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TRUTHLIVE:
TRUTHLiVE is not only a progressive DJ and producer, he maintains a solid ear for the hottest in music repertoire. A one-stop shop for Hip Hop understanding, as the owner and founder of Interdependent Media, he has certainly made an impact in the music industry with his wide range of talents, including K’naan and the continued development of his own art.
As an emcee, DJ, entrepreneur, and artist, TRUTHLiVE is the consummate artist and creator. His latest projects Patience and The Unlearning are descriptive life lessons enhanced with the truth of reality. TRUTHLiVE walks the ever fine line between entertainment and education, with clever rhymes yet heavy concepts, it works in perfect balance.
We recently previewed Vinroc’s mash up of your two EP’s Patience and The Learning. It was like the best of both worlds.
TRUTHLiVE: Vinroc is one of the homies and it was a great opportunity to work with him. The label wanted to have something to give people for free to showcase the album in snippets to make it more exciting. I knew what particular songs that I wanted to use, and we knew which were considered fan favorites. It was a pleasure to have Vinroc work on this because he’s a legend.
It was a very traditional mixtape, from the production standpoint. It played like a 20 minute song, rather than chopped tracks.
TRUTHLiVE:I was really satisfied because we asked him to make it a seamless blend and he went above and beyond. He didn’t get overzealous with the turntabalism, and that’s his specialty, he created it so you can just let it play, and it worked perfect.
Where do you draw the motivation to create progressive sounds with each undertaking?
TRUTHLiVE: There is a selfish motivation, because making music is what I like to do. It’s what I do and enjoy, so that’s what I use to motivate me. Call it cliché’ or corny but, I still believe in Hip Hop. I know about the impact it’s had on my life, so no one can tell me that this shit doesn’t matter anymore.
Sometimes my music is somber, or it comes across more serious. One thing we maintain in Hip Hop is the light heartedness. The culture is way out of balance. There’s room for all of this stuff from Soulja Boy to whomever, but everything is at an extreme right now. I go out and party and get drunk and listen to club music too, but there has to be a balance to sustain us as people.
I read somewhere that your favorite style of music is 80’s new wave.
TRUTHLiVE:It’s as much as my favorite style of music as Hip Hop. I honestly want it to be more incorporated in my music, but this bandwagon thing can be tricky. I don’t want it to come across as insincere. The melodies come across as passion and it sounds amazing. I love it as much as I love A Tribe Called Quest and Dr. Dre.
Your ear for talent is incredible. You signed originally signed K’naan right?
TRUTHLiVE: We signed him and then had to release him. While he was touring all over the world with Mos Def, every major label that existed wanted to sign K’Naan. It took a while for a mutual agreement, because we wanted to present him as a flagship artist with a conscious artistic integrity. Not just sell the album at Whole Foods. I think it worked out good for both parties and by the end of the summer, with the campaign that’s being put on for him, K’Naan may be the biggest rapper in America with the World Cup and all the crazy stuff he has lined up.
Who do you think has what it takes to be the next big thing?
TRUTHLiVE: Moe Green. He’s from Vallejo; he’s a great artist and extremely endearing. He’s dope. He uses a lot of that electro/pop/indie rock sound that I think will rival the likes of Kanye West and completely breaks the mold.
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