For the second time in one year I had the honour to connect with GM Grimm, who is working on many projects since being released from prison earlier this year. He now is in charge of Rock Day by Day, the new Sublabel of Day By Day which basically is focused on rock bands. Besides that he just released a 12" "Taken b/w Dancing". Read on.
December 9th was the day where your 12" "Taken b/w Dancing" (produced by J-Zone) was released. How does it feel?
Well, I'm happy it's finally out, you know? Cause I've been away for a minute and you didn't hear anything from me. So I'm really happy about it. Also that me and J-Zone were finally able to do something together. I hope everyone will like it and I think it's the first time ever that I got a single out.
On "Taken" you are rapping the lines "when we murder each other they get cheerful / they want us all dead, we are at war". Who are you referring to? Who are 'they'?
'They' are the powers that are trying to hold us back. They don't even have a face or a body, cause there are so many. They are the ones that try to hold us back from advancing, from feeding our families. Whoever is trying to stop hip hop from advancing, from elevating. They only show hip hop with its negative aspects, you know? They are the government, the police, the feds or whoever is doing it.
So are you trying to show the positivity of hip hop, especially with that song?
Yeah. well, you have to show an equal balance. It's not only negative stuff out there, there's positive too. But it's not all positive neither. Especially here in America.
Some consider this as a positive country, but it still has a lot of negative aspects. It's built on blood and violence.
Where did you record the two songs?
At J-Zone's studio. He calls it the Pimp Palace. That's where it was recorded.
And what can you tell us about the other track, "Dancing"?
"Dancing" basically discusses some other stuff. It has the topic and the feeling of some specific movies, for instance like "Scarface". It really has the same scenario as the movie, except that we are not talking about the common stimulation substances. No, we are talking about music as a drug. Cause music to us is a drug. So we are talking about it like it is the narcotic we chose to sell. Music. And when it comes to it we move it like weight.
And Daybyday is the cartel....
Yeah.
The single actually is the lead single from your upcoming album "Digital Tearz" which you will release under the name of Jet Jaguar. You have another album as GM Grimm coming up soon. For the people who don't know. What are the obvious differences between Jet Jaguar and GM Grimm?
GM Grimm is the elevation of MF Grimm, so it will be the same type of stuff. It's advanced tough.
Jet Jaguar is different. Jet Jaguar is doing what the hell he wants to do. Cause Jet Jag is a robot.
And the Jet Jaguar will be the first one?
Yes, it will be out in a couple of weeks.
Who produced the album?
We have a few producers. We have Louie II, we have Mas who did a lot of stuff for DMX, Jadakiss and Rakim. And we have X-Ray, Zero Point and of course those J-Zone tracks.
So let's go back a little. It has been some time since we last connected via the letter. Can you remember that last day, when you just were on the edge of being released? How was this feeling the night before, when you knew that you would be a free man when you wake up?
I can't answer that, cause I'm not a free man. It's difficult to answer that, I will never be a free man. In the sense of me just physically being out of prison - that doesn't mean anything. The United States were built to be a prison, that's what it is. Period.
How do you handle this situation? You also told us that we just have to have a look on how the United States were built to realize that nobody is free. How is it for a black man to live in America?
I don't think we do live in America. We are the walking dead. I don't think of any way that would make it possible that we could ever 'live' in America. Our physical bodies are here, but they are just shells. Everything here is a parade. It all don't even make sense to talk about it. Cause I think America is crazy. They are preaching all these values, but yet they still do these things to my people, you know? They are doing it to the ones that are here and they are doing it for hundreds and hundreds of years now. It's crazy. America only contradicts himself. It contradicts his own constitution and doesn't even respect his own constitution. So, no, I'm not alive. I don't feel alive.
Do you think the situation for African American has changed over the last decades or even since the Civil Right Movements or did it stay the same?
It didn't stay the same. In certain ways I think it's worse. I mean elders would quite disagree with me, but I think it's worse. My generation isn't taking it serious and you have to think of all these people that died so that we can be who we are. Generally I think it's worse cause the chains are more mental. It's different.
Yeah, a lot of people I have interviewed consider it as more hidden...
Yeah it's more dangerous. Silent weapons for quiet wars.
For all the people who don't know. Could you break down the Day By Day history and the concept?
