Jern Eye

One of my favourite albums of the long hot summer 2006 comes from Jern Eye. Jern who? This kid from the Bay Area of California made noise as member of Lunar Heights (album “Crescent Moon”). With his album “Authentic Vintage”, Jern Eye goes solo and shows his inner self. His inner self is straight up b-boy-style, hiphop as we love it and what we understand as hiphop. With “Authentic Vintage”, Jern Eye payd his dues. We are looking forward to him getting along with the Lunar Heights.

You’ve been successful with the Lunar Heights album “Crescent Moon”. Why didn’t you continue pushing the group instead of releasing solo albums?

It was the natural progression of things. After pushing the album the best we could, I stayed creatively hungry as an artist. Lunar Heights is my group, but as an individual I just had to do something to feed my creative hunger, and at the time of recording my album we weren’t pushing for a new group one just yet. But it’s in the works! We’ve been in the studio recording new tracks wich might look like an all Vin Roc produced album. As far as mine, I just wanted to do some tricks and treats I couldn’t do with the Cresent Moon. Certain beats that were slept on for new Lunar Heights material I ended up using, and incorporating a more a traditional feel cat’s weren’t feeling at the time. I was just what it was really?

Three questions in one… What does your album title stand for, Authentic Vintage? What has been so authentic this vintage? Even, which vintage was it, that was so authentic?

The album title Authentic Vintage more or less is a feeling. Definatively it means Authentic: a bonafide manuscript or of the truth, and Vintage: of high quality or something that get’s better with time. It was just a feeling of knowing I was recording material that wasn’t deemed the in thing by most of the local artists in my area. Everyone is up on these synth made beats right now, so with mine, I just keptit sample based and groove driven. My favorite kind of Hip Hop. I would say most albums between 93′-96′ circa and 88′-89′ circa are authentic vintage! Like I said, it’s just a feeling I’m goin for!

In some songs you pay homage to the b-boys. Do you b-boy?

Yes, I used to B-boy, but it was more of a free form style dancing we use to call Tribal Style or Hip-House back in L.A. around 95′-96′. It’s the same style you see the Black Eyed Peas bust when you see them get into it, so it’s not really your standard up-rock, shuffle, windmill combo! It’s more free spirited and something distinct to an era of L.A. Hip Hop! Although, theres mad crew today like Circle of Fire in Seattle who have a resembling style as well as some crews in the Bay and of course New York!

Tell me some more about the label you’re on, NatAural High!

Well, NatAural High are good peoples! I like to know what’s going on with my project, and they keep me posted with every step of the way. It’s independent, so the the proccess of getting a record out is very hands on. They’re really dope, and got real love and passion for music.

Usually artist move from the Bay to LA career wise. You moved from LA to the Bay. What was the reason?

As far as moving to the Bay from L.A. it was more of a spiritual thing than a career thing. I figured if I move to a place that would help cultivate my spirit, the rest would fallow. I wasn’t really concerned about landing some big record deal or something. It’s not part of my approach. Really, I was attracted to the independent scene that was brewing up here for years. That was something I wanted to be a part of, not the Hollywood shit! L.A. has changed dramatically, it used to be grimmy and mad real. Now alot of cats come to Hip Hop shows don’t even know about they’re local legends like Self Scientific, The Nonce, Freestyle Fellowship, or Devine Styler. All they know is so and so on MTV. It get’s deep, but theres still a really dope underground scene holding it down in L.A.!

Where is your focus, producing or rapping?

My focus is on being creative. Some nights I feel like touching my MPC, other days I could be on a train just sketching a verse. For me it’s all about the expression, not one or the other.

Production wise, you’ve used some of the old funk records, that were sampled a thousand times by everybody and their mothers. You show, that there’s unused potential in these records or otherwise, you’ve sampled these records the now school way, which is different to the old school way. What motivated you to sample these old records i.e. Maredigras?

Really, I get excited hearing and finding something on record one of my favorite producers touched. It’s just some nerdy Hip Hop shit I think everyone get’s geeked about, but I would say freeking the programing is what it’s all about for me. Sometimes I hear something I know has been touched countless times, but if I hear better drums or a live ass pattern on it, believe me… I’ll start playing with it!

If you’d have to sell your old drum machine, the MPC 60, how much would it be?

I sold it already. To my man from Zulu Nation who’s name I won’t disclose at this time nor the amount! Although, I still have my MPC 3000 wich is nice too! I like the older MPC’s better for some reason, but ultimately it’s how your imagination works and how you freak it that makes for good music!

After your Lunar Heights crew member Spear’s solo album, how will the Lunar Heights project continue?

I drop, Spear Drop, The Heights drop, we all drop! Everything we do has our seal on it wich represents our bond and kinship! It’s truely bigger than Hip Hop with us, so hopefully people will just catch on to our fire and realize we’ve been on this path for a minute now. Really, we don’t stop creating. We’ve been in the studio together all this year, and we also have a mix tape out called Alpha Heightmen Hi-FiDILLA Omega available on Giantpeach.com. Were gonna keep branding the Lunar Heights name until they wan’t it! L’s up, nah mean!

Sascha Weigelt for Juice Magazine issue 08/2006 and ugrap.de