[Exclusive] White Mic (Bored Stiff) 獨家訪談 Interview 2015

White Mic是來自舊金山的饒舌歌手，也是成立於九零年代的饒舌團體"Bored Stiff"首腦之一，為舊金山underground hip hop重要推手。雖然音樂生涯中間曾經退出饒舌圈將近十年之久，但在2011年再度復出，以"White Mic"的藝名重新出發、推出多張個人作品，目前也正在協助好友Equipto營運獨立廠牌Solidarity Records

Z-Man & White Mic

1. Can you talk about your music career? How did you get the name "White Mic"? 

請你叫紹自己的音樂生涯，此外你是如何得到"White Mic"這個綽號？

White Mic (以下簡稱WM): Well actually - when I first started rapping my rap name was Brussel Sprouts - that's why I do the vegetable records! It's when I had took a break from rapping & was in the streets heavy is how hot the name White Mic. Prince Paul said it there's one in every neighborhood. So when I started rapping again I just stuck with that cuz that was more familiar!

這個嘛，其實我最早使用的綽號是Brussel Sprouts，這也是為什麼後來我會以蔬菜(Vegetable)為主題來推出專輯。接著我停止饒舌休息了一段期間，在這時期我觀察到街頭上大家都搶著想當最紅的白人饒舌歌手(White Mic)，Prince Paul也曾經說過每個街坊都有White Mic。於是當我拿起麥克風重操舊業時，我決定就用White Mic作為我的藝名，因為這跟我相當貼切。

2. What's your role/position in the group "Bored Stiff"? 

你在Bored Stiff團體中的角色定位為何?

WM: My Role / Position in Bored Stiff would be Backbone maybe - cause I gotta push everyone to stay on track - but I think other members like Equipto - Td Camp - Julian - P Whaley played bigger roles in terms of providing space - ideas - contributions & work ethic. I learned a lot from them. Different members have played different key roles in the 20 to 30 yrs we have been doing this.

我在Bored Stiff團體中的角色就像是支柱一般，因為我總是督促著大家、讓大家目標一致。不過我認為其他成員們，像是Equipto、TD Camp、Julian、P Whaley等人，也都在創意發想、工作態度上都有相當大的貢獻。我從他們身上學到許多東西。從Bored Stiff成立至今這二、三十年，我們一直堅持著音樂的路。

3. What's your biggest inspiration? 人生最大的啟發、激勵是?

WM: I gotta say my kids - I love them so much - they inspire me all the time - also the love & support I get from my wife & fam. It keeps me motivated & happy! Also watching Equipto & Zman work these guys are incredible dudes! I'm not in there league I completely love there drive there dedication & there skill level. It gets me pumped to do the things I do!

我會說是我的孩子們，我非常愛他們，當然還有我的妻子和家人們。親人的力量激勵著我、也讓我感到快樂。此外，還有Equipto、Zman等人，跟著他們共事是非常不可思議的經驗。或許我還達不到他們的成就，但我非常欣賞他們的決心、毅力、還有技巧。看著他們，總是能督促著我向前、做自己想做的事。

4. I really love Bay Area hip hop. It's fascinating because hip hop is so diverse in the Bay, such as Digital Underground, Mac Dre, Hieroglyphics, E-40, Too Short, Bored Stiff....everyone has its sounds but all represents the Bay Area to the fullest.
In your opinion, why is Bay Area hip hop culture so unique compared to other cities?

我非常喜愛灣區的嘻哈音樂，它非常迷人，因為每個歌手都有獨特的風格、卻都足以代表灣區，就你的觀點，為什麼灣區的嘻哈文化會如此獨特?

WM: I think the Bay Area is a model of what the world could be! It's so diverse, it's so blended, people of all walks of life chilling - living - creating - and surviving together! We love the different people & the different thoughts - it allows us to be more open & free with our ideas! It's such a beautiful place to live & you can find better people anywhere in the world. We've grown up on love & hope & rebellion in these streets & its molded I think one of the best places in the world.

