In the Hip Hop culture, finding an Alpha Male with bad bitches and plenty of riches is like finding a light skinned vixen for your video - easy.  But finding an emcee with lyrical talent and the confidence to offer a glimpse of his true self is rare.  Blctxt Contxt is one such artist wtih a new project to offer such a glimpse.  A Smart Black Boy: The Sonic Inception weaves thought, heartache, determination, and daily struggles with bomb beats from King I Divine, J Haze, Illastrate, Siraaj Encore, Swiff D and features from Naira, Free Pharael, Venus and Dipp.  We had the chance to speak with the emcee before his EP dropped on October 11.

TBR: You started out as a spoken word artist.  Do you have any plans to do a spoken word album or perform solely as such?

BLCTXT CONTXT: There have been offers from the homies to do a spoken word only project. I am not against it at all it would just take time since I’m in ‘Song Mode’ now. Solely performing spoken word is an option but not at the moment since I’m rocking with King I Divine as my DJ for these dope shows.

TBR: What is your process for writing a new song?

BLCTXT CONTXT: Song writing has to be an organic process for me. I have to enjoy the music my lyrics are gonna be written to. Really, a good vibe is all I’m looking for and the rest will fall in line. Don’t wanna give the idea that this song was forced to happen because then the finished product comes off stale.

TBR: Journalists and fans love to label and compare artists.  How would you describe your sound and yourself as an artist?

BLCTXT CONTXT: My sound…right now my sound is all Hip-Hop based with other musical influences. These influences help me create and bring other ears to the table that would not usually listen to Hip-Hop. So really my sound is just Hip-Hop, no labels to add neither before nor after it. However, I would like to coin the phrase “contxt clues” but time will tell with that.

TBR: Atlanta has been a go-to hit maker for the music industry for some years now but the underground/unsigned scene has a lot of gems.  How do you view the city from an unsigned artist perspective?

BLCTXT CONTXT: My view on the unsigned here is exactly that, A Treasure Chest. A part of me feels like unsigned artists in Atlanta are in Davey Jones’ Locker, limbo if you will. We exist here because we want to show the world what we have to offer but getting exposure on a massive level almost takes an act of the gods.

TBR: Your last mixtape, Acknowledgment, dropped 2 years ago.  Since then, what artists and albums have you been listening to for inspiration?

BLCTXT CONTXT: Wow, I don’t think y’all want this post filled with fifty’llemn artists!!! I’ve been on my usual hunt for music since 2009 and its fun as it’s always been. First of John Coltrane and Marvin Gaye are always in the mix. Then we have Clan Destined, Boog Brown, Black Spade, Ghostpoet, DELS, Claritta Durand, Thurzday, King I Divine, Illastrate and Muhsinah.

TBR: For your latest EP, A Smart Black Boy: The Sonic Inception, did you have a clear direction for the sound and feel or did it emerge while writing and recording?

BLCTXT CONTXT: Not a precise sound exactly. I just wanted to build a bridge where listeners could cross from my existing sound to the new sounds that I was into. The end result is awesome to me and I feel as though I achieved my goal.

TBR: You’ve done a lot of work with producer King I Divine.  How did that relationship come about?

BLCTXT CONTXT: King and I used to work in the same building on different floors. A mutual friend of ours wanted us to collaborate and we’ve been cool ever since then. Funny thing is, I thought he couldn’t stand me when we first met!

TBR: Some of the songs cover very personal material.  Was it difficult to create those songs?  Why now with this project?

BLCTXT CONTXT: There was definitely much difficulty when writing both “Infinity” and “god Bless…” I think it was because I was at my most venerable state when creating them. Even though it was a challenge to be 100% open, the timing just felt right to put these songs out. My purpose was to show how I could divide my thoughts and my feelings and combine them in one project. 

TBR: What are your favorite songs on the EP?

BLCTXT CONTXT: Since I’m choosing just one song I’ll take “god Bless…A Smart Black Boy” as my favorite. This song fits me for where I am in my life. This is going to sound almost impossible but I love every song for different reasons. I told myself that I wouldn’t produce a project where I didn’t like each song and this is that project. I stand by all of the music on A Smart Black Boy.

TBR: Now for a little fluff: what is your favorite cartoon from now and childhood?

BLCTXT CONTXT: X-Men was my all time childhood favorite. Now I’m into Adventure Time. I know they’re not super heroes but I dig the wackiness of the whole show.

Click the above photo to download Blctxt Contxt’s A Smart Black Boy: The Sonic Inception.

Skewby Interview 1/29/11

Recently, The Broken Record caught up with artist Skewby out of Memphis as he stopped through ATL for his Meet & Greet. He is currently promoting his new project, More or Less. It was a pleasure that he took time away from his Twitter peeps to chat with us. Check out just how cool and shall I say…unique, Skewby really is.

BR: So what was the 1^st thing that made you wanna do music?

