2.14.2008

Valentine's Day Is For Vapors



Note: There are slight differences from what was finally printed... enjoy!
THE ARAB PARROT GOT A CHANCE TO RAP WITH THE LA BASED HIP-HOP GROUP
THE 87 STICK UP KIDS. WHEN I SHOWED UP AT THE LOFT DOWNTOWN THAT NIGHT
THEY WERE ALL THERE ALONG WITH BROTHER READE & DJ PUBES WHO HAD COME
BY TO DELIVER A BIG BOX OF VINATAGE BALLY SHOES. AFTER THEIR
PHOTOSHOOT WAS OVER WE SAT DOWN FOR SOME Q & A...ALTHOUGH THE PARROT
WOULD HAVE PREFERRED SOME T&A:

T.A.P: What are you're MC names?

SK-87: THE DEACON, SQUISH, DJ ROCKWELL, NASH, & MICAH JAMES (Who is
not a charter member of the group but works with them closely.)

T.A.P: ARE YOU GUYS ALL BORN & RAISED IN LA?

SQUISH: All of us from LA except The Deacon who's from Atlanta.
DEACON: Decatur, Georgia!

T.A.P: Who are some of you're influences?

DEACON: Definitely Wu-Tang & Heiro
SQUISH: OutKast, Beastie Boys & Rage Against the Machine
DJ ROCKWELL (who has been a prominent DJ in Los Angeles for many years
& a vinyl connoisseur takes a second to think about it): Kid n Play,
DJ Jazzy Jeff, & Marley Marl… and Booze.
MICAH JAMES: Prince, Rakim, Rza, & old Walt Disney Soundtracks
NASH (who would be considered Face if this were the A Team): Gene
Krupa's Big Band, Ike Turner, & Cypress Hill.

T.A.P.: Do you think you guys, as a racially mixed group, can succeed
in a real rap environment?

ROCKWELL: I think the roots of Hip Hop started with diversity. I think
what we bring to the table is genuine, honest, & interesting.

MICAH: I do acknowledge that The 87 Stick Up Kids do have one foot in
the whole as a white rap group, but are we worried about that foot in
the hole...no, but it is a reality. When we play to crowds that have
never heard us