Seattlest Pix 09Nov07
Around the Sound: The Week in News
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Seattlest Pix 09Nov08
Andrew Le, known further and wider as Nam, is one of those artists Seattlest's been seeing over and over again at most of the local hip-hop shows we attend; sometimes he even ends up on stage, making the performance bang that much harder. We emailed him questions, he emailed back answers.
Why hip-hop?
Why Hip Hop? Why not? Hip Hop is the one of the best ways for people to express themselves. I got into it when I was about 13. I started drawing a lot and eventually got into graffiti. All my friends in middle school were doing it, so I ran with it. When I got to high school, I started writing for the school paper and was pretty successful in English class. At the same time I would be going to open mics at NWAAT (Northwest Asian American Theater), where I really got into poetry. And from there on, I kept writing and writing 'til I eventually started making music. Hip Hop was something that I embraced with open arms, because it was something that I could use to express my feelings, my way. Seriously, if it wasn't for Hip Hop, I wouldn't know who I am, or where I'd be.
What's your take on the SPD's presence in South Seattle -- what's going on that at least half of Seattle's not seeing? What's the story behind "This Is For The Cops"?
Well..."This is For The Cops" was something Khingz and I had thought of after we heard Talib Kweli's version "N*iggaz Lie Alot." We thought the beat was hella filthy, but obviously MIMS failed to meet the lyrical quality. Also, it was around the same time that our homie Rajnii and DV-One had some shit going on with the SPD. So with all these things going on at once... we decided to do a remix dedicated to all those crooked cops out there. We knew it was gonna be a hot remix, and so far...people really like it. My take on SPD is, not all of them are bad... but many of them are. Not just in South Seattle, but in the Central and other parts of the city as well. Majority of the people in Seattle support their police, so many don't believe that there is injustice in the system and that there is police harassment and police brutality. A good example of that is the opinions in the Seattle Times on DV-One's case. The opinions were of just a few people...but you get the idea. [Seattlest notes that the PI opinions were verrry similar: Check it out.] DV-One's trial re-assured my distrust in the system and that there needs to be a change. The "half of Seattle" that is not seeing what's going on, are usually the ones not living in South Seattle. Though I believe it's still a race issue (many don't believe that either), it's also a class and power issue.
Your solo album, Exhale, is due out this winter. How awesome is it? What's up next for you?
Exhale is my debut album. Hopefully it comes out before this winter is over, since I'm a broke rapper. Haha. I never knew how hard it is to put out an album. The process of recording, getting beats and writing is easy, but all the finance, packaging, legal stuff, etc. is hard work! How awesome is it? Well that's up to the listeners =). Personally I feel that it's a just journal or documentation of the things I've seen, learned, and been through. It's pretty introspective but I keep my music broad enough for people to relate to and understand. "Where You At Now" and "Balance" are some of my favorites off the album, because they get real personal. I also have guest spots that some might be familiar with. "Beats, Rhymes, and Rice" ft. Geologic is a good one. Also, "Feelin Fresh" ft. Khingz sounds like the Seattle Summer anthem, and there's plenty of swagger in that one. Other featured emcees on the album are Gabriel Teodros and Language Arts. After this album I can just 'exhale,' haha. It's been a long journey and process and I cant wait til it's out. Hopefully I can start rockin' more shows and getting more write ups like this! =) Me and Khingz (Balance Brothers) also have a collaboration project that we've been slowly working on, so be on the look-out for our mixtapes coming out in 2008. Next year should be a doozy.
What are you LOVING about Seattle these days?
I'm loving everything about Seattle right now...well, almost everything. Haha. You can't beat our beautiful city and natural scenery. As Geo said, "Ain't nothin better than the summer in the Northwest..." Though I do like cold weather as well, I was born and raised here so I'm used to it all. I wish there were more 'mom and pops' type restaurants instead of so many chains, but I still manage to find some good eats. *Shout outs to the Hidmo on 23rd and Jackson!* Like I said, our natural scenery is amazing and there's plenty of spots in the town to catch a good view. One of my favorite spots is Jose Rizal Park on Beacon Hill... It has the perfect view of the city skyline. People? Heh, I guess it depends on who you know and who you are with. I'm fortunate enough to be around good people that have helped me and have been there for me. I think most of the people in Seattle are cool, but there are some bad apples out there. The Hip Hop is obviously where it's at. The scene has been overlooked for so many years that some don't even know we have a scene. The rock/alternative/grunge has always gotten the shine, but now its Hip Hop's turn. There's a lot of artists around the town that are better than your average mainstream rapper, so people should do some research, because we're here. We've been here.
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