[RH Interview] Skyzoo: Sociology Raps

"I wanted people to hear every single word I had to say. I didn't want there to be any confusion about what you heard," Skyzoo tells me on a cold Thursday night in February. His new LP, In Celebration of Us, has just dropped and Skyzoo is seeing a bevy of press and praise surrounding his new LP. His voice, always a signature for the Brooklyn born emcee and writer, is confident and grows in excitement. "Fuck it. If you gotta hear the whole song again, you're going to hear the whole song again.' It's that necessary."

And so, Skyzoo dropped a new LP that starts with an opening track ("Everybody's Fine") that clocks in at over 8-minutes long, a lifetime as far as songs go in this day and age. But this album is not any normal album, and Skyzoo makes it clear from the opening seconds that In Celebration of Us is a serious piece, and requires an investment from the listener.

On this cold night in February, Skyzoo talked to me in-depth about his new LP, one that he has called the hardest of his career in terms of writing and recording. He was diligent in the subject matter and the stories on In Celebration of Us, an album that he approached like a sociologist undergoing a deep study into his people's past, present, and future.

Read the full clip below.

rubyhornet: Congrats on the birth of your son, what's his name?

Skyzoo: Miles.

rubyhornet: Is that after Miles Davis?

Skyzoo: 100%. You know, I'm a Jazz head. Sunday Morning Jazz on my Instagram, you know I'm a Jazz head so it was only right. Miles Davis is my favorite Jazz musician of all time - if not, one of my favorite musicians period of all-time. So it just made sense. I've said since I was a teenager that when I have a kid, if it's a boy, I'd name him Miles. So it was meant to be.

rubyhornet: The album seems to tell the story of your childhood, growing up and other people you've witnessed. At what point in the story did you fall in love with Jazz? Is that in pieces of this album.

Skyzoo: Yeah, my Jazz affinity came from having my pops. He was into Jazz my whole life. When I was a kid, 12-13 years old, I wasn't into it. Because as a writer - there are no words in Jazz. As a kid I used to tell him, 'this music is stupid, man. There aren't even any words." He used to say, 'man, when you get older, you're going to learn to appreciate it, and you're going to fall in love with it." As I got older, I did. It was between him and the movie "Mo Better Blues", seeing that I as got older, the two culminated to my love and affinity for Jazz. I listen to more Jazz than Hip Hop. I listen to Jazz every single day.

rubyhornet: I want to get into the album. It starts with an 8-minute song, which is rare these days. It's like you are demanding an investment from the listener from the jump. Was that on your mind in that decision?

Skyzoo: Totally, Totally. As someone who puts out music for a living, I know the attention span of people. How that works, how that goes. The way I formatted it, I just felt it was so important. It was so important for people to hear it that way, for it to setup the album, and introduce the album. So out of that 8-minute song, the first two minutes are a skit between two characters that are supposed to be my father and my godfather, they're best friends. Then you have the actual song, then when the song is over I spit the whole song again with no drums. I felt like that was important because I wanted people to hear every single word I had to say. I didn't want there to be any confusion about what you heard, if you missed something, if you caught something, if you weren't paying attention. So I said, 'fuck it. If you gotta hear the whole song again, you're going to hear the whole song again. And that's what it all came down to, and people have absolutely loved it. No one complained about the fact that it's 8-minutes. People have loved everything about that.

rubyhornet: You just mentioned the skit at the beginning with your dad and his friend. Then at the end You tell a story about a child growing up and going to different schools and thus through those schools, different worlds. You could have equally put that story at the beginning of the album and introduced yourself, and it makes a difference when placed at the end. What,  was behind your decision to put that at the end, and then letting people know that was you? It's like a big reveal in a way.

Skyzoo: I wanted it to be the story arc. You hear these guys talking in the beginning. One is telling the other that he's having a son, and he's got to change things in his life. Then you see all these things that go on with our people. Black people and Black culture. And what makes us the way we are, why we are the way we are, and what makes things the way they are, you get to the end and I'm explaining the story of this kid having both his parents his whole life, and how important that was. Then I reveal that the kid is me. So, I'm going back to the story that started in the beginning. If you're listening in the beginning, it becomes, well here's what happens to the son. And here are all the different things that he had to face, and that he has to face as a young Black Male. That's why it's so important that that guy at the beginning of the album continued to decide to be in that kid's life. Of all these things that go on in the world, that kid needs that guy the same way every kid needs that guy to be their father.

rubyhornet: Your parents had you very young, you just welcomed a son into your family. Could you imagine having a child when you were your parent's age, and thinking about what you were doing at 19?

Skyzoo: Not at all, I totally couldn't do it. My parents are way better than me. At 19, I was ripping and running, man. I was outside running the street, picking up some girl's number, doing this and doing that. I was ripping and running man, at 19. I couldn't have done it. They're better than me. I'm 35, so having my first son at 35 is a world of difference between being 19. When my parents were 35, I was what, 15, 16? That's insane. I could not imagine having a high school junior right now. We'd probably fight everyday. It just shows who they are, and why they're so special.

rubyhornet: The press release drew parallels to Ta-Neishi Coates. Between the World and Me was written as a letter to his son. Was your own impending fatherhood the impetus for channeling him on this project?

Skyzoo: 100%. I read the book before Miles was coming, but 100%. It spoke volumes to me because here's another story of a Black male being in his son's life, forever. Never taking a day off. Never taking a moment off and Ta-Neishi Coates explaining what's going on in society. I always had the plan of telling our story and making this album a very pro-Black album. A very aware album, and things like that. Once I found out I was having a son, it added that element to it. And I said Ok, 'I want this album, as pro-Black as it is and as aware and focused as it is on these things, I want it to be a cautionary tale to my son. So later when he's 16, when he's 20, 25, he can listen to this album and know what's going, what to expect, what not to accept, what not to tolerate, and what to be prepared for that's going to be waiting for him in this world, as a young Black male.

rubyHornet: I want to talk about that, but first to get context, What was happening when the light went to make this album and to make it as pro-Black and such a look into what's happening, explaining situations. What was happening in your life, and what was happening in America?

Skyzoo: I think it's just a culmination of everything we've been going through and just being fed up. There's no way you can live in this world and not see what's going on as far as Trump, as far as police brutality, as far as cultural appropriation, as far as economic crisis, there's no way you can live in this world and not see those things. It was just hitting me, everyday. I've always been someone who's spoken on things in one way or another, whether it's lightly or whatever the case may be. But I said, 'man, this is insane, what's going on out here. How do we fix this, how do I contribute and do more - more than I've already done?' I've always been aware, I've always spoken on certain things. How do I take it a step further? Well, let me use the art to go a step deeper and a step further than ever before. And that's where it all came from. And I felt like it was all needed.

