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MyspaceFEATURE: U-N-I pt.2
May 21st, 2008 | Written by: Mariama "Ms.M" Primus Published in Interviews, Music | 1 Comment
AGAINST ALL OPPOSITION
Continued…
Importance of live performance plays in who you are as artists:
Y-O: You gotta be live. You gotta choose wisely in the songs you choose. It has to flow, you can come out too soft or too slow. You always wanna come out with a banger. We start with a chant to get the crowd participating, make sure they’re awake and alive. So once we got ‘em participating and paying attention we go into the next one another banger and they’re like “God-damn these dudes are live!”
THURZDAY: If you can’t showcase and execute your talent live, then you’re not really an artist. #1 thing about being a rapper or MC is being able to showcase your skills in from of people. People can [always] hear you on a record. But they wanna experience you live. And whether with our band (Me-N-Them) or with a DJ; we leave our souls on the stage. I think live shows are key into being successful.
Who are some of your greatest performers? THURZDAY: My favorite concert was MC Hammer… He killed that shit! The best concert I’ve ever been too.
Y-O: Mine, I’d have to go back to Michael Jackson. Every kid was either trying or doing the moonwalk when they were growing up.
THURZDAY: Bustah Rhymes also puts on a live show.
Y-O: I haven’t been to a lot of shows but I saw KRS live and he tore it down! He’s actually the artist that made me begin writing. When I heard the BDP Live album, it was bananas, he made me wanna start writing. THURZDAY: I saw Mos Def tear it down at the Gibson Amphitheater. A lot of people get down on Mos ‘cuz he sings and stuff but the effect he has on the crowd is just…
Do you have any rituals or any weird thing you do in preparation for a performance? THURZDAY: Hmmnn… I like to be quiet. I like to be by myself before I go on stage. I’m always thinking… [laughs]
Y-O: And I’m jumping around while he’s tryna be quiet. I’m always fuckin’ wit em… [laughs]
THURZDAY: Yea we don’t really have any rituals, but I like to be focused, so I can go out and execute… just like a basketball game.
Greatest musical influences:
Y-O: First album I bought with my own money was Black on Both Sides. And I always tell this story but I was playing basketball in the park one day and I found a random cassette tape on the ground, I put it in my cassette player and it was Red Man’s Muddy Waters… Always listen to Common, J. Dilla of course- rest in peace; love Outkast and Biggie… man I could go on and on…
THURZDAY: First album I bought with my money was Red Man’s Muddy Waters, that had a huge influence on me. I played that till the cassette broke. My older brother put me up on Wu-tang, Cellar Dweller. Black star was a major influence. I just love Mos swag and how he delivers lyrical content… Oh and the Fugees!
Y-O: And Kanye on production!
Dream collaboration: THURZDAY: J. Dilla
Y-O: Hmm.. He said a producer, I’m gonna name an artist. I would say Outkast.
THURZDAY: Ohhh Shit!
Y-O: Yea yo. That’s crazy… I got chills.
Who are you listening to now? Y-O: I got Lupe in rotation.
THURZDAY: I been listening to Aquemini and the Andre 3000 classic verses… He’s the best rapper out right now – until we come out. He’s the best right now, he really inspires me.
Favorite moment in Hip-Hop: THURZDAY: Right now. This whole movement… We got real artist that are representing real music on the West Coast. This is like the birth of a golden era right now.
Y-O: This is a lovely feeling. We talk about the future all the time and I can see where its going. The whole movement out here, like I mentioned before… One gets in the door, the plan is to look back. Just like how everyone is always saying the south has been locking it down for years. Everyone supports each other out there.
Worst moment in Hip-Hop: THURZDAY: “Yuuuuuuuu!!!” [laughing]
Y-O: [laughing] I was gonna say that shit! It’s not even that I’m hatin’… What’s that line that Common says?
THURZDAY: “If I don’t like it, I don’t like it, it don’t mean that I’m hatin’.”
Y-O: I got little brothers, 9 & 8, when that song came out everyone was doing it and thought that it was so cool to say that one line “Throw some D’s on it” talking about his report card… what is he doing to these kids??? That shit just pisses me off man, but now I laugh at.
THURZDAY: I don’t even hate it. It just the fact that people are so receptive to it. That, that album can go platinum, but it’ll take Common’s album 6 months to go platinum or something. Its just not balanced - the stuff that’s being force-fed to the consumer.
Who’s the bigger kicks fiend?
Y-O: One week he’ll buy a damn shoe… Next I’ll buy one. It’s a bad habit. I don’t condone it. I think he’s the worst [laughs] One time… I’ll let him tell you…
THURZDAY: [laughs] I’m not talking about it!
Y-O: Aight, so I’ll tell it…We were on the DunkXchange Tour, and Thurzday spent $400 on some dunks. What was it, the Viotechs?
THURZDAY: Yea [laughs]
Y-O: Those were the first dunks I ever bought in ’99 or ’00, for like $100 and I gave ‘em away not knowing the sneaker culture was gonna get big. I gave ‘em to this cat, that sold ‘em on Ebay and never gave me my money. Just the fact that I paid $100 and Thurz spent $400 on em its like Goddamn!
THURZDAY: They came out in 2001, by 2008 it went dead stocked [laughing]. You’re not gonna find them anywhere, they’re like a souvenir…
Y-O: I’m just waiting for my Jordan 3’s to drop, if they sell ‘em for $400, I’m paying it… Those are like my all time favorite shoes. They supposed to come out in October and yes! I’m getting a pair [laughs].
Where would you say you are now and where do you see yourselves going?
Y-O: Man, we’re at the point where we need that one person in the highest position to open their arms and take the chance to hear new music, and just take over this whole music industry. Especially on the west coast, cuz there’s a whole new movement with west coast music that needs to be heard.
So what is the new movement with west –coast hip-hop? Y-O: It’s not really a “new” movement. It’s been going on from some years now. I guess with the help of Myspace and Youtube we’ve been able to showcase our talent. Artists like us - U-N-I, Pacific Division, Aloe Blacc… All these artist from the west that are presenting another side that’s not “gangster rap” that needs to be presented to these kids, especially. Cuz everybody thinks that Souljah boy is the best rapper alive [laughs]….
Last Words:
Shout out to Konate, Shout out to MTV, shout out to Chris London, Meka and Shakes… and [new album] Love Supreme coming soon..
Shout out to Lamaur and Dauley, Orisue, Ro Blvd and shout out to Mariama… Eat Fried Chicken & Watermelon!
HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS
June 11th, 2008at 10:05 pm(#)
Great interview. I was going to cry blasphemy if they didn’t mention KRS 1 as the greatest live performer. Dream collaborator? Yeah J. Dilla (R.I.P.) would unfortunately be a really, really big dream. Site looks Great!