Fort Minor debuts new single, "Welcome"

[Stranger]

Looks like Ryu really had a problem with Mike going solo. I totally disagreed that FORT MINOR meant to be Mike & SOB. If Mike didnt asked them to be featured in the album, I bet not everyone & a few people will know their group existence.

[Smarky]

So one verse got dropped and he doesn't want to work with FM again? He seemed to be implying that while there's no bad blood, he won't be involved with FM anymore.

To be honest I rather it be all Mike, even though Ryu is pretty good I thought he (and SOB) were over featured on TRT. Either way though, having your verse cut to me doesn't seem to be a cause to sever ties.

Well if you had worked on a song, flown out and did the music video then sudden the song is released before you heard anything else, your cut from it and not even spoken to about the change, it would seem more like you where throw out without a choice.

 

Seems really odd. I mean I am not a famous talented and extremely busy musician, but surely it would be normal to at least tell the person your no longer part of the song and reasons why rather than just release it to the world?

 

Whatever the reasons, also a PR disaster waiting to happen depending on how the other artist reacts.

Also as a side note, reading through this page on my phone thinking "wow what an idiot. Someone quoting the same person three times"

 

Only to realise that person is me. Doh! #fail

 

 

 

P.s Also I think people that use hashtags in places they are irrelevant are also idiots.... Double doh!

[hahninator]

Another message from Ryu. https://instagram.com/p/4SeBdeHkpN/

 

"Just a little extra info on Fort Minor since we're on the subject. Again..I'm saying this to you not coming from a place of anger but just a little FYI. before the name Fort Minor existed, Mike was working on a solo project. He had ask us (Styles Of Beyond) to feature on a couple songs, which turned into about 8 or 9 songs. from that point SOB was so heavily featured on the album, he decided to call the collective "Fort Minor " FORT meaning a large powerful structure (Linkin Park) and MINOR meaning small (Styles Of Beyond) although FM was definitely Mike's idea, it took a lot of people and hard work on many levels to bring his idea to fruition, so the idea of him calling himself "Fort Minor" I find disrespectful to all of us who toured the world and missed our kids birthdays to support him. Again, I have love for Mike and I wish him the best, but I won't be disrespected in the process. Thanks for rockin with me! Peace!"

 

elnoelay92: Complete respect for this but why be in the welcome video?

therealryu: @elnoelay92 I actually just went down to support his art project. I knew he was filming something but didn't know it was the actual music video. Either way, I'll always support my friends.

[Justin]

So that's what Fort Minor meant? I could have sworn Mike explained it as something along the lines of meaning it as a reference to something loud (Forte - Fort) and dark (minor keys in music being darker). I know that I'm not completely correct but I SWEAR I remember him saying something like that.

 

Ryu is essentially saying the entire concept of Fort Minor is down to Linkin Park and SOB (with the project's very name being a reference to them). Fort Minor was always Mike though, I've always thought that even since 2005. I thought it was Mike alone, but that he just featured SOB a lot. They were never official members of FM.

 

I'll be honest, I can see why he's let down and disappointed, but unless more is going on then this one verse being cut out, I don't see how Ryu feels disrespected to the point of basically saying he regrets putting so much effort into his collabs with Mike.

 

EDIT: Ryu just said on IG that Mike doing a one man show is like Paul McCartney touring solo as "The Beatles". There are so many things wrong with that statement....

Edited June 24, 2015 by Justin

[Derbyster]

"missing kids birthdays"

I mean you were basically handed free money to tour some with a well-known artist. You can never decline that offer and one part of being a musician is being on the road, so that's such a stupid statement.

[FaiNt]

So that's what Fort Minor meant? I could have sworn Mike explained it as something along the lines of meaning it as a reference to something loud (Forte - Fort) and dark (minor keys in music being darker). I know that I'm not completely correct but I SWEAR I remember him saying something like that.

 

Ryu is essentially saying the entire concept of Fort Minor is down to Linkin Park and SOB (with the project's very name being a reference to them). Fort Minor was always Mike though, I've always thought that even since 2005. I thought it was Mike alone, but that he just featured SOB a lot. They were never official members of FM.

 

I'll be honest, I can see why he's let down and disappointed, but unless more is going on then this one verse being cut out, I don't see how Ryu feels disrespected to the point of basically saying he regrets putting so much effort into his collabs with Mike.

 

EDIT: Ryu just said on IG that Mike doing a one man show is like Paul McCartney touring solo as "The Beatles". There are so many things wrong with that statement....

that was a reply to my comment.. lol i'm tryin to respectfully say... no need to diss mike on making decisions regarding a brand he created lol

[hahninator]

Ryu is just understandably confused when he recorded a verse for this song (probably assuming and rightfully so, that it was for an FM comeback, because anyone in their right mind would assume that) and is in the video, but didn't know the video was being shot and wasn't in the song. And now Mike wants to do it solo.

