How did you two meet up?
TOUCH: Me and Nato formerly met at The Blackdog, a local club that had a weekly hip hop night on Tuesdays, if you were there, you were hip hop, so I met a lot of the scene there and made a lot of connections. It’s too bad there really isn’t another spot like that anymore, the music was always underground, and far from mainstream, so it didn’t attract a lot of females, or people for that matter. But it did attract nearly all the heads in the city at one point or another. Nato and I ended up djing there together eventually since we both used to fill in for the regulars, C-Section, Reese, and Sonny Grimez every once and a while. That place was great for the community.
Your sound has a mood of the mid 90´s. What are you listening to?
TOUCH: Well, I listen to a lot of west coast and east coast shit, the Liks, Strong arm Steady, Planet Asia, I’m a die hard Wu fan, but lately I’ve been just trying to get all my cassettes from the 90’s on wax, I just bought Wanted Dead or Alive by G Rap, and some Showbiz and AG on wax, so I still buy a lot of "old school" shit. I spin at a club every Thursday, so it’s mostly shit from the 90’s, Lord Finesse, old Heiro, Grand Pubah, shit like that.
NATO: Right now I’m really into Sean Price, Agallah, the new Marco Polo is real dope, I want to hear that new Necro album again too.
In Canada you have labels like Endemic and Clothes Horse Records that make more experimental stuff, Urbnet with the underground stuff and you two are totally different. Why do you think that the canadian hip hop is so diverse?
TOUCH: Canada is a huge diverse country, the closest major city to Edmonton is 3 hours away, so there is a lot of room for diversity. If Canada were similar from coast to coast I would definitely worry. I think lately there has been a lot more solidarity within some of the circles, which is an example to the whole scene and is gaining us more recognition internationally, but even with that, the styles remain extremely different from crew to crew, which just shows the honesty within the scene.
In Intro Touch answers the question about bringing it to Toronto or Vancouver this way: „You act like I ain´t welcome.“ I interviewed Scott Da Ros from Endemic and he said that there is a lot of beef going on in Canada. He didn´t say anything concrete, but it was obvious that he is not happy with the situation. What is your take on this issue?
TOUCH: I avoid beef like a vegan. I’m not in this for beef or to separate myself from anyone else. There’s a lot of opportunity to make friends and there are a lot less opportunities to make enemies, so if you have hip hop beef in Canada, its most likely some personal neighborhood shit. Hip hop beef in Canada, I equate, to East Coast- West Coast beef in the U.S.; its really a myth, counterproductive and utterly ridiculous.
Talking about beefs, can you explain the line: „I ain´t the opening act like Fatt Matt“?
TOUCH: (laughs) I’d love to explain that line. You are missing a comma in that quote. You’re the second person to ask me about that; the first was DJ Weasel. Fat Matt has a song called “I ain’t the opening act”. That’s his hook, at the end of it he’s like, I ain’t the opening act! Its a song I think that defines him because he’s so much more than an opening act, and I know a lot of Canadian rappers, who only get to shine when they open for us acts, I feel the same way he does. The way I wrote that line is "I ain’t the opening act, like Fat Matt" it was a reference to his hook, not a diss in any way. I really just wanted to say his name on the album to help promote his cause. He’s the first person to open his house up to me when I went on tour, and it was a great introduction to the wider Canadian scene for me. If you really want to know how I feel about Fat Matt, check my myspace (www.myspace.com/touch182) we did a song featuring production from Moves of the Dirty Crew. The people I have beef with are not mentioned on the album at all.
How did you hook up with Nomad? Have you heard his latest album Lemon Tea?
TOUCH: I’ve only met Nomad once, and even then I wasn’t aware it was him until later on in the meeting. Epic has a habit of using first names and when he introduced me to Nomad he used his first name so it didn’t mean much at the second, but I love his stuff, I’ve collaborated on another jam with him and Epic, and I’ve heard some of his stuff at Nato’s studio.
NATO: I record alot of Epic’s vocals in my studio. I did most of that Epic & Nomad album and when I heard it I really liked what Nomad had done. We needed a chorus for a song and I hollered at him. He did it up really quickly and Touch and I were really happy with it. We actually met him months later when he visited Edmonton. I haven’t heard his new album but I bet I’ve heard a couple songs on myspace or from Epic – he’s real dope.
In Pay Me Touch raps about everybody who wants a free show, verse or beat. If the money is right would you collaborate with somebody who you know is wack?
TOUCH: If the money’s right everything’s tight. I really charge according to how much time I have, I’ve been working on so many projects lately I find it hard to keep up, so basically, I’ve added a sir charge for my services in order to weed out those who were not really serious, or really didn’t value my time. I know I’ve offended some people by doing this, but I don’t see it as they are paying for my talent, I look at it like they are paying for my time, which I find a much more valuable commodity. I’ve done tracks with veterans like Wordsworth, down to people who just started rapping in 2002, so I don’t discriminate. I rap on your track to challenge your ability to fuck with me.
NATO: I think you answered your own question, if the money is right then the deal is done! If somebody wants to collaborate then they’ve heard and want what we are known to do. There would be no compromise of artistry so why not?
How would you describe Intelligent Design using only 5 adjectives?
NATO: I’ll start and make it harder on Touch – Honest, Dusty,
TOUCH: I’ll finish with benevolent, underground, and uplifting.
Who and how came up with the concept for Adult´s Story and flipping Slick Rick´s Children´s Story?
NATO: I came up with that idea while watching the Maury Show. I’m not sure if you get it over there but it’s kinda like Jerry Springer but more believable. I’m a big fan of the show and I especially like when the men get excited as they are told they are not the father, it’s like they just scored a touchdown at the Superbowl.
You rap: „I´ve been to New York, I´ve seen kids fronting.“ Do you think it´s hard to succeed in NY (or anywhere in the USA) when you are from Canada?
TOUCH: Actually, I was just talking to E Dot about that, it may be hard to succeed, but it hasn’t been hard for him to get respected. When we were rhyming together, it was an everyday all day thing, we breathed hip hop, so when we go anywhere, state side or whatever, people recognize the skills, which is what’s important. I have no problem joining a cipher anywhere, cause I’ll smash 70% of emcees with freestyles alone, not to mention writtens. A lot a people in Canada know more about New York hip hop than a lot of New Yorkers, I witnessed this in ‘91, and I’m sure its still the same way. But as for making it, I think that’s such a relative term in hip hop. Who really makes it?
You are close friends with Cadence Weapon. How did you meet him? He is still pretty young and considered to be the next big thing, is he ready to be a star?
NATO: I met Cadence Weapon back in 2002 or 2003 at the Blackdog, a place Touch and I used to DJ at. We met and I had heard that he was a good rapper so I gave him a beat on a Saturday; he came over to record it on a Monday and it was flawless, the song turned out dope. He is a true talent, I’ve seen him in the studio more than anybody has as I record mostly all of his vocals. Believe me, he’s the real deal and he is definately ready to blow. I got a beat on his new album too, make sure you check it out in 2008.
TOUCH: Yeah I literally live right next door to Cadence, I used to listen (as did the whole hip hop community) to his father Teddy on the local campus station. He introduced most of us to underground and revolutionary hip hop and soul back in the day. So I already had great respect for Cadence and his family when I met him. I’m pretty sure I met Cadence around the same time I met Nato, and to be honest I was surprised with his success because I really didn’t see him that much in the hip hop scene, but when I heard his shit at Nato’s, I was really impressed with his style, it was like nothing I’ve ever heard.
What´s up with the Oilers? The last season was one of their worst and there were even rumours about selling the club.
NATO: (laughs) I love this question because Touch and I both love hockey. Last season was terrible but we still watched. We went from being a goal away from the Stanley Cup to the worst team in the league in 60 games. And the rumours about selling the club came from a very rich man and huge Oiler fan who wanted to buy the club and keep it in Edmonton; he wanted to build a new stadium too, but the present owners wouldn’t sell. The Oilers couldn’t be more popular right now. But if they suck this year, I’m sure there will be alot of pressure to make some changes, whether it be a new coach or a new general manager. All in all it should be pretty interesting this year.
TOUCH: Well I’ve seen all of the Oilers cups so I’m pretty forgiving and very loyal. I remember when Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Coffee, Messier, Moog, and Fuhr were all playing together, our team changed the rules of the game, literally. So my heart is always with them no matter how their season is. I live right in front of where the riots were when we were a period away from a cup, and I’ll say this, hockey is more important to an Edmontonian than anything. If I weren’t a rapper I’d be a goalie in the NHL for sure.
NATO: (laughs) Yeah, we were both goalies back when we played! Yeah, hockey is my first dream career, then rap!
