Em speaks on his inspiration for the highly-anticipated album with Clinton Sparks. Topics include the capeless flight in the music video for “Not Afraid,” drugs and the album Recovery.
Interviews
A few weeks ago, Little Brother had an in store appearance at the legendary Fat Beats record store in New York City. Good*Fella Radio was in attendance to ask a few questions.
In Part 1, Brother Ali and G*FR sat down while he performed at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn a few weeks back. Ali speaks on New York City, his diverse fan base, his music, and more!
Sage Francis has been both criticized and critically acclaimed for his work in the independent Rap world since he came on the scene with mutton chops and poems. The Rhode Island emcee has a unique delivery, something lauded and loathed by different listeners and his content has received similar reactions. This is nothing new to Sage. He is not afraid of being himself.
From his 2002 Anticon release Personal Journals, he’s given us his interpretation of a genre that inspired him. Boasting influences from Public Enemy to N.W.A. to Kool Keith, Francis maintains that Hip Hop is about unique individuals expressing themselves freely. So while some may claim he is unconventional or unorthodox, he says that’s what Hip Hop is about.Now, Francis has released Li(f)e, an album that is a departure from “conventional” Hip Hop instrumentals, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. The album features various instrumentalists behind the music, artists like Buck 65, DeVotchka, Califone’s Time Rutili and Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla. His content weaves through personal stories, adding compelling anecdotes and all of this done through symbolism in what he says allows fans to pick their own journey.
HipHopDX spoke with Sage Francis about his writing style, teenage angst, beat choice and how early Hip Hop influences made him “want to not act white.” He went on to share that N.W.A. may have saved him from suicide at a young age and how being nontraditional has allowed him to stay true to himself.
Read the Sage Francis interview here.
Much like Sage Francis, the Rhymesayers Entertainment family has been at the head of the independent Rap world for many years. After releases from Atmosphere, Brother Ali, P.O.S. and Eyedea & Abilities, the RSE movement has recently branched out to expand their line-up. As a result, the RSE is now the new home of Grieves, an emcee that has already created his own buzz with independent releases.
Grieves recently spoke to HipHopDX about his long journey, from a small kid in Chicago blues clubs to a “calm” life in Colorado. Grieves honed his skills, eventually moving to Seattle where he was awakened by the Hip Hop community of the area. After moving to San Diego, he has relocated to New York and is working daily to prepare his debut as a member of the Rhymesayers crew.
During our interview, he was candid about his struggles to juggle family and personal life with his music career, something he says has been a challenge. He also discussed early influences, unafraid of saying he listened to Carole King instead of Kriss Kross and recalled his grandfather’s old records. For a young emcee that has already had quite a journey, he let us know how all of those travels have affected him.
Read the Grieves interview here.
In collaboration with Tha Carter Cartel:
Last Saturday, I caught up with Reflection Eternal for an interview. Since 1997, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek have achieved critical success as the rap & producer collaboration known as Reflection Eternal. Talib Kweli having established himself as one of rap’s premier acts and Hi-Tek having become one of rap’s go-to producers, the followup to their acclaimed 2000 debut, Train of Thought, has been long overdue. Wait no longer because Reflection Eternal’s ‘Revolutions Per Minute’ is now in stores and the hip hop duo was kind enough to sit down with Tha Carter Cartel for a lengthy interview a few days before the release.
Some highlights:
- Reflection Eternal on their tour and new album
- Background information on the tracks ‘Just Begun’ and ‘Get Loose’
- Hi-Tek’s thoughts on the record label Babygrande
- What’s in the future for Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek
- What’s in the future for Blacksmith Records
Intro and outro track in the interview from their newest release ‘Revolutions Per Minute’:
Listen: Reflection Eternal – In This World
Purchase: Reflection Eternal - Revolutions Per Minute (Deluxe Version) (Album)
From my friends at Tha Carter Cartel:
Last week in NYC our media correspondent, Quincy Moore, caught up with Boi Boi for an interview. Here’s what he had to say about it:
It would be nearly impossible for people of a certain generation not to have an Outkast track define a moment in their life. For me it was in the 8th grade and the first time I heard “Ms. Jackson,” the track most synonymous with their entrance into the popular lexicon, off 2000’s funky and groundbreaking Stankonia. Ten years later — after selling millions of records, winning multiple Grammy Awards, and having that same album be named by many critics and fans as one of the best of the decade – Andre 3000 and Big Boi have embarked on new journey: one with solo implications.First up is Big Boi’s long-delayed, much-hyped individual debut, Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, which, barring any further push backs, is set to drop on July 6, 2010. During a stopover in New York City, the man known by his mother as Antwan Patton was kind enough to sit down with Tha Carter Cartel for a lengthy interview.
While it would be difficult to capture the true essence of a successful rap career in the span of 10 minutes, Big Boi was candid in our discussion about what we can expect from his new album, the future of Outkast, his non-profit organization, and the one artist that he still hasn’t had a chance to work with. Hit play to hear what he had to say. – Quincy Moore
