where I did a show entirely produced from my basement where I played nothing but local artists. ... I also had a show on Mega 95.7 with DJ Psycho ... where it was a live DJ and we played anything we want -- locals, no playlist. That was fun."

Lenny Lenn has two solo albums -- Commercially Underground and Grinding -- one mixtape with DJ Psycho -- he's the DJ Lenny Lenn is the rapper -- and two Aires Jackson projects. The first one was Two Years and a Day and this current project, Independent.

Says Lenny Lenn: "In my spare time I currently mix / master every major project to come out of Colorado. Well, not every one, just 75 percent of them. That’s the short story."

CMB: Do you get a lot of comments on the honesty / integrity of your tweets? You must get a lot of retweets.

Lenny Lenn: No not a lot of RTs, but I think folk pay a lot of attention to what I do tweet. ... The folks I’m talking about know who they are.

CMB: What kind of reception have you gotten so far on Independent?

Lenny Lenn: Great from the folks who have heard it. Everyone loves the album. Just need to get more folks to listen.

CMB: How easy was it to pull together all the guest artists for Independent?

Lenny Lenn: It was pretty easy. We just picked up the phone and asked. Some folks didn’t get on there for whatever reason, but, oh well, can’t be mad. Just keep it moving.

CMB: How valuable is it to be imbedded in “the scene” when it comes time to do an album like Independent?

Lenny Lenn: Very. We wouldn’t have got the features we did and folks wouldn’t have cared. This album showed how in the scene we really are.

CMB: What do you love and / or hate about the hip hop scene in Colorado?

Lenny Lenn: Love the improvements in quality (beats, rhymes, presentation, shows). Hate the separation, jealousy, hating, and overall lack of support.

CMB: Anything else you want to add?

Lenny Lenn: Follow me on Twitter @lennylenn.