Hades Forum

BUCKSHOT




MVRemix: How did things originate with you and Dru Ha?

Buckshot: Dru was an employee of Nervous Records when I first met him, and I was signed to Nervous. So, I would see Dru every day and we just grew a tight bond from there. One day we sat down in front of my building in Crown Heights and came up with the name "Duck Down." "You know what, lets just start our own situation" and we did from that point on. In 1992 we started Duck Down management and it was a management company for about a year and then we went straight into running a label. So from '93 until now, we had Duck Down records but for a year we had the management.

MVRemix: Did you prefer Hip Hop when it was less popular? When you had to justify why you were a fan because of the controversy... Or, do you prefer the situation now, where it's normal to like rap because the music sells well these days?

Buckshot: I think people have got to recognize the power of Hip Hop and what's going on. What I would like to raise is the colour question and the colour barrier, 'cause I don't think it's a negative thing. I think it's something we should actually be looking at. White people deserve more credit, the white boy emcee needs more credit than what they're given. I don't know how to do that without making it a race issue. "Oh, are you saying that Hip Hop wouldn't survive without white people?" I wouldn't want to say that or bring that up as an issue. But I do want the white fans to acknowledge that they are acknowledged. I want them to know that people like myself - the majority of the percentage of people that buy my records are white and a large percentage of fans that support my record; are black.

I would like to acknowledge the way the two work because they have to in order to keep Hip Hop alive. A lot of people wonder why Buckshot don't put out records anymore. It's because people in my neighbourhood don't buy records for ten dollars. Records only sell for five dollars now due to the bootleggers.

MVRemix: Few people are aware the Duck Down tried to sign Eminem prior to Interscope, can you tell me about that?

Buckshot: I mean, quiet as kept. Em is a real cool guy, he's real cool with Dru and I'm cool with him, but he really knows Dru better. Him and Dru had like a personal relationship, and Paul (Rosenberg) where they would talk to each other a lot. There was one point in time where we really tried to help him out with his deal and his financial situation but unfortunately we had a lot of resentment that we were met with during that time. So we wasn't able to make anything happen for Em. We really did try to sign him on Priority records. I'm glad we didn't because who knows how his career would have been. But we're still cool though, so that's the bottom line. As long as he's still cool with us.

MVRemix: Describe a day in your life around the Enta Da Stage era.

Buckshot: Enta Da Stage was really rough for me. It was a really rough era. A lot of people don't know what I went through personally. I think I had just turned eighteen and I had the pressure of running a management company as an eighteen year old shorter than 5'6. I had that problem of people taking my company and my representation seriously. So a day in the life around the Enta Da Stage era was based on constant struggle and lettin' people know you respect Duck Down management as a real management company and not just as some little cute thing that Buckshot is doing. Nah, for real, we're management type deal.

I was battling keeping Smif N' Wessun in a good deal, I was battling trying to get Heltah Skeltah a good deal. I was battling trying to bring my record company into existence, so it was a really hard time.

MVRemix: What makes your music as relevant today as it was back then?

Buckshot: The fact that as long as you have guys like me who are putting out these records, these certain types of self conscious, underground, lyrically content - I'm an option you know. I'm an option, that's why I'm relevant. If you don't have an option, then you don't have a choice. If you don't have a choice then why be original? I give those fans out there who don't want crunk music, who don't want "whatever's being done on stage to please the fashionable eye." Buckshot is an artist who's gonna do what he's gonna do, when he's gonna do it and where he's gonna do it as he pleases. Because he has an attitude like that, his music reflects the same thing.

[strong phone interference]

MVRemix: What are your thoughts on the Hot 97 airing of the "Tsunami" song?

Buckshot: About the Tsunami thing? I don't know. I performed for a Tsunami benefit last night at B.B. Kings. I don't know, I hope whatever monies are collected go to the relief fund if that's what you talkin' about. I think it's a good thing that people get involved. For some people it's just a good excuse to get things going at work and for others it's really genuine about helping to raise money for people who can't raise it themselves. That's how I am. I know how it is to be broke, so just imagine bein' in a fuckin' country where the whole country is broke and the whole country can't get no paper. Just imagine that. Then start talkin' about your cars and your whips and your chains and all the shit that you don't got. 90% of Hip Hop artists are liars and they're fronters. It's all lies, and it really doesn't help anybody to be lied to. People believe that shit. People watch VH1 and they believe all these rappers is spendin' all this money and none of it's true. None of it. Rappers are not spendin' that type of money on jewelry. I got jewelry that I have access to, that I can wear any time I want, anywhere I want for as long as I want - $500,000 chains, $100,000 rings - but they're not mine! So why would I want you to do an interview on me wearing a $100,000 chain when I really don't own that.

MVRemix: Also, I don't know if you heard about it but Hot 97 also aired a song where they had people teasing the Tsunami victims... I was just wondering whether you'd had a chance to hear about that controversy...

Buckshot: Somebody really needs to talk about that. I don't know who's gonna make that an issue but Hot 97 was wrong for that. What do you do when you are wrong for something but you have so much power that no-one can challenge you. The only one that can challenge you is the media to say "Look, that's fucked up." Now you're going overboard 'cause you know nobody can contest what you do or what you say 'cause you're that powerful against myself and other artists who say that that was wrong, but what can we say? All they'll do is say "Oh, then we won't support your record." I don't care if Hot 97 supports my record. [raising his voice] I personally don't give a fuck! The people of New York do because that's what they listen to for access of what's goin' on.

MVRemix: What's going on with the Bootcamp Clik and Black Moon at the moment?

Buckshot: We got three the hard way's coming out. We got three albums about to drop. A lot of people don't know that, but we got three albums that we about to drop April, May and June. People always say "What's up with Bootcamp?" "What's up with Black Moon?"

[loud car honk resonates]
...if we're not as big as we used to be...
[phone rattles]
They're actually being worked on right now. Can you hold on for one second?
[Buckshot lowers the phone as he deals with a man who just ran a red light and nearly killed him "Stop sign? Sir, did you see that stop sign? You didn't stop at the stop sign!" The conversation continues]

Sorry about that, this guy almost hit my car. As we're speaking, he runs a stop sign and if I wasn't on point, it would be a wrap. So I'm sorry for disturbing this and being distracted, but this guy... okay, my fault. Go ahead. I know I'm killin' you with this interview. So, shit a lot of people don't know when we do things is that people have to actually buy the record. The hardest part for people to understand is when you don't buy the record, it's like me putting out a sneaker and no-one buys it. How could I come out with another brand or another sneaker or shoe or whatever? How could I do anything if it's not gonna be supported.

People may not understand, yeah, we "support" the record because we talk about you or we think about you. Unfortunately it really is like a fund raiser. Your ten dollars means so much to just buying my record. Your walking into Tower Records or Beat Street or Best Buy or HMV and buying a record is so huge for me. That's what keeps us around and gives us another opportunity to keep putting out records. The record companies say, "Hey, we put in $100,000 to get you to the public and we made our money back, lets do this again." But if they put $100,000 into Black Moon and we don't get their money back then obviously they're not gonna want to promote us again.

MVRemix: What's the current situation with Ruck?

Buckshot: He's chillin', he's grindin'. Same thing. Sean Price is a part of Heltah Skeltah and they're gonna do an album as well, but because they just decided to do that Sean Price is currently in motion to put out a solo album, we still moved ahead with the Sean Price album. He's a solo artist, he's good as a solo artist as well. I think a lot of people should take the opportunity to listen to Ruck as an individual. As well as a member of Heltah Skeltah.

MVRemix: What is actually going on with or will One Nation album (Buckshot's album with Tupac) ever see the light of day?

Buckshot: I love everybody who mentions that album because it means people were listening and acknowledging and everything like that. To speak honestly, with Tupac leaving us it created a lot of holds. Death Row didn't see us as a platinum group that should have deserved enough priority to continue this album. I think it's unfair. I think it's fucked up that people like Dre and people like 50 Cent and Eminem are rapping over the same vocals that Pac and I did. So obviously they found an outlet for their album, but they put people like 50 Cent on it and they put people like Eminem on them and knocked us out the box. They found the songs and said "Hey, who are these guys? They're not platinum, fuck 'em, take 'em off." So for the people that want to know what happened to the One Nation album - that album was destroyed because we weren't seen as platinum or double platinum artists that would have made them go and re-do that album. If Pac was here, he'd have put a bullet in everybody who did that.
Do you have access to master copies of the album?

Buckshot: I got copies, but when Pac, rest in peace, came to me and gave me that album. He gave it to me himself. He gave me the cassette himself. Pac obviously didn't think that he was gonna die, so he gave me that album and it was rough, it was raw. There was no mixes... our vocals were all over the place. Whenever you hear the rough copy of the Tupac/Bootcamp stuff, that is the only copy. Our vocals were removed and replaced with artists like 50 Cent. Our album was taken apart by Interscope because they didn't feel like we were platinum acts.
But you do have the originals?

Buckshot: Yeah I do, I have the tracks with my vocals and his vocals. When I play those versions, you hear myself and Pac and nobody else. I don't think that was called what Jimmy Iovine or whoever else it was that did that, that's how it goes - you know. What I do is before I start my show, I usually play a song or verse off that album. Every show that I do, I honour Tupac and I play some Tupac stuff and I honour and I say this is off the One Nation album... blah, blah, blah.

But unfortunately there's nowhere for these people to buy it. Therefore they don't know. There's nowhere to buy the album, so it's kind of hectic promoting something that you know people can't buy. But, for the most part it's just personal. It's good that they can hear it.

MVRemix: A la "Fight Club," "If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight?"

Buckshot: [ponders] I would probably fight Elijah Mohammed.
Okay, why would you fight Elijah Mohammed?

Buckshot: 'Cause he got Malcolm X killed. I wasn't feelin' that. You can dislike somebody because they bigger than you, they get more publicity than you... But don't kill 'em man.

MVRemix: If you could alter something in your career thus far, what would you change, if anything?

Buckshot: [ponders] I think I would go back and just try and be more conscious about the decisions that I made. I think I made a lot of bad decisions, but I would say that I wouldn't change anything, but I do regret some of the decisions that I made. Not badly, but just like "Damn." If I could do that again, I'd definitely look at the contracts better.

MVRemix: Aside from the three Duck Down projects which are coming out - what else are you working on?

Buckshot: Have you ever heard of a DVD called "Smack"? Well I'm working on one called "Shot." It's basically gonna be Buckshot taking you into the world of some sub-independent celebrities/Hip Hop underground artists. I'm gonna be bringing people the real views of what's really going on. I'm gonna be bringing people to where I brought people to with Smif N Wessun and the Bootcamp; I'm gonna bring them Rustee Juxx and a whole bunch of new cats that ain't on yet. So if anybody out there feel like they talent and they skill should be on that DVD - there is a small fee because we're gonna be promoting this all around the world. But if you do want to be involved, hit us up at my website at Duck Down or they can hit up my e-mail.

MVRemix: Any last words to fans or potential fans that are going to be reading this?

Buckshot: I would say to my fans - stay in touch with me. Stay in contact. Lets talk more. All my fans, I don't get a chance to talk to them that much. I love my fans. I think if I had anything to say to them it'd be "Don't be afraid of Buckshot." If you have a mixtape or a show, don't be afraid to ask - you never know. I'm all about the Hip Hop growth. Maybe I could do the same for Bootcamp for somebody else.

THE HIGH & MIGHTY





MVRemix: After listening to your new album The 12th Man, I came away feeling this is your most cohesive and best album to date. Do you agree?

Eon: Yeah man, we real proud of this joint. It is our answer to all the heads that dissed Highlite Zone. See me and Mi are throwbacks to that time when shit was real and ill. Now you got all this artsy fartsy shit, with people bitching about their girlfriends leaving them or some shit. To us hip hop is about ill beats and rhymes...That??€�s it! Me and Mi worked hard together to take it back to what we feel is true hip hop. But hey what the fuck do we know! I mean I personally liked Highlite Zone but I guess it wasn??€�t what people were looking from us. I don't think our sound has ever really drastically changed from album to album. Mighty produced the new album entirely so maybe it has some consistency in the sound the others didn't.

MVRemix: What was your mindset going into this album?

Eon: We wanted to have fun making this jawn. Shit is crazy with EC and the whole distribution shit. So we went out and had fun making this shit.

Mighty Mi: We really didn't give a fuck anymore about what people say about our shit. High & Mighty As Is....

MVRemix: For fans who have not heard the album yet, can you talk about the songs, concepts, and issues you have on The 12th Man?

Eon: It??€�s about hip hop. It??€�s about two kids who grew up on hip hop and have seen it get even worse. Now the indie scene is a joke and not what it was in say 1999. I mean does all the shit we hear now touch the Rawkus days? I mean now it??€�s about white dudes who cannot rhyme. I mean white kids who literally have trouble staying on beat; and they sell 20,000 units. Where are all the heads who loved all that Rawkus shit? Too me, that was a fad these 15-year olds were going thru back then. Now they listen to Blink and those other rock groups. There are too many issues to discuss.

MVRemix: Eon, how do you feel you have progressed as an emcee from your first release to now with The 12th Man?

Eon: I still am the same basically. I think my observation of this world is certified as an artist, not a fan. I stopped being a fan a while ago and can count the emcees I am checking for on one hand. I say, comment, on the world today as well as my life. Heads never really heard all the lines about me being vulnerable and being a thinker about the state of the world. I am more then pussy, blunts and sports. I think it??€�s deeper in there. The flow is tighter and what I speak about differs from HFA. I??€�m just trying to be my favorite emcee and that??€�s what I always tried to do.

MVRemix: Mighty Mi, you continue to be one of the most consistent producers in the game. What do you attribute to your success, particularly being able to stay on the cutting edge for so long?

Mighty Mi: I just keep on digging and try to make my sound bigger with each production. I usually make a beat and then go through a whole other stage of adding onto the beat, either with musicians or cuts or vocal snippets from movies.

MVRemix: Mighty Mi, in regards to The Best Dam Rap Show with Vast Aire, are you happy on how the album came out and has been received?

Mighty Mi: Yeah, I'm definitely feeling the vibe working with Vast. The reviews have been positive for the most part which is cool.

MVRemix: Overall, do you have a main goal you want to accomplish with this new album?

Eon: I want heads to come back and say, ??€?Damn those kids are still doing it.??€? No one in this little game understands what me and Mi have done. Probably be like all my favorites, appreciated after the fact.

MVRemix: Going back to The Highlite Zone, were you happy how the album was received? Some fans and critics felt it was your most disappointing release. Do you have any comments on that?

Eon: I just don??€�t understand what wasn??€�t to like? I mean of course I am saying this, but look at that shit. I mean ??€?Right Here??€?; Jesus that shit is crazy to me!! Most of all I think people didn??€�t really get it. I have no idea!

MVRemix: Let's touch on the current status of E.C. Records. A couple years ago the label was one of the hottest in the underground scene. However, some feel the label has lost that momentum? Do you agree?

