It goes without question that the goal of every emcee is to be the biggest fish in the pond. Enter Sharky the Great. With one album under his belt, his tremendous 1999 debut Treacherous Waters, this shark is about to be set loose on the competition once again. Armed with neck-snapping beats courtesy of some of the best producers this country has to offer and razor-sharp lyrics, there can only be one message: don’t go in the water.

l-ementary: Ok, first off introduce yourself and tell the people how and why you got into hip-hop?

Sharky: I’m an enigma. I go by numerous different aliases including Jesse Anderson, Shark the Great White, Slaughter Specialist, Carcharadon Carcharius (Latin for white Shark), Aquanova, Meglodon and Sharkasaurus Wrecks…haha. There are others but these are my most prominent personalities. I like to think of myself as an extremely competitive and confrontational artist…I grew up as child into athletics, music and art so when I first discovered Hip-Hop around age 10 it seemed like a perfect fusion of all three. It wasn’t until Grade 10 that I actually got involved in emceeing…my man Know-it-all had a group and I decided to join…the rest is history.

Alright, I’ve been hearing the name Sharky for awhile now, but it was always associated with you being a battle emcee. Is that what you consider yourself first and foremost?

This is a tough question because I do understand that a lot of my reputation comes from battle skills. The problem is that too much nonsense results from face to face battling these days. I would much rather do a live show where everyone was partying and having fun than spend my night embarrassing cats in a cypher (most don’t take defeat well) but I also won’t back down from a challenge. It is certainly one of strengths but I also feel that too many people sleep on my storytelling and party tracks. I try to be as diverse as possible and I would hate to get stereotyped as a battle mc but it is an important part of Hip-Hop’s past and future and I will continue to sharpen my sword until my career is over. When all is said and done no other style of track allows an mc to flex pure vocab and wordplay skill better than a good old battle crusher.

What was the first rap album you ever owned?

The first rap album that I ever bought was Public Enemy’s Nation of Millions although I had dubs of 3rd Bass, L.L., B.D.P. and Special Ed that I had borrowed off my cousin in Scarborough.

When did you decide that you wanted to make hip-hop your career?

This is easy…it was in grade 13 about a third of the way through the term…college application time…a very stressful time in my life. I had been planning to go to University for Architecture or something mathematical but music had taken over my life so I decided to go to the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology in London to pursue my dream instead.

What did your family say about that? Were they supportive or did they think it was gonna lead nowhere?

My family was very supportive…both my parents are self employed and went their own way when they were younger despite their parents wishes…so when they realized how passionate I was about it they gave me their blessing.

Explain how Treacherous Waters came to be…how long did it take to record, how did you finance it, how did you hook up with some of the artists and producers on it?

Treacherous Waters came about after I appeared on the Beatdown Invasion in 98…the experience hooked me together with Prologic who was the man behind the Beatdown project, and my long time producer Know-it-all…we started working on my first solo. The name was just something that came naturally…almost a warning to those that wanted to dive in to the album. I paid for everything myself although I did get some pretty nice deals on beats and studio time…all together I’d say it took about a year and 3 months to complete. The artists that appear on my album are all friends of mine that I have met over the last decade in the scene. Titus is a friend from Kitchener, Skitz and 2-sense are old boys of mine from Scarborough and The Lyricists and Chosen are from Port Huron, Michigan.

One thing I wanted to say…when I first got Treacherous Waters from Know-it-all a few weeks ago and heard the entire thing for the first time, I noticed that it didn’t seem dated at all, even though it’s like a year and a half old…it was still full of bangers….anyways, were you happy with the album or do you consider it kinda like it was just a practice album, cause I know a lot of artists who kinda distance themselves from older material.

Both…I am happy with it for what it was and at the time I think it was close to my best work…it was my first real project and I learned so much from it that I will never regret making it but as a perfectionist I know that it pales in comparison to the tracks we are working on these days.

What’s your view of the scene in Ontario and Canada in general?

