{mosimage}Its been a decade since the last release of "Constipated Monkey" but get ready for Kurious Jorge. Now done with Sony Music, Kurious is ready to bring it back to the real hip hop. Read what he has to say on todays hip hop and what he's working on.
Taking it back to 93-94 – what have you been doing since then?
Just working – always making music during that time. I'm always working wether people are hearing it or not. Just doing the same thing everyone else is doing trying to pay that rent and keep the babies feed.
During that time did you ever get tired of people in the street asking when the new album was going to drop?
I never get tired of that. Sometimes you have to ask yourself as an artist – i could never get away from the music. I tried to get away from the game in terms of the business and say i'm always going to make music. I've been grateful for what music gave me or potentionally gave me. In terms of me living doing this – I tried my hand in other stuff but still with verses in my hands. Still, the people saying where's the record. They want it. Thats inspiration. That never gets annoying.
Now that your done with Sony Music – how do you feel with the new label?
I'm Amalgam Digital man. I feel great over here. These guys work hard over here. Its a symbioric relationship. I know its business but we relate to each other so its even better.
So, how'd you connect with them?
I actually connected with them through my boy Block City.
Its been a decade plus – what can fans expect this go round?
I don't know what they can expect. Thats up to them. What I give them is myself and where I'm at now. You'll see some of that kid that made "Constipated Monkey" but your going to get more in terms of what that kid became.
Speaking on "constapated monkey" re-releasing in September then the MF Doom project in 08…
Its not a MF Doom project, I keep hearing that. I got a couple of doom beats and production on the record. Its not entrily doom project.
Aight cool, I appreciate the clarification. What are you feelings on todays hip hop?
I think there's so much hope now. You know back in the 90's you had – i just went to the screamfeast – you see a lot of kids from the urban area dress better with a much more positve outlook. When i was coming up in the 80's and 90's that shit was rough. Dudes didn't have that much hope. Now, with the commercial success of hip hop you got a lot of young people inspiring to be ceo's. Guys are more trying to be fresh. When back then there was a lot of hoodies and anger, "fuck that – i don't got that i'm taking it." The whole attitude is different now.
Lyrically now, the people say, its dropped from the goldens ages when people were rapping, it was a bit more lyrical and lyrically in-depth. In terms of the game its in a much better place right now. Talking rhymes and quality of mc's = I'm not going to say that. In terms of the game itself and how the youth is being affected and everything. Even though there might be a lack of conscience in the lyrics. OVerall I think there is a lot more hope and a lot more potentional to make a living for themselves.
Everybody branches off personally my shirt company. Back in 93 even though some people were doing it it didn't even strike me as doing this. but now i got some real interesting shirts…thats going to be in the next interview coming.
What type of shirts we talking here?
We going to go from t-shirts to button down to polo shirts. All kinds of shirts. Shirts for your mother, father, shirts for you, the kids – everybody!
Who you feeling in the game right now?
Now my ears hasn't been to the underground much lately due to being in the studio making my music. In between there i'm listening to the radio Hot97. I keep myself seperated from the game in general i just write rhymes from my perspective and my time.
I like some of these new guys. I like the Jeezy's, T.I., Juggernauts are fresh. My man Castophe is fierce. I went to the scream-fest and I liked Young Joc and T-Pain. My man Doom is crazy. So, you know I get my little taste of the underground but not as much as I should now that i'm in that circuit performing but i'm going to get educated. There's a lot of cats out there with skills and have a lot to say.
Is there anyone that you wanna do a record with?
I would love one with Bizzy from Bone Thugs in Harmony. That would be sick.
What about producer?
I was just at Kayne's listening party. Shit sounds ridiculous. He's off the hook. The track themselves sonically sound. Kayne or Pharrel.
You been in the game during its peak and now your a little bit older and wiser. What are say 5 things that you learned that you could pass down to these mc's just getting into it?
In terms of passing down I think some of these guys have it. Now and the way it is today artist have more of an insight to the business side of the game. When I was coming up you didn't have anyone teaching you anything. Now a days in music, soundscan reports are said on records. People in the street said, "oh this guy sold 1.5 million" when back in my day the average consumer didn't even know how much you sold. Now the information to the business itself is so much more accessible and people watching other peopls example realize how much they can own things. In terms of merchandising everything. The entruepenal spirit is much stronger. The 1st thing I would say is become more aware of the business-wise. In terms of lyrics – know your history. For real.
I like those new rappers that have that sense on where this thing came from. If you weren't born from the begining man go back and get that stuff. Read up and talk about it. Now, you don't have to have knowledge on the history to have hip hop in you as an artist. I think it only helps. the more knowledge you have the more understanding you have. Especially the history on the craft you're trying to pursue. its only benefits.
…damn you said 5 things (laughs)
Aight man…lets break it down to 3 things
I would have to say – yo be yourself. One thing I don't like about the game is that i feel like a lot of artist are limiting to what they portray. Back in the day when i was so youthful and so much of a fan, i'm still a fan, when I grew up it was krs one, de la soul, nwa, jungle brothers. dudes that represented totally different things. they would all be on the bill and everything would be cool. But now I feel people are scared to be artist. There are very few artist that come out and are themselves. you have like 50 clones of 1 successful rapper. You have like 50 jay-z's out there, or 50 naz's. The cloning thing is ridiculous. I think people should be encouraged to be themselves. to not only be themselves but to paint an iller picture. anything in entertainment you have to make it even more than what it is. so don't be afraid to try something different and bring a concept out there. Rhyme style wise I feel like a lot of dudes don't get into tune what their style is and they piggy back on someone else's style. I think their selling themselves short.
Speaking on styles – who all were your main influences coming into the game?
man, all those i dudes i mentioned but it goes on. Epmd – i grew up with all of them. from all the groups i mentioned – its too long to even list. Everything i heard it was an influence. Not even the big names. I would say everything i heard on the radio as a whole. the first hip hop show i saw was grand ceramony with grand Puba back in the day. there were a lot of influences.
The future looks good for your man. The re-release, the new one dropping and now the clothing line. When can fans expect to see you on tour?
I want to do a lot of shows. I feel really adiment about the things i'm saying on my record. I really enjoy getting that out. I really enjoy interacting with fans. It feeds me. Recently going out to scribble jam. Its been a minute since i been at an event like that. it was business but for me, going thru my head, it was a total time machine. It fed me being on stage with these young cats. These guys who are into graffiti, breaking, they keeping the core of the culture alive. it was great to around that and a lot of them even remembered me. Even for those that didn't it was great being out there.
On the re-release theres going to be 5-6 songs digitally. There's going to be digitally version as well. On the regular version you gonna get 2 bonus tracks, "Mansion in the yacht" and the "I'm kurious remix", but if you get the digital version you're going to get those 2 tracks with 5-6 demo's – things that never even made the album. Obscure shit. I mean its 89-90.
Dope shit man, can't wait to check it out. Last words from Kurious?
Don't be afraid to express yourself. hip hop is beautiful and for us to enjoy and we have to respect it too. don't let what a lot of times these big media portray as – its up each person to own hip hop.
