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Lordroc Interview
interview
0120 added 13.10.02 words
Eddie Venom
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Sixteen years ago you would never have believed it; but if Hip-Hop had a proper Hall of Fame in effect right now, Brooklyn, Queens would produce a list of names to out-flank any other New York borough point-blank. I'm not going to do the history lesson for you, just check your back catalogue for the crucial evidence.
With an emcee on every staircase, the odds of being plucked from obscurity by a major are equal to that elusive Lottery win, or the possibility of Bush not trying to finish what George Sr. started way back in 1991. Like a lot of our own products the only way to get heard in the current climate is to create your own little empire from scratch. One artist on the first few rungs of that business ladder is Lordroc, currently working on his debut long player for his own label. This is preceded by the third release on Skygod Entertainment which is currently doing the rounds, the diverse four track EP, 'From the Ground Beneath'.
Having to work on every facet of the business simultaneously can take its toll. Even with a good team behind you the product will never be as polished as your average Ja Rule record- and to me that's a good thing. Hip-Hop is a dirty, anarchic blast of expression that thrives because of two crucial components: its self-awareness and hunger to achieve beyond the boundaries of its surroundings.
The internet is a complex beast. On one hand it represents an opportunity to make available an endless stream of grotesque detritus; on the other its existence is almost justified by giving artists like Lordroc another invaluable opportunity to get music heard and make links that wouldn't have been possible for previous generations. The following Q and A session is a case in point. Hardly managing to run a mobile means a call to the States an unlikely prospect, so the following took place over the net and is an uncut blast of opinions from an emcee on the come up; a refreshing insight without the normal industry shackles and polite bullshit that pollutes the mainstream merry-go-round…
-So let's cut straight to the chase, where you from and who are you repping?
I'm from Queens, NYC, a place called Park City, Rego Park. But I rep for PC, Hells Gate 108, Lefrak, and South Sewaside! Basically all of queens, I network wit' cats all over the place.
-Do you feel a responsibility to spit hard because of the tradition Queensbridge has?
I really don't feel a responsibility to do anything, I do what comes out of me, I got all kinds of flows and styles but there are times when a mic just needs to be put in its place, just screamed on, ya know.
-Tell us about Skygod. Was it difficult to get the label up and running?
The label started back in about 96 when I was wit' a group called Tribunal. We used to camp out at my crib every weekend, and get toasted and do mad music for months straight, so my brother Pat used to see us up in there all the time cuz I had a lil' studio setup in my parents crib. So he used to come hang out and he just knew the vibe was serious, so he provided an outlet for us to vent through. The rest is history. We just make non stop continuous music, all day!
-How do you handle distribution?
Right now, the distribution is our only problem, we dont have any, we got it in a few shops in NY, and were tryin to blast it through the internet and make some noise.
-Have you been doing many live shows?
This year I haven't done many at all, but last year I was performing all over NY, Connecticut, PA, NJ it was fun, but I took some time to focus on building a solid foundation for myself and now that this single is startin to hit , I gotta hit the stages again, it's mandatory!
-The logo is ill, who's responsible for the artwork?
I actually do all the artwork for Skygod myself, I also represent hard for the graf community. I go by TOPAZ TD4 and I helped to co-found the company 5 Pointz, which is MERES TD4's company, and we got a legal graf spot in LIC, Queens and we welcome cats from all over the world to come paint there and network. We have B-Boy practices there in the summertime on Sundays and it's off the hook, bar-b-q, paintin', poppin' n lockin', freestylin', we got it all covered, Wondertwins got the after party...ha-ha and we're available for jobs, we do murals, logos, anything u need, spread the word.....
"...I ain't gonna wait for anyone to come knockin', I know the talent is there...."
-Was there anyone in particular that inspired you to say, "Yeah, I can do this by myself."?
