So, is "emo hiphop" an albatross or a savvy marketing term that's helped Sage beyond his wildest imagination? "Hahaha," Sage chuckles via e-mail. "I was thinking about this yesterday while riding in the van. I don't like emotional people unless they are very intelligent to balance out the stupid shit that comes from emotions. So, wait, I dunno, yo. Fred Durst is emo on some 'Gimme something to break' shit. It's a misnomer."
Whatever you want to call him, Sage has surged to the upper echelon of lyricists, no matter what the genre. Take "Different" off Personal Journals: Part of its genius is that it seems to be both boastful and scornful of its boasts at the same time. "It is very self-aware," Sage admits. "Talking about how you are different makes you just like everyone else. But me, me... I am different in a different way. Ah, who the hell cares?"
Speaking of which, Personal Journals featured 10 different producers, forcing the versatile MC to adapt to many styles, most of them justly worshiped by the backpacker cognoscenti (including Sixtoo, Jel, Alias, and Mr. Dibbs). But Sage's Non-Prophets project found him working strictly with knob-twiddler extraordinaire Joe Beats on their phenomenal 2003 album, Hope (Lex). The duo strove to make an album that harked back to 1993-'94, when Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Prince Paul, and Large Professor ruled the faders and knobs. In this they succeeded, with Sage dropping chuckleworthy wordplay in nearly every line. (E.g., "I am womanizer, hear me whore.")
In fact, Sage often strikes me as the indie doppelg...nger of that clever multimillionaire from Detroit, Eminem. I wonder if Sage could handle Slim Shady-style fame. "I definitely don't want to get even close to his popularity. He handles it all rather well, but I have some major issues with too many people knowing who I am while trying to pry into my life. I have an infatuation with shadows, so living in obscurity is almost a necessity--until it's time to tour. I don't know what kind of balance I am trying to achieve, but it's working out. I still get to sell out shows all around the world and I only get recognized in record stores. Sometimes."
Non-Prophets have dubbed this the Fuck Clear Channel tour. Besides taking a jab at an evil corporation, what's the rationale behind the name? Does political agitation come into it? "I like doing 41 shows all across America, selling out shows being thrown by local promoters, and telling Clear Channel to fuck themselves in the process," he says. "I live for shit like that." DAVE SEGAL
With Grand Buffet, Mac Lethal, Macromatics, and the Gimme Fund (Sage Francis' live band). Tues March 2 at Chop Suey, 1325 E Madison St, 324-8000, 8 pm-2 am, all ages/bar with ID, $12 adv. Show benefits the Vera Project.
