Your new single is out on Rhymesayers--can you tell us about it?
It's some pure hiphop. The whole 12-inch is turntable-oriented. All the ideas and concepts that I started with [were created with] the wax lovers in mind. It's made for the people who appreciate where hiphop came from, the roots. It's my debut 12-inch as a solo artist, so I might as well start from the ground up.
You're already an accomplished producer and DJ. Why put out a record?
Well, that's what I started doing in the first place. The whole craft was me trying to make songs from every angle. That's my love, that's where I started, and it's going to probably end that way too.
You've been known to enter battles here. As a well-known figure in hiphop already, what do you have to prove?
A number of things. I like being in touch with the scene. There's no better way than being involved [with it]. Back when I first started rapping, it was a whole rite of passage that you had to do for acceptance. Nowadays anybody with money can put out a record. Still, I like to see who's sharp and who's not, and it keeps me sharp as an emcee as well.
You've worked with damn near every emcee in Seattle--who do you like working with the most, and who are you interested in working with more?
Most of the cats with real skills, people don't know them. Merm and Mal--if we could get Mal Saint focused, I think he could be dope. Vee-One's tight. I love working with Boom Bap Project. There's a whole bunch of different styles I can appreciate. I'm kinda done with the out-there styles right now, though. I just wanna hear some real standard dope hiphop. There used to be enough of that coming out, but now it's too out there, so I want to hear more [of a classic sound]. I like something cool with some nice lyrics, cool concepts, something I can relate to, you know? It would be nice to get Piece & Sol focused. I like Clockwork on stage--I ain't had a chance to get into their stuff, though, as far as what they're talking about yet.
Nationally, you've worked with De La Soul, Gift of Gab, Brother Ali, et cetera. Who have you felt the most?
Definitely Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), because he's the only guy who's ever taken one of my beats and made more out of it than it really was. Not only that, he got that in-pocket flow where the words fit together all the time. That's what Seattle is missing. Except for Byrdie and H-Bomb--whom, if I have my way, you'll be seeing more of. (He's on the B-side to my 12-inch, "Touch the Sky.")
What's your whole take on the diss track Maniac made (about Nocturnal Rage and Noc On Wood) for Topspin's mix CD?
I don't see what the big deal is. This is hiphop, he has the right to speak his mind, what's the problem? I don't have any beef with those guys. If my guy decides to vocalize his opinion, that's his opinion. I don't see why everybody is so brittle, having meetings. Ain't no meetings in hiphop! Cats need to keep it in their raps. Put it out on a mix tape and let that be the deciding factor of who got who. It's just rap--this ain't WWE or boxing.
What can we expect to see from you in the future?
I'm going to come with another 12-inch to promote the album with Rhymesayers. I want my album to really represent me. I'm going to have a fresh new start. I'm already making a mix tape of Pharmacy classics that should have came out in the past but never did.
REQUIRED LISTENING
1. Vitamin D, "No Good" (Rhymesayers)
2. Ludacris, "Southern Fried Intro" (Def Jam)
3. Jaylib, "Champion Sound" (Stones Throw)
4. Ludacris, "Hip Hop Quotables" (Def Jam)
5. M.O.P., "What the Fuck" (Roc-a-Fella)
6. Erykah Badu feat. Dead Prez, "The Grind" (Motown)
7. Ludacris feat. Lil' Flip, "Screwed Up" (Def Jam)
8. EPMD feat. LL Cool J, "Rampage" (Def Jam)
9. J-Zone, "Alley Oops" (Old Maid)
10. RZA feat. Ghostface Killah & Saian Supa Crew, "Saian" (EMI)