Day By Day is how we live. The reason why Day By Day was created was that majors didn't want to deal with us back in the days, so we made our own company. Now majors have no choice but to put it out. It's funny how things come around. We enjoy what we do, we enjoy the music, we enjoy to put it out there. We're artists, we're producers, hip hop heads. We're breakdancers, we're everything. You name it. We came together and put our own little world together which is now called Day By Day.
You will release some stuff of Blue Dog, which actually is a rock group. How did you hook up with them?
Oh definitely. That came through a famous graffiti artist named KEO,
He saw that we are a hungry company and that we were progressing and I was working with MAS of Soul Made Visible. Blue Dog gave him a demo and he got it to us. It really was a marriage of sense, we were doing a lot of work together and they have faith in Day By Day 100 percent. We actually have Rock Day by Day now.
So this is a sublabel?
Yeah it's called Rock Day by Day.
Are there more bands already signed?
Yeah we have Blue Dog, a band named Soul Made Visible and we have another one from England called Vertigo Dog.
When will they be released, in 2004?
Blue dog is actually on the radio now. But yes, definitely, we are planning to release stuff in 2004.
I love it.
What's the word on Bushe, the reggae artist you mentioned in our last interview?
Bushe, oh man. We will have a Bushe album out in 2004 as well. I'm glad you remember him. Definitely 2004.
Will you be featured on the album too?
Yes.
Is it more roots reaggae or dancehall?
Bushe is straight hardcore. Yeah, straight hardcore.
What about the joint venture with Rayna Shine's Rainmakerz Lounge. Is it already through?
Yeah the joint venture is through already. Actually Rayna Shine is working with Poison Pen right now. His album is done. It's coming via Rainmakerz Lounge. Rayna is about to release a 12" for Poison Pen which should be out very shortly, just some time right after my album. She's doing a lot of production, she is working on my next album too - the GM Grimm album. And I'm actually doing some songs on her album. She is a hard worker. Period. She runs her company well.
During the interview Rayna and me did she mentioned that there's one thing we shouldn't miss - her cooking. So did she cook for you when she was in NY?
Oh yeah definitely. Her cooking is delicious, yes. She made a lot of Middle Eastern dishes for me. And Pomegranate juice. Pomegranate juice is my favorite juice in the world now (smiles)
You seem to be a very calm person when speaking to you. Would you consider yourself a quiet person in private life?
I'm not sure if I'm a calm person. I think at times I'm calm but I think I'm really a timebomb. The reason why I say that is, because I come from a background of people who live so oppressed. There's no lower it can get, it only can go up and no matter what it takes I'm ready to do that. I'm African-American and I'm Native-American and this combination has a lot of pain in it. And in this context I just wanna say that the Jet Jaguar album is not a danceable album, it's not one of these albums. It is a listening album. That's all it is. The middle of the dancefloor, girls shaking their booty - that ain't happening on here.
"The Downfall Of Iblyis" was also more a listening album, really deep. So what makes me think - will the GM Grimm album be more danceable?
You know what? I want to say yeah, but I'm not sure. I might be fooling myself, you know (smiles)? Hopefully. If any of my albums will be danceable, I think it will be that one.
There's a project called "The Day After". I read that you and DJ won't let any more infos out as that it is in work. Because of all these rumors that were around. But I thought I'd ask you this: Do you want to speak about it and MF Doom?
Ok, no doubt. Doom and me came to the conclusion that we needed a follow up to let the world know what was going on. I mean, yeah, it's a lot of talk going round. Doom and me had a situation for a moment which was unfortunately also pushed by me, cause I thought he was doing something until I found out that I was wrong and it wasn't his doing. It was done by someone else to both of us - Subverse basically. So Doom and I came to the conclusion that we couldn't let down our relationship, cause we're friends since we were little kids. So we're not gonna let this get between us.
So right now we're working on "Special Herbs And Spices". It's coming like a little mixtape.
But yeah, "The Day After" is some real shit.
I heard in an interview that you're planning to do a video for "Life And Death". Why did you choose this song and what does it mean to you?
The song means everything to me. If I had to sum up my entire existence it would be that song. It definitely needs a video and it's gonna be done. The song speaks for itself: life ----- death. The beginning and end.
Do you already have a concept for the video?
Yeah. There is already one and everything, but I'm not gonna reveal that until it's done (smiles). But it will be out.
