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interview by C73

Is Hip-Hop Dead? If yes, explain. If no, explain:

Well….I wouldn’t say it’s dead because it’s definitely trying to stay alive. I’d say it’s like a zombie, brain dead but still functioning and trying to eat. The whole transformation of the industry could be like some kind of holocaust that turned hip hop into zombies. Now cats are running around trying to figure out what the hell to do. Just seeing how trends go in general, I’d never expected hip hop to stay at the top like it has been for a while. Hopefully no one was dumb enough to think that. The state of the music business kinda facilitated that but ,what is good is that now listeners and fans have to dig for new stuff. All these small labels and artists are left to using more basic, as well as not-so-obvious methods to get the word out.

What is your vision of Hip Hop’s future?

I think hip hop will be fine. Actually I think all music will be fine. As soon as some label or artist taps into the next big marketing method to gain sales, naturally the rest of the industry will follow. I’m not really worried about hip hop’s future because as long as I’ve got equipment to occupy my time hip hop will always exist in my head. I feel as though it will just continue following the same cycle it’s always followed but, will just morph into different forms and trends to keep up with or mold the times. In the future I see it reviving the major role that it has had over the years. The question is, when will that be????

Do you listen to other forms of music outside of Hip Hop, if yes WHAT?

I’ve been listening to a lot of different genres of metal and avant-garde stuff the past few years. Car Bomb, Psyopus, Fantomas, Coalesce, Meshuggah, Dillinger Escape Plan, John Zorn, and more have been in heavy rotation recently. Normal just hasn’t been doing it for me for a while. I need something that can challenge and expand my mind musically, not just lyrically. 4 looped bars are not challenging. I know how my equipment works so I need to hear things that will help me take my knowledge of producing to a different level and provide a different, distinctive sound.

Who were your artistic/musical influences growing up?

Afrika Bambaata, Run DMC, The Bomb Squad, George Clinton/Parliament/Funkadelic (the music as well as the crazy album covers), a lot of 70′s funk bands were my main influences. I remember my parents having parties and I’d always hear that good spaced- out funk. My pops was always playing music while he worked around the house. I’d go digging thru his records and 8-tracks finding all types of crazy covers and stuff. The first records I had were King of Rock, The Roof is on Fire, Electric Kingdom, Apache and Planet Rock. I loved the old electro stuff. One of my favorite songs even to this day is Scorpio. It gives me a rush when I hear it and reminds me of BBQ’s and gathering when I was a little kid rolling around with a boombox everywhere I went. Lots of carefree memories.

What is your music background?

I took up the recorder (yes, the recorder) in elementary school for one school year and guitar lessons for about a year in high school (sports overtook them though). When I stopped playing sports I started DJing, then rapping and then producing. I’ve always wanted to play the drums but never had the time for it. I’ve always loved the sound of an electric guitar, unfortunately I just wasn’t focused and patient enough to continue learning how to play.

How do you describe your music to people?

I am a horrible, horrible salesman so I don’t really. If someone asks me I just give them some links and leave it to them. If I had a gun to my head and had to, I’d basically describe it as adrenaline. Not necessarily fast, but intense. I try to make music that you need to sit down and listen to. I’d rather have someone get back to me at a later date like “Yo, I’ve been listening to your CD and I’m digging it!”, than hearing 10 seconds of one song and immediately saying “this is good”. Some undivided attention is always good and with people’s short attention span these days that is hard to come by.

What image do you think your music conveys?

Hopefully something different. Something that says it’s ok not to be normal. Something that says just go ahead and do your thing, f*ck what everyone else is doing. That’s just how I live my life, period.

What’s your outlook on the record industry today?

Right now, it’s like a $100 bill blowing down the street in the wind. Cats are chasing it, but who is going to get it???? I’ve been handling my grown folk responsibilities so I’ve kinda lost touch with the industry. It’s damn near like I gotta start from scratch. Some of the old marketing methods are obsolete or aren’t even cost-effective anymore. Besides, I spent many years of income on my music and those days are done. I’ve got responsibilities to take care of now, so I’m going to have to look into less costly and more technological methods of handling things now.

What inspires you to do what you do?

Stress & knowing that I just may be working a 9-5 for the rest of my life, Idiots…..Bullsh*tting……Bullsh*tting females. Ya know, just everyday frustrations that I have to hold inside in order to get by in this world without having unnecessary drama.

What project or projects are you currently working on? When will they be released?