If I had to rate it I would give it about a 5 out of 10. I think we have some incredible talent here but the resources aren’t here, especially outside of T-dot, in order for us to get proper exposure. There are not enough good venues and not nearly enough tours for all of the talented artists to get their shots. On the positive side though I think things are starting to change for the better and we are finally seeing some Canucks getting recognition Southside. Americans aren’t going to know what hit them!

Definitely feeling you on the tour thing…DJ Serious Review seems to be the only big outlet for indie artists….what do you think needs to be done to change the scene?

I think it starts with the fans…they need to start taking Canadian artists more seriously. It seems like they don’t pay us any attention until we have a video on B.E.T. The fact is all Canadian tours don’t make much money…yet…because we aren’t looked at in the same way as the Eminems or the Redmans…etc. What we really need is an artist to break out from here and make it on the same scale as the top Americans…so that instead of saying…”He’s good for a Canadian” they simply say “He’s good”. I personally think that artist is me and I think I was put here to break down all of the walls and barricades surrounding this beautiful country.

Who are you feeling at the moment?

Just about anything from Rawkus, the Liks, Royce, Common, Busta, Jigga, Redman…I really appreciate cats that can sell units without sacrificing mic skills…that’s my goal!

What’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you at a show?

One time I got a little too intoxicated and I forgot all my lyrics…causing the crowd to yell at me…haha…I got pissed, literally, and started yelling back forcing the sound man to shut down everything and call it a night. I also had a show a couple of weeks ago where I was too concerned about my buddies surrounded in the corner to pay much attention to the show that I was doing…I ended up cutting the song short and running to help out. Other than that though it’s just the usual…drink…rock…party…play…sleep routine.

If you could do a track with any 2 emcees and any producer on the boards, who would you pick?

Easy question…Primo, Pharoahe and Busta.

Ok, if that was easy how bout this…a track with any two Canadian emcees and a Canadian producer?

If I’m including people that I hang with I would say Skitz, Shug and a beat from Know-it-all…I think he’s the illest producer up here. If it’s people that I don’t know well I would say I.R.S. with the beat done by Kollishun of Nefarius.

What influences your rhymes?

My rhymes are influenced by everything that I see or read or feel. I try not to get too routine with where and when I write because when you write in different surrounding and in different moods you tend to get different sounds. I’m always reading so a lot of things come from world events or stories but mostly I just love to play with words…I love to expand my vocabulary…I love messing with syllables and manipulating the English language to achieve the desired flow…without losing anything in the content.

What’s coming up next for Sharky?

I just found a DJ to tour with me…Everfresh…London’s finest has agreed to be my personal turntablist so things should get moving soon as far as gigging is concerned. I am also working on projects with Skitz, Shug, Final Chapter, 2-Sense, Classified, Age, Curius, The Lyricists, Goldspade, Dubble-J and possibly D-sisive, Mono and Tekniq. My next project will be called “Selacophobia”, fear of sharks, and will hopefully be ready by this winter. You can also look for me to branch out into other musical genres including jungle and hardcore collaborations in the next year. We are currently in the process of fundraising so if all goes well a video and tour will develop before too long.

What do you love most and hate most about hip-hop right now?

What I love most is pure hip-hop…it’s hard to describe but you know it when you hear it. The two things that I hate most are the people who claim to be true hip-hop heads except they hate anything that sells more than 5 units because it’s not underground any more, and the people who could give a damn about the music…pump out commercial garbage and call it hip-hop…giving us a bad name.

Anything to add?

Nothing except…BUY MY ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Peace.

I met up with Epic on ICQ for a much overdue interview. So, in the tradition of interviews that ask oddball questions to the artists you love, here is Epic - live and raw.

Andy: Hip Hop interviews always start out the same and then ask all the same questions. So first, tell me everything a normal hiphop interview would find out so we can get the first questions out of the way. What’s your name, were are you from, who are your homies, and how dope is your new stuff gonna be? next level or on some different shit?