A lot of it also came from Solange's album, Seat at the Table. It's an album that I love, and I was very inspired by that album as well. And when people ask me in the short term, 'hey, if you had to describe this album in one sentence, how would you describe it? I'd say, 'it's the Hip Hop version of Solange's album.

rubyhornet: I want to talk about your examination of race throughout the album. I think it is safe to say that as a traveling artist, you probably have more experience, exposure, and relationships across racial and ethnic communities than, I don't know, 85% of Americans, from wherever they're from. Do your travels as an artist across cultures, races, ethnicities, etc inform the stories on this album, either the stories you're telling, or the way in which you want to tell them?

Skyzoo: It definitely influences and effects, because when you go overseas, I go overseas numerous times per year for tour. And when I go, I'm there for an extended amount of time. I'm there for 2 weeks, I'm there for a month, I come home, I'm gone again for a month. So when I do all those things, I'm able to experience different types of cultures, and I'm able to experience the way Black people are treated and the way Black people treat each other when they're overseas. And it's crazy, because the way Black people are looked at in Europe or some of these different places is amazing. The way we're looked at is so different than how we're looked at in the states. You also still have certain places where it's pretty harsh. It's just irony of all these different walks of life and different ways, and cultures, and how we look at each other. I'm able to experience all of that. I'm able to say, 'why is it like this at home, when it's like that overseas? Why is one way here, and another way there?' And I'm able to take that and put that in the music as well.

rubyhornet: One of my favorite lines on the album is, "Sounds like a fist in the air, meets a brick in the air, meets baguettes, meets the vision impaired." After a few listens, that bar seemed to hit at the crux of the album itself and summing up the theme and the purpose.

Skyzoo: You nailed it.  That song is called "Sound Like", and I was trying to think of another title, something more poetic for a title. I'm big on titles, I'm big on - "The Stick Up Tape Menace", and "Parks and Recreations", and "Black Sambo", I'm big on song titles and I've always been. I was like, "Sound Like" is such a basic title for a complex song. But it made so much sense. This is what this album sounds like. The album sounds like this, this, this, this, and this. That's why it's at the beginning of the album. I'm letting you know what to expect for the next 60 plus minutes or whatever it is. This is what to expect on this album. It sounds like this, it sounds like that.

It sounds like a fist in the air - Black Power

Meets a brick in the air - hustling, going for it outside, this heinous world of activity that people don't understand.

Meets baguettes - shining off that.

Meets the vision impaired - those who can't even see how much you're shining.

Or, it sounds like vision in pairs - multiple eyes, multiple sets of eyes looking how much you're shining, looking at what you're doing.

And depending on how you pronounce both is what'll get to appear - either someone's trying to take what you've worked so hard for, or someone's saluting you for what you got, or someone wanting to be like you or someone wanting to be beside you, or someone wanting to see your downfall.

Those are all layers within that four-bar stanza. And that's just the smallest tip of the iceberg on there.

rubyhornet: You mentioned "The Stick Up Tape Menace", the second time I heard it I feel like I was listening to a letter from you to your younger self, is that the case?

Skyzoo: Could be. Yup, that's a cool way to look at it. And I see why you would get that, because the song is about validation. A lot of people on first listen think the song is about "Menace II Society". It's not about "Menace II Society" at all. I just used "Menace II Society" as an example of the point I'm trying to get across: The power of validation within Black people. Why my people feel so strongly about validation and put so much emphasis in it. While I'm explaining that, I'm saying, "for example, here's a story of validation gone wrong. Here's why it's detrimental to put so much value on validation. As Black folk, we put so much value and emphasis on validation that it's why you can live in the projects and have all the newest Jordan's and the newest clothes. Or, you can throw a $5,000 party for your two-year-old that they won't even remember. Because you want everyone to see how you're doing. Because as Black folk, we fight for validation everyday. We want people to look at us and see us a certain way, respect us a certain way. That's why we put so much emphasis on where we live, what we wear, what we drive, who we are. 'Don't bump me in the supermarket or it's going to be a fight. Don't step on my sneakers, or it's going to be a fight, accident or not. It's all validation. Well, why is that? The reason is because 400 years ago we were told we didn't matter, we were told we weren't validated. We were told, 'y'all can be outside, and the other half of y'all can be in the house. Y'all aren’t allowed to learn how to read or write, but you're women are allowed to give us sex everyday and if you get pregnant by us, it is what it is, we don't want nothing to do with that. It's why y'all aren't allowed to use these bathrooms, or allowed to vote, or allowed to do any of these things. You're not allowed to own your own businesses, open your own schools, or anything like that. We wanted validation from day one off the boat, so we put emphasis on validation forever, and it comes back to bite us. That record is about validation.

rubyhornet: As an emcee, I think validation is ingrained in it, and much of hip hop from the emcee battle to getting props from this DJ, seeking validation from peers. How does validation apply to your life as an emcee? You've had a crash course, but also you need those props to keep going.

Skyzoo: You're absolutely right. Hip Hop, especially being an emcee, if you're on the creative side of hip hop, emcee, producer, whatever, it's a sport. It's a competition. We all want the validation of being recognized for how dope you are or how dope you think you are. And when you're dealing with any type of sport that's subject to opinion, music, fashion, film, it's all opinion. Somebody might say so and so is great. And somebody else might say the same person is garbage. It sucks, but everybody is right. Nobody is wrong, because it's all opinion. With that, you fight for that validation even more. Now you're fighting for opinion. We can't debate if Lebron is amazing. You might not like the way he goes about picking teams, or whatever, but he can put the ball in the hole. He can give you 30 pts, 9 rebounds, 7 block, 2 steals, MVP year after year after year. We can't debate if he's nice. There's no opinion needed on there. But there's an opinion if so and so is nice, or if so and so is whack or if Skyzoo is top 10 all-time or if In Celebration of Us is the best album of the year. There's an opinion on that. So if you know what you know, you know it's real, and those things about Skyzoo are right, there's an opinion factor on that. And that's where the validation gets even more sacred. Now it's opinion, and now it's even harder to get.

rubyhornet: Talking about multiple opinions, a project like this forces multiple viewpoints. You rap from different viewpoints, and tell the story from multiple viewpoints and characters. Going back through your catalog, that seems to be something fun for you to do creatively. While this is such a serious project, did you have fun doing that?

