DX: So, why did you decide to go into so many different groups?
E: There was never a time when I quit rapping. I was still making rap records. I’ve done lots of guest appearances and making records with my friends. So, it was always still going on. I think what happened was people were so shocked that they assumed that it must mean that me and Abilities would never make music again. It was really pretty dumb, to be honest. When that shit started happening, I started getting hate mail and all that. My real response was, instead of explaining like, “Hey, no, man. I’m just doing things. Chill out.” I was more like “Fuck you! You obviously don’t really understand anything that I’m talking about.” Then I got real indulgent weird for awhile and it hurt my feelings a little bit. Blah, blah, blah! Anyway, what it brought me to understand is that none of these mediums fulfill everything that I want them to fulfill. So, instead of trying to make Hip Hop sound like some big, cool, crazy, dark, fuckin’ art rock, I just have a band that does that. Instead of trying to make Hip Hop sound like it’s all freestyle or all free, I just have a band that does that. Now, I’, coming to the conclusion that I can do all of that. I love making Hip Hop music, producing music with Max, and I love performing. In a lot of ways, it’s just little places foe m to put stuff.

DX: When did you decide that Hip Hop wasn’t fulfilling everything you wanted?
E: I had a studio. We were always mixing Hip Hop records and trying to make them sound super huge. We’d throw on a rock record we liked. Both, me and Max are super into all sorts of music. We’d be like “How come Hip Hop doesn’t sound so big, massive?” Then I started getting into the idea of playing live instruments. Right when we finished the E&A record, we went on tour. I had a bunch of Beatles records and I was really listening to the way that they composed and produced music. I got this sense, I was like, “I bet I could do this! This isn’t all that complicated if you strip away the layers! Holy shit! This song is like fuckin’ four chords and that’s it.” Then I started getting into composing music and playing piano. Then, I got into buying keyboards. Slowly, I got into this world in my studio. Now, in my studio, there’s no drum machine. There are no sequencers. There’s synthesizers, guitars, a piano and a drum kit. You know?

DX: Would you ever got back into battling?
E: No, I wouldn’t. If the whole structure of it changed, I would be interested in it. If the challenge was actually more about skill than just being able to make someone laugh or make fun of someone. I don’t see myself being able to go up there and make fun of someone anymore. More, I want to go up there and give someone a hug.

DX: When did you decide that it wasn’t for you anymore?
E: Well, it was actually after I hadn’t done it for awhile. I started this thing called Game Night at Fifth Element, the Minneapolis Rhymesayers record store. Game Night was open to the public but it wasn’t an open mic. It was me, Karneige and a couple of other emcees that would have a freestyle session for three or four hours usually. It wasn’t just free rapping; it was about games we created. So, we used games to work on technique to get better at freestyling. In some games, you’d get kicked out! If battling was like that, like a game show or it was more skillfull game about who has the most ability to do these crazy things, I think it’d be great because then it would be fun. It is fun for a lot of people, but it’s also serious for a lot of people. It’s fucking nuts when people actually take that shit seriously because it’s so negative. It’s also not incredibly skillful, in my opinion. This is obviously coming from a guy who learned how to do it and did it pretty well. I don’t know. It’s not artistic enough for me. [Laughs]

DX: Do you really think you were the best?
E: No. I don’t. I don’t think I was.

DX: Who do you consider better?
E: Well, freestyling and battling are different. I think there are better at both. Mikah 9 and Aceyalone, when they were young, their shit was insane. Busdriver is still probably better at freestyling than me. For battle rappers, J.U.I.C.E. and shit like that? Those guys live for that, you know? I was just doing it for fun and to put my name out there so people would listen to First Born.

Nicolay: Nik's Grooving

Many raise their eye brows when they find out that one of Hip Hop’s most critically acclaimed producers is from the Netherlands. After all, it’s not often a cat from over seas creates one of the most sought after groups with an emcee from the States to become an elite member and contributor of the Hip Hop culture. Nevertheless, Nicolay, a young producer from the Netherlands, got together with Phonte of Little Brother to form Foreign Exchange which broadened 'Tay’s appeal and exemplified 'Lay’s boardsmanship. Continued on page 3 »