I really cant remember, but I used to DJ, and that later led to production cuz i thought, why pay studio time over and over again when I can get the equipment to do it. Then I thought that if I couldn't afford the same quality stuff the pros use, then I gotta learn how to make what I got sound just as good as theirs, and the journey towards success began, but then cats like Wu-Tang especially broke the mould in this game with business tactics and the common industry standards. But I respect any and all who just work for what they want period, I hate a cat who says I need a deal and don't got no songs done, no studio appointments, I ain't gonna wait for anyone to come knockin', I know the talent is there in one sense or another and I know if I dedicate just as much time to this as someone would dedicate to a job at a law firm, I can make it happen, I educated myself on the game before I really hit it hard, and my most unfortunate form of education was failure. But I know I can do it, that ain't a thing!
-'Too Hot' is indeed flames, how did you hook up with Marley Marl?
My brother hooked up with Marley through our freinds Chico & Lenny who used to own the Queensbridge pub, where I met many celebrities of the streets. He invited me to his crib to do a track, we vibed well, it worked, and I said that's cool, but I need something that might be a lil' Too Hot for the average head to handle, my man Killer Kai brought his peeps Capone and Flush Through and it was a rap, but Marley's as cool as hell, we chill once in a while, we'll definitely be doing more stuff in the future together.
-Is it difficult to handle so many different jobs compared with the relatively easy life of a signed artist? Run us through the average day in the life of Lordroc.
Well it's very much work, it's not easy, no artist is just gonna get picked up off of a demo anymore, someone's out there puttin' in the footwork......My days vary, one week I can be bored to death and not have anything to do, and the next it's like BAM! I'm in the studio, on the computer doin' graphics, editing music, but I like to keep busy, it takes my mind off other things. I wake up fairly early every mornin', I don't hang out too late anymore so I make it my job to treat my music and my graphics as a full time job plus overtime and I know it will pay off, the reason why cats get paid at a job is cause they WORK a certain amount of hours, I get shit done. I'm also very much into education, so I read a lot about the things that I need to know in my every day life to live a lil' smoother...ha!
-So what did you want to achieve with 'From the Ground Beneath'?
At first I really wasn't too happy with the way the songs came out cuz I had a whole other vision for the project, there were a lot of unnecessary setbacks, but it got done and music just gets made, that's old to me already, I'm almost halfway done with my album, plus I been getting drops and freestyles out on the low- but our goal was to create a buzz and hopefully obtain some distribution and/or a budget for the new album coming out. This is the first time we really worked with major players in the game at least on our label, ya know, and this is the first time we're doing radio send outs and advertisements on a large scale, out of the pockets of the Skygod Commisioners (Stevienice, Anthony Mirrors, & Patrick Rocco) so this time around we need to see some of that revenue back in order to keep it in motion and keep it growing.
-There's a real diversity in the tracks on the EP, was this a conscious decision to show your versatility as an emcee?
Yeah, that was a conscious decision, I always try to do completely different vibes on promo material because u just never know...and I like to experiment of course and when it works, show off!
-The bounce track is dope and the flows on that are pretty crazy, is that something you'll be doing again? It's refreshing to hear East Coast emcees doing different styles that are not native to the region.
That's something I been experimenting with slowly for a while, I always try to flip some fast flows up in there somewhere, I just usually use darker NY style underground slow beats to make it work, you'll hear some more different flows and styles from me in that area, but maybe not a full song again.
-Talking of styles, do you know much about artists making Hip-Hop in UK? Are Americans aware of the different styles we have to offer? There has been a big push in the last 5 or 6 years to forge ahead and create our own styles. There's a big hip-hop-reggae influence and quite a few emcees have adopted local accents. Do you think Americans could ever accept and sell Hip-Hop from other countries on its own terms?
I think we could and will eventually accept it, I just think there's not enough exposure for it out here, I personally off the top of my head can't name too many groups I know of from out there, and the only way I do know them is by DOING the music and networking, regular cats out here don't peep for that, they don't even like our shit out here in most spots! You just gotta be on a level to be open minded to all types of music, which I am, cuz I love music, it soothes the savage mic beast. Thanx to the net though, I think Hip Hop is gonna grow like Rock and u gonna have UK Hip-Hop Beatles up in the States Blowin Up!
