What was the process behind making this album like?
I always knew what I wanted to achieve when making the album: I wanted to break hip hop borders by gathering all kinds of emcees, by mixing my pop rock background with my love of classic hip hop. The bet was to make an album with different styles and at the same time, a coherent project. Nevertheless, I didn’t have everything planed and the project had evolved while new names, new styles, new ideas and instrumentals all along the 10 to 12 months of the elaboration of the record. Then I’ve got the opportunity to hook up with BBE… which is quite a dream come true.
How did you hook up with all these big names like Sean Price, Prince Po, Shabaam Shadeeq and others?
First, I said to myself why not trying to hook up with cats I respect and follow for many years. If I make a record, I want to get emcees I admire on it. Second, this album is the product of the digital world: Internet is the key nowadays to get in touch with the artists. In the past it was really difficult to achieve this, now everything is possible if you work hard. I have to say that the importance of Myspace has been eminent. Nowadays, it’s the best way, and sometimes the only one to get in touch with the artists you want to work with. Honestly, without myspace, it would have been a lot more difficult to make this project real. The reasons why I contacted these artists are simple: because I respect their work, because I follow them since their debut in the game. I also made my choices considering the kind of music they do. I wanted to have almost all the different styles of emcees on this album because: some emcees representing street and underground hip hop (Sean Price, Shabaam Sahdeeq…), some hip hop legends and deeply respected artists such as Prince Po (Organized Konfusion is a band who helped building this music in the early 90’s). I also wanted some conscious hip hop members (Insight, Dasan…) : to me, music has to gather people, not the opposite. I invited some fresh cats as well, some young artists who have to will to bring their contribution to the history of this music (Sene, Sinuous, Nebz Supreme, P Able, Archnem, OneChance…) and talented lyricists and emcees such as Tableek, Doujah Raze and Splash (who worked with 9th wonder). I suggested around 3 instrumentals to each artists, they picked up the one they feel the most. I stayed in touch with the artists all along the conception of the album (emails, phone calls…). I made a few arrangements and changes to the beats after getting the vocals and mixed the tracks.
Who is Sene? Was it concicous to put him on the tracks (King Of Kings and Meet Me On the Dancfefloor) with the best MCs on the album?
Sene is a real young talented emcee. He’s from Brooklyn and lives now in LA. He’s affiliated with some emcees (Sinuous, Nebz Supreme & P-Able) who are on a track called "Lounging Interlude" you will have on the full length album. He did a few collab with Blu and Akir and have some projects with a producer from Switzerland named Chief. Besides, he’s a nice cat and a friend now. He is completely aware of what it means to be on a track with Sean Price & Prince Po. And honestly, he did a great job and I’m proud to have his rhymes on both tracks "King of Kings" and "Meet me on the dance floor" (where I sing the chorus by the way).
Soyou also hooked up with Sean Price via myspace? He said in one interview that he charged 2,000 dollars for a verse. Any truth to this price?
I did. Concerning the price, I’m afraid I can’t say anything about this execept what Fox Mulder and Dana Scully said "The truth is somewhere else"! Sean P told me "the beat is Fire!" I think this is the reason why he decided to record on it.
That´s definitely true that the Sean Price beat is fire. It sounds like it´s from a Boot Camp album or whatever. Can you tell if Sean had other beats to choose from? If so, were these beats used by someone else?
I was not necessary to send him other beats, he immediately agreed to write for this one. You’ll see there are more good beats on the album…. just have to wait its release in september.
How did you hook up with BBE? It has to be a good feeling releasing an album on the label that has already put out albums from Pete Rock, J Dilla or DJ Jazzy Jeff.
I met the owner of the label. The album wasn’t done yet at this time. I spent a few days in Paris with him, we talked a lot. I went to London… and a real friendship is born but I didn’t receive any guarantees he will sign me. It took a lot of time and work. Once the album was ready, I sent a demo… and we talked a lot once again… They didn’t sign an arist if they don’t believe in his potential… Indie hip hop is really tough. but I’m proud to be a BBE artist, I mean it’s something for a hip hop producer to be in such a great gathering of hip hop legends… J dilla, pete rock, jazzy jeff, spina…
This is the business side of the job, I prefer keeping that for me if you don’t mind.
Anyway, besides the album what else are you working on?
I working on a law thesis, I used to teach public law in the University La Sorbonne in Paris.
I ‚m deeply a US/UK hip hop listener (and a pop, jazz, soul, funk … addict as well). I listened to French Hip Hop When I was younger. There are some talented cats here, but unfortunately it’s not always easy for them to get a record deal. Though there are some artists I like such as Hocus Pocus… and others… Oxmo Puccino has still great skills…
