Whats good.
So. A couple months ago (like November 08) I got contacted by "The Lemur" international blog about doing a project with them. They had linked up with me before and featured a few of my songs on their website.
http://thelemurblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/jdp-chicagos-own-kanye-west.html
Anyway, the project was a combination of assembling a few of my favorite songs with a interview, we we're going to to do the projects through muxtape.com but unfortunately they were shutdown before we could start things off. We held on to the dialogue from the interview in hopes that the site would start back but...no cigar. He sent it back to me today with apologies that we couldn't do it but suggested I put it up on my blog & myspace. Its probably one of my favorite interviews so I def wanted to share it with you guys. So peep below......\/
The interview:
For a lemur living in Madagascar/Sweden who is not really in the game when it comes to hip hop, it's hard getting a grasp on this whole East-West situation in American hip hop. I mean, to put it into a wider perspective, globalization is on everyone's lips and just generally in the world right now we have these cultures acting more and more accepting towards each other. Can you get us an update on the situation between West and East rap in America in the year of 2008? And perhaps retrospectively?
Haha. Nice start. I like how today is really about that, countries and cultures really finding acceptance with each other and more of a feeling of unity in the world. I wish America could say the same as far as some of our foreign policies but....that's another day. The east-west beef has really been over since the 90's though. Pac and B.I.G's passing really put the light out on that whole situation. It wasn't really a coastal beef, it was more a battle between two mc's(one more than the other) and the artists who were siding with them. Whats funny is that right now neither coast is the same power they were back then. I feel like Hip Hop likes to travel and lends its voice to whoever hasn't been heard. Right now the south is really the most dominant voice, and the top mc's right now happen to be from the south and the midwest. The game goes in circles though so who knows the next center to really get the light shined on them. Really, right now the outlook is starting to shift though. Its becoming less about genre, and coasts and becoming more about making the shit that you like and taking these influences from all over making something that's your own.
You're from Chicago, how do you think that has affected your rapping style, career and persona?
Its allowed me to take chances, head in different directions. People tend to stereotype rappers who are related with a coast. Like, most west coast mc's are "gangster rappers" or East coast is all "backpack music" or the most hardcore, purest, lyrical ish you ever heard. People now are blaming the south for dumbing down Hip Hop because they all seem to be trappin, coke dealers, ect...like bubblegum rappers. People forget some of the nicest dude have come out of the south though, Outkast, T.I, Wayne, Cee-lo, UGK but anyway....Being from the mid-west we don't really have a standard sound, every artist that comes out of chicago sounds different from the last one, and that's beneficial for me and my music because people don't already have me at a standard. I'm free to try new things and be me as oppose to trying to sound like whatever is hot to make it. You have to think about the major Hip Hop artists who break out of this city, Kanye, Common, Lupe, Cool Kids, Twista, they all sound incredibly different in ways of style, sound and shit. Being from Chicago helps remove the idea of limits, and I try to take advantage of that.
Can you give us some clues on how a stereotypical JDP would've sounded if he was brought up in: 1. Brooklyn NYC, 2. New Orleans 3. L.A. 4. Miami?
Haha! Wow man. I'm not really sure. I never really thought about that before. My style would probably reflect my environment. I don't think I'd be any different in terms of what I rap about, the stories would probably be different because each of those cities is a different world, a different way of life ya know? My style, delivery, and sound would definitely be different if I came up in those places and I'd probably be more influenced by the artists that came before me. All of those cities have like real strong, unified movements while being from Chicago really makes you find yourself because the city isn't connected to one style or sound like that.
Now, Chicago is neither West or East coast geographically seen. Culturally seen, if you're into pigeonholing stuff, what would the Chicago rap scene count as?
Right, we're the middle of the map like a muthafucka. You can't really pigeonhole this city, I mean you have to look at all the music that has come out of it. They wanted to call us the home of house music and we are but then common came out and do or die and twista and kanye and it all sounds different. Now they want to label us as the center of the Hipster Rap movement. What the fuck is that? whoever came up with that label needs to be slapped because suddenly not rapping about selling drugs makes you a hipster. They just replaced backpack with hipster. If you want to put Chicago in a hole than its a whole of creativity. The way we approach music here is outside the box, because being in the middle gives us the opportunity to see what everyone else is doing and mix that shit up. We experiment rather than follow.
Judging by the LEMUXTAPE you've made, you obviously have a wide and pretty much covered inspiration from many of the most influential rappers of America. But if you had to choose one, which would you prefer to co-produce a full-length debut album of yours, and why?
