01. Public Enemy - Rebel Without A Pause
02. Paris - The Devil Made Me Do It
03. RUN DMC - Peter Piper
04. Eric B & Rakim - Juice (Know The Ledge)
05. Ice-T - Midnight
06. Scarface - Now I Feel Ya
07. Erick Sermon featuring Kam & Ice Cube - The Ill Shit
08. A Tribe Called Quest - Buggin' Out
09. De La Soul - Area
10. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y.
11. The Notorious B.I.G., Big Mike, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Buckshot, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, Ill Al Skratch and Redman - The Points
12. Camp Lo - Black Nostaljack
13. Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
14. KRS ONE - Sound Of Da Police
15. Gang Starr - Mass Appeal
16. Craig Mack featuring The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J & Busta Rhymes - Flava In Your Ear (remix)
17. Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit
18. Masta Ace - Beautiful
19. Eminem - The Way I Am
20. Atmosphere - Yesterday
21. 3rd Bass - Steppin' To The A.M.
22. Black Moon - I Got Cha Opin (remix)
23. House Of Pain - Back From The Dead
24. Common Sense - I Used To Love H.E.R.
25. Brother Ali - Faheem
26. Kurious - Spell It Wit A J
27. Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill A Man
28. Nas - N.Y. State Of Mind
29. Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew - The Show
30. Funkdoobiest - Bow Wow Wow
31. Cage - Grand Ol' Party Crash
32. Jay-Z - 99 Problems
33. Kool Moe Dee - I Go To Work
34. Nice & Smooth - Hip Hop Junkies
35. Souls Of Mischief - 93 Til Infinity
36. NWA - Straight Outta Compton
37. Redman - Time 4 Sum Aksion
38. O.C. featuring Big L - Dangerous
39. Dr.Octagon - Blue Flowers
40. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
41. Cru featuring Ras Kass - The Ebonic Plague
42. The D.O.C. - It's Funky Enough
43. Eazy-E - Nobody Move
44. Fugees - Nappy Heads (remix)
45. Outkast - B.O.B.
46. Beastie Boys - Paul Revere
47. Jurassic 5 - The Influence
48. XZIBIT - Chamber Music
49. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Murder Was The Case
50. Big Daddy Kane - Raw
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
ALMIGHTY interview
Flatline: The Almighty consists of Killah Priest, M-Eighty, Bronze Nazareth, Son One, C-Rayz Walz and 5 Star. Who masterminded this project and said, let's get these particular emcee's together?
M-Eighty: That would be the genius that is M-Eighty. All jokes aside, I was in the studio with Priest and Son One on my birthday last year and had told Priest about my idea for a group that was yet to be titled. Priest and Son were definitely feeling the idea and were shocked when I was telling them who all I wanted as group members of the soon titled “Almighty” and who I would line up as features. Almost 7 months later, Almighty as a group was able to concoct a legendary album and everyone associated with the project left feeling as if the Almighty was that first step in this full circle movement back to the true essence of hip hop.
Flatline: Was it difficult coordinating everyone's schedules to get the album recorded, and on another level, the skills and personality that each member brought to the table?
M-Eighty: Surprisingly it was not difficult to coordinate all the personalities and schedules of everyone. It was a timely process and it did involve a lot of traveling back and forth between LA, Michigan, Chicago, Indianapolis, New York, Virginia, etc but I think all the traveling and hard work is what made the name Almighty resonate with truth.
Flatline: The album, "Original S.I.N." dropped at the end of July. How has the response been, in terms of sales and the live shows that you guys have been doing?
C-Rayz Walz: This is a classic album that will just get better with time. It roped out of literally nowhere. It's way too good to be something that just passed by. It wasn't promoted or supported at all by the label. Babygrande should re-release it with a full fledge tour with all member and guest artists and I guarantee the planet will shake from the force of the Almighty. The best emcee's in the world are on that LP. It is the best group record this year. If you find a better record you can punch me in the mouth. Almighty is the mayweather of hip-hop music. Period.
Flatline: You got some real nice guest spots from Planet Asia, Canibus and Keith Murray. DJ JS-1 from the Rocksteady Crew is also featured. What was it like getting down with these individuals in the studio?
M-Eighty: Due to the extensive amount of traveling I was already doing to coordinate efforts amongst the group members, I was not able to sit in on all the sessions for the features. JS-1 was referred to me by C-Rayz Walz and we would just go back and forth via email and text until he understood exactly what I was looking for on a track and was able to deliver. JS is a sharp dude and I was definitely satisfied with his work at the end of the day. The same goes for Bis and Keith. Canibus, Keith, and I had discussed the concept and the theme behind the Almighty and “Handle the Heights” on several occasions before they each recorded their joints and both of them came off exactly how I had hoped. Had it not been for that constant communication between everyone than I don’t think the track or the album for that matter would have been nearly as cohesive.
Flatline: Bronze Nazareth, after years of putting in work on various projects, you've really come into your own as a dope producer. Besides maybe an obvious influence from early RZA beats, who else inspires you?
Bronze Nazareth: I’m inspired by the greats, Primo, Pete Rock, Prince Paul, etc but I also have a good respect for producers who aren't even in my same style. I really just respect banging music. I love Polow Da Don's "Hero" that he did for Nas, I listen and respect old and new. My inspiration just comes from dope hip hop and skillful music. I can take it from the Bomb Squad, to BCC, to Polow, I just respect good music.
Flatline: To me, Son One really comes through as the underdog who shines brightest on this album. Does the lyrical company you keep help push you to write the best stuff you can?
Son One: Well, being amongst the elite emcee's in this industry you are forced to step your game up. Being a new comer to the game first impression is everything, if you don't come correct on your first showing; many times you're not given a second chance. Plus growing up listening to these artists that have influenced me, it's almost like I want to make them proud.
Flatline: As a group, did you come up with the idea for the album cover? Design-wise, it's sure to be one of the best of the year.
M-Eighty: Appreciate it very much. I was introduced to a designer in Indianapolis named Aaron Scamihorn and I told him the dynamic of the Almighty and what my intentions were for the groups effect upon hip hop in 2008 in the cover art is what he was able to come up with based off the profound way I spoke about how intense and powerful this album would be at this point in time for the hip hop community.
Flatline: What has the response been from females who have heard or seen you perform "Soul Position"? It's very much in the same vein as "Ice Cream" or "Killa Lipstick".
5-Star: Females love the song! Every good group drops a hot joint for the ladies. Tribe has “Electric Relaxation,” The Roots have “Silent Treatment,” EPMD has “Jane,” the list goes on and on. So when Eighty came at me with the title “Soul Position” and told about C-Rayz on the hook I knew it would be classic and the response from the Ladies is incredible!! They really feeling it.
Flatline: Anyone wanna speak on the upcoming election, any thoughts on the candidates?
Son One: Wow! Even though I am not very political and don't follow politics much, I know that this country needs change. Obama stands for change and if this country is to progress and get better as a nation then changes must be made. Though I can't speak much about McCain I know he shares a lot of the same interests and ideas of the current administration. This country is in no condition to deal with another four years of Bush. What other way to start change then to put the first black president in office. GO VOTE SON!
Bronze Nazareth: Obama '08 obviously! McCain is another puppet, and I don't even know where to start with Palin....
Flatline: M-Eighty, do you want to let our readers in on what you have planned for 2009?
M-Eighty: So much work in 2009 that I have moved my office into my apartment. I will be handling A&R administration for both Bronze Nazareth’s “School for the Blindman” and The Wisemen “Wisemen Arrived” albums via Babygrande Records, executive producing Almighty’s follow-up to “Original S.I.N” via Babygrande Records and A&R’ing several releases for Ken Stumbo’s and Noah Hartkoph’s new hip hop label Criminal Records Music Group based out of Washington including Sunz of Man member 60 Second Assassin, a collaborative effort between Keith Murray and Canibus, C-Rayz Walz, Son One, Kevlaar 7, and more. After all the albums are made and the tours are wrapped up then hip hop heads will be able to rejoice in what I believe to be one of the most innovative inventions of our time, “SPITBOXX”, but that is for another interview at another time.
Flatline: As I listen to the Almighty album, Wu-Tang could break up tomorrow and never make another album, but the statement holds true - "Wu-Tang Forever". I think, as a group, you guys really put in some good work on this joint that will help keep the legacy alive. What's next?
Killah Priest: No doubt. I just wrapped up “Beautiful Minds” with Chief Kamachi and am working on “Behind the Stained Glass Part 2” amongst many other things. Big up to all my G-ciples and everyone who showed me love on the road with GZA. M-Eighty is definitely a solid dude and he knows I’m gonna rep whatever project he believes in because I know he’s always believed in me.
Bronze Nazareth: Just making sure we’re working up to our potential and exceeding all expectations to make sure that mouths get fed and heads stay open.
M-Eighty: Keeping it 100, knocking negative out the box, and thanking adonai everyday for keeping me blessed. Almighty for now and forever, Peace.