 

Yes the FM meaning is not what Ryu is implying.

 

"I wanted to send out the message that I'm not doing this just to get more attention to myself as a person. It's more about the music than me, and I thought by putting another name on it, it would keep the attention on the music. 'Fort' represents the more aggressive side of the music. 'Minor' can mean a few things: if you're talking about music theory, the minor key is darker. I wanted to name the album rather than having my name on the cover, because I want people to focus on the music, not me. In fact, the reason I named the record 'The Rising Tied' is because it's a play on words. This "tied" group of people are coming up together in the context of this record."

 

Another interview:

 

“There’s a lot of dynamics in the record, and that’s why the name Fort Minor works so well,” Shinoda explained. ” ’Fort’ [is] something that’s heavy and militant. ’Minor’ [is] taken one of two ways: either meaning small or meaning … between the two basic chords in music theory, you’ve got major or minor, and minor is described as the darker, sadder chord. The album is about the dynamic when you put all those things together. You’ve got that spectrum.”

[FaiNt]

and lol at some of those comments thinkin' ryu is more talented than Mike.

[Numbrocker]

Mike I think should say something. Mark might be fact checking but it only takes one stupid click bait headline to ruin what Mike is doing. I was feeling bad for Ryu until his last post. Now I don't know what to believe. The FM name thing is obviously wrong. And I don't buy that he didn't realize that Mike was shooting a music video. Could this be a way to get his name out their for his solo album? Maybe.

[LinkinMark]

I don't get why Mike favourited Ryu's tweet about having a verse on 'Welcome' or Apathy's tweet. I still just feel there's something else to all of this. I'm probably wrong.

[FaiNt]

maybe mike's management wanted mike to separate himself from Fort minor being mike AND SOB members

[JozM]

Ryu is just understandably confused when he recorded a verse for this song (probably assuming and rightfully so, that it was for an FM comeback, because anyone in their right mind would assume that) and is in the video, but didn't know the video was being shot and wasn't in the song. And now Mike wants to do it solo.

 

Yes the FM meaning is not what Ryu is implying.

 

"I wanted to send out the message that I'm not doing this just to get more attention to myself as a person. It's more about the music than me, and I thought by putting another name on it, it would keep the attention on the music. 'Fort' represents the more aggressive side of the music. 'Minor' can mean a few things: if you're talking about music theory, the minor key is darker. I wanted to name the album rather than having my name on the cover, because I want people to focus on the music, not me. In fact, the reason I named the record 'The Rising Tied' is because it's a play on words. This "tied" group of people are coming up together in the context of this record."

 

Another interview:

 

“There’s a lot of dynamics in the record, and that’s why the name Fort Minor works so well,” Shinoda explained. ” ’Fort’ [is] something that’s heavy and militant. ’Minor’ [is] taken one of two ways: either meaning small or meaning … between the two basic chords in music theory, you’ve got major or minor, and minor is described as the darker, sadder chord. The album is about the dynamic when you put all those things together. You’ve got that spectrum.”

 

That's pretty much the same explanation Mike gave behind the meaning of Fort Minor in a 'making of The Rising Tied' video when the album came out which featured JayZ and Brad.

Mike just doesn't come across as the type of guy RYU is claiming him to be.

[spraypaintninkpens]

Ryu's got a point if what he's saying is true. Mike should have been upfront with Ryu and Tak if he indeed wanted to go solo. I always associated FM with Mike and SOB. (This post proves I'm not Mike, lol).

[MetalNacional]

Alright... if this is true and Mike, Ryu, Apathy are not fooling everyone I'll be glad that Fort Minor's return is only one song and a few concerts

[Justin]

Alright... if this is true and Mike, Ryu, Apathy are not fooling everyone I'll be glad that Fort Minor's return is only one song and a few concerts

Wait why? FM isn't worth it without Apathy and SOB? Really?

 

If Mike did a solo album and went full on NIN I think it could be better or at least just as good as TRT.

[Gigito1995]

I cant understand why those so called fans have to stand up for anything thats against mike or the bands reputation its like they are waiting for an excuse to talk down and bash mike and the band

[Broman]

Ryu's got a point if what he's saying is true. Mike should have been upfront with Ryu and Tak if he indeed wanted to go solo. I always associated FM with Mike and SOB. (This post proves I'm not Mike, lol).

What point could he have? Mike invited them to join for TRT and nothing more, the album is clearly all about Mike's life. Its been his project from the start, and considering Mike raps on his own sometimes throughout TRT, this could have been an example of that; the STB remix giving this more validity because Ryu was clearly given permission to throw his rap verse down stating FM would return, but he had to go and fuck it up. Its as simple as that.