Skyzoo: Oh absolutely. I had a blast making the album because I was pushing myself. This was my most difficult album to make. Not because I hit a writer's block, not because I didn't have it, nothing like that at all. If you know me, I write quickly. It's a blessing, it's a gift. I can write a 16 in 20 minutes, I can write a song in an hour. But with me, I wanted to make sure I got every point across that I wanted to get across. I had a vision for this album, and I was so afraid of not hitting the mark and exactly pinpointing it the way I wanted. That's why I say this album was my most difficult to create. Because I put so much on myself to create it, but I had a blast making it from picking the beats, certain records I wanted to make... A record like "Sound Like", it's just a metaphor fest, and I had a blast making that and pushing myself. "Everybody's Fine", I remember when I sat down and wrote that, I didn't want to stop writing. "Love Is Love", ideally in the beginning, "Love Is Love" is supposed to be a one minute song. It was going to be like a little short song in between two songs "Love me like this, love me like so and so.." it was like a minute long and would've been a little stab. But when I was writing it, I couldn't stop writing and it turned into a four-minute song. That's when it's fun, that's when it's enjoyable. When you have to force yourself to write a four-minute song because you're over it, it's not fun. You set out to write a one-minute song and it turns out to be four minutes, that's when you know you had a fucking blast writing that song.

rubyhornet: To piggyback off that, did those multiple perspectives and adopting different characters make you re-examine issues in any way? Did it change your perspective on things?

Skyzoo: Definitely. When I was writing the album, I had to think of everything that was going on. There were situations that may have been quiet for a while, say, police brutality cases like Trayvon Martin and "Hoodie Season" and Alton Sterling, and all those guys that we lost. I had to revisit those moments throughout our history, whether they were a year ago, 2 years ago, whatever. I had to dig into certain memory banks and it was dope doing that because it continued to put all these things in front of my face. Going back, remembering this, remembering that. "Honor Amongst Thieves" is one of my favorite records on the album. Going back to my childhood and what it was like when my father and I went to the movies to see "Boyz In The Hood" and we related to that and the conversation we had after the movie went off is what I wrote about on the record. Those moments to me are priceless on the record.

rubyhornet: I wanted to ask you about the process of making it. It feels like you approached this as a sociologist. Did it ever feel like that during the process? If so, was there conscious effort of taking on that role?

Skyzoo: Absolutely. It's funny you mention sociology. That was my favorite course in college. When I was in college as an English Major, I had to fill up other credits. I took sociology, I took psychology. I didn't know what sociology really was as an 18 year-old college freshmen. But when I got to class and it was explained to me, I fell in love with it. I said, 'this is what my music has always been about.' And that was me at 18 years old. Nobody outside of my neighborhood knew me as an emcee or a rapper. That's what I had already been about. And I fell in love with it. When I went to sell my books back, I kept my sociology book. I fell in love with the idea of what sociology meant. You hit the nail on the head once again. I've always looked at as my music as a big ass sociology experiment.

rubyhornet: The press release mentioned this album in relation to The Salvation, are there parallels between those projects or a relationship besides the lack of guest features and attention to detail? Did you have any reflection on then to now?

Skyzoo: The Salvation is an album I love. It's my debut, my fans love it, the whole deal. The Salvation is a fantastic album and I think what's so dope about it and what people love about it is that it's a young perspective. I was so young when I made that album, maybe 24. I was so young when I made that album. This album is much more mature and grown, because I've grown up. It's been a long time, I'm now 35 years old. It's a more mature album as far as things I'm speaking on, my perspective, my outlook. It doesn't make one more right than the other, it just makes where my pen is coming from a different thing. I would say the only similar thing is the fact that there's no rap features. There was one signer on The Salvation, and there are about four or five on this. But there's no hip hop features. And same thing I said on The Salvation, If I could sing I would have had nobody on it. I can't sing, so I had to call some amazing people like Raheem Devaughn and Kay Kola, WordsNCurves, and JillsBlack.

Skyzoo also hits Chicago on April 8th. Grab Tickets here.

 


[RH Interview] Evidence - A Lesson In Thematics

In their 1998 classic, "Intergalactic", Mike D of the Beastie Boys rapped, "got an A from Moe Dee for sticking to themes." The brag's origins come from Kool Moe Dee's 1988 Rap Report Card, in which he doled out grades to some of the genre's top artists through a variety of categories. It should be no surprise that Kool Moe Dee gave himself the highest ranking, with stars like Run DMC, KRS One, Rakim, LL Cool J, Heavy D, and many others receiving marks.

Today's rap scene lacks any kind of formal report card. Critics and fans alike hand out accolades on the daily via podcasts, website lists, and the almighty social media. However, if Kool Moe Dee decided to do a 2018 edition of his infamous report card, Evidence would have a rock solid case for a perfect score in the themes department as well.

Evidence is nothing if not consistent. Since the late 90's, he has consistently released music through his group Dilated Peoples, his Step Brothers project with Alchemist, or on the production side for a growing list of artists, which has seen him helm entire projects for emcees such as Defari, Planet Asia, and most recently Domo Genesis. But the creme de la creme for Evidence fans is his ongoing "Weatherman" saga that has produced 3 solo LP's and one EP,  starting with The Weatherman in 2007.

Evidence has used these solo projects to explore his own psyche, and get personal with listeners. Whereas stories about self-doubt, the loneliness of being an artist, and the death of his mother don't necessarily fit on Dilated Peoples albums (those also relied heavily on sticking to themes), Evidence has used his solo work as an open space for their exploration. And he has done so exceptionally well, mostly over dark and thumping production handled by a tight-knit crew of producers.

It's been a minute since his last solo LP, 2011's Cats & Dogs. The long absence was not necessarily planned, and is partly the result of personal struggles. Many of those struggles have found their way onto his newly minted Weather or Not, which was released last week to strong reviews and an open-armed fanbase.

"I'm going through the hardest part of my personal life right now," Evidence tells me via phone, roughly a week before the LP drop. The final song on the album centers on the birth of his first son and the child's mother finding out that she has breast cancer while breastfeeding him.  "It's hard to rap about being great when you're going through shit like that."

Evidence worked through the struggles and turned them into a new album, one that will serve as the end of something and the start of something else. Weather or Not is the end of the tightly themed "Weatherman" projects, the same projects that won him fans but also saw him get comfortable in a routine and style of making music. Itching to ditch that comfort and create new challenges for himself, he's onto the next thing, while he doesn't quite know what that is just yet.

"A big question mark after this, which is what I need right now," he tells me. "But to move onto something next, I gotta move into the unknown and either make my best or my worst record. I got to risk it a little bit more next time."

In this new interview, Evidence speaks in-depth about making his new album, maintaining a "brand", the response his new music has garnered, as well as the transparency-element in today's music scene. Check it out below.