M-Eighty: That would be the genius that is M-Eighty. All jokes aside, I was in the studio with Priest and Son One on my birthday last year and had told Priest about my idea for a group that was yet to be titled. Priest and Son were definitely feeling the idea and were shocked when I was telling them who all I wanted as group members of the soon titled “Almighty” and who I would line up as features. Almost 7 months later, Almighty as a group was able to concoct a legendary album and everyone associated with the project left feeling as if the Almighty was that first step in this full circle movement back to the true essence of hip hop.
Flatline: Was it difficult coordinating everyone's schedules to get the album recorded, and on another level, the skills and personality that each member brought to the table?
M-Eighty: Surprisingly it was not difficult to coordinate all the personalities and schedules of everyone. It was a timely process and it did involve a lot of traveling back and forth between LA, Michigan, Chicago, Indianapolis, New York, Virginia, etc but I think all the traveling and hard work is what made the name Almighty resonate with truth.
Flatline: The album, "Original S.I.N." dropped at the end of July. How has the response been, in terms of sales and the live shows that you guys have been doing?
C-Rayz Walz: This is a classic album that will just get better with time. It roped out of literally nowhere. It's way too good to be something that just passed by. It wasn't promoted or supported at all by the label. Babygrande should re-release it with a full fledge tour with all member and guest artists and I guarantee the planet will shake from the force of the Almighty. The best emcee's in the world are on that LP. It is the best group record this year. If you find a better record you can punch me in the mouth. Almighty is the mayweather of hip-hop music. Period.
Flatline: You got some real nice guest spots from Planet Asia, Canibus and Keith Murray. DJ JS-1 from the Rocksteady Crew is also featured. What was it like getting down with these individuals in the studio?
M-Eighty: Due to the extensive amount of traveling I was already doing to coordinate efforts amongst the group members, I was not able to sit in on all the sessions for the features. JS-1 was referred to me by C-Rayz Walz and we would just go back and forth via email and text until he understood exactly what I was looking for on a track and was able to deliver. JS is a sharp dude and I was definitely satisfied with his work at the end of the day. The same goes for Bis and Keith. Canibus, Keith, and I had discussed the concept and the theme behind the Almighty and “Handle the Heights” on several occasions before they each recorded their joints and both of them came off exactly how I had hoped. Had it not been for that constant communication between everyone than I don’t think the track or the album for that matter would have been nearly as cohesive.
Flatline: Bronze Nazareth, after years of putting in work on various projects, you've really come into your own as a dope producer. Besides maybe an obvious influence from early RZA beats, who else inspires you?
Bronze Nazareth: I’m inspired by the greats, Primo, Pete Rock, Prince Paul, etc but I also have a good respect for producers who aren't even in my same style. I really just respect banging music. I love Polow Da Don's "Hero" that he did for Nas, I listen and respect old and new. My inspiration just comes from dope hip hop and skillful music. I can take it from the Bomb Squad, to BCC, to Polow, I just respect good music.
Flatline: To me, Son One really comes through as the underdog who shines brightest on this album. Does the lyrical company you keep help push you to write the best stuff you can?
Son One: Well, being amongst the elite emcee's in this industry you are forced to step your game up. Being a new comer to the game first impression is everything, if you don't come correct on your first showing; many times you're not given a second chance. Plus growing up listening to these artists that have influenced me, it's almost like I want to make them proud.
Flatline: As a group, did you come up with the idea for the album cover? Design-wise, it's sure to be one of the best of the year.
M-Eighty: Appreciate it very much. I was introduced to a designer in Indianapolis named Aaron Scamihorn and I told him the dynamic of the Almighty and what my intentions were for the groups effect upon hip hop in 2008 in the cover art is what he was able to come up with based off the profound way I spoke about how intense and powerful this album would be at this point in time for the hip hop community.
Flatline: What has the response been from females who have heard or seen you perform "Soul Position"? It's very much in the same vein as "Ice Cream" or "Killa Lipstick".
5-Star: Females love the song! Every good group drops a hot joint for the ladies. Tribe has “Electric Relaxation,” The Roots have “Silent Treatment,” EPMD has “Jane,” the list goes on and on. So when Eighty came at me with the title “Soul Position” and told about C-Rayz on the hook I knew it would be classic and the response from the Ladies is incredible!! They really feeling it.
Flatline: Anyone wanna speak on the upcoming election, any thoughts on the candidates?
Son One: Wow! Even though I am not very political and don't follow politics much, I know that this country needs change. Obama stands for change and if this country is to progress and get better as a nation then changes must be made. Though I can't speak much about McCain I know he shares a lot of the same interests and ideas of the current administration. This country is in no condition to deal with another four years of Bush. What other way to start change then to put the first black president in office. GO VOTE SON!
Bronze Nazareth: Obama '08 obviously! McCain is another puppet, and I don't even know where to start with Palin....
Flatline: M-Eighty, do you want to let our readers in on what you have planned for 2009?
M-Eighty: So much work in 2009 that I have moved my office into my apartment. I will be handling A&R administration for both Bronze Nazareth’s “School for the Blindman” and The Wisemen “Wisemen Arrived” albums via Babygrande Records, executive producing Almighty’s follow-up to “Original S.I.N” via Babygrande Records and A&R’ing several releases for Ken Stumbo’s and Noah Hartkoph’s new hip hop label Criminal Records Music Group based out of Washington including Sunz of Man member 60 Second Assassin, a collaborative effort between Keith Murray and Canibus, C-Rayz Walz, Son One, Kevlaar 7, and more. After all the albums are made and the tours are wrapped up then hip hop heads will be able to rejoice in what I believe to be one of the most innovative inventions of our time, “SPITBOXX”, but that is for another interview at another time.
Flatline: As I listen to the Almighty album, Wu-Tang could break up tomorrow and never make another album, but the statement holds true - "Wu-Tang Forever". I think, as a group, you guys really put in some good work on this joint that will help keep the legacy alive. What's next?
Killah Priest: No doubt. I just wrapped up “Beautiful Minds” with Chief Kamachi and am working on “Behind the Stained Glass Part 2” amongst many other things. Big up to all my G-ciples and everyone who showed me love on the road with GZA. M-Eighty is definitely a solid dude and he knows I’m gonna rep whatever project he believes in because I know he’s always believed in me.
Bronze Nazareth: Just making sure we’re working up to our potential and exceeding all expectations to make sure that mouths get fed and heads stay open.
M-Eighty: Keeping it 100, knocking negative out the box, and thanking adonai everyday for keeping me blessed. Almighty for now and forever, Peace.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
EVERLAST interview
Flatline: I want to know what keeps you going. Going from The Syndicate, to House Of Pain, to your solo career. What keeps you motivated musically?
Everlast: I don't know, it's hard to say. Sometimes I'm not motivated at all. Like the last couple of years, I didn't feel like doing anything so I didn't...but it helps to have the luxury of being able to do that. But just the music...in general, I like making music.
Flatline: Is it a better situation now that you're on a different label, allowing you the creative freedom to do what you want, when you want to do it?
Everlast: Yeah, I mean, it's pretty much my label. My publishing company is a partner with me and my managers, we started this distribution company...and it's small right now, but we'll see what happens. I'm happy with it. You know, I've never had anybody tell me what kind of music to make since my first album with Warner Bros. It was like they got involved with that and, you know, I didn't really like about half that record...about half that record I really like a lot, even though it was twenty years ago...
Flatline: Like, Syndicate Soldier?
Everlast: Yeah, sure...
Flatline: I Got The Knack?
Everlast: No, see, I Got The Knack, that was one of them songs where...I don't ever go around blaming people for like, oh they made me do this, they made me do that...but at that time, think about it - Wild Thing by Tone-Loc was the hot rap record. Gibson guitar, bass sample...My Sharona...I Got The Knack from My Sharona?? It was like, it wasn't even that thought out when you think about it. You can tell it was just kinda done to be done. Of course, the record people and the higher ups got those records made. Those are the ones they wanted made when I wanted a more credible stance, you know? But even then, rap was new in the game. There were very few people selling records in hip hop at that moment.
Flatline: As far back as I can recall, I don't remember ever hearing the reason why you left The Syndicate.
Everlast: It was just business, it was just business. I got hip quick to record contracts and, you know, maybe being signed to something through...although, Ice-T to this day, I just seen him not too long ago and I let him know, hey, thanks for opening the door for me and all that. I just realized it's better to be signed straight to a record company than being signed to a record company through somebody else. I learned a lot about publishing and I wasn't in control of my publishing then. So it was a bunch of stuff like that. Probably, when I left, I was like fuck this...but on the same note, I couldn't have told you that's what I was going to wind up doing for a living. Like I said, it wasn't like tons of people were making money at it. More than leaving The Syndicate, I was leaving Warner Bros. and I pissed off a lot of people there. There was a while where I couldn't send an Everlast demo anywhere because this little word had gotten out amongst a certain group of powerful people, that this guy is trouble, he's all this, that and the other. So that's kinda when House Of Pain came into play. Me and Danny - a friend of mine for a long time, Lethal was already with me from the Syndicate days. Me and Danny had an Irish kinship and a b-boy kinship. He had the name and the fuckin' look and all the graphics and it just all clicked up.
Flatline: It was like a House Of Pain brand almost...
