Dee-1 Interview (Great Read)

[D-Nice]

http://illuminati2g.com/site/2010/12/04/dee-1-interview/

I2G chilled with one of the illest MCs doing their thing right now, Dee-1 for a exclusive interview. We discuss the impact of his debut album, David & Goliath, the recent surge of success of the video Jay, 50 & Weezy, his thoughts on hip hop from a teacher’s perspective and much more so check it out.

For audio of the interview, click on the link below:

http://www.mediafire.com/?dxruwkqckh084ld

Illuminati 2G is here with Dee-1 how’s it going?

I’m doing fine right now, I am blessed.

Tell me a little bit about how you got your start in hip hop and who are some of your musical influences out there coming up?

I actually did not start doing music for myself until I got to college. I went to LSU, and as far as my musical influences, growing up my favorite rapper is Nas. 2pac, DMX is another rapper I grew up listening to but also by me growing up in New Orleans, I was heavily influenced by No Limit and Cash Money.

I was reading your bio and it said that you were a middle school teacher. How did that influence your music and how was that experience in teaching?

Being a teacher really opened my eyes to the fact that hip hop really dictates kids perspections of alot of what goes on in the world. It also dictates their reality and I taught middle school and kids are very impressionable at that age. All that it showed me is that the message that is put out there in the music, it really affects how kids are brought up and the way they view the world.

Whether it is a good or bad thing, they look to rappers to be the opinion leaders and to pretty much be their voices at times. It really means the message that is being put out there is paid attention to.

That leads right into my next question. Alot of people feel that hip hop is a poison to the youth and you being a teacher and a rapper, did you find alot of resistance from people in getting your music and your message across?

Well I rapping before I started teaching, so I was rapping as a student in college and I did not start teaching until I graduated. There was always the resistance I felt just from being a hip hop artist and I felt like a few people closed their doors on me just because they hear that I am a hip hop artist from New Orleans.

They will automatically stereotype me and put me in a box. I think my best selling point is to be exposed to my music or myself first hand. Because rather than put me in a category of conscious hip hop or New Orleans hip hop, you listen to my songs and make your own judgement.

I rather people do that then to box me in and not give my music a chance. I am my best selling point, my personality allows me to connect with people from the hood all the day to the suburbs to college classrooms all the way to professional atmospheres.

You dropped your independent album, David & Goliath and alot of big industry names gave you praise for dropping that project. What was that like during that whole time frame of dropping a critically acclaimed project like that getting major industry loves from mainstream artists?

To be honest with you, what was a very busy time in my life. Because I was still teaching full time when I did that album, from start to finish. It was about a 3 months process of first coming up with the idea to do the album, to completing it and having it out and available. It took so much out of me because I gave my all on my album and I gave my all in the classroom everyday. It was like living two lives in one body, but I think it turned out great once it came out and I think the album will stand the test of time.

I put it out in 2009 and people are still just finding out about it and listening to it. It feels great to have people that I look up to like Mannie Fresh, 9th Wonder hear the album and be blown away and impressed. That is what you do this for.

I checked out a while back the track you did called Jay, 50, & Weezy. What inspired that track and the video? That is a crazy joint that you put out.



That joint is on the David & Goliath album. I was at a period of my life where I was like I am in awe of this, but I am in the classroom seeing kids reactions to music everyday. I am seeing how the hip hop community as a whole affects lives, it really does. Either in a positive or negative way and I thought about those 3 men who I have looked up to and been a fan of for a long time, Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Lil Wayne.

I thought about it and I am at a point of my life where I can decipher the difference between entertainment and reality but there was a time when I could not do that. I would hang on to every word people like that would say and I would be influenced by people like that. I can look at it and say he is a talented rapper and I may not agree with some of the life choices that he makes.

I had got to that point with music and I decided to speak on it. Not in a way that I was dissing them, but in a way that is addressing them. I feel like people are not shy about putting out bold messages in a negative way so I did not want to be shy about putting out bold messages in a positive way.

Absolutely. What new projects are you currently working on?

Definitely, I am getting ready to drop I Hope They Hear Me Volume 2. That is going to be the next project that I put out and it is going to be a EP. That will be out in late December and in the meantime I have several side projects that I am working on.

One is a mixtape with a DJ from Texas and alot are small, unofficial releases up until the EP. I am also working with a DJ from Europe on another project but the main one is I Hope They Hear Me Volume 2. That is going to be my calling card to stamp myself in the game. Volume 1 is available for free on my website, www.dee1music.com.

What are your thoughts on the state of hip hop and where it is headed right now?

I think it is right where it should be. When I say that I mean it is pretty much back in the hands of the people again, to where the main outlets like television and radio don’t dictate people’s taste as much as they once did.

Now people really get to choose for themselves and they actually go on the internet and do research and find their favorite artists based on their preference. As far as independent artists, I am one and my video is on MTV Jams right now right along side nationally signed acts. Right next to TI and people like that, and I think that is beautiful that hip hop has come to that point. As far as the direction the content has gone in, I think you are always gonna have people with different agendas about what they rap about and their messages.

I just like the fact that there are less barriers then ever when it comes to reaching the people.

Do you have any upcoming shows or tour dates?

Currently I am fielding offers for shows and they are definitely a important part of this next phase for me.

What’s your website information?

www.dee1music.com. www.twitter.com/dee1music. www.facebook.com/dee-1. www.myspace.com/dee1music. www.youtube.com/dee1music.

Alright well that is all the questions I have for you, appreciate you getting down for the interview. Is there any last words or shoutouts you want to get out there to the people?

I just want to tell the people that I appreciate the support and I Hope They Hear Me Volume 2 is coming soon. Check out Jay, 50 & Weezy video on YouTube