Interview Tonedeff

On stage, Tonedeff is all fun, charisma and precise delivery. But when the lights are off, we meet a surprisingly sensitive and lucid hip-hop craftsman. With us, the MC frankly evokes a career he handles with an ironclad passion, at the crossroads of ambition and resignation.

08/06/2008 | Interview by Aspeum with contributions from JB et zo.

Abcdr du Son : You talked about the new hip-hop during your concert in Paris, but some people didn’t understand everything you said. Can you tell us more about that?

Tonedeff : The New Hip Hop is a movement QN5 has initiated that calls on artists to disregard the divisive lines between “mainstream” and “underground” stereotypes and prejudices, while focusing on quality over quantity. It also calls on them to be musically self-sufficient in their creative process in order to generate new and unique things. It calls on DJs to help advance the music by playing new hip hop music and not just playing the 90’s classics – which has been a HUGE problem for years. We set up a set of five rules or “tenets” that, if artists adhere to, will help in the development of the music.

Anyone can be down with the New Hip Hop who chooses to – it’s not a strictly QN5-thing. The New Hip Hop movement is meant to give a voice to those of us who still care about Hip Hop music and the culture and value integrity.

A : There’s a funny thing about your album, “Archetype”. In a way, it’s like a prototype of a classic-rap-album: one song about girls, one song about wack MCs with your battle-buddies, one song about friendship and betrayal…

T : [He laughs] Right…

A : ... but at the same time, there’s something totally different. Thanks to your production and singing, it sounds like a very unique album. Was it something you aimed to?

T : Yes. My next record will be out there, but with “Archetype”, I didn’t want to overdo it, because I didn’t want people to shy away from the record. I wanted to maintain some traditional hip-hop aspects to it, so that people would open their ears, and not go “Oh, fuck that, that’s too weird”. I wanted to keep some of the pieces of a traditional hip-hop classic album style…

A : Did you feel you had to?

T : In a way, at the time-period, yes. Remember, I’ve been putting out my own records since 1997, and I’ve always played piano and sang on each record. My fans know that about me, but those who don’t are saying “What’s this guy singing for? That’s pussy-R’n’B shit!” It’s not. I approach piano songs like a singer/songwriter does, not like [he imitates an average R’n’B singer] “Oh girl, I want to be with you…”. Fuck that! I’m singing about real life shit. The theme with “Archetype” was the musicality. I was really upset when I first heard “The College Dropout”, because Kanye West was doing all the things that I was already doing on my record! My album was two years old, it was finished. So when “Archetype” went out, everybody was like “Oh, Kanye’s already doing strings and choirs”...

A : Why didn’t “Archetype” come out when it was finished?

T : It’s a very sad, long story. I kept getting fucked over with label deals and distribution deals. QN5 Music is my label, we didn’t have any money. I didn’t have any money. To play the game, you need money. To put out an underground record, you need at least $20,000 to $40,000. Period. If you don’t have that, nobody is going to hear your record. And even then, it’s gonna be pretty obscure on the grand scheme of things.

A : Do you need this money to make the record?

T : No, no, to promote the record. You need to pay for publicists, distribution, displays in the stores, banner ads, magazine ads, college radio spins: you’ve got to pay for that shit! That’s why I say in ‘Politics’: “Everything you see and hear is paid for”. Regular people don’t understand that. They just think: “If you’re good, I’ll hear you on the radio”. But it’s got nothing to do with that. It’s all about money – the whole game. And at the time, in 2003, I didn’t have money, I didn’t have a way to put the record out. I was tired of waiting, so I kind of put it out through an underground label that folded the second after the record dropped. So, when I come to Paris, people go “Oh, you put out a record!?” [He sighs, then smiles] They’ve only heard me on the internet, but nobody has the album, because it was never distributed out here. The people who were really on it and knew the record was coming, they got it. But the typical hip-hop fan still has no idea that I put out a record. So it’s frustrating for me.

A : Giving that you’re also an art director, what was your idea while designing the “Archetype” cover?

T : I wanted the cover to be iconic. So, I chose to forego any photography on the cover and make it as sparse and iconographic as possible. The inner-booklet is far more elaborate than the cover for a reason.

