SADAT X (December 2008) | Interview By: Chad Kiser & Jonathan Hay

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Interview was done in December 2008

Questions Asked By: Chad Kiser & Jonathan Hay

Sadat X Gave Dubcnn A Shoutout: Listen Here
 

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Dubcnn Exclusive – Sadat X
By Chad Kiser & Jonathan Hay
 www.myspace.com/jonathanhay


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Dubcnn: What’s going on Sadat?

Same old shit just chillin’…


Dubcnn: Tell us what you’re working on and what’s new with Sadat X…

Well I just put out an album called Generation X and we having fun with it. It's on iTunes right now. Also, within the last two years I put out two albums called, Experience and Education and an album called Black October. I’ve been doing a lot of touring and also I’ve been in the studio. So I’ve been around you just gotta find me


Dubcnn: Tell us a little bit about the album - what’s the concept, what kind of topics do you speak on?

Well on the album, I'm just speaking on everyday life and just things that I see, you know touching on everyday life and just the things that I have been through and continue to go through. No particular subject, just things I know to be true.


Dubcnn: Do we have any appearances by any Brand Nubian people or anything like that?

Nah, not on this one, it was just me and my man, Twanie Ranks and Thirstin Howl The 3rd did a song with me.


Dubcnn: I think hip-hop has too many features and sometimes it seems emcees don’t really their own identity anymore…

Yea man - - I didn’t want this to be like a compilation album, plus I got like three other albums on hold right now…


Dubcnn: Before we knew we were doing this interview with you, we were just talking about you with Sir Jinx the other day and he said he was gonna do some stuff with you…

I’ve spoken to him but we haven’t gotten together yet, but we will in the future for sure.


Dubcnn: So what’s your outlook as far as the game is concerned and where do you think the music has gone now compared to when you were with Brand Nubian with Grand Puba and Lord Jamar and some of them guys?

I mean the game has changed for sure and it has advanced definitely. It’s more worldwide now and there is a lot more money involved. You might say it’s changed for the better, or you might say it’s for the worse. My daughter who is 17 years old and in high school might say for the better, but the game is what it is and if you don’t change with it you will get left behind.


Dubcnn: So what kind of change can we see from you? Have you changed your style any, etc.?

Well I’ve changed a little as far as just trying to keep up music wise. But I’m still talking about basically the same thing. I’m trying to reach my fans and at this point in time I’m never gonna sell a million records, but I’m cool with that. I want to continue to make music for the people who have always listened to Sadat X, but I mostly make music to generate interest so I can do continue to do shows. It’s not about making millions and selling a million records, it never has and it never will be at this point.


Dubcnn: Do you still talk to Vance Wright? [Slick Rick’s Producer & DJ]

Yea Vance is a real cool dude. He was around then in the studio and whatnot. He is a real cool cat. I’ll def work him.


Dubcnn: Let me ask you this: you were an elementary school teacher, what’s up with that?

Yea, I was a teacher’s assistant actually.


Dubcnn: How do you juggle life as a rapper and then a schoolteacher - - and you even passed the test to be a fire fighter right?

Yea I took the test and passed it, but I never became a fireman. I just didn’t have time. You just have to find time. When I was teaching, I just didn’t do a lot of music.


Dubcnn: Well you teach a little bit with your music too…

Yea I definitely try to find ways to drop knowledge in my music. I want people to learn from my music.


Dubcnn: Do you think in today’s society, where we are today with an economical meltdown that there is there a place for those kinds of groups, like Brand Nubian and X-Clan, who still do the fundamentals and stuff?

Yea I think we have a place... we still have our fans and that’s what it’s all about. They never went anywhere they just got a little older. As long as they stick with us then we will always have a place.


Dubcnn: What do you think about the whole economy crash and crisis?

It is what it is man you just gotta be a survivor. And take care of your own. I mean I don’t sit and dwell on it man you know I just take care of my shit and move on. When the economy was right last year, there were still n*ggas that was f*cked up.


Dubcnn: Do you think it’s like a smokescreen for a deeper conspiracy or something? Or is America in as bad of shape as they are making it out to be?

I think it’s a combination of both, you know there are some people in the upper echelon and the top tier tax bracket and they seem to be holding on pretty good you know. I think it goes both ways.


Dubcnn: Would you blame everything on the Bush administration?

I mean they can get some of the blame. But this is America, it’s been like this since the inception. Bush is just a figurehead, it’s not a dictatorship. The President is involved but he doesn’t have all that much individual power. It’s always been this way, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. A lot of times with black folks shit [has] been like this for years and there hasn’t really been much change. When it’s other people that ain’t used to having to grind and stuff like that… For instance when the great depression came, they weren’t used to that shit, so you had white people jumping out of windows and shit because they was broke, but we are used to being broke you feel me? You see people on TV crying and going all crazy, it’s white people, not us - because we are used to it…


Dubcnn: As far as the album, how many songs are on it and what’s the overall feel of it?