Eon: People have no idea what happens behind the scenes. If we were to tell a ??€?True Hollywood Story??€? on cats we worked with, it would blow peoples shit completely. When you run a label with two people (no employees), you have to see that what we??€�ve done as amazing. Holding down peoples livelihoods is a 24-hour a day job. Part baby sitting, part mentor, part manager. We??€�ve taken care of people??€�s lives for 5 or 6 years man. It??€�s really about money and distribution. When you have someone who knows nothing about hip hop making decisions about all your work it can become frustrating. I mean you think we didn't want to do shit with Cage and Copy? There are labels reaping the benefit of Milo and my hard work. It??€�s all about numbers and what the perception of what you are doing is. There??€�s money, there??€�s shit people don??€�t recognize or appreciate. We have a formula, if you want in, you can get some shit out there.

Mighty Mi: It really bothers us when people are like "Yo EC fell off, even Tame is leaving" and they know nothing about the reasons or behind the scenes shit. They just draw their own conclusions based on what they see on the peripheral.

MVRemix: When I interviewed Tame One, I asked him the same question about the label falling off, and he answered.

Tame One: Probably because they are having distribution problems, plus their roster is going through its changes. It's not really my place to say, but in my personal opinion those are the reasons."

Any reaction or comments on that?

Eon: No one understands what we do for them. On the outside it looks one way, but the reality is quite different. Like I said above, you are at the mercy of another person who is in sales. Plain and simple. They have no idea what we do, nor appreciate it. Trust me I would like a million dollars to give Tame, cause he is so dope. But when your resources are limited, what the fuck can you do? Tame is ill and so were the other heads who left.

Mighty Mi: That's why we signed them. If they leave and go make a million dollars in the independent rap world, then god bless. Then I can say we didn't know what we were doing all these years.

MVRemix: What has been the biggest headache you guys have had to deal with in this Hip Hop industry?

Mighty Mi: Watching shit blow up that I know no real hip hop heads wouldn't even understand if they listened to it.

MVRemix: Since you guys are big sports fans, what do you think about the current contract situation with Terrell Owens?

Eon: T. O. needs to chill! This is a ploy to try to get the Birds to budge, but they won't and T.O. will be there in September, trust me!!

MVRemix: What about the Phillies chances this year?

Eon: I??€�m a Mets fan!! Love 'em.

MVRemix: What other EC releases can fans look forward to this year?

Mighty Mi: JuJu Mob "Black Candles", Mighty Mi solo album "The Boi Wonder??€? and Reef The Lost Cauze "Feast Or Famine"

MVRemix: Mighty Mi, besides artists on EC, have you worked with or sold any other beats to anyone else?

Mighty Mi: Yeah I did remixes for Mobb Deep "G.O.D pt III", Ghostface "All That I Got Is You" and "Legendary Street Team" by M.O.P and G Rap

MVRemix: Any last words or shout outs?

Eon: Hip hop is wack. We aren't!! If you want some real shit (not guns and jewels) and love ill beats and rhymes, then come see us and buy this album.

K-Os






MVRemix: Explain the reasons behind your moniker and its spelling.

K-Os: Basically it comes from knowledge itself, which is a visibility to kind of knowledge yourself on a quest in life. That quest is you trying to figure yourself out. Once you figure yourself out... not to the point where I'd ever got myself figured out - but, you get to the process where you know that that's the key to your evolution. Just being aware of yourself. That's what I was basically trying to remind myself of. Especially in the music industry when you're caught up in so many other people's ideas of what your motives should be, that it remind me to be true to myself of what I wanted to do and to know myself better.

MVRemix: Sparking off from that, talking about what other people in the music industry "want" you to do... How do you feel about what has been going on with Canadian Hip Hop recently? With regards to groups like Swollen Members and The Rascalz' with their latest releases being geared very much more towards a mainstream audience as opposed to their core audience. What are your thoughts on that?

K-Os: People grow, right? Guys do shows for five or six years with dudes coming at them after shows with joints, offering them to smoke with them in small places all across the country. Then all of a sudden, they wake up one day and just get bored of that. People underestimate the ability of musicians to just get bored. Sometimes it's not a big concerted effort where they're planning some global take-over - it's just they're bored. They want to try something new. I think for both those bands, they already had considerable mainstream success. It was just time for them to try something new, and it just so happened that the doors were open for them to try that type of music. I think that they can always go back to that, they understood that. They understand what their "core" audience is. But your "core" keeps changing. It's really hard for me to uni-relate to that - a "core" audience or only having certain people like your music. I think that's not what music was created for. I think it was created for us as a vehicle to grow and so sometimes people just grow out of their own persona.

MVRemix: Do you remember your first experience when your music had touched or affected somebody?

K-Os: That's mostly just people coming up to you on the street and saying, "You know, we're going through 'this' or we're going through 'this.'" After a while, again, it's hard for me to internalize all that because you make something, you make it for a specific purpose. That's the hardest part of all of this. Trying to keep your head on what you're trying to do and not worrying about getting caught up in what everyone else thinks. It's great and it's beautiful, and it's nice that people listen to my music and they're like, "I loved it!" Or they have some deep personal comments but I think more than anything you have to maintain your relationship to it. As long as you do that, ironically, people will keep relating to it. It's kind of strange, kind of weird what people take out of your lyrics sometimes or out of your songs like, "You took that from it?" That's cool, that's cool. It's enlightening in a way.

MVRemix: Your stage show is quite different to most artists. Who influenced you to perform the way that you do?

K-Os: I could say anyone from Bob Marley, The Roots and The Fugees to any band that ever rocked... Led Zepplin, Michael Jackson... People who had live bands and really went for it. They played music. I think Hip Hop is cool and I think recording artists are one thing but live performers are another. There are tools of illusion. When you're doing a live show, you can't do certain things. It's kind of more raw. I've always made the fullest of that experience, just being as raw as possible. Giving people my vibe. I think Bob Marley and The Fugees and The Roots all do that.

What are your thoughts on George Bush being back in the office?

K-Os: It's what America wants more than anything, right? People locked George Bush in a back room, like he nominated himself and voted for him. That's what America wants, so I guess their destiny will be a result of that little decision. I can't really judge, I don't know the master plan or as far as the universe or god - this all could be a part of the plan. I just kind of try to concentrate on my behaviour and the cool thing about that is because you've got a lot of morally void ideas and economic ideas. It's kind of like if you have a snake in the room with you. You're way more alert, because you know what's in the room. I think it's gonna wake a lot of people up and the more introspective and thinking people will be stimulated to do even more thinking because now there's this thing which is kind of a threat. So it could be a good thing as far as alertness and people's awareness because now people will be looking to see where they're at and what they're contributing to it.

MVRemix: What about our youth voter apathy, which is basically now a widespread problem in Canada? People being just not interested in participating...

K-Os: That's just a statement on society too, right? People are dis-owning the system. They don't think that the system works. It's just a sign of where people are at. It's not something to be liked or disliked, it's more of something that should be taken in as a reality and statement on society, more than trying to judge whether it's right or wrong. The fact exists says more about where the human race is on an evolutionary basis.

MVRemix: Have fun with this one, a la "Fight Club," "If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight?"

K-Os: Hmmm... [ponders] I'd probably fight... Maybe Michael Jackson.
Any particular reason? Or just as a fun thing?

K-Os: Hopefully if we got in a fight, he would have to be enraged and he'd have to get kind of raw. I think that's all that Michael Jackson needs to do right now is be raw. Hopefully the fight wouldn't be the focus, but the emotion it took to get him to fight could convert to music and we could tap that guy for a second... you know...

MVRemix: Do you smoke weed for creative purposes?

K-Os: I smoke weed.
So just to relax?

K-Os: More for awareness. I think it affects me and I'm really more aware of myself. If that effects me creatively... I never smoked and then went and recorded music or made beats or anything. I used to call that "rap steroids."
What are your thoughts on the near-legalization here in Canada?

K-Os: It's like the prohibition; at one time alcohol was illegal. It's good that Canada's open to those things. I think that people should be able to make that choice and it be able to be controlled - their own consumption of that. Use their morals and judgement to decide how to deal with that and what that chemical actually does to humanity - if it's a hindrance or if it's a help. I think people should be able to make that decision as much as they can eat lettuce. It's from the ground and it's something that was put there. I think that the more you put a big emphasis on that, the more you make it into something of an issue where it's really just a herb. I really think that it grew from the ground and was sort of ours in the first place. It's really a natural form of spice. I've had it in food before and not even known it until an hour later where I kind of responded to it. I think it's a good thing that people are getting the choice to choose.

MVRemix: What are you currently reading?

K-Os: I just got that Bob Dylan chronicles book. I haven't really jumped into it yet but it was given to me as a gift and I'm also looking at a book called "Awakening of Intelligence" by Jiddu Krishnamurti who was a philosopher that died in the early-mid eighties. He used to talk about self-awareness and anti-guru ideas and things about just being friends to people.

MVRemix: Who are your favourite icons in Canadian Hip Hop and why?

K-Os: None. There's none. Because I think I've grown up. Part of growing up is you lose your heroes because now you're critical of them. It's a natural process. It's not because I don't like somebody or I don't respect people. I respect everyone from Maestro Fresh Wes to Dreamworks to Rascalz to whomever. But as far as "icons," I don't really look at it like that.

MVRemix: What are your thoughts on Kanye West?

K-Os: Awesome. I think it's amazing what he's doing. I think the fact that he's been able to make great music melodically and to also say something of substance is the best thing about him. He's tapped into it. Plus his ability to fuck with the convention of contradiction and be more of a complicated human being than just either really good or bad. If you want to call it good or bad or being righteous, I don't know. Like Nas, he does a good job of covering both sides.

MVRemix: What has been your favourite album of this year?

K-Os: Probably the Metric album. There's a band called Metric... another guy by the name of Pete Elkas from Canada. They're the two albums I've been kind of listening to lately. Leslie Feist, definitely.

MVRemix: Aside from promoting "Joyful Rebellion," what else have you been working on?

K-Os: [spoken in a cunning tone] A lot of secret things I can't speak about! Haha. But it has to do with getting together with a friend of mine; another emcee. We're starting to write an album together. More Hip Hop - stuff that's more straight ahead. More obscure, more lyrical. Way more lyrical. Starting that up and sharpening back my skills up as an emcee. Just trading off between another emcee is just fun to do. I'll actually be starting work on that.

MVRemix: Do you have any last words to your fans or potential fans that are going to be reading this?

K-Os: Yeah man, there's no rules anymore. There's this whole preposterous thing of imposing that "I'm a Hip Hop..." or "I'm a metal guy." People really need to get open to all music and share. Soon realize that everything is going to get better. That's what my album essentially is about - getting rid of this whole going to the music store to buy music that's a soundtrack to the lifestyle you choose to choose. As opposed to just loving all lifestyles and trying to embody them all. That's not a judgement. If somebody's at a point where they just like rock music, and that's all they want to listen to. That's definitely not judging them. In my mind, where I'm at right now, it's true of that whole thing of not just liking one thing.

O.C.







MVRemix: Tell me about the direction of "Starchild," were you going for a more low-key, introspective vibe instead of your typically raw street shit?

O.C.: I figured it was kind of missing in Hip Hop. You got cats like Immortal Technique who's comin' up in the game that's doin' that real backpack street raw shit. With the exception of him, the game is missing that shit. So I tried to catch it up with the "Starchild" album.

MVRemix: With regards to that, which sort of subjects do you discuss? Which track has the most meaning for you?

O.C.: I mean yo, I really feel I felt whatever the track told me to do. It wasn't no mystical prO.C.ess or nothin' like that, whatever the track told me to do I did it. I kinda had to take it back to have some fun with it. Even if it was a deep topic, or a topic touched to death or something like that - I wanted to try to make a bad situation good. That's all I tried to do with it.

MVRemix: How did you hook up with Inebriated Rhythm?

O.C.: That was with my man AG. AG was dealin' with 'em and they wanted a verse, you know how that go. One thing lead to another and we started workin' together. We kept in touch.

MVRemix: Following on from that, with regards also to AG - what's the current status of D.I.T.C.?

O.C.: Basically, we 'bout to do another album. It's not gonna be so much of a... We probably gonna use a new name. I really don't wanna reveal the whole science behind that but we 'bout to do a new album. It's not gonna be Diggin', it's gonna be me, AG, Diamond [D] and [Lord] Finesse.

MVRemix: And what's the current standing between yourself and Fat Joe?

O.C.: Everything's good. I mean Joe, Joe is a star, man. That's him. He's been that before he was in the limelight and we all family regardless. Everything's good, it's just he does what he does and we do what we do and we knew that from the beginning. Joe had a star quality before he was actually a star.

MVRemix: What did you think of the criticisms you received for "Bon Appetite"?

O.C.: You gon' get that man. Me and Pharoahe [Monch] was talkin' yesterday. It's like the fans or people that listen to your music expect you to talk about what they feelin' instead of what you're feelin'. I think "Bon Appetite" was a good album, but I got a lot of flack for that album. I really don't care, but I think it was a dope album for what it was. Everything is not supposed to be "Time's Up." That's what I think people get caught up in, like I'm supposed to make records like "Time's Up" all the time and that's not the case.

MVRemix: Do you feel underrated or overlooked? Because many see you as being that...

O.C.: I stopped feeling about that a long time ago man, I'll be 34. I don't really care what people feel about my music. If you like it, you like it. If you don't, don't pick it up. That's how I feel. I'm a fan of the music before I'm me.

MVRemix: What do you think about "Word...Life" selling for 50 bucks on E-Bay?

O.C.: That's crazy! That's a perfect example of an album that people pretend to not realize that we're in the business of selling music, but that's not how I came into the game. I came into the game with a genuine love for the music. "Word...Life" was a raw album. It was raw because I was inexperienced, but at the same time I was good at what I was trying to do and it showed a raw talent. Like you makin' a sculpture out of clay. You not gonna get a Picasso or a Julius Caeser head out of it right off the bat, but if you keep workin' at it... I don't think people really understand that "Word...Life" was just something that was done out of love. It's crazy. I can't even begin to tell you about it 'cause I'll be on the phone all day.

MVRemix: Within your catalogue, which is the song which you're most proud of?

O.C.: It'd probably be "O-Zone." Out of everything I've done... I say that because like I said, when I did the first album, I wasn't worrying about sales. I wasn't worried about people picking up my album. I wasn't worried about 50 Cent saying "If you did that album for yourself, you should have kept that shit in the house," I wasn't worried about none of that. It was just a raw song. It was Hip Hop, period.

MVRemix: What's next after "Starchild"?

O.C.: A lot of people don't know, but I'm dealing with the Hieroglyphics now. We got an album slated for late August, maybe early September. I'll probably be hittin' 'em real heavy with the Hieroglyphics and I'ma probably be pumpin' out three or four albums in the next three years man. I think I'ma give myself a three-year run and I'm done with this shit. Probably try and get somebody else in my place.

MVRemix: Can you expand on who the Hieroglyphics thing came through?

O.C.: We dealing with Domino. They got the Emporium label and whatever. They came at me with a situation that was good and I think we been in the same type of category, of class of emcee. So, it's gon' be interesting to see how it's gonna turn out. I'm definitely lookin' forward to that. I'm lookin' forward to anything I'm doing in the future with them; touring - just getting back on the road man. I miss the road.

MVRemix: Is there anyone you're really checking for these days?

