Introduce yourself, crew, affiliations, etc…

Originull gel one (Livin Self Destructive) but the homies call me gel roc. I work with a group called (Endangered Elements) better known as E times 2 or Ex2 and am part of a bigger dysfunctional family known as the Los Angeles underground.

You teamed up with Mascaria for production on your solo debut how did that come to be?

I knew the Masc from working on some stuff with E Times 2. As I started to conspire what my album was going to sound like I decided he was someone who wasn’t a household name and was making some really great music… so it was a good opportunity for both of us to introduce ourselves to the world with something special like laws & flaws.

How would describe your album and style as an MC to someone who has been under a rock and never heard of you?

It’s an audio book… an emotional rollercoaster with ups and downs but has something for everyone. My style on this album is more of a mentality towards certain issues that most people can relate too, or something like that.

It has been a couple years since your last release with E Times 2 what have you been up to during that time?

I myself have been focused on the completion of this record; it took most of that time since our last release. As a group we’ve been going through the same trials as any other group who’s been doing things a while… jail, marriages, divorces, drugs and brotherly love/hate shit.

Is there a new E Times 2 album in the works?

Currently no, but hopefully that will happen; I’d love to do it. If we can all be in the same place at one time it will happen, we all want it to, time will tell.

What is the craziest thing that you have experienced as an MC?

Hmmmm… Females actin’ like senseless demons… people offering free narcotics… I’m not complaining.

What do you do besides rocking mics?

Train robots how to communicate like humans, school homies how to hunt for beaver, and teach cavemen to fish on their own.

When it is all said and done what do you want people to say about you and your music?

That my music wasn’t influenced by the rat race to be the most popular emcee… or I’d just spit the millions of stupid rhymes we hear everyday. But we’ll see, the ways of the world are strong and evolution of self changes your perspective.

You have made music with some of the best MC’s in the world from 2Mex to Awol One to LRoneous. How did these collaborations come together and who would you like to work with in the future?

I’ve worked with Awol for the past ten years or so and along with that came songs with everyone who we crossed paths with including 2Mex. Lron was someone I didn’t know to much about initially and was just trying to do new things with new people and he was down and yeah he’s real dope. As for the future, I like to keep things a surprise but I’m looking forward to working with new producers more than emcees but who knows maybe Flavor Flav.

What is your favourite album, song and artist?

Subject to change but, World Ultimate by The Nonce, “Show is Hype (theme of my life)” - Volume 10, and Brother J of X-Clan.

What is the hardest thing to overcome as an independent musician?

The women…most of them just don’t get it.

What is a typical day in the life like for the G-E-L?

Work, family, weed, and music (making or listening to it).

Do you have any last words, shout outs or stories?

The “G” in my name is pronounced like the “G” in gangstah, not as in George Bush, now you know! Get the album Laws & Flaws yall… thanks.

Introduce yourself, crew, affiliations etc.

Brace. Toosicks Crew, umfm.com (Keep it Surreal - Thursdays)

I hear you have retired from battling, is that true and if so why?

The 2005 Canadian finals was my 15th battle. Not including smaller local battles. I’ve decided that its time to focus on making music now.

How did you and Gruf get together and become the Sound Barriers?

Gruf and I have been bros for a long time. We started making music because we had such like minds.

How would you describe the album?

Working to get through a period in our lives. Struggling With the modern day world and the troubles put on the average individuals mind.

What do you use to make your beats?

1200’s, RaneTTM56, Boss RC-20, ASR-10, MPC1K, PC - (for mixing)

Do you like producing or djing more and why?

I love scratching and making beats equally

What was your experience at the world DMC’s like?

Overwhelming. I had a mission, and that’s what I was there for, barely any partying - Except for a blunt session with Roc Raida and Total Eclipse.

You beat Scratch Bastid for the Canadian DMC title and then lost to him at Scribble Jam; would you say there is a rivalry between the two of you?

For a minute, but it was healthy.

What was it like battling him so soon after beating him for the Canadian Championship?

It was the heat of the battle season, battling him right after the DMC finals didn’t effect how I felt. It was busy though, I was working on both scribble and DMC world at that point.

How do you begin to plan your battle routines and how much do they change from start to finish?

I just find hot records and jam. Changes happen all the way along the way, until it’s complete.

What is your all time favorite sample to cut?

The one that is best for doing all cuts on is an ‘ahhhh’. Lately I like polysyllabic samples

What inspired you to get involved in hip hop and how did you get started?

I lived in NYC between 91 and 94. I was influenced by a lot of hardcore punk and hip hop from that city in that time. Buying mix tapes like “The Five Deadly Venoms of Brooklyn”, and “Cold Krush Cuts” inspired me to want to dj.