Epic: My name hiphop wise is Epic. My physical brother is named nathan knowwhatIamsaying. I hang with the beatcomber’s, some think we are a gang, but we are a dj crew really. Soso is like the ceo of clotheshorse entertainment incorporated. I know this dope emcee named Yy, I am gonna record a bunch of new stuff for my friends and people in this region basically. Gonna record with my man Gumshoe Strut, cf, my homie dwight.

Have you ever had a fight with your crew? A big brawl or anything?

Yeah. I wasn’t getting along with my roommate. We were sharing an apartment. I intentionally bounced the rent check. We ended up fist fighting in a park in New West. That was like 92. I got a new crew now and they got my back.

Bounced a rent check? You hustler! What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever stolen?

Would a real hustler confess on the net?

Is that code word for Epic is clean living and wouldn’t steal?

Honestly, probably nothing more expensive than a 10 speed

Alright. Do small time hustlers get paid twice? Have you ever been on government assistance?

You mean in 2 different provinces at the same time?

You’ve been on welfare in 2 different provinces at once?

Can you keep these questions hiphop related?

I can give you hiphop questions. true or false: Epic likes hiphop.

I like hiphop. Just lot’s I could do without.

Who’s the worst hip hop artist out today?

Probably this dude’s site I checked out from New Orleans. He had a link posted off this other website. Probably Run from Run Dmc

If you could battle Run, what would you say to him?

Probably a rhyme about how… Oh, I don’t want to say it, got to many religious friends.

Say it!

No, really though I read an interview with him and he was saying some wack stuff.

Why are most hiphop interviews so bad?

Too many rapper’s are focused on the fact that they have to act a certain way to make it in the industry.

What would you rather do?

I have goals that all contain me rapping, that will be relevant for another 20 years or so. A lot of people deserve to have hiphop as a career.

How can you stay relevant for 20 years?

By analyzing what need’s to change in hiphop, in society, practicing my freestyling constantly and staying in contact with good people.

Who are some other good people you want to work with?

Firstly I want to work with some of the people from around here that I haven’t had a chance cause I have had a really busy year. Factor, a song with Chap’s and a couple dudes in Edmonton. Plus other people on my album. I want to work with certain people out of town, but I think I would have to click with them on a personal level before I asked them.

Other than the people around you though, who’s the first hiphopper outside of Canada that you’d want to work with?

Volume 10 and Dru Down

You know what’s funny, i’m listening to Volume 10 right now. He’s probably also my favorite MC. Your a genius Epic, Volume 10/Epic album would be the best album - ever.

Yeah, if we could get Yukmouth on that.

What’s the lowest price you’d take for the Volume 10 LP on vinyl?

Probably wouldn’t take cash. If I say like xxxx Canadian some dude checkin’ the site from Mexico would be like that’s like fuck all in our money.

What makes you such a hardcore West Coast G? People seem to think that your into anticon, painting, artsy women, and flowers - according to the internet at least. So to tie into that, why is the internet so lame?

It’s funny, a lot of times on the internet instead of relevant discussions people post for the shock value. Dude’s don’t know the 1/2 about me. It works both ways though cause I get a lot of support too. A lot of these shock value dudes are just marks basically. I consider people who go on websites too bash people right up there with battling in chatrooms.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever been called in a battle?

An old man. Actually check that. When I battled my homie chap’s he got real personal on me. He called me on a bunch of personal shit. Wasn’t even rhyming his punchlines. Was funny as hell. That was 3 year’s ago. never stepped to him again. He stepped to John Smith at the last battle - but I guess he didn’t have as much dirt on him.

But Chaps won! ah who cares, the battle was rigged anyway. Watch out for the John Smith - Prevail - Patty C - Karma Khameleon EP appearing soon on ugsmag.com…

what’s the best punchline you’ve ever had? and have you ever battled joss?

I don’t know, so many. I don’t think they would come out as funny in typing. Lately probably that dude I called mc Jamiroquai, and I’ve never battled Joss.

How often do you call someone a fucking asshole? I noticed that’s an Epic staple.

