If Skyzoo is known as the return of the real, then you must label Oh No and Alchemist as the return of the raw. The two rapping and producing double threats have teamed up to form Gang Grene, and the duo released their first dual LP, Gutter Water, November 23rd. The album and the group’s name is just as dirty, grimy, and raw as it suggests. I mean, just peep the press pics. I don’t think you’ll find one where Al’s face isn’t in a ‘somebody stinks/mean mugging’ position. Oh No himself uses garbage pail kids vernacular when describing how the two began trading music via email, before deciding to collaborate on a full LP. “I sent him another raw [song], he sent me something extra raw. I sent him something that was disgusting. He sent me back some grotesque s**t.”
For fans of Alchemist and Oh No this pairing seems like a natural fit, and was only a matter of time. Both cut their teeth in Cali’s underground scene before Alchemist relocated to NYC and Oh No hooked joined The Loot Pack. And while both were busy, each artist made time to ensure Gang Grene got the attention it deserved. Oh No tells us, “This is two cats just saying, ‘let’s do some raw s**t.'”
The rawness is in full effect as we chopped it up with Oh No the day of the album’s release. Read on to get his thoughts on the LP’s formation, loyalty in the Cali underground, and the early stages of Gang Grene part II.
RubyHornet: Good to talk to you today, thanks for taking the time to speak with us about the new LP… I read that you guys met at an Evidence show and started to send each other music. It was competitive, but you guys shared a mutual respect. Then it transformed into the Gang Grene project. Do you remember when it went from the email exchange to, ‘yo, let’s really do something together?’
Oh No: Yeah, that’s pretty much how it went. That sums it up, haha… We hooked up at a show. We smoked mad blunts at the show. He was on some, ‘send me a song, I’ll send you a joint.’ I sent him a joint, and he laced that s**t. He laced that thing. That was actually “The Sickness”. He sent me a joint, and I knocked it out that same day. That was “Chain Swing”… From there it was really on. S**t was like, ‘send me another one.’ I sent him another raw one, he sent me something extra raw. I sent him something that was disgusting. He sent me back some grotesque s**t. We just kept sending crazy songs. He finally came out to Santa Monica, and we hopped in the studio and started knocking out all kinds of s**t.
RubyHornet: How do your preconceptions of Alchemist and his music compare to what you’re learning about him along the way?
Oh No: I’m learning to just get out there more and to just get the music out there. He’s always getting his music out. I’m a real lab rat. I like to just write in the lab. I got a thousands pieces, thousands upon thousands and I’m not tripping on putting this stuff out. He’s always like, ‘let’s go, let’s get it out.’ Really, he’s just the man. He definitely pushed me to get out there more. I was trying to play the background. He’s definitely next level. It’s always been like that. He’s real similar to how Jay Dilla was, how Madlib is, Pete Rock… This is on some s**t that we like, just raw. As raw as it gets.
RubyHornet: He’s a heavily sought after producer. He DJ’s for Eminem. He DJ’s on his own throughout the country. Was it tough at all getting him to focus and dedicate the time to this?
Oh No: Naw. Naw. He’s hyped on it like I’m hyped on it. This is two cats just saying, ‘let’s do some raw s**t.’ Just as much as I’m working on it, he’s working on it harder than me. He’s definitely on it. Even when he’s in Detroit or whatever, he keeps me informed. And we stay on it. He’s definitely on it.
RubyHornet: You came up with Stones Throw, and I know Madlib is your brother. What I admire most about that whole Cali underground scene that you guys have going on is the loyalty that you have to each other. Over the years the same people have continued to work with each other, continued to support each other and he seems to come from a similar camp in and he came up under DJ Muggs. How important was it for you two to click as people as well as musically? It seems like the project involves a lot of people you’ve been down with for a long time.
Oh No: We both clicked right away. We both like the same music. We like the best smoke, just everything. the whole team that we’re around, the two camps are pretty much the same. We’ve been clicked up together for years. It was basically a matter of time before someone linked up and just made it happen, and made the connection. It’s all the same gang. I’m disgruntled, and he’s a grouch. We’re both crazy. We both stay high. And we’re both on the beats.
RubyHornet: What was it like dividing up the production vs. emcee responsibilities. Did you consciously try to even out the records, or did the divisions happen naturally?
Oh No: It was more or less just doing music. The whole thing was just throwing music on. We have a lot of songs to his beats, and we got a lot of songs to my beats. We just put it all together and put it almost in a chronological order… I’m sorry… I’m blowing up, my phone is going crazy.
RubyHornet: The response has been good? What are your hopes with the album in stores today?
Oh No: I just hope people take it in and accept that raw back in their life. I feel like the creativity in Hip Hop and music has been missing. Everybody’s been so focused on trying to do it a certain way, or to appeal to the club, appeal to the radio, too much appealing. Not enough real. And that’s what you get with us. That raw s**t, that’s just us.
RubyHornet: That seems to have been your mindframe even going back to the Lootpack days. You’ve always had the freedom to go where you want to go, and you seem to have a fan base that goes where you want to take them.
Oh No: That’s the only way. This is my career, and it has to be fun too. This is what we do. At the end of the day I want to be proud of my work and I want to do Hip Hop properly. I’m real Hip Hop. Gang Grene is just that raw Hip Hop s**t. I’ve been letting people hear it and they’re like, ‘oh, you’re rapping too?’ A lot of cats didn’t know I could rap. I’ve been rapping for years. This is just another segment… There’s going to be a lot of good stuff happening. This is just a start.
RubyHornet: What’s the plan from here on out?
Oh No: We’re already working on finishing the second Gang Grene album. We’re setting up tours right now, within the next couple months we’ll be on the road. Working on more beats with all kinds of artists. I’m working on a couple different albums as well such as Madlib’s album. I got a song on an upcoming Dolomite project. We’re just working the Gang Grene way, that raw s**t.