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AG: You want me to do it in German or English? (laughs). HHV: Alright, let’s do it in German. AG: Nah. (laughs) HHV: How’s the tour been so far? Is there a big difference between performing in Europe and back in the states? AG: Yeah, it’s a big difference. More energy, more respect for the music (in Europe). That’s the big difference. It’s still back in the states too, just not for me (laughs). HHV: I wanna talk about your last album a little bit. How did you hook up with DJ Design and Look Records? It’s kind of an unusual spot for a New York MC. AG: Yeah, for sure. DJ Design and his partners promoted a show with me in Seattle in 1994 and we been cool ever since then. Then I seen him in Berlin like four years ago at one of my shows and he told me had some ideas. We shot some emails back and forth and got it done. It’s real good because he was the one that really familiarized me with a lot of those producers over there, like Madlib. Everybody knows about Jay Dee but guys like Jake One I wasn’t really up on. He gets the credit for that. HHV: What was the reason why the album got delayed so many times? AG: I have NO idea (emphatically). HHV: Industry politics? AG: Yeah. HHV: Speaking of the music industry: You’re a veteran in this game, are there any career decisions you regret? AG: Nah. Anything that happened got me to this point, so I’m not unsatisfied with where I’m at. It’s only human nature to want more but if I die today I’m cool. HHV: What I really liked about your last album “Get Dirty Radio” was its diversity. Was that a conscious choice? AG: No. 9-50 and Party Arty recorded the album with me in California. We didn’t go out, we just stayed in the condo, played different beats from all those producers and made songs. What came out hot just came out hot. HHV: “Take a ride” really blew me away me when I heard it for the first time. I wouldn’t have expected a vintage G–Funk banger from Madlib and I definitely didn’t expect to hear AG rhyming over it but it came out great. Was that song a product of the environment you recorded the album in? AG: That may have a lot to do with it but even though we were in Cali, we were still a little secluded. We didn’t really do much, so we still had our New York flavor. Actually, Party Arty was playing that beat while I was sleeping and he was like: That’s hot. He woke me up and I was like: that’s HOT. I don’t know if I had picked that beat if I was going through tracks. It just caught me from somewhere else. HHV: So Party Arty gets the credit for it being on the album. AG: For sure. HHV: Can we expect to hear you over more Madlib and Oh No beats in the future? AG: Hopefully cuz I really appreciate their sound, their innovativeness and they and Stones Throw have a huge following. Their following plus my following equals good chemistry. We always talk, everytime I’m in Cali, it’s good. But right now I’m not working with any other producers because Show & AG… HHV: Ah, that would have been my next point. I heard rumors about a Show & AG album on Nature Sounds. Is there any truth to that rumor? AG: It’s very true. We have like 25 songs done. It’s gonna be real nice. HHV: The tracks that were leaked to the internet (“Business as usual”, “Live hard, die harder”) are gonna be on it? AG: We don’t even know yet. If people want them on the album – cool. We just want ya to know what we’re up to right now. Devin is a good person to walk with, over there at Nature Sounds, the chemistry has been going smooth, everything is in our control, which is always a good sign and I like the way they promote their material. Them plus us with total control over our music- I think that can only mean good things. HHV: So you already signed a contract with them? AG: Yeah, that’s done. HHV: No release date yet though, right? AG: No because Show is finalizing the album right now, so I have to get back home to hear everything and then we both agree what’s going on. We’re trying to put an EP out before that. We’re trying to get that out at the beginning of the summer. HHV: Excellent news. Show did all the beats, I guess. AG: Yeah. And Finesse. HHV: Finesse? I wanted to tell you to force Finesse to put an album out anyway but that’s a nice treat already. I heard that Japan-only 12 inch with Grand Puba (“Real Talk”) and I was really impressed. A Lord Finesse album would be great. AG: Finesse goes of feedback. The more people want it to be out, the more likely he will do it. But he’s doing so well with the production, he’s not really in need of doing an album at the moment. HHV: You had a Dilla beat on your album. Did you also get to meet him? AG: I met him before and all of that but the song we did was off a beattape. But we conversed over the phone and he did the adlibs on the record. HHV: Were you hit on a personal level by his death? AG: For sure. I didn’t know him THAT close but just his legacy alone made me feel like I was close to him. And then, working with him – (pauses) He did that beat for me for free. He did that out of honor and respect, so I will always