The “Tonedeff” logo surrounded by two levels of rings. The thickest ring on the outside represents my outer shell – my skin / my public persona. The thinner inner-ring represents the more fragile layer of my personality – insecurities, pain, emotion and passion. They both come full circle to protect me/my soul which is represented by the logo, my intention held closely inside which is represented by the title. I’m kinda glad you asked me about that, ‘cause I believe that’s the first time I’ve ever explained the cover. Most people just think it’s a simple logo.

A : Is there one thing about “Archetype” that you’re particularly proud of?

‘Gathered’ by far is the moment I’m most proud of. It’s the moment that I feel truly pulled me out of the hoarde of producer/emcees and put me in a new place as an artist. It was a dream come true for me.

Now, every Tonedeff project I’ve done always has a sung song on it (ie. ‘Homecoming King’, ‘Fast’, ‘Morethanthis’, etc), but “Gathered” is easily the most sweeping of all them. I wrote, played, sung and produced that song and then worked with Jennifer Curtis (J-Quartet) to score it with strings. For me, it was a huge deal – on the grand scheme of things – it’s really a huge paradigm shift that a rapper, at least one many consider “underground”, would have the balls to follow his heart into territory no one else would have on their debut album. And I feel like it opens alot of doors for others out there who feel that Hip Hop spans more than just beats and rhymes. There is a level of rebellion to that song that really resonates with me and I’m glad that those who heard it feel it too.

A : What’s up with Nas? In ‘Politics’, there was an line about him (“Elitist DJs [...] only spin vinyl – “Go get pressed!”, but give ‘em a Nas exclusive MP3 and they’ll play the shit dead.”). And I’ve just seen a CunninLynguists video about Nas new album, “Nigger”...

T : [He laughs] What I said in ‘Politics’ was about people dick-riding famous people. When I come to them with my song, they give me 55 excuses, like “Go get it on vinyl”. But when they get an mp3 of Nas or Jay-Z, they play it all day without hesitation. Nas was just an example. And the CunninLynguists video is a joke ; obviously we respect Nas.

A : That’s one of the things I love about you and CunninLynguists : you make jokes about hip-hop, but we can feel that you deeply love the culture. You don’t sound like a bunch of haters…

T : Thanks! This music is so important to me. I grew up with it… my whole life! I ONLY listened to hip-hop until I was 18 years old. Only hip-hop! I was break-dancing when I was fucking 7! [He smiles] I got into more different types of music when I turned 18, I started getting into the piano-shit, listening to Tori Amos and Radiohead… I think our love comes through everything that we do: we’re the last bastion of those dudes that came from that true school. We’re the next evolution… There was the New School, then the Lyricist Lounge era, and we are the next guys after that. We’re here, we’re right here. The next generation of real hip-hop heads are looking at us for direction. It’s a great position to be in. And I’m just proud to be here.

A : Allow me to be critical…

T : That’s fine, go ahead…

A : OK. What you just said sounds a bit presumptuous… You don’t sell that much records, do you?

T : No, I don’t. I don’t sell anything. Yet. But you heard the kids out there. You heard them scream all the CunninLynguists shit. They don’t sell that much records too. Atmosphere blows us away in records sales. But we’re not playing with those budgets. We don’t have that kind of money.

A : Is it a accomplishment for QN5 to tour in Europe?

T : Absolutely! The difference is that QN5 is completely self-funded, do-it-yourself. We book our own tours. We press our own shit. We design our own CDs. I edit my own DVDs. I update those websites.

A : It must be exhausting…

T : It’s fucking tiring, dog! Look at me right now: I jumped off stage, I can’t talk, I have a cold, I’m selling merchandise. Some people think I have a chip on my shoulder or think that I’m presumptuous when I talk about what we’ve accomplished. Is it presumptuous? No! Is it ambitious? Yes! There’s a big difference… At the end of the day, I think that, as you said, you can feel the love and the authentic hip-hop that we’re putting out. It’s from the heart. Nobody can ever say that it’s presumptuous because you can’t deny what we’re doing.

We’ve gotten alot of opposition over the years. It manifests itself in really subtle ways. A lot of artists and indie labels don’t fuck with us. Nobody ever approaches us to get on songs or tour with them. It’s kind of sad, because we normally get along with everybody. We’re normal guys: you see us, we’re not assholes. But at some of the shows we have done with other artists, a lot of them try to act like they’re stars, like “Dude, who the fuck are you?!” Alot of cats like to play the self-important role and act stand-offish if they can’t use you to get something they want. We’re really not like that at all.