What is your favorite hip hop record/song and why?

I don’t have one. Some are: Diamond D - Stunts Blunts and Hip Hop, DJ Shadow - Endtroducing, Blackalicious - A2G ep, Saffir - Boxcar Sessions, Dstyles - Phantazmagorea, Ricci Rucker and Mike Boo - Scetchbook.

You do hip hop radio in Winnipeg. Give me the details and expand on your experience?

Over the years the show has evolved in different ways. I started with a 5 dj show. It all boiled down to me after a while. Since about 2001 I’ve been going solo. I used to only play Turntablism. Now I play anything - but 95% is hip hop related. Recently I’ve done interviews with the likes of Immortal Technique and O.C., and I plan to continue interviewing more. It’s my favorite time to play records - I play what I want - so its real dope for me.

What do you do when you are not making hip hop?

I work at the Graffiti Gallery where I teach kids how to scratch and run the computer network. We run a beginners and advanced program for scratching. I’m also working on finishing my degree in computer science.

What is your favorite hip hop experience?

- Jamming with A-track
- Talking to Chuck D briefly
- Chillin with the X-Men
- Meeting Talib Kweli, Shabbam Sadeeq and Mos Def
- Talking with Smif N Wesson
- Too many to name them all

What are you currently working on?

Currently working on my solo EP - keep your ears open.

Who would you like to work with in the future?

Take5

You have any shout outs, last words, stories you would like to share?

Shouts: toosicks, the Winnipeg heads. the Saskatoon heads, Akshav, Larry, Ease, Co Wrekt, DJ Wackut, Satchel Paige, Darko, Filipe, Louvens, Dopey, Drastik, Turkmansouljah…and on - peace to all my homies.

djbrace.com

Introduce yourself, crew, affiliations etc…

I’m Max Prime, rapper/freestyler, beat maker. I’m part of the Low Budget Affiliates hip hop crew, which belongs to Busshaak Records. I’m on DJ Nato’s Up in Arms Recordings. I recently formed a group with DJ Jon B to create a duo called Hardly Novices.

Who is Max Prime and what makes him tick?

The love of rap to start. Max Prime is a rap alias with calculus connotations. As an MC, he is a person with punchlines in every single song, whether the verse is serious, fun, heartfelt, or a battle rap. That’s what he began as for my first EP and my upcoming up in arms album. In the future however, it will be whatever decides come out my pen. At this point I’m moving toward just writing for the moment.

Are you a long time Edmontonian?

Yeah, born here. Whyte Ave south side area, over by the tip of a river valley vein. Never lived anywhere else yet.

How has growing up in Edmonton helped or hindered you as an MC?

Helped: the MC’s. I currently know some of my favorite MCs in Canada. I’m not joking. At least 7 of them live here. Inspiration basically. Hindered: Love is hard earned here. If you want to rap, you can be an awesome artist, people aren’t necessarily going to automatically flock to you. Also, community isolation. Not too many of us have really worked with anyone from the Canadian or international rap community. Thus, out here, we tend to make the music that we like foremost, and let it take us wherever it takes us. That might be changing soon however.

What inspired you to pick up a mic?

One inspiration was the Wake Up show. Back in its prime, the radio show hosted some of favorite ciphers in hip hop, and it inspired me to start writing and learn delivery. After some time writing and recording on shitty headphones solo, I started ciphering at house parties as well as the old Black Dog hip hop night where I encountered many of today’s Edmonton MCs. They told me to keep it up. There was no turning back after that.

What is your all time favourite rap moment?

One moment was when P.E.A.C.E. nearly won scribble jam. I swear he was one of the few who refused to freestyle in the normal battle cadence that everyone else does, or come up with those normal repetitive jokes. He had this one quote to the effect of “I leave you surprised like… BOING BOING BOING BOING DING DING DING DING!!!!” with perfect timing.

If you took beer out of the equation of Canadian hip hop what would the result be?

I predict Low Pressure’s business stocks would drop. Most of us would be blazed out of our face. My own crew would have 10 albums out. Half of our community would be rapping like Saul Williams. And sushi would be the new food staple of Canadian hip hop. Rap shows would have more chairs. In fact I have a bunch of old songs from before I was introduced to alcohol, and my pronunciation actually sounds a bit clearer.

You have just teamed up with the relatively unkown producer Jon B to make your debut Hardly Novices, how did this come together.

