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  Kool Sphere Interview
interview 0483 added 24.10.06 words: Shucks One
technical:
QED
As writers from the Bronx and Manhattan
gained much of the media shine in the early days, Queens borough
graffiti contribution is undeniable but one that often gets over looked.
Kool Sphere cut his teeth as both a graffiti writer riding the 7's
surviving local hood wars, and later on battling MC's live on New York
College radio, so he definitely knows the Queens County's legacy.
While moving back and forth between New York and L.A. over the years, he
got to experience both coasts' hiphop scenes along with the familiar
story of hustling to get equipment and studio time. It all paid off
though, what with rocking shows with The Neptunes, Method Man, The
Pharcyde, Slum Village, and recording with DJ Premier, Kool G Rap and
Wu-Tang's Bronze Nazareth.
Sphere has kept all angles covered still regularly dropping burners
designing graffiti t-shirts for clothing label Wild Style Technicians,
and his music featured in the Interscope movie "The Next Episode". There
is a lot in the works; as well as breaking into soundtrack work, there
is a solo Kool Sphere project and a Verbal Threat album coming soon.
Sphere took time away from the grind to talk to us about, the past, the
future and keeping the love for the game alive.
What do you write
and what crew are you in?
 Kool
Sphere, CWK, KDM, TDC, WST and Verbal Threat.
Where are you from?
Queens, NYC.
Who was the first
writer you noticed?
[It was a writer called] Sick from the Bronx, and seeing him up on
highways, as well as Saint and Sife UQA.
When did you start
writing?
Around 1985 or so.
Outside of New York,
a lot of people are aware of the Bronx through Subway Art; but the story
of Queens graf is not a very well known one. What was it like back then?
Queens, just like the other boros in NYC, has a history of its own. The
80’s were a very real time in hip-hop, the graff and the music. Violence
came hand in hand in both aspects, where as now it seems to be
non-existent. There were many real pioneers that did their thing coming
up in the game. NYC was a crazy place from the 80's through to the early
90's. We lived through years of roll ups, with 10 car loads of cats,
packing bats, box cutters, mace etc. Years of chillin' on the corners,
outside bodegas and liquor stores. So many good memories from the good,
to the bad. NYC will never be the same again.
Who are some of the
Kings from Queens people should be aware of?
 Saint
and Ghost.
How would you
describe your style?
Traditional.
Being from the old
school, what do you feel about modern graffiti?
I'm not really feeling the new styles. I prefer the 80's NYC style of
piecing, straight letters, throw-ups, handstyles etc.
How do you feel has
graff influenced, or changed your life? For the good or bad?
For the good. I took the respect I had for graff into the hip-hop game,
as an MC for my group Verbal Threat.
What are some of
your graffiti memories?
Just rocking pieces with cats I respected over the years, Sketch CWK,
Snatch CWK, SHO TDC, Zone, Dase WST.
What does it mean to
you to be a member of your crew?
 Its
nice to be down with cats that have a high level of skill with styles,
and pieces. It makes you want to step up your game.
Going forward what
do you hope to accomplish with your art?
Just preserving styles from the old school and incorporating my style
into that. I bring it back to life through my designs for Verbal Threat
clothing and promotional material. Right now I'm liking the shirt
design, I wrote Verbal Threat in a tag with a pilot [marker] for one.
I'm starting a clothing line in 2007.
Who does Verbal
Threat consist of?
Kool Sphere and MC Reppond, and we collab with Ray Rob on the drums, and
DJ Flict for live shows.
As an MC, when did
it become more serious, and less of just ciphering with your crew?
I started MCing around 1990 or so. Kool G Rap’s Wanted Dead Or Alive
changed me personally, forever. We became more serious when the whole
game started getting too commercial. We were heavily influenced by
Gangstarr and DJ Premier Kool G Rap etc, so we felt the need to take the
torch, and continue down the same road they paved for us. That’s the
difference! I’ve heard rappers in the past that have gone commercial,
cite people like Primo or Wu-Tang as influences… Then put out that
typical radio garbage rap. Reppond feel and me that, if you really want
to give props to the cats that influenced you, follow in the footsteps
they were headed and put out legitimate hip-hop music. That is the
ultimate thanks you could give back to the pioneers that came before
you. Believe me… If it wasn’t for cats like Gangstarr, Kool G Rap and
Wu?! We wouldn't be here today.
"...Its nice
to be down with cats that have a high level of skill..."
How did you first
get introduced into the music industry?
 Around
1994 me and M.C. Reppond starting getting access to recording studios,
and began recording where ever we could, and just started to hit the
streets.
Who are some of the
artists you have worked with?
Kool G Rap, DJ Premier, Sadat X, Da Beatminerz, DJ Babu from Dilated
Peoples/BeatJunkies, the Wu-Tang's Mathematics, 4th Disciple and Bronze
Nazareth.
How did you end up
hooking up with Premier and Kool G Rap?
Many years of grinding in the game, and having mutual friends in the
industry, who wanted to make the collabos happen. We've prided ourselves
over the years by sticking to a real formula, and keeping the old school
current.
When can people
expect to hear some new releases from Verbal Threat?
 Our
new single Reality Check (produced by DJ Premier) is killing the
streets, and we flipped the b-side with Kool G Rap, and production by
the Wu's Bronze Nazareth. The new Verbal Threat album is coming soon,
entitled The Golden Era and is dropping December 2006. We just got back
from shooting the video for Reality Check in NYC last week. Locations
from Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan to Brooklyn rooftops. Stay Tuned for
That video!
The Verbal Threat 12" single "Reality Check" is in stores now, and
Autobiography/Boxcutter/BackStagePasses coming soon…
-
Shucks One
- Photo credit: Kool Sphere
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