Post by Adam B on Jul 19, 2005 10:14:01 GMT -5
Jeru The Damaja Interview
by Adam Bernard
Jeru The Damaja is back. In reality he never left, but some people seem to forget about MC's who don't show up on their TV screen everyday. If you forgot about Jeru ya playin yourself! He's got a new album out and he's still in the mood to drop knowledge on all things Hip-Hop. Recently Jeru sat down with ReactMag and spoke about his new album, why he feels rappers have a responsibility to the community, and what he means when he talks about his personal circumference.
Adam Bernard: First off, what have you been up to?
Jeru The Damaja: Just workin hard tryin to hustle this record, Divine Design, I'm tryin to get a project together with me and Lil' Dap from the Group Home. Keepin Hip-Hop alive.
AB: What can listeners expect from the new record?
JD: Just really Hip-Hop, nothin more nothin less. It's not the same old thing, I'm tryin to do different things, tryin to get creative but still responsible at the same time.
AB: What do you mean when you say "be responsible?"
JD: I try to push the limits and do new things but at the same time be aware that people are influenced by things we say as artists, so I feel we need to have a certain sense of responsibility and try not to influence, especially the youth, in a negative manner.
AB: Do you think responsibility is something that's been lost?
JD: I think everybody is pretty much out for themselves and you can't blame them it is a dog eat dog world. Certain times I might adapt to that philosophy but as of now I'm the one who's feelin my responsibility.
AB: In an industry that rewards the regular and disregards the original, what keeps you motivated to keep making new records?
JD: I love it. I love Hip-Hop, I love the idea of creating something from nothing. I love being different. I'm from that era when being different was the norm.
AB: What do you think of the current state of Hip-Hop?
JD: I think it's good, it's going through a lot of different changes but all of those changes are to facilitate growth. Even as human beings we go through changes until we die but those changes teach you things and help you to find out who they are. It changes for what it needs to be made into. I hope Hip-Hop becomes the true voice of the youth and a teaching tool that we use to fashion our lives in a positive way because it so powerful.
AB: To take it back to one of your earlier songs, how many people out there are playin themselves?
JD: 99.9%, nah I mean maybe about 80%. Really less than that because everybody's frontin right now, it's all about what you have and how fat this girls ass is. I try to keep it in a small circumference, my circumference around Jeru is real small I try not to watch too much that's goin on outside, but it's easy anyone can get caught up.
AB: So what exactly is in your "circumference?"
JD: Just my place, you have evil along with good, you have starving children along with people being rescued, you have people being murdered along with people hitting the lotto. That's just the balance of life, you're gonna have positive and you're gonna have negative so I'd drive myself crazy if I said I didn't want the negative around me cuz it's constantly going to be there.
AB: What can be done to bring some individuality back to the music?
JD: Jeru the Damaja <laughs>. First the tide has to change, as far as when I was growing up writing was the cardinal thing. First people have to want to be themselves.
AB: What do you love most about Hip-Hop?
JD: Everything, even the bullsh*t.
AB: It's an election year, if Jeru became president what would your first order of business be?
JD: Aw man sh*t'd change, first of all I'd pass a law in congress that 80% of the videos you see on MTV would have to be positive, cuz you know in certain countries they have laws that a certain percentage of music has to be French, or a certain percentage of music has to be Canadian, I would make it so a certain percentage would to be positive. Another thing that would happen is I would take some of this money from rap and start giving it back to the people as far as community centers and after school programs and teach kids to be something other than just rappers or athletes. I'd probably get assassinated in the first week or two.
AB: Giving back is important to you, why don't you think we see more artists giving back to their communities?
JD: It's selfish. That's what we're dealing with today in society, it's selfishness, nobody cares about the future as long as I'm good.
AB: What should people know about you that they may not know already?
JD: I'm really a nice guy, I have a great sense of humor, I'm not just anti-everything I'm just lovin Hip-Hop and enjoyin life and tryin to be the best at what I want to be and at times I can make comments that may be harsh but they're not to hurt or ostracize any individual it's just my sense of responsibility, I get carried away with sometimes. A lotta people think I like controversy but that's not it, I have a sense of purpose. I'm tryin to be responsible. Everything that feels good is not good for you and everything that's good for you doesn't feel good.
AB: What can fans expect when they go to a Jeru show?