Through ugsmag. I was ready to make albums long long ago. We met on the message board, I thought his beats would be really good platform for an EP, an early 90’s aesthetic, and raw loops. His choice of breaks on the drums were also inspiring for me to write to. He was digging my raps and we started working on this grimy project. We did it mostly through correspondence and it took close to 2 years to finish. As we worked on it, he was honing his DJ skills, so we came out as rapper/DJ combination. Thank you ugsmag.

What makes you and Jon B the Wayne and Shuster of Rap?

We’re half Lame and Über. Recurring themes in the EP are blatant folly, a hidden professionalism, jokes, and sarcasm that trips over its own shoe laces. I was expecting criticism due to Jon’s lo-fi beats, and my reckless syllable flipping, as well as our tendency to experiment blindly. The lyrics in the album mostly contain wild comedic value. Our own odd-couple shows many a time end up in the Larry David category of performance.

What can people expect when they come to a Max Prime show?

Expect good clear delivery on the raps, and/or for me to completely flip the feck out like tiddlywinks. Me and Jon’s full live set includes working with his MPC, the shittiest song in rap to kick it off, and an amazing set that includes the whole EP right after. And me talking to myself live using 3-4 different personalities for the song “Backwards Polaroid”.

What are you working on in the future?

A for sure is my first solo album on Up In Arms Records, called Minstrel Cycles. It will be out during the summer of 06, it’s already pressed and in my hands. Other than that, a compilation of the LBA’s best underground material is being worked on, the Extremeties project between me, Conspiracy, and Add-Vice, and I will be starting a self produced solo project called the Flowtron Saga. As well as a few planned projects that I haven’t started on yet with various people.

What is your favourite artist, song and album?

Well, that changes often… currently Birdapres, Typical Cats “Thin Red Line”, and the Dangerdoom album.

What is the biggest challenge facing the Prairie rap scene?

Well, I think the biggest challenge for it is deciding what direction it should grow. A lot of artists I know want to work more with more prominent US artists or extend there albums to over-seas countries. There’s no real guideline to getting well-known, selling and stable. I’d say it’s already as far as it will go in its internal development, I know plenty of respectable Canadian albums; it just needs to figure out how it should externally develop, if that’s what today’s artist are aiming for.

My favourite jam on the album is the Bob James loop heavy track “Home Base”, what is yours and why?

“Stealth Mission”. Despite being a short introduction type track, I think it has a great beat and one of my favorite choruses. “We’re obese men hiding behind lamp-posts, tip toeing with tap dance shoes, where preparing take our fans by surprise, so shhhh-don’t tell yourselves.” Classy 1940’s humour.

What does Max Prime do when he is not destroying beats with hot fire lyrics?

Finishing my degree in computer science. different from anyone else. Just chilling being normal. Really extremely normal.

What does the future hold?

Money, women, and apocalypse. Then old age, sickness, and death. Then immortality. Hellifiknow. Oh yeah, hopefully more shows coming up in close by areas. Saskatoon, Kamloops, and Vancouver sound ideal to me and Jon right now.

What are your goals as an MC?

My goal is release a certain number of albums in the works during my time. And also to help raise the bar in the art and skill of MC-ing and rap music. As well as to increase its integrity, depth, diversity in attitude, and intelligence.

Any last words, stories shout outs?

Shouts to Slacker Dave, Jon B, the Pat An Idiot On The Back Society, my family, Low Budget Affiliates, SBU, Fameless, DFE, Olive Hour, Epic, Side Road, Clothes Horse, and anybody else that I’ve worked with.

Im talking with Conspiracy at the moment. He says: “LBA is E-Town’s best crew without question and massive respect to Nextraterrestrials , Low Pressure and Supreme Being Unit… Peace to all the MCs that are always making truly original music, too. Conspiracy loves you ALL.”

Introduce yourself, crew, affiliations etc…

Hi Chaps… My name is Scott Da Ros. Half Italian/half Canadian, born in Halifax, grew up in Lr.Sackville (part of the greater city of Halifax) and now reside in Montreal. I run a label called Endemik Music that was also born in Halifax but was forced to move with me. I also make music, under my alias, Scott Da Ros. I have no crew, only my label mates and there are a few group projects being worked out at the moment. Main affiliations include Granma Music in Japan and I am working on a few more.

You are the man behind Endemik Music how did that come to light? How did you choose the name?

The label started all because of the second album we released, Stigg of the Dump EP. My man was finishing up his debut EP (that featured Sixtoo and Buck65) and he wasn’t thinking of what to do about releasing it so I sorta stepped to him about starting a label and that could be our first release. We really had no plans beyond that were concrete. That was the main goal… get this record out. Before we released that album, Buck approached Stigg about releasing Synesthesia (around the time when he was in negotiations with Warner). We agreed, because Buck is a huge part of Halifax rap to me and I was definitely a fan. It was good to release this album first because we got to deal with a bunch of shit… Like not being able to release the album through distribution and not be able to sell it to stores (only one in Halifax) - this we found out after the album was being pressed. So I scrambled and worked a deal with Hip Hop Infinity to sell it exclusively and then Buck would sell some on tour. It worked out well; it became the number one seller at HHI (even though they later shorted me for about 800.00). So, that’s it.

