Who is Lodeck? Dream Dentistry is the name of the album (with the EP “Bash It” being released before that) and our man Rush, after having listened to the album quickly got in touch with him to find out exactly who this Brooklynite is.  Check it out.

Who is LoDeck? What’s the molecules needed to be LoDeck?

Molecules? What the fuck? Ya tryin to clone me?

“Rappers are all rich Aesop Rock is a rich bastard!” – uttered by LoDeck on the intro to his new realease. Deck, u tight, tell me about your history, where you evolved from, what got you into this shit and when is your next planned trip to the dentist?

I was born in 79. Crossed the ocean in 91. Learned English by 92. Started spittin around the same time. A kid in my junior high was a mixtape DJ and he gave me an ill mix, back when all the sheep were bumping Snow. I’ve always been a writer so rhyming was just a social way of showing off my writing style. I never looked back. Dentist trip next week, so I can get that so fresh so clean feeling.

Do you feel hip hop is being downgraded or upgraded by cats like you who decides to become more obscure than myself?

Obscurity is just a tiny element of most of my writing. The most important shit, flow and skills must remain in tact otherwise hiphop sounds like shit or gets boring. I don’t think it’s about upgrading or downgrading, it’s about finding new ways to flip cause who’s gonna innovate? Master P? As an MC, to hear a verse that’s full of cliches is really annoying. Same with hearing some obscure shit that doesn’t flow with the beat. All of this makes you go “Shut the fuck up”.

This album just came out right? Cats from France be ranting about your shit and told me to hit you up. How long have you been working on this release and what do you feel is the highlight of this piece of art?

Dream Dentistry was going to be the title of my first solo album. I decided that shit around 1998. Three years later I began writing shit that eventually made the CD. “Dream Dentistry” and “Watchtower” are the oldest joints on this album. They’re from 2001. I dropped my EP “Bash IT” before my album, but I already had the album in the works.

Recording the rest of the tracks was done in about a 4 month’s span. The longest part was waiting for artwork and waiting for the factory to press the CDs. Shit dropped in July 2003.

How does a day of writing recitals go cos you seem to have these lines that just keeps you excited?

That’s how I approach the mic. I write quick for the most part, right in the studio, especially if it’s a posse cut or something. Some tracks take a while cause I leave and come back to them. The verse for “Cynical Bastards” took about 3 minutes. “Hyperventilation” was another fast joint. That’s the style. Drop your thoughts and rip the beat.

“JOHNNY23 just bought a fucking couch”. Who the fuck is JOHNNY23? And how many releases out on the label?

jOHNNY23 is a crew. People I get colorful with, MCs, musicians, goons, pieces of shit. It’s a wide spectrum. We put out a compilation back in 2000, “Old Trolls New Bridge”. Another one in 2002 “Fear and Loathing in Reality” We dropped JAKPROGRESSO’s “Melodies for Children” that’s sold out right now. Now that we got a couch, we can finally live that luxurious hiphop lifestyle P Diddy be dreamin about. 

Ok its not easy to get your shit out here what do you feel you can do as a underground artist to get ya shit known out in countries where you never thought they will dig your shit?

I know the world is a big place, but I don’t consider myself just a Brooklyn MC. There is more than just New York shit in my music. If our label gets good distribution that will help me as an artist, other than that, the internet is where we slang our shit. We got support from over 30 countries, all continents which makes me very happy. I get to speak my mind and connect with others on a very unique level.

Mixtapes have always been a means to get ya shit heard out there on the streets how would you feel about pushing something like that, say I do some mixtapes and just pass it along do you feel as an artist you would rather limit your shit or push it on mass scale?

I can’t control what you do once you have my CD. You can drop some joints on a mix, I know I do that shit with other music. I make mix tapes and bump them, in fact Im probably gonna sell some mix CDs that I’ve made. Mix tapes are a dope way to spread the word and Im honored every time someone drops my track in the mix. I don’t see a point of limiting myself right now. Maybe when I get sick of all ya mofuckas I’ll just be like “Nah, can’t release my shit.” But “Dream Dentistry” was made for everyone to hear.

Ok lets talk about production you worked with inhouse producer Chum Chopz and Blockhead (who also produced for Aesop rock’s Bazooka Tooth album) appears on a few tracks aswel, what is it that you looking for in a producer?

“Dream Dentistry” had 4 producers on it. Big Deep did 2 joints and Phreaq did the interludes.

Phrieq got some banging original shit. He’s doing a lot of mixing and producing for jOHNNY23. Chum did most of the beats. We worked together way back, before he was down with Demigodz and we had sessions with jOHNNY23 MCs at his studio all the time. Blockhead has very dope beats and we’re going to record more shit together. Ebbineeza is another producer I’m fuckin with because he brings some raw sounds out. When I look for production, I want to hear some raw shit with lots of change ups, cause regular loop-break-change-up-drums-for-the hook-back-to-the-loop structure is boring as fuck.

What you got lined up for the near future and whats the plans with J23 Records?

I got my next album in the works. What I really wanna do is tour. Working with a lot of sick MCs and producers. No doubt! jOHNNY23 Records are dropping a collection of JAKPROGRESSO’s work, because that mofucka needs to be heard more. Paramount’s album “Storage” is almost done. Got some special guests on it, including myself. A lot of producers from “Dream Dentistry” are on it, but a very different vibe. Shit is proper. 

Thanks for your time and effort if people wanna check ya shit out where can they go and what would you advise cats to do to get hold of your album?

CHeck out jOHNNY23.com and hit us up. We have video and audio exclusives for sure. If you can’t order online, we’ll work something out. Get on our message boards and stay interactive. If you want to get at me directly, peep www.LoDeck.com. Spread the virus. Check the album to know what that means.

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