O.C.: I like Immortal Technique. Yo man, my taste is funny. People look at me crazy because of what I do. But I like Fabolous, I like the Cassidy's, I like the Papoose - I like Hip Hop man. I like rappers and I like emcees, both. That's what it's for, it's supposed to be a melting pot and everybody's not supposed to do the same thing. To me, in Hip Hop there's emceeing and there's rapping. I don't wanna be serious all the time. If I wanna be serious and listen to some deep Hip Hop, I'll listen to Immortal Technique or I'll go to an Immortal Technique show. If I wanna go somewhere with a chick and she wanna dress up and wear tight shit, I'll go to a Fabolous concert or I'll go to a Fat Joe concert. I like both. Maybe I was disgruntled before because of my own reasons, but yo man, I got the best job in the world. For real.

MVRemix: Are there any plans to work with Primo again?

O.C.: It's an open thing, but I haven't seen Preem in over a year. I don't know where Preem's at.

MVRemix: What about Alchemist? People think you would sound great over his beats.

O.C.: Alchemist is ill for real. Matter of fact I had to big him up for Pharoahe's album. He did a joint on Pharoahe's album, it's like [whistles]. He's incredible. He reminds me of a re-incarnation of Primo and that's not meant in a disrespectful way. He got some other shit, he's hot.

MVRemix: So you've done stuff on Pharaohe's album, or?

O.C.: Nah, nah, me and Pharoahe's workin' on a joint to put on his album, but he's basically done. So that's the situation right there.

MVRemix: What do you think is the biggest misconception people have of you?

O.C.: That... I got criticism about bein' a gangsta or some shit like that for the "Bon Appetite" album, but it was like shit bugged me out. Because there's people (at least in New York), people who know me, or my crew or Showbiz or Finesse - we always had cars. We always had jewelry, I always wore the gold teeth - so, it wasn't nothin' that I was tryin' to portray, I was just bein' me. People tend to come at me like I'm on some fakin' the funk shit. I don't understand that. I guess it's the Rakim effect. Like when you first heard him you was like, "Damn, this dude is deep." Then you seen him in Dapper Dan suits and Benz' - it was the same effect, but it was a backlash on me. It wasn't the same good effect as Rakim get. I've been all over the world man, and when people come to my shows and see the big jewelry - they look at me crazy like, "Yo, what the fuck is this dude doing?" But this is me though. This is who I was at that time or at that stage. I don't understand what people want from me... to wear a backpack on my back and dress grungy? I don't know. That's not my style.

MVRemix: Have fun with this one, a la "Fight Club," "If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight?"

O.C.: It'd probably be somebody like Wesley Snipes or some shit.

MVRemix: And why Wesley Snipes?

O.C.: 'Cause I don't believe he can do all that Karate shit [chuckles].

MVRemix: I heard some bad things about Wesley Snipes, he shot "Blade 3" around here and apparently the man does not tip whatsoever. Supposedly he ran up an $800 tab at a bar I know and didn't tip at all.

O.C.: I heard he gets crazy, he be ready to whip everybody's ass - bouncers, his bodyguards. I think he's like a puff of smoke.

MVRemix: Aside from the album, have you been working on any other projects?

O.C.: Nah man, I been really fO.C.using on my thing. Like I said, after this summer with the new album. I'ma work my ass off so expect me to be on everything. Everything underground everything over-ground. I'm using all my powers.

MVRemix: Any last words?

O.C.: I'm coming. I was never away, just been on hiatus. It's a done deal. It's my year.

Tonedeff




MVRemix: What made you originate QN5 and what do the letters stand for?

Tonedeff: Basically, I started QN5 as an outlet to release the music projects that I was working on.QN5 essentially means 5x5x5. The idea is to be 5-steps ahead of the game creatively at all times.

MVRemix: The other "def" man, Mos Def recently released "The New Danger" to mixed reviews. His experimentation and singing brought about mixed reactions. What made you decide to mix up rapping and singing on Archetype?

Tonedeff: Ahhh, yes. Me & Mos are gonna form a duo called The Deffersons, and release an album on Def Jam. "The New Danger" is a completely different album than Archetype. Those fans that have been following my work for some time won't be suprised by the singing, as I've included a ton of singing/melodic work on all my previous albums (ie. "Homecoming King" on The Monotone EP, "Fast" on Hyphen, "Morethanthis" on Underscore). It's something I've always worked into my music, because it truly comes from the heart and it is not an attempt to "be smooth" or any shit like that. I hate modern R&B music with a passion...but I don't feel we've really scratched the surface with what hip-hop is capable of musically just yet. Archetype is basically the first prototype in a series of steps towards that change. Word.

MVRemix: What do you think of artists like John Legend and Van Hunt?

Tonedeff: They're talented dudes. I wonder what College Dropout would sound like without John Legend's input. Prolly woulda been a very different story. I definitely think they're on the right path for their genre of music. But they're singers by nature. The standards are different. It's a very different thing to be an MC by its very definition and sing from the heart on the same record.

MVRemix: Good point. So, how long has Archetype now been "in-the-making" for?

Tonedeff: The concept for the album has been rummaging around in my brain for years...and I've started the album a few times...and some ideas I kept, and others I tossed...some I turned into b-sides and released on other records...but as far as actual production time, start-to-finish...this album probably took about 2 years to finish in its current form. Most of that was due to me being all over the place trying to build the label up and produce mad shit for everyone else at the same time.

MVRemix: Tell me about "Archetype."

Tonedeff: It's a new sound. I can't put it any other way. I know everyone says that in just about every interview in every fucking music magazine known to man, but anyone that's heard this album will vouch for me. I've taken issue with people's reluctance to accept change in this particular genre of music. Then everyone gets pissed that "everything sucks." That's not a good look for the music itself.

The idea behind the album was to create something sonically beautiful in a way that a hip-hop album hasn't done yet. It's very lush, very melodic and versatile. Like a great rock album, it will accommodate every mood you may be in. Every song is different from the next, yet it all sonically works together. It's a real demonstration of my full range of talents. And most importantly, I feel like it's a true reflection of my creativity as opposed to the 'assembly-line' approach I see in hip-hop nowadays.

It's not the typical MC album you hear now - where the label hires 25 of the "hottest" producers to craft the record, and throws their "artist" into the booth to record their "hot 16s" to a track with a ready-made hook. Archetype a real-deal album that should be listened to as one piece of music, and not on some 30-second Winamp skip-through review shit. I did damn near everything on it - from the writing, to the hooks, to the singing, to the production (on 10 of the 15 tracks), to the engineering, to the design of the artwork. There aren't that many MCs that will take that much responsibility for their albums, but I will, because I know that it's supposed to be done this way.

It's one of the most honest and challenging albums you'll hear. It's a hip-hop album for people that genuinely love music, not 'elitists' or 'snobs' that want to criticize a high-hat on the 4th measure of the 3rd verse, cause they can 'do it better'.

It's got production by Domingo, Kno, Elite, Versifier & E-L (Sweden), and a track with Wordsworth, Rise, Supastition and Extended Famm.

MVRemix: What sort of subjects do you discuss? Which track has the most meaning for you?

Tonedeff: The album is pretty much life-music. I talk about everything from being a kid in modern America, threesomes, my inner struggle with temptation and religion - and everything in between. I say a lot of shit, and people will definitely have a better idea of who I am as a person through repeated listens of this record. There's plenty that people will be able to identify with.

It's hard for me to pick just one track off the record, because I'm fond of all of them for different reasons. They all represent some sort of personal milestone for me. But my personal favorite tracks are "Masochist," "Porcelain," and "Gathered," but I don't want to give away the surprise for those who want to experience everything fresh upon the first listen.

MVRemix: Compare the album to a designer label or car and explain why that was chosen.

Tonedeff: I wouldn't even know where to start on this one, 'cause I've never really been into fashion or cars. Haha.

MVRemix: What's going on with The Plague and E-Famm?

Tonedeff: Extended Famm is on hiatus until everyone drops their solo albums this year. We already have an album's worth of concepts and they're already above and beyond the bar we set up on 'Happy Fuck You Songs' - and to me, that's pretty impressive in itself. The tentative title is 'The Second Coming. Pause.', but we'll probably change that.

Substantial's still workin' on his 2nd album, 'Sacrifice', which is already insane. He's definitely the most slept on member of the group. We're rapping up production on PackFM's 'WhutduzFMstand4?' and people are gonna be really surprised by how much Pack has grown as an artist. His album really evokes that wild/fun feel of those early Redman albums - real NYC style hip-hop shit. Session won't be on the next album.

The Plague is a super-collective of solo artists/groups from NYC that includes: Pumpkinhead, Bad Seed, Extended Famm, Hydra, Mr. Mecca, Kameel-Yen and DJ DP-One. With 12 members, it's difficult to get everyone together, but we still intend to lock ourselves in a studio for a month or two at some point and knock out the 'OUTBREAK' LP we've been intending to do for years now. I've just been so busy readying for QthousaN5 that I haven't been able to focus on The Plague project. Everyone's committed to the project...so, it's just a matter of time. But with that roster of talent, it's safe to say that I'm excited about it.

MVRemix: What about Chico and The Man?

Tonedeff: Chico & The Man a.k.a. CATM, is essentially my next album project entirely produced by Kno (CunninLynguists). For those that have been following QN5 for a while, they know that when Kno & I work together something beautiful happens. He has an amazing ear, and I feel that he is the most talented album-producer currently making hip-hop music right now - period. (Just wait till you hear the next CL album). He really is gifted and it's an honor for me to work with him for an entire album.

He's one of the few people that I completely trust musically, and he's the first person that I allowed to listen to Archetype.When I got the celly message a few weeks later saying, "Tone, it's a really beautiful record...I just wanted to let you know that," I was relieved as hell. So, I remember the first conversation we had about doing the CATM project, and he told me, "Tone, you wear a million caps, and I know how difficult it is to relinquish creative control over the music... so if we do this project, I need to put on your MC cap and allow me to craft this album as the producer." I didn't even hesitate to agree.

Now that Archetype is about to drop...I can focus 100% of my writing energy into CATM. All the concepts and beats have been laid out and it's just a matter of me finishing the writing and recording. All I can say about it right now is that this album is going to be something really, really special.

MVRemix: How did your speed rapping originate?

Tonedeff: Haha! I was waiting for this question to pop up!

Really, it's something I just naturally excelled at. It's a style I picked up as a kid and always incorporated into my style from the jump. I started recording and performing in Miami as a kid back in 1989, and all there was back then was Gucci Crew, 2 Live Crew, MC Shy D, and the rest of the Miami Bass music scene. I literally learned how to freestyle to beats over 120+ bpms, cause that's all we had! It's funny in retrospect, but I always liked how it sounded.

It's a skill element and challenging to write effectively without resorting to gibberish - that's one thing I pride myself on as a writer, because even when I'm going warp speed, I'm still sayin' some witty shit. Ironically, I don't even do it on too many songs, yet some folks seem to focus on it. Still, it's just one element of my style, and I don't ever want it to overshadow my lyricism, because I put a lot of thought and heart into my words.

MVRemix: A la "Fight Club," "If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight"?

Tonedeff: I would give a pinky toe to put a shotgun in Ashlee Simpson's mouth and ask her to sing.

MVRemix: Everyone has a certain selection of music they revert back to every now and again to relax or reflect. What material do you revert back to every once in a while?

Tonedeff: Anyone who knows me, will tell you I'm a music fanatic. It's wild, because I literally grew up on a 100% hip-hop diet. That's ALL I listened to growing up. And it wasn't until I was 18 that I started listening to different types of shit. Now, you should see the look on everyone's faces in the tour van when I'm playing Bjork or Interpol mad loud. When I'm really flipped out and want to off myself via my living room window, I listen to Radiohead, Tori Amos or Jeff Buckley. I'm a sucker for a sad song.

MVRemix: Which movie impacted you the most?

Tonedeff: 8 MILE! I would never have started rapping if I hadn't seen this inspirational film! [Sadly, someone will ernestly say this in an interview one day]

MVRemix: What's your favourite Radiohead song?

Tonedeff: That's a tough one because they have so many amazing songs. I think it's a toss up between "How To Disappear Completely" from Kid A, "Paranoid Android" off OK Computer or "Steet Spirit" off of The Bends. I could go on forever, but those are the first ones to come to mind.

MVRemix: Your hands are always in different fires, aside from Archetype what else have you been attaching yourself to/creating?

Tonedeff: Right now, CATM is my writing focus, and I'm finalizing all the work on PackFM, Mr. Mecca & Session's albums. I just started pre-production and planning on Asterisk:Four (our annual compilation album), and have been doing production work for other artists outside the QN5 camp. Needless to say, I'm a busy dude. I do have a few other tricks up my sleeve, but right now, my main objective is to get out on the road and promote the living fuck out of Archetype. So, be sure to come check the kid out at a show near you!

MVRemix: Any last words to fans or potential fans that are going to be reading this?

Tonedeff: Yes sir! I definitely want to thank all the blue-schoolers and auralarians that have supported myself and the QN5 camp all these years. They see the vision and it's a beautiful thing. I've poured my entire being into this music and this label and these albums, and I hope that everyone, non-fans included, will really listen and let the music sink in.

For those that haven't been up on QN5 Music yet, you've got a fuck load of homework to catch up on...but luckily, you've got a kick ass site and community that'll help you get up to speed at www.qn5.com. I'd also like to give a shout out to MVRemix for letting the Latin kid get his interview on.

Zion I







MVRemix: True & Livin' 'has been praised by critics and fans alike everywhere. So I assume you guys have been very happy with how the album has been received and embraced so far?

Zion: Fa sho, it seems to be doing well even without the press really hitting yet. I have the feeling that this is going to be a slow burner, but I feel good about it.

Amp Live: We have been pretty happy. It is going to be a constant push this whole year because I think there are still alot of fans out there who heard of it, but haven't bought it

MVRemix: What was your mindset like going into this album?

Zion: I wanted to create something that spoke to this strange moment that we are living in. When old systems are crumbling, yet new ones have yet to be built. I think this album is very observation based in terms of looking at the world and its relation to Hip Hop right now. We also wanted it to speak of the struggle of being African in this country as well. Life hasn't gotten any easier, yet all we hear about are platinum medallions and spinners. So the black struggle is in there as well. With all these things we also wanted it to be a joyful album, because there's enough doom and gloom in the world, so we wanted to keep it uplifted too.

Amp Live: On the production tip, we wanted to make some simpler, different, and more banging material. We wanted an organic and raw Hip Hop feel for this album.

MVRemix: When you guys were done with the album, did you know that the album was going to be this big and fans would take it as the next level of Zion I?

Zion: No, honestly I had no idea. After finishing a project, I just pray that folks is feeling it! But, I did know that we had worked hard on the album. So I was sure there was goodness on the record.

Amp Live: No, I didn't expect it at all.

MVRemix: How would you compare this album to your previous efforts?

Zion: I feel this album is more professional in terms of how we put it together. I know that lyrically its more focused and thought out. I really wanted to create cohesive wholes with the writing instead of fragmented ideas. I think it gives each song a more distinct feeling that way.

Amp Live: I think this album is our best one, and its stronger in all areas.

MVRemix: Zion - how would you say you have progressed as an artist over the years?

Zion: One of the main things that I have progressed in is confidence. I don't second-guess myself like I used to in terms of concepts, and what will appeal to people. In terms of style, I'm still evolving and adapting. Yet, I feel my breath control is iller now, and my ability to punctuate statements and get my point across is more solid.

