One Be Lo Keeps It Fresh in Seattle
Photo of One Be Lo by Kyle Johnson.
One Be Lo, a nationally acclaimed independent hiphop artist hailing from Pontiac, Michigan, is fond of our city. "In Seattle, I get an epiphany every day," he says, recounting his insights gleaned from dining with local Vietnamese families and browsing through the shelves of the Emerald City’s bookstores. The emcee leans in closer. "Seattle’s giving me my second wind."
An avid learner and frequent public speaker, Lo has been emceeing for almost a decade now. His eyes burn into ours as he talks about seeking fresh inspiration. "I go back to when I was fifteen and I had that hunger for the opportunity to be heard….Protect your passion. Go to a club, you protect your purse; protect your passion! After doing this for seven or ten years, you need to keep it changing. Get different scenery, read a book, go to a park, talk to someone."
More after the jump!
One Be Lo, Blu, Macklemore // 8 p.m., Sunday // Chop Suey // $10 adv // All Ages
So what’s One Be Lo doing in Seattle? Since he’s currently working with a number of local emcees and producers for tracks on his next album, tentatively titled B.A.B.Y. (Being A Black Youth), the plan is to spend a month at a time in town to record: "I could work with them long distance, but if I come here, I can play basketball with this producer, watch shows with this producer….Different artists bring out different parts of yourself." His latest album, R.E.B.I.R.T.H., was a critical success in 2007; here’s our review of his last performance.
Lo and the Subterranean Records crew in Michigan manage not only their thriving music careers but also an active hiphop message board on their website where artist/supporter interaction goes well beyond the typical glittery MySpace comment. "Everyone brings something different. There’s a lot of information exchanged, but it’s about people. Hiphop is not just about the music, it’s more than the four elements. It’s about all different kinds of people."
"Don’t just be around people who are like you," Lo says. "That’s too easy. We don’t look the same, we laugh at different jokes, we do different things for a living, so I’m gonna stay away from you? What benefit does that have?" he asks.
The last word, regarding sandwiches: "I make my own when I’m in Seattle." (Now there’s an answer we haven’t heard before!)
