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The Cee Rock Interview – Bring Da Yowzah

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22 May 2003 No Comment

Cee Rock aka The Fury recently released the fat “Bringing Da Yowzah” on Stellar Artist Records. The album was so hot that we had no choice but to interview him. We caught up with him in Europe. Check it.

What’s up Cee Rock, how is the weather in Europe these days?

Cloudy, patches of grey, windy, chilly…take your pick. The weather could be better. I ask myself, “What happened to summer”. I caught about 3 good picnic dayz that I can recall since I’ve been overseas this time around. SummerDoo, where are U?

You are originally from Queens NY right? Now that you are living in Europe these days is there anything you miss about the mighty US of A?

Queens, New York is correctamundo! I like to call it the ‘Q*Sector’. I am still livin’ in New York but I travel overseas on the regular, at least twice a year and I am gone for about 3 months on each trip.

Why do you live in Europe now?

I don’t live in Europe but I reside here when I’m handlin’ my biz. I travel back and forth from Sweden to Denmark on the regular. I am signed to management and a record label in Malmo, Sweden.

Bringing Da Yowzah is a damn good album, is this your first album you released?

Yeah, it is! Glad you’re feelin’ it, dawg! However, this is not my first time out the box. I’ve been featuring on records and collaborations for a hott minute now. Bringin’ Da’ Yowzah!!! will be my first big solo project. The official date release of the album will be late summer or early fall.

I think the best song on there is “Anderson Iz Nice”. Which tracks were you really pleased with?

I’m glad U liked that one. That’s one of my top 3 favorites on the album. I also love ‘Spitfyre‘, ‘Catchphrase‘ and ‘No One Has Yet…‘. To be frank, I love the entire album. I’ll let the listeners pick out their own favorites. I like it when catz argue about which song is the best. When I get around ten different people with ten different songs they feel is the best one, I get a good feelin’ inside because that means that all of the songs can carry its own weight and all of them are good strong songz.

Which is the track that you like performing live the most?

Anderson Iz Nice and all the rest of them.

So how did it all start? What influenced you to get involved with the hip hop movement?

I was born into the movement. I was moved by the movement and moved into the movement. Fake moverz better move from the movement or get removed from the movement. I grew up listening to Run-DMC, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force, The Treacherous Three, Funky Four Plus One More, Grandmaster Flash and veterans as such. They mapped out the blueprint so catz like us eat a little bit better. The movement still goes on even as we speak. I just hope it moves into a more positive direction.

When I listen to you rhyme, I can tell from my 3rd ear that you have many years under your belt, so do you battle often? If so were there any that stand out for you?

You can call me a ‘vet’. I’ve been in the trenches of this game and holdin’ it down like a soldier should. I’ve always been told that I have a unique way with wordz. A good education didn’t hurt either. Emceez today are droppin’ out of school these dayz at the 7th and 8th grade mark. Their minds are not fully developed yet so they limit themselves of knowledge which should have been obtained. If you analyze the average emcee you will notice that they have a very limited vocabulary and run out of subject matter very,very quickly. Their concepts and storylines become repititious, redundant, stale and downright wack. They choose not to expand their minds and this is why they will not excel to the next level of greatness.

So what would you say is the best thing that you experienced in this music business?

I enjoy the networking and meeting new people. I expand my connections that way. I still have a lot to learn, but then again, you never stop learning. I love to perform as well and get the people in a good vybe. When you get that ‘good job head-nod’ look from your peoplez, it’s a great feelin’. It sayz that you’re doin’ the right and you should enjoy and marinate in the moment.

Has there been anything that has shocked you in this business?

Yeah, Industry Rule #4080. There’s no gettin’ around it. There are snakes lurking in this grassy industry. Gotta learn to keep your eyez and earz open and try to make the best of a bad situation. The egos of some people also put a bad taste in my mouth. You got catz actin’ like they’re the Prince of Wales or something, go figure.

So how are things going in terms of your career?

It’s goin’ at a steady pace forward each day. I’ve come a long way and I want things to be correct. Sometimes it happens overnight for some people, other aren’t so fortunate. As long as we get from ‘Point A’ to ‘Point B’, that’s what counts. Progress is the key, and sure ’nuff, progress is being made.

Have you ever listened to South African hip hop?