JD: I'm not a backstage kinda guy, if anyone comes to a Jeru show they know that I'm hangin out in the audience. I might be selling my T-shirts or CDs, but I love it, I always did it, from day one till now. I love to hang out with the fans, I love to be able to give guys and autograph cuz they come to see me so see me, so I could be a billionaire and I'd still be selling T-shirts, CDs and signing autographs. I'm of the people.
www.thedamaja.com
by Adam Bernard
Jeru The Damaja is back. In reality he never left, but some people seem to forget about MC's who don't show up on their TV screen everyday. If you forgot about Jeru ya playin yourself! He's got a new album out and he's still in the mood to drop knowledge on all things Hip-Hop. Recently Jeru sat down with ReactMag and spoke about his new album, why he feels rappers have a responsibility to the community, and what he means when he talks about his personal circumference.
Adam Bernard: First off, what have you been up to?
Jeru The Damaja: Just workin hard tryin to hustle this record, Divine Design, I'm tryin to get a project together with me and Lil' Dap from the Group Home. Keepin Hip-Hop alive.
AB: What can listeners expect from the new record?
JD: Just really Hip-Hop, nothin more nothin less. It's not the same old thing, I'm tryin to do different things, tryin to get creative but still responsible at the same time.
AB: What do you mean when you say "be responsible?"
JD: I try to push the limits and do new things but at the same time be aware that people are influenced by things we say as artists, so I feel we need to have a certain sense of responsibility and try not to influence, especially the youth, in a negative manner.
AB: Do you think responsibility is something that's been lost?
JD: I think everybody is pretty much out for themselves and you can't blame them it is a dog eat dog world. Certain times I might adapt to that philosophy but as of now I'm the one who's feelin my responsibility.
AB: In an industry that rewards the regular and disregards the original, what keeps you motivated to keep making new records?
JD: I love it. I love Hip-Hop, I love the idea of creating something from nothing. I love being different. I'm from that era when being different was the norm.
AB: What do you think of the current state of Hip-Hop?
JD: I think it's good, it's going through a lot of different changes but all of those changes are to facilitate growth. Even as human beings we go through changes until we die but those changes teach you things and help you to find out who they are. It changes for what it needs to be made into. I hope Hip-Hop becomes the true voice of the youth and a teaching tool that we use to fashion our lives in a positive way because it so powerful.
AB: To take it back to one of your earlier songs, how many people out there are playin themselves?
JD: 99.9%, nah I mean maybe about 80%. Really less than that because everybody's frontin right now, it's all about what you have and how fat this girls ass is. I try to keep it in a small circumference, my circumference around Jeru is real small I try not to watch too much that's goin on outside, but it's easy anyone can get caught up.
AB: So what exactly is in your "circumference?"
JD: Just my place, you have evil along with good, you have starving children along with people being rescued, you have people being murdered along with people hitting the lotto. That's just the balance of life, you're gonna have positive and you're gonna have negative so I'd drive myself crazy if I said I didn't want the negative around me cuz it's constantly going to be there.
AB: What can be done to bring some individuality back to the music?
JD: Jeru the Damaja <laughs>. First the tide has to change, as far as when I was growing up writing was the cardinal thing. First people have to want to be themselves.
AB: What do you love most about Hip-Hop?
JD: Everything, even the bullsh*t.
AB: It's an election year, if Jeru became president what would your first order of business be?
JD: Aw man sh*t'd change, first of all I'd pass a law in congress that 80% of the videos you see on MTV would have to be positive, cuz you know in certain countries they have laws that a certain percentage of music has to be French, or a certain percentage of music has to be Canadian, I would make it so a certain percentage would to be positive. Another thing that would happen is I would take some of this money from rap and start giving it back to the people as far as community centers and after school programs and teach kids to be something other than just rappers or athletes. I'd probably get assassinated in the first week or two.
AB: Giving back is important to you, why don't you think we see more artists giving back to their communities?
JD: It's selfish. That's what we're dealing with today in society, it's selfishness, nobody cares about the future as long as I'm good.
AB: What should people know about you that they may not know already?
JD: I'm really a nice guy, I have a great sense of humor, I'm not just anti-everything I'm just lovin Hip-Hop and enjoyin life and tryin to be the best at what I want to be and at times I can make comments that may be harsh but they're not to hurt or ostracize any individual it's just my sense of responsibility, I get carried away with sometimes. A lotta people think I like controversy but that's not it, I have a sense of purpose. I'm tryin to be responsible. Everything that feels good is not good for you and everything that's good for you doesn't feel good.
AB: What can fans expect when they go to a Jeru show?
JD: I'm not a backstage kinda guy, if anyone comes to a Jeru show they know that I'm hangin out in the audience. I might be selling my T-shirts or CDs, but I love it, I always did it, from day one till now. I love to hang out with the fans, I love to be able to give guys and autograph cuz they come to see me so see me, so I could be a billionaire and I'd still be selling T-shirts, CDs and signing autographs. I'm of the people.
www.thedamaja.com