July 2, 2000

Preach

Welcome all loyal readers to the 2nd interview at the wonderfully beautiful ugsmag. This time I typed it out ICQ style with a featured artist here at ugsmag (in the store that is), Preach, the main contributor to the 7moonz foundation. Peep this interview; it gets good near the end when we start talking about porn. Sincerely, Johnny 15 inch.

Andy – Well, Preach, let’s get to know the man behind the MC. How old are you? And what set you claim?

Preach – I’ll be turning the big 1-7 August 23rd. And I live in Columbia, South Carolina (even though Manny’s in Philly).

A- Now, mannys in Philly you say? How does that hurt, or maybe help you as a group? How do you communicate over all the 7moonz decision?

Preach – It really doesn’t hurt the group at all if you are really dedicated (which I feel we are). We communicate by phone, email and ICQ in how we send music to each other (he sends beats I send the finished product). We have a really tight relationship; he’s my musical soul mate. In a sense, the way he feels about beats I do about lyrics. That’s hip hop to me.

A- And how did you initially meet?

P- I think (since it’s been like 3 yrs) that he had this site with beats on it asking for people’s opinions, and I emailed him because I actually recorded one of the beats and put vocals down on it. I sent him the track and asked if he’ll be cool with me using it (because it was just to say “hey, look I gotta song!” not on some let’s get rich shit you know?) He was diggin what I put on it and the rest is Moonz history.

A- Quite the modern technology fable! Where do you see 7moonz heading in the future, McDonalds or the BK Lounge?

P- Haha. Really, if 7 Moonz would be a restaurant/or food place it would be like a ‘Fresh Market’ type of place. Because you have the freshest fruit, veggies, original herbal teas and shit that hasn’t been tampered with like it has been at your local Food Lion. You know? We the real green tea, not Lipton you know? We the real fruits not artificial fruit flavors in ya Skittles. I think that’s why Manny and I go together like ass and toilet paper cuz we share that.

A-hahahaha, that was the biggest farce I’ve ever heard! Just playin, I like the answer.

Are there any major plans for future releases? Maybe a huge 7moonz development on the move that is strictly classified?

P- For the people who have bout the ‘Still Be…Ep’ or single (thanks you 500 people) there was an insert jacket explaining the new stuff coming out. The next release is the ‘ResuRecord: and the art of open mic’ album which the joints from the ‘Still Be…Ep’ will be on. I’m looking at a winter release on that, and for the extremely loyal Moonz fans, the first album ‘Distorted Mathematix LP’ will be re-released.

A- Now, as a friend of Preach, I’ve heard some of the distorted mathematix LP and noticed a MASSIVE jazz influence. Can you elaborate on that?

P- Really jazz is my first love to be honest. Because it’s the ability to ‘speak without words’ which I think is powerful. Like if you are with a lady friend, a guy can act like a playa all day long saying “Baby, you to me is like liquor to an alcoholic” but you know that you are most powerful when you don’t have to say a word and she knows what you feel by the way you carry yourself. So, being an emcee I can’t be silent, but production surrounding that aura is very powerful to me.

A- Pop quiz: How many feathers on a Purdue Chicken?

P- Hmm… I’m guessing 7? Like 7moonz.com! (Shameless plug, I’m sorry. That’s like a bad sin to be so shameless. Like 7 deadly sins, like 7moonz.com!) Okay, how many feathers really?

A- hehehe, that’s an old question from the 3 feet high and rising quiz show! Had to throw that in, and go de la soul! Who is your favorite mc and group today?

P- Ooo. Really, the emcees I’m feeling is Common and Mos Def. Common because I see myself in him. Think about it: He’s one of the few artists that gets better with every album, plus I see that my style of dress resemble his sometimes. And Mos because he’s more than just an emcee. I mean brother was on bank commercials (“You’re Deion Sanders!”) and on ‘The Cosby Mysteries’ and The Roots ’cause, who can fuck with em really?

A- For sure man, you sound like your typical “new school” MC, maybe even a future member of THEM (native tongues). Now, I describe your flow as being a mix of common and Mos, I even call you Dante Lynn. Do you think that’s a fair comparison?