Does ‘Kunta Kente‘ from ‘Roots’ count? Just buggin’. Sorry to say, I don’t know too much about the African scene of hip hop. I am hoping to go over there and perform and meet with other entertainers and collaborate so we can swap concepts and vybez. Africa is responsible for the tribal sound of hip hop so big*upz to Africa.

What places would you like to tour in and why?

Every other place that I haven’t been. I like to travel and move all of the time. I want to perform in cities and countries that I have not yet seen or been to, even the small villages that don’t have the luxary to see concerts and performances. 

So if somebody met you for the first time what would they think of you?

If you’re talkin’ about a woman, she would find me irresistable, interesting and mind-stimulatin’. If you’re talkin’ a fella, he would find me down to earth and a cool individual to hang around with. If you’re talkin’ about the kidz, they would possibly look to me as some sort of positive role model. If you’re talkin’ about the haterz, they’ll stone me to death the first chance they’ll get.

So what producers are you feeling right now?

DJ Erase! That’s my dawg fo’ reallie*realz! Others are DJ FarFar, Tim (Nasty) McKasty, Substance, DJ Scandales, Tricksta, Pez, Jynyfyr, Face, Coole High, Dyce and of course, myself.

And emcees?

3DA (myself, Tah Phrum Duh Bush & Coole High), Dyce, Crisis Center Productions, Wolftown Committee, J-Rock Da’ Lyrikill Terrah a.k.a. Black Jewelz, LoopTroop, Chino XL, Pharohe Monch, 50 Cent, Eminem and Talib Kweli.

What was the worst period for hip hop in your opinion?

It is always a worse period when you have talented emceez gettin’ murdered over hip hop. The role playin’ has gotten outta hand. If you rhyme a certain way you have to live the part and act out your lyrics and it becomes your peer-pressured obligation. If you’re a gangsta rapper, you must kill. If you a sexually explicit rapper, you must disrespect women. This is rediculous when you think about it. Al Pacino didn’t have to kill anyone in real life to be respect for his gangsta character in ‘Scarface’. Robert Englund didn’t have to crawl into someone’s dreams and murder them to get true credibility as ‘Freddy Krueger’. Christopher Reeve didn’t have to jump tall buildings in a single bound to be visualized as ‘Superman’. It’s all role playin’! Even if it is real, there’s still some type of role playin’ goin’ on to a certain extent. Hip Hop is like a movie and we all have a cameo appearence in it. Some die off fast and some get more screen time. People better recognize otherwise there won’t be any characters left to be seen or heard.

Can you tell us what you know about South Africa?

Like Chris Rock said, “…..all I know is that it’s far….” Social studies wasn’t my best course in school. I was a math wiz, though. I’ve been invited to go to Africa by some of my friends in Scandinavia. One of these days I will go and see it for myself. I hear it’s beautiful in some parts.

Describe to us what a Cee Rock show is like?

Unpredictable. I rarely do a same show twice, kinda like a ‘snowflake’ performance. I usually just wing it, so to speak. Usually, I improv and rock over my instrumental cd along with a deejay, get the crowd involved by gettin’ them in the ‘simon sez’ mode and freestyle between songz. I like to interact with the crowd, that way the audience can feel like they are part of something and not just watchin’ something. It is not only my show but their show as well.

Do you have singles available on vinyl and if so which ones?

First single of the album is coming shortly, so is the album. I do have a single project coming out under Cookin’ / Good Lookin’ Records in London. I am also collaboring with DJ Noize, LTJ Bukem, M.C. Conrad, Wolftown Recordings and others. I am current featured on Cadence’s album entitled ‘Cadence Poisons The Minds Of The Children’ on Day By Day Ent (www.daybydayent.com) on a song entitled ‘In The Pocket’ which is getting great reviews. I also am featured on a compilation album in Barcelona, Spain which will soon spread to the U.K. and I will be featuring on some projects in Germany as well. More to come so don’t turn dat dial!

What collaborations/guest appearances have you done so far?

I’ve collaborated with Tah Phrum Duh Bush, Coole High, Cadence, LTJ Bukem, Native Sonz, Maylay Sparks a.k.a. Rasheed, Late of Wolftown Committee and a few others.