Everlast: Yeah, and then, a lot of people don't know this - we were a live band. We were a hip hop group but we were a live band. Then, me and Muggs, who I had already known cause 7A3 was almost in The Syndicate...I bumped into him again and heard the Cypress album about eight or nine months before it came out. I was like, oh shit, y'all are gonna kill'em dog, no one even knows this is coming. Then me and B-Real started hanging out and started rhyming together. B-Real was the one that told Muggs, you better fuckin' snatch him up. The rest just kinda went down. Jump Around was made in fuckin' Muggs driveway...not even his driveway, his aunt's driveway. That's where I wrote that shit.
Flatline: That's crazy. I saw you with House Of Pain when you had Rage Against The Machine opening up for you guys...
Everlast: Right? When nobody else would take them out cause they were scared of them.
Flatline: Yeah, right before their first album dropped. I want to know, at what point did you decide to pick up a guitar and switch up your style a little bit?
Everlast: Well, I had always had guitar around me man, even before House Of Pain and all that. There's a few House Of Pain songs where I played a little piece and then we looped it up, things like that. I just kinda played to relax. When I didn't wanna think about anything else, I just strum on a guitar. When I quit House Of Pain, honestly, I didn't think I was gonna make music anymore. I was just really bummed out about leaving House Of Pain. It was a bad situation. Danny doesn't make no bones about it now but he had developed quite a serious drug problem. We just had to go our separate ways but luckily that's all changed recently, in the last few years. It was my buddy Dante Ross who called me and was just like, what are you doing? Come to New York man, let's make some music. I was like, man, I don't even know what's up with my record deal...I didn't know if I had a record deal, I wasn't House Of Pain no more. Then he was like, fuck all that, just come out here and make music. So I went there and started making a hip hop record. Like, on Whitey Ford Sings The Blues, all the straight hip hop songs got done first, those were done. We were just working on that and I was playing guitar at night.
Flatline: So, did Dante encourage you in that area or what happened?
Everlast, No, Dante heard me playing What It's Like on his couch. I was sleeping on his couch, just bummin' it around, doin' whatever...not cause I had to, just cause I wanted to. Fuck the hotel and all that, let's get down and dirty basics kinda thing. He heard me playing What It's Like and he was like, what the fuck is that? I was like, it's just a song I wrote. Basically, he was like, we're recording that tomorrow. I was like, alright cool, you know? I think at first I might have been like, I don't know what we're gonna do with it but, sure, I'll record it, what the fuck? And that's how the whole thing kinda happened...
Flatline: And you go on to sell 3 million...
Everlast: Yeah, you know...go figure.
Flatline: In my collection I have a ton of House Of Pain remixes. There was almost an albums worth of remixes between the debut and Same As It Ever Was. Was that a group decision to remix and re-work the material or was that more of a label idea?
Everlast: No, cause it was people we all liked. Butch Vig - the label don't think that far ahead dude, know what I mean? That was Danny Boy and me, being fans of "grunge" music and knowing a lot about Sub Pop and the history of that and being like, who would be a good guy...oh, Butch Vig...and him wanting to do it! Diamond D, Pete Rock, those were no-brainers. It was like, hell yeah, Pete Rock, let's have him do a remix, let's have Diamond D do a remix, let's have Lethal do his own remix. It's like whatever's whatever.
Flatline: Salaam Remi did some...
Everlast: Yeah, I remember Salaam, he did a couple. He would always submit remixes for every song. So I'm sure there's remixes I haven't ever heard.
Flatline: That's nuts...
Everlast: Yeah, I'm not the best when it comes to cataloguing or collecting my shit. You know, I'm better at collecting sneakers and shit like that, know what I mean? I don't even have any of my own albums man, it's kinda crazy. On my iPod I don't even have them all. I gotta get them from my keyboard player, he's got them all. I ain't heard some of the House Of Pain stuff in years...
Flatline: I still listen to Same As It Ever Was...
Everlast: That's a good record man...I look back on it...
Flatline: That's the best record you guys did...
Everlast: Yeah. As a group, yeah...
Flatline: And some of Muggs best production is on that record.
Everlast: Yeah, Lethal too. Muggs and Lethal together were good on that record.
Flatline: Same thing when they worked together on the first Funkdoobiest album. That was a great record!
Everlast: Yeah, yeah. I don't know how that one didn't work, how that one didn't blow. It's crazy.
Flatline: I was curious to know if your brush with death brought about a fascination with it. The topic comes up on all of your albums.
Everlast: Well, I wrote a bunch of stuff on Whitey Ford before it even happened, that was about death. But, you know, subconsciously maybe my body was telling my mind things that I didn't know about, you know what I mean? But yeah, I've always been fascinated with death man, now more than ever, cause I'll never be afraid of it really...
Flatline: Because you came that close?
Everlast: Yeah, I mean, I was on my death bed as far as I was concerned. I still trip right now and think, how the fuck am I alive? That's the thing, like I compare it to the world's scariest roller-coaster. It's only gonna be scary that one time. I'm not saying I want death, or I welcome it like I'm looking forward to it. I enjoy my life and I understand what my life is worth. The whole horror of your death - I've kinda run that route already. I have that advantage in a weird way, over maybe somebody who's still got that fear in them. I'm sure there's things I'm still afraid of in certain ways but death really ain't one of them. I don't know if you ever seen that movie Ghost Dog...
Flatline: Yeah, Forest Whitaker, and RZA did the soundtrack...
Everlast: Yeah...they talk about in there, a real samurai reflects on his death every day. That way, when it comes, it ain't a surprise. In a weird same kind of mentality, that's why I do it. I'm ready when it comes. You know, when it comes, it comes. I learned there's nothing that's gonna stop it. We are all mortal. The most invincible of us can be taken down by something the size of the head of a pin.
Flatline: I love your cover of Children's Story that you did with Rahzel. Did you ever get any feedback from Slick Rick on that?
Everlast: No, I would love to have known what Slick Rick thought of that. I know for a fact that he plays Jump Around in his show every night. My buddy Stash sent me a video of it and he's comparing old school and new school. He's like, this is old school and he plays something and he plays something else. Then he says, and this is when Irish people meet black people...boom!...Jump Around comes on. So he must be a fan of it. I'd like to know if he ever heard that and if not, I'd play it for him just to heard what he thinks. I think that's probably one of my best covers just because, if you ask me, it was meant to be a blues song.
Flatline: You've collaborated with a bunch of people on your albums. Is there anyone else you'd still like to work with?
Everlast: Well, ninety percent of the people I've worked with are friends of mine. It's really one of the prerequisites for me. I don't really go, you know, oh that dude's hot, I need to work with him. Most of the things I've done with collaborations have just kind of happened. We were hanging out, in a studio, near a studio, something happened. That's just the way things work with me. I don't plan a lot. It's not in my nature.
Flatline: I'm guessing Snoop and you working on "My Medicine" was just you guys messing around in the studio?
Everlast: No, actually...it's kind of a long story. A few years back I gave him some country music. He was like, I like that Johnny Cash shit, what else can I listen to? I told him Patsy Kline and a few other names. Jump a few years later, we're doing a La Coka Nostra show in New York and I get a call from Snoop that he's finishing up a tour and his last night is in Dublin, Ireland and he wants me to come out and do Jump Around. I was like, fuck it, I'm in New York already, I'll go over there. He was backstage listening to Patsy Kline records and all these old country records and I was like, oh shit. He was like, you were the one that put me up on this Everlast. So jump ahead another few months and we're at the Jam Master Jay Awards. We're at this party for Pharrell's BBC clothing line or something and Snoop comes up to me and says, I want you to write me a country song. I said, you want me to write you a country song? He says, I want you to write me a country song. So, it took me a couple months...and it almost didn't happen cause the day I came up with it, I sent it to him and he's like, we gotta get this today...the record's done, it's getting mastered. So it was the last damn cut for his record and he just loved it and he killed it.
Flatline: Were you frustrated at all with the way Def Jam dropped the ball a little bit on White Trash Beautiful? It seemed like it flew under the radar but contained some of your best work at the time.
Everlast: Well, what happened with that was, Lyor Cohen signed me and then a couple months after he signed me, his friend bought Warner Bros. and he left. So I just got caught in a place where...it's an old story in the music business and it's happened millions of times. When a guy like Lyor Cohen leaves, he takes all his people. Then the new guy comes in with his people. Most of them, if they didn't sign you in the record business, no one's gonna stick their neck out for something. So it was unfortunate, you know? It's one of the reasons I'll never do another record deal again.
Flatline: Kill The Emperor off the new album...
Everlast: Oh yeah...
Flatline: It reminds me of when Paris came out with Bush Killa. How did that track come about? You've really got some stuff to say on that record.
Everlast: It just came out cause I was like, what's the craziest shit about...like, you know, actually taking some kind of action. But it actually came from the thought of like, it I was alive in 1936 and I met Hitler before he became Hitler, would I smoke him? Would I just do it? You know what I mean? So that's kinda where the whole concept started from as a baby idea, and then it just turned into what it is.
Flatline: La Coka Nostra.
Everlast: Yeah.
Flatline: Album done? Ready to go?