I don’t give a fuck if Common sold a million records, I’ll be coming up to Common like “Yo, what’s up?” I’m a big fan. I’m not afraid to say that, I’m a big fan of artists, just like the other dudes in QN5 are. We respect the culture, and if you do, you respect the artists that have influenced you.

A : When you were on stage with CunninLynguists, I had the feeling that you admired them too…

T : Oh man! They’ve released 4 albums and 2 mixtapes in 7 years. Those 4 albums are incredible. I’m the biggest CunninLynguists fan, and I always have been. I’m a fan of all the artists on the label. I’m the one that hand-picked everybody. I’m a fan of PackFM, I’m a fan of Substantial, I’m a fan of everybody… I’m a fan of the producers: Domingo, Elite… When I watch CunninLynguists, it’s beautiful to see what they’re doing. More people are catching on, we do these shows, we come to Paris and it’s sold out… This is like a dream. I wish the best success for them.

A : Kno always finds that crazy vocal sample with strong meaning. Like in ‘Loyal’, on your album: “I love you in a place, where there’s no space and time”...

T : Actually that song was a remix. The original beat was produced by Domingo, and it was more of a street-banger. I thought it didn’t fit with the rest of the record, so I asked Kno to make a remix. He’s very talented at digging. He found that sample after I wrote the song, and it fit so perfectly. When I heard his version, I thought: “That’s the one for the album”. That kid is ridiculous.

A : It seems like those samples bring a new layer of meaning to the songs…

T : Oh absolutely. Kno is very gifted at layering lush, like melancholy samples. The melodies that he finds are so beautiful. He shops beats to other rappers, and a lot of them don’t know what to do with them. They tend to just want to spit hard-hard-hard, but his beats force you to be creative. They force you to write from your heart, to say something real and true. And folks seem to have a problem with that.

A : What’s up with the “Chico & The Man” project?

T : I’m writing it currently. For those that aren’t familiar, Chico & The Man is a joint project between Kno & I. Kno is producing all of the beats and I’m all doing all the rhymes. We’re shooting for 2008: hopefully, you’ll see it by the end of the year. No guarantees, but that’s what we’re shooting for. It’s definitively the hardest thing I’ve ever worked on.

A : Why?

T : Because of the premise – it’s gonna go over a lot of people’s heads, but the people that DO get it will be blown the fuck away by it. It’s gonna be some crazy shit, that’s all I’m gonna say about it. I’m putting every cent I have into that record. I want to make sure people know that it’s coming. When it drops, I want everybody to fucking hear it. I’m so confident in that record that I think it’s gonna be phenomenal and that people need to hear it. That’s why we want to invest in it.

A : “A Piece of Strange” was a concept album, and it was quite well received. Is that a good sign for “Chico & The man”?

T : Absolutely. I think that what they did that was important on “A piece of strange” was that each of the songs was independent. You can take one song off of “A piece of strange”, and it just a song, even though they all work together in context of the album. That’s why it’s so great. We’re tapping into a similar vibe on “Chico & The Man”, but it has a very unique quality to it that neither of us has found on our individual projects.

A : Do you feel any the pressure, rhyming over Kno’s beats?

Any pressure I feel is pressure that I’ve put on myself. I’m certainly pushing myself harder because of what the project means to me. Of all the producers in QN5, I think that his production style suits me the best when I want to pour my heart out. His work just brings things out of me. We have similar ears. I feel like this record is meant to be.

Now, some people have said that “You’re four for four, rhyming over Kno beats”, but I’ve rhymed over more Kno beats than just the ones on the CunninLynguists albums. There’s enough of a comfort-zone there that allows me to just zone out. We’re making the record WE want to make, so there’s no real anxiety about meeting people’s expectations of what the album SHOULD be.

A : On “Archetype”, Kno produced only one track…

T : He only did one beat because I didn’t want it to be a multi-producer album to begin with. The reason for that is that “Archetype” is my brain-child. I know better than anybody what I want my music to sound like. Sometimes, I need to call on the talents of others to achieve something I’m looking for. Kno had the perfect solution for that song, and it ended up on the album because it worked the best in context of the record.

