[Exclusive] EastKoast (New York) 獨家訪談 Interview 2015

這次email interview聯繫上的是來自紐約的地下饒舌歌手EastKoast,儘管他相當低調,但是推出過許多很不錯的作品,尤其是今年與英國傳奇製作人Lewis Parker合作的專輯"Mk Ultra (Operation Hypnosis)",更是好評不斷,黑膠唱片和CD推出沒多久就被嘻哈樂迷掃購一空。



1. How did you get the name "EastKoast"? 
請問EastKoast的由來是什麼?
EastKoast (以下簡稱EK): When I was in prison I came up with the name cause I saw a transformation within myself in terms of being a representative for this side of hip hop. Eastkoast hip hop is full of colorful characters and a array of styles..so I thought it would be befitting to take on that moniker..
當我在監獄服刑的時候,我想到了這個藝名 - 因為我想要將自己轉化為東岸嘻哈的代表,東岸的嘻哈音樂是富有相當鮮明的色彩以及各種styls....我認為取這個藝名是很相稱的。
2. Can you talk about your music career?
請談論一下你的音樂生涯
EK: Well, my music is coupled with introspective reflections and daily subject matter.. I would like to think of myself as an conversationalist artist that penetrates the subconscious../ I started making music at the tender age of thirteen..I heard a gang of artist that quickly drew me into the culture, it was such an impact that I started to mimick the great RAKIM OF ERIC B AN RAHKIM..OF COURSE I SUCKED.. BUT AFTER A YEAR OR TWO I BECAME WHAT AT THAT TIME I HAD HOPED TO BE, WHICH WAS AN ARTIST THAT COULD PROVOKE THOUGHT WITHIN THE PEOPLE..
這個嘛...我的音樂總是反映出對自己的省思與日常生活中的議題,所以我會把自己視為一位健談的音樂創作人、我的音樂能夠滲透到你的潛意識。我從十三歲時就決定開始創作,當時受到了一幫饒舌歌手的影響、他們的音樂把我帶領到嘻哈文化之中,我開始去模仿他們的風格,像是偉大的Rakim (來自團體Eric B & Rakim),當然我跟他比起來差遠了,但是經過一兩年的不斷磨練之後,我確信自己逐漸朝我心目中想走的方向前進,這條路就是目標要成為一位可以用音樂來啟發他人的歌手。