MVRemix: Zion - What types of concepts, topics, and issues can fans expect to hear on True & Livin' '?

Zion: The topics range anywhere from the adoration of hip hop and its transformative abilities - to good sex - to inspirational joints for my folks out there struggling' - to joints breaking down the hypocrisy of the US government. It??€�s all there. It??€�s what I see in my life.

MVRemix: Your production work on this album is amazing! Can you talk about the direction you, and MC Zion wanted to go for this album? Because it seems like you decided to go with more live instrumentation and samples.

Amp Live: We wanted to use more samples, and I also wanted to come different with the way the samples were used. I replayed a lot of stuff and turned stuff around. Also, we wanted the music to be tired in terms of the live instruments played, with them being more present and prevalent.

Zion: The main idea was to bridge the sounds of Mind Over Matter and Deep Water Slang. To create a hybrid between the heavy samples on one hand...and the heavy live instruments on the other.

MVRemix: One of my personal favorite songs on the album is "The Bay". Can you just talk about your motivation for making that track, and your take on the current thoughts on Bay Area Hip Hop?

Zion: I mean its pretty basic. We live here and it??€�s a very slept on region in terms of the talent and influence it has had on hip hop culture. We have some real pioneers in the Bay, and folks don't take enough notice. This is a jam to big up Oakland, San Francisco and all the other cities that really support our records. We got love out here! I think the bay scene is on the verge of getting national attention again. This is because the cats out here have never stopped grinding, and have kept putting their independent hustle down regardless of what the industry is doing. Thus, we've created a self-sustaining economy for Bay music. The labels are going to notice soon.

Amp Live: That track slowly turned into what it was. It had the bay funk to it but a jazzy Hip Hop feel. I made the track, then had a bass player come through, and Zion dropped the lyrics to it at the end. In regards to bay area hip hop, the scene is up and coming. There are groups out here that are beginning to shine nationally for sure!

MVRemix: "Soo Tall" is a very unique and intriguing song. Can you talk about the message in the song? What do you mean by, "One day we'll be so tall"?

Zion: I'm saying that one day all the adversity we face will be overcome. We'll come to that day of reckoning, and all the pain we've gone through will be worth it, as we'll finally have our day in the sun. Its a hopeful message, to keep pushing through, because in the end there is only victory when we do the best we can and live righteous.

MVRemix: A lot of artists have their own dedication to the Hip Hop culture, like you guys did with "Birds Eye View". However, you were able to pull it off without following the usual blueprint. So were you conscious of that fact that the idea has been done before, and that you needed to switch it up a little?

Amp Live: We definitely were aware of it, but Zion told his story through the Zion I perspective. That's what made the song what it is.

Zion: Yeah, everything has been personified - hip hop, weed, whatever. I just wanted to tell it like it really is. This has actually been my relationship with hip hop! There have been a lot of ups and downs, but through it all. She's still true to me, as long as I've been true to her. Hip Hop has been a blessing in my life, and I felt it was a good time to express all of the joy and pain of this journey.

MVRemix: I see you guys are on tour. How has that been? What's been the best city so far? Any crazy tour stories, or anything of that nature?

Zion: The tours been cool, it's our first headlining joint, so it almost feels like starting over again. The best show was in San Francisco - it??€�s the hometown advantage! Other than that: Missoula, Montana was a big surprise, and Seattle was tight. However, the hottest overall had to be Coachella! That was huge! Crazy story.... I got in the car with an insane woman who was driving so out of control that I had to grab the wheel from the passenger's side. That was wack - I felt like my life was being threatened!

Amp Live: The tour has been pretty good so far. It's our first headlining tour so the crowds and venues have been smaller but its still strong and there is still a lot of high energy. The best cities have been all the ones on the west coast so far. We will be hitting the east coast in late-May/early-June, so we will see how that goes.

MVRemix: Just some random questions. If you had to choose one person to represent the Hip Hop culture, who would you rather have - Krs-One or Chuck D?

Zion: Chuck D, only because he has less ego. But I got love for both of them.

Amp Live: Chuck D

MVRemix: Better emcee lyrically - Rakim or Nas?

Zion: Both of these cats are two of my top dawgs, but I have to go with Nas. Only because I memorized the entire Illmatic album.

Amp Live: Rakim, because he was before Nas and a father to his style.

MVRemix: Better producer - Marley Marl or DJ Premier?

Zion: DJ Premier, he's got classics, and I can name off a gang of 'em. I don't think I was really aware enough to totally appreciate Marley Marl during his time.

Amp Live: Premier, hands down. He just has harder beats and a longer life in terms of production.

MVRemix: Most underrated emcee in Hip Hop History is??€¦

Zion: I'd say Run from Run DMC. That cat was ill, and had heart to back it!

Amp Live: Supernatural

MVRemix: Better West Coast emcee - 2pac or Ice Cube?

Zion: 2Pac, just for all his passion, and the way he brought people together. He's a legend.

Amp Live: Technically, Ice Cube. But in regards to feeling and passion, 2pac.

MVRemix: What was the one album each of you listened to growing up?

Zion: Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation of Millions" - classic!

Amp Live: LL Cool J's Radio album.

MVRemix: Overall, do you guys have a main career goal you are shooting for in the near or distant future?

Zion: Fa sho - to make good music, and be able to take care of my family! It's pretty simple man. To keep putting out records, continue to create this hardcore fan base, and enjoy life!

Amp Live: We definitely want to get this label established and just continue to put out good music.

MVRemix: What else do you guys have in the works?

Zion: We're working on a DVD documentary and short film to be released in the fall. I've got a solo project in the works too entitled Baba Zumbi. Of course we also have the other artist on the label Deuce Eclipse and D.U.S.T.

Amp Live: We are putting out Deuce Eclipse and D.U.S.T., look out for those. Also Zion has mix CD's he is doing, and I'm going to put out a drum n bass CD. We are also doing some upcoming collaborations with artist, but we can't say how just yet.

MVRemix: Any last words, shout outs, or plugs?

Zion: Big up all our fans holding it down, much love! Check out the website, www.zionicrew.com, and hit up the message board. Also hit up our myspace page as well, www.myspace.com/zioni. Thanks and praises due!

Common - Aprilie 2005



MVRemix: I'm assuming that you've heard that your album was leaked online last week, how do you feel about that? And will the retail version differ to the one that was leaked?

Common: I mean, hmmm. I heard that it was leaked, but people ain't got all the songs so I ain't trippin'.

MVRemix: You've never really been the type of artist to work with a bunch of producers for their name, have you given any thought as to who you would want to work with on your next album?

Common: I haven't thought a lot about it, but I just want to work with people that I feel are very good and they can accomplish the sound that I really want. When I create albums I say "Yo, this is what I wanna go for." Like when I did "Electric Circus" I said lets go beyond what we expect Hip Hop to sound like - who can give me that sound? I knew Ahmir (Questlove) and Jay Dee could take the music to wherever so I connected with them. When I knew I wanted to do something raw and Hip Hop and soulful, I went to Kanye and to Jay Dee who could do it all too and they gave me what I needed.

MVRemix: Now the production that Kanye does on your album doesn't seem like his traditional thing. Did you push him to have him bring a little more of what you wanted?

Common: First of all, I believe that Kanye is from the same womb of music that I am. He loves the Tribe Called Quest's, and the Pete Rock's, the DJ Premier and Gang Starr stuff, that's probably his home too. But he's been blessed to do other sounding music also. So when we started working, I think he was at home with it and I did challenge him to grow from that route - that way. 'Cause I wasn't goin' any other way. I did challenge him to grow as a producer, he challenged me to grow as an artist; as an emcee.

MVRemix: Where would you rank "BE" in comparison to your other albums?

Common: It's in the top two. The top two I would say. Everybody's got they favourites - certain things touch them at certain times. But I think it's my best work as far as a complete album and not having no songs where the people just feel like "Argh... I'm gonna keep fast forwarding all this." You might want to go to one of your favourite songs on the album and fast-forward over stuff, but, this has been the first album I've got that has gotten a classic rating. So, at least from the beginning it's being noted as that which is a beautiful thing

MVRemix: How do you feel about the way "Electric Circus" was received?

Common: I mean I definitely wanted more of a response from the artistic perspective of people being like "Man, he came and made new stuff that was really good. That was some creative music and we loved it." But, that wasn't what I got. I didn't get the sales either. So I was disappointed, I was definitely not feeling good about how things went with that album.

MVRemix: Do you have any plans to work with No I.D. or Dug Infinite again?

Common: Yeah, I would love to work with them again. Like I said, it just be when that timing is right - where I'm feeling focused on those things. I'm enthused to do that but it would be when I know that we all on that same vibration. The music that I'm going for I will definitely work with No I.D. and Dug when it's time.

MVRemix: Did you find it irritating that people payed so much attention to your relationship with Erykah and that they your music was being effected by it?

Common: Nah, I mean that's part of the game. When you in the music industry, people gon' talk about certain things you do 'cause you livin' your life out loud, in front of people. People gon' have their comments about what they believe and you always gon' have talk about it. I didn't find it irritating. It was just people commenting. At the time that it came I was already feeling stronger anyway, in tune with myself. So it didn't effect me to the point where I'm like "I'ma change because people sayin' this." Like yo, that's part of the job, man. People gon' talk about you when you an artist. Good or bad. Some days it's good, some days it's bad.

MVRemix: You mention your daughter a lot in your music, what does she think of your album?

Common: She hasn't heard the whole thing. She loves a lot of the music. She loves certain lines like "The way they treat blacks / I wanna snap / Like Paparazzi" - she kept sayin' it and laughin', tryin' to figure out what's the paparazzi, and I told her. She loves the music, man. She really digs it, and I can feel that coming from her. She got a soul, so she into good music. She would bump "College Dropout" a lot. So with this album, she gon' dig it. And I think children will be able to grow up and you can understand more of what I'm saying in it later. But I believe the songs are powerful enough that they gon' enjoy the songs now, and then they'll get a lot of the substance in it even more when they get older

MVRemix: How was it working with Nas, Styles P and Jadakiss on the "Why" remix?

Common: It was like an honour to be on there with them. All them cold emcees... they cold man. I love them, and Nas been one of my favourite artists since he began. It was just fun. That remix felt like something I would hear like the "Scenario" remix. One of them songs that make you feel good, like that's Hip Hop right there.

MVRemix: Seeing as you've learned music theory, would you be willing to do music of a different genre? And if so, which?

Common: I would love to sing, but I would have to work on it. So I ain't learned music theory all the way, I just learned the beginnings of it to get me started and at least know I know what a note is... some of the beginnings, the a-b-c's of it. I would love to sing, be a solo artist like that.

MVRemix: Are there any plans to collaborate with Black Star in the near future?

Common: Yeah, I would love to collaborate with Black Star again and I also have Mos Def on "The Corners" remix too. It's him and Scarface on "The Corners" remix.

MVRemix: How did that come about with Scarface?

Common: I love Scarface, man! He's one of my favourites. Geto Boys, I grew up listening to them. So, I mean I just asked Face would he do it because he's someone I really love and respect. He said "Yeah," he was totally down.

MVRemix: What's the current situation with the Soulquarians?

Common: We been making music, man. Soulquarians is still a collective. It's still a beautiful family. We never made good business moves together. But we created music and we did it for the love of what we all were sent here to do. The Roots are coming out with a new album. D'Angelo is working on his stuff, Erykah's working on her stuff. Jay Dee who produced some stuff on my album is workin' on his stuff, so everything's looking good for the Soulquarians. Bilal's coming with a new album.

MVRemix: Have you heard any of the independent remixes of your stuff like DJ Kno, 9th Wonder or Soul Supreme?

Common: Nah, I haven't heard 'em yet. I wanna hear 'em.

MVRemix: Aside from the new album, what else have you been working on?

Common: I just did a guest appearance on Faith Evans new single "Again." Like I said, I did "The Corners" remix, I'm also working on my hat line Soji. I'm workin' as we speak with Kanye, not really like I'm creating beats with him. But he's working on his new album "Late Registration" which'll be out in the summer. That's really it, like I been writing children's books.

MVRemix: Do you have any last words for your fans that are going to be reading this?

Common: God Bless. God is good. And thank you for supporting Good Music and I appreciate this moment.

Daca mai vreti interviuri mai vechi just say...le bag!

Kanye West: Pre-Registration Part OneBy Houston Williams




Remember all that controversy when Kanye West proudly deeming himself a college dropout? Well, the Chicago resident opted to return with a Late Registration, the sophomore chapter in his ever-changing saga. But, in between albums, Kanye has seen himself the subject of scorn and worship alike. For example, his faux Gospel Rap song ??€?Jesus Walks??€? was the answer to many prayers, yet vocal opponents in the Christian community shunned his message. West doesn??€�t want Late Registration to be tainted by the issues such as Playgirl covers, media, critics, or those around him. The MC and producer extraordinaire merely wants to craft good music that brings back that loving feeling. Join Kanye West and AHH as they course through the maze called pre-registration.

AHH: How'd the whole Playgirl thing start?

Kanye West: Okay, then let??€�s start there. It all start from me saying ??€� at the Artist Empowerment Coalition ??€� that I felt like a couple artist should get paid to be on the cover of magazines. Everybody gets paid except for the person actually selling the magazine. The thing about specifically me, everything I said as ??€?we??€? has turned into an ??€?I??€? thing. [They say], ??€?Oh, he??€�s so arrogant,??€? because he said ??€?we??€? ??€� the artist community- need to get paid. Someone at the [New York] Daily News misquoted me. They said that I said I won??€�t do a magazine cover unless it was paid, which shows you how people take the liberty to [misquoted me] and it??€�s an injustice. It happens all the time and people run with them. They made a whole story off of a misquote. Then they went and asked every magazine, ??€?Would they pay to put Kanye on the cover???€? And every magazine said no. Playgirl said we would consider giving Kanye money to appear on the cover. Now from that, it??€�s changed [to] I??€�m supposed to be posing for Playgirl? How do you get that from that?

AHH: Do you feel people are out to get you?

Kanye West: I never approached the whole ??€?Jesus Walks??€? [rumor] on AHH. The thing is, people at any given time are trying to discredit my talents in some way. I??€�ve been through too much. I been through A&R??€�s completely s****ing on me, when I am about to get kicked out of my apartment. I??€�m trying to make it in the game, but I can??€�t get a deal for anything, because I??€�m a producer and nobody will buy my album. I been through it. It??€�s like the mentality of somebody that just got out of jail. I??€�ve made a lot of mistakes, by having that prison mentality, or what people call the ??€?Chi-town mentality.??€? You??€�re feeling like everybody is out to get you. And people make it seem like I??€�m coming at them, but I am talking to specific people. I had to learn how to monitor myself and get better. We??€�re all human beings. The problem is, I??€�m not fake. I will go down and talk to someone at the radio station. I make this music for me and for y??€�all.

That was one of my problems with critics. I still feel to this day, The Source needs to change my score to five mics. What they can do is take my remastered album and rate the remastered album ??€� it??€�s a different album. Give me my five mics. I feel like the XXL completely showed how credible they were by saying, ??€?Yes, I made a mistake.??€? I??€�ve made mistakes in the past too. We??€�re all human. All these magazines are ran by humans. The Daily News made a mistake. They said, ??€?Kanye West is crazy, by saying he should be put on the cover.??€?