A : You’re a die-hard Tori Amos fan, but you didn’t quite like one of her latests albums, “The beekeeper”… Here’s how you talked about it on the QN5 forum :

“I mean no disrespect to the woman, because she’s been such a tremendous influence in my life and musically, but she really needs to work with outside producers for her next project. Ever since she took the production reigns on Pele, her albums have varied wildly in their potency. Her songwriting skills are top-notch, but she needs someone in there with her to tell her, “No, those drums make this song sound like a Jimmy Buffet song”.

And she’s done it repeatedly to the disadvantage of the albums she’s making. She’s not a BAD producer by any means. Choirgirl and Scarlett’s Walk are ridiculous albums. She KNOWS how to make music… it’s just that some of the stuff she does sounds like she’s “trying” to fit in and be “modern” and it just doesn’t work with her songs.

It’s like…Why not work with Nigel Goodrich or Pierre Marchand? It’s not like she doesn’t have access to these people.”

In a way, aren’t you addressing her exactly the same way as the critics that think you should let others produce on your albums?

T : Well, for all intents and purposes – I’m not Tori Amos. She’s gonna do whatever the fuck it is she wants to do…and that’s the very reason I love her music. Just because I prefer a Nigel Goodrich or Pierre Marchand production doesn’t mean that she does or even HAS to as well. I’m enough of a fan enough to respect what she does – ‘cause at the end of the day, I still purchased that album along with the record after it and continue to buy tickets to her shows. I’m allowed to have an opinion like anyone else.

Now, should I let others produce my albums? And if I did… who? Tonedeff can’t just pick up the phone and call Dr. Dre or Timbaland for production – nor can I afford them if I could. Most of the musical figures people laud are a) hard to get to b) cost money that I don’t have and c) may not vibe with me as an artist. I’ve never paid for a beat in my life. The producers I do work with understand what I’m trying to do as an artist and give me the creative space to do it in a context that I know will work for the bigger picture of the project.

Now, I feel that I’m a very capable producer that can do any style of music. I rap, sing, play piano, I’ve produced for half the underground in New-York… Some of the stuff on “Archetype” is very challenging and people didn’t understand it. I got a lot of shit about it, because I didn’t have Dilla beats and I wasn’t working with Premiere or Alchemist: hey, I’m sorry! [He laughs] This is my music. If you don’t like it, fuck you. I do it for me. I’m very proud of the songs on “Archetype”.

I don’t think other producers are capable of doing what I did on that record. I was doing different time signatures, there were build-ups in the middle of songs, break-downs, full piano and strings… Nobody was doing that in 2004. And that record was already 2 years old when I put it out. It was done, waiting, for 2 years. That’s why on the next Tonedeff-solo record, it will be mainly me with maybe just a couple sprinkles of QN5 producers. Just like on “Archetype”, but way further ahead. When I finished “Archetype”, it was ahead. When it finally came out after 2 years, it was, like, a little ahead. But when I’ll drop the next record, I’m gonna make something so fucking out there that nobody’s going to get it for 5 years! They’ll sleep. They always do. But when they get it after 5 years, they’re gonna be like “It’s fucking incredible. I slept.”

Ya know, people have been slow to give me props as a producer over the years because I haven’t crossed that threshold of public opinion on whether it’s “cool” to toss my name on any best-of lists yet. There’s a good deal of hypocrisy and backtracking being done by the press. I can’t tell you how many reviews I’ve read from people who say they don’t like my production/singing and subsequently cite ‘Porcelain’ or ‘Gathered’ as their favorite song on the album. People tend to be sheep – ESPECIALLY critics – and I don’t expect a pat on the back from anyone because I’m doing something new and challenging. No one wants to be the black sheep in a profession that thrives off uniformity.

That’s also why I released “Deffinitions Vol. 1 (Instrumental)” – so that people can let go of the “Tonedeff is just a rapper” thing and recognize that I’m fully capable as a producer as well. It’s like “Hey…I’ve put together an incredible roster of talent, built a record label from the ground up, executive produced a few critically acclaimed albums and have managed to make songs that don’t sound like anything else out there. Can I get some love?” [He laughs]

A : I’ve read that you once hesitated to change your stage name for Nickels, but that you finally decided to use it only for your non-hip-hop productions. Where can we hear Nickels’s music, then?