Everlast: Album is done, barring one guest appearance we're waiting on via pony express, email, fuckin' FedEx. Somehow, we're waiting on this thing to show up. I don't wanna say who it is.
Flatline: You guys gonna tour behind the album?
Everlast: That's the plan, that's the plan. We're talking about maybe doing a whole Soul Assassins festival involving my band, Ill Bill, Psycho Realm...bunch of people.
Flatline: How did the passing of Johnny Cash affect you? Did you ever get a chance to meet with him or work with him before he passed?
Everlast: No, I didn't get to meet him. I did see his last public performance though. I was working on this Big Daddy movie soundtrack and Rick Rubin was overseeing the whole production of the album and I was in New York. He was like, they're doing this big tribute to Johnny Cash on TNT, they're doing it here in New York. All these artists came and performed and then at the end he came out and performed. I was gonna try and meet him afterwards but there was this crush of people and he was already not feeling well. As much as I would have been cool, it would have been frustrating cause I would have rather met him, if I ever got the opportunity, to just sit down and conversate with him. Same thing with Muhammad Ali. I did some work on that Ali movie, some musical work and at the premiere everyone's trying to meet him. I was just like, I don't wanna be in that crowd. If I ever get to meet him, it'll be on some sit down, yo man, you're one of the reasons I do what I do. I love Muhammad Ali, he's like one of my idols. Well, I don't like using the word idol. Hero.
The new album by Everlast - "Love, War, And The Ghost Of Whitey Ford" - available everywhere 9.23.08
Everlast and The Lordz are currently on tour now. Check your local concert listings for a show near you.
Everlast: I don't know, it's hard to say. Sometimes I'm not motivated at all. Like the last couple of years, I didn't feel like doing anything so I didn't...but it helps to have the luxury of being able to do that. But just the music...in general, I like making music.
Flatline: Is it a better situation now that you're on a different label, allowing you the creative freedom to do what you want, when you want to do it?
Everlast: Yeah, I mean, it's pretty much my label. My publishing company is a partner with me and my managers, we started this distribution company...and it's small right now, but we'll see what happens. I'm happy with it. You know, I've never had anybody tell me what kind of music to make since my first album with Warner Bros. It was like they got involved with that and, you know, I didn't really like about half that record...about half that record I really like a lot, even though it was twenty years ago...
Flatline: Like, Syndicate Soldier?
Everlast: Yeah, sure...
Flatline: I Got The Knack?
Everlast: No, see, I Got The Knack, that was one of them songs where...I don't ever go around blaming people for like, oh they made me do this, they made me do that...but at that time, think about it - Wild Thing by Tone-Loc was the hot rap record. Gibson guitar, bass sample...My Sharona...I Got The Knack from My Sharona?? It was like, it wasn't even that thought out when you think about it. You can tell it was just kinda done to be done. Of course, the record people and the higher ups got those records made. Those are the ones they wanted made when I wanted a more credible stance, you know? But even then, rap was new in the game. There were very few people selling records in hip hop at that moment.
Flatline: As far back as I can recall, I don't remember ever hearing the reason why you left The Syndicate.
Everlast: It was just business, it was just business. I got hip quick to record contracts and, you know, maybe being signed to something through...although, Ice-T to this day, I just seen him not too long ago and I let him know, hey, thanks for opening the door for me and all that. I just realized it's better to be signed straight to a record company than being signed to a record company through somebody else. I learned a lot about publishing and I wasn't in control of my publishing then. So it was a bunch of stuff like that. Probably, when I left, I was like fuck this...but on the same note, I couldn't have told you that's what I was going to wind up doing for a living. Like I said, it wasn't like tons of people were making money at it. More than leaving The Syndicate, I was leaving Warner Bros. and I pissed off a lot of people there. There was a while where I couldn't send an Everlast demo anywhere because this little word had gotten out amongst a certain group of powerful people, that this guy is trouble, he's all this, that and the other. So that's kinda when House Of Pain came into play. Me and Danny - a friend of mine for a long time, Lethal was already with me from the Syndicate days. Me and Danny had an Irish kinship and a b-boy kinship. He had the name and the fuckin' look and all the graphics and it just all clicked up.
Flatline: It was like a House Of Pain brand almost...
Everlast: Yeah, and then, a lot of people don't know this - we were a live band. We were a hip hop group but we were a live band. Then, me and Muggs, who I had already known cause 7A3 was almost in The Syndicate...I bumped into him again and heard the Cypress album about eight or nine months before it came out. I was like, oh shit, y'all are gonna kill'em dog, no one even knows this is coming. Then me and B-Real started hanging out and started rhyming together. B-Real was the one that told Muggs, you better fuckin' snatch him up. The rest just kinda went down. Jump Around was made in fuckin' Muggs driveway...not even his driveway, his aunt's driveway. That's where I wrote that shit.
Flatline: That's crazy. I saw you with House Of Pain when you had Rage Against The Machine opening up for you guys...
Everlast: Right? When nobody else would take them out cause they were scared of them.
Flatline: Yeah, right before their first album dropped. I want to know, at what point did you decide to pick up a guitar and switch up your style a little bit?
Everlast: Well, I had always had guitar around me man, even before House Of Pain and all that. There's a few House Of Pain songs where I played a little piece and then we looped it up, things like that. I just kinda played to relax. When I didn't wanna think about anything else, I just strum on a guitar. When I quit House Of Pain, honestly, I didn't think I was gonna make music anymore. I was just really bummed out about leaving House Of Pain. It was a bad situation. Danny doesn't make no bones about it now but he had developed quite a serious drug problem. We just had to go our separate ways but luckily that's all changed recently, in the last few years. It was my buddy Dante Ross who called me and was just like, what are you doing? Come to New York man, let's make some music. I was like, man, I don't even know what's up with my record deal...I didn't know if I had a record deal, I wasn't House Of Pain no more. Then he was like, fuck all that, just come out here and make music. So I went there and started making a hip hop record. Like, on Whitey Ford Sings The Blues, all the straight hip hop songs got done first, those were done. We were just working on that and I was playing guitar at night.
Flatline: So, did Dante encourage you in that area or what happened?
Everlast, No, Dante heard me playing What It's Like on his couch. I was sleeping on his couch, just bummin' it around, doin' whatever...not cause I had to, just cause I wanted to. Fuck the hotel and all that, let's get down and dirty basics kinda thing. He heard me playing What It's Like and he was like, what the fuck is that? I was like, it's just a song I wrote. Basically, he was like, we're recording that tomorrow. I was like, alright cool, you know? I think at first I might have been like, I don't know what we're gonna do with it but, sure, I'll record it, what the fuck? And that's how the whole thing kinda happened...
Flatline: And you go on to sell 3 million...
Everlast: Yeah, you know...go figure.
Flatline: In my collection I have a ton of House Of Pain remixes. There was almost an albums worth of remixes between the debut and Same As It Ever Was. Was that a group decision to remix and re-work the material or was that more of a label idea?
Everlast: No, cause it was people we all liked. Butch Vig - the label don't think that far ahead dude, know what I mean? That was Danny Boy and me, being fans of "grunge" music and knowing a lot about Sub Pop and the history of that and being like, who would be a good guy...oh, Butch Vig...and him wanting to do it! Diamond D, Pete Rock, those were no-brainers. It was like, hell yeah, Pete Rock, let's have him do a remix, let's have Diamond D do a remix, let's have Lethal do his own remix. It's like whatever's whatever.
Flatline: Salaam Remi did some...
Everlast: Yeah, I remember Salaam, he did a couple. He would always submit remixes for every song. So I'm sure there's remixes I haven't ever heard.
Flatline: That's nuts...
Everlast: Yeah, I'm not the best when it comes to cataloguing or collecting my shit. You know, I'm better at collecting sneakers and shit like that, know what I mean? I don't even have any of my own albums man, it's kinda crazy. On my iPod I don't even have them all. I gotta get them from my keyboard player, he's got them all. I ain't heard some of the House Of Pain stuff in years...
Flatline: I still listen to Same As It Ever Was...
Everlast: That's a good record man...I look back on it...
Flatline: That's the best record you guys did...
Everlast: Yeah. As a group, yeah...
Flatline: And some of Muggs best production is on that record.
Everlast: Yeah, Lethal too. Muggs and Lethal together were good on that record.
Flatline: Same thing when they worked together on the first Funkdoobiest album. That was a great record!
Everlast: Yeah, yeah. I don't know how that one didn't work, how that one didn't blow. It's crazy.
Flatline: I was curious to know if your brush with death brought about a fascination with it. The topic comes up on all of your albums.
Everlast: Well, I wrote a bunch of stuff on Whitey Ford before it even happened, that was about death. But, you know, subconsciously maybe my body was telling my mind things that I didn't know about, you know what I mean? But yeah, I've always been fascinated with death man, now more than ever, cause I'll never be afraid of it really...
Flatline: Because you came that close?
Everlast: Yeah, I mean, I was on my death bed as far as I was concerned. I still trip right now and think, how the fuck am I alive? That's the thing, like I compare it to the world's scariest roller-coaster. It's only gonna be scary that one time. I'm not saying I want death, or I welcome it like I'm looking forward to it. I enjoy my life and I understand what my life is worth. The whole horror of your death - I've kinda run that route already. I have that advantage in a weird way, over maybe somebody who's still got that fear in them. I'm sure there's things I'm still afraid of in certain ways but death really ain't one of them. I don't know if you ever seen that movie Ghost Dog...