Now are we crazy to think we should get paid for our songs to get played on the radio? It does promote us. That??€�s something that we should pay [for], much less getting paid. That??€�s what ASCAP is about, that??€�s what publishing is about. I think there should be a form of publishing for the publisher.

AHH: People say that it??€�s a reciprocal relationship.

Kanye West: And so is the radio, but do you get ASCAP?

AHH: Uh??€¦

Kanye West: The answer is yes; when you get played on the radio you get money for your songs when they play it on the radio. It is no better promotion than the radio because the statement and term music magazine is an oxymoron. When my album came out and they so-called ??€?rated??€? was their anyway for someone to actually put black and white pages up to their ear to make the decision their self? Music magazine is an oxymoron seriously. I won??€�t discredit magazines all together and I do thank them for putting me on the cover. That gave me the opportunity to raise my status, and possibly get endorsement deals. But one of the main reason we should get paid is because they won??€�t put someone on the cover that is not already famous, so the magazine is not making the person famous. They don??€�t take risk anymore; I told multiple magazines to do the backpack cover that XXL finally did. It took Dave Chappelle to pull it together.

AHH: Can you speak on how you felt about being given the key to the city and Kanye Day?

Kanye West: It was amazing, Playgirl said they would pay me to be on the cover and now, that is all over the place. I get the key to the city and a man declared February 27th, Kanye West Day, and you barely hear it. At this point, I can??€�t believe that Michael Jackson touches kids. You can??€�t believe everything you hear in the press. At the end of the day, it makes for interesting conversation and it is all entertainment. The thing is at the end of the day magazines are doing what they are suppose to do which is entertain people. So I can??€�t try to take them away from their jobs, my only request as an artist, is we get paid for entertaining. Why don??€�t we all get paid at the same time? It is supply and demand. Why would you pay me for an interview right now and I am everywhere, except for the fact that I am not a clich?© bite his tongue, politically correct house n***a.

AHH: So how did you feel on Kanye West day?

Kanye West: I felt overwhelmed. My favorite artists from [Bumpy] Johnson, to Common, Do or Die, GLC [performed]. The artists performed a song that I produced for them, and then a song from my album, College Dropout. Rappers that I love were spitting my rap, and it let me know that God put me in a position to bring change. I would be doing a disservice to not use this gift that I have. I started a foundation, The Kanye West Foundation to help bring changes in the school a lot of major cities have over 50% drop out rates among African Americans and Latinos. I started a program that puts a studio in the school. When I went to school, it was for music, basketball, gym and lunch. I weathered through the other courses and graduated.

AHH: A lot of people criticism you for popularizing not graduating??€¦

Kanye West: I feel that college is a choice, and anything you have to pay for is a choice. If you had a store, and somebody brings you a shirt and says, ??€?Here take this??€? and the person say, ??€?Nah, I don??€�t want that right now,??€? that is a choice. High school is a necessity and these kids need every chance they can to survive because it is hard world just to say the least.

AHH: People only hear ??€?drop out.??€?

Kanye West: I think there is a misconception about me, that I am so proud that I would not change my word. My father is a former Black Panther, and I apologize because it is in my blood like if someone was from a family of politicians, it is in their blood. I was born to educate and fight for what I feel is right and just. From what I can find out from being in and out of the studio, which is my first love and the love of trying to make this world a better place, God spared my life not only to do music but to use my powers to make things better for other people. He didn??€�t put me on this planet to sell a lot of records and buy a bunch of Gucci s**t.

AHH: I can appreciate what you have done for Common's career.

Kanye West: Even times when I didn??€�t have enough time to follow through, I had to go from Common to Janet, Slum Village, Brandy, Twista and Do or Die. I wasn??€�t always successful. But when I went in the studio, I didn??€�t give them the ??€?B Team??€? group because the label said they were ??€?B Team??€? artists, I gave them the best I can do. Ever since that accident, that day of the accident I had produced about three tracks that were mediocre. If I would have passed, it would have been the last of my work. So every time I sit down and do a track I do it like it was my last. One thing that I wanted to say before the Grammy??€�s when they were saying that ??€?Jesus Walks??€? thing - for everyone that has a comment to say like ??€?oh he didn??€�t write , he didn??€�t do this??€? and they are right I don??€�t write I think them. Me and rhymes just collaborate on raps all the time like Styles and Jada, like E&J, that is what we do. So for anybody that had a comment at the end of the day would you have rather the song ??€?Jesus Walks??€? never came into formation and never came out with the College Dropout? If I was not able to come up with the lyrics that I needed to come up with, wouldn??€�t I need to gracefully bowed out or get help from those around me to make it better because I have the voice and the ear now.

AHH: I was one of the people in your defense.

Kanye West: [People need to] be happy that Kanye met Rhymefest at 16 years old. Be happy that I am smart enough to place myself around talented people like John Legend, Common and Consequence that help improve what I have to offer you. For what we give in the videos and the album, I am in the hole with College Dropout. The money does not compare to its impact it had on the world. The reason for its impact is I made it with the intention of making a quality product.

AHH: Hip-Hop needs that desperately right now.

Kanye West: You can??€�t say that I am not hip hop I came from battling; me and Common battle all the time, me and Rhyme Fest use to battle in the car, and he was one of the greatest battlers of all time. I use to go to shows and through a beat on and n***as would start wilding out. This has been so fun for me and I appreciate the opportunity to be able to talk to AHH.com and have these ears open. It is my duty that I see that with the albums in the future it is not just about me anymore, it is about everybody depending on me to make sure when they pay that $15 they are happy and don??€�t feel like, ??€?What else could I have bought with my $15???€? I will drive myself crazy because I am a perfectionist -because my pain is you??€�ll pleasure; my obsessive compulsive disorder, some people say that I am anal, but at the end of the day that is the reason ??€?Jesus Walks??€? has a hundred tracks of strings that play for seven seconds in a song. The eye for detail can drive a person insane.

Kicking It With Q-Tip
By Darin Gloe

Amidst mixing down and putting the final touches on his upcoming Universal LP "Live at the Renaissance", we got a chance to sit down with Q-Tip. He's let us in on what he's been up to, where the Kamal project is at, and what movie roles he has taken on. He also puts the proverbial nail in the coffin on the rumored Tribe reunion.

What up, how are you doing, and I have to say it is great to see you back on the scene.

Thank you, I'm good, how are you sir?

Before we get to talking about the album, inquiring minds want to know, what's up with ATCQ. We have heard from Phife and Ali is doing his thing with Penalty, what is your take on it?

Yeah, I hear you man....it's not going to happen, that's done, it's done. We just have to move on. But, for everybody out there, I would like to say this for clarity and for my own piece of mind; I did all them tracks on the first 3 albums, I did everything. So don't think the sound or any of that is gone. It's the same mindset and the same ability, so I don't want anybody to get disheartened.

Speaking of Tribe, lots of DJs go to the site, and this is from Mr. Pizzo himself, in Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists it states there is a "Scenario" (Remix) with De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers, does this exist?

There is a "Scenario" (Remix) with Jarobi, Chris Lighty, who manages 50 Cent and I believe Dres from Black Sheep rhyming.

Another question is peoples minds is the Kamal the Abstract album that was coming out, is that shelved forever or do you plan on dropping that later still?

Yes, we are negotiating right now with Arista to get those masters back. The Kamal album will come out immediately following this album, with the original artwork, original liner notes, and I'm going to put some bonus material on there from those sessions.

Let's talk about things other than music, we have been told you are doing some acting, what are those roles and how did they come about?

I just recently finished up a film with Spike Lee called "She Hate Me". I'm working on producing a film with an independent film company out of New York about the life of Miles Davis; I'm really excited about that. If everything goes right hopefully we will be in production next year sometime.

Who is the actor or actress you would most like to work with, present or past?

Wow, that's a good question. Brando of course....even though I heard he is kind of scary.

(Laughs)

Without question somebody like Bette Davis, or Diane Carroll. Probably, Denzel, Fishburne and I really dig Phillip Seymour Hoffman and I actually love Dustin Hoffman. There are so many, I feel like the art for me is a double prong thing you know? I'm equally passionate about film as I am about music.

Do you see yourself moving more into acting and away from music?

Never! Never, Never I love music. I think if you are a successful actor versus a successful musician, you are probably in a better position for yourself as an actor because the music business is so scandalous. The music business is set up to rob the artist, because it is so treacherous. You are probably better off as an actor if it was about your well-being. But, the joys you get out of creating something out of your own mind, out of you own spirit and touching thousands of people at one time. It's crazy, it's a high.

Do you see yourself playing more of mentor role, since you have been in the game so long you knowledge for someone just coming up would be priceless.

I see myself doing that but I always want to be an active participate in it as well, as a student. I learn stuff from Pharrell, and Kanye. I learned stuff from Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch, they teach me and I share with them little things that I know. I'm not too proud and I'm not too accomplished to take a lesson from somebody.

The single "For the Nasty" is produced by the Neptunes and features Busta Rhymes. Did Busta hook you up with the Tunes or did you have connections before hand?
Aaah, I've known them for years, I've know Pharrell for like 12 or 13 years. He used to come to Tribe shows and hang out backstage. He would take the trip up to New York and I used to call them cats "Tribees".

(Laughs)

Our sessions used to be filled with all of these kids, who I now run into the streets are like "you remember me; I used to be in your sessions". Pharrell just happened to be one of those kids and I have known him for years. It was really a complete pleasure to work with him and learn from him.

The album is coming out on Universal/Motown, do you have a title as of now and when does it drop?
I'm finishing it up now and the title is "Live at the Renaissance" and it is looking like the first week of August.

Aside from the Neptunes, who else is producing tracks?

The Neptunes, they did one, I got Kanye to do one, I did the rest.

Can you let the cat out of the bag on guest appearances? We Know of Busta, anybody else?

We have Busta, D'Angelo, Andre 3000, Consequence and Pharaohe Monch, a whole bunch of men.

(Laughs)

One last question before we let you, is there anybody out there you haven't worked with that you would like to, producer or emcee or both?I would love to work with Prince.

"Reminiscing With Prince Paul"

Interview by Kid Saer, recorded at World Headquarters, Newcastle.



Kid Saer: I'd like to start by getting some of your history prior to Stetsasonic. Am I correct in assuming that you were born in Long Island?

Prince Paul: I was born in Queens, but grew up in Long Island

KS:When were you first exposed to hip-hop?

PP:The first time that I ever heard anything that could be described as hip-hop related was back in about '76 or '77. I'd say it was somewhere between Brooklyn and Long Island, my grandmother lived in Brooklyn ad as you know they had a lot of DJ crews out there.

KS:Was this exposure due to tapes being passed around, or was it due to you physically being at block parties?

PP:It was due to being at parties and stuff, I don't remember too many tapes, as you know, back then, it wasn't even called hip hop? it was just 'partying', it was just like "hey! there's somebody DJ-ing over there"

KS:Were you ever a B-Boy, did you get involved with break dancing?

PP:Nah, the only thing I can remember was back in the fifth grade there was like a few kids who were into B-Boy'ing, but it was just only kinda like up-rockin' at that time. It was only later that people got into popping and breaking.

KS:So were you more interested in the DJ's?

PP:I used to go to the parties and would stand and watch the DJ's like this (assumes a wide-eyed, arms-crossed pose - laughs). I was just a kid. I would stand there for hours, the whole night, totally amaze by what they were doing. The records they were playing, I'd never heard of any of them!

KS:Around this time, were the DJ's covering up their records?

PP:Yeah, every DJ was doing that, covering up their labels, but they were kinda stupid too 'cause they would leave the record sleeves stuck up in their crates so you could actually see what they were playing I you could see the sleeve. After the first couple of parties, I started writing down the titles. I used to see if I could find some of them - I mean, I couldn't afford them - but I'd look in the thrift stores and dollar bins for them.

KS:Were you lucky enough to score any of these records from your parents?

PP:A couple. I have brothers that are a lot older than me, they were teenagers at this time, graduating high school and stuff and so I went through a lot of their records.

KS:Did you score any gems off your brothers?

PP:Yes! (laughs) Still got 'em to this day! Hopefully they won't get to see this interview!

KS:I read recently in Wax Poetics that at this time you were down with Biz Markie? Was he from Long Island too?

PP:Yeah. I lived in Amityville whereas he lived a little further out east, maybe about a half-hour away. He used to come through to Amityville to sample the parties and stuff, I met his through some friends. At that time he was calling himself "Busy Bee".

KS:Were you clocking his records? His collection is legendary?

PP:He had a bunch of records sure, but remember we were just kids and didn't have too much money. What Biz had was lists of records... He would go see Bambaataa and the other DJ's spin and he would come back with his little black book full of the names of records he'd heard the DJ's play? he would be saying "oh man! we gotta find this record!". When I met up with Biz I guess I was in the eighth grade, about fourteen?he's a couple of years older than me.

KS:When Paul Winley came out with the "Super Disco Breaks" series, did that really bust the bubble on diggin' for records? Was it like "shit! Now everyone knows what these records are"? did it take a lot o the edge off diggin' for you?

PP:Yeah, when those records came out it did change things forever, but for me at the time, a kid with no money, it meant that I could get access to some of the music that I could never find before. But, on the flip side it meant that all the time you'd spent looking for particular records was now wasted. Also, in some cases, you would be the only one with a particular record, the exclusivity was now gone 'cause everyone could get them. But what really messed it up was when the "Ultimate Beats And Breaks" series came out? man, even back in the day using those records for breaks was considered cheating!

KS:Surely though now, in retrospect, they are a good thing? I mean, you don't have to play your originals out? Just get two copies of the "Ultimate" records?

PP:When I spin wax, especially breakbeats, I always bring my originals. I've used them since I started DJing so they're all jacked up anyway. They still work though! On my travels though, should I find a good, clean copy of one of the original records, I'll buy it and keep it at home for myself. For most records, I have three copies.

KS:Moving on? How did Stetsasonic first come together?

PP:I first met Stet when I was 16 or 17 and I was DJing at a block party in Brooklyn. At that time, I thought I was kinda cool, doing little DJ tricks to draw a crowd. The crowd was watching me and in there were Daddy-O, D-Lite and a guy called Grand Supreme who was down with them at that time. Fruitkwan joined Stet later. The approached me and told me they were down with what I was doing and asked I want to work with them. I was still just a kid so I was like "yeah!"

KS:Wasn't there two DJs down with Stetsasonic at first?

PP:Yeah. DBC started DJing for Stetsasonic until we started bring the keyboards out. Really, DBC's main role within Stetsasonic was keyboards and beat programming. I was the DJ and we had Wise beat-boxing? Later on we had Bobby Simmons playing live drums...





KS:I'm glad you mentioned the live drummer. To me, Stetsasonic were the first true hip-hop band.

PP:Yeah, that's what we were trying to achieve. "Go Stetsa" was the first time we used the live drums.

KS:A record I love... Talking of wax, was the first Stetsasonic twelve called "Just Say Stet"?

PP:Indeed, released in 1985. Oh my God, that's nearly 20 years ago! (laughs).