Yeah, lately I notice organized battles get stupid. Dudes rap about I’ll kill you and I’ll f—- your sister. I try not to blend in with that. When I call someone a fucking goof or something everyone laughs then the battle is not as serious. I like when thugs try talking about killing in a battle. Then I can get real specific and graphic when it’s my turn

Do you have a criminal record?

No criminal record. Only arrested once over 18.

For what?

No comment

Ah c’mon! No comment, who are you, Klein?

You mean Ralph Klein. Maybe it was for a corporate crime Andy. Yeah, that’s the ticket. I was skimming off the deposits to plug v.l.t’s.

Fine. if you don’t want to tell me the good details, I’ll ask something else. How did you meet soso?

I can’t remember how exactly. We were introduced through mutual friend’s. He was into DJ’ing and so was I. We ended up setting stuff up at the local skate park I think to dj for a skate competition.

Do you skate?

No. I emcee instead.

here’s a cool interview technique I jacked from FuseOne from hiphopinfinity.com, its called word association, and its dope. I’ll give you a phrase, and you write a couple sentences about what you think.

New York.

I drove a semi into New York. We parked at the Staten Island mall. Slept there a couple of nights. I remember most the Staten Island Ferry.

Jesus

…was a black man

haha. Isosoles

Those dude’s were the beatcombers rival’s for years. On the tables, on the mic. By the time we all grew out of our beef they moved away. I wonder what Shrimpy’s up to about now.

Swollen Members.

I use to be into their early stuff.

Living Legends.

I really like Grouch. Murs is dope. Besides that, not my thing.

Who is Epic/Erin Carroll?

Just some one on the rise. The same character pretty much. I mean, maybe Erin Carroll is more of an entertainer. Epic is not really out to entertain. I just want to say my piece on the mic You know what I mean. That’s not what Epic’s rhymes are about. You want an entertainer maybe get Erin on the mic or something.

Could Erin battle Epic?

Who would get dissed for the grey hair? Erin would come with pre-writtens.

Who would wear the feminine reptile shirt? DJ clue is coming to Edmonton. i’m thinking of yelling CLUE in his ear and stealing his turntables, will you help?

I really felt sorry for K-cut from Baby Blue when he came to town. Here is someone who contributed in whatever way to one of the most classic album’s and here he is in Saskatoon playing like Thunderstruck by ac/dc to get the dance floor going.

I mean, the baby blue sound crew, that album gets the clubs crunk, of course its a classic. Do you have a miss money jane in your life?

Who cares. Baby Blue are beyond wack. It seems the real never make it whether it be on the tables, on the real. I remember this hockey player who was like tearing it up in junior. Best player to ever come from these part’s. Problem was he was 5 foot 3. Had like 3 goals a game. Big time never gave him a chance. Probably sells cars. Word to all the real dj’s.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve sold to buy more vinyl?

I’ve gone without eating for a day, probably for Fatboy’s 12”.

The Fatboys, I love that song with the force MDs. Nevermind, you wouldn’t get it, your a new jack. Oh by the way, I heard Sole talking about some guy named Rakim, do you know who that is?

Rakim is one of the first tapes I got. I really like that Jody Watley song. People slept on that don’t sweat the technique.

That album was alright, but I like Let the Rhythm Hit’em better. Don’t sweat had a few bangers though, especially pass the hand grenade. I’m not a huge Erik B fan, I would have rather seen Rakim with Shock G.

Shock Jesus

Exactly. I want to make an album with Money B.

I want to do one with Chi Ali

Would you bail Chi Ali out of jail to do a track?

No

Alright, before this gets even longer, any closing thoughts?

Yeah, a few. If you have spare time this summer learn how the drive to fund the pensions of our parents generation is a greedy process that necessitates increased globalization. The erosion of the working class to create cheap labour. People working for sick wages in Canada and even sicker in other countries. Fuck Nike. Fuck the Saskatoon Star Phoenix. Fuck slumlordz. The revolution may or may not be violent but it will REQUIRE THE SAME CROSS SECTION of society that hiphop has. Let’s use hiphop as a tool. But remember hiphop is fun too. I had to get this off in case i never get an opportunity again. Plus one more. Pick up the soso full length.

word up to social revolution backed by hiphop. Buy Epic’s Album, cause its bangin. Thanks for your time Epic, peace.