T : I still use the Nickels moniker from time to time, but only as a singular member of a side project called KGK (Krush Groove Kaleidescope). Anytime I do Drum & Bass, House or remixes for pop artists, it goes under the KGK flag. I actually did an entire Drum & Bass album under KGK, but never released it in its entirety. I still might. In the meantime, you might be able to find some stuff online still, but it’ll be tough. Look for a drum & bass remix of ‘’Nowhere’’ by Fisher, some Electro-Pop stuff by Melissa Prezioso and some J-Pop drum & bass remixes of Sakura Diaries from Anime Toonz.

A : Speaking of production, isn’t it tricky for producers to deal with your delivery ?

T : [He laughs] Actually, I challenge producers. Normally, producers just want to give you the banger. I just tell them: “Dude, I can do ANYTHING. Give me the weirdest shit you have. If you want to be adventurous with your music, give it to me. If you want to do 7/8th, or 6/8th, or, I don’t know, fucking 2/5th, bring it on.” That’s a challenge to me, I love that as a writer. It’s important to me to push hip-hop forward… I’ve been doing this shit for mad long: if I don’t have a challenge, I get bored. So I tell producers: “Hit me! Hit me with your best, crazy shit!”

A : Does it bother you to be labelled as a fast-rapper?

T : Yes, it does. I only do it to impress people that don’t know about me.

A : That’s the only reason?

T : Yeah, I have no reason to be the fastest rapper ever in the world. I’m just lucky because I can do it. I practice, because I want to be good at it and not half-ass it.

What happens a lot of times is everybody gets caught up like “So he’s the fastest rapper!”. But when you listen to what they’re saying, they’re not saying shit. I put the challenge out to all the people that say “Oh, Tonedeff only raps fast”: slow my shit down and read the lyrics, and you’ll be fucking surprised that there’s a bunch of lines and patterns going on there. I don’t want to be known as fucking Rebel XD. I don’t want to be only known for fast-rapping. I want people to listen to what I’m writing. It’s more important to me that people know me for my lyrics than just rapping fast, because I’m really thinking about what I’m saying, and trying to touch people.

We did a song called ‘No hope’, it was about a friend of CunninLynguists who died. He was murdered in a robbery. I didn’t know the guy personally, but I wrote the song because I understood the pain that they were going through. I wanted to write the song from the perspective of somebody who knew this person. I am very proud of what I wrote, because this guy’s brother wrote me “You really touched me. That was something I really needed at the time. Thank you for writing it.” That’s what I’m talking about: hip-hop is more than just a “Fuck y’all!” sentiment. I want to combine the technique and the message. I am to be technically ridiculous and say real things. I’d rather people focus on that.

A : Do you fear that, one day, you won’t have anything to say?

T : Of course not. The world is a very big place. There’s always something to talk about – especially in a genre that limits itself to talking about the same 6 different topics repeatedly. That’s the beauty of Hip Hop. It’s still a relatively new art form – there’s so much room to expand and innovate it’s not even funny.

A : You’ve created a flow notation system. What’s its purpose?

T : This flow notation system is for MCs. When you write, you sometimes overwrite a bar, there’s too many words. This way, you can mark the rhythm you have on your head. So when I read it back, I can remember exactly how I wrote it.

A : Do you use this system regularly?

T : I’ve been using it since I’ve been rhyming. I think ICON the Mic King started to use it too at some point. Not sure if he still does or not. Perhaps a couple of kids online, but I don’t think it’s picked up more than that.

A : Was it your goal?

T : Yes, I want people to pick it up. I think it is important, as an art form, to have a notation. It’s music. All other musics have notation, hip-hop should have it too. Scratching has notation, now. I figured I’d develop one for lyricism, because nobody’s done it yet…

A : You prefer to write in silence than with a beat. Does this habit allow you more freedom regarding your flow?

T : Perhaps. I’ve never thought about it that way. For the most part, I just can’t think with music on, because my production ear doesn’t allow me to have anything on and NOT want to deconstruct the layers. I’ll get caught up in trying to dissect the sounds and won’t be able to concentrate on words. All I need is to hear a minute or so of a beat and I have it memorized in my head to write to it.

A : You’re very touchy concerning the spelling of your name – Tonedeff – you even spell it out on stage and make the crowd repeat! Where does that come from?