There are 18 songs on this album, but soon, I have another album coming out that has the features on it. I have KRS-One, Brand Nubian, Craig G, Bukshot, Poison Pen and a lot of other people, and now me and DJ Spinna are working on something and I got another one with Brand Nubian.


Dubcnn: So there will be another Brand Nubian album?

Definitely, we been talking about doing it and we actually did one song by Scram Jones. But
everybody is trying to work out their schedules, get in there, and get that done.


Dubcnn: Have you guys talked about what ideas you want for the Brand Nubian album?

Yea we have talked a lil’ bit, but most of that stuff is spontaneous, we just go in the studio and listen to the music and just go from there; that’s how we did most of our stuff throughout the years.


Dubcnn: So tell me about the Hip Hop Honors…you went to that, didn’t you?

Yea we went there to check it out. You know it was cool to see some of the groups get on. And I think it was a good thing. I felt that the people who were honored were deserving and overall I think it was just a good thing to see the people get involved.


Dubcnn: Who hasn’t been honored that you’d like to see get their recognition?

Maybe Kool G. Rap, EPMD, Nice ‘n Smooth, Black Sheep, you know somebody like that.


Dubcnn: Wow, EPMD hasn’t been honored yet?

Nope.


Dubcnn: That’s crazy!

People don’t understand that it takes time. People ask me, “how come they haven’t honored you guys yet?” I’m like man, Hip Hop Honors have only been around for a year, and you can’t honor everybody in a year. You know I mean? I would like to someday be honored, but if it doesn’t come it’s not gonna stop my music.


Dubcnn: Brand Nubian and everything you all have done has been honored in the streets and the hip-hop community…

That’s what we appreciate, man, the honor is nice, but it’s the response we get from our fans, man, that’s where it’s at - - we always get a lot of love you know.


Dubcnn: So what about touring and stuff, you mentioned earlier that your whole plan was to make the music and bring people out to the shows. Do you have a solid tour schedule yet?

As of right now I’m waiting on a few dates but I’m heading to Italy, Paris, England, and several places here in the United States. So touring is basically a big part of what I do.


Dubcnn: You’re hitting all those markets overseas?

Yea man, we stay overseas that’s where the big market is and where we do a lot of things.


Dubcnn: What’s the biggest difference in touring overseas and touring in America?

Well, overseas, they are more into the aspect of it...the culture of it. From b-boying to the breaking to the graffiti and the whole culture of hip hop. They want to know the origin of it… the details you know, whereas, here in America, it’s just like we want to hear what you got right now. And when that’s done, they want to hear what else you have right now.


Dubcnn: Do you have a specific DJ that you take around?

Nah, I’ve taken a few different DJ's, so I rotate I don’t have one set DJ.


Dubcnn: When you go overseas what is your average set?

This past summer I did a lot of spots by myself. I did like 15 songs by myself and I’m interacting with the crowd, no one else - just me doing my songs and being with the crowd so they get a lil’ feel of what Sadat X is all about. I have to study about the places I go so that I know a lil’about that place and I can get a lil’ rapport with the fans.


Dubcnn: So will you be doing any shows in the U.S.?

Yea man, I just got back from Chicago and Milwaukee, but I’m always ready to go. We are working on some places and dates here in the States but I’m always ready. I love being on stage performing for the people.


Dubcnn: What about a Brand Nubian tour?

It’s all about us working out our schedules and finding some venues and dates man. We would love to do one though. People requesting us and wanting us to come out - - get the venues for us and we will come. People are like why didn’t you come here or this and that, and I’m like man we don’t just come to any city, people have to request us to be there and have a venue for us to perform.


Dubcnn: So outside of music, are there any type of literature that you’re working on, or anything like that?

Well not at this time. I’m giving my full attention to my music, being that I did all of these albums and they are coming back to back to back, so I’ve spent the last 8 months just concentrating on music.


Dubcnn: So after the music do you ever feel like you would go back and teach?

Definitely. If I don’t go back to teaching, it would still be something with the kids. Be it teaching, basketball, or anything, I will definitely be involved with kids somehow.


Dubcnn: That’s awesome. Now when you were teaching were the kids old enough to know about Brand Nubian? Would the parents of the kids come in and try to talk to you about music?

Well mostly it came from their parents, they would tell the kids about me or something and then they would come in and say that they looked me up on the internet or something, but for the most part it was the parents.


Dubcnn: That would be the shit, wouldn’t it, Chad? Walk in and see Sadat X as your teacher, you know you're gonna get taught a lesson then.