JMT’s albums have been well received over the years, but it seems like the road is really your bread and butter. Correct assessment?
Remember when you were a kid and you’d see someone you loved, and they’d blow you away, and you’d think about that show for three days, like you couldn’t go to sleep at night? I remember those days. We grew up on people like KRS and Public Enemy, people who made sure you left with a smile on your face; you bought a T-shirt that night, and you remembered that show for the rest of your life. I’m not comparing myself to those guys, but it’s definitely what we strive for.
Nas’ latest album is titled Hip Hop Is Dead, a fairly popular opinion today. Is there any validity to that, or are people missing what’s going on beyond commercial hip-hop?
My problem with that philosophy is that people think that it’s that way just now. Fifteen years ago you had MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice at the top of the pop charts. With the exception of groups every now and then like Nirvana or Tool or the Beastie Boys, who do great music and sell a lot of records, 99 percent of the Top 40 is garbage anyway. So the whole philosophy that this is dead or that’s dead is bullshit. It’s always been where it’s meant to be, and that’s a subculture.
Rumor has it you’re cooking up a new album with Jus Allah back in the fold ...
Yeah, it’s not currently being worked on since we’re on the road, but we should have it out in ’08. The first three shows on this tour were in the East Coast and [Jus] came through as a surprise guest—we rocked a lot of the old shit. So that’s definitely gonna happen. Stoupe [the Enemy of Mankind] already has the majority of the beats. He told me he feels like that album is almost done production-wise. Then in ’08 the three of us are gonna get back into a lab and finish the next Jedi record. People have been wanting that [next Allah collaboration] for seven years. –Spencer Patterson
With Sean Price, Grayskull. April 13, 6pm, $12-$15. University Theater, 898-5500