You’re a dickrider, and Epic will tell you why. This Queens native is our Auralarian Of The Month! We decided to take an indepth look into the mind of Auralaria’s self-appointed Devil’s Advocate.

1. Whats your name and where are you from?

Matt from Queens, NY.

2. What’s your favorite movie?

It’s between Snatch and Pulp Fiction. The dialogue in both movies are genious.

3. How’d you start listening to Tonedeff?

First heard him on that KRS track “Clear Em’ Out”. Caught my interest enough to search for some more tracks from him. Found “Spanish Song” and some others which I thought were really fresh. I didn’t stumble onto Auralaria until I heard “Love Ain’t” which promptly made me stop everything I was doing and look for a Tone website.

4. Which Tonedeff albums do you own?

Underscore, Happy Fuck You Songs, and Asterisk Vol 1.

5. Do you have any pets?

A bitch named Ginger. My true love “devils advocate.” Would you like to explain your stance?

I usually stick to my opinions rock hard, but if EVERYONE is agreeing on something, I just gotta throw the other point of view into the mix. It just gets me queasy when everyone’s agreeing on something so I just stir shit up. Plus, sonning someone with an opinion I don’t even agree with is the greatest joy :)

7. Any favorite Tonedeff-related stories?

Man, this is really fucked up. The show on the 23rd with Black Moon. I’m helping my Uncle pack some shit because he’s moving, so I drive right from his apartment in BK to the show. I’m looking for parking, and I find a spot. There’s two signs on the poll. One says “No parking 6am-7pm except for local deliveries”, I glance at the other one and it appears to say “No parking 6am-7pm”. So I park and go to the show. I’m not feelin that great, so I go out for some air while Wordsworth is performing. Walk by my car, TWO tickets on it.

One was my fault, my inspection expired. But then I look at the sign I glanced at, it actually said “No parking 6pm-7am”. Now what kind of evil prick couldn’t make a sign that says “No parking anytime”, because that’s what the two signs equate to. That added to how sick I felt, plus I hadda wake up early next day, so I bounced. $170 in parking tix and I didn’t even stay for the rest of the show. That was a fucked up night. The lesson, as always, I’m an idiot, the government’s full of pricks, and don’t drive into the city.

8. What’s your favorite Tonedeff song?

I still laugh when I hear Spanish Song. That’s probably my favorite. But my favorite verse of his is on Love Ain’t.

9. Can you explain what an Auralarian is?

It’s a combo of three words. Aural, having to do with the ear and sound. Aura, meaning an intangible quality surrounding a person. I’m not sure about this last one. Arian, meaning a believer of something.

10. What’s currently in your CD player?

My whole cd collection’s in my ipod. But what’s been getting a lot of play lately: Nas – Lost Tapes, Madlib – Shades of Blue (oh MY is this dude a genious), Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon, Dead Prez – Revolutionary But Gangsta, that Kanye West advance, and Big Pun – Capital Punishment.

11. How do you feel about Hip-Hop music right now?

I think it’s great. Hip Hop goes thru phases, and I hear a lot of people bitching about the current state that it’s in. Right now what we’re seeing in the mainstream is a lot of music made for the clubs. People that shit on Lil’ Jon, Ludacris, Missy and the likes need to get out on a dancefloor and try shakin it to some Aesop Rock. I understand that when you’re at home, you’re not gonna be listening to that, but there’s TONS of deep, lyrical rap out there for your own personal tastes. Stop hating on what sells in the mainstream.

People got some fucked up lives and sometimes they just want to have fun, they don’t need to hear deep rap about someone else’s fucked up life. Would I like to see a better balance of party music and straight lyrical fire on the radio? Yea. But I’m not gonna waste energy bitching about it when there’s enough lyrical rap in the underground to last me a lifetime. I’ll enjoy this party phase of rap while it’s here and I’ll enjoy the next phase of rap when it comes.

12. Do you think Archetype will be worth the wait?

Well, I’ve only been on the Tonedeff bandwagon for about a year and a half, and I know it was in the works a couple of years before that. With that said, any album that gets over 3 years dedicated to it better be on some next level shit. Tone keeps saying it is, and I’m inclined to believe it. I just hope it’s a well balanced album that can be played from start to finish without getting repetitive. And I’m not gonna pass judgment on it before I got it in my hands :P

13. Do you think Kanye West’s “College Dropout” will be the best debut album of 2004?

I’m not even gonna speculate. I did this for 2003 and my final best album list was nothing like what I anticipated. Rakim, Pharoah, Dre, their albums all got pushed back. I think Kanye’s album is going to be very good, but there’s too many albums that are SUPPOSED to drop that might finally actually drop and too many rappers that just come out of nowhere like Brother Ali did this year. Hopefully Tone will be one of those people that drop his first full LP and get some deserved love.

14. What are your expectations for the ‘Chico & The Man’ project with Kno?

I actually want this more than Archetype. With Kno putting all his energies into production and Tone doing the same with MCing, this album could be spectacular. I nutted when they made it a full LP instead of an EP.

15. Any final words before your pop quiz?

Make ‘04 QN5’s year.

Pop Quiz

A. What was the name of the song Tonedeff appeared on with KRS-One?

Haha, I answered already. Clear Em’ Out.

B. Name 1 battle-title that Tonedeff has won?

Braggin Rites

C. What was the first song Tonedeff appeared on with Extended F@mm?

Well I’m gonna go with the simple answer, the Intro on HFYS. Probably not right, but first that I know of.

D. True or False: QN5 Music performed on the main stage @ Scribble Jam 03.

Fuck man, I KNEW I shoulda went in case I needed the answer for a quiz. I’m inclined to say no, because I know there were some big time artists there, so no.

E. What year did Tonedeff migrate to New York City?

1998.

SCORE: 60%