5000g

I consider myself someone who can appreciate all aspects of hip-hop. While I can respect cats like Nelly and Trick Daddy, who fill the airways with records about money and bitches and get the clubs jumping, I’m sure you all will agree that these topics have reached saturation. I can also give respect when someone comes out with a positive message and thoughtful lyrics. Enter 7Life. While he may be a “Christian” emcee, he’ll make sure you know that first and foremost, he’s an emcee. Make no mistake, this isn’t your ordinary Sunday morning preacher.

l-ementary: Alright, so why don’t you first introduce yourself for everybody…

7Life: Alright, this is 7Life the Glorious Alpha, coming out of Oshawa, just letting people know what we’re doing.

How’d you get started in hip-hop and why did you decide to get in the game?

Well, basically, I saw two people freestyling one day at my school and I was just blown away. I wanted to be part of that. Then, one day this man at a party just started spitting lyrics at me and I spit ‘em back…I love hip-hop so I wanted to be a part of it in any way.

Definitely. So, I guess if you were gonna classify yourself, people would call you a religious or spiritual emcee. But, on your website you say: “I don’t want to be a typical Christian emcee, I want to be an emcee who’s Christian”. So what’s the difference between those two?

Well, Christian emcees I find it…well Christian hip-hop becomes kind of a subculture to hip-hop and only its own people understand it, kind of, and I never wanna be a part of that because the exposure it gets is limited. I want to go out there with the same cats who are doing it everywhere, but yet I am a Christian and what I am about naturally comes across. I don’t have to put myself in a box.

But the inspiration for what you do, does that come from say, God or the Bible?

I think when a lot of people do their music their lifestyle comes across and how they live. And when I’m writing rhymes naturally my lifestyle comes out in it. But my inspiration would be…I’m inspired by guys like Common, people who take life and talk with metaphors…I want to speak about life because I go through the same thing as the next guy would except I view it differently because of what I believe.

A couple years ago Christian hip-hop was….virtually unknown…but now you got guys like yourself, Cross Movement, a lot of guys down south…who are getting exposure and people are starting to pay attention. Why do you think right now? Why do you think the spiritual movement is coming about?

I think there’s been so much “bling bling” and so much garbage that’s out there, people are more opened-minded when something different comes along, whether its spirituality or something else, it’s something different and it’s healthy. I think deep down inside people know what fakeness is and they take it in and it’s fun and it gets people jumping in the clubs but they know it’s fake and when someone comes along bringing something a little more real to the game, it’s effective…it can effect you.

Cause right now you got the one extreme, everyone talking bout money, about women, and its like a high (low) point. Do you think it’s gonna switch to the other extreme and people like yourself…like Common…do you think intelligent hip hop will be the next big thing?

Well, I think the more as time goes by…the world is getting pretty corrupt and it’s a race for dominance and money and people are realizing hip-hop is something they can make money off of and it becomes a product…industrialized…and I think it looks as if it will continue that way. I’d like to see it change but then again I’d like to see everyone stop killing each other but it doesn’t happen.

Another thing I wanted to ask you about, on the website you “attack” Christian hip-hop…you say: “they rape hip hop – they use it as a tool to get their message across and in doing so they abuse it”. So what do you want to say about that and on the other hand who, out of emcees like yourself, do you think represents religion and spirituality properly?

Well, what I meant by that statement is that they take hip-hop and they don’t really love it for what it is, and it’s more just some medium they use to get their message across. Hip-hop is a culture, and if you don’t live it and involve it in your everyday life then you’re using it and you don’t understand it and that’s why you get songs with whack beats, with whack concepts and it just becomes…You know, a guy with the Save the Whales campaign could go out and do a hip-hop track to promote, you know? They’re using it, you know what I mean? I want people to understand we are a part of hip hop culture, so whatever we can do in hip-hop culture to get the message across…and your other thing is?

Oh, who do you think represents…like, which emcees are you feeling, I guess?