Flatline: Yeah, Forest Whitaker, and RZA did the soundtrack...
Everlast: Yeah...they talk about in there, a real samurai reflects on his death every day. That way, when it comes, it ain't a surprise. In a weird same kind of mentality, that's why I do it. I'm ready when it comes. You know, when it comes, it comes. I learned there's nothing that's gonna stop it. We are all mortal. The most invincible of us can be taken down by something the size of the head of a pin.
Flatline: I love your cover of Children's Story that you did with Rahzel. Did you ever get any feedback from Slick Rick on that?
Everlast: No, I would love to have known what Slick Rick thought of that. I know for a fact that he plays Jump Around in his show every night. My buddy Stash sent me a video of it and he's comparing old school and new school. He's like, this is old school and he plays something and he plays something else. Then he says, and this is when Irish people meet black people...boom!...Jump Around comes on. So he must be a fan of it. I'd like to know if he ever heard that and if not, I'd play it for him just to heard what he thinks. I think that's probably one of my best covers just because, if you ask me, it was meant to be a blues song.
Flatline: You've collaborated with a bunch of people on your albums. Is there anyone else you'd still like to work with?
Everlast: Well, ninety percent of the people I've worked with are friends of mine. It's really one of the prerequisites for me. I don't really go, you know, oh that dude's hot, I need to work with him. Most of the things I've done with collaborations have just kind of happened. We were hanging out, in a studio, near a studio, something happened. That's just the way things work with me. I don't plan a lot. It's not in my nature.
Flatline: I'm guessing Snoop and you working on "My Medicine" was just you guys messing around in the studio?
Everlast: No, actually...it's kind of a long story. A few years back I gave him some country music. He was like, I like that Johnny Cash shit, what else can I listen to? I told him Patsy Kline and a few other names. Jump a few years later, we're doing a La Coka Nostra show in New York and I get a call from Snoop that he's finishing up a tour and his last night is in Dublin, Ireland and he wants me to come out and do Jump Around. I was like, fuck it, I'm in New York already, I'll go over there. He was backstage listening to Patsy Kline records and all these old country records and I was like, oh shit. He was like, you were the one that put me up on this Everlast. So jump ahead another few months and we're at the Jam Master Jay Awards. We're at this party for Pharrell's BBC clothing line or something and Snoop comes up to me and says, I want you to write me a country song. I said, you want me to write you a country song? He says, I want you to write me a country song. So, it took me a couple months...and it almost didn't happen cause the day I came up with it, I sent it to him and he's like, we gotta get this today...the record's done, it's getting mastered. So it was the last damn cut for his record and he just loved it and he killed it.
Flatline: Were you frustrated at all with the way Def Jam dropped the ball a little bit on White Trash Beautiful? It seemed like it flew under the radar but contained some of your best work at the time.
Everlast: Well, what happened with that was, Lyor Cohen signed me and then a couple months after he signed me, his friend bought Warner Bros. and he left. So I just got caught in a place where...it's an old story in the music business and it's happened millions of times. When a guy like Lyor Cohen leaves, he takes all his people. Then the new guy comes in with his people. Most of them, if they didn't sign you in the record business, no one's gonna stick their neck out for something. So it was unfortunate, you know? It's one of the reasons I'll never do another record deal again.
Flatline: Kill The Emperor off the new album...
Everlast: Oh yeah...
Flatline: It reminds me of when Paris came out with Bush Killa. How did that track come about? You've really got some stuff to say on that record.
Everlast: It just came out cause I was like, what's the craziest shit about...like, you know, actually taking some kind of action. But it actually came from the thought of like, it I was alive in 1936 and I met Hitler before he became Hitler, would I smoke him? Would I just do it? You know what I mean? So that's kinda where the whole concept started from as a baby idea, and then it just turned into what it is.
Flatline: La Coka Nostra.
Everlast: Yeah.
Flatline: Album done? Ready to go?
Everlast: Album is done, barring one guest appearance we're waiting on via pony express, email, fuckin' FedEx. Somehow, we're waiting on this thing to show up. I don't wanna say who it is.
Flatline: You guys gonna tour behind the album?
Everlast: That's the plan, that's the plan. We're talking about maybe doing a whole Soul Assassins festival involving my band, Ill Bill, Psycho Realm...bunch of people.
Flatline: How did the passing of Johnny Cash affect you? Did you ever get a chance to meet with him or work with him before he passed?
Everlast: No, I didn't get to meet him. I did see his last public performance though. I was working on this Big Daddy movie soundtrack and Rick Rubin was overseeing the whole production of the album and I was in New York. He was like, they're doing this big tribute to Johnny Cash on TNT, they're doing it here in New York. All these artists came and performed and then at the end he came out and performed. I was gonna try and meet him afterwards but there was this crush of people and he was already not feeling well. As much as I would have been cool, it would have been frustrating cause I would have rather met him, if I ever got the opportunity, to just sit down and conversate with him. Same thing with Muhammad Ali. I did some work on that Ali movie, some musical work and at the premiere everyone's trying to meet him. I was just like, I don't wanna be in that crowd. If I ever get to meet him, it'll be on some sit down, yo man, you're one of the reasons I do what I do. I love Muhammad Ali, he's like one of my idols. Well, I don't like using the word idol. Hero.
The new album by Everlast - "Love, War, And The Ghost Of Whitey Ford" - available everywhere 9.23.08
Everlast and The Lordz are currently on tour now. Check your local concert listings for a show near you.
Monday, June 2, 2008
SHOCK G from DIGITAL UNDERGROUND interview
Flatline: You have been so incredibly creative through out your career, both musically and artistically. Where do you grab inspiraton from?
Shock G: Love. Not just as in romantic love with a woman, but love everywhere in the world around me. People making each other laugh and smile, good times with friends & family, anytime harmony's amongst me, it inspires me. Of course, being in love is the ultimate inspiration too, when I'm lucky enough to have a special someone like that.
Flatline: It's been 10 years since the last D.U. record "Who Got The Gravy?" dropped. What made you want to go one last round with this album?
Shock G: One reason is, we finally came across a good, stereophonic, soundboard recording of a D.U. show, rather than the usual camcorder versions we have so many of. The bulk of this album was recorded at a live show in the bay area. You can hear the hometown luv in the air, and both the audience and the band was in rare form. We didn't bother to include the songs in which we simply rapped over the records. I figured we all know how the records sound already. No, instead we put the "unplugged" sections on the album in which Eric "Kenya" Baker (So Many Tears) is on guitar, DJ-NuStylez is on the turns, Juan Carlos is on percussion, and I'm at my favorite place in the world, on piano. Meanwhile the entire D.U. roster is blessing the mic. All the spin-off acts were in the building too that night - Luniz, Saafir, Element, Choice Cutz, even Strictly Dope, Tupac's original group before he joined digital underground. That's reason one.
Reason two is because, those last 10 years you spoke of, since the "Gravy" album, we've been touring constantly, worldwide, and in that time it sorta seasoned us. Our live show has evolved much tighter then before, and we recruited alot of good emcees along the way too. This album reflects that growth and showcases those emcees. And there's even a third reason...
Reason three for releasing "Cuz a D.U. Party Don't Stop" is because few Pac fans know that our clik wrote the music to practically all of Tupacs singles for his first 3 albums. For instance, So Many Tears was Eric Baker & I musically, I Get Around was myself, Homies Call & Brendas Got a Baby was our homie Deon Evans a.k.a. Big-D the Impossible. In a sense, we were Tupacs in-house band, and I was even supposed to be his music director on his up & coming overseas tour in the fall of 1996. Of course the tour never happened, but you could say this album is a taste of what it might've been like musically, because these are the cats that would've been there. And though Pac may've passed on, we at least have Ray Luv (of Strictly Dope and early ghost writer for Tupac) and Pacs' protege Mac Mall representing in Pacs honor. Plus they supplied me a 77-key Fender Rhodes electric piano that night, so I was in heaven. It's a beast of a recording.
Flatline: There's always talk of you working with Tupac but you worked with another lyrical giant on the last record - Big Pun. How did the two of you hook up and what was it like working with him in the studio?
Shock G: Real talk, on the day we were supposed to record, four plates of spanish food showed up at the studio before he arrived. Then the studio gets a call...it was Pun checking to make sure the food had got there before he showed up (!!!) I heard he was up around 500 pounds at the time. They put a chair in the vocal booth, he layed his verses while sitting down, and we had to punch him in every other sentence, so he could catch his breath. Jeeeesus, the poor dudes heart just couldn't take it any more. He was a great dude though, wayyyyy kool, wayyyyy chill.
I kept thanking him for showin up & fuckin wit our ol' skool asses, and ya know what he said? "C'mon, I had to. You were the first person to put Puerto Ricans on the map when you shouted us in the Humpty Dance."
And ya know what I said?
"Yeah, but you mean Doowutchyalike".
And he said.. "No, it was the Humpty Dance."
