WordofSouth.com: What is going on with you right now?
K-Rino: Just grinding and promoting the new cd Time Traveler. I also have been recording the new album with Dope-E of the Terrorists. The new C.O.D. album, so I have been staying pretty busy.
WordofSouth.com: Tell me more about your new "Time Traveler" project.
K-Rino: Well this album can best be described as "dark light". In other words it has a dark feel to it in terms of the tracks and overall mood of the album, but there's light and understanding in the words that sit on top of those beats. I've been leaning a lot towards teaching in my music on recent cd’s. And I'm at a point in my career where I'm trying not to waste words anymore. If it doesn't mean anything I don't wanna say it. Outside of lyrical songs where I might brag and over exaggerate metaphorically as a display of skill. The rest of the songs have to have substance. I haven't mastered that yet but Time Traveler is the first step towards that goal. I think it's an album that is hard to dislike. You might not LOVE every song on it, but I don't see people hating it or saying it was sub-par. As always my cd’s are a change from the norm. I go against the lollypop, look at my grill, and look at my car type of stuff. I'm on some "look into my mind" type lyrics.
WordofSouth.com: Was there a different approach taken with the recording of this album?
K-Rino: Yeah it was. The whole album was done at the Black Panther headquarters in the heart of the 3rd ward, so that alone put me in a militant mind frame. Also Dope-E did the bulk of the production, so it was a throwback to the early SPC sound. I had only two features on the whole album. Rapping features, anything else was hooks and chants. This album reflected more of me as an individual and my ability to carry an album myself and that's big in this day and age of 50 guest appearances on everybody's cd’s.
WordofSouth.com: Recording in the Black Panther headquarters? How did this come about?
K-Rino: Dope-E is actively involved with the panthers and he set up shop there. So that's where I record now.
WordofSouth.com: SPC has expanded overseas. Why did you all decide to expand the brand outside of the country?
K-Rino: Well we didn't expand it, it expanded itself. In other words I feel like powerful music is impossible to contain within certain borders. The rest of the world reached out and embraced us when people here at home wouldn't and in some cases still wont. We get more support internationally than at home. Don't get it twisted, we got a lot of love over here, but the respect level and appreciation overseas is great and the internet is mainly responsible for that because it gives us a platform for worldwide exposure.
WordofSouth.com: How do international fans treat you when you perform in their countries?
K-Rino: Its all love and admiration. We don't go over there very often. I don't think they get very many underground artists or even mainstream for that matter so it's really a big deal when an artist that may be popular in a certain country comes over to perform. It ain't like riding down the street to do a show in your own state where they're used to seeing all the time. Anytime you cross that water and then rip it up when you get there and leave a mark, it's a major accomplishment and an addition to your legacy as an artist.
WordofSouth.com: What is it like to do something that you love and be able to travel the world to show off what you love?
K-Rino: That's what it's all about. That was always the goal. I don't make music for just my hood, or my city. I make it for the whole world so it's only natural to me to want to span the globe and share what GOD has blessed me with. I feel like you're depriving yourself as an artist if you only cater to a particular corner of the world. you have to think universally, because although we live in different parts of the world, on a whole we have a lot of similarities and share some of the same problems, and proof of that is when you interact with people from foreign countries and they recite and relate to your words with equal or greater comprehension than your domestic audience.
WordofSouth.com: The south is huge right now and that's a good thing, but there seems to be a lack of substance in a lot of the artist's lyrics. Does this bother you at all being that you are from the south?
K-Rino: Yeah it does. It's like the rappers don't care about substance. Its all about money and flash. The truth is substance lasts longer than money. You could die with 10 million dollars, the people you leave it to could trick it off, but true knowledge and substance in your words, and leaving a positive effect on the world and the people who bought your music is timeless and lasts longer depending on how strong your substance was. The things that these dudes talk about in their music are meaningless. People say you're hatin' when you say that, but it sets up a false illusion in young fans' minds that its all about these material things they hear these rappers talking about, when most of the rappers don't even have the stuff you see in their own videos. Then you got cats on the east coast talking down on the southern mc's saying they're garbage and all that, and its hard to defend it when all they see us doing is talkin' a bunch of nothing. On the flipside of that, before them east coast cats and wherever else they maybe from get to talkin’. They need to come thru the Houston hoods and test the real waters and they'll find out its some heat down here, and I ain't talkin' about the sun.
WordofSouth.com: Do you feel in a way that NY artists have a right to talk down on certain southern artists? On the other hand, do you think that they just do it for publicity?