T : [He laughs] Hahaha. Good catch. My hardcore fans (Auralarians) know this one well, as they’ve seen me struggle with it for years.

Basically, after years and years of putting out music, it’s become increasingly frustrating for me to see how easily people misspell my name. This has been done on flyers, websites, records, hell – even my own ex-labels would do it to me (hello Yosumi!). You’d figure something as simple as “Tonedeff” would be easy for people to catch on to. But noooooooooooooo. I’ve seen it Ton Def, Tone Deff, Tonedef, Tone-Def, etc. It’s generally just become insulting – a barometer of awareness of sorts. I know that someone who spells it fucked up doesn’t have the first clue to what I do as an artist. REAL fan wouldn’t fuck it up. So, knowing the correct spelling is a kudos things.

Not to mention, that I see more and more people trying to rip it off in skits, Youtube videos, Myspace, etc. So, I had to trademark it. Hence why I drill it into people’s heads. Let there be no confusion.

A : While touring in Europe, you wrote an article about a disappointing concert in Cologne…

T : I’ve been doing shows for a long time: you’re gonna get a bad one once in a while. The night before, it was fucking crazy! The night after, I was fucking crowd-surfing! But in the Cologne show, the vibe was just off… I can’t call it. Sometimes, the audience just doesn’t give you a chance. Maybe they won’t like my shirt… Maybe they won’t like my face… I just can’t call it. I wasn’t disappointed in the show in particular, it was just the whole day that was bothering me. If you read the blog I wrote about it, you’ll see that the show was just one thing in an overall bad day. I’m a professional, brother: it happens. I don’t hate Germany, I love Germany, it’s all good.

A : Do you realize that in Europe, a lot of people don’t understand your lyrics? Do you adapt your show accordingly?

T : Yeah, I realize that. In terms of performing, I can only do what I do. I can’t change the words. If anything – I’ll be more expressive in my body language, ‘cause I think that goes a long way. I think I speak pretty clearly, but at the end of the day, I think every rapper in existence is at the mercy of the soundman, even in the States.

A : When you’re on stage, for example when you take the chick from the audience and rap around her, it seems like you’re the most self-confident person on earth! Where does that come from?

T : [He laughs] I definitely like to joke around with the whole “pervert” thing. People find it hysterical. Doing that act is fun for me, because I’m doing what every guy in there would love to do. I’m putting it down for all the fellas in the audience.

When I’m on stage, it’s a joke. These girls know that I’m not going to rape them on stage! I did notice though that Europeans girls are much more demure than American girls. When I do my routine in Europe, the girls are like scared; in America, the girls are grinding their pussies in my face! Chicks are wild back home.

A : “I must be conceited, right? Well, I’m balanced out by the lack of self-esteem I’ve felt since I’ve learned how to read and write” (‘Masochist’)

Do you still feel that way?

T : For the most part. I’ve always felt misunderstood and had a need for people to love me. Imagine being too white for black people, too black for white people, and not latino enough for your own people. That will definitely fuck your head up as a kid. So I tend to overdo shit to make my point. But I’m learning to care less about what people think of me as I get older. I can’t change who I am and even if I could, I’d be too stubborn to.

T : I know that you’re a perfectionist regarding your music. Are you the same regarding live shows? How far are you from doing perfect shows?

A : Personally, I don’t think anyone has ever done a perfect show. I’m sure Usher or Madonna are sitting in their hotel suites going over the show’s footage pointing out every minute thing they could have done better. It’s never going to be perfect. I tend to obsess over things as well. Especially live shows – just ask PackFM or any of the guys in QN5 how volatile I am after a show. If I miss one line or flub a word, I want to burn down the entire venue. [He laughs] It’s a bit extreme, but again, I just want to entertain people to the best of my ability. I just wish that I had a Kanye budget to show folks what I’m really capable of. Kanye included.

A : You told me earlier that you didn’t have any more CDs of your first projects, like “Hyphen” or “Underscore”... Can’t you repress them?

T : I’m not fan of “Hyphen” at all. It was done at a time where I was still trying to find my musical voice, and I’m just disgusted when I listen to the record. It’s a bunch of battle raps and freestyles, it’s not Tonedeff, it’s just me kicking raps like a kid. The only things that kills me about that record is that I put ‘Fast’ on it… and that’s my favourite thing I’ve ever done. Knowing people will probably never hear it kinda sucks.