And I said.. "Naw, it was Doowutchyalike".
Then he just stared at me like he was trying to figure out whether I was serious or not, and I walked away, back to the soundboard to finish mixing the song. The next day when I woke up, I was like "Damn, he was right! It was the Humpty Dance! He must think I'm crazy!" I was so high from blazin wit him that day, I got stuck in a zone where I really remembered it to be Doowutchyalike!! DOH!
I asked for Pun cause his lyrics were sexually obsessive like mine were. Around that time, most cats rhymed about either crime or violence, but Pun was a ladies man like Humpty, so I thought he'd be a good match with me. And luckily, someone on our label (Jake Records) knew someone at his label and put a call in for us.
Flatline: What can the average listener expect to hear on the new record? Any guest spots we should watch out for?
Shock G: Yes, look out for BINC (a.k.a. Best in Northern Cali), he's hella funny. And also Liz Suwandi, a new female vocalist who's been touring with us lately. We call her "our Fergie".
Flatline: Why do you think Digital Underground isn't scooping up many awards or being recognized for the work you've put in over the years?
Shock G: "Grammys, Emmys, Dammys, nuthin 2 me, but when they rock us in the streets we say ooh-wee."
Witnessing the impact our music has out in the world & universe is like receiving 20 Grammy awards. Things like...when Jay-Z used the Humpty flow in his song, or watching the dancefloor go bananas when "I Get Around" or "Freaks" drops, or watching the girls come alive when they rock us in the strip clubs. (laughs) We're also in the wedding books and the kareoke books lately. We've done two tours a year almost every year since 1989. We may not have any special awards but we're blessed to have what we do have, and for that I'm grateful.
Flatline: Can we expect a solo album from Humpty Hump in the future or maybe an ep with Biz Markie?
Shock G: (laughs) I doubt it, but I'll ask Humpty next time I see him. Who knows, he might be into it.
Flatline: You're a group with a worldwide fan base on a smaller record label. How has the industry changed in your eyes since you came out with Sex Packets?
Shock G: When we came out, hip-hop was still a teeny-bopper (18 years old) so it was focused on all the things teenagers focus on; dancin & partying. But Hip Hop is all grown up now, so it's focused on more adult things like money & business, hence half the people in hip-hop also being business people. The artform is going through all the same changes R&B and Rock & Roll went through. Remember when it was Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and Berry Gordy flashin' all the riches? Now it's 50-Cent, Jay-Z, Eminem, and Sean Combs baybay!! Jazz & Rock used to be the music with all the shocking deaths & excesses; Billy Holiday, Hendrix, Elvis, Lennon. Now it's Tupac, Biggie, Jam Master Jay & Eazy-E. Nothin's new under the sun, huh?
Flatline: Any thoughts on the candidates and the election this year?
Shock G: Yeah, I hope the most hicky backwoods republican wins, just to make everything worse so we can finally move on to the next system of government. Capitalism obviously doesn't support the human population very well, or the earths' resources. So it's capitalism itself I'd like to see lose. I guess Obama looks good, he offers a glimer of hope, but we all know ain't nuthin really gonna change with the american mindset unless a major revolution of some kind happens. GC for president!! Clinton or Carlin, take your pick!
Flatline: If Tupac were still alive, do you think he would have left the rap game alone and maybe entertained the idea of politics?
Shock G: I'm not good at the "what if" game, who knows what he may have done? Anything's possible. Hmm, what I do know is, he's NEVER leaving the rap game now, and his art & poetry has always been involved in politics.
Flatline: Will you be taking the new record out on tour?
Shock G: There will be no D.U. tour as we just recently disbanded. 2008 marks our 20-year anniversary (signed our first contract, and recorded our first single in 1988, Underwater Rimes) so we recently did our final show in Vegas, and have disbanded to take a much needed hiatus from the road, our first break in TWENTY YEARS! (20!!!!) Hoorayyy!!
Flatline: Yo! MTV Raps recently celebrated their 20th anniversary and you were there for that amazing period in time. What are some of your memories from doing the show and just that time period in general?
Shock G: I can't remember anything, I did too much ecstacy in the 90's.
Flatline: (laughs) Do you have a particular D.U. album or song that you are most proud of?
Shock G: I like "Sons of the P" with George Clinton and Pee Wee from the Dangerous crew. We freaked that shit!! Um..."digital Lover" is pretty cool too. Lots of open space in that song, just like Snoop's new jam.
Flatline: What does the future hold for Digital Underground?
Shock G: Can't know untill it happens. In the words of the immortal Fiona Apple...
"If there was a better way to go, it would find me.
I don't know, the road just rolls out behind me."
The new Digital Underground album will be available May 27th on iTunes, Amazon.com, CDbaby.com and stores everywhere! Go get that!
myspace.com/therealshockg myspace.com/humptyfunk
- Flatline for Rapstation.com
Shock G: Love. Not just as in romantic love with a woman, but love everywhere in the world around me. People making each other laugh and smile, good times with friends & family, anytime harmony's amongst me, it inspires me. Of course, being in love is the ultimate inspiration too, when I'm lucky enough to have a special someone like that.
Flatline: It's been 10 years since the last D.U. record "Who Got The Gravy?" dropped. What made you want to go one last round with this album?
Shock G: One reason is, we finally came across a good, stereophonic, soundboard recording of a D.U. show, rather than the usual camcorder versions we have so many of. The bulk of this album was recorded at a live show in the bay area. You can hear the hometown luv in the air, and both the audience and the band was in rare form. We didn't bother to include the songs in which we simply rapped over the records. I figured we all know how the records sound already. No, instead we put the "unplugged" sections on the album in which Eric "Kenya" Baker (So Many Tears) is on guitar, DJ-NuStylez is on the turns, Juan Carlos is on percussion, and I'm at my favorite place in the world, on piano. Meanwhile the entire D.U. roster is blessing the mic. All the spin-off acts were in the building too that night - Luniz, Saafir, Element, Choice Cutz, even Strictly Dope, Tupac's original group before he joined digital underground. That's reason one.
Reason two is because, those last 10 years you spoke of, since the "Gravy" album, we've been touring constantly, worldwide, and in that time it sorta seasoned us. Our live show has evolved much tighter then before, and we recruited alot of good emcees along the way too. This album reflects that growth and showcases those emcees. And there's even a third reason...
Reason three for releasing "Cuz a D.U. Party Don't Stop" is because few Pac fans know that our clik wrote the music to practically all of Tupacs singles for his first 3 albums. For instance, So Many Tears was Eric Baker & I musically, I Get Around was myself, Homies Call & Brendas Got a Baby was our homie Deon Evans a.k.a. Big-D the Impossible. In a sense, we were Tupacs in-house band, and I was even supposed to be his music director on his up & coming overseas tour in the fall of 1996. Of course the tour never happened, but you could say this album is a taste of what it might've been like musically, because these are the cats that would've been there. And though Pac may've passed on, we at least have Ray Luv (of Strictly Dope and early ghost writer for Tupac) and Pacs' protege Mac Mall representing in Pacs honor. Plus they supplied me a 77-key Fender Rhodes electric piano that night, so I was in heaven. It's a beast of a recording.
Flatline: There's always talk of you working with Tupac but you worked with another lyrical giant on the last record - Big Pun. How did the two of you hook up and what was it like working with him in the studio?
Shock G: Real talk, on the day we were supposed to record, four plates of spanish food showed up at the studio before he arrived. Then the studio gets a call...it was Pun checking to make sure the food had got there before he showed up (!!!) I heard he was up around 500 pounds at the time. They put a chair in the vocal booth, he layed his verses while sitting down, and we had to punch him in every other sentence, so he could catch his breath. Jeeeesus, the poor dudes heart just couldn't take it any more. He was a great dude though, wayyyyy kool, wayyyyy chill.
I kept thanking him for showin up & fuckin wit our ol' skool asses, and ya know what he said? "C'mon, I had to. You were the first person to put Puerto Ricans on the map when you shouted us in the Humpty Dance."
And ya know what I said?
"Yeah, but you mean Doowutchyalike".
And he said.. "No, it was the Humpty Dance."
And I said.. "Naw, it was Doowutchyalike".
Then he just stared at me like he was trying to figure out whether I was serious or not, and I walked away, back to the soundboard to finish mixing the song. The next day when I woke up, I was like "Damn, he was right! It was the Humpty Dance! He must think I'm crazy!" I was so high from blazin wit him that day, I got stuck in a zone where I really remembered it to be Doowutchyalike!! DOH!
I asked for Pun cause his lyrics were sexually obsessive like mine were. Around that time, most cats rhymed about either crime or violence, but Pun was a ladies man like Humpty, so I thought he'd be a good match with me. And luckily, someone on our label (Jake Records) knew someone at his label and put a call in for us.
Flatline: What can the average listener expect to hear on the new record? Any guest spots we should watch out for?
Shock G: Yes, look out for BINC (a.k.a. Best in Northern Cali), he's hella funny. And also Liz Suwandi, a new female vocalist who's been touring with us lately. We call her "our Fergie".
Flatline: Why do you think Digital Underground isn't scooping up many awards or being recognized for the work you've put in over the years?