Endemik (endemic) means - Prevalent in or peculiar to a particular locality, region, or people. It was meant as a reflection of Halifax and the hip hop scene. But has spread to mean more for me…

What are the challenges and limitations to running an independent label?

Not much money. Sad but true. No way to properly get your music out there in public. You can do it but it takes a long time. Internet helps and word of mouth. The way the infrastructure is set up within the music industry makes it hard to turn over a profit unless you start with something huge. But, I could complain about 50 million things… No point… I would like to continue busting my ass and spreading the good word. Karma might exist.

What is your favourite Endemik release so far and why?

That’s a hard question to answer. I have to equally say Bleubird, Skyrider and Stigg. Stigg because the beats are so nasty it hurts, it was also one of the main reasons the label began - to release that album. Bleubird because I was there for most of the recording process and it was amazing to see that much truth put into a record… and he can rap - I didn’t realize how good until I witnessed that. And Skyrider because it made my head twist when first I listened to it and I wasn’t able to pinpoint any other album I’ve ever heard like it. And that’s no stretch… I really couldn’t figure t out… I want someone to point me something so I know where how to pinpoint the audience - haha. There is so much going on in that album but you really can’t find it unless you focus. It’s also based on some things that struck me pretty hard…

You have released two 7”s when can we expect a full length?

Yeah. A full length can be expected this year… most likely in July/August. I am actually finalizing it all now and only have one song to finish. I am excited about this record. 3 of the 4 songs that were included on my two 7” singles will appear on the album. 2 songs will be slightly different. Its 14 songs that range in length from 1 minute to 19 minutes. Features a bunch of my favorite rappers: Bleubird, Tweetch !zown, Filkoe176, jdwalker, Ghettosocks, Yskee, Dave Pal, Apt, k-the-I???, and Sole. My favorite song is the last one and is 19 minutes in length (sorta feels like a mini-movie), a long soundscape with no real drumming involved… it was very fun to craft the music in this piece… I ask three MC’s to spit spoken word poems… Tweetch !zown, Bleubird and k-the-I??? and after I received the vocals I made the music around the words. It was my most ambitious effort to date so next time I have to figure out how to push myself further… But I have been talking with an MC about releasing a group project that will be based on a written story (from the rapper) and produced by myself in full. The release will be accompanied by an illustrated book and hopefully a short film.

How did you get your start in producing?

I would say Stigg of the Dump helped me mostly. I originally bought turntables and began to DJ and scratch. Then moved onto other gear….I nagged my friend Stigg about what gear to buy and he helped me out a lot. We talked a lot about sampling and what it meant to us and why we chose to be sample musicians instead on conventional music makers. I use to go to his house while he made beats and asked him questions and questions (and probably annoyed him). It sorta went from there… and everything I made had to match up to him… I didn’t look beyond to let’s say, Shadow, Krush, Sixtoo or what anyone else was making… If Stigg wasn’t gonna feel this or something within it, it just wasn’t good enough. He hasn’t heard any of this album so I’m bit nervous to hear what he thinks. But he’s more calm these days so I might pass. It’s like having a master Sensei (although he doesn’t know it) - haha. Yeah, I guess to back to the question. Well, that’s it’s… And of course, Bleubird, who was the first to rap on a beat of mine and to make it to record! My homies are my heroes.

What do you use to make your beats?

I use mainly a Yamaha EX5 - which is a workstation - keyboard with sampler and sequencer all in one. It was the competitor of the Triton.. But everyone bought the Triton and made bangers. I bought the Yamaha and made dirt. No I have also expanded to using a Lexicon MPX100 effects processor and a Yamaha REV5 unit. And do all of my recording in Digital Performer - which had really allowed me to make music how I wanted to. Perfect for digitally-ing my music out!

Who do you think is really bringing it in the production world?

You know… So many styles. And if I’m to look at the genre of hip hop (and close relatives) and at present time, I would say I am enjoyed Lab Waste, P-Love, Meaty Ogre, Amon Tobin, Sixtoo, and Dalek. I think Skyrider really brought something completely fresh to sampling/hip hop/music (the reason Endemik released it). There is this guy named Nuccini from Italy who I truly think is brilliant (pushing hip hop somewhere new) - it’s been talked about but maybe ill be the first to say in it an interview - post hip hop! ha…. He is also in a post rock band named Giardini di Miro… so its only fitting he’s incorporated this in hip hop.

