September 6, 2001

AME109

AME109Andy: Ame109, what’s with the name, and what’s your background? in other words, give a brief AME bio.

AME109: Hmm. I guess the name AME came about because I used to write graff under the name Phame. Phame works for a graff name (I guess) but it really doesn’t say much about me. I like to keep names, so I decided to abbreviate it. The French word for “soul” is Ame (with an apostrophe over the A.) I think that is a little more relatable to my music. The 109 portion of my alias keeps with the graff reference. Remember when were kids, and we would see beautiful pieces pass us by on trains? I remember the writers used to have names that consisted of a few letters, than usually three numbers. I loved that style. Nowadays all you see is KRS-One and such and such One (no offense, to each his own.) The numbers 1-0-9 have personal significance to me. The refer to a specific day, which changed the way I perceive the world, and made me the person I am today. (The 10th day of the 9th month.)

What’s your favourite hiphop(tm) phrase?

Anything Kool Keith said on Doctor Octagon. I was thinking about the chorus from Pip Skid’s “long live Bruce Willis” but that’s not really funny at the moment.

I was listening to that song 2 days ago and was thinking the same thing. where is your stance on America?

All over the place. This morning I was here, now I’m there. I have much love for the people of America, but democracy has holes. No more current issues politics please! We had this huge debate in my Popular culture seminar about the terrorist attacks, that spawned ten other ugly debates. One girl is from Pakistan. That got interesting.

Who’s more hiphop, Bin Laden or Salman Rushdie?

Bin Laden probably. I’ve never met either of them, but Bin Laden seems more hard core. I bet he rocks N.W.A., Tim Dog and Paris. I don’t know if Rushdie is the type. Both of them hate Big Tymers. “The black American Dream!”

Tim Dog is a good topic for debates, what do you think of him? I think its funny that someone so “hard” has the lisp of an 8 year old Michelle Tanner. Perhaps that’s why he’s so hard…

I bought a Tim Dog/ Cypress Hill music video at Sunrise for 99 cents. Tim Dog has this one really gay looking topless guy swinging a microphone in the “F$%k Compton” video. Tim Dog had a hidden agenda.

That song about fucking en vogue in the ass, its all a cover. He’s down with q-tip! who’s the funniest rapper?

There are a lot of genres of funny, and there are paradigms for each type. There is Paul Barman funny. There is Kool Keith funny.
There is Big Tymers funny. There is Governor Bolts funny. There is Ugly Duckling funny. There is dance rapper funny. And there are many more. Sometimes I like the Governor Bolts style, sometimes I like the Kool Keith style sometimes (not often) I like the others. I’d say I like the serious hiphop more though.

What kind of hiphop are you?

I’m usually serious hiphop. On my album which you now carry I am more serious. Some of my new material is more experimental and more satirical. I don’t like to be haha funny, I like to be hmmmmm funny.

Why should I listen to AME?

I’m not really hoping many will. To quote a poet who’s name now alludes me “I write for the fit and the few.” I consider myself more of a student of hiphop than a “rapper.” Hiphop has been an important element in my life since I can remember. Right now I’m studying it. I’m researching and writing my observations and views. I’m not looking to be a career musician. Commonly some of the artistic integrity is lost when that line is crossed. My only financial goals are to recover SOME of the costs of pressing my music. I don’t even want my music to earn me money for new equipment. I buy a new T.V. when I want a better one and I upgrade my computer because it brings me joy. Why shouldn’t I save for new musical equipment when I need it?

Can you tell me about your young marriage?

Sure. I’m not some crazy old fashioned dude or anything, I just knew the time was right and so was the person. My now wife Kelly and I crossed paths so many times. We seemed to run into each other at the right times, and once we took things to a personal level everything was perfect. It sounds cheesy and hard to believe, but we knew we wanted to spend our lives together nearly right away. We were together 7 or so months and we decided to get married. We were both 19 when we got married. We have been married for a year and almost 2 months now and things are better that ever. I would only recommend marriage to those who are sure. Its a VERY big commitment.

I’m very happy for you, much props. tell me about the album

The album is titled “Elated Narrative Integration.” It is 15 tracks long (none of which are skits.) I produced and made the beats on all the tracks except 3. I wrote and rhymed all the lyrics except one track which features an Australian emcee named “Norsca.” Any profit I see from the sale of the album is going to “Green Africa” a 100% non-profit organization based out of Kenya. The album is very uplifting, hence the word “Elated” in the title. I love hiphop. I love everything that is pure about it. This album is as pure to me and as pure to hiphop as I could conceive. I tried (although limited by album length constraints) to cover as much ground, and as many topics as I could. There are a few tracks that are more concerned with personal topics. One track titled “Homage” is an outlet for me to pay tribute to some of the great Canadian emcees that have inspired me. Too much to say about it. Hopefully there will be links to some songs, so listeners can grasp them.

What’s next for you?

“The man who thought too much.” It is basically done. I have 16 tracks I want to put on it so far. I make new ones everyday. I’m waiting for Epic to do a verse with me. As soon as he does, I can press the CD. So far Noah23 is the only featured emcee. Not that I’m complaining because he is amazing and the track we did is no exception!

Anything left to add to the loyal ugsmag readers?

Thanks for reading this. UGSMAG is Bomb! Keep scribbling lyrics at the buss stop. Boycott these corporate mega stores. Sign up for my underground hiphop class in a few years when I have my PHD. Support Independent Canadian music and campus radio stations. Peace to my friends and family!
Peace and Prosperity to all.