P- I mean it’s like a woman being told “You look like Halle Berry” in a sense because, shit HALLE’S FINE! I take it as a compliment because I respect them so much but in a sense I don’t wanna be the ‘baby common/mos’, I want to be in a position that I’m my own till in the future people are like “That’s the next Preach”, you know?

I consider myself a Tongue member even if they don’t fuckin’ know me! Because I tend to believe I create (or at least try) that high quality of hip hop music.

A- For sure man! Are you into a “lower level” of hip hop like the fine acts featured on ugsmag.com?

P- You know what I would say that the underground is needed for mainstream artists (not entertainers but artists). For example I was looking in my ’97 Source mag today and they had a lil’ snippet (no more than 2 lines) talking about Mos Def when in ’98 he was considered ‘an underground artists’. But it takes artists with the underground love to shake up things a lil’. Now, he’s gone gold and that let’s labels know that “hey, we may have something with artists doing it for the love.”

A- Yea, like providing a new wave of innovation right? Do you still buy the source?

P- Rarely now. I did recently cuz Eminem was on the cover (he’s so ill with his word choices) and the issue that 7Moonz is gonna be in I’ll get it. But ever since the Made Men 4.5 drama I was outraged, you know? It was really a respectable place to get accurate reports on artists no matter how much they spend or who they know. Now, for enough dough, Young MC could get a 5. But that’s like artists like 7 Moonz shines, cuz we don’t have big bucks, we do it for the love, ya know? Nothing to lose type of thing.

A- What’s your favorite album?

P- Of all time (it’s not a hip hop one) but gotta be Miles Davis’s ‘Kind of Blue’. Because for the fact that during that time period what he did on there (and later on ‘Bitches Brew’) people didn’t hear of. Even then it was ridiculed and called ‘a failure’, but now is considered the greatest jazz album of all times. And, also because I love the way Miles thinks. He’s like my mentor through his music and writings. I read that he was once arguing with someone in his home one day (during the times he secluded himself for days, just with his music without leaving the house) and they argued about what day it was? Miles said it was Tues. and the other guy claimed it was Wed. They argued that until the other guy got his NYTimes and it had a date of Wed., When he showed it to Miles to claim he was right, Miles responded “You see all those awards I got?” I got them because I forget about things that ain’t worth a gotdamn”. That’s right because to look back at things he did in ’57 or ’69 would clog up his vision of being new and innovative.

A- Do you have a CD that you would be ashamed to admit you owned?

P- A cd I’m ashamed of…Hmm, let me think on that one… Ain’t hating or nothing, but I remember one day in ’94 I had a crush on Rap City’s Big Lez. And E-40 was on the show. Well, her fine self claimed “Buy E-40s cd, you know it’s hot. Trust me!” Now, my 11 year old horny ass was like “OK”. I got it, and let’s say the next week it was on used at the local record store.

A- Who do you hold as more innovative: BG or Nelly?

P- Well, not a real big fan of them (not to say they’re sorry, just I don’t have $15 bucks to spend on something I’m not fully into. Hell, I’m underground and broke.) But, I would say Nelly cuz he can do his lil’ singing thing you know? B.G. is cool though but repeats same thoughts and mind schemes.

A- Alright, I guess you’re not a down souf ridah like myself. What’s your favorite movie?

P- ‘Scarface’ (Pacino at his best!) and ‘Coolie High’ in which I got my name from.

A- Ahh, a Pacino fan! My kind of man! What’s your favorite godfather?

P- I would really say the first and last one equally. Part 2 just kinda was like “Okay, let’s do another one I guess.” It’s like in a race being 2nd is worse than bronze. Because, gold (I win!), bronze (at least I got something) but 2nd is like (if you were a lil’ better you could have won). Sorry, saw Seinfeld on Broadway yesterday. A lot of artists have that 2nd album slump too you know.

