| “Life is a blast when ya know whatcha doin’” A conversation with Del
-by Numerous
Del the Funky Homosapien is an essential addition to any true hip hop lover’s album collection. Del is one of the most intelligent rappers that I have ever heard grace the microphone; his ability to communicate is within a league of its own. It was quite the honor to crack into his cranium and see what keeps this Hieroglyphics member ticking.
Numerous: To start off, tell me something that most people probably don’t know about you.
Del: I’m studious. I stay engrossed in music pretty much. I’m usually constructing a composition in my mind. When I’m not doing that, I’m on the computer snooping around. That’s what I mainly do.
Most people think that a rapper’s life is so amazing and shit, glamorous like hella parties and bitches all the time. It ain’t like that with me.
Numerous: When and how did you originally find your inspiration to cultivate abstract feelings and expressions into the tangible art-form of music?
Del: First or second grade I started writing Haikus (simplistic Japanese poems). I started off with that. I was always good with language; I was a gifted student. Once I started hearing people rap it just stuck with me cuz I already liked poetry. Once I heard that I was like “Ok, This is what I wanna do.” The subject matter fit who I was. They was rappin’ bout shit in the street, I never heard no shit like that. That’s pretty much how I started. Expressing myself…I still work on that everyday.
Numerous: When I first heard you I was inspired because I had never heard hip hop that made me use my brain as much as your music. Do you ever feel like you help inspire others to take hip hop to a higher level?
Del: I’ve been told that. I don’t focus on it too much; I just try to stay down to earth. I just take it with a grain of salt. That’s cool though. The people I grew up listening to definitely was an influence on me, so I guess it’s only right that it be the same way with me. The people I listened to, they made me think like “Oh that’s the way it’s supposed to be done, that’s how you’re supposed to rap, these other fools are just lame.”
Jake: Yeah that’s those are the same thoughts I had listening to Hieroglyphics for the first time, especially you and Opio…
Del: I was just kickin’ it with Opio. He just recorded an album with Architect actually, and he’s recording another one right now. My album “11th Hour” is about to come out.
Numerous: What album or project would you say is your favorite to date?
Del: Probably this one, “11th Hour.” Either that or my first album. I feel like that one was damn near perfect. I said what I needed to say and I liked all the beats on it, I got to work with George Clinton on it, DJ Pooh was producing, Ice Cube was there, it was crazy. I’d be sitting at the hotel writing songs, I’d see Pooh and he’d have something the next day.
Numerous: From what you see, where would you say hip hop in general is at right now?
Del: I think it’s progressing, but…I also think it’s a multi-million dollar industry and a lot of people are trying to get over basically. Some people see a loophole in something and try to mooch. I think rappers are still progressing though. I think the average person gave up on hip hop a long fucking time ago.
Numerous: I think people are starting to wake up in general. It seems like people are sick of hearing the candy coated bullshit on the radio…
Del: Yeah, they been sick of that. Like I said earlier, some artists think we’re sheep who will follow anything…now people are starting to talk back with their dollar.
Numerous: Right now people can download that shit anyways…
Del: Right, 50 cent and Kanye’s new album is probably sitting on a bunch of computers already, and that ain’t even out yet (it wasn’t at the time of the interview). You know kids are gonna do that. They ain’t got money anyways.
Numerous: So what you got in the way of tour plans for the near future?
Del: I’m starting on the 21st of September “The 11th Hour Tour.” A Plus will be with me, Bukue One will be with me, Devin the Dude will be there too. That’ll be tight. Serendipity Project is gonna be rolling with us too. They’re hella tight.
Numerous: You down for some word association?
Del: Alright…
Hip Hop – Me
Music – Me
Life – Me
Success – Me
The future – Can’t tell that one, that one’s hard.
Wisdom – Knowledge
Ha, that’ my next word Knowledge – Wisdom
Numerous: If you had to pick one word to describe yourself what would it?
Del: Analytical
To hear the full extended version of the interview and a freestyle, visit:
Myspace.com/YourMusicMagazine
Myspace.com/SoulScienceRecords |