K-Rino: I understand why they talk down to a degree because some of these dudes are misrepresenting us with the weak rap they come with, but on the same token I feel that there's an element of jealousy involved too because these dudes from down here are going gold and platinum and a lot of them may not be. My thing is why hate and be worried about them. Just do your thing. However, they also try to disguise it by saying that it is bad for hip-hop on a whole. That is impossible to me because the hip-hop generation is too large and too diverse for a few groups who may not be "lyrical" enough according to traditionalists, to 'ruin'. That's a joke. We need a different blend of styles, flavors, dialects to keep things going. If everybody rapped the same, it would get redundant. So there it is.
WordofSouth.com: How does it feel to see your city having so much success right now?
K-Rino: I'm happy for all the successful Houston artists. I know my words make it seem otherwise but God knows my heart, and I ain't no hater. I just wish that if they gonna rep us on a worldwide scale, they would step they game up and show the world it's more than the same old thing on every song, every album.
WordofSouth.com: On the last interview you spoke on how bad the radio was in your city. Has Houston success changed this at all over the past year or so?
K-Rino: Nope. If you're a mainstream local artist then you automatically have mainstream money behind you, which in turn leads to radio play. For the average Joe out of Houston trying to walk his cd into the station or step to one of these conceited, arrogant radio personalities, he ain't got a chance. So actually, the success of the Houston scene has made it worse if anything. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a few of the real cats in the radio game, Mean Green, Matt Sonzala, Stevie C. and Masta Cee to name a few. There's some more but I can't think of them at the moment.
WordofSouth.com: I read in another interview that you felt people try to write you as well as SPC out of history with Houston hip-hop. Is this something that you in fact believe?
K-Rino: Well I'm not saying that as if it was an intentional campaign against us. I meant that with the way things are now and the fact that radio, magazines, and other media outlets who do shows and documentaries about the Houston scene or the south and its origins, never seem to mention us and what that does is deprive the younger generation of Houston rap fans the knowledge of rappers and groups who were truly responsible for pioneering the game out here. That's why you have people out here in our own city who never even heard of K-Rino, Big Mello, or others like us. The focus is always gonna be on who's hot at the time and that's understandable, but there is a difference between root knowledge and branch knowledge. The SPC, Street military, Wicked Crickett, Jazzy Redd, E.S.G, Big Mello, Big Mike, Geto Boys, UGK, these groups were the foundation of Houston rap. I've toured the country, particularly the south and we had the streets on fire, with no radio play, videos, or even heavy promo, but still moved 10's of thousands of units in the early 90's, and this isn't me living in the past, it about trying to make sure we don't get left out of the conversation in the future, because these same cats you see doin' it big today were influenced by one or more of the groups I just named. It's about giving credit where it's due. The radio stations don't care, they don't pay homage to you until you blow up on your own or until you die, and even then they just play your songs for a day and move on. So I'm gonna speak on it and wouldn't care who don't like it.
WordofSouth.com: Are there any specific reasons to why you have yet to sign with a major label?
K-Rino: Ain't no major gonna sign me. Reason number one: I ain't never gonna conform to the buffoonish styles of rap that they're looking for. Number 2: I'm a militant, a disciple of the mighty Nation of Islam and an artist who mobs on the establishment and exposes it for what it really is. Number 3: They could never change me. If they ain't willing to take me as I am then it's no deal. So no, I don't see myself ever being with a major unless they just g-up one day and say we gonna give this fool a chance and see what happens. I could really care less, God is my outlet to the world, and if God is with me can't anybody be against me.
WordofSouth.com: You are an artist that is up to date with the internet. What is your opinion on downloading on the internet?
K-Rino: To me it hurts the game. It's stealing. It's like me standing outside of McDonald's catching people before they go in and selling 'em Big Macs for 50 cents before they get 'em from the actual McDonald's. It’s especially rough on the little man like me, because I'm not selling 5 million units to where the downloads and bootleggers ain't gonna knock me out the frame. It's a big chunk out of their pocket too, don’t get me wrong, but they still gonna get 3-4 million sales. Here I am a small record label, self funded, self operated, self promoted, and you got these cats offering your brand new album for download taking crumbs off your table. Then you got these dudes in the streets making 3, 4, 5 hundred dollars a day slangin' bootlegs. Therefore, it's terrible. From the fans point of view, I can kind of understand because these artists are putting out this trash and it pisses you off to spend 18-20 bucks on an album that only has three good songs on it. So, if they can get three full cd's for 10 or 15 bucks they don't feel as bad if the cd’s are wack. That's why they have listening stations in the stores and artist like myself have websites where samples of the record can be heard. If you like those samples enough to want to own the whole album, I think it's only fair to give that artist a legit purchase. He took the time out to produce a quality project for the fan so I view it as an even exchange. The problem is that too many artists are cheating the fans these days with weak material and in-turn the fans are returning the favor by downloading and buying bootlegs. There's also the fans that are just cheap and have no respect.