[Tyleronlplive]

Wait why? FM isn't worth it without Apathy and SOB? Really?

If Mike did a solo album and went full on NIN I think it could be better or at least just as good as TRT.

You guys realize that NIN has gone on to be more than just Trent Reznor in the past few years and albums, right? He brings in musicians (usually drummers like Dave Grohl on half of the songs on Witha Teetha in 05) when needed, especially on the last album. He named a song The Four Of Us Are Dying on 2008's The Slip because more people were involved. Trent still controls the direction the way that he always has though.

 

As for the Ryu deal, yeah we have agreed that FM is Mike and the songs are featuring whoever. According to Ryu in the post, it was originally Mike's solo project and SOB helped out on s few songs. Although that ended up being more than a few, I still view it as being Mike's concept from the beginning. He was the original initiator of it all anyway, just like he was for Welcome. Ryu has a point about the touring part too, but this is a bit different because....

 

Welcome is about MIKE coming back into his rap roots (please bear with how cliche that sounds). Ryu's verse could have been great but it wouldn't have been as great of a fit on a song that is about Mike. Look at Red to Black, that isn't as much of a personal song and each rapper has their own input for the theme of it. If there DOES happen to be an entire album, I expect guests still. This was also Mike's idea to bring back FM and do this entire campaign to promote himself. He deserves Welcome the way he wants it.

[r0ked]

I just don't like the direction this is going...

 

When I look back Fort Minor, TO ME, was about Mike and SOB and a bunch of guests. I mean they were on so many songs, they were on the mixtape, they were in the videos... And this is why I thought naming the project FM was also a nice way of giving credit to those guys, even if Mike didn't intend to do that with the name.

 

Still there is Kenji which is such a personal song for Mike and it too goes under the label 'Fort Minor'. So for me the problem lies not within Mike doing solo stuff under Fort Minor and cutting Ryus verse but I think it is just disrespectful to Ryu not to tell him.

 

I really hope Mike respondes to Ryu and explains the whole situation.

It would be sad if they mess up all chances for a future collaboration between them

[spraypaintninkpens]

The issue here is that Ryu rightfully so thought he was in the band( he was in the video and did a verse for Welcome). Mike needed to be more upfront about it if that wasn't the case. I'm not taking sides here at all. Hopefully they can resolve this confusion.

[Kirstie]

Apparently Mike's emailed to say his verse will be on the remix (Mike backtracking here).

 

I can't believed he emailed - what a wuss!

 

Honestly this whole thing is so childish - Ryu shouldn't have posted that suff, he wanted self gratification from fans that he should have been involved. He should have spoken to Mike.

 

However, now we know, Mike shouldn't have been a tool and he should have picked up the phone.

 

Naughty step for both of them, then they need to hug it out.

[MetalNacional]

Wait why? FM isn't worth it without Apathy and SOB? Really?

 

If Mike did a solo album and went full on NIN I think it could be better or at least just as good as TRT.

 

I'm wasn't even talking about quality mate. And I liked Welcome actually... Don't think it is as good as the songs back then when FM was a group though but it's a great song.

 

I cant understand why those so called fans have to stand up for anything thats against mike or the bands reputation its like they are waiting for an excuse to talk down and bash mike and the band

 

Where are those fans? Sounds like they're real a-holes

[Projektion]

Ignoring the last few posts about the Ryu situation, I've had a few listens to the track, and holy hell is it generic. If I wasn't told before hand that it was Mike rapping, I'd never of thought it was Fort Minor.

 

For the video,while the 360 effect is impressive, I just see it as wasted potential. Aside for the scene during the solo with Mike playing all the instruments, everything that you really need to look at is in one direction. I would have preferred if there was actually something going on in the other directions.

[Justin]

I tweeted Ryu and asked if Mike decided to do another FM album and reached out for him to collab, would he do it, and he said "of course I'd do it". So I don't think it's really that serious of an issue anymore. It was a miscommunication and misunderstanding of what was happening with "Welcome", but I don't think there's any real bad blood between them.

 

I actually think it's cool of Ryu to interact with fans on Twitter and be so open about everything.

[loulax07]

I tweeted Ryu and asked if Mike decided to do another FM album and reached out for him to collab, would he do it, and he said "of course I'd do it". So I don't think it's really that serious of an issue anymore. It was a miscommunication and misunderstanding of what was happening with "Welcome", but I don't think there's any real bad blood between them.

 

I actually think it's cool of Ryu to interact with fans on Twitter and be so open about everything.

it may be "cool" but we're still only hearing one side so we'll need to see if Mike responds in any way