-If it got given some exposure, there are a few UK emcees that could sting New York with some true boom-bap business. As far as links go, I heard you have collaborated with Wolftown recently. How did that happen?
Like I said, we met through the net somehow over the years. I been sendin' them packages, they showed mad love and did an interview with me for RAGO magazine, and we kept in touch. Tricksta was like, "Yo, we doin' a compilation, spit a verse. So I spit, my homie MERES spit, we sent it, and it's in the works. We're probably gonna collabo with them on more stuff. Peace to the whole Wolftown Fam. See u soon, when I get together da Boat Fare to get there!
"...Hip Hop create the trends, and in N.Y. it has always been a bit trendier
to be a hardrock, rather than a hard working artist...."
-On some QE2 type shit! Flipping back Stateside, I think it was around '96 when King Sun declared that, "East Coast niggas be on conceited shit". Would you say that is still true?
Yea, that's true, but that's what this game is about, braggadocio! The rules ain't change, and there ain't no reason to be dealin' wit losers anyway; but theres conceited cats everywhere, every emcee think they the hottest shit, but NY is just a place wit' an attitude in general. If u can't stand the heat, get out the kitchen. I lived in L.A. for a hot minute. I bounce back and forth once in a while to get a change of setting.
-Bouncing across the south coast of the UK, I can definitely relate to that. Switching up areas helps give you a little extra perspective. As far as New York goes, do stations like Hot97 still have a big influence on what gets heard?
Yea, Hot 97 does have a big influence, but we are also at a time now where people are starting to search for music that suits their taste best with the Mp3 movement and all, there was a monopoly wit Hot 97 for years, cuz funny enough as it may seem, that was the only station here in New York that played a lil' Hip Hop and some Rap, until 105.1fm just started a few months back, now there's a lil' comp goin' on and both stations are startin' to play better music, new artists, etc. but my complaint is that, even before 105.1 we had 98.7 Kiss FM that played a lil' Rap, mostly R&B though and the same with 107.5 WBLS. And Hot 97 plays the same shit, just more Rap and Hip Hop, so we never really had a station here that played just Hip Hop. I think the industry is getting flooded with talent now with the rise of CDRs, so I think every state should at least have a station that plays just HIP HOP!! But I won't hold my breath, we got digital music on our cable boxes now too, with no commercials, its called MUSIC CHOICE, Hot!, and Satellite Radio is somethin' about to get into. The Wonder Twinz DJ for their Hip Hop station. Peace to 91.9 FM NY...the closest thing to a real Hip Hop station out here, they got a Hip Hop show on every night now from like 10-12 or 2, they show me mad love up there, all the DJ's so 1 love....keep real Hip Hop alive!!
-People in London struggle to make a living off Hip-Hop but like New York is in the States, it's where people consider the centre of the culture to be. Why do you think it's taking so long for Hip-Hop to become a part of the mainstream in UK?
It's just a matter of time, now that all the corporate big wigs are picking up on it; it's becoming OK now to like the culture; it's becoming cool for the mainstream to be into it, so it's expanding. When Rock started it was probably just Rock. Now u got Heavy Metal, Classic Rock, Punk Rock, Junk Rock, and whatever other names they'll think of- Grunge, Rap Rock, it's insane. I see Hip Hop going just as far…it's all a matter of time, all over the world I actually heard the scene's bigger overseas than it is here, cuz there's an underground scene here, but its very contained and u need skills to participate...but most cats out here that rhyme are street cats on the hustle first before they're rappers, or emcees, so I also see that as the reason for the Gangsta Rap scene getting so big also, because the people who are doing the Hip Hop create the trends, and in N.Y. it has always been a bit trendier in my town to be a hardrock, rather than a hard working artist. We are well respected by some, but it just ain't cool to be smart anymore in a lot of places, its sad...
