Prepare yourself for something a little different from what you’re used to, and take a trip into the percussive soundscape of the Oddjobs new album, Drums. DJ/Producers Deetalx and Anatomy create an unusual blend of live drums and sampled constructs. MCs Crescent Moon, Advizer, and Nomi have proven themselves to be skilled wordologists on this album. Oddjobs are one of the few hip-hop artists that are bold enough to be different – they refuse to be limited by a “style”. Sometimes reflective, other times comical, sometimes inspiring, and always from the heart – love for music isn’t something that can be faked.
Oddjobs make music for real human beings. Don’t expect Oddjobs to come at you with stories of trigger-pulling, turning out hoes, or riding on chrome. Oddjobs have the ability to be straight-forward and true to life (Back in elementary school when it was cool to be dumb / I rocked my wisdom on the inside as a simple rule of thumb) yet they can also set off a party right with jams like “Hit Em With A High” and “Blue Collar Hollar”. The metaphor-rich “Naked City” has a poetic quality that takes this song in another direction. Oddjobs are versatile musicians with something for everyone in this release.
If there was only one message that you could successfully get across to your audience, what would it be?
Stop being a sheep and think for yourself. On every level people are forcefeeding you what is supposedly “cool” and what isn’t. Independent is the same way. If we as a world keep subscribing to the mtv branding philosophy, we will lose all ability for independent thinking, and will become a society of just clones, all programmed to do the same shit, and think the same way. In this rap shit people have these preconceived notions of what things are supposed to sound like, and what makes things more real and authentic, instead of just listening to the music and passing their own judgment. It’s turning into a high school popularity contest or something, and marketing, more than actual talent. but that’s what Third Earth is here for, and that’s why I respect the Def Jux’s, the Rhymesayers, the Hieroglyphics of this world for doing what they want to do regardless of what people think, and pushing the music forward.
What did you guys study in school? How has it influenced your music?
I was an African-American studies, and an english major. Mainly cause although my folks taught me a lot of history, I wasn’t exposed to it so much in high school. You know during black history month we would talk about how great Martin Luther King was, and that was it. So I figured I would research more when I went to college. I also studied women a lot, and learned a lot of things, plus I ran a hip-hop magazine where people could get credit for writing, and I was a dj on the radio station until I got kicked off for playing too much profanity without disclaimers. It was a very wholesome experience. If it wasn’t for Wesleyan I wouldn’t have met Tarik, and we would have never started Masterminds.
Suppose the Masterminds and Third Earth Music become the owners of the next media mega-corporation, and you have a virtual monopoly over the music industry. How would you change the way things work?
I would stop having people pay for play. That shit is wack, and makes for nothing but ass videos and booty songs on the radio. Once again dj’s now don’t think for themselves they are forced to play the same songs, an records can’t get broken on a major level, which makes the playing field unfair for the smaller labels without the major money. Also as we are an artist friendly label, our splits with all artists are even. And since the artist is the actual one with the talent on all levels they should be getting a fairer cut of the pie. The whole industry is fucked up, and I don’t think it’s gonna change at all, we’re just trying to build our niche.
Your criticisms of popular culture are insightful and intelligent. How would you label yourself politically?
I’m a pretty liberal person. I’m definitely not conservative, although i’ve gotten a slight bit more as I’ve gotten older. I’m not so obsessed with “them” doing everything to us, but I am aware that shit is not anywhere near to how it seems. I think I just realized that I can’t really stop the bullshit that goes on in this country so I spend more time trying to take care of myself and my family, then stop all of the injustices of the world. It’s a funny time now, post 9-11 and all, and feeling if you speak out on something that’s “un-american” than your gonna get fucked with. It’s almost like the McCarthy era with communism and blacklisting around here. The media is controlled, it’s wild.
Why do you think so few MCs talk about social/political issues?
Because nobody wants to hear about social issues. Shit is generally fucked up for everybody, and most people know it, so nobody wants to get preached to. They want an escape like the movies from their ordinary lives. A fantasy world. I think we are a socially conscious group, but I don’t think we preach. We don’t talk about bullshit that we haven’t experienced either. But in reality people don’t want to hear about political issues, they want to be entertained first.
How do you feel about the state of hip-hop in 2002?
I don’t know how to feel about it. I barely listen to it for the most part. I might be reaching the upper cusp of outgrowing it, and some of it isn’t growing with me. I mean commercially speaking, my reality is not one of bitches, iced out jewelry, and spending so much money. And independently I don’t like hearing all the boring, whiny, super scientific shit. It’s time for something new. I am happy that artists are getting paid on this shit which people thought was gonna be a passing fad. But the over commercialization like those fucking mcdonald’s commercials, the snapple break dancing one and shit like that is a definite negative. I’m glad that hip-hop in 2002 has the power it does, now if we can just harness that power to reach so many people across the board of all races, we can somehow change the world I think. But I don’t see that happening.
How many different facets of your music are you involved in? Why didn’t you stick with just rapping or producing?
Well you know I rap and produce. I would probably be a lot better at rapping if that’s all I did, and I wish I were a better rapper, but I like making beats also. I’m more into music as a whole, and I like being creative and working my asr. Right now I’ve lost my writing jones, but I still make beats, and I’m working on doing a production album with guest rappers. I also just bought a electric guitar and I’m teaching myself to play.
What do hip-hop fans have to look forward to from the Masterminds and Third Earth Music?
Well come visit us at www.thirdearthmusic.com. This summer (August 6th) we have Jean Grae p.k.a. what what? dropping her long awaited debut album “The Attack Of The Attacking Things: The Dirty Mixes”. We were really grateful to get that project, Jean is one of my favorite mc’s, and I’ve been a fan of hers since the mid 90’s. After that we’ve got a project from the Oddjobs out of Minnesota. They’re record is called “Drums” and it’s 17 cuts deep of just good fucking music. Following that we’ve got a Pumpkinhead EP called “Blacklisted”, and a Subconcious EP, and an Icon The Mic King single with C-Rayz Walz. Next year we’ve got A Black Panther album, and a Mr. Len album, and there are two big surprises that I can’t mention right now, but like I said come to the site and check it out.
With a name like Masterminds, it sounds like you two might take over the world. Should we be scared?
Don’t be scared, be grateful if we did. I think a world under our control wouldn’t be such a bad place.
