There are some great talent in the underground that always get overlooked for the not so skilled emcee who makes cookie cutter hip hop with no substance. The world is truly a stage of illusion as the corporate giants will have you believe a certain artist is the best thing since slice bread due to a one hit jingle. However, artists such as Los Angeles emcee Malkovich doesn't follow the trends and makes his own path by being true to himself and providing his fans that raw hip hop we all enjoy. Solovibes kicks it with the man known as Malkvoich Music as he discusses his album "Great Expectations", his decision to move to Namibia, the rap industry, Syria and more.
Sincere:
First off, I would like to
say I am a big fan of your music. What
made you decide to get involved with hip-hop and who are your musical
influences?
Malkovich: L.A made me rap. I moved there in 1992 when I was 13. I've always been a writer which is partly why I named the new album "Great Expectations", because I feel my lyrical approach was more an author's than a rapper's, more of an attempt to sum up and make sense of timeless human issues. But as a kid I loved music and I didn't know how I'd be able to get involved until I found rap. Rap solved that problem. The first rap albums I fell in love with were Ice Cube's "Death Certificate" and Ice-T's "O.G." and they're probably my biggest rap influences. Their force, honesty, willingness to be wrong, their vision, production, the mood the beats sustained... Wu-Tang was also colossal for me, the world will never see anything like them again. Nas, Death Row, Freestyle Fellowship, The Pharcyde....
Sincere: Your album "Great Expectations" is receiving a lot of positive reviews from the blogs and your fans. Are you happy with the response you have received so far?
Malkovich: No. It's made me new fans and I'm grateful for all the love, but I think it should be getting way more. It's a crying shame. I'll keep the hating to a minimum, except to say I think one can listen to "Great Expectations" - what I choose to talk and not talk about - and deduce how frivolous I consider my competition's music. But I understand why it's being overlooked. In this game you need a strong team to succeed. Organization and dedication trumps talent every day, especially in the rap game. That's why you see so many wack rappers succeeding and dope ones failing. I don't have a team. And "Great Expectations" is an album of uncomfortable truths. People don't want to hear that life is a lie, that none of us are making the most of these gifts we've been given. Most people prefer music that feeds their fantasies.
Sincere: Great Expectations has a great hip hop feel. Although it has ten different producers, it still kept the consistency. How come you choose to work with a whole group of producers for the album instead of working with either one producer or have a limited amount of producers throughout the album?
Malkovich: I felt those songs told the story of my last couple of years together well. I've always worked with many producers; I'm picky with beats, so I kind of have to. There are too many dope beats in this world for me to deal with anything less than amazing. A beat is like a suit and I wear only the best. Picking beats is an art. A beat might be dope but that doesn't mean it suits your voice or your style. The art of executive production - turning a bunch of dope songs into a cohesive hour is another - and I enjoy it. My approach to that is part of what makes Malkovich Music unique. Releasing an album with a bunch of producers was business as usual for me.
Sincere: The first time I've heard of the track "Bedbugs" was on the DJ Premier show and that joint really got me checking for your music. How does it feel to have a legend like DJ Premier spinning your single "Bedbugs?
Malkovich: It feels good. It lets me know that I'm not dreaming when I say this album deserves way more attention than it's getting. It lets me know that all the days I spent re-writing and re-recording verses and having Yamin and Quickie Mart re-engineer and remaster each track and beef up all the sounds were for something. I have no idea how Preemo got his hands on the record. But when he plays your stuff it doesn't just mean you have a good song. It means it sounds like a rap song is supposed to sound; the mix, the bump, the energy. Preemo plays a lot of new music on all of his shows so I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't even remember my name, but for a guy who basically devoting his life to this for nothing more than the love of the art, it meant a lot.
Sincere: Recently, you have released your new video titled "Through The Trees" which was directed by Hashim Thomas. It's a great posse cut with no hook, straight lyrics, and it's just pure hip hop. How did you hook up with Hashim and what was your vision for "Through The Trees"?
Malkovich: I've known Hashim since high school, I go way back with most of my collaborators, especially the "Through The Trees" crew. That song is a good snapshot of who we are and what we do. Hashim also shot "Iran So Far Away" and "Lies". We shoot the videos ourselves; no crew, no makeup, no storyboarding. Just a strong idea, an open mind, a couple of friends, and the willingness to get it done. I normally come to him with a song and an idea, and he'll help me get it on the ground and on camera. Hashim's an integral part of Malkovich Music, we always make magic.
Sincere: Being an independent artist has its pros and cons. Has the thought come across your mind in signing with a major label?
Malkovich: No I'm realistic. Major labels want nothing to do with an artist like me; I don't have enough fans to interest them, and I don't listen to strangers regarding my music. I've been doing this for the better part of 20 years. My music isn't for everyone, but I know what I'm trying to do and I'm doing it. Nothing's an accident. You either give me a budget and a team and you let me do my thing and promote the music or we have nothing. So knowing labels, chances are we have nothing. If there's one thing this flood of crappy rap has taught us, it's that anything can be sold if it's marketed well. But most traditional labels are incapable of promoting music even as well as a handful of connected kids with the right twitter followers. I'd rather have no team than the wrong team.
Sincere: In your song Storm Chaser, you have mentioned Khomeni and Qaddafi. I remember in 1986 when Ronald Reagan almost bombed the elementary school you had went to. However, the bombing killed Qaddafi's daughter. Do you remember what it was like living in Libya during that time?