Rubyhornet: Do you like doing this part of releasing a project? Do you like doing interviews again?

Evidence: It kind of depends where your life is each time... I don't mind it, I like talking about it. Sometimes you make a record and get so immersed in it that it's nice to do shows or do interviews. You spend so much time with the product alone that it's kind of like going out once in a while. It could be good, could be shitty.

RubyHornet: You have a line on "Jim Dean", 'I went from slow flow, to never the same flow, cause doing part 2 ain’t the reason I came for.' What is the purpose with this LP? I know it's not a part 2, but there is connectivity throughout your catalog.

Evidence: Yeah, all of my solo releases are involved in the weather theme. The Weatherman, Layover, Cats & Dogs, and now Weather or Not, kind of saying 'take it or leave it.' I'm putting it to bed. But in that process - I'm not competing, but I'm definitely competing with myself. You know when you get into a pattern. You know when it's time to close something. Sometimes you listen to what people say, sometimes you don't take it all in and maybe some of it is important. For me, just being innovative when I make a beat or do anything creative, I'm not trying to repeat something. It's kind of a catch 22 that this is a sequel or something that it's still within a theme, but still trying to keep each episode alive so it doesn't turn into "Godfather 3", where it just goes to complete shit. To stay in a pattern with a theme requires focus, to test yourself in that, takes a lot. I'm always trying to push a boundary or try something unfamiliar, even within something as scripted as the Weatherman theme.

RubyHornet: The press release said that this album will conclude the Weatherman Saga, which I thought was interesting. As someone who has listened to your music going all the way back to the The Platform, You've been referencing rain, the weatherman since way back, what does that mean "the end of the Weatherman phase"?

Evidence: The title's from The Platform where I said, 'some think I'm clever, others think I'm the one who makes too many references to weather... or not...' So, I knew. And I knew on "Mr. Slow Flow" when I said, 'umbrellas up, it's raining cats & dogs' that was going to be another solo record. I get inspired by a line and then make it work. There's something about safety about that, that I want to shed. I want to move into uncertainty a little bit more. I still feel like, I'm not imitating by any means, but the emulating thing is still there a little bit for me where I care what Premier thinks. I still care what this rapper would think, or whatever. With these records, with the first one it worked out the same way that Dilated did, I didn't want to make all the beats, because I wanted to focus more on the rhymes. I felt like if I made a beat, I actually made my album. I didn't just make the album cause it's mine.

But I found a formula. I'm around the best producers like The Alchemist, Premier, and all these people. It does make it a little safe when you do that. You know you're going to have bangers. So you gotta be careful with those so you don't make a playlist record instead of an album. I did my best to do that with this one, but it's hard cause I'm trying to throw everything against the wall with this one. I'm trying to make it feel heavy.

I want to move away from that idea, get into more of my own production. I don't know what I'm going to call it. A big question mark after this, which is what I need right now. Because I feel like knowing where you're going might not be as gratifying. I'm not downplaying my record right now, I think I did great. But to move onto something next, I gotta move into the unknown and either make my best or my worst record. I got to risk it a little bit more next time.

RubyHornet:  The album's title is a question, and you pepper the album with questions throughout both internally and externally, what were some the biggest questions you had to deal with in making this project?

Evidence: What is a brand? What is a person? I kind of battled this one a little bit. I'm going through the hardest part of my personal life right now, which is what the last song on the album ("By Your Side Too") is about. I just had a son, and being so excited, and his mom's trying to breastfeed and figuring out she has breast cancer. Here's that wakeup. So I had to be home and I'm trying to rap at the same time. It's hard to rap about being great when you're going through shit like that. Then I had the questions, if you buy a brand - what's a brand you like?

RubyHornet: Adidas.

Evidence: Ok, if you're buying Adidas, you don't know what the owner's wife is going through. Adidas is a brand, moving forward regardless, it's not a human. So I have to be careful sometimes on how to maintain my brand. But my brand is based upon a human that is going through shit right now. It was a little harder for me to figure out this time around. I had to take breaks, cancel tours, do a few things like that. But then sharing, once again made realize that I'm not alone, we're not alone. Humans are fucking fragile, and we're all going through something. So then it opens up different stuff.

RubyHornet: Throughout your music you talk a lot about not accepting compliments and issues with self-doubt. That's present again on this project, but it sounds like there's more peace with it or you are getting better at accepting the compliments.

Evidence: Actually it's the opposite. I might have said this in another interview, so don't get mad, but there was no high-fiving here at mastering or when the label sends you a gift and a notecard.. I've made those kind of records. That didn't happen here. It was taking too long, can't get this right, can't get that right. Things aren't lining up yada, yada, yada. Then it's done and it's like, 'how'd that fucking happen?' I just worked through it. I stayed working through the problems. 'Let the fever feed it,' or whatever they say.

What I am doing is waking up and creating every single day. Maybe that's what it is. I'm lifting weights so-to-speak. So when I go back to the gym I'm not rusty. In that process, your sword gets sharper a little bit, without even realizing it. I take photos, the same thing happens. I look at photos from 3 years ago, 'wow, that thing sucks.' I didn't realize I was getting better as I was moving on. So if you're loving what you're doing, progress comes with it. I do love what I do. This proved it because I do it everyday even under non-ideal terms. There's maybe only one or two other things I'm good at anyway.

Questions always go out as far as how much to share with the public and how much to keep to yourself. It's a fine line, and I got to walk that line sometimes.

RubyHornet: You mention the fans in a number of records. What do your fans give you? What do you hope to give them with this album?

Evidence: Fans give me hope to keep going, and fans give me a lot of stress. But I realized that the stress is from a passionate place, and I accept that. If people like something they want to hear more of it, and they want it to keep going. It's not unwarranted. It's just when you can't defend yourself cause you don't want to share the reason you're being absent, it gets frustrating.

Then I always got to remember, most people when they make their first record, the majority of artists don't have any fans. And they made that record because they made it from their heart, and that's what brought the fans. I try to not think about fans when I'm creating, but be conscious of 'hey, sorry if I'm being shitty for dipping this long, but it's not by -' you gotta realize this is what I do everyday. So if I'm not out, it's for a reason. It's not time or there's something going on, or I'm working on something. I'm working on a better way to communicate with them, whoever they are or may or may not be.

RubyHornet: You have a line, 'Stay elusive, in the process get forgot about.' In this longer absence you just mentioned, did you have fear that people would not be listening?