KS:We first heard it here in the UK on one of the StreetSounds Hip Hop compilation albums. I seem to remember that it was mixed with the 2 Live Crew "What I Like"?

PP:I've not heard of those comp's. Did the mix with 2 Live work? Yeah? Wow!





KS:In the end, Stetsasonic released three albums. Looking at the dates on them, there must have been some overlap with De La Soul?

PP:Yes. I started work with De La during the recording for the second Stet album. I used to bring the De La guys into the studio with me. We recorded "Plug Tuning" back in 1987, but it wasn't released until 1988.

KS:Any problems as a result of both groups being signed to Tommy Boy?

PP:No. With De La we were just recording demos. I didn't initially approach Tommy Boy at first because I'd had better offers for De La from elsewhere. Tommy Boy was an okay label but the money Stet received wasn't great. Personally, it was a good time for me because with Stetsasonic I was a DJ, but with De La I was the producer.

KS:"Three Feet High" must have made some serious money for Tommy Boy?

PP:Indeed. It was a massive hit for them. As soon as that record came out, they were able to spruce up their office a bit (laughs). People started dressing at Tommy Boy a lot smarter after that record came out.

KS:Did you receive financial reward?

PP:From "3 Feet High" I received my first royalty cheque. Ever.

KS:I'd like to jump a little now and compare "3 Feet High" to the Beastie's "Paul's Boutique". With both of these albums it must have been a nightmare for those charged with arranging the sample clearance? We all remember the story involving De La Soul and The Turtles?


PP:We gave Tommy Boy the name of every sample we used on "3 Feet". It was up to them which ones they licenced. I guess they didn't think that the Turtles' record was important, plus I didn't think they expected the De La Soul record to sell like it did? It's funny you mentioned Paul's Boutique? I met up the Beastie's before they went in with The Dust Brothers to record their second album and they were all like "oh man, we loved what you did with '3 Feet', all those samples? we're gonna do something similar with our next record"


KS:I don't think producers today can get away with what producers like yourself were doing back in '87 - '89? not without spending a hell of a lot of money?

PP:Sampling and hip hop was thought of being just a fad? now it's a lucrative market. You've got guys employed at publishing houses listening to hip-hop records with their notebooks out and lawyers present. It does affect creativity?





KS:Going back to Stet, I gotta say I prefer your production work with them to De La, especially the production you did on the third Stet album?.

PP:My God! You're the first person I've ever met who's said that! I enjoyed producing the thirds album but remember we were breaking up so it does feel rather sporadic at times.

KS:Were you involved with the production of "Talkin' All That Jazz"?

PP:Yeah. I had that beat for a while and I looped it. I got a friend to play keyboards over the top of it. It's isn't credited on the record. We got a production credit, but I never knew that writing music got you a writer's credit! I thought the writer on a song was the lyricist! I was just a kid I suppose. But now, I always check to make sure I get the credit for what I do. Next time you listen to "Talkin'?" think of me looping that beat and my friend Luke on keyboards, who was my MC back in the day? (laughs)

KS:With The Gravediggers, you did recruit some of your old Stetsasonic buddies? but the direction seemed so very different. Was that intentional?

PP:A lot of people have intentions to make must for commercial reasons. Okay, it's from the heart, but it's still intended to sell. For me, I go where my emotions are at that time. I guess that's how I view all art. I'm still the same person, but everything I've done in life has affected me to a degree. At the start, there was Stetsasonic. That was me starting out, fresh and unaware. Then with De La, it was the first time I was truly in control of something where no-one can tell me to do anything I don't want to. The Gravediggers was the first time when I'd acquired a first amount of success and then because of the success of "3 Feet" everyone was expecting me to fall and produce something really bad? Gravediggers got a load of flak.

KS:Weren't people looking to expect your demise after "3 Feet"?

PP:es they were, but with time I think that "De La Soul Is Dead" has come to be regarded as a stronger album that "3 Feet".





KS:Definitely. Everyone knows "3 Feet" and the "3 Is The Magic Number" track and it is now a very commercial track? but give me "Ego Trippin" over that any day! What do you think now about they hype that surrounds the "collecting breaks" scene, as perhaps best typified by eBay?

PP:I'm like "the bottom line is everyone wants to make money!" (laughs). I've learned some major life lessons along the way and I could raise my blood pressure and get mad but like a lot of old school hip hop guys I'm tending to be a little more laidback. I see records going now for 300 bucks, 500 bucks and I'm like "well, I got mine for 99 cents back in the day..." but I can't get mad about it. If people want records, they'll pay.

KS:Do you still get time to go diggin for records?

PP:Not as much as I'd like to. People think I'm still mad diggin' but they forget that I've been collecting for so many years now that I've got a lot of records. I still collect records, but I don't get as excited as I used to. I talk to guys like Cut Chemist and Shadow and they're like "oh man! you've got the original 45 of that!" and I just tell them that I got it way back when. There are so many people collecting now, I feel like I'm battling against the whole world now when it comes to diggin', not just a couple of guys in my neighbourhood.

KS:Are there any records from back in the day that make you think to yourself "man, I'd have that record whatever the cost"?

PP:Not really. If you'd asked me that question 15 years ago I'd have produced a whole list for you! (laughs). The cool part of diggin' is now gone in this internet age. You can find almost ever record now on the internet, there are so many people out there looking for and selling these rare records. There are some rare joints that you can still find for cheap if you really look hard enough.

KS:I would like to finish off by asking - what' s new from Prince Paul?

PP:There's a new Handsome Boy record in the pipeline. It's also good to get out on tour right now and just let people know you exist! (laughs).

KS:Thanks.

Apani B Fly Emcee



E: Who is Apani B.?

A: That's me! That's a hard question to answer, a very complex question. I'm just somebody who loves music, I like to live, I love my family, I have cats, I love animals, I love to cook, I hate bullshitters.

E: Is there a lot of bullshit in hip-hop?

A: I don't like bullshitters in any area of life, I mean I try to be as real as I can be at all times, but real is relative.

E: Does hip-hop allow you to speak up against that bullshit?

A: Yeah, I pretty much try to save it for hip-hop. I wound up having this long discussion with this cat on the 'net the other day about that and he was just a hater, you know what I mean? He claimed to be a fan and he never bought any of my records and he never heard of Poly, his opinions on everything and everyone were really negative. There's a lot of things that I see in hip-hop that I don't like, but I save it for the music. A lot of people who do music have got these alter-egos, so with me being as real as I can all the time and with me just tellin' the truth, that's just another extension of me writing these rhymes. It's not some made-up fantasy stuff, It all stems form an event or conversation that really happened. I talk about what I really think and what I really live.

E: Why do you think the internet plays such a huge role in the underground hip-hop scene? Why are all the kids that you might see at shows and that you might talk to, why are most of them all from the internet?

A: Well the internet is pretty cool, if you think about how young people are into video games, like I'm 25, I've spent this whole day playing Final Fantasy, that's what I was doing when you called me earlier, and I just took a break to eat, so I mean a video game is nothing but a computer. Like samplers, samplers are nothing but computers. There's a lot of cool things on the internet, lots of pretty colours, lots of interesting places to exchange information. Not everybody is into it though. I know some people, I got friends who be like: "I ain't got no time for that computer-internet business", 'cause they don't like to stand still. I think anybody who is into computers, who owns one, could get into the internet. There's people who don't use their computer for anything else, they don't use any wordprocessing software, they don't do any design, but all they do is go on the internet. It could be a resource tool and it could also be entertaining.

E: In terms of releasing stuff, lately, why is that you're the only Polyrhythm Addict member who doesn't recently have their own solo single or solo album as of late?

A: I've been doing a lot of recording for projects, I've been doing a lot of compilations and I'm working on a solo single right now. I'm kind of trying to explore different avenues than my other cohorts, like everybody's pretty much on Rawkus.

E: What's happening with the Polyrhythm Addicts, is there new material coming out?

A: We're talking about doing things, and we still do shows and everything. We've talked about getting together to record some more songs, but between Shabaam Sahdeeq recording his album, like he's been recording his album probably for almost two years now. Last time we talked about it he was kind of at the point where he's in the middle of starting over.

E: When can we expect a release date on that one?

A: They were talking about spring, but the way it's looking, it may not be till summer or fall.

E: Can we expect an Apani album anytime soon, 'cause we'd really love one.

A: Like I said I've been doing a lot of recording, I'm talking to people now about doing singles, I guess I haven't noticed 'cause I'm always doing projects. I just went to Massachusetts to do this compilation called "Contacts and Contracts", I don't know when that's coming out, it will probably be out by the end of this year. i am also recording for an album, I am still sketchy on the release.

E: You don't have a set contract with anybody?

A: No. I mean even like the other Polycats, Spinna doesn't have one, neither does Mr. Complex, he just did the single for Rawkus and he's doing the same thing I'm doing, he's hiring himself out for a lot of projects and Shabaam, I don't know how many albums he's locked into with Rawkus but he may not do another one with them, he may try to put this out and then bounce to the next best opportunity, it's kinda what underground heads are doing. Rawkus has done a lot of stuff for the underground but I think a lot of people really use that as a springboard. People aren't trying to get married to them, plus since they're so new they're still trying to figure out what they're trying to do. They're going through transitional periods every 6 months. They've kind of diverged from putting out vinyl singles, they still do it, but they' re trying to be a real record label that puts out albums and cds and stuff.

E: Do you think Rawkus is still an underground label?

A: Yeah. I mean in comparison to like a Universal or a Tommy Boy, because they're still very hands-on. Like you can still go up to the label, not as much, but you can still go and see Jarret and Brian, the cats that own it, you can walk right in. They got some money, but they're closer to the streets than most majors. For instance, if you're on a Tommy Boy, you're not gonna get the same sort of opportunity that Rawkus is gonna give you. If Tommy Boy is going to sign you, Tommy will sign a hundred acts, put them all out and it's kind of up to you to prove yourself worthy. Rawkus is kind of the opposite, in the sense that they'll sign maybe twenty acts or ten acts and then really try to push those ten or at least, between five and eight of those ten. I don't think that they really pick up anybody that they don't see any promise in, and that's the difference, which is what I think makes them an underground label as opposed to bigger entities. Even though they haven't signed anyone brand new in a long time.

E: But what about their artists, I mean, for instance when the Pharoahe Monch and Mos Def albums were coming out at about the same time, those two artists were being promoted to a great extent and...

A: But I don't think that that doesn't make them "underground", I think it' s about time that an artist like Pharaohe or Mos Def could get that kind of opportunity, I mean it's only right, but if you look at them at the same time, where's Mos Def and Pharaohe Monch's second singles and where are their second videos? So that's what I'm sayin' about them going through transitional periods and them still trying to figure things out. With each artist they're trying to figure out the game plan as they go along. A lot of labels like the majors have already got formulas, they've already got a system for how they work and they've got the game, as it were, figured out. Rawkus is still in the amateur competitions.

E: You think?

A: I think so. They have good resources and they do have money but in terms of the ideology of how to handle each artist, they don't have a formula, they're still figuring that out as they go along.

E: And is it a big staff?

A: They have like one floor in a building downtown in the ville. I used to work in the BMG building. First of all, they (BMG) have a whole building in New York, then they've got another building in Michigan and they've got headquarters in major cities all over the world, Michigan is not even a major city, so you know there's one in LA Then they have all these subsidiaries, which have their own offices possibly in other buildings, then they have street teams and people they give distribution deals to. Rawkus is nowhere near on that level. Even Loud has a New York and an L.A. office, all Rawkus has is their New York office on the one floor in New York City and it's not even in some skyscraper building.

E: So they want to keep that underground ethic alive, I guess.

A: I don't think it's a matter of trying to keep it alive, I think it's a matter of if they get a whole building can they pay the overhead? BMG has thousands of artists signing, all Rawkus does is Hip-Hop, BMG has rock, classical. Rawkus hasn't even gotten to the point where they've built catalogues, even in comparison to a small label like Nervous. Nervous has a smaller staff than Rawkus, and Nervous doesn't put artists out as frequently because they have catalogues, because SAM WEISS and his family have been in the business for years, so they've acquired certain little goodies.

E: How did you come up with your name?

A: My mother named me Apani. B. fly, is an abbreviation for butterfly which is what Apani means, it's a Native American name. And emcee is what I am, so basically my name is like I am me, Me Me I I I.

E: How was working with Pharoahe Monch?

A: It was pretty cool, Pharaohe has been a friend of mine for a long time, I'm trying to get him to go out drinking with me tonight, but he just bought a new 2000 so he's home playing with his new toy. I've known Pharaohe since I was fifteen, he's a really good friend of mine. I've always admired him, the stuff that he's done, he was one of my first inspirations, so I guess it was just a long time coming. And I enjoyed working with him, I learned a lot, he's really meticulous in the studio and he cares about his music. It was cool to watch him go through the process.

E: Which artists you had fun working with?

A: Well Pharaohe. I thought the track that we did could have been doper but I enjoyed working with Talib Kweli, he's a really good friend of mine too.

E: You're song with him was "The Ass", right?

A: Who Pharaohe?

E: Yeah.

A: Yup.

E: Could you explain the writing of that song and how it came up. Because in the chorus all the guys are saying: "The Ass", and all the women are saying: "The Dick". (At this point everyone is laughing at what Roozbeh has said)Tell me about writing that song with him and if there's a meaning behind it.

A: You know at first, I had told him when he first told me about it, that didn't want to do the song. He stepped to me about six months before that with just the idea and I was like: "Nah, I don't wanna do it", but then I thought about it and I was like, I told him: "If you still wanna do it, I wanna do it." And I haven't been faced with this yet in an interview, so far everybody has been like: "We love it". I was waiting for someone to be like: "What the hell is going on with you?". It was really just about having fun. We both kind of see it like this: You know how guys think, and you know how guys talk about women when they're not in the room.

E: Are you talking to me or..?

A: I'm talking to all of you men. Women do exactly the same thing, so for me getting back to telling you what I was saying earlier about me just telling the truth, that's kinda what it was about. What I hate about a lot of female MCs who do sex material, they kind of just have this real slutty, you know 'I'll -do-what-you-say-daddy-as-long-as-you-can-afford-me' kind of thing going on, and what I thought about doing this song that would be dope was that it was from a point of view of a woman who is sexually confident, and he's (Pharaohe) like: "In the song, I want you to dis me." Because women don't get that, and he's like: "If you come off on this song, you gonna make women love this song". That's kind of what I wanted to do, and I've gotten that response mostly from women, they're like: "Oh that was dope, and you played him and it was funny" and I could live with that.

E: That's probably why it's so successful because both sides are spoken for.

A: And we've both done so many intellectual songs, we kinda just wanted to do something dumb, like a no brainer.



E: What about all the women who come into the hip-hop industry who are pushed to get on to the sex-slant, because we've noticed that you don't go for the sex-slant so how do you keep your head up?

