Ira Lee

Chaps: Introduce yourself, crew affiliations etc.

Ira Lee: My name is Ira Lee, Frek Sho and dead can’t bounce.

How does a kid from Regina become a member of the legendary Frek Sho crew? What form did this journey take?

Remember Roxy? Master T’s Keyboard on whatever that show he used to host on Much music was (X-tendamix)? I liked that keyboard a lot. It was so shiny and the vocoder effects sounded so feminine.

Would you say growing up in an isolated prairie city helped or hindered you hip hop aspirations?

You can buy Gangstarr Records everywhere.

How would you describe your style?

Somewhere between drowning at a Pentecostal baptism and strawberry marshmallows.

What is the significance behind the name of the new dead can’t bounce album I ain’t afraid of no ghost?

None to succumb to. A lot of things Bill Murray says are genius.

What was the course of action that lead to you and Def 3 creating the group dead can’t bounce?

I get jealous of Danny sometimes because he’s an amazing person. Everyone wants to be like their favorite rappers.

How did you come up with the name dead can’t bounce?

If you we’re to drop a dead animal carcass on the floor in front of you it wouldn’t bounce. Unless their was a trampoline underneath you. You shouldn’t play with decrepid wild animals while recreating. If you say dead cat bounce and replace the word cat with can’t, Girls that go to the bar ‘to dance’ are lying to themselves and you, it’s an ego gratification complex, I get the visual of a thirteen year old girl with huge hoop earrings and peacock blue eye makeup. We’re all disintegrating slowly, everyday. Sorry. Until the world blows up or the sun dies.

What is the next move for Ira Lee and dead can’t bounce?

Forward. Preferably.

If I said the new dead can’t bounce album was wack how would you describe it to change my mind otherwise?

I try really hard. I’m proud of what I will become, unless I die. God forbid and bless. Thank you with a big hug.

Who produced the new album and are there any guest spots?

I produced 5 tracks, Kutdown produced 3, No How Produced 1, Merk Produced 2 and Soso produced 1. Guest spots are Ismailla, Hollow tips, Brad Basik, Saratonin and No How.

How would you describe the hip hop scene in your home town growing up?

Shitty Deals.

What makes Ira Lee, Ira Lee?

Ira Lee.

At what point as a listener did you decide to make the transition to contributer and progressor of the art form known as mc’ing?

When you love something too much, passion fools you into believing you have the same importance to it, that it does you. It’s a privilege to occupy valuable space with my insignificance.

What is your earliest hip hop moment?

Dancing at Camp Tawasi in Hammer pants to DU’s humpty hump while my favourite camp counselor Birdoc laughed his ass off. Driving around Regina in Dj Sets’s parents Tempo pumping Thuggish Ruggish Bone on the way to high school parties.

What is your most memorable hip hop moment?

Almost seeing James Brown Live.

Who do you want to work with in the future as far as producers and mc’s?

Gruf, Dj Moves, Epic, Soso, EL-P, Vex Cobo, Busdriver, Mad Lib, Stewart Copeland, Bjork, Timbaland, Esthero, Maki, Nobs, Sinead O’connor, Alanis Morissette, Ben Harper, Trent Reznor.

What is the biggest obstacle facing independent hip hop groups in Canada?

Dj Fresh

What is your favourite hip hop group? Has it changed over the years or stayed the same?

Ummm.

What other artists are you feeling lately?

Sting and the fucking Police Man. Phil Collins, Annie Lenox, Sinead O’Connor, White Stripes, Duran Duran, Pre haircut Metallica, Kyuss, Jay Z, Yy and Gum, Elton John, L.S.

Has the hip hop market become oversaturated or is there enough room and ample niche markets for everyone?

I make Rap. Mothafuckaz!

How would you describe Def 3’s style?

Lyrically speaking.

Do you have any crazy stories that you would like to share with the fans out there?

I went to a party with my Lebanese Godfather once and this guy was hunched in the corner with both hands covering his stomach screaming, or more like squelching, ‘help me.’ He had been attacked blindly by a second assailant during a drug deal gone bad with a fishing blade and his stomach was split wide open from side to side leaking entrails on the rug. He was screaming so loud I had to cover my ears while I ran.