Kutt Calhoun gives party people the world over a reason to dance (and perhaps a little more) with his latest single ‘Naked’. The sexed-up music video for the first single from Kutt’s upcoming album Raw & Un-Kutt made its debut on the website for XXL magazine, XXLmag.com. The video has been up for a day and is already causing a splash, generating more comments than any other post in the “Bangers” section this month except for Drake song that features Jay-Z.

The music video certainly does justice to the flesh-and-party anthem. Kutt and his posse–which includes Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, Big Scoob, and Strange Music Project Coordinator Korey Lloyd–walk into an abandoned building in the middle of nowhere. “This doesn’t look…right” worries Tech. Kutt assures everyone that this is the spot. Korey claps his hands, and then it’s on: strippers appear and shake their tail while Kutt spits nudity-friendly rhymes in his musical flow. Makzilla makes a cameo appearnace early in the video as a ”talent agent” so to speak. Tech N9ne is featured in the song and contributes the middle verse and so is Krizz Kaliko who provides his usual Genius on the hook. The party moves from the building, to the tour bus, and finally ends up at the strip club aptly called “The Boom Boom Room.” Looks like the Bunk Rock King has a new hit on his hands that is going to get everyone in the right mood for the summer. Click here or watch below to view the proceedings.

With his new album Raw and Un-Kutt arriving just around the corner along with a headline-spot on this summer’s Strange Noize tour, Kutt is a busy man. We sat down with Kutt and discussed his hopes for the album and his career aspirations in this exclusive Strange Music Blog interview.

Alright, so you got your new album coming out, Raw & Un-Kutt. What can fans expect from this as album as opposed to some of your earlier releases? What’s the vision you have?

Kutt Calhoun: This album is definitely a better-grade album as far as my performance, my delivery, content, the beats–everything. This album is going to be a little more personal than Feature Presentation and B.L.E.V.E., just like the title says, Raw And Un-Kutt—One-hundred-and-fifty percent me with no mixtures in it. It’s not cut with anything just like straight Peruvian dope. You’re going to get a lot more of me, my life, and just how I feel. There’s a little more harder stuff than usual–just stuff that I toned down on in previous albums. You’re going to get a lot more of that. More content and subject matter. The album itself is a concept album: it takes you through the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s the best album that I’ve ever done. Feature Presentation was a classic album to me as well but this shit is just getting better and better with each album that I record. I feel that if you aint progressing than what are you in it for? I only plan on getting better and better. The difference between this one and Feature Presentation is just like I said: one-hundred-and-fifty percent me, raw and uncut.

You said that you’re delivery is getting better. Have you noticed a progression in your flow?

I think just as each day passes–each week, month, and year–you get wiser and you get better at your craft. I think it’s just getting better as I go along. Yeah, I’ve definitely noticed in my delivery I’m getting more set in my voice. I think I’m starting to get my own sound. I found my niche in my craft and in the type of styles that I use versus trying this and trying that. I think I found something that fits me and that’s what I accomplished on this album.

Any favorite tracks off of this album? I know that’s hard to say but do you have any that stand out to you?

I like “Flip It Ova”. “Flip It Ova” is a great track. It’s more or less like strip club and club banger type shit. It’s a great track that can be put out there with the best of the best: Ludacris, T.I–whoever. It’s definitely a great track. “Calling My Name” is the last track on the album–that song is immaculate. As far as a favorite just out of the whole album, it’s definitely hard to say, like you were saying. I can’t name a particular song because I got the good, the bad, and the ugly and I got songs all up under all of those titles to where it matches the whole feel of the album. I can’t say that one track on there is just the album filler, they’re all good.

I see you got an appearance by Joe Budden on the album. He’s one of my favorites. What was it like to work with him?

Well previously before we did a song together we were on tour together, the K.O.D. Tour, with Slaughterhouse. I’ve always been a Joe Budden fan and I listened to his first album that he came out with majorly. I know his style. This song that I used on my album, “Redemption”, was more of a dark and personal song about my inner feelings and what I feel about things and about “if things don’t get right as far as me getting promoted and paid right…something’s gotta happen” you know what I’m saying? I listened to Joe’s music while we were on tour and he had a lot of dark personal stuff on there as well so I felt he was the perfect person for the job. He proved me right, man. He came through and killed it for me so much love to Joe.

You know you’ve been working with Tech and Krizz and what not, is this album trying to kind of break out from under that umbrella? I assume you’ve been trying to do that for awhile now anyways.