A- so you thought godfather 2 was a tackon? Blasphemy! Godfather 3 was easily the weakest. There were many problems that had to be resolved in the 2nd Godfather (the future of the family, the move to Nevada, Fredo) but the 3rd, that was just a tack on to finish up the story

P- Well, come on man. The first one broke ground, the last one was the finale, the second one was just the string beans with your dinner. I see this could draw out to be a big argument, next question 🙂

A- hehehe, alright. But the 2nd was great! You also had to see about the Abortion! Just rent that shit again, you’ll feel the flavor! (Sorry, just love godfather so much). Next question, CB4, funny or flop?

P- Fucking flop! “My sweaty, sweaty balls!” Come on that got played out like Cross Colors pants.

A- NO! Don’t say such awful things! Perhaps you’re forgetting Charlie Murphy as Gusto! Maybe the Cameos by Ice Cube and Ice T AND Eazy E AND Flava Flav And even Halle Barry! I own that movie; it’s the best comedy ever, except for maybe Half Baked.

P- Okay, I enjoyed ‘Half Baked’. That was funny. Funniest comedy? Not shit to original ‘Friday’ man!

A- Friday, that was an excellent picture. Plus, nia long is so fine. Are there any ladies most people think are not so attractive that you have a thing for? I hate to admit it, but there’s something about Molly Shannon from Saturday Night Live that gets me goin!

P- Hehe. Um, the closest thing I can think of to that was when I was like in the first grade I had a crush on MC Lyte and Lady Bug from Digable Planets. More Ladybug cuz she had that sexy voice on her side (let’s face it Lyte can’t be a phone sex operator).

A- Yea, but lady bug isn’t bad. I always liked Sade’s voice, she should try MCing “Smoooooth operator”

P- OOO! Sade on that joint (forgot the name of it) off her album with ‘Sweetest Taboo’, the 9th track that Mobb Deep sampled on ‘Where ya Heart At?’ while she was speaking Spanish? Ah, man! Female emcee wise I would love to work with Ursula Rucker (especially on this album).

A- She’s more of the poet type though, id hardly call her an MC. And I think she’s mad overrated. It’s pretty hard to come weak when you only do 1 song every 4 years

P- That’s not completely true because she does a lot of work on compilations that people don’t know about (are we still in the interview?:)

A- We are still in the interview! I like the back and forth conversation style. Any plans for the future (non hip hop?)

P- Well, non-my music but always hip hop is expanding with Rebirth magazine. We are going into print and I’m in charge of designing the layout and so fourth. College, majoring in journalism (not sure yet) and get a lil’ into radio thing. Um, 7 Moonz graf-x team are going head strong doing designs and things for companies etc. along with web designing if that ain’t enough. If that don’t work out back to the porn career on ‘Coochie Get Crushed Ent’ and sell drugs.

A- Man, you’ve got crazy stuff on the go! Yo, can I get in on the porno stuff? I’ve already got a name picked out Johnny 15 inch.

P- Haha! I’m ‘Caramel Mandingo’.

A- Caramel Mandingo! Maybe I can be sexual vanilla.

P- Damn, I wonder what folks will say about this part when they read it?

A- Probably, damn this is funny! And, 15 inches, he sounds like my kinda man.

P- Anything else you wanna ask? (Trying to get off porn:)

A- Sure, what did you think of this interview?

P- Calm and relaxing. (Not to mention this gun to my head forcing me to “Either answer Andy’s questions or it’ll be 6 Moonz”). Naw, it’s cool. People learn more about me personally than the music (which is pretty cool cuz I feel the music speaks for itself).

A- What advice do you have for all the 7moonz fans ? (Besides don’t mention porn in an interview w/ Andy)

P- To 7 Moonz fans, I would probably say honestly that I feel that no matter how big we get the key is to stay humble and in touch with fans. You know? I got this joint called ‘Sumvin’ and one of the lines go “house you grew up in (momma still livin in the same one)/ dissin supporters? (Where in the hell did u get your fame from?).” I’ll always be in touch with the fans because they let you know that my music and everything I put out is appreciated.

A- Well preach, we the illustrious staff of UGSMAG.com thank you for the interview and hope you and 7moonz keep it banging. To quote the great preach, I&I

P- Word. Thanks to you man, and yall please support and help us hit 1000 sold! ‘Still Be…Ep’ order now! I&I.