WordofSouth.com: Has the internet helped you at all with spreading your music to more listeners?
K-Rino: The net is solely responsible for the spreading of my music to the world. I'd still be roachin' around trying to figure out new ways to eat if it wasn't for the net. I'm able to reach the world faster and do business more effectively.
WordofSouth.com: You have been regarded as one of the best and you have said to be a very consistent artist with your music. How do you remain to keep the same drive and determination with the music for so many years?
K-Rino: It's about never being satisfied with yourself. Never feeling like you've peaked as a writer. There's always room for improvement. The person who feels like he's at his best just got worse, there's always someone coming up in the ranks to challenge for the top spot. I'm not saying I hold the top spot, I’m far from it according to industry and the overall masses, but there are people who like my music and depend on me to bring it every time out, especially in this age of nonsense. People are losing faith in rap and rappers. So, I'm obligated as long as I call myself a rapper to uphold the standard of excellence that I set for myself. I also compete against myself when I write. When someone tells me a particular flow or album was my best work it motivates me to out do it. I don't relax and wallow in the glory of the compliment. I'm grateful that they feel that way but my goal is see if I can go higher. It really pisses me off when people say that any of my earlier albums is my best, hats almost an insult to me because I feel like I'm light years past where I was back then. I understand that certain cd’s hold sentimental value to people based on the time it was released and what was going on in their lives but to say that my work from 95 is better than my work from 2006 is crazy to me and says that you feel like I haven't grown or that I'm on the same or a lesser level as I was a decade ago. So that motivates me as well. lastly, Michael Jordan once said that he played as hard against the worst team in the league as he did against the best team, when asked why he said because there might be somebody who never seen him play before at that particular game and he wanted to make sure he lived up to all the hype. I'm the same way. A lot of folks have heard of me and heard I was good from others, but haven't actually heard me rap before. So I cant slack off, not on a album, a song or even a verse because that might be the verse that a new listener hears me for the 1st time on, and I want their 1st impression of me to be a good one. They ain't gonna always say he's the greatest, but I'm gonna make sure they never say he was weak.
WordofSouth.com: Not many artist's admit to flaws or things that they can improve in with their technique. Do you see room for improvement with your music?
K-Rino: Of course. Just like I said there's always room for improvement. I'm my biggest critic. I still listen to old stuff that I did and cringe at certain songs because I felt like I should've did this or that differently. The game evolves, so if you don't evolve with it, it leaves you behind. There's no such thing as a ceiling of knowledge, so I wanna get as good as I can all the way to perfection and beyond that if possible.
WordofSouth.com: Are there any artists out now that you have heard that is close to having the total package as an artist?
K-Rino: I'm not sure. I'm not saying there isn't one out there, but I don't listen to enough rap to say who it is. There are some who have the potential, but only time will tell. It takes a lot to hold that distinction "total package". That encompasses being able to speak on all or a wide range of topics with equal elite. Not many can do that. Especially these days. I view myself as one of the few in history that can.
WordofSouth.com: Out of all the albums you've recorded what's your personal favorite?
K-Rino: Fear No Evil. I think that album pretty much covers everything I'm about. It's my most complete album in my opinion.
WordofSouth.com: What's next for the SPC and K-Rino?
K-Rino: Basically just droppin' good music. Everybody is in the lab at the moment. I was over at Klondike Kat's studio today and that boy gettin’ ready to drop some fire and brimstone on the world. I heard some of his new stuff and it's on another level. Blank stays on the road and Nip is working on a new album as well. Murder One is always droppin’ new projects too. Come to our site
www.southparkcoalition.com or
www.myspace.com/spckrino and it'll keep everybody up on any new SPC developments.
WordofSouth.com: Is there anything that you want to mention?
K-Rino: All praises due to Allah. I can't take credit for anything that I do. I give him all the glory. Much love to all my supporters worldwide and always look for us to drop new heat. Come to our site and hit us on
www.myspace.com/spckrino. Thanks to you also for this interview homie. Peace.
Anmelden
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