ou probably know Jeru from one of the greatest
hip-hop tracks ever written, Come Clean, back in the 90’s. But did you know he’s still writing, releasing albums and touring in 2015? A guy from Brooklyn who likes to fight with the pen not the AK47, he’s a masterful lyric writer and responsible for some of the catchiest beats ever known. He’s a true master; you can check his credentials. I spoke to the man himself about his musical history and working with a sweet selection of European hip-hop heads.
26 / November 2015/
outlineonline.co.uk
You grew up in Brooklyn. What was the scene like there while you were young? I’m 44, so when I was growing up it wasn’t a scene so much as people like Madonna, and everything that was going on at the time in the 70’s and 80’s. Tere wasn’t the technology that we have today so the music of the scene was just the music of the day, so I grew up listening to all types of different things. But life was fun; we played in the street and things like that. Hip-hop didn’t come around until I was about eleven, but there was always a lot of good music around before that. Were you intending on making a career in music when you were in your teens or was there something else you also thought of doing? I intended on making a career in music since I was eight years old. I remember once my mother was like “Clean up!” or something, and I said “Alright, but when I’m big I’ll get rich and famous so somebody can do it for me!” I always had some idea of what I wanted to do. Tere are millions of people who say that and then they never make it. How did you develop your own unique musical and rapping style? When you first do something you imitate, that’s part of how you learn to walk and talk and everything, but then you start to walk your own certain way and talk your own certain way. It took years, and I’m still developing my style, and more ways to say what I want to say. I was inspired by loads of different people like Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, KRS One, Slick Rick…I mean, everybody. Tat’s the thing, finding my own style was really the hardest part of it because when I grew up, you didn’t want to sound like anybody else, it was a cardinal sin. It’s what makes hip hop so unique, because everything always had to be fresh. If you said “Tis record was a hit so let’s just do a record that sounds like that’, nobody wanted to be your friend.
the world as Te Emperor of the
tightening my grip on
“I’m Universe!”
INFORMATION Jeru the Damaja plays at Norwich Arts Centre with support from Norwich’s own Music Lessons on 30th November. Tickets available from
ueaticketbookings.co.uk. Read the full interview at
outlineonline.co.uk
You’ve always been quite outspoken about the hip-hop industry and the scene in general. How do you think things are looking in 2015? I’m beyond that stage now; I was a child when I was saying those things. I wasn’t lying, but there’s so many more important things and you can’t cry about that situation; you change it, you accept it or you remove yourself from it. I’m not trying to take away what’s hip these days with the kids. It’s for them, not for me. So why cry about what they like? But I’m getting ready to make an album that is meant for us, that’s meant for everybody. You’ve also worked with Chinese Man, a French group, Roots Manuva from England and DJ Honda from Japan. Do you think the emphasis on hip-hop coming out of the US is shifting towards the rest of the world more these days? It’s always been that way. I’ve been travelling the world for 20 years and it’s just that in America we get very used to things. So hip hop is moving and changing but America produces hip hop like a factory, but a factory isn’t always in use. But from working with those groups I can introduce them to America and, of course, it’s tightening my grip on the world as Te Emperor of the Universe, because I’ve decided to be Te Emperor of the Universe and be everywhere! What can we expect from your show here in Norwich in November? All my shows are fun! I’m here to have fun, and I’m here to give the crowd an experience they’ll enjoy. I think people who know my records think I’m going to be dead serious but I’m actually a very funny person, I like to crack a lot of jokes and have a good time and I want that to come across at my shows. A few people might get offended sometimes but other than that it’s no stress. All you’ve got to do is come with a seatbelt; it’ll be a crazy ride.
Lizz Page
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