Malkovich: Yeah, I was young, but I knew we were front seat for a world event. Just like I knew in Iran and New Orleans and all the other situations I mention in "Storm Chaser". Iran was on the cover of Time Magazine the week I was born and has been in almost every newspaper I've ever picked up. The struggle between East and West has changed my life's course, and most of ours, whether we know it or not. 9/11 will probably be the most pivotal world event in our lives, but it was a long time coming.
Sincere: In your bio, you gave your home and possessions to travel abroad. You are now living in Namibia. What made you decide to move to Africa?
Malkovich: I met a Namibian producer named Becoming Phill on twitter. I recorded songs to three of his beats - "Bedbugs", "Waiting For You" and "What I Know" (click here to watch the "What I Know" video) and all those songs ended up on "Great Expectations". I had always wanted to explore Africa and coming to build with Phill seemed like the perfect way to get started, so I flew to Windhoek and moved into his spare room. Rappers have done America and Europe to death. I'm not interested in beating the same old path. You find them performing shows all the time in the same cities, these rappers who stopped trying to outdo themselves years ago, now just catering to college kids who don't know any better and jaded listeners who secretly gave up on rap once they figured they looked too old. Africa needs real hip hop just like America used to, and I'm just the guy to do it. Africa's my future.
Sincere: In your song Storm Chaser, you have mentioned Khomeni and Qaddafi. I remember in 1986 when Ronald Reagan almost bombed the elementary school you had went to. However, the bombing killed Qaddafi's daughter. Do you remember what it was like living in Libya during that time?
Malkovich: Yeah, I was young, but I knew we were front seat for a world event. Just like I knew in Iran and New Orleans and all the other situations I mention in "Storm Chaser". Iran was on the cover of Time Magazine the week I was born and has been in almost every newspaper I've ever picked up. The struggle between East and West has changed my life's course, and most of ours, whether we know it or not. 9/11 will probably be the most pivotal world event in our lives, but it was a long time coming.
Sincere: In your bio, you gave your home and possessions to travel abroad. You are now living in Namibia. What made you decide to move to Africa?
Malkovich: I met a Namibian producer named Becoming Phill on twitter. I recorded songs to three of his beats - "Bedbugs", "Waiting For You" and "What I Know" (click here to watch the "What I Know" video) and all those songs ended up on "Great Expectations". I had always wanted to explore Africa and coming to build with Phill seemed like the perfect way to get started, so I flew to Windhoek and moved into his spare room. Rappers have done America and Europe to death. I'm not interested in beating the same old path. You find them performing shows all the time in the same cities, these rappers who stopped trying to outdo themselves years ago, now just catering to college kids who don't know any better and jaded listeners who secretly gave up on rap once they figured they looked too old. Africa needs real hip hop just like America used to, and I'm just the guy to do it. Africa's my future.
Sincere: How is the music scene in Namibia? Have you connected with some talented musicians out there?
Malkovich: The Windhoek art scene is in exciting phase. Artists are hungry to prove and the people can't get enough. Windhoek artists don't care what the rest of the world is doing, which is why I love it there. Black Vulcanite is the biggest thing on the real rap scene out there and we're recording heavy together.
Sincere: The situation in Syria is getting really serious which may lead to WW3. A lot of Americans don't want to risk their loved ones for another war especially when we have our own issues we need to address at home. Do you think the U.S. should intervene in Syria?
Malkovich: I don't know. I'm not too clued in on the situation, so I can't comment much. I was in Syria when I was a kid, it's a beautiful country. Iran's new president seems to be relatively reasonable, which is good, since Iran's response to U.S strikes against Syria is one big worry for everyone. People are quick to mention that the U.S. invaded Iraq for no good reason but the millions of Syrian refugees flooding neighboring countries aren't an illusion. The burned kids and crying fathers I see on CNN aren't a result of Hollywood magic. Bad things are happening in Syria, and even if the U.S is guilty of the same and guilty of ignoring other countries. I don't think two wrongs or even five or ten make a right. At some point, someone has to take the moral ground and say "I'm right and you're wrong and I'm going to do something about it." We live in a world where force is respected, so for better or worse, that's the game we must play.
Sincere: What is the meaning of success to you and how do you apply it in the music industry?
Malkovich: I think success can take many forms, but ultimately true success as a musician is becoming world famous, making history, making money, and deep down any artist who doesn't hit those marks can never say he or she's a success without feeling a bit disingenuous.
Sincere: If you had the opportunity to work with one of your favorite artists or producers who would it be?
Malkovich: I need an entire album of beats from Roc Marciano. I need the Ethopian composer Mulatu Astatqe and Cesaria Evora's band to come up with something for me. Everything else would just be icing.
Sincere: What advice would you give an artist who wants to get into the business?
Malkovich: My advice to them would be not to take my advice. Talk to someone popular.
Sincere: Outside of music, what is a regular day like for Malkovich?
Malkovich: Wake up, drink lots of water, find Wi-Fi, work like hell, then find a drink. There haven't been many normal days since I gave up my apartment. I started answering your questions on my blackberry in London and I'm now wrapping up in a plane over Greece.
Sincere: Thanks for taking the time out to conduct this interview with me. Do you have any final thoughts and how can your fans reach out to you?
Malkovich: Download all my music free at http://malkovichmusic.bandcamp.com. Follow me at http://twitter.com/malkovichmusic. Learn me about me at http://malkovichmusic.com. Watch my videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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