3. What’s your biggest inspirations? What are your favorite albums of all time?
影響你最深的是誰?
EK:MY CHILDREN AND WITNESSING THIER JOURNEY AS THEY TRANSFORM INTO THE PEOPLE THAT I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE..MEANING A BETTER ME../  I AM BY NAS.. ILLMATIC BY NAS.. Curtis Mayfield superfly...2pac makavili..
我的孩子,看著他們逐漸長大的過程、並且甚至超越了我對他們的期許...也就是變得比我還更好,這讓我感到很欣慰。至於影響我最喜愛的音樂,則是Nas的"I Am"與"Illmatic",Curtis Mayfield的"Superfly",以及2pac的makaveli專輯...等等。
4. What's your music style?
你的音樂風格是怎麼樣的呢?
EK:This particular style is the way I view life..the raspy voice represents the foundation in life. An the emphasis on the words I chose reflects the sincerity.. The wordplay is projected for an add on 2 the culture cause I think people don't really like to hear the same run of the mill lyrical play..its my take on being God in the form of man...
我的獨特風格在於我對人生的見解,尖銳的聲音代表著我人生的基礎,我選擇的字句代表著真誠,我的文字遊戲投射出兩種不同的文化與風格,因為我覺得人們不會只想聽著歌手玩弄同一種lyrical play....所以我就像是以神附身在人的形式體現出來。
5. You have been working with different artists, such as DXA's Icerocks and the legendary British producer Lewis Parker. Can you talk about these two projects?
你與一些不同的音樂人合作過,像是紐約DXA團隊的IceRocks,以及英國的傳奇製作人Lewis Parker,你能談論這兩次的合作經驗嗎?
EK:The project with (ice rocks) came as an organic effort.. I met him via (lewis parker) we started with a kool out kick it session and a beat pass time.. It quickly turned into a project that we both were shocked by its cultivation. He's an amazing producer that takes great pride in his craft..one of the coolest Kat's I've met in a while..he doesn't get hype over dope songs you made before him..he keeps his kool and gives you truthful feed back..he also supports you a 100% if he thinks ur dope.. 
( lewis parker). I met (lewis) via (DJ I truth) we met in hells kitchen one day after my job.. And he was told that I spit..so he ask me to meet him in the city then we proceed to his lab were he makes the hitz.. Our first song was called (Mr.pressure & Mr.parker) which is on Listen to Mr.Parker & Mr.Pressure at World of Dusty vinyl by EASTKOAST #np on #SoundCloud
http://soundcloud.com/eastkoast/mr-parker-mr-pressure-at-world. We became great friends over years and took our time with each other progression in music..this new project that's out now. Listen to Lewis Parker & Eastkoast - Superior MC's Feat. Shabaam Sahdeeq & El Da Sensei by KingUnderground #np on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/kingunderground/lewis-parker-eastkoast-superior-mcs-ft-shabaam-sahdeeq-el-de-sensei was years in the making. He's a brother to me... I love lewis like my own blood..
我與IceRocks的合作,是自然而然的情況下衍生出來的,我當初會認識他是因為透過Lewis Parker的引薦,我們一開始在錄音室玩得很開心,很快地就決定製作成一個正式的合作計畫,而最後我們也對成果感到震驚。IceRocks是一位相當優秀的製作人,並且對自己的作品感到非常自豪,他是我這遇過最酷的傢伙之一。如果你做了很屌的歌去找他,他會保持冷靜的給予你誠實的評價,如果他認同你的音樂,他也會給予你100%的支持。
至於Lewis Parker,我認識他是透過DJ I-Truth的介紹,當時我在紐約(別名Hell's Kitchen)工作,某天工作結束之後遇見了他本人,我告知他我會饒舌,接著他就叫我去他的工作室錄音.....我們合作的第一首作品叫做"Mr.Pressure & Mr.Parker",透過他的廠牌The World Of Dusty Vinyl發行。
我們兩人成為了莫逆之交,在音樂創作上也互相支持、合作,最近我們的新專輯"Mk Ultra (Operation Hypnosis)"已經透過KingUnderground發行上市,首支主打"Superior MC's"找來Shabaam Sahdeeq以及El Da Sensei跨刀。多年下來,我和Lewis Parker兩人情同手足,我視他為我的兄弟。 





6. You worked with Malik frequently, and also ghostwrite the song "Pump Pump". A lot of Taiwanese people know Nothing about it! Can you share this story to us please? 
你與Malik (aka Lil Malik, Hershey Loc)常常合作,甚至還ghostwrite了Snoop Dogg的"Pump Pump",很多台灣人根本不知道這件事,你能不能分享這段故事給我們呢?
EK:Mr malik is my first kuzzin..malik and I was living with (left eye) r.I.p of the group TLC.. Malik had gotten a deal with rowdy record/ arista.. Which is Dallas Austin & Clive Davis labels.. At the time malik was a super bad little dude..he was very mischievous along side of his counter part Jamal...well any way.. They got signed and I was my kuzzins chaperon.. They put their album it took off.. They had a major look..meaning the world took notice.. 
Anyway, malik was more like a grown man at the age of twelve.. And was striving to set himself apart from Jamal..we was on spot date tours with onyx and had inquired how much they was getting..and they told us..we got pissed off and said that if we wasn't getting the same or just as much then we would leave the upstart tour..Dallas thought we was bull shitting.. And when we showed and proved the label got hot..so malik said yo (true) that's wat he called me, snoop reached out to him and he thought that we should go to LA.. 
I said hell yeah let's go..we caught a plane got out there and went to the studio straight from the airport.. Xzibit was in there with hella get right.. Later that evening we met up with snoop on whilshire blvd..he had a few dudes with him..swoop g. Kurupt..daz..some other dudes. Swoop g kept asking why new York dudes hate L.A dudes and he was getting on my nerves.. So I said yo snoop.get your homie outta my ear with that bull shit..he told him..we made a move to the studio.. And the rest is history.... Malik and I had constructed that ryhme before had.. And just added more elements to it..that particular ryhme was pieces to something else that was in line...
Illegal (Jamal Phillips and Malik Edwards)
Malik是我的表弟,我們以前還與TLC的Left Eye (R.I.P)一起居住過。早期他與Rowdy Records/Arista簽下了一筆唱片合約,也就是Dallas Austin雨Clive Davis營運的廠牌。但是當時Malik是個非常壞的小子,與他的搭檔Jamal比起來....他實在非常頑劣,總之,當時他們兩人都被簽約,而我則是我表弟的夥伴。當時他們獲得許多注目,唱片公司幫他們發片,也獲得了成功。Malik在當時只有十二歲,但表現沈穩像個成年人,他努力想要出人頭地、並且打算與Jamal分道揚鑣,某一次,我們與Onyx一同巡迴演出,便詢問他們拿了多少酬勞....而當他們說了之後,我們便被激怒了、並且向公司抗議:如果我們沒拿到相當的報酬,我們就退出接下來的演出、不幹了。 
Dallas當時還覺得我們在唬爛,結果當我們證明了我們領的報酬比較少,與唱片公司之間的關係也就開始緊繃。Malik說道Snoop Dogg正好有和他接洽,他認為我們應該就這樣離開、前往去洛杉磯打拚,我說: Hell yeah 我們走吧!我們跳上飛機,下機後直接從機場直奔到錄音室,Xzibit也在那邊,當天晚上我們就在Wilshire Blvd上見到了Snoop,他還帶著幾個人同行,有Swoop G、Kurupt、Daz以及其他人。 Swoop G當時一直在問我為什麼紐約的傢伙都討厭洛杉磯人,這敏感的問題讓我覺得很煩躁,所以我告訴Snoop叫他管一下他的homie、少說這些bullshit,接著一夥人變進到錄音室.....剩下的就是歷史了。Malik和我事先一起構思了那段押韻,在另外加進一些元素進去,最後成為了單曲"Pump Pump"的歌詞。