If you could choose any artist/s which ones would you choose for a collaboration?

Rakim, Stevie Wonder, Pharoahe Monch, Common, Chubb Rock, Slick Rick, Chuck D, Public Enemy, Musiq Soulchild, Mary J. Blige, The Neptunes, GangStarr, Queen Latifah, Redman and A Tribe Called Quest.

What does Cee Rock like to eat and drink?

FOOD!!! I like stuff like macaroni & cheese, fried chicken, seafood, collard greens. Hit me with the soul-food and I’m yours for the evening. Vegetables and fruits are good too and a diet soda.

Let me give you respect again for bringing out a hella dope album, when is the next one coming out? What can you tell us about it?

I appreciate the compliment, my main manizzle. I’m glad you’re feelin’ it! That just shows me that I’m doin’ my thing and I’m doin’ it well. I wanna big up AfricasGateway.com for holdin’ it down and hittin’ me with the “yowzah*styled” interview. I hope everyone gets a chance to peep my album entitled ‘Bringin’ Da’ Yowzah!!!’ comin’ out on !Handzup / Turmic Records. Website is www.stellarartist.com and my name, of course, is Cee-Rock “The Fury”, remember it!

Have you done any videos yet?

I’ve done some videos in the past but they were low budget compared to the videos you see nowadayz. I was in Nas’ video ‘Hate Me Now’ featuring P.Diddy (Puff Daddy at the time). I may be shootin’ a video in another month or so in Scandinavia. I’ll keep you posted.

If it wasn’t for hip hop what would you be doing?

Pickin’ my nose or somethin’. I can’t say for sure. I would hope that it would be musically oriented in some sort of way. Muzik is a part of me. Cut me and watch me bleed a lyric or a melody. This is what I do, this is what I want to do so I will work hard to keep it and maintain for the long haul.

Your all time favourite hip hop albums?

Me and my man Maylay Sparks was just talkin’ about this topic the other day. I have a list of 20 of my favorite artists (not in any particular order) and here they are:

a) A Tribe Called Quest — The Low End Theory (and just about every other album)
b) Slick Rick — The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
c) Eric B & Rakim — Follow The Leader & Paid In Full
d) Public Ememy — It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back & Fear Of A Black Planet
e)Mobb Deep — Infamous
f)Ultramagnetic M.C’s — Critical Beatdown
g)Tim Dog — Penicillin On Wax
h)Super Lover Cee & Cassanova Rud — Girls, I Got ‘Em Locked
i)GangStarr — Hard To Earn & Daily Operation
j)Run-D.M.C. — Tougher Than Leather & Raising Hell
k)Jeru The Damaja — The Sun Rises In The East
l)The D.O.C. — The Formula
j)Dr. Dre — The Chronic
m)X-Clan — To The East Blackwards
o)EPMD — Strictly Business
p)LL Cool J — Bigger And Deffer & Mama Said Knock You Out
q)Brand Nubian — One For All
r)Main Source — Breakin’ Atoms
s)Ice Cube — AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted
t)Wu-Tang Clan — Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Where would you like to see yourself 5 years from now?

Alive and healthy with a good steady income coming from live performances and royalties of a gold or platinum single / album. I would like to be remembered as one of the most recognizable emceez holdin’ it down in the industry and one of the most respected. I also see myself in a little hut in Hawaii cuttin’ a rug with a hula-hula chick named Bambi-Wakka-LuLu.

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, do you have any last words or shout outs?

Shoutoutz go to all of my fanz and all those who support Cee-Rock “The Fury” and real hip hop. Shoutoutz also go to the entire ANDERSON family tree, Stellar Artist Management, McKinley Ruffin and family, Anita Aina Anderson, ReddOktoba Productions, 3DA, Squadron Supreme, DJ Noize, DJ Erase, DJ FarFar, DJ Reza, !Handzup! / Turmic Records, Wolftown Recordings, Dyce, Crisis Center Productions, CyphaDawgz, Tim Nasty McKasty, Substance, Queenie Karina Skoog, Linden Boulevard & Da’ Linden Boulevarderz, Jam Master Jay and his family (RIP), New York City, Queens, AfricasGateway.com and every breathin’ soul that deserves one. Cop the album because it would be your lost if you sleep on this. “The Fury” has spoken!

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