我想灣區就像是個世界的縮影，這個地方非常多元化，各個民族融合在一起，來自各地的人們在這裡chilling、生活、創作、也一起為了生存奮鬥。我們欣賞不同的人們帶來不同的思維，這種多元文化促使我們思想更加開放、也更加能接受新的點子。灣區實在是個美麗的地方！不論是居住、或是這裡的人們皆然，我們從這塊土地上成長茁壯，歷經著愛、希望、叛亂...等等，我認為這裡是世界上最棒的地方之一！

5. What were the early days like? Are there any fresh memories as growing up in the SF hip hop scene? 早年在舊金山的生活是如何的? 在舊金山嘻哈文化薰陶下成長有什麼新鮮有趣的回憶?

WM: I think growing up in the Lower Haight in the 80's & 90's was so dope - it was full of artist of all kinds - rock - punk - hip hop & reggae - it was a place we all could afford to live in & we all got along. I remember the black gate which was my house would have 50 cats on the steps smoking & bumping beats & free styling in the bus stop - all so in love with the culture of hip hop - young kids that didn't wanna be street kids - but wanted to just do music & have fun - a lot of the dopest Mcs you've never heard of & you've heard of were there. It was an inspiring beautiful time.

我來自舊金山的Lower Haight一帶，在這成長於80、90年代是非常棒的人生經歷，這裡總是充斥著各式各樣的音樂人 - 不論是搖滾、龐克、嘻哈、還是雷鬼。在這個地方每個人都相處愉快，日子也還過得去。我還記得我以前住的地方叫做"black gate"，當年時常門口聚集了五十幾個人，坐在階梯上抽著大麻、放著震耳欲聾的beats，站在巴士站前就直接開始即興饒舌。很多年輕人並不想涉入幫派，他們只是想玩玩音樂、找樂子而已，當時聚在一起的那群最屌MC們，有許多是你從來沒聽過、有些則是後來成名了。這真的是人生中最美麗的時光。

6. What is "Solidarity Records" all about? Solidarity Records just released the classic album "Explainin" in limited reissue vinyls. Will you reissue other classics, such as "Timeless", or any other future projects we can expect? 
目前你正在協助經營獨立廠牌Solidarity Records，這是什麼? 此外，今年Solidarity Records才重新發行了Bored Stiff的經典專輯"Explainin"，未來你們會重發更多專輯 - 例如"Timeless"或有什麼其他計畫嗎?

WM: Yes - Equipto wanted to restart Solidarity Records. He wanted to give artist around him a leg up, a starting point to be heard - also we had a lot of ideas we wanted to do - so we just started making things happen - everything we made off music & extras made off our work that didn't go to bills & family we would put into new projects. It's a struggle sometime but we keep pushing it & keep creating. It allows us to put out classics like Explainin! Yes we do plan on doing Timeless vinyl & alotta other hidden gems! We're blessed to have the catalog that we have right now - dope music & we're proud of it! 

Equipto希望我能繼續營運Solidarity Records，他想要藉由這個廠牌讓更多歌手有機會發聲，當然我們彼此也有很多點子、計畫，所以我們努力讓這一切實現，如果推出的音樂沒辦法養家糊口，我們就在繼續推出新作品。有時候這真的很辛苦，但我們還是堅持下去、持續創作，而我們也推出過不少經典作品像是"Explainin"！當然了，未來我們也有打算重新發行"Timeless"成黑膠唱片，以及其他更多的好音樂。我們很感激有這樣的成就，奮鬥至今推出了許多足以自豪的dope music！

Bored Stiff - The Soul

7. You released the "vegetable" series albums. What's the concept behind the albums? 幾年前你推出了"Vegetable"系列專輯，這背後的概念是什麼?

WM: Well I wanted to do a series of stories like a comic book kinda! Where you could follow a character threw his journeys. I've always been a fan of the tweeker rap kinda - head phone mainey beats ill rhymes & stories - some of the features fit those scenarios perfectly! I love Agentstrik9 - we always called him the Alien so it worked perfectly. And Z-man was the ferret ever since Mint Rock capped on him way back. Kinda built stories around that & it's been hella fun.