Shock G: "Grammys, Emmys, Dammys, nuthin 2 me, but when they rock us in the streets we say ooh-wee."
Witnessing the impact our music has out in the world & universe is like receiving 20 Grammy awards. Things like...when Jay-Z used the Humpty flow in his song, or watching the dancefloor go bananas when "I Get Around" or "Freaks" drops, or watching the girls come alive when they rock us in the strip clubs. (laughs) We're also in the wedding books and the kareoke books lately. We've done two tours a year almost every year since 1989. We may not have any special awards but we're blessed to have what we do have, and for that I'm grateful.
Flatline: Can we expect a solo album from Humpty Hump in the future or maybe an ep with Biz Markie?
Shock G: (laughs) I doubt it, but I'll ask Humpty next time I see him. Who knows, he might be into it.
Flatline: You're a group with a worldwide fan base on a smaller record label. How has the industry changed in your eyes since you came out with Sex Packets?
Shock G: When we came out, hip-hop was still a teeny-bopper (18 years old) so it was focused on all the things teenagers focus on; dancin & partying. But Hip Hop is all grown up now, so it's focused on more adult things like money & business, hence half the people in hip-hop also being business people. The artform is going through all the same changes R&B and Rock & Roll went through. Remember when it was Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and Berry Gordy flashin' all the riches? Now it's 50-Cent, Jay-Z, Eminem, and Sean Combs baybay!! Jazz & Rock used to be the music with all the shocking deaths & excesses; Billy Holiday, Hendrix, Elvis, Lennon. Now it's Tupac, Biggie, Jam Master Jay & Eazy-E. Nothin's new under the sun, huh?
Flatline: Any thoughts on the candidates and the election this year?
Shock G: Yeah, I hope the most hicky backwoods republican wins, just to make everything worse so we can finally move on to the next system of government. Capitalism obviously doesn't support the human population very well, or the earths' resources. So it's capitalism itself I'd like to see lose. I guess Obama looks good, he offers a glimer of hope, but we all know ain't nuthin really gonna change with the american mindset unless a major revolution of some kind happens. GC for president!! Clinton or Carlin, take your pick!
Flatline: If Tupac were still alive, do you think he would have left the rap game alone and maybe entertained the idea of politics?
Shock G: I'm not good at the "what if" game, who knows what he may have done? Anything's possible. Hmm, what I do know is, he's NEVER leaving the rap game now, and his art & poetry has always been involved in politics.
Flatline: Will you be taking the new record out on tour?
Shock G: There will be no D.U. tour as we just recently disbanded. 2008 marks our 20-year anniversary (signed our first contract, and recorded our first single in 1988, Underwater Rimes) so we recently did our final show in Vegas, and have disbanded to take a much needed hiatus from the road, our first break in TWENTY YEARS! (20!!!!) Hoorayyy!!
Flatline: Yo! MTV Raps recently celebrated their 20th anniversary and you were there for that amazing period in time. What are some of your memories from doing the show and just that time period in general?
Shock G: I can't remember anything, I did too much ecstacy in the 90's.
Flatline: (laughs) Do you have a particular D.U. album or song that you are most proud of?
Shock G: I like "Sons of the P" with George Clinton and Pee Wee from the Dangerous crew. We freaked that shit!! Um..."digital Lover" is pretty cool too. Lots of open space in that song, just like Snoop's new jam.
Flatline: What does the future hold for Digital Underground?
Shock G: Can't know untill it happens. In the words of the immortal Fiona Apple...
"If there was a better way to go, it would find me.
I don't know, the road just rolls out behind me."
The new Digital Underground album will be available May 27th on iTunes, Amazon.com, CDbaby.com and stores everywhere! Go get that!
myspace.com/therealshockg myspace.com/humptyfunk
- Flatline for Rapstation.com
DEL the FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN interview
Flatline: Who approached who for your move over to Def Jux for the new album? It seems like a match made in heaven since they heavily promote loads of creativity.
DEL: Well, I guess you could say that I was looking for a home to launch this 11th Hour project from, and they had an opening. I know El-P from a ways back, we cool. I really respect his artwork and also his drive that got him where he is now with his Def Jux thang. Plus I know Mr. Lif too, that's my folks, and he seems to be doing good with Def Jux so that kinda let me know that was a safe bet. And so far so good, I'm loving it, they looked out and I been doing what I can to make their job of getting 11th Hour out there to the people easier.
Flatline: Who are some of your favorite emcee's?....particular artists that you listen to, as an emcee, that completely blow your mind lyrically.
DEL: Right now? Well, there's alot of them, for different reasons, but I would have to say that, outside of Hiero, Redman is someone who particularly speaks to my demo graph. Also cats like De La are all time favorites, Q-Tip, the JB's, these are cats who constantly I can count on. But I like other stuff too, for instance, The LOX and especially Styles P have been one of my favorites for years. All of the Wu of course I love, Ghostface of course as well as Raekwon always kills it. But I also love Pete Rock as an emcee, too. Diamond D is one of my all time faves on the mic, always witty and always drops a gem or two. Andre The Giant is a favorite, matter of fact just say DITC. But Lakim Shabazz is one of my favorites too, as well as JustIce. KRS ONE of course and Chuck D as well. It's too many to name, I love all the raw dope emcees who keep it really fly with the lyrics for different reasons, but the main reason is the funkiness and the ability to spit something real every once in a while.
Flatline: I know you weren't happy with "The Best Of..." that Elektra put out a couple years ago - but getting to finally hear "The Undisputed Champs" with Q-Tip and Pep Love was amazing. What was it like getting down with Tip in the studio?
DEL: Q-Tip is truly one of my favorite dudes, man. I'll never forget how cool he was to me when we first met, he really embodied that spirit of HipHop that I thought EVERYBODY in HipHop would be like before I got into the game and really peeped it ain't all like that. Tip is someone whom I've always related to very closely. We have similar paths and I could always tell from listening to his lyrics, but when we hung out the few times that we did I could see that it was a vibe that was all over, they just did it in a NYC style, we did it in a Oakland Bay Area style. But it was all peace and I think we were both starting to just get a feel of that.
Tip actually was real cool, cause he would look out for me. That's why anytime dudes try to say he ain't the shit no more or try to call him out, say whatever about whatever without even listening to the shit...actually, by watching him, I knew how some dudes would just turn on you. Cause I seen people do it with Tribe before even listening to their new material. Their album was the Love Movement, the LOVE MOVEMENT how could people front on that? And the music was a new direction, J-Dilla included in it. Some dudes fronted and now look, J-Dilla is they hero now that he's dead. But when he was alive they were frontin, without even a listen really to base they hate on. I'm goin off, but I got respect for Tip, man. Cause he a real artist and he tries things, even when it turn out sometimes dudes front at first, he still willing to try.
Now, about the studio session. I actually was so obliterated I don't remember much. I drank basically some concoction consisting of 2 40 oz, mixed with gin and orange juice. Don't ask. Anyway, I was obviously dumb loaded, but Tip didn't badger me about it. I had a box of SP1200 disks I brought out. I was letting cats peep what I could do production wise. Tip dug it. Busta Rhymes came in, I know him from Elektra, LONS, Dinco was my man, he was dumb cool too, as well as Busta. But anyway, Busta is like peeping my heaters and he like nodding, like "Yo, these are pretty good, son!" It was nice to get that love from the East Coast cats cause it started there. They made me feel like "Ok you ill, we'll accept you into our shit."
Flatline: You've rhymed on side projects with Handsome Boy Modeling School, Gorillaz and Deltron 3030...any other super group plans in the works? I heard the sequel to Deltron will be coming out in 08 as well.
DEL: I don't know if I like the title of "super group"...seems to set up alot of anticipation only to be ultimately let down because for some out there the expectations will never be met. COULDN'T be met, it would be impossible to live up to the fantasy conjured up by some dudes. BUT...I am always trying to collaborate with real cats when I got the time to. El-P and Tame One are two that I'm working on getting crunk. A-Plus as well. Dave from De La, Prince Paul. Another Deltron of course. But also I'm working with D-Stroy, working something out with my man Pumpkinhead...alot of things, but you know, it takes time and some things are first priority. There's a Hiero album being finished up now. Basically I never stop working on stuff, I even have instrumental dance albums, funk stuff, rock stuff, punk stuff, I stay making stuff.
Flatline: "11th Hour" was produced almost entirely by yourself. How long did it take for this album to finally come together after all this time?
DEL: Once I was able to raise up out the game of the mentally insane (those who look around in the streets for someone to blame), it actually didn't take that long, but I must admit I was conceptualizing this LP for quite awhile, ever since Both Sides had ran it's course. I knew I had to learn more about music in order to take it to the next level, whatever that may be. And I worked on my Funkentelechy so I would be able to funk harder than before.
Flatline: Back around 96 or 97 I saw you and the whole Hiero crew tear it up live. Is the art of performance dead in hip hop these days?