I don’t want to put money into it, but if you can find it on eBay, rock on. “Underscore” is available online, for purchase digitally, I’m cool with that.

A : How are you reacting to that digital wave?

T : The entire industry is moving towards it… It doesn’t cost as much money. Like I said, putting out a record costs thousands and thousands of dollars, so when you don’t have money, it’s the cheaper thing to do. It’s easier to promote it but only because we’ve established a really solid fan-base, particularly online, that we’ve been cultivating for 10 years. It’s quicker and easier for us to put out a record digitally. Recently, we did the valentine’s EP, “Baby Blue For Pink”. We finished it in a week, and we put it out a month later. We don’t have to wait 3 months for distro and we don’t have to put 30 grand in it… People online still get the music and spread it around. CD’s have slowly become a niche thing. Soon, it will really only be big with collectors.

A : You were mentioning your fan-base… Was it hard to gain? Is it hard to maintain it?

T : I built my fanbase through hard work and honesty. A ton of shows, a ton of music, a ton of interaction. I’ve kept a fairly transparent open-door policy with them over the years. Before there were blogs and Myspace, I had a dedicated message forum and a website. I keep them in the loop and they show love, ‘cause they know that I don’t bullshit them and we have a clear-cut relationship. Of course, I make music for myself, but everything that SURROUNDS the music is 100% done for the fans. And 9/10 that’s more work than making the music.

But I seriously have the best fans in the entire world. They understand me – which isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do for a guy who wants to rap, sing ballads, animate cartoons and build a theme park. They’ve supported me 100% over the years – even helping to right wrongs that have been done to me (ie the Gibson Fiasco). I’ve always interacted with them more than just about any other artist out there – always have. The trick, really, is gaining new fans. But I trust they will come into the fold in due time. I’ll keep working.

A : “Nothing really seems to matter when you’ve gone this far” (‘Gathered’)

In poker, to be pot-committed means that you’ve already put so much money in that you can’t just fold, you have to all the way through. Do you sometimes have this feeling about music?

T : That’s precisely what I meant by that lyric. I’ve basically invested my entirely life, my savings, my paychecks, my relationships, my family into it. If I were to stop now, I’d be letting down more people than my guilty conscience could ever sustain. I HAVE to win. I really don’t have a choice. And by “win”, I mean be able to sustain my family with what I love to do. ‘Cause dammit, if Lil’ Mama can do it… I sure as fuck can too.

A : “I decided this was what I wanted to do when I was 11 years old, ‘cause I’m one of those ridiculously persistent people who keep getting up after they fall flat on their faces multiple times – I figure that’s what has made me the person I am.”

What’s your ultimate goal? I mean, looking back at your career, it seems like you’ve tried to a few times to touch a very wide audience (Arsenio Hall, Lollapalooza)…

T : Ultimately, my goal is to change music. If that’s a bit grandiose, my goal is to be able to sustain my family with what I love to do. I’ve been fortunate enough to get close to mainstream outlets like television and bigger venues, but I haven’t been able to get that “lucky” break just yet. At this point, my aim is to break myself and the artists on my label by releasing the best possible music for the most people possible. I’ve always believed that what QN5 is doing is special, some people are reluctant to hear it and that’s ok. The people that DO hear it become deeply connected to the music in a very special way. We’re getting closer every day and I know it’s just a matter of time before the rest of the world catches on to what we’re doing.

A : I know that you’re a sucker for sad songs. Can you name 10 great sad songs?

1. Radiohead – How To Disappear Completely

2. Jeff Buckley – Corpus Christi

3. Rebekah Del Rio – Llorando

4. George Michael – Praying For Time

5. Emily Haines – Crowd Surf of A Cliff

6. Moby – My Weakness

7. Tori Amos – Hey Jupiter

8. Gary Jules – Mad World

9. The Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work

10. Damien Rice – Accidental Babies

A : I’m sure that if a shrink studied your case, he would have something to say about your fascination for concepts. The punctuation marks as records title (“Hyphen”, “Underscore”, “Asterisk”), the idea of new hip-hop, the label name QN5… What do you think it would reveal?

T : Well, if I revealed the answer to that, there wouldn’t be any fun in that, would there? [He laughs]. Typography can be studied for years by art students. Let’s just say it all plays in.