Definitely. I hope this album catapults me to where I can start going out on my own tours–possibly headlining my own tours. Like nothing major that we’re doing now of course because you gotta build up that repertoire, build up that clientele, and that fanbase to do so. Hopefully this album catapults me to where I can start going out on my own more often. I’ve been out on my own two times already and this summer with the Strange Noize Tour, it will be the third time going out on my own with other people: showcasing myself, showcasing my own set, giving people more of my music versus me just having ten to fifteen minutes on a Tech N9ne set. I want to give thirty, thirty-five, forty minutes of my own shit. Giving fans that are really that are really into Kutt Calhoun a lot more than the average. You know, you got fans that say that they love me as well as Tech and Kaliko. You got fans that just strictly love me just because I’m with them and they love all three of us on stage together, but then you got those fans that are just like “I want to heare more of your own shit, man. When are you going to do your own set?” So, definitely what I hope this album does, with the album sales to do real good to where I’m going to start getting calls from promoters in different venues for me to come out and possibly headline little local or regional events.

Yeah. Well tight man I appreciate you taking the time out to do this.

Without a doubt man. Raw And Un-Kutt. Get that album and watch out for me ya’ll because I aint ever slowing down.

It’s a question fans often-have for any worthy MC: “who’s your favorite? ” Kutt Calhoun was gracious enough to share his five favorite emcees that have inspired him in the fine art of hip hop. Let’s take a look…

1. Tupac Shakur Arguably the greatest and most influential artist in the history of hip hop, Tupac Shakur’s music and message still resonate to this day. Poet, rapper, actor, thug, activist, and revolutionary; the breadth and depth of Tupac’s body of work is hard to beat. From “Changes”, which tackled wide ranging social issues, to “I Get Around”, which is still guaranteed to get a party started, this captivating and charismatic MC did it all. Since his passing, more of his music has been released than during his short but brilliant five year career, a testament to his prodigious talent and tireless work ethic. With his untimely death in 1996, Tupac was forever immortalized not only as a hip hop legend, but as a cultural icon.

Kutt: “Tupac definiately would be the number one. He was a big inspiration in me starting out. I used to get told I sounded like Tupac in my delivery, voice inflection, and the way I was rapping. That was never on purpose but I always took it as a big compliment–that was a great thing to hear. Tupac was poetic, he wrote about his life. His delivery–he didn’t have to be lyrical like Biggie Smalls. The way he expressed himself and his voice inflection made you really feel his music–it was very heartfelt. His voice is very strong and reaches a lot of people. I also like how Tupac could tell a story–in his music you can close your eyes and just listen to it and feel the whole song. I kind of like to copy myself after that. I like to tell stories and I like to write music to where you can close your eyes and picture everything I’m saying.”

2. Eminem Eminem might not have been the first white rapper to make it big in the mainstream, but unlike Vanilla Ice, Eminem’s got skills. Easily transcending the gimmick of his melatonin-deprived skin tone, Eminem quickly earned the title as one of most gifted MCs to ever touch a mic. Dr. Dre recognized his talent and signed him to Aftermath Records and the rest is history. The Marshall Mathers LP, often considered his crowning achievement, holds the title of the fastest selling hip hop album of all time, selling 1.76 million copies in its first week of release. Also a skilled businessman, Eminem formed Shady Records and was responsible for signing 50 Cent. Equally skilled, artistic, and controversial, Eminem’s music crosses over to hip hop purists and mainstream audiences alike.

Kutt: “Eminem’s an all-around rapper man–this guy can do anything from battle songs, to songs like ‘Stan’ and songs about his mother and daughter, to doing some crazy rap shit where he’s acting a damn fool, and now he’s on this whole dark tip with Relapse. Eminem’s a very talented MC and very lyrical. The point that he’s white just makes it even better because you don’t have too many caucasian rappers that can do what he do, and you don’t have too many black rappers out there that can do what he do. He’s an all-around rapper. I aspire to be like that but in my own way.”

3. Scarface This Houston based rap legend quickly solidified himself as one of the most, if not the most, influential southern rapper of all time. Combining hardcore street realism with a heartfelt baritone flow, Scarface and his group, The Geto Boys, quickly attained a cult following with their controversial subject matter despite protests from conservative naysayers of the time. Reportedly Tupac’s favorite rapper, Scarface was one of the first to succinctly translate ghetto paranoia with his gut-wrenching first verse in The Geto Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”. The group also inadvertantly gave suburbanites the world over a hard-ass, feel-good anthem to bump with “Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta”, popularlized with its inclusion in the film Office Space. Since 2000, he has been president of Def Jam South, responsible for signing acts such as Ludacris, Young Jeezy, and Rick Ross.