-That's definitely not confined to just the Yiddy. Ignorance and conforming to stereotypes seems to be the only way to get on right now. With that in mind, what's the vibe in New York at the moment?
The vibe is 50 Cent all over the streets: the LOX: on the indie scene u got Def Jux holdin it down for sure, and the vibe is very glum for me, ever since this war started things have been different for me, the vibe looks good though. Hip Hop looks like it's moving in a promising direction, aside from the industry wars going on.....but that's made up to be bigger than it is, we all just here tryin' to eat and live.
-So has September 11th had an effect on the Hip-Hop community? Apart from Mr. Lif and a few others, very few emcees (or artists in general besides the shock antics of desperados like George Michael) seem to want to make political comments. Do you think that could be because it's so bling-orientated and such a part of entertainment culture now that nobody really cares? Or do you think it's avoided because political doesn't sell?
I don't really see it being avoided. A lot of cats out here, like the Arsonists and many others that I've heard about donated a percentage of album sales, and gave money to 9-11 organizations and relief funds, and spoke openly about it in interviews and stuff. A few other artists out there I see tryin' to cash in on the deal. I think a lot of people just don't wanna touch it. It's a touchy subject for us here, we saw that shit. That was the wildest shit I ever lived through I think, but it happens every day somewhere and somehow, I just hope for peace one day....but I won't hold my breath, ya know.
-We're definitely in some troubled times. Hopefully the Democrats will win the elections early next year and help keep George Dub-ya in check. Before we sign off are there any last thoughts or shouts?
I can sit here and give shouts all day but ill narrow it down to the few that've been here helping me get this particular project done........Marley Marl, Capone, Flush, Killa Kai, my bro Pat, Stevienice, Ant Mirrors, My lil' bro Easeroc, Saide Angel, lil' Tee & Dee, Fingaprince, First Power, Powerline, Tone Corlie, Rel 3, Meres, Bisc, 5 Pointz, TD4 squad, 203 squad, Pro X, DWI, RAPADON, Me202, Krap Diggity, Dizzy Dean & Dirty T, Wolftown, Ultra X, Sapone & Kna-Lo, Dusty Dave, P King, Wonder Twinz, Hakim, Hell's Gate 108, IraQ, PeeCee, Cerebral, Calory/Calzone, BL one, KO, Ste-Lo, Probe, Ray in Kansas, Redeye, The whole fuckin world!! RIP CAD ONE (Vince), Dwight, Jackie, Mike P, Jared, Klep my peoples know who they is!!!!!!!!!!!
-OK, one last thing: Maybe it gives an insight into where the artist is coming from, maybe it's just some bullshit trivia for that ass- but indulge me- here are 10 Either/Or Sure-shots-
Nas or Jay Z? Nas
Football or Soccer? I thought they were the same over there. Is this a trick question? (Maybe…)
M&Ms or Snickers? M & M's
X Files or V? V!!
The Rock or Hulk Hogan? C'mon u know Rocco reps for the THE ROCK, Hogan's old news, retire
Kim or Foxy? Foxy
Shan or KRS? Ooooh, landmine...Gotta go wit Kris career wise but Shan still has some some ish for dat ass, check for it.
Christine or Britney? Christine, tell her I said so if u see her
Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek wit a Dime, Star Wars wit an ounce
Hennessy or Heineken? I'm still in recovery, looks tempting, I would've taken the Hennessy bout a year ago, no ice no mix, playa! But if u gonna drink, drink beer, dem liqz will kill u.
Peace to Y'all for showin' me mad support wit' everything I do. I'm a check for some of that UK Hip Hop though, I know y'all got flames!
It's impossible to know what the future holds- but if Lordroc can maintain that level of enthusiasm for the game and continue to develop his skills on the mic, the progress up that industry ladder to a wider audience is inevitable.
For information on Skygod releases or just to peep some phat designs, go check www.skygodentertainment.com for the latest.
- Eddie Venom
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