A: Well, I think I'm pretty feminine and I am confident about my sexuality and I can't say that being in this industry and stuff it's mostly male-dominated and I can't say that a lot of times I don't flirt. You have to kind of know...(reflects), I call it "swingin your woman thing", you kinda have to know how to swing your woman thing, you know how to put it on but you don't go too far when you're gonna have people trying to attack you, then you have to go and run away or something. I was actually glad that I got to do it, 'cause I wanted to do a sex song a while ago. A long time ago, I had started to write one and I was kinda glad that I gotta chance to do it on Pharaohe's album. Because now I got it out of the way and when my album comes around I've already said all I have to say about that. That and the fact that if you notice, a lot of female MCs get accused of being lesbos. The only one that you don't hear lesbo rumours about are Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown, why is that? All they talk about is getting dick. That's something that I thought about afterwards, that particular thing but I was like, you know what, that kinda worked in my favour that I did that. I just made a statement.

E: Do you think those women are choosing to do the sex-slant because they don't want to be accused of being gay?

A: No no no...One time okay, two times maybe, But over and over again. .no. I think that it is a combination of not having a frame of reference and talent. It takes lots of talent to take chances and pull it off. ..Like Prince for example. Alot of these chics are one trick dogs. Whether we like the other options or not, everything we do is a choice. They could have very well said: "I'm not going to do this". But I think that a lot of times, they do that just because they kinda lacked artistry. I was listening to the Dr Dre album, and they have some chick on there talking about getting dick and stuff like that, stealing husbands and at first when I heard it I was like: "That was dope", but then when I heard it again a couple more times, I started to think that a guy wrote it. A lot of these women end up saying the stuff that sounds real slutty and 'what a man wants to hear' kinda thing. And I don't think that there's anything wrong about talking about sex or drugs or violence or anything, I just don't like that women aren't telling the truth, you know what I mean?

E: Or maybe they're saying the man's point-of-view.

A: There are plenty of men representing a mans point of view. I think they should kind of flip it. Women's views need to be represented. First of all women buy more music than men.

E: You think?

A: Yeah, it's a fact. That's why brothers be doing these love songs. That's why Q-tip turned into a sex symbol, because he wants women to buy his records. That's why you hear a lot of people like Kool G Rap and certain people don't sell and that's why Puffy sells, because girls like Puffy. Girls will buy your records if they think you're cute and you're sexy. But I think if a woman could say something that a woman wants to hear, like things that women think, we already have so many problems like the way that we're socialized, men being the aggressors and women being the targets of aggression, you got all these young girls out here just wanting attention and I think that's what it is. Look at Lil' Kim, she went and got her whole thing changed to blonde hair and the blue eyes. She comes off very confident, but I think that just says without her saying it, that she's had confidence issues.

E: But don't you think that's positive? Positive in the sense that she gets to choose that she wants to have the blonde hair and that she wants to come off hardcore.

A: Well I could say that what I like about Kim is that nobody does it like her. Kim will be in a g-string on stage, mad confident, wildin' out like she got on Tim's and jeans like jumping up and down on stage, and I've seen other women try to get on some sexy stuff and they just look like they're uncomfortable and they're awkward and they're real stiff, so I give her that but I think her comfort came with the money. To me it goes unspoken that she had confidence issues, and that the hair and the contacts make her feel better about who Kim is. If that's the case just come through with your regular eyes, bald, no make-up. You don't see her unless she's totally done up, she's always on some glamorous stuff, she's attractive, but she was before. She' s got more money but she always wanted that. If you listen to her early interviews, she talked about not having money, she couldn't get along with her family, she didn't have any place to go and she used to go and sleep with guys to get things, I think that just says it all. But a lot of young women have the same issue, like when you're in junior high school and high school and you want boys to notice you, stuff like that, girls feeling unpretty, and I just think that women could do a lot more for other young women. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be attractive and loving men and everything, but love you. Don't worry about impressing people.

E: Do you think that you're sending that positive message out for women, is that a priority?

A: Well I mean, I am a woman so I can't not do that because these are things that I think and these are things that I see and they're also things that I went through, but I mean I'm a human first, I don't wanna just talk to women, every record I make is not talking to a woman I wanna talk to brothers too. Most of my friends are guys.

E: I apologize about that question.

A: Naw that's okay, I hear you. I didn't intend it that way, but I thought about it after "Woman In Me" except for "Soul Control", and "Estragen" was really a remix of "Woman In Me" I was like: "Damn this is like really some old pro-fem shit".

E: What label is that single on?

A: That's on my label, Q-Boro.

E: Anything the public should know about Apani that they don't know already?

A: Expect some new shit and I make beats.

E: Anything to be released?

A: I have a couple of joints that I had worked on, but I didn't finish. I'm so hard on myself. People get angry with me when we're in the studio, cause I'm always doing everything over and shit. (Laughing) They'll be like: "It sounds fine", and I'll be like: "NO!, Let's take it again!".

E: Are you a perfectionist?

A: I try to be. As soon as you record it, even when it's on vinyl, you always hear something that you want to do over. I try to make things as tight as possible.

E: Where did you grow up?

A: Hollis, Queens.

E: Do you still live there?

A: Yup.

E: Last question, we ask this to everyone. What do you eat for breakfast?

A: What do I eat for breakfast? Well I'm a good cook, I eat anything. I made quiche the other day, so I ate some of that. Turkey bacon, eggs.

E: So if I come down there you'll cook me up a meal?

A: Oh hell Yeah, I'm working on a cookbook.

E: Any particular kinds of foods?

A: It'll mostly be like Soul Food and stuff but favourites too like Tempura, Lasagna, Lamb Chops. Come thru and get you some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DJ Babu: Real Hip-Hop
By Bill "Low-Key" Heinzelman
Sunday - June 5, 2005



DJ Babu is a man who rarely speaks, but when he does, he always has something important to say. As one third of Dilated Peoples, Babu is respected as one of the best turntabalists in the game. His skills behind the tables are second to none, as the Beat Junkies member has always represented the true essence of DJing.



With the release of his Likwit Junkies< album -- a collaborative project with Defari -- BallerStatus.net got a chance to kick it with the extremely humble DJ Babu. In this interview Babu tackles a variety of issues, including label politics, the new Dilated Peoples album, as well as the Likwit Junkies LP. You may not hear from him often, but rest assured, DJ Babu is a man with a lot to say.

BallerStatus.net: How did this Likwit Junkies album with Defari come about?

DB: Obviously, I met Defari through my affiliation with Dilated Peoples, so we have done a lot of shows and been in the studio together a bunch of times. But during those studio sessions, I just started throwing beats his way, and that's how it started. Actually, the first time I think we hooked up was something I co-produced with Evidence for Defari called "Joy Ride." Later, we did the "Behold My Life" song and the remix for that, which is when we really started to find our chemistry together. From there, we did a song for my Duck Season compilation called "I Got This," which is the actual debut of the Likwit Junkies, but it has really been something that has snowballed. He started coming to my crib and we were just banging tracks out. He would come with no rhymes written, and I would have no beats done, but at the end of a day we would have three songs done. Before you knew it, after a few weeks work, we were sitting on 10 or 11 rough songs. We then hit up Benny B at ABB Records, and now the album is here. We put 10 or 11 months of work into this album, on and off, since my schedule is hectic with Dilated and the Beat Junkies. This album is a really natural project, as we have great chemistry in the studio together, so it's a great release for the both of us.

BallerStatus.net: Is there a difference between making an album with Defari, than with Evidence and Rakaa?

DB: Not really, the only difference is in regards to my responsibility level. With Dilated, I obviously have another audio partner with Evidence, as far as how things are supposed to sound and the technical aspects of mixing the tracks. Me and Evidence do a lot of that together. Plus, we are with Capital Records, so we have a budget, and can afford to get in a top notch studio and have an engineer. With Dilated, we can outsource some of the work, but with Likwit Junkies, it's a lot looser. We recorded the entire album in my home studio. We recorded the lyrics in my downstairs bathroom/vocal booth. With Dilated, there is a lot more thought put into everything; we have to deal with sample clearances, and fighting with the label for creative control. The expectations are a lot higher with Dilated and a lot more intense, but with the LJ's, it's just us pulling up our sleeves and doing the work ourselves. Everything from the music, to the photos and the artwork. ABB [Records] definitely helped us with a lot; I don't want to forget them, as they helped us connect to the people. But we did have the majority of the album done before we even talked to ABB about a deal, so I guess that is the biggest difference, as this album was just a throw back to being in your bedroom making music. This album was refreshing for the both of us, to get back to a grass roots project and capturing real moments in time.

BallerStatus.net: Have you been pleased with how the album has been received and the responses you have gotten so far?

DB: The responses have been great so far; I feel blessed. Personally, I really try to not sweat anything I read on the internet or in magazine publications, as far as reviews of my music go. So I was expecting the worse, but on the whole, it has been great. Everyone has been coming back with good feedback and the buzz is good. A lot of people know who Defari is, and know who Babu is, but the Likwit Junkies is something brand new. People in the streets are still figuring out that it's Babu and Defari, but another beautiful thing about this project is, we don't have to play that major label game. We don't have to get bent out of shape about first week sales, and having those types of expectations on your project. We were really just making music for ourselves and people likeminded. The sky is the limit for this project, but we really were just trying to keep it as natural as possible.

BallerStatus.net: Listening to your production work on this album, you really have a lot of diversity. Can you just talk about your progression over the years with your beat making?

DB: I'm initially known as a DJ to most people, especially as a battle DJ. But over the years, I have been a fan of the whole spectrum of DJing -- from collecting records, to starching, to beat making, to going out and doing clubs. Production is something that I caught the bug of, especially being in Dilated. Doing beats gives me another incentive for me to find my niche in the group and become more involved. It started out on the first Dilated album with me just getting one track, then the next two I got three each. Hopefully, with this new album I get four or five, but being around all my partners in Dilated helped me gravitate towards beat making. Once you find out what an original break is, the obsession doesn't stop, that's just the beginning. I'm a real big fan of DJs in rap groups who evolved to doing production. I love Primo, Marley Marl, everybody in D.I.T.C., and the list goes on.

BallerStatus.net: Is there a specific thing you think you have gotten better at with your beat making over the years?

DB: I think I have gotten a little bit better at everything. I think my fidelity has gotten better, and there are certain techniques you just build up over the years, as is the case with anything. I just think my sound all over has grown. My beats now, verses five years ago are a lot more sonic, and the sequence is a lot more involved. I don't know, that's a real tough question to be honest with you. I think my record collection has grown and gotten strong, so in turn my beats have gotten better. I'm a producer who makes records out of records. Over the years, I have continued to dig and my knowledge of digging has grown, and you can see that in my beats. More than anything, over the years I have been trying to find my sound, and have my beats stand out, so they don't sound like whoever else is out there.

BallerStatus.net: Exactly, I feel you on that because you really don't have one distinct production sound. Which is good since nowadays you can tell which producer did what track because they have no variety.

DB: When I say I'm trying to find my sound, what I sound elaborate on is, I think my sound is like water. I really feel as if -- depending on what day it is or what mood I'm in -- that's how my beats come out. I might make something really filthy one day, and the next I completely switch it up. That is a reflection of the fan I am of music, because I like everything. The parallel is, everything I do still has a little bit of a rough edge. It's all about big sample drums being chopped up, and a sample being chopped and manipulated so it becomes the spine of the track. Half of the time, if I do an electronic sounding beat; it mostly likely started out with a sample. I was leaning against a sample, and I then took it there and maybe took the sample away afterwards.

I appreciate you noticing that. It's something that I learned being around people like Evidence or Alchemist. Plus, I'm very aware of not falling into one patent sound because you get a patent sound that everybody knows you for and when you're hot, people are going to go to you for that sound, that's what they expect. As to where, when you keep your style broad and you are always showing that you can swing in different ways, you can always stay agile, current, and fluent in this game. I also like the new sounds; I think there is a lot of great stuff going on in the production side of the commercial world. A lot of my aesthetics still come from an older day and an older standard about finding an obscure record, or using original drums off a record. At this point, I think all the rules have gone out the door, and nobody really gives a f--k anymore. For me, when I go to make a beat, I look for a sample and I always try and make a new drum kit. I'm always searching for new drums, and trying to find new ones off of some break I just dug up from a record fair I just got back from. I really don't want to get pigeonholed, and I want to stay versatile at all times. I want to make records on all levels, no matter who it is. As much as I want to do a record for someone like Atmosphere, I would love to do one for Fat Joe or somebody like that.

BallerStatus.net: Lets talk about Dilated Peoples. Were you happy on how Neighborhood Watch came out and how it was received?

DB: I'm happy with our music, but I'm really not happy on how it was promoted, to be honest with you. I'm not gonna sit here and point fingers and blame, but the label just relaxed once they found out we made a song with Kanye. They basically forgot about the rest of the album. We had a game plan where we wanted to hit the streets hard with the song "Marathon," and have that as our lead single and have a video for it. We wanted to let that marinate, then hit the fans with "This Way," and follow it up with something else. As usual, the label gave us one phase and just bounced on us, but the album was beautiful, and we touched a lot of people that we probably couldn't have a few years ago. The album opened up a lot of avenues for us to go in the future, but it's a little frustrating dealing with the label and the mentality they have about us. We have been there at Capital longer than most people who have worked there, and that goes for the President, down to the people in the mail room. For us, it's like we have to make new relationships every time we release a new album. We have had to go through all the merges, and switching of presidents, all of that. It's almost like starting from scratch because there are only about five or six people in that building who have been there since we first signed. When we signed to them, there was no urban department. Years later, after two Presidents, we have Priority Records in the building, which is a great thing, but I can say the same thing for every one of our albums. There has been mistakes made on the campaign, or the strategies that were made, but we learn, and we have this new record and one more, then we are off of Capital. It's not the end of the world. We are six songs into our next record; we are shooting for a September or October drop, and we are all super excited about it. For the most part, it could have been better.

BallerStatus.net: Do you think the reason you guys aren't getting that push is because your are labeled as "underground"? It seems as if a lot of groups like Dilated are only getting one single and that's it. For example, look at The Roots or Slum Village.

DB: For us, it's a lot of different factors, not just one. I think that definitely has something to do with it. They think they can just throw us in a box, either that or they don't understand us at all. For us, it's a great thing that we have Priority in our building, but at the same time, it took us a good three months to build a relationship with the key people there so they could get behind our project because no one over there really feels responsible for it. Not only did they merge with our label, but so did their artists. They brought their own artists that they are responsible for, such as I-20 and Chingy. Our A&R who signed us, is Ron Lafeet. Before us, he signed Jane's Addiction, and before that, he was the manager for Mega Death. He signed us on the strength of our buzz when we were putting out 12 inches on ABB and selling out The Whiskey without management or a label. Times have changed, but we have remained a hands on group. Sometimes I seriously feel like we get treated like step children on our own label. It's just really tough because of the politics of the game, but we did make a really good connection with the people at Priority, and they gave us a good push. When the label shuts everything down and says that's it, then there is nothing more Priority can do. They have another project they have to work on, so that's it. But I'm used to it by now; I'm really over the whole major label thing. Like I said, two more albums and that's it. We are trying to use Capitol as much as they are using us from here on out.

BallerStatus.net: So the new Dilated Peoples album should definitely be out by the end of this year?

DB: Definitely, no later than October. It's untitled yet, and we are six cuts deep right now. Me and Evidence will handle the bulk of the production, with of course appearances by Alchemist and Joey Chavez. We always go outside our camp with every album, to help give it some extra flavor. At this point, it's really me and Evidence behind the boards. All three of us are locked in the studio, working hard in each session to make a great album.