Just when watching MTV again and seeing these booty videos, I asked myself if it's possible to entertain and educate at the same time. What do you think?
Well actually, I don't even watch MTV and I don't watch BET. But there is a way that you can entertain and educate at the same time. It just depends on how much money you wanna make. It might be that you don't earn that much money when you aim on educating. But if you do it correctly, you could benefit financially and yet still educate. It depends on how you apply yourself. Whatever you do, just do it. You know, it doesn't have to be about jewelry all the time. That's aimed to those that have it. But that's not the way for everyone to go. Every time you see something like that on MTV, flashing diamonds and stuff like that, think about the little babies in Africa that die in the mine digging for it.
Word up man. The new Prophetix, off the "Meet Jon Doe" song "Gotcha", video is a great one...
Yeah, that video is crazy, it's dope. It's funny you know, the other night I watched the Billboard awards, the Black Eyed Peas were there and got an award and for some reasons I just saw Prophetix there. I saw Binkis up on there. I feel this time is about to come.
I think there can be some Day By Day artists up there in the future. I might never be up there as an artist, but my job is to make it possible. I might open a patch, but I'm not gonna be that one to get there. Prophetix, Jon Doe, Binkis, LightHeaded, Blue Dog, Soul Made Visible and all the others. We will be up in there with all the Grammys and all that stuff. And as a distributor.
What's more important for Day by Day, the traditional label thing or the distribution?
It's equal. We have DJ Fisher for hip-hop. Rayna Shine is the A&R for Day By Day. She has an excellent ear. And me, I'm responsible for Rock. So if you got some rock music, get it to me. I just want to let people know that we are not abandoned to one form of music. If you have good music, get it to us. Don't think just because we have a lot of hip hop related releases we don't deal with R'n'B or House or Jazz. Send it to us.
You had one live gig since you've been released...what can you tell us about that?
Yeah, it was with Soul Made Visible. It was fun. That was the first time in 10 years.
So, have you been nervous?
Ahmm, nah. Ahh, I guess I was. Yeah. But I don't even know myself. I was so amazed watching them perform that I was there as a fan watching them. When they are on stage it is a lot of energy, the crowd is going crazy, they are jumping around. There was a mush pit. When it was time for me to rock it, I just had to go. I was rhyming and then I wanted to go back to the crowd and watch the band. I tell you, it's kinda hard being in the mush pit in a wheelchair (smiles). You get knocked all over.
Are you planning to do another live show?
I'm itching for it, but right now my focus is on Rock Day by Day, getting that together. The hip hop side of Day By Day is under control - DJ Fisher and Rayna Shine as A&R. I'm not even concerned about the hip hop side. Rock is where I'm at right now. I try to get a little bit behind the scenes. But yeah perhaps some shows with Prophetix. I'm gonna rock.
But besides that this part of my life is done, I'm gonna slow down. I'm rocking with my group a long time. And if they need me on stage, sure I'm there if I'm capable of doing it.
What do you expect or demand from a listener?
I don't think I'm in the position to demand anything from the listener. I am thankful that they picked up the CD and put it in or downloaded it. And if they appreciate it, it's a blessing. And if they don't, hopefully next time around we'll make something that they absolutely like. I'm really not in a position to demand anything from the listener.
What will life bring for you when you retire from making music yourself?
I'm gonna chill. Plus workin on Day By Day. I wanna help other artists to establish themselves. That's more fulfilling to me. I look forward to continue with that. Film and I will look for other avenues that maybe hip hop needs to go into.
Do you have some favorite movies, as you mentioned film before?
Oh man, they are too many, too many to name.
Okay, was there a book that you recently read that impressed you?
Lately....hmmm... I think it still has to be something uncommon, as I said in our last interview: the dictionary. Just the dictionary. It's a good book.
Do you enjoy playing chess? You're playing on the cover of the split 12" with MF Doom and you also mentioned in our last interview that you play chess in prison...
Yes I do.
And who is usually winning? You or your opponent?
It depends on who you're playing and how many mistakes you make. I lose just as much as I win.
Word associations. Freedom.
Death
Music
Love
Universe
Question
Art
That's a good one. Prospective
Shout outs
Yes, I'd like to shout out to those that are not capable of shouting out for themselves.
http://www.urbansmarts.com/interviews/gmgrimm.htm
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