我想做一系列的故事，就像漫畫書一樣的概念。你可以藉由漫畫裡的角色來了解他的旅程。一直以來我很著迷於tweeker rap(吸毒後瘋狂饒舌)這種東西，結合了節奏、押韻、故事，一些特色很能夠結合到故事情節中。我很欣賞Agentstrik9，我們總是叫他外星人(Alien)、覺得這很適合他的角色，而Z-Man則是扮演ferret(鼬鼠)，大概就是圍繞在這樣的設定來寫出故事，這過程很有趣。

8. Among all of your albums, which one is your most satisfied work till now? and Why? 所有你發行過的專輯中，最滿意的是哪一張? 為什麼?

WM: I gotta say AS IS gave me that feeling that I put my heart & soul into a project completely! I loved how it turned out & it was alotta fun to make too! But all my projects have been dream come trues. Some of the artist I've been blessed to work with is crazy dope!

我最滿意的是個人專輯"AS IS"，因為我把我的心、靈魂、全心全意地投入在這張作品中。我很滿意最後的成品，而在創作的過程也是相當有趣! 但是不管怎樣，所有我發行的作品，都是夢想的實現，我也很感激在這過程中總是能跟許多優秀的歌手合作。

9. As a pioneer in the Bay Area hip hop, can you give some advice or suggestions to new upcoming rappers? 身為一個灣區嘻哈的先驅，能不能給予新人們一些建議?

WM: I think rappers today think about coming up or handling biz to quick - when bored stiff started we hated all that shit we just wanted to be with our friends & do music. I think find yourself find your sound - create & learn & have fun - if more comes from that - so be it.

我認為現在很多饒舌歌手一心只想要快速成名，回想當年，Bored Stiff才不管這些，我們只是想和好友們玩在一起、做著自己喜歡的音樂。我認為不管怎樣還是要先找到自己的定位、找到屬於自己的風格，然後再不斷創作、學習、並且從中得到樂趣，假如能從中得到更多東西、或是意外的酬勞，那就讓它去吧。 

10. Do you pay attention to any new hip hop artists? 現在有在注意新一代的嘻哈歌手嗎?

WM: I love Oddisee - & everything Mello Music group is putting out - there amazing! I love alotta dope cats like count bass d - Moka Only - Supastition - there's also young guys like dregs one & the people's tree & Dope city saints that keep me excited about new music.

我喜歡Oddisee，以及Mellow Music Group推出的任何作品，實在是太令人驚艷了！此外我也很喜愛Cound Bass D、Moka Only、Supastition，以及更年輕一點的歌手像是Dregs One、The People's Tree、Dope City Saints等等，我很期待能聽到這些新一輩的音樂。

11. Where can we follow your music? 

哪裡可以追蹤你的最新動態?

WM: You can hit me on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter - White Mic of Bored Stiff - Google me lol. I have a Tunecore account with iTunes - Spotify - Amazon - etc etc - also all my albums are on BandCamp  (White Mic的專輯很佛心的全部提供免費下載)

<DISCOGRAPHY>
2011 - The Neighborhood Visitor
2011 - White Mic & Z-Man - The Vegetable And The Ferret
2012 - Fightin Off Success
2012 - White Mic & Agentstriknine Present: The Vegetable & The Alien
2013 - White Mic & Grand V - Armchair Militia
2014 - AS IS
2014 - MUTUAL DAPS
2015 - Do It How You Wanna Do It
2015 - Equipto & White Mic - Phoenix Academy

除了Shout out to 台灣與WESTSIDE LOVE之外，White Mic也提到了他最近的幾張專輯，請大家多多支持啦！