I don’t listen to B.B. Jay…

(laughing) That’s who I was thinking of, too.

I don’t listen to B.B. Jay but I appreciate that he’s doing something different and he’s out there and he’s doing his thing and he’s being honest, you known what I mean? Yeah, he’s like: “I wanna be iced out and God’s blessed me to be iced out”. Like I said, I’m not down with that, but its cool…um, I’ve heard some good stuff coming from Cory Red from Mark of the East…um, I don’t wanna knock anybody, but Cross Movement, they got their place and what they’re doing is good but that’s not really how I wanna come out though. I don’t really preach in my rhymes…if the music’s not good people don’t wanna hear what you have to say. I wanna make good music, that’s my mission statement. And as you get to know me, and as you get to see what I’m about you discover God is in me.

For sure. Taking the Cross Movement thing further, you opened for them right?

Yes

And they were in The Source this past month, I don’t know if you knew that.

Wow, no…

Yeah, a four page article on, like, Christian hip hop and they were the main focus of it. So what do you think about that – guys opening the doors for you?

I think that’s cool. Just you saying that they were in The Source gives me a little bit of a different light on them because that shows that they are doing something and opening the doors for people like me.

So what are you up to right now?

Right now I’m working with a bunch of people. We don’t have a crew name, per say, but it involves producers, a man that’s speaking with Jive Records right now, and we’re looking kinda in the future to try to form something like a label. We got the financial backing to do it. My place in that, is that I’m the first emcee for them to really try to put out and see what we can do. I’m working towards the single, “For What It’s Worth”, the vinyl that should be dropping. We’re aiming August, September-ish and we pushed the date back cause we’re trying to clear samples. We’re gonna hit up radio stations to get it out.

Who are you working with specifically?

Architekt did that one track with me, “Antidote”. I kind of co-produced the beat. I’m working with this guy Low-Key and he worked with The Grassroots back in the day…he actually kind of brought G-Knight up and he’s been making some dope beats. A track you wouldn’t have heard on the website, called “Everyday Struggle” will be on the flipside of the vinyl. I’m also working with Relic, who produced the beat for “For What It’s Worth”…he’s also got his own project going on - as well our show right now is kind of a dual show. He’s producing more tracks. We’re trying to get back into the studio. Like I said, these guys are all a part of the same camp as I am.

Are you doing any shows in the near future?

Well I recently performed at Mel Lastman Square. There’s a gospel event they hold down in Buffalo, at Six Flags called Kingdom Bound or something, and I’m supposed to be on that bill. I’ve been invited to a lot of places but right now my money, everything, is going into the record…trying to stay focused on that…I’ve done a lot of shows…

Why don’t you tell people about the website so they can go check it out…

The webstite is www.7life.net. We’ll be doing some revamping on that, you can expect some new things. Architekt (the designer) is in Florida right now dealing with a label that’s down there. You’ll be hearing more tracks on it. I wanna update with my thoughts on where everything is going. I got some new freestyles. I’m doing so many freestyles, I wanna get it all up there.

One last question. You were saying before about Christian hip-hop being a subculture, so do you think it’s gonna be possible for an emcee like yourself to get the respect that you want?

Well, that’s my goal and its little things that have been showing me that’s it’s possible. Like when I go down to a secular radio station and they’re loving it, they’re eating it up. I think it’s possible, I just think a lot of it is how you go about it in the business sense and don’t lock yourself into a corner. A man said to be, from Points of Pressure, Toronto has yet to see a righteous dude come up and really lay it down for Toronto, and I wanna be that. We have a guy out there whose dealing with Choclair and he’s spreading the word of what we’re doing. It’s not that we’re really trying to preach to people, I just wanna show people an alternate lifestyle and there’s truth in this hip-hop game…there’s a culture made up of what we bring to it…we just wanna bring it to the music industry…something different and at the same time good and quality.

Anything else you wanna add?

Um, really you asked some good questions and covered the issues. Well, I just wanna let people know there’s a crew of guys coming out of Toronto…be prepared…there’s more to come