Ecks

Mach einer wird ihn von seinen Auftritten auf KRS-One’s “Spiritual Minded” kennen, jetzt scheint (Professor) Ecks auch im Alleingang richtig anzugreifen, kürzlich erschien sein neuestes Mixtape “Rebuilding” zum freien Download, ein Studioalbum mit dem Titel “American Hunger” soll 2007 erscheinen. Wir lassen den Aufsteiger aus Washington DC zu Wort kommen.

You might have been asked about your collaboration with KRS-One again and again – are you bored of interviews?

No not at all, I’m always greatful for the opportunity for people to hear my voice. KRS-One was and is an important part of my career. Im a young dude but I understand rules and I understand paying homage. KRS-One as my elder, is someone I have to respect, because for all its worth he was the first major person to say “ok this kid Ecks is something special, I need people to hear this kid”, so I’m always happy to talk about our relationship.

Could you just give a short review of what you’ve experienced in your rap career up to this day?

I would sum up my career as how to make a boss 101. There’s alot of people out here claimin’ to be bosses, and before anybody gets it twisted I ain’t speakin on my boy Geolani. He’s fam through the D block connection plus Metro. I respect you Geolani, so I ain’t talkin ’bout him he’s a certified boss prolly one of the only other niggaz out here that deserves to be called that, as far as young dudes. But anyway there’s alot of niggaz out here screamin’ “I’m a boss, I’m a boss” and I’m like “the boss of what?”. See dudes don’t understand what that means, because every boss at one point and time has to be soldier – and I ain’t really tryin’ to over do the mafia shit, but I respect their organization and niggaz understand me when I speak like this. Anyway every boss has to have at one point been a soldier, been a good soldier followed orders executed plans. When you a soldier under other great bosses, take their orders that’s how you become a boss, thats why I’m lookin at alot of these niggaz claimin’ to be bosses, and I’m like where’s your history? Who been a soldier under? Now you wanna be a boss. How you boss if you don’t know about respect about rules? I been a soldier under KRS-One, I been a soldier under Royce da 5’9, I was a young soldier for them for years, until they gave me their blessing like go ahead start ur own thing. So now I’m Ecks the revolutionary boss and ain’t nobody fuckin’ with me.

Have you get over the disappointment with “The Daily Grind”? As far as I know the album never dropped, what happened?

Nah not at all, Daily Grind ain’t dead. The plans have just changed, something big is goin down with “Daily Grind”. I don’t wanna let it out yet but something big is happenin’ with that project.

You’re latest mixtape “Rebuilding” hit the streets on July 4th – what do you bring to the table on this one?

The response has been overwhelming man. It’s basically the hottest underground project of the summer. I mean I hate to put it out there like that, ’cause I try to be you know impartial about my shit, but its a classic. Double CD, lots of hot original beats from my camp plus me and Royce got a joint on there. You can get it on my myspace free.

You had a little release party going on – how did it go down?

We did it online, it was kind of a revolutionary thing. We released the mixtape free for download at midnight, it was crazy, our servers actually crashed from all the traffic. As far as I know New Regime is the first to do that…

You hail from Washington DC, a town that’s is mostly known for the GOGO type of sound – so do y’all stick to it?

Gogo is cool, it’s kinda like House music to Detroit, you know. You got Eminem and he ain’t nothin’ close to house but sometimes you can hear that energy in his music. I’m kinda like that with gogo, I bring straight hiphop but DC niggaz bang it like it’s backyard, ya dig?

That leads us to your music: how would you describe the specifics of your style?

Real Hiphop but not backpacky. Real hiphop like Pac is real hiphop, like KRs is real hiphop like Run DMC, everybody can feel my music. I write in such a way that even if 90% of my content goes over your head you still gonna feel the music. Oh and plus I got the best production team in the game behind me… *laughs*

When can we expect a full length album? Is there already something in the making?

Sometime in 2007, it’s called “American Hunger”.

Networking is essential today. Do you find it easy to make new connections in the game?

Sometimes. Me and fake niggaz don’t get along, but real recognize real. Kay-Slay is real, Dead Prez is real, so we network real well. I do feel like one of the biggest problems in the game tho is alot of these websites. They on that payola tip that dick ridin’ tip, that ain’t hiphop. We need to get rid of all the websites like that, the ones that’s more concerned about sellin adds than puttin out real hiphop, ya dig?

Tell me about the team you roll with – who’s with the New Regime?

Yeah, New Regime is my team, I’m really proud of ‘em. Of course I can’t ever speak on the New Regime without mentionin’ Dub “The Capo” who helps me run things. Bascially New Regime is the machine behind Ecks, people know that. But it’s also a bunch of talented artist who I’m ’bout to put in the game: Metro Beats, Psy Young, to name a few…

Will there be any other solo releases from these artists?

Yep. Check for anything with that tank on it.

What short terms goals have you set yourself?

One of my short term goals was to do 3.000 downloads of “Rebuilding”. We’ve done 5000 already, so I guess it’s time to set some new goals. My short term goal is just to make every release a classic and make the people supportin’ me proud.

I think that’s it. If I forgot to ask anything, add it now…

www.myspace.com/ecksnewregime – go ahead and get that mixtape free while you can. Thanks for supportin’ the movement holla at me if you need anything. New Regime, we in the building… DC up!