DEL: I wouldn't exactly say that, because HipHop IS performance, it's based upon how well you perform. The live setting is where it all starts and it looks like where it will end up in this era of record labels finally losing almost all of their power over consumers. It's anarchy right now, and there's alot of jaded people who feel they been burned and won't even give anything new a chance, it's too late. It's that game again that I was talking about earlier. But all the doper cats know: you gotta be able to command attention. No matter if you got dancers and mega-props on stage or you just standing there streetsweeping with the lyrics. People wanna be entertained, how we as artists get to that point is all up to our preference and what we are best at. But the presentation we deliver will be judged based upon our personal performance, HOPEFULLY, anyway.
Flatline: Were you a fan of Radiohead before Amplive came along and got you to spit on "Videotapez"? The end result is really dope.
DEL: I have a few Radiohead LPs, I have always dug their bag, man. They do what they do and they do it well, you can't really front on them for any other reason except you just don't like them. Because they are doin it. Videotapez I did for Amplive primarily cause he asked me to be down with the project, but I also knew that it could get me a little pub. But really I did it cause Amp is my patna and he asked me to.
Flatline: It's been an interesting road for you since you debuted back in 1991. What keeps you motivated musically and lyrically?
DEL: Musically the curiosity that leads me to continuously try to explore new ways to organize music is motivation enough in itself. But also the personal feeling of gratification and achievement I feel from being able to do something well and being able to see my own growth on a continuous basis is motivational for me, and I would assume for anyone else in a similar dimension.
Lyrically, the motivation is primarily the need to speak about things that I can't get anyone to listen to any other way BUT in a rap. I'm a funky dude, meaning that I walk around in a funk alot of the time. I don't bug cats with it, I'm not a drag, you dig? I just put it away. Rapping is one of the ways I can let some of that funk free, and it's a safe way, a creative way that'll entertain people who feel the funk like I do. It also lets me aim that funk at targets in a basically harmless manner, it's just a rap dig? If it get people to pay attention then fine, and that may hurt some people's feelings but there's no name tag on the rap. If it's dug it's dug. Music is the other way I can express funky feelings in a way that lyrically I can't do. So lyrics and music work hand in hand.
- Flatline for Rapstation.com
DEL: Well, I guess you could say that I was looking for a home to launch this 11th Hour project from, and they had an opening. I know El-P from a ways back, we cool. I really respect his artwork and also his drive that got him where he is now with his Def Jux thang. Plus I know Mr. Lif too, that's my folks, and he seems to be doing good with Def Jux so that kinda let me know that was a safe bet. And so far so good, I'm loving it, they looked out and I been doing what I can to make their job of getting 11th Hour out there to the people easier.
Flatline: Who are some of your favorite emcee's?....particular artists that you listen to, as an emcee, that completely blow your mind lyrically.
DEL: Right now? Well, there's alot of them, for different reasons, but I would have to say that, outside of Hiero, Redman is someone who particularly speaks to my demo graph. Also cats like De La are all time favorites, Q-Tip, the JB's, these are cats who constantly I can count on. But I like other stuff too, for instance, The LOX and especially Styles P have been one of my favorites for years. All of the Wu of course I love, Ghostface of course as well as Raekwon always kills it. But I also love Pete Rock as an emcee, too. Diamond D is one of my all time faves on the mic, always witty and always drops a gem or two. Andre The Giant is a favorite, matter of fact just say DITC. But Lakim Shabazz is one of my favorites too, as well as JustIce. KRS ONE of course and Chuck D as well. It's too many to name, I love all the raw dope emcees who keep it really fly with the lyrics for different reasons, but the main reason is the funkiness and the ability to spit something real every once in a while.
Flatline: I know you weren't happy with "The Best Of..." that Elektra put out a couple years ago - but getting to finally hear "The Undisputed Champs" with Q-Tip and Pep Love was amazing. What was it like getting down with Tip in the studio?
DEL: Q-Tip is truly one of my favorite dudes, man. I'll never forget how cool he was to me when we first met, he really embodied that spirit of HipHop that I thought EVERYBODY in HipHop would be like before I got into the game and really peeped it ain't all like that. Tip is someone whom I've always related to very closely. We have similar paths and I could always tell from listening to his lyrics, but when we hung out the few times that we did I could see that it was a vibe that was all over, they just did it in a NYC style, we did it in a Oakland Bay Area style. But it was all peace and I think we were both starting to just get a feel of that.
Tip actually was real cool, cause he would look out for me. That's why anytime dudes try to say he ain't the shit no more or try to call him out, say whatever about whatever without even listening to the shit...actually, by watching him, I knew how some dudes would just turn on you. Cause I seen people do it with Tribe before even listening to their new material. Their album was the Love Movement, the LOVE MOVEMENT how could people front on that? And the music was a new direction, J-Dilla included in it. Some dudes fronted and now look, J-Dilla is they hero now that he's dead. But when he was alive they were frontin, without even a listen really to base they hate on. I'm goin off, but I got respect for Tip, man. Cause he a real artist and he tries things, even when it turn out sometimes dudes front at first, he still willing to try.
Now, about the studio session. I actually was so obliterated I don't remember much. I drank basically some concoction consisting of 2 40 oz, mixed with gin and orange juice. Don't ask. Anyway, I was obviously dumb loaded, but Tip didn't badger me about it. I had a box of SP1200 disks I brought out. I was letting cats peep what I could do production wise. Tip dug it. Busta Rhymes came in, I know him from Elektra, LONS, Dinco was my man, he was dumb cool too, as well as Busta. But anyway, Busta is like peeping my heaters and he like nodding, like "Yo, these are pretty good, son!" It was nice to get that love from the East Coast cats cause it started there. They made me feel like "Ok you ill, we'll accept you into our shit."
Flatline: You've rhymed on side projects with Handsome Boy Modeling School, Gorillaz and Deltron 3030...any other super group plans in the works? I heard the sequel to Deltron will be coming out in 08 as well.
DEL: I don't know if I like the title of "super group"...seems to set up alot of anticipation only to be ultimately let down because for some out there the expectations will never be met. COULDN'T be met, it would be impossible to live up to the fantasy conjured up by some dudes. BUT...I am always trying to collaborate with real cats when I got the time to. El-P and Tame One are two that I'm working on getting crunk. A-Plus as well. Dave from De La, Prince Paul. Another Deltron of course. But also I'm working with D-Stroy, working something out with my man Pumpkinhead...alot of things, but you know, it takes time and some things are first priority. There's a Hiero album being finished up now. Basically I never stop working on stuff, I even have instrumental dance albums, funk stuff, rock stuff, punk stuff, I stay making stuff.
Flatline: "11th Hour" was produced almost entirely by yourself. How long did it take for this album to finally come together after all this time?
DEL: Once I was able to raise up out the game of the mentally insane (those who look around in the streets for someone to blame), it actually didn't take that long, but I must admit I was conceptualizing this LP for quite awhile, ever since Both Sides had ran it's course. I knew I had to learn more about music in order to take it to the next level, whatever that may be. And I worked on my Funkentelechy so I would be able to funk harder than before.
Flatline: Back around 96 or 97 I saw you and the whole Hiero crew tear it up live. Is the art of performance dead in hip hop these days?
DEL: I wouldn't exactly say that, because HipHop IS performance, it's based upon how well you perform. The live setting is where it all starts and it looks like where it will end up in this era of record labels finally losing almost all of their power over consumers. It's anarchy right now, and there's alot of jaded people who feel they been burned and won't even give anything new a chance, it's too late. It's that game again that I was talking about earlier. But all the doper cats know: you gotta be able to command attention. No matter if you got dancers and mega-props on stage or you just standing there streetsweeping with the lyrics. People wanna be entertained, how we as artists get to that point is all up to our preference and what we are best at. But the presentation we deliver will be judged based upon our personal performance, HOPEFULLY, anyway.
Flatline: Were you a fan of Radiohead before Amplive came along and got you to spit on "Videotapez"? The end result is really dope.
DEL: I have a few Radiohead LPs, I have always dug their bag, man. They do what they do and they do it well, you can't really front on them for any other reason except you just don't like them. Because they are doin it. Videotapez I did for Amplive primarily cause he asked me to be down with the project, but I also knew that it could get me a little pub. But really I did it cause Amp is my patna and he asked me to.
Flatline: It's been an interesting road for you since you debuted back in 1991. What keeps you motivated musically and lyrically?
DEL: Musically the curiosity that leads me to continuously try to explore new ways to organize music is motivation enough in itself. But also the personal feeling of gratification and achievement I feel from being able to do something well and being able to see my own growth on a continuous basis is motivational for me, and I would assume for anyone else in a similar dimension.
Lyrically, the motivation is primarily the need to speak about things that I can't get anyone to listen to any other way BUT in a rap. I'm a funky dude, meaning that I walk around in a funk alot of the time. I don't bug cats with it, I'm not a drag, you dig? I just put it away. Rapping is one of the ways I can let some of that funk free, and it's a safe way, a creative way that'll entertain people who feel the funk like I do. It also lets me aim that funk at targets in a basically harmless manner, it's just a rap dig? If it get people to pay attention then fine, and that may hurt some people's feelings but there's no name tag on the rap. If it's dug it's dug. Music is the other way I can express funky feelings in a way that lyrically I can't do. So lyrics and music work hand in hand.
- Flatline for Rapstation.com
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