SUBSTANTIAL
interview posted 3/21/08
"The microphone in a lot of ways is my sword. Some of us live and die by it."
Your latest album Sacrifice has a lot of heart, along with an old school feel reminiscent of my early 90’s High School days. Was part of your intent on this album to bring back the fun and diversity in rap music without dumbing it down? Yes indeed. I think rappers take themselves way too serious. It’s cool to be serious about our craft but never take yourself too serious. Life is about balance and so is the music we make. I try to avoid making monotone music. I feel like I’m capable of so much, so I try to give listeners and earful without overdoing it.
Listening to My Favorite Things off your new album, I can’t help but think about the direction the culture and the music is heading. Where do you think it’s heading? I’m honestly not sure. I would like to see more musicality in it. I feel like rappers/MCs spend so much time trying to write tight rhymes (some, clearly, don’t try at all) and not focus enough on making a complete song. I think it’s cool to be an MC but I’d like people to see me as a musician.
Do you think any of the other elements in hip-hop will ever reach the masses on a scale as big as rapping has? I would like to see that happen, but rap is the face of the culture in a lot of ways. I’m not sure if that will ever change.
The album cover for Sacrifice has you committing Seppuku with a mic. Why commit Seppuku with a microphone, and did it hurt? Because swords are for pussies… just kidding! The microphone in a lot of ways is my sword. Some of us live and die by it. Did it hurt... I’ll just say my appetite hasn’t been the same since.
Maybe you can help settle an argument between a fellow staff member here, Dappy Hoenuts and myself. Tony Ja Vs Bruce Lee in his prime, who would win? Tony is sick but my money is on Bruce. I don’t know enough about Tony’s fighting off the screen. But Bruce had a reputation for whipping hater’s asses in between filming.
Which form of martial arts do you practice? Jow Ga. I’ve been slacking like crazy though lately due to my crazy schedule. Got to get back to class ASAP. Shout out to the Jow Ga Kung Fu Athletic Association in Columbia, MD.
For those unaware can you speak briefly on who Extended Famm is? Extended Famm is Pack FM, Session, Substantial, & Tonedeff. We recorded an album called Happy Fuck You Songs. We’re all about taking the idea of the posse cut to next level. Dope lyrics, original song ideas, creativity, and a twisted sense of humor equals us.
When can we expect to hear another Extended Famm album, and is it even possible to have an album cover funnier than the one for 2002’s Fuck You Songs? An album will be coming soon. And I think we’re crazy enough to top the last album cover. I’ve definitely got some great ideas.
Top 5 MCs/Lyricists of all time? In no particular order, my favorites are Common, Rakim, Nas, Redman, and I’ve been really digging Elzhi over the last few years. Homie is the truth.
For more things Substantial check out his websites:
QN5 MUSIC or
His Myspace page
BIG JOHN
interview posted 3/15/08
"I give my best effort, hope it inspires the guest artist to go nuts, and move on to the next song."
When did you first decide to start rapping? Well, when I was a kid I would always rap to myself, but I didn’t do anything more than battle at parties and write rhymes in school books till I decided to make The Author in 2007.
This past January you released your second full length, The Next Step. What can people expect to hear from this album? The Next Step is a very aggressive album with producers from all around the world, great guest spots, and both battle joints and real life experiences.
Artists in the past have been known to change their verses after hearing Canibus do his thing. Not only on LL Cool J’s 4,3,2,1, but, Common once mentioned how he felt he had to go back and change his verse on Making A Name For Ourselves after listening to Canibus drop an insane verse. What was your experience like working with a man who Wyclef Jean recently called, “best lyricist of all time”? Working on tracks with Bis was great! I actually always let a person hear my verse first. By the time I ask someone if they want to do a joint, I already have my topic set and verse done. So, I am not concerned with changing verses. I give my best effort, hope it inspires the guest artist to go nuts, and move on to the next song.
You’ve also worked with Esoteric, Kool G Rap and R.A. The Rugged Man for this album. What was that like? Esoteric is a friend of mine and working with Eso is always fun. I love the shit that Esoteric brings to the table and he is one of my favorite rappers when he is in battle mode. Working with G Rap was real cool. Like my homie Rugged Intellect told me, “G Rap is a class act dude” not to mention one of the greatest rappers to ever touch a mic. R.A. was dope too. Very professional and to the point type dude. Forward.
Who is the one MC, or producer that you would like to work with who you haven’t worked with yet? Honestly, I can’t think of anyone else I would be way into doing a song with at this point. I got a handful of amazing producers: DC The Midi Alien, Loptimist, Raydar Ellis, ect.
With illegal downloading running rampant, how does a relatively unknown whose on the come-up convince people to buy and not download? I think real hip hop fans are a lot like comic book collectors. At least the way I am, if I like your shit I wanna have the CD with liner notes and all. I never download shit. If I like it I buy it.
There’s been talk of you forming some kind of super group. What can you tell us about that? Bound By Honor is the group. We are in the middle of this project right now. It is going to be some real heat. We currently got about 6 members, and 3 producers. We just recently made a tack produced by DC The Midi Alien called Daily Curbing. This joint is currently my favorite track and is a verse a piece from: Mic Daily, Rugged Intellect, and myself.
What’s next for Big John? MORE RELEASES!!!!!
Last question, and perhaps the most important one: Top 5 MC’s? My top 5 always changes but these 2 stay in it permanently: Kool G Rap and Big Pun.
Big John - The Next Step
Click on the album cover to see the review of Big John's, The Next Step.