7. Are you working on any other projects?
你最近還有進行其他計畫嗎?
EK:Yes.. (Kyo itach) from Paris.. He's a Facebook friend, by way of (shabaam shadeeq)..the project has 16 songs on it and is currently untitled... Myself an ice rocks have had sum talks about a near project..but this time I think it will be a little bit grimmer and sinister... There's others but my mind is other places..
當然,最近與巴黎的Kyo Itachi合作,他是透過Shabaam Sahdeeq而認識的臉書朋友,這張作品將會收錄十六首歌曲,目前專輯名稱未定。我與IceRocks也在談論未來的合作計畫...但這次可能困難度比較高一點,還有一些其他人的接洽,但我都還沒下定主意。
8. What's your opinions on current Hip Hop scene?
對於現今的嘻哈有什麼見解?
EK:Its propaganda... The people need truth..not I could take your girl and I got more money than u songs..its all part of a bigger conglomerate control In Junction with the government.. Which is controlled by a few families in this world... Its all full of shit..the guys an girls that embrace it does no type of research of the foundation ..cause its been breaded into their up bringing not to study there own history...its just sheep leading sheep..
宣揚的內容很重要,人們需要知道真相、事實,而不是那種"我想要把你的女人、我的錢比你多"...這類型的歌曲,大企業壟斷了市場,少數的權勢家族掌控著這世界.....這世界充滿了狗屎,不論男生還是女孩都去擁抱這些,而不自己做功課、去了解這文化背後的根本,他們不願去研讀自己的歷史,這就像一批羊帶領著一批羊....每個人都在盲目跟隨。
9. Where can we follow your music?
哪邊可以追蹤你的動態?
EK:all over the world... Don't google me.. Understand my mind when you come across my work...all social media viable service's I'm a part of..well may be not all..ha!!
全世界...別急著google我,先聆聽我的作品來了解我的精神。我在各個社群媒體上都有帳號....不盡然全部啦,有些可能沒有~哈!
最後,EastKoast也特別推薦這首與Lewis Parker合作的"Bank Robbery",這也是專輯中我最喜愛的一首作品!



順便推薦另一隻音樂錄影帶"All or Nothing",同樣收錄在專輯 MK Ultra : (Operation Hypnosis) 當中:



 

<DISCOGRAPHY>
2013 - IceRocks Presents Eastkoast - Ghost (12")
2015 - Lewis Parker & Eastkoast - MK Ultra : (Operation Hypnosis) 

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