Probably Jay-Z. As far Hip Hop goes I don't think you can take it much further. I'd love to do songs with everyone on that tape especially considering both Kanye and Lupe are from my home town. But if you look behind those artists you'll see Jay-Z's name somewhere in the credits. I think his knowledge of putting together good albums is something I've already incorporated in my music and having him there to guide the project would only make it greater. So, hopefully one day I'll be able to actually get the man to wanna work on an project with me. I think that would be dope.
Do you have any specific goals in your rapping career? Rich, famous and creddy like Jay-Z and Kanye? Or genuinely respected underdog?
Can't you want both. I'm conflicted about alot of things in this life man. lol. I really want to be respected for my music. If it came down to it and the options on the tombstone were "He was rich as hell" or "He was a great artists" I would rather the latter. I want people to remember for making great music or apsiring to inspire rather than trying to get some paper. I'm not saying I don't wish to be succesful because that would be lying. I'd love to headline arena sized concerts and work with legends because the more succesful you are in Hip Hop the more people you have the opportunity to reach. I was reading a Kanye article in spin and they asked him if he'd rather be Micheal than Prince, more famous or more respected. I'd rather be prince.
Personally, I'd be really interested in seeing more rap in not-hiphop albums. If you were to rap for one or a few tracks in a non-hiphop band's/artist's album, which artist/band would that be for?
I'd want to do something with Kenna. I really dig his music and I think that collaboration would be sick.
What do you think will happen with hiphop in the 21st century? How will it develop? Will you be the one to push it forward and further from where it is today?
There was a moment in mid-2006 when people started saying that the music was dead. Fast forward and Jay is performing at Glastonbury, Wayne has sold a million, Kanye West just wrapped up one of the most amazing Hip Hop tours and theirs so much good music coming from millions of directions. I think Hip Hop will continue to grow as we continue to grow. The way music is today, more and more people are trying their hand at new and exciting music making it mean more to themselves. Hip Hop is our voice and will continue to be, the way we speak or what we speak about may become different but in a good way. I can only see the culture being pushed forward and yes, I'm planning on having a hand in taking it to where it going, my generation ain't dropping the torch ya dig.
I'm gonna give you a chance to namedrop some names that you think deserves and will get a little more attention, as I'm doing with you now.
My sister Flow-Eazy (myspace.com/flyycityflow) she really is one of the sickest female MC's I've heard out here. My homie Bullet
(http://www.myspace.com/gobullet) his project just dropped a few weeks ago make sure people cop that. My boy D2G (myspace.com/2gdagreat) beast. Nothing else needed to be said there. I've done a few joints with my boy Taylor Mallory(http://www/myspace.com/taylormallory) we got a song together called On the low thats pretty sick. My favorite producers The Bartendaz (http://www.myspace.com/bartendazmusic) DC (http://www.myspace.com/dcshotta) and The Gift(myspace.com/ihatebeatz). and my whole squad FLYY CITY (myspace.com/flyycity) We're all just working for the same thing, too try and push this music forward. Shoutout to everyone who's doing there thing right now, in the Chi and out. Also, much love to you man for linking up with ya boy and putting this together.
What projects do you have coming up?
I'm putting the finishing touches on the next mixtape I'm putting out. Its gonna be free with like 20 songs worth of material. I make alot of music so I figured why not just start giving it out because I made it to touch people so why hold it back. But yea, that's coming out around may and my girl Flow's project is coming out around the same time, I'm on a song called "Backstage Party" that joint is dope...her whole project is gonna be sick. I got 2 songs coming out on the soundtrack to a upcoming indie film called "Chicago Overcoat" starring Frank Vincent and Armand Assante. I just put out a new song to ride with Styrofoam cups, I'm excited because it doesn't sound like anything I've done before......I think that's it so far, wait, no. I'm working with a bunch of different producers to put out like 4 or 5 mixtapes with each one capturing a different feeling or vibe. I got a Styrofoam remix that The Starter DJ's put together we're about to send that to a couple clubs...ok, I think that's it for the schedule everything else is low-key until it ain't.....lol. and I'm voting for Obama. Peace.
Check out the songs I picked here:
http://www.facebook.com/notes_cheatsheet.php#/note.php?note_id=43474880814&id=48605042&index=21
'Air Raid' on the way.....
Please vote for 'Styrofoam Cups" on wgci.
Myspace.com/uptopjdp
Twitter.com/uptopjdp
Peace!!
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