be affected by an artist of his stature. He produced for everybody, big scale, little scale. That made me feel he appreciated… – You know him and Madlib both said: “We started off of DITC.” HHV: I’m kinda blown away that he did that beat for free right now. AG: Maybe I shouldn’t even have said that but just to show you his love for Hip Hop. HHV: This also fits in with the famous story of him being nominated for a Grammy and not even caring about it because he was so focused on making a beat when they the Grammies were on TV. AG: Yeah and the first thing they told him when they found out that he was sick was not to perform because he would be worse. He still performed. In a wheelchair! That’s real! HHV: No doubt. I wanna come back to Show & AG. If I made you decide: “Runaway Slave” or “Goodfellas” AG: Both. There is no difference. Both albums embody true Hip Hop. The document my growth, they document Show’s growth and without either of those albums I wouldn’t be right here today. The second one (“Goodfellas”) is different because I’m only on it. If I had a favorite, it would be the first because Show rhymes on it. And I don’t think y’all gonna get that again. HHV: Show never really developed that passion for rhyming, did he? AG: I think his passion for production just overruled his passion for rapping. HHV: Speaking of DITC, the fans always wanna know what is up with y’all as a collective. Are you focusing so much on your solo careers know that another crew album is unlikely? AG: The main problem is timing. When I’m free, somebody else is not free. There’s a lot of us – 7- … HHV: The same problem the Wu always faces… AG: Yeah, exactly. I believe it will happen though because DITC is needed. That’s the foundation of a LOT of careers. People need to hear us at our peak as well. HHV: Any other projects you’re working on besides the Show & AG album right now? AG: Yes. I have a documentary that I gotta finish when I get home. It’s gonna be a DVD and an Audio-CD and it’s called “Follow me now”. It’s basically documenting my story from the beginning to now with people talking about how I influenced them or how they’ve seen me grow. Old videos, new videos as well, which is needed since there’s not a lot of visual footage of me in my element. HHV: “Follow me now” has all new songs and beats, it’s not some cheap mixtape deal? AG: Yeah, everything is new. That’s important. I know a lot of people respect me and hold on to the older music that I’ve made and I really appreciate that. But as an artist I need to grow and I need to show people what is going on with me. That’s what I’m focusing at. HHV: You’ve had the privilege to work with a lot of legendary artists. Is there still somebody you’d really like to get a beat from or share a mic with? AG: Party Arty. (laughs) Nah, anybody I respect. I would never single out, I’m very open. I like different sounds, different genres. Boom Bap, Mainstream, Down South, Westcoast, Europe – we listen to a lot of music. It’s not just one sound and sometimes we wanna work with these type of producers to bring something to the table that we might not have. If we respect the music – and not just one beat, if you give me a CD I wanna like all 10 before I even pick one because that one might have been an accident – we’re looking to work with any type of producers. HHV: Speaking of producers: You’ve worked with the absolute elite – Premier, Show, Buckwild, Dilla, Prince Paul, Madlib, Automator and countless other greats. What would your Top 5 look like? AG: Show – Show – Show – Show – Show (laughs) HHV: I kinda expected that answer. AG: (laughs) HHV: You grew up in the Bronx in a very vibrant time for Hip Hop. Are there any memorable experiences when you grew up that you would like to share with us? AG: When I saw Grandwizard Theodore jamming in my neighbourhood for the first time I really knew I was gonna follow my dream to do this. That showed me that’s exactly what I wanted. The way people responded, the way you can express yourself. So yeah, Grandwizard Theordore was crucial. I was only like eleven years old then too. HHV: Surrounded by Hip Hop all your life… AG: Yeah, I live in where Hip Hop started. A lot of artists before me, like Percee P, carved the way too. We were always rehearsing in the same studio – D&D – and when he had a record out and was on the radio that made me realize I’m good enough to do that too. HHV: Any bugged-out tour stories you wanna share with us before we call this a wrap? AG: (laughs). Nah. HHV: They shouldn’t be recorded anyway. AG: There’s just too many. But I would like to tell the people if they ever wanna holler at me, they can do so personally: ag_ditc@yahoo.com . I’m also on myspace: www.myspace.com/agditc.com . Shoot me an email, let me know what you think about the music – good or bad. I accept constructive criticism. It keeps me going to hear people’s feedback. It lets me know if I’m in the right or wrong direction. That’s what it is. HHV: Thanks a lot for taking the time. AG: No doubt. I appreciate it. One love. Interview: F.Aigner Photos: Oliver Bernardt |
