Is Hip-Hop Dead? If yes, explain. If no, explain:
No. Music, in all its forms, is constantly in a flux. Whether it be traditional folk songs that change slightly over the years as different people play/sing them, or Hip Hop as it goes from rhyming over breaks with a DJ, to full-on studio production with all kinds of sources for sound/expression. New artists in a genre either, just make the status quo, or they can push the boundaries and inspire both younger artists and maybe established artists who haven’t heard this new sh*t ! I think that Hip Hop is still growing and expanding what really can be defined as Hip Hop. 10 years ago, a lot of people were splitting Hip Hop into sub genres ; East Coast, West Coast, Southern Crunk, Trip Hop, Experimental Rap, Jungle, Nerd Rap, Independent, Commercial, Instrumental, etc.. This annoys people, I know, but it’s a sign of progress. Rock & Roll has spawned many sub-genres over the years, from Pop Rock to Scandinavian Death Metal, and while you can’t really put those two forms next to each other and expect them to get along, they share the same Granddaddy. Hip Hop will be the core of so many sub genres eventually that this question will end up being irrelevant. But the Nas song is still good!
What is your vision of Hip Hop’s future?
Lots of different styles will just keep coming out, but I think that the reputation of the LIVE show will really change, and it could really make an impact. I’ve heard so many opinions on live shows in general, and most people don’t talk about hip hop shows as the best they’ve seen in years past. Obviously, a genre fan will always be the exception. I think as hip hop’s grows, the good artists will age well, and their songs will become classics known by a large fan base. Hopefully it can get more people to raise their expectations of the live hip hop show, and motivate the genre to bring all the creativity and ideas from the studio to the stage.
Do you listen to other forms of music outside of Hip Hop, if yes WHAT?
I listen to so much music, the best way to sum it up is, practically everything except Country, Bluegrass and Opera. I grew up DJing, so I’ve always been open to what moves a crowd, and what keeps the mood chill. I do love Rap/hip hop and Metal a bit more than most, but I’m always switching up what I’m listening to. I can’t just rock to same sh*t over and over. Well, if I’m writing, I’ll listen to the track all day, but, that’s different.
Who were your artistic/musical influences growing up?
My friends who started doing music in high school became a real big influence to me. Growing up on an Island like the Vineyard, these were the people I saw in person writing and performing. KaeoFLUX, B-line, Junkyard, Spoon! These were the dudes inspiring me the most. As far as the big guys ; Wu-Tang, Company Flow, PJ Harvey, Metallica, Pantera, Tribe, Aesop Rock, 2Pac, Portishead, Nirvana, DJ Shadow, Cypress Hill, Rage Against the Machine, the Scratch Pickles and turntablists world wide, Biggie, Hendrix, Zeppelin… A lot.
What is your music background?
I started playing the Alto Saxophone when I was 10, and did the school band thing till sophomore year. I then started DJing when I was 12, and started rhyming and producing when I was like 15 or 16. I started playing the drums last year, and love it. I’m still sh*tty, but it’s the most fun I’ve ever had playing anything.
How do you describe your music to people?
I tell ’em I make Rap Music. If they ask, I usually just say that it’s heavy, a bit different, and I describe my lyrics as “word paint”. Most times, I try to write what the beat and music makes me feel, and try to relate an emotion or situation that reflects that.
What image do you think your music conveys?
I hope that it conveys my emotional attachment to the song. In other words, I hope that the listener is at least seeing what I’m seeing when I close my eyes and hear the music. They may draw different conclusions, and maybe they don’t like what they see, but getting them to see the same image I see, that’s all I could hope for. I think that’s one of the most impressive qualities of music, and life; Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
What’s your outlook on the record industry today?
That’s tough for me to answer. The internet, and communication industry on a whole, has really shaken things up. More then ever, touring is the way to get paid. CD sales may have only dipped slightly for the mega-star, but for the rest, and majority of people making music, signed or unsigned, the net is promo and shows are money. CDs are like stickers and flyers. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s impacted the industry in a big way. We’ll have to see. Either, there will be more and more small independent companies rising, or we’ll have a monopolized entity like VirginBrothers Inc. or something.
What inspires you to do what you do?
Life man! Anything can get me to write, or play. I can’t really describe the feeling I get when I need to write, but I think that when I feel strongly about something, or when I experience something, I feel I have to write. The more I’m home, doing nothing but the mundane, the less I get inspired to write. The more I go out, the more I breathe the world, the more inspired I get.
What project or projects are you currently working on? When will they be released?
I’m going to release the Askance EP this year. 8 tracks, with the majority of production done by KaeoFLUX, and guest production by Take 7. FLUX is just as important to this release as I am. More so probably. He convinced me to do a solo project, and has always created music that I can’t help but write to. I’m writing some new stuff that is still in early form, but I don’t know when that will be done. I also plan to work with A.M Breakups, out of New York, in the near future.
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?
Damn. I never really thought about that. I mean, just picking one of so many. But, if there’s to be only one, then it has to be Wu-tang. As an emcee, I don’t know if another collective group influenced me more. Company Flow is really close behind, especially considering what El-P has done since, but it has to be the Wu. Me as the drummer however, that would probably be PJ Harvey.