BallerStatus.net: What's the vibe coming out of these sessions?

DB: To be honest, the sh-t is really rough and rugged. On another level, I don't think we have ever been this sonic. Me and Ev, we go through mad work just to get our sonic fidelity right. At the same time, the mentality is pretty rough. We are chopping and flipping sh-t, and we got the big bangin' drums, but all three of us are really trying to correct our legacy with this album. I'm very proud of Neighborhood Watch and the work that was on there, but to be honest with you, the way it was promoted and image you have at a first glance of our record is, one song and one video. That garnered a lot of new fans for us, but I think our old fans, some of them might have not listened to the whole record because they got a bad impression; "This Way" wasn't what they envisioned Dilated People's sounding like. In the end it's all good, because there was some stupid fire on Neighborhood Watch. We got some filthy sh-t on that record that people really didn't get a chance to peep because of the perception that the label put out on what our album was about. On this new album, we really want to correct our legacy and come out really raw! We want to bring it back to the mentality we had between The Platform and Expansion Team. You can expect raw beats and raw rhymes on this new one, but as always, you will see our growth and constant improvement. Our chemistry is at an all time high right now; we are really at that point!

BallerStatus.net: Being a real DJ, what do you think about the saturation of this mixtape game? Because a lot of cats call themselves DJ, but they are just putting songs on a CD, there is no skill involved?

DB: One part of me definitely loves it, because I love the pure mentality that just f--ks up the industry like that. I love that guys are realizing that you can spend a few thousand dollars and have technology at your crib that allows you to make tapes, demos, or record whatever. So people are getting their entrepreneur hustle on, and it forces labels to seek what's hot on the streets, and that's always good. There is a whole part of it that does bug me, when people call everything a mixtape; that term is thrown around very loosely these days! For me, I grew up on tapes like Kid Capri's 52 Beats, and Tony Touch and The Gang on 5 Deadly Venoms, or any Tony Touch mixtape at that. On the West Coast, the Beat Junkies were always about blends, and getting busy on the turntables. You had to have hand skills, on top of having taste, and exclusive material, so it does bug part of me because anyone with sound effects and some kind of recording program can call themselves a DJ now. I never want to hate on anybody, because I don't know the path they walked down and how hard they worked to get where they are at. I respect everyone getting their grind on and doing their thing, but it is a bit of an insult to people, who spend their lives collecting records and working on their hand skills and really earning the title of DJ, then someone comes along dropping sound effects and has a good connection in the game, and he's a DJ. I do understand that is also part of the hustle.

I'm not ignorant to the whole style, but it is a different style and it should be noted as such because it's not easy to get a bunch of exclusives, and it's not easy to network and be cool with the hottest rapper, so he can host your mixtape. I'm sure there is mad skill, time and dues paid to be able to entrepreneur your way to that level, so you can hustle that kind of sh-t. But to me, a DJ is still a person that works with his hands, more than anything. I would just like to see more of a balance, because we need both sides. More power to anyone doing music with their own hands and not having to rely on a major label to get things done. I'm all about that, but I'm also about real DJing as well.

BallerStatus.net: I was watching the movie "Scratch," and I believe you said that you feel DJ Q-Bert is a role model for those of Philippine descent. Do you also feel you are a role model then?

DB: I think to a certain extent because growing up, it wasn't like I could turn on the TV or open up a magazine and see a Filipino at the top of something -- whether it be sports or music. It really blew me back to get a DMC tape and see Q-Bert, Mixmaster Mike, and Apollo going to New York, repping Rock Steady Crew, and f--king up all kinds of fools that were supposedly the best in the world. Even today, I think it's mind blowing as a Filipino raised in the states to see someone like Chad Hugo from the Neptunes, being a Grammy level producer. I have to be realistic with myself, because I have achieved certain things, and when I go out and reach fans through performing, or at in stores, I get a lot of Flip kids giving me a lot of respect -- just for the fact that I am Filipino and I'm doing my thing. I'm not a super perfect role model or anything like that, but when you get a certain amount of media light, you have to take on a certain amount of responsibility and accept that you are a role model. Plus, I can't help it, because I'm a father as well. I got two boys, and I have to make a good example everyday just for them.

BallerStatus.net: What else do you have going on in the future?

DB: Me and Rakaa have a little sound system, and we go out and rock some clubs. We go by the name of the Expansion Team Sound System. We also have a new mixtape out called The World On Wheels. Also, look out for more LJ's material; we have another 12 inch coming out, which is "Ghetto/Brother." Of course, look out for the Beat Junkies; we have a new DVD coming out. We should also have a full length Beat Junkies album soon. Especially look out for the new dilated album and for me behind the beats in general.

Sway & Tech: Wake Up!
By Chris Yuscavage

Since the early ??€?90s, the duo has been churning out talented radio performances from the likes of the pre-Roc Jay-Z, pre-Dre Eminem, and pre-Bad Boy Notorious B.I.G. Known for their ear for talent and knack for putting new MC??€�s on the map, Sway and Tech have dropped countless freestyle mixtapes and the acclaimed full-length album This or That. Way before that, the boys in the booth made records of them rapping.

Though Sway accepted a contributing role at MTV and now leads the Hip-Hop portion of the MTV News family, the pair continues to air their weekly Wake Up Show on Saturday evening syndicated across the country and globally through the net. Recently, Sway & King Tech took some of their precious off-air time to kick it with AHH.com about the release of their upcoming album, Tech??€�s need for Hip-Hop to ??€?raise the rims again,??€? and why they feel as though Chino XL may ??€?eat??€? his way into Hip-Hop??€�s heart.
AHH: Can you guys just explain to the fans out there what??€�s the meaning behind the title, Back 2 Basics?

King Tech: I was sitting down talking to Sway about a year and a half ago; we were talking about how everybody is using all the heavyweights to put on their mixtapes- like the Jay-Z's and the DMX's or whoever's hot. And I just felt like a lot of brothers with talent wasn't getting that same shine, and they needed some light, man. So we went and got some dudes that is just as good as these MC??€�s and put the spotlight on them so they can get some shine, too. And then also taking it back to the days where lyrics was important - just as important as everything else.

AHH: So, how about, let's just talk about a couple of those guys. Chino XL, he's on five tracks, and I know he's been on your radio show a lot. So what is it about him that makes you guys get so excited about him?

King Tech: Anytime we made a phone call to different cats, some dudes were on the road, some dudes were doing other stuff. This dude [wouldn??€�t hesitate]. You can hear the hunger in his voice a little bit when you listen to his songs. He was just here, he would just show up. And then, there's actually four or five other songs that had samples in it that didn't get cleared. So, it just winded up that his accapella was from at our anniversary. And then 2 other joints, he's featured with different cats so...

AHH: On that 2000 freestyle Chino bigged you guys up for feeding a lot of artists out here whether by your radio show or by your albums. You can see what the exposure does for them, but what does it do for you guys to put other people on?

Sway: When we broke artists like, before Biggie was worldwide, before he was outside of New York, he came to California and did the Wake Up Show in L.A. and San Francisco. At that time, we were syndicated in Philly and Chicago and a bunch of places around the world. And all that did for us is made us feel like we contributed something good in Hip-Hop. Here you had a dope MC that brought something new to the game and we were able to recognize his talent - the rest is history. We contributed to his success. When Eminem came on the Wake Up Show and got that major exposure in the #2 market in Los Angeles. Eminem came up there the same time Chino XL came up there, the same time Xzibit came up there, the same time Juice came up there. And he was able to move to the next level and the rest is history. We can honestly say, and those dudes can honestly say, that Sway and Tech contributed to that road to success. I remember when Jay and Dame used to come on the show before Roc-A-Fella Records was even signed to Priority Records, and Jay was traveling with Original Flavor, and Ski and those guys. Being able to let him to come on our show and bust "Twenty-Two Two's," even though that was on his album, he did that rap a long time ago. You know, way before that album! And knowing that we contributed to getting this man exposed. Same with Lauryn Hill, same with Wyclef, and now Sly Boogy, and now Crooked I, and now Chino XL. Keeping Gang Starr name alive. You know, letting the Alchemist come and get busy on our show. It's not even about what it does for us, it's about what it does for the culture and the people who love the culture.

AHH: Sway, how does it do that for you personally being that you are constantly surrounded by the TRL or the MTV environment?

Sway: Well, my purpose in that environment is to bring balance. It's undeniable that MTV, BET, and all these different entities are in the game of Hip-Hop or in the game of the music industry. My purpose of being in that environment is to bring the balance. A lot of times when I used to watch MTV after Yo! MTV Raps went off, I would see stories on Hip-Hop that were incomplete. So when they initially offered the job, the first two times I turned them down, because I didn't think that they would allow me to do what it is that I wanted to do. The third time, we sat down and talked about it and I said that I wanted to bring the yin to the yang. I know this is a commercial entity, but if we are going to do a story on the Jay-Z and Nas battle, let's break it down. Let's tell the history of battles in Rap, so that people who watch this, the hundreds of millions of households that you reach around the world, will get the true story. So they don't just think that it's Black-on-Black crime or whatever, on record. This is like, something that comes from Hip-Hop, something that comes out of the spirit of Hip-Hop. These dudes don't mean each other any harm.

AHH: If you could change one thing going on in Hip-Hop right now, what would it be?

King Tech: For me personally, the two things I miss is the conscious Rap. I really miss the X-Clan's and the Public Enemy's, and when you get into you car, somebody gave you information on something in Arizona that you didn't know about or something that was going on worldwide. I miss them type of groups. I know that nobody really wants to hear them right now, but I miss that era. I think the other thing that really bothers me is the lyrical skill level. The bar has gotten so low, that honestly I feel like I can rap at this point. You just listen to it and damn. It's equivalent to like, if you watch the NBA, and go, 'Damn, it's ten feet high. The way he got in the air and dunked it, that's incredible.' You know, then the NBA brings the rim down to six feet, and you're like, wait a minute, I can play this game, too! I want to jump in this! I feel like if the lyrical skill level of the early '90s was a ten, and now it's gotten down to a six and five, and in some cases a four, a three. At one point, I thought it was a zero. When I listen to some records, it's zero! It's like there is no skill involved in this, this guy is saying nothing! And, I don't know, for me personally, that was a sad day.

Sway: I think artists like Jay, at any given moment, can slay you with a verse. But I think he also realizes that, ??€?I need to sell records.??€? So, you know, he's established his style. He says it almost every album. [Look at] whatever he said about Common. You know what he's thinking! I appreciate that, but I just feel like a lot of dudes come into the game with the wrong mentality. It's not even a hater perspective, it's not even an old school perspective. We're as relevant as they are. We recognize new MC's who got talent, but it's new MC's who got talent! I just think the world of Rap is clouded with more talent-less music made with no soul than it is the opposite.

AHH: Back 2 Basics, May 24, correct? What else can Hip-Hop expect from Sway & Tech?

Sway: Yes, May 24. We got WakeUpShow.com. People can listen to the show. We've got video streams there. We've got giveaways. We've also got SwayandKingTech.net.

Tech: You can download the sampler there, the album sampler for Back 2 Basics. The album sampler has bits and pieces of The Wake Up Show, the best freestyles we've had, integrated in with parts of the album.

Sway: And then we want to make sure that we let it be known that our company is called Bolo Entertainment. We got an artist named Sly Boogy who is signed to us and is on this project. And that goes through J Records. Chino XL, he's also rolling with us. And an artist named Tracey Lane, she's a singer out off Long Beach. We're putting Chino out later in the year, too. Be on the lookout.

Nas: Race MattersBy Houston Williams




Nas always has a wisdom to share and, in most cases, his thoughts are as interesting as any modern day scholar. This day, the rapper proves to be consistent - as always. The Street Disciple addresses the "Coon Picnic" controversy, "Vote or Die," and the myth of slavery, among other hot buttons.
AHH: AHH had a pair of editorials. One was for Nas and the other was against him and they both centered on ??€?These Are Our Heroes (Coon Picnic).??€? In hindsight, do you think you were too hard on some of those guys?

Nas: I think I was too hard on them when you think of the commercialization of Hip-Hop. But, when you think of Hip-Hop, what I grew up listening to, I was too easy. I grew up listening to real n***as ??€� N.W.A., KRS-One??€¦ They don??€�t play that s**t. Those teachers taught me, don??€�t play that s**t. What those guys represented, that is what Hip-Hop is. Hip-Hop today isn??€�t me dancing with a famous R&B singers, that??€�s not Rap. That??€�s great Black music, but that??€�s not Rap.

Rap is that s**t on the corner, that was free in the park, n***as getting their head shot off, wearing a fresh pair of Bally??€�s or a gold rope chain. Rap represents the 80??€�s and the cocaine invasion. Rap represents the streets that were ignored by the Grammy??€�s, ignored by people [that said] it??€�s not an art-form. Rap is a street corner conversation. So if you aren??€�t ready to hear me to talk about sellouts, then don??€�t say you like Rap. If you go to any street corner, they are saying worse than what I??€�m saying. Rap is the language of the streets, period. In this era where Rap music is now commercial, they forgot what Rap is. Nas isn??€�t about saying sellout on every record, but I??€�ma say Hip-Hop is not ??€?Vote or Die.??€? That??€�s not Hip-Hop. No disrespect to Diddy and Russell and them ??€� those are my heroes ??€� but Hip-Hop is not ??€?Vote or Die.??€?

AHH: Why do you say that?

Nas: Hip-Hop is anti-establishment. Ice Cube and them were always that way. If you say ??€?Vote or Die??€? then you [Diddy] are saying it??€�s all good that Anheuser Busch supports ??€?Vote of Die,??€? a Republican beer association. Black laborers that are making nothing [and are] poisoning the whole f***in??€� hood. Lets be real ??€� vote or die, but let??€�s vote for who? You say Lincoln freed the slaves, then you still a slave. The Black man freed himself. And we were never slaves. They tried to put us in a slavery condition. What is a slave? Not my ancestors. My ancestors were men and women that were put into a slave condition, but we weren??€�t slaves. ??€?I don??€�t know how the f**k I got way over there [America].??€?

I don??€�t believe in vote or die, because we are talking about the same people that tried to dismantle Rap just 10 years ago. Who were trying to influence on stockholders to pull out of Warner, who made Ice-T not have a job??€¦they cut him and shut him down. They shut Hip-Hop down. C. Delores Tucker, Al Gore??€¦all these people were trying to shut Hip-Hop down. Now you want us to sponsor you to get these Black votes? F**k you.

AHH: Do you believe CoinTelPro [FBI Investigation] is in Hip-Hop?
Nas: Absolutely, on a much advanced level.

AHH:On the other side, there??€�s a lot of Rap battles going out of control. It??€�s not healthy like you and Jigga, Canibus and LL,LL and Kool Moe Dee, Kool Moe Dee and Busy Bee. You think that these days we're holding ourselves back?

Nas: Absolutely, n***as hatin??€� on n***as. It??€�s not far-fetched. It??€�s reality. It??€�s the streets. If people in the streets [are] doing it, why are they gonna stop when they rap? It??€�s unfortunate, but it happens. At this point in the game, it shouldn??€�t be like that.

AHH: Is Scarlet [the female rapper from Streets Disciple] real?

Nas: It??€�s creative writing man, just trying to do something different.