Right now I’m mixing down Jimmy Greek’s final solo album that I completely produced. I’m also working on an instrumental EP which is more progressive hip hop. My 3rd LP is still in the works but that will be done when it’s done. I want to make sure that it’s exactly what I’ve wanted to put out for my 3rd project. I have an album’s worth of loose songs (other people have produced) but I’m not in any rush to get that together. I just feel like I’m in a different place as far as making music these days…..maybe that’s all the more reason to get it together. Also have a concept EP I did with Rummage that needs to be mixed down. That’s been sitting around for a few years now but, is still too dope to forget about. Not sure when all this stuff will drop but I’m aiming to have something by the end of the year. I’m pretty sure Greek’s album with be out in the fall so def keep an ear out for that.

If you had an opportunity to collaborate with ANY artist or artists (dead or alive) in ANY genre of music/art, who would you choose? And why?

Mike Patton. Personally I think he’s a musical genius. Dude has an entire spectrum of vocal abilities, can compose and arrange a song that will stretch your listening abilities beyond its limits, and can play instruments in pretty much any musical genre you could imagine. I’d love to do a project with him. Still would like to collab with Buckethead and also remix a RZA or El-P track. There are a few guitarists (as well as vocalists) in bands that I like and that I’m going to reach out to for my 3rd LP, so I’m hoping that will come to fruition.

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Interview by C73

Is Hip-Hop Dead? If yes, explain. If no, explain:

I don’t believe it’s dead; more like no longer in its golden age. It’s happened to a lot of genres. Once something new comes along, there is a period of explosive creative energy which runs its course and becomes mainstream and misused. But something new always comes along. Right now, most “Hip-Hop” is a mixture of Electronic, RnB, Pop, Rock, and Disco. As those lines keep blurring, eventually some new genre will come along that thumps as hard as Led Zeppelin and Boogie Down Productions and we’ll all be in the golden age of that style.

What is your vision of Hip Hop’s future?

I think there will be two camps of “Hip-Hop,” 1) there will still be electronic sounding RnB songs with rap hooks that appeal to a certain group of people who just listen for a catchy ringtone melody or anything fast to dance to at a club, and 2) I think there will be a resurgence of the importance of lyricism, but it will be paired over live bands with jazz, rock, and metal rather than sampled beats.

Do you listen to other forms of music outside of Hip Hop, if yes WHAT?

I like everything that sounds good to my ears, Rock, Blues, Classic Rock, Stoner Rock, Krautrock, Classical, Doo-Wop… it’s all good to me. As the years have gone by, I’ve gained more of an appreciation for great musicians in any genre.

Who were your artistic/musical influences growing up?

KRS-One, Slick Rick, Run DMC, Rza, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Little Feet. But primarily, my biggest influence was the radio. I grew up taping college Hip-Hop radio shows on my old Fisher boombox. I often didn’t know who the artists were but I made myself fantastic tapes of music that no one in my school had ever heard before. It was great.

What is your music background?

My mother is a piano teacher and got me started on the fundamentals of music early on. In my teens I taught myself how to sample and construct songs electronically. When I was in my early 20’s I taught myself how to play guitar. Nowadays, I mix all of those things together to make one happy noise bomb.

How do you describe your music to people?

Usually I say Hip-Hop beats with Rock riffs. But I still feel like that accurately describes it.

What image do you think your music conveys?

Lots of people have described my music as being haunting, dystopian, hard hitting, cold and melodic… I can’t really argue with any of that.

What’s your outlook on the record industry today?

It’s on life support, and the old business model is dead and buried. The record industry has a short period of time left to reinvent itself. It may have to just let music be free, with advertisements much like TV. Maybe some alternative model will save the day. But it will never be like it once was.

What inspires you to do what you do?

Nothing really, making music is just fun to me. It’s nice to get fan appreciation every now and again, but I’d make music if there was no one else around to hear it.

What project or projects are you currently working on? When will they be released?

I have two albums completed and ready to go. The first is called “Hi-Deaf” and will be coming out on Paramanu Records this year, and the other one I’m considering giving away for free. I don’t know many indie artists who make a cent off their music, might as well just give it to people to brighten their day, or in the case of my music, scare their neighbors.

If you had an opportunity to collaborate with ANY artist or artists (dead or alive) in ANY genre of music/art, who would you choose? And why?

Jimi Hendrix, Buckethead, Tom Waits, Captain Beefheart

Check out Arcsin and his epic releases @:

http://www.myspace.com/arcatraz

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