You have worked with a lot of great artists like Sole and K-the-I???. Who would you like to work with in the future?

In the future I am hoping to continue to work with Bleubird, Tweetch and k-the-I???, Subtitle and everyone else I am currently working with… But people I haven’t worked with… Hymnal, Rubberroom, Blue Herb (Boss MC), Sontiago. I would also hope/love to work with Moocha (female singer from England). My dream collaborators would be Beth Gibbons, Jeff tweedy, Brain Wilson, Black Sheep, Rza, Masta Killa, Carlton Fisk, and Elbow.

What was it like being in Halifax when artists like the Sebutones (Buck 65 and Sixtoo), Hip Club Groove and Josh Martinez drew national and international attention to a relatively unknown part of the world?

I wasn’t so directly involved in anything at the time, sorta learning and standing in corners taking notes. I was around and getting really excited for everyone and found myself extremely surprised the world was learning about these guys and their strange form of hip hop. It was so refreshing to hear it and see it and know how much they were putting into their music for the love… and to know people were catching on to it. There was many other things happening in Halifax hip hop but these are the artists I grew to love: Sixtoo, Buck65, The Goods, Tachichi, Knowself, Recyclone and J-Mart.

What changed and why did a lot of artists leave for cities like Vancouver and Montreal? Why did you leave?

A lot has changed. I guess people left to continue to pursue their career and needed to make a change to a new environment to do so. Halifax is a great place to learn a craft and start as an artist but the East Coast isn’t always the best to back local talent. On a small scale yes. Mostly I think artists leave to grow. It’s hard to push yourself as an artist if you remain in one place forever. It’s good to get a fresh new look and surround yourself with something new. I left because I had an opportunity in Montreal to help push my career. I had been planning on leaving to go back to Australia through this music program but that fell through. So, someone pushed me to come to Montreal and I thank him everyday for that. If I had stayed I wouldn’t be able to work directly in the music industry within in a job I enjoy… No opportunity there for me and what I love. Also, the hip hop scene was also losing what I had enjoyed so much about it… But that is my perspective and many other do not share this and that is why it has changed.

How has the Halifax scene changed over the past 10 years?

There are many positive changes that are happening in Halifax at the moment. Many corners of the genre are starting to talk more and work together. You know hip hop… It’s so touchy and everyone is so ego within this genre… But things seem to slowly coming together more - gangsters kickin it with boom-bap rap… etc. For me, music is music and I enjoy things that continually push boundaries and buttons. So it became less interesting to me (excluding a few of course). Too many people are trying to prove they are something when it’s not about that - it’s about making music that reflects YOUR life and the world around you. The innovation was lost and the pursuit to become accepted by a mass audience was put in place. But who knows, I could be full of shit.

If you could change one thing about hip hop or the music industry what would it be?

Blank all of the minds in the world of pre-conceptions and have people make music that they truly feel. I wish the music industry would get behind music that is innovative and important… not what is the flavor of the month might be. No images, no fashion, no cliché. Remind the world what it is to love about music…

What do you do when you are not making music or running the label?

Haha, not much at the moment. I also work at a management company called Envision Management three days a week. They work with Kid Koala and Amon Tobin - so this and my label take a lot of time. I drink good coffee a watch movies and try and hang out with those I love.

What is in store for Scott Da Ros and the entire Endemik family?

We are releasing a new Bleubird 12” EP in May, my album in mid-summer, and then Bleubird’s full length in late summer. Also coming up is the debut album from Tweetch !zown (Lansing Michigan MC), a DVD from sHORTfACEDbEAR, a special group project between myself, Skyrider, sHORTfACEDbEAR that will feature guest singers, and a new Skyrider album. Bleubird western Canadian tour in May. There are a few other things but no need to mention because they are not 100% as of now - but talk of a Bleubird mini-book focusing on cats and a Nuccini collab project. I would say keep an eye on our website for future details (not myspace - our real website).

Who are some Canadian artists that you enjoy?

I enjoy a lot but Ill name some I’m into into - Cee!!!!!!!(so dope), Ghettoscks (watch out for him), Apt, Al Tuck (one of Canada’s greatest songwriters), the INSTRUMENTS (onto something special), Pip Skid, Sixtoo, Kid Koala, Recyclone, Jon Epworth.

Do you have any shout outs, stories or last words?

Shout outs to my family, my friends, fellow producers, you for this interview (I thank you). Shout out to No Distribution for ripping me off for $2000-3000 - suck a lemon.

endemikmusic.com