HHW talks with the underground vet as he returns to make fans get the f— up once again.

What have you been doin’ since the last album?
I been workin’, man. You know, it’s easy to get rushed behind all the media bombardment with everything that goes by so fast with the new media age, but we hit Australia like, three times, and that’s a blessing because it’s so much love over there. I mean like, extensive tours on my own, along with Jean Grey. They recently brought me back out there with Mos, and then France and Europe, and we did a little Duck Down run. We did 14 cities… from Florida, all the way back up to Rhode Island – the turnout was amazing! But you know, sometimes s— like that goes under the radar in the midst of workin’ on records. For me, it’s just not jumpin’ in the studio and knockin’ out joints. What I’m tryin’ to accomplish is somewhere deep inside, so it takes time to make music like that. That’s not disposable, in my opinion.

Touring the world, do you feel you get more love overseas than you do stateside?
Nah, man! It’s startin’ to even out. I think when the s— was eclectic, that was the case. I guess, in regards to what is mainstream Hip Hop, this s— sounds eclectic, or whatever you wanna call it… it ain’t that. So, I would say it’s hard, man, because Internal Affairs, that run was crazy over here for a long time. Its just different audiences I think. That’s what’s dope about Hip Hop – the same people who go to see such and such don’t go to see everything. Back in the day, aside from the festivals, it used to be Salt-N-Pepa, Kool G Rap, f—–’ NWA whatever show, and everybody would enjoy each segment. I think now the audiences are a little more split into what they’re diggin’. I will say this about Europe, because art is not looked down upon and taken away in the schools, and really promoted in a lot of European situations: I think they take a grasping to more artistic and just art in general, and more open-minded about music than here.

What inspires you to keep recording?
It’s the heart. I have a lot to say that I felt was viable and necessary, which is the reason that I got into the game. Which is the same thing, ironically; it’s like, I think it’s another thing that for me kinda slows the process down, and it may sound like I’m rhymin’ for the sake of riddlin’ in a lotta songs, but it came from a place that I felt would be dope to do it. I turn down a lotta opportunities to jump on records because I don’t wanna give people that money grab shit. I think that’s why I’m still here and this record seems to be relevant. If I jump on it, I’ma mean it, so it’s really from the heart in terms of “I wanna say this” – I think people can relate; and it’s reality, and it’s science fiction, and it’s silliness, what have you.

How did the deal with Duck Down come about?
We sat down with them and did a 50/50 with them. It’s not just regular business. It’s an important project for them, and they feel what we doin’. I’m all about the artwork and the visual, especially now that I’m independent. We shot a 12-minute film for the “Clap” records, and they were blown away with what we were able to do with that. A lotta labels wouldn’t really understand why and the purpose of what we’re doin’, but I believe it invokes interest in the movement that we’re trying to make collectively with them, where we make it all about the art, you know?

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