Kutt: “Scarface, just saying his name in itself is enough. Definitely another good storyteller rapper. He wrote heartfelt songs. His voice alone could make you feel everything he’s talking about. I was listening to him as a kid also–actually I think he’s one the first I was listening to. What more can I say? He’s a down south legend and just a legend period in rap. He’s a vet that’s unique and original and just can’t be denied.”

4. Andre 3000 Original, multi-talented, and in constant invention, Andre 3000 brings artistry and creativity to hip hop. Andre 3000 proves you don’t have to be like everybody else in order to get your music played over and over. Andre 3000 started his career simply as Dré, half of the legendary Atlanta based duo Outkast. Together with Big Boi– fellow Atlanta-native and partner-in-rhyme–Dre would help continually transcend the musical boundaries of hip hop. With every release, Outkast has remained unconventional: pushing the envelope and defying expectations. Leave it to Outkast to feature a harmonica solo on their breakout hit “Rosa Parks” or to make a concept album about aliens in Atlanta. Flexing his skills as a singer, producer, and arranger, Andre released The Love Below. The featured single, “Hey Ya”, blazed its way to the top of the Billboard charts, proving to be a huge crossover success that would play everywhere from clubs to wedding receptions, forever burning the phrase “shake it like a Polaroid picture” into popular consciousness.

Kutt: “I like Andre 3000–I like Outkast period but Andre 3000 is a very eclectic artist himself. He’s done everything from Southernplayastik to ‘Hey Ya’. He’s so good to where he noticed all this bubblegum rap and saturated rap that was going on and he didn’t wanna be part of that shit. He said ‘fuck it, let me go start singing on motherfuckers and doing pop-rock’ Not only did he switch from some player shit to some kind of poppy type of shit, he succeeded at it and kept going platinum and double platinum. His rhyme skills are impeccable, man. He can do everything: he can sing, he can harmonize, he can rap his ass off, he switches up style, produces, and he’s a great storyteller. The guy’s a great artist and musician–and just a great guy, period.”

“The fifth one…let me make sure I think about that and make the right choice…”

5. Tech N9ne What more can be said about the reason Strange Music exists today and is publishing this story in the first place? In today’s music world, there’s underground, there’s mainstream, and then there’s Tech N9ne: the most successful independent hip hop artist of all time. Creative artist, killer MC, and consummate showman, Tech N9ne boasts one of the most eclectic and die-hard fanbases in music today. The ambassador of Kansas City has been holding it down for the BBQ capitol for over 20 years and shows no signs of slowing down. What Tech has achieved is a hard act to pull and cannot be underestimated: platinum success while maintaining complete artistic freedom. After struggling through record deals with companies that didn’t know what to do with him, Tech N9ne severed ties with the industry. With fellow Kansas City native and businessman Travis O’Guin, Tech N9ne formed his own label with Strange Music, which would slowly but surely become an independent powerhouse. With great music, constant touring, innovative marketing, and a heartfelt dedication to his fans, Tech N9ne has claimed the throne as one of the greatest MCs on his own terms–and not anyone else’s. Possessing skills of world-class, Tech has recorded tracks with three of the artists on this list: Tupac, Eminem, and Scarface. Today he is still as active as ever and is only looking to get bigger and better with every tour and release.

“I’ll go with my dude Tech N9ne–of course–and I’ll put him up there with Eminem as far as his lyrical ability and how long he’s been doing it. 20 years into the game and he’s still here; still around to let you know that age has nothing to do with music. I think you get better with age–It’s like fine wine. Tech has proven that, and that’s something to look forward to for myself. It lets me know that if I keep pursuing my dreams that I can also be like 38 or 39 and it doesn’t matter how old I am, as long as I keep doing good music and getting better with each album and each song that I do then I can be around for a long time. Tech’s an all-around rapper–he can hit on any subject. He’s a motivator and an inspiration. I look up to him musically and I’m proud to be a part of this and having been a part of this for the past eleven years.”

Kutt Calhoun posted a video on YouTube promoting his upcoming album Raw And Un-Kutt. Kutt holds nothing back as he plugs his third release on Strange Music. Click here or watch below to check it out.

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On June 8th, the Kansas City Chief gets Raw & Un-Kutt. The newest release from Kutt Calhoun will have heads nodding with the street-savvy sound that is truly Raw And Un-Kutt. Featuring the singles “Naked (Boom Boom Room)” and “Get Kutt”, and featuring Tech N9ne, Brotha Lynch Hung, Joe Budden, E-40, Too Short and more, Raw and Un-Kutt will definitely set your summer off right. Preorder your copy today – you’ll receive an autographed copy of the CD, an exclusive MP3 and a limited edition Raw And Un-Kutt t-shirt (size XL only).

UPDATE: Raw & Un-Kutt in stores now!

Kutt Calhoun had the opportunity to sit down and chat with fans during a UStream broadcast from the Strange Music headquarters in Kansas City. Kutt plugged his new album Raw and Un-Kutt, talked to the fans, and was able to answer the variety of questions they had about Kutt, his new album, and the variety of topics that came about from the fans. Click here or watch below to view the entire broadcast.

BallerStatus.com, 5/7/10: The Strange Noize Tour is set to return this summer, and headlining with be Tech N9ne protege, Kutt Calhoun, and hardcore rockband (Hed)p.e.

The two artists will serve as the headlining acts for the rock and hip-hop tour festival set to kick off in June, with supporting acts such as Big B, Johnny Richter of the Kottonmouth Kings and Slaine of La Coka Nostra.

“Carrying the flag for the Strange Noize Tour is an honor,” says Jahred Gomes, frontman for American Hardcore band (Hed)pe. “We love bringing different people together. We are raised believing this country is a melting pot, and that is what this tour is all about. The youth of this country love heavy metal, they love hardcore punk, and they love hip-hop and reggae. That’s what our band represents, and that’s what the Strange Noize Tour represents. We are a perfect fit to headline this thing!”

“I feel very privileged and it’s an honor to be hitting the road with all of these amazing artists,” added Kutt Calhoun. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to get my music out to these fans and represent Strange Music alongside all of the great artists from Sub Noize.”

The tour kicks off on June 21 in Colorado Springs, continuing through the end of July, making stops in Denver, Detroit, Cleveland, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston, Portland and San Francisco, with things coming to a close in Orangevale, CA.

The Strange Noize music festival began in 2007 and has become one of the summer’s hottest tickets for music fans. The tour united two of America’s biggest independent record labels — Suburban Noize and Strange Music — for one summer music festival that sold out over 40 dates across the country.

Headliner (Hed)p.e. is currently promoting their latest studio album, New World Orphans, and are preparing the release of Major Pain 2 Indee Freedom – The Best of (Hed)p.e, a career-spanning collection of the classic songs, that have made the group an underground force for over 13 years. It is due out June 22nd, along with a DVD that captures the band’s legendary live show in surround sound.

Kutt Calhoun will be promoting his newest solo release, Raw & Un-Kutt. As the follow up to his 2008 release Feature Presentation, Kutt brings his straight-forward, street-conscious sound to the table.

Below are confirmed dates and stops for the Strange Noize Tour 2010:

6/21 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
6/22 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
6/23 – Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
6/24 – Maplewood, MN @ The Rock
6/25 – Elgin, IL @ The Roadhouse
6/26 – Detroit, MI @ Harpo’s
6/27 – Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s
6/28 – Columbus, OH @ Al Rosa Villa
6/29 – Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock
6/30 – Worchester, MA @ The Palladium
7/01 – West Springfield, VA @ JAXX
7/02 – Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligan’s
7/03 – Fayetteville, NC @ Jester’s Pub
7/04 – Goose Creek, SC @ The Dive
7/06 – Orlando, FL @ Firestone
7/08 – Jacksonville, FL @ The Pit
7/09 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
7/10 – St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre
7/12 – Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
7/13 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
7/14 – San Antonio, TX @ Back Stage Live
7/15 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
7/16 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
7/20 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
7/22 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
7/23 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
7/24 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
7/25 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
7/27 – Casper, WY @ Downtown Grill
7/28 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
7/29 – Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory
7/31 – Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk

The biggest and most notorious underground rock and hip hop festival, Strange Noize, has returned as 2010’s hottest summer ticket. This year’s festival will feature (Hed)p.e, along with Strange Music’s Kutt Calhoun, Big B, Johnny Richter of the Kottonmouth Kings, and Slaine of La Coka Nostra.

“Carrying the flag for the Strange Noize Tour is an honor,” says Jahred Gomes, frontman for American Hardcore band (Hed)pe. “We love bringing different people together. We are raised believing this country is a melting pot, and that is what this tour is all about. The youth of this country love heavy metal, they love hardcore punk, and they love hip hop and reggae.  That’s what our band represents, and that’s what the Strange Noize Tour represents.  We are a perfect fit to headline this thing!”

“I feel very privileged and it’s an honor to be hitting the road with all of these amazing artists,” added Kutt Calhoun. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to get my music out to these fans and represent Strange Music alongside all of the great artists from Sub Noize.”

The Strange Noize music festival debuted in 2007 and quickly became one of the summer’s hottest tickets. The tour united two of America’s biggest independent record labels, Suburban Noize and Strange Music, for one summer music festival that sold out over 40 dates across the country. The tour was a powerful message to the music industry that underground music could infiltrate the masses on a large scale and could no longer be ignored.

(Hed)p.e’s latest studio album, New World Orphans, has sent tremors through the underground and led to tours with Tech N9ne, Insane Clown Posse, and theatrical metal-outfit Mushroomhead. The group is preparing for the release of Major Pain 2 Indee Freedom – The Best of (Hed)p.e, a career-spanning collection of the classic songs that have made the group an underground force for over 13 years. The album, which lands in stores on June 22^nd, includes a DVD that captures the band’s legendary live show in surround sound, along with their music videos and never before seen behind- the-scenes footage.

Kutt Calhoun positions himself front and center with his newest release, Raw & Un-Kutt.  As the follow up to his 2008 release Feature Presentation, Kutt brings his straight-forward, street-conscious sound to the table with Raw & Un-Kutt, yet still maintains his girl-crazy, party sensibilities.  Kutt Calhoun, longtime labelmate of Tech N9ne, brings you an album that is truly Kutt–with a flow that’s both rhythmic and melodic, while grabbing listeners by the ears and pulling them into his world.  With tracks like “Naked (Boom Boom Room)”, “Get Kutt”, “Redemption”, “Hey Hey Hey (Raw And Un-Kutt)”, and “Flip Cam”, along with guest apperances from Tech N9ne, Brotha Lynch Hung, Joe Budden, E-40, Too Short and more, Raw & Un-Kutt will definitely be an album to keep in constant rotation.

Big B has just finished recording his fifth studio album, Good Times & Bad Advice, with producer Jim Perkins (Dumbluck, OPM). The album is the next step in Big B’s growing musical evolution as he mixes elements of rock and hip hop, along with his trademark laid-back acoustics, to create a sound that embodies his feel-good lifestyle. The album is slated to feature guest appearances by Everlast, Pepper, Unwritten Law’s Scott Russo, Glasses Malone and Cisco Adler.

As co-emcee of one of the underground’s hottest groups for the past decade, the Kottonmouth Kings Johnny Richter is ready to steal the spotlight with the release of his first ever solo album, Laughing, on July 6th. The album is an audio autobiography for one the most captivating rappers in the underground and blurs the lines between hip-hop and rock.

La Coka Nostra frontman Slaine has been grinding his way throughout the underground hip-hop since 2001, when he cutting a demo in a studio operated by the Lordz of Brooklyn. Since then Slaine has been traveling the world performing for his growing fan base, and working with hip-hop icons such as DJ Premier, House of Pain, Cypress Hill, and The Alchemist. Slaine is currently touring in support of A Brand You Can Trust, the debut album from hip-hop supergroup La Coka Nostra.

STRANGE NOIZE TOUR 2010:

Jun 21 – Colorado Springs, CO -  Black Sheep
Jun 22 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theatre
Jun 23 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room
Jun 24 – Maplewood, MN – The Rock
Jun 25 – Elgin, IL – The Roadhouse
Jun 26 – Detroit, MI – Harpo’s
Jun 27 – Cleveland, OH – Peabody’s
Jun 28 – Columbus, OH – Al Rosa Villa
Jun 29 – Allentown, PA – Crocodile Rock
Jun 30 – Worchester, MA – The Palladium
Jul 01 – West Springfield, VA – JAXX
Jul 02 – Jacksonville, NC – Hooligan’s
Jul 03 – Fayetteville, NC – Jester’s Pub
Jul 04 – Goose Creek, SC – The Dive
Jul 06 – Orlando, FL – Firestone
Jul 08 – Jacksonville, FL – The Pit
Jul 09 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
Jul 10 – St. Petersburg, FL – State Theatre
Jul 12 – Houston, TX – Scout Bar
Jul 13 – Dallas, TX – Trees
Jul 14 – San Antonio, TX – Back Stage Live
Jul 15 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
Jul 16 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
Jul 20 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
Jul 22 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
Jul 23 – Seattle, WA – Studio Seven
Jul 24 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
Jul 25 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
Jul 27 – Casper, WY – Downtown Grill
Jul 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
Jul 29 – Reno, NV – Knitting Factory
Jul 31 – Orangevale, CA- The Boardwalk

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www.suburbannoizerecords.com