Skewby: I was 12 years old, my parents had divorced, and before that I wanted to play basketball but I always rapped. I been rapping since the third grade but I never took it serious. When they divorced I didn’t have any friends. I didn’t have the same passion to go outside and pick up a ball. I didn’t have the same passion for it, so I started writing music. I started writing about how I felt, how I was angry, and da da da. How that related to me? It felt better than a person related to me like having an actual friend. Like rap was my best friend and at that moment that’s when I knew I wanted to do it forever. So that was it.

BR: Who would you say is your biggest inspiration for your music?

Skewby: I mean, as I was growing up it was Jay-Z cause that was like the 1^st rapper with lyrics that I really started listening to. But as I get older I relate to people like Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest. Like I really love what he does; I listen to him a lot. Uh Common is one of my favorite rappers. And of course 8Ball, MJG, UGK.

BR: Memphis. LOL

Skewby: Yea you know Memphis. The south. And really Pimp C too. I loved his honesty. It’s certain things about certain people that I take and kinda put into my arsenal of rhymes or whatever. Pimp’s honesty, Phife Dawg’s confidence, Jay-Z’s consistency, and Common’s way that he displays honesty in his music.

BR: As far as something unusual, what’s something that not even your fans know about you?

Skewby: I don’t watch television.

BR: At all?

Skewby:  I don’t watch any television, at all. I only read books, magazines, articles, NY Times. My favorite author’s Seth Garden. I love black history. That’s one of my favorite things to read about. I only watch comedies and romances. I don’t watch negative images at all. I don’t watch fights, don’t watch WorldStar, don’t like guns. Im just positive energy that’s really what I represent. Its real. But I kinda sneak it into my music cuz I don’t wanna come off super positive. But it’s a secret message that I’m putting into people’s brains cuz I know I have that power as a rapper. That’s my responsibility that I wanna have. That’s pretty much it…I don’t watch television. 

BR: Whats your favorite car?

Skewby: A 1997 Corvette.

BR: What’s your favorite old school car?

Skewby: Well 97’s kinda old, but yea that’s not old school. LOL Because I don’t know any I’m gonna say the ‘64 Impala cuz that’s always the acceptable car in all the videos. And I’m a gangsta. Not a bad gangsta, a good gangsta…if there is such a thing. I mean, you can make whatever up it’s 2011 man. If you’re creative, you’re a gangsta. (laughs) 

BR: Do you feel you’ve already “made it” and if so, what was that I made it point?

Skewby: I haven’t already made it. I’m so far away from making it in my mind. I can tell you how I know I haven’t made it because I woulda had 300 people here at New Era tonight. Not sayin I’m disappointed cuz I’m a realist. I know 20 people from Atlanta follow me on Twitter, so I expected 20 people to come here shaking my hand. But I think being real and looking in the mirror makes me proud of every accomplishment I’ve done. I’ve proud of what I haven’t accomplished. I’m proud of those things too. When I make it I’ll be pretty happy. I don’t want the whole world. I don’t wanna be #1. I wanna be able to do music and support my family.

BR: What keeps you so humble?

Skewby: A great family. My mom she’s my best friend. I love the simple things. And like really tho, being in the industry I’ve gotten the chance to meet people that I’ve looked up to and they let me down when I met em. Seeing how materialistic they were and seeing how they judge people. I’ve never been into that. I’ve never been into judging people by how many followers they got on Twitter, what purse they got, or what kinda shoes you got on. I wasn’t always fresh and I wanted people to talk to me. I just appreciate real life and real people. People like my grandfather, like my mother, like my sister. We real people so that’s what I like being around.

BR: Last question, what is 1 thing you would like the world to know from Skewby? Whatever’s on your mind.

Skewby: Well I read the Willie Lynch pamphlet today. They should go read that. It’s pretty crazy. I just can’t believe somebody said those words.

BR: Tell us what it’s about.

Skewby: It is the pamphlet that a white man wrote on how to control slaves and how to make black people mentally go against each other. In it he said that it’ll work 300 years from now and obviously it’s been way over 300 years. It’s crazy. They should go download “More or Less” if they haven’t already. They should go get “Midnight Marauders,” the Tribe Called Quest album. And love everybody even the people that hate you. That’s real love just misguided love.  

Video via Plug Research Records

Its been 9 years but the man is back and he is just as good, if not better, than he was in the heyday of the NeoSoul movement.  Bilal has returned (truly he never left) with a new album titled Airtight’s Revenge, released on the independent label Plug Research Music this week.

Ive listened to a few of the tracks on YouTube and the album has a mellow vibe to it.  Much like his first effort, 1st Born Second, Bilal is still soulful, funky, jazzy, bluesy, and hip with that voice you can not ignore.  The album is available all over the Internet, including the label site for only $9.99.  If you live in a city thats still cool enough to have a record store, Im sure they will carry it or will order it if you say please. 

Also, if you havent already, download the unreleased Love For Sale, Bilal’s shelved ‘06 album that is now (sadly yet conveniently) considered a mixtape.