Evidence: Yeah. Yeah. 'Things I never thought about, try to be elusive, in the process get forgot about.' That's real shit. You try to be mysterious and you put your trench-coat up, you say no to the photo and you turn down the cameo, you pass this up all in the process of trying to be like MF Doom or some shit and then nobody cares. And then after a while people are like, 'oh, you're busy. We'll move on.'

You got to know the camera's not rolling all the time. Trying to be this mysterious, mythical creature can be dangerous sometimes in the business of selling music. If you don't want to be business, you can do that shit all you want. It's scary. You're trying to dip. I'm trying to take photos and not do selfies, artistic shit for merit and you realize people are not paying attention sometimes. It could be frustrating. It could make an artist wonder. So, yeah, I just do what I do until it's time not to. I skated until I hurt myself. I did graffiti until I got arrested. I just keep doing what I do until there's a sign to quit. Right now people are showing love, and it's so rewarding taking a little more time off than an artist should maybe.

RubyHornet: Did you expect such good responses from the videos? It seems like people are genuinely excited? Do you look at those?

Evidence: I made a promise not to read any youtube comments this campaign, so I pride myself that on the three videos out, I have not read one comment on youtube. That's just because I don't need to put myself in the loop right now. Once things calm down and everything's out, I will come back to that. But yeah, I'm really happy. I feel like we're focusing on being us creatively. I feel like visually and the way I represent myself, I'm definitely not trying to even look at the rap game. I feel like I'm way over there, and I don't even know where this fits. But I know when I show it to people, it resonates as art and they fuck with it. It's telling me I'm doing something right, and maybe I shouldn't be trying to fit in so much my whole career, or worry about things. It's been a big growing couple of years for me. I'm humble, but at the same time I got to be cocky when it's time and really put it down when it's time to. There's a time and place for everything and I'm really learning.

RubyHornet: "Half like Mike, Half Like from Pac Div."

Evidence: "Half like Mike, plus half Like from Pac Div." I don't think many people will get that.

RubyHornet: I was not expecting a Pac Div shout out... I want to talk about the features you have, Alchemist, Defari, Krondon, Rakaa, and then Babu produced the title track. I think there’s something important about collaborating with the same people for roughly 20 years. How does it feel to have them in your corner, when making the project is it a question of when they’ll take part instead if they’ll take part?

Evidence: No it's more a puzzle piece. I've done so much reaching out and so much collabing through the history of my career, I was like, 'this one is going to be honest.' From Styles P to Rapsody, everyone was at my house doing shit. Rakaa, Jon Wayne, Slug might have done his verse in Minneapolis but he set it over here and recut it there. This one was just whoever was around, who was fucking with me. A virtue of that is you're going to see those people, those are my real friends. I think Mach Hommy is the only person I haven't known for a long period of time. Him and I have become real close in a short period of time, I'm really happy to have him on there.

RubyHornet: The song with Defari is great. He kind of reminded me a little it of Slick Rick in his first couple bars.

Evidence: "My pistol knows..." We just did that one and had fun. I made the beat right there, we wrote the rhymes right there. That was one of the moments on my album where I didn't feel like I was making it.

RubyHornet: In “10,000 Hours” you talk about not wanting to see your heroes selling verses on Twitter, when you started your music career on Capitol Records it was a like completely different scenario - do you miss that time of MTV videos and selling CDs? You’ve have a unique perspective as someone who started in that era but has also successfully navigated this new one. Do you ever miss that older time period, did things seem simpler?

Evidence: It kind of showed me everything is a lie, which is fucked. Maybe if Twitter was around then I might not have liked half the people I liked, cause I didn't know much about them. I would know their name, their rhyme, their interview they would give me in a real guarded rap type voice and then they'd fly away with their cape and you'd see them once in a while. I didn't get to follow them and go 'fuck, Taco Bell's closed what am I gonna do?'. Lame. You know what I mean, that's the fuck part about this new shit. You'll find out there's a lot of talented people who are just the kind of people you might not want to hang out with. In that era you were protected. You never got to learn, you could focus on the person's craft. You never got to find out what they were like in life.

RubyHornet:  This might be a cliche question, but has parenthood changed your creative process at all?

Evidence: Ummmmm, no not really. I'm making time for everything. I have to be prepared to sacrifice other things, so maybe that's sleep... I feel more inclined to drive to make my son proud of his father and ultimately be able to support him and leave him whatever I can. I found a new motivation to be honest.


RH In The Studio With: WebsterX

When I started rubyhornet damn near 10 years ago, one of the biggest things for me and Virgil was being the studio with artists. Just the idea of "the studio" was a magic place, something like behind the curtain of the Wizard of Oz. I remember those early days fondly of being in the studio with artists like Naledge, GLC, Mikkey Halsted, Rhymefest and many others. The studio is where Closed Sessions launched, where I first met a 15 year-old Vic Mensa, and got to watch a hero like Raekwon breakdown his approach to music. I think back on that time, my early and mid-twenties, running around like a kid in the candy store. I had a flip cam, and would just hit record. One of my favorite articles on RH were the in-studio pieces where artists would share their creative process and their new work. Since I'm back at rubyhornet, we want to get back to some of our strengths, and the In The Studio articles are at the top of the list.

For this edition, Cooper Fox hung out with WebsterX at SoundScape Studio. He talked to Web about his new music, life since Daymares, and got a glimpse of music to come. Check out the piece below, and look for more of these on the regular.

RubyHornet: What were you working on today?

WebsterX: I was working on this song with BoatHouse, that is either going to potentially be on his project or something for me. Right now I’m just making a whole bunch of stuff. Yesterday I cut nine demos with Kolar, it was pretty crazy. It was awesome. That’s what I’ve been trying to do lately. A lot of the people I’ve been working with on the West Coast and in the Midwest too, we’ll build stuff in person and it’s never finished. That’s how I like to write too, I don’t want to have to necessarily finish something unless I’m presented with a finished beat. We just build it in layers, I’ll record all these demos and send back vocals to them and then we’ll go back and finish the whole song.

RubyHornet: How do you feel about the idea that some people assume that songs are made very quickly and that there’s not all these moving parts and back and fourths going on behind the scenes?

WebsterX: I vibe with that though because I also write really quickly. If I’m making something, the production that a producer and I will make is usually made in an hour to an hour and a half. I’ve stopped thinking so much when I write and let whatever’s going to come out, come out and just do it.

RubyHornet: When heading into these studio sessions what’s the mood and what’s the ideal situation.

WebsterX: The whole mood is pretty much "go hard." I come into sessions doing one of two things, recording or making music. So if i’m making music, the music will be based off whatever I’m feeling, whatever the conversations are about in the studio, whatever’s happening in that room. And then when I’m recording, there is no mood really besides "let's get this in." I have everything prepared already, all the lyrics are on my iPhone. When I’m writing at the crib, I’m reciting that shit like a thousand times over and over again, that’s how I memorize my music and add more lyrics as I go.

RubyHornet: During these sessions are you working towards a larger project or just making it happen and finding a place for the track later?

Right now the phase I’m in is like, let me just create the music at a steady rate, do it however I want to do it and then whatever it is, I’ll just know when it’s complete. I got that intuition and instinct that I trust. I just allow myself to be smooth with it and know when to get it crackin’. It’s way more relaxed now, which is dope. It's less conceptual, I’m just getting it how I get it. Before I used to try to plan every little step. I was very anal about how everything was presented, never just going with the flow. That was the past and now I’m starting to just let stuff happen in regards to making music. I’m just trying to challenge myself and do it in a different way, it’s a new phase and I’m trying to keep evolving.

RubyHornet: What else has been going on between Daymares and now?

WebsterX: I’ve got a few shows coming up between February and March, I’ll be at SXSW and doing a bunch of stuff with NPR in the next couple months because of the Slingshot program, which is cool as hell. The public radio door is really open for me now so I’m trying to go across the country and do as many public radio things as I can do. AND hopefully get that KEXP in-studio performance. I’ve been obsessed with them for a long time. Hopefully I’ll do a Tiny Desk this year, we’ll see. Beyond that, I’ve been really finding out what it means to be real studio rat. Usually if I’m making music it’s not in a way where I need to create every single day. I like to experience things so I can write about it. But now I’m just like, 'let's get it,' because I’m trying to get this cash up, I’m trying to get everything up. I’m trying to make sure I’m doing this for a long time. Kicking up the pace but still keeping it natural and relaxed.

RubyHornet: How did it feel to be apart of the 2018 class of NPR Slingshot Artists?

It felt really good, it felt full circle because my dad used to play NPR every morning before I’d go to school and that was my first time hearing it. It was a needed step and I like how it’s at the start of the year, it just makes everything more crackin’ for the rest of the year, it shows the pace that we’re going to be on. I had this thing I used to do a lot where I’d like to drop something and wait a little bit. But now how the industry is growing, everything is rapid pace. I’m not fully playing to that because I’ll never fully submit myself to how things are ran, but I’ll play the game a little bit. I’m just excited to see what’s going to happen.


[RH Interview] Femdot On How He Started Rapping, His First Headliner & More

Chicago emcee/student Femi Adigun aka Femdot has seen a lot in his life. Through balancing the perspectives of the south and north sides of  Chicago that he has inhabited, he's garnered an unusual perspective that many cannot fully grasp. He has rapped since he was a young child and has developed the skill ever since his older brother nudged him in the right direction by putting him onto the early works of greats like Nas and The Notorious B.I.G..

This week, with the support of his friends and family he announced a new partnership with Closed Sessions, and released a new song, "happyoctober." via Billboard News. In the days leading up to this announcement Fem was nice enough to sit down with us at rubyhornet to discuss the moments in his life and career that have culminated into this milestone. 

Where are you from in Chicago? Where did you go to High school?

I was born on the West end of Evanston. Then from there I moved to the south burbs in a town called Glenwood, I split my time between there and up north in Uptown and Rogers Park. Really a constant balance between North and South. I went to Homewood-Flossmoor High School in the south suburbs.

When did you start learning to rap?

I been rapping. I wrote my first song when I was 6 years old. When I recorded myself for the first time I started selling my mixtapes in 6th grade. My oldest brother taught me how to rap and he was super mega hot fire and he used to rap. So thats kinda where it started, he introduced Hip-Hop to me and my whole family. Me and him were like 12 years apart. Now he’s married with a wonderful wife and kids, he’s a model son you know, (laughs) he’s like what everyone wants what their son to be.

How did you come up with the name Femdot?

People be asking me and I swear ill be wishing I had a super cool ass story. Really my siblings just call me Femdot at the crib because Reebok was doing the S. Carter joints and we were a Roc-A-Fella household. So they took my name (Femi) and called me Femdot and it stuck. The homies would always come by the crib and call me that and i’d be calling myself it too in the raps and shit. Then one day my friend in the hallway was like “Ay Dot!” so from there Femdot became a thing. I wish I could say it was an acronym or it’s a coded message, morse code, whatever, really its just… me.

What year did you start making rap official and taking it seriously? Why?

I mean I was selling mixtapes in high school, but I’d say like when I was 15-16 years old. 1. I just thought I was getting kinda good, I was in my high school, I went to school with Martin Sky and Ohana Bam. We were all kinda known for rapping and I was always known for doing way too much (laughs), but mainly rapping. 2. I decided to start going to YCA and YOUmedia. Its funny because I got there at the end, I only performed at YOUmedia like twice. Thats how I met Ric Wilson in 2012 which is funny because I still have the DM from that. Also I dropped a mixtape and it was trending on Twitter, I was in North Dakota at the time while it was trending in Chicago. So from that moment it was over with. It was like "I think I can really do this Rap stuff".

What was your first show you remember performing?

I did talent shows when I was younger. I used to sing, but my voice dropped young. (laughs) I guess my first rap performance I remember I did this one thing randomly these dudes like bought me clothes, I cashed out on a whole outfit. (laughs) It was so empty but they couldn’t get their money back you know so i just ended up performing for an empty room. I’ve done that a lot, you know i’ve had so many shows where it would be me and the person who threw the show.

Your Song “Gold” produced by DJ CHI was written up on Ruby Hornet in 2013, reading through it seems the track was off your Hella Harolds Project. Tell me about Hella Harolds.

It was a 7 song EP based on a conversation you would have while you were waiting on your Harolds. So theres skits and stuff in between and they’re all based on people talking back and forth about nothing, you know what I’m saying? Because when you’re waiting on chicken thats all you’re doing. I dropped it on that Valentines Day in 2013 and it was Louder Than A Bomb that day and I remember it specifically because at the time Kevin Coval said “hey I heard your Hella Harolds EP”, now he’s just Kevin since we know each other, but back then it was like wow thats Kevin Coval saying that. Maybe i’ll re-release it one day in 7 years for my fans if I get famous.

What was life like post Hella Harolds (Feb 2013) and Pre King Dilla (December 2014)? Why the relatively long hiatus? 

I started going to school, I went to Penn State for my Freshman year of college and I was still rapping, I was still writing everyday but I couldn't drop music you know, I was at a state college I was 5 hours away from Philly. Thats where I was man, I was gone, literally gone. And its not like I was on some “oh I flunked out” stuff like really I just needed to get home for the music. Like if I had stayed at Penn State I would be a scientist, If I had stayed at Penn State right now I would be working for the CDC.

Whats Your Major?

So Im in Health Science with a Biological Science concentration and I have a minor in Peace, Conflict, & Social Justice. I’ve always loved science, like if I wasn’t rapping I would be a scientist no question. Back at Penn State I was studying to be an epidemiologist, someone who studies how diseases happen and how to prevent them. So yeah when I came back here I changed my major to health sciences but just not as focused as it was (at Penn). I always liked science and when it came to the peace, conflict and social justice aspect i’ve always been involved. I’m not an activist, I mean I am, but you know like Ric Wilson, Malcolm London, they really do this shit. So really those are the people I’m looking up to and where that social justice minor fell into place.

When did you start going to Depaul? How did it affect your music output? 

Right after I left Penn State I just transferred to Depaul, I needed to be back in the city. I came back home with the mindset like: "i’ve already done that college life now I’m here to do what I wanna do" and I made that my priority. So yeah it helped a lot it, it allowed me to focus as much on the music as I can.

What was your favorite event or show of 2016?

Oh man, Red Bull Sound Select brought me out to Denver to open for Soulja Boy. It was super fun, that was the first big show I did out of town for a sold out large venue with a giant capacity crowd while getting paid for my music. The energy I got back from that crowd was dope, I remember performing the King Dilla Freestyle acapella and they were rocking with me. Also my brother came out and it was the first time he saw me perform out in a major show setting like that so that was huge. Its crazy too because I’m not realizing how crazy it was until like, right now (laughs).

You had your first headliner show this 2017 What was that like?

First of all we was prepping for like, I said we were gonna throw this event a year before we did. So we set it up with the homies, so much planning went in to that. The day of it was Ramadan, so I had been fasting all day I was being holy. By the time sound check came around all the will calls were getting bought up so we had like 10 tickets left. Then just as I finish sound check one of my best friends walks in after flying from DC and surprises me like... I almost uppercutted her (laughs). So that was dope and there was a lot of people, a lot of love there. So I go outside and I see theres a line, past the bar (in Schubas), so I’m like “Okay…Okay”. Then by the time the show gets going for doors to open there was a line around the block. I had people hitting me up telling me they couldn’t get into the show and I’m like “I told you to buy tickets ahead of time”. It was super humbling man like it was the first time I performed up on the stage and I would say my lyrics and then everyone in the audience would know them too. It was crazy because also the next day I had to be up because I had a final, that Monday I couldn’t like soak it up too much. It was surreal, I couldn't remember it in the moment so after it looking back the show comes back in flashes and there was this girl in the front row and I was like, "I have never seen you in my life but you’re here to see me....And thats crazy".

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Interview: Borgore gives insight on his musical beginnings

Israeli Asaf Borger is better known to his millions of devoted fans as the dubstep producer and DJ Borgore. Transcending from his first found success Borgore has branched out to other forms of electronic music like drum and bass and house music.

He has also seen recent success in his hip-hop endeavors. His newest video single 100s showcases Borgore’s rap skills. Borgore has been associated in the past with collaborations with heavy hitters like G-Eazy, Miley Cyrus, and Diplo.

Electronic music and all things considered EDM have been looked at under a microscope in recent years for its fanatic and massive sellout crowds. The stereotypical never ending party antics, overly suggested drug usage, and the sexually aggressive atmosphere still haunts the growing music community.

Borgore is no stranger to controversy. The producer/DJ has been criticized for his suggestive and misogynist lyrics and his on stage antics. His persona is one of the loudest in your face in electronic music today. His unapologetic actions and records are a continuing sign of holding nothing back when it comes to his world of DJing.

A music prodigy growing up, Borgore had a not so average up bringing. After graduating at the age of 18 years-old he spent three years in the Israel’s national army. Borgore also has his own label Buygore.

We sat down with EDM’s bad boy at the fifth annual Spring Awakening Music Festival.

CM: You recently released the video for “100s." Not only do you showcase your rap skills but you also say “You don’t have to love, but I’m here making millions." What do you mean by that?

B: I’m a strange person in the EDM world. I don’t one hundred percent fit in, in a classical EDM way.  That gets a lot of people mad. When people aren’t used to something they either love it or hate it. That’s a fact, you don’t have to love me but regardless I’m still doing pretty good.

From the Israeli army to producing music. How has that journey been coming from a place of uncertainty? 

When I was in the army I was one hundred percent sure what I was going to do. I was in the army, my girlfriend broke up with me, I was miserable and was stuck with five hundred dudes getting shot at everyday.

That’s when I said to myself you know what I don’t want to be in this position. I want to be successful. I’m going to be successful.

I started trading stocks and did really well actually but that didn’t fulfill my life emotionally, so I want back to music. Music is something I’ve done my whole life. But you know what, if I wasn’t good at music I would do something else. I’d be a great lawyer or doctor. Fuck it, it’s all a matter of perspective. If you want to be great at something, then be great at it. Just work hard for it.

Borgore
Borgore after our interview for quick portrait shots after his set at Spring Awakening. Photo: Jesus J. Montero

Your music has been attacked for what many suggest to be overly sexualized and misogynistic. How do you now reflect dealing with that and how many interrupted your music?

I don’t disrespect anyone. I don’t care what’s your gender or where you’re from as long as you’re a good person I respect you. If you come to my show and you want to show your tits if you’re a dude, chick, or trans (sexual) do it, I don’t care.

I’ll give you that option. You have the freedom to do whatever the fuck you want. How am I misogynist? You want me to tell them to stay at home and wear hijabs and stay in the kitchen all day?

When being criticized, the misunderstood culture of electronic music in being overly sexualized towards women is attached to your debate. How is it not only representing you but a specific culture of electronic music?

It feels natural. I’m going to do that for my whole life. For me art is theory. There’s so many questions I cannot answer. I don’t know what happens after death.

The world is fucking vague. The one thing I do know is the music makes me happy. This is what I’m going to do even if I’m not successful in making music, I’m still going to be making music.

Being involved and having a hand in every step the process with your music, from your label, production, to now rapping on "100s." Why is that important to you?

That’s the way it should be. If you’re a so called DJ, you better fucking know how to play some instruments. You better know how to produce. The whole idea of people becoming famous from other producer’s work is bullshit.

We are musicians - this is our job. First and foremost, we are all musicians you better know the notes in a C major scale, that’s basic! You got to know the basics.

Just bouncing back to "100s," how was it making the video for this light-hearted track?

It was amazing to shoot. We had a great time; I love the song. For years I was working with directors, some were great some weren’t. I was so happy to work with someone that I had so much fun with. All my friends were there together just fucking around. While on set I literally destroyed a golf cart for the music video. (laughs)

Borgore's "100s"

[youtube id="fJTuldpMwCg"]


Angelo Kritikos

[Interview] Angelo Kritikos: Artist, Photographer, Mermaid Space Alien

Angelo Kritikos

Chicago-born, LA-based celebrity/fashion photographer Angelo Kritikos has quickly become one of the hottest freelance photographers in a relatively short period of time. Being named "Top Upcoming Photographer" by W Magazine led Kritikos to shoots with Vampire Diaries' Ian Somerhalder, Pennybirdrabbit, and even Wonder Woman herself (and my current celebrity crush), Gal Gadot. We had the chance to exchange emails with Mr. Kritikos to discuss his work, his approach to photography and art in general, and some of his upcoming projects. Read on to get to know your next favorite mermaid space alien. You can find him online via Instagram, Tumblr, and his personal website. (Note: You can find a gallery of some of Angelo's work at the end of the second page.)

Pennybirdrabbit by Angelo Kritikos

What do you think takes over more when you're doing a shoot: the nerves and anxiety of shooting an established model/celebrity or the confidence in your talent and abilities?

I don't get nervous before shooting... I get excited! No matter how big the celeb or shoot is, I always try to keep my shoots low-key and fun. As a photographer, I feel that my energy on set always sets the tone for the shoot, so I try my best to not overthink things and keep it real. I literally wore this ratchet blue hair extension as a mullet on my shoot yesterday and became this weird character. If the people around me feel comfortable to be themselves, it makes me the most happy. No nerves or anxiety on my sets. Just hella talent.

Who were some of your favorite celebrities you've shot? Do you have any funny anecdotes from those shoots?

Ahhh there have been so many! One of my absolute favorites was shooting with recording artist Pennybirdrabbit. She really influenced me to start shooting more musicians. I love her eccentric style and bubbly personality. I love shooting with celebs that are authentically themselves throughout the shoot.

I've had some really random shit happen on set. One time, an actress completely fainted after breaking a nail. It sounds dramatic and all, but really her whole fucking nail came right off. The whole thing. It was pretty f-ed. Oh, and one time this male model I was shooting pulled the fire alarm (in a college we snuck into) and the whole building had to evacuate. We were shooting in a hallway and all the students and faculty had to exit. When I asked him why he bothered putting his hand near the fire alarm, he replied "It said to 'pull here' - It should say DON'T pull here."  What a weirdo right??

What are some bands/artists/celebrities you want to photograph in the future?

I can go on FOREVER. Right now I'm dying to shoot with Cara Delevingne and Jared Leto. Both have such a cool personal style. There's also this really amazing artist named FKA Twigs who I'd love to collaborate with. Shooting with Grimes would be awesome too. Oh and Lana! Lana del Rey. Who wouldn't want to shoot with her???

Evan Mellows by Angelo Kritikos

Do you dabble in other types of photography (i.e. street, candid, landscape, scenery, etc.)?

Nope. I often incorporate street photography techniques in my fashion work, but for the most part, no. I shoot what I like, and I like people & fashion. Ever since I became interested in photography I was always interested in shooting people. In photography class, we'd attend field trips to botanical gardens and cool architectural locations but I was always more interested in photographing my friends.

What would you say defines you the most as an artist and not simply a photographer?

No matter what the project is, I'm always shooting a reflection of my personal style or what I'm going through at that time. I often shoot at places around town that I like to hang out at. I dress my subjects in clothes that I would want to wear. I visualize my subjects in a free world. I just like to create what makes me happy. I love to bring a team together and execute a collaborative vision. I seriously could care less about photography. 'Technically' I'm not a good photographer at all. I don't care if my exposure is correct, or if my composition is perfect or any of that shit. I shoot with cheap equipment because I seriously don't care. I just like the feeling I get when I'm creating art, and right now the camera is my tool to channel my visions (but that can change at any moment.)

If you weren't a photographer, what do you think you'd be doing right now?

I'd be expressing myself in another creative art form. What I meant in my previous answer above (right now the camera is my tool... but that can change at any moment) I basically was saying that photography to me is temporary. One day, I may start expressing myself through writing, designing, music producing... who knows?

Did you work with film in the past? If so, how do you feel about the dwindling 35mm industry? Do you prefer digital?

In high school I took proper film classes but transitioned to digital when I went to college. I loved shooting film and developing prints in the darkroom, but I ultimately prefer digital. I'm not sure if this counts, but I recently picked up an Instax camera and I fucking love it! There is something about instant prints that feels intimate. I love the raw polaroid look.  


[Interview] Sarah Smick and Ian Michaels (Friended to Death)

Ryan Hansen in Friended to Death

Friended to Death is a dark comedy that embraces the age old curiosity of who would show up at your funeral if you were to die. Although, this creation from Sarah Smick and Ian Michaels encompasses this question in a whole new light: What if you were to fake your death so you could find out? A story about a man whose reliance on social media might just be a little extreme, the film is light hearted in a sense, regardless of its drive from multiple antiheroes. I was fortunate enough to get to interview Sarah and Ian and find out what it was like for them to work on this feature length film together!


Cheers Elephant at SXSW 2014 by Andrew Zeiter

[SXSW Interview] Cheers Elephant, SXSW Veterans

Cheers Elephant at SXSW 2014 by Andrew Zeiter

Photography by Andrew Zeiter

Watch Cheers Elephant for even a fraction of a sogn and you can tell they've been doing this for awhile. The majority of the upbeat, indie rock from Los Angeles by way of Philadelphia has been playing together since grade school, plenty of time to get to know one another and smooth out the rough spots in any performance piece. Unlike most somewhat-traditional four piece bands I caught throughout the whirlwind that was SXSW, Cheers Elephant (which may have one of the best band name-backstories there are) had life, excitement and personality lost amongst many 'rock' bands today. Frontman Derek Krzywicki, who has a name only I can truly appreciate, is a breath of fresh air onstage, playfully moving his hips in a faux Elvis impression, gliding across the stage, managing to not interrupt a guitar solo while carefully executing yoga-like moves. If he is the hook then the music is the sinker as the rest of the band backs up his front-of-stage heroics with a general aesthetic that perfectly lent itself to a mid-afternoon day in Austin, Texas. Before they got onstage I was able to link up with the guys from Cheers Elephant and chop it up about their packed schedule of twelve shows in a week, how the world has treated them and everything in between just before they took the stage at the Big Picture Media showcase at the Thirsty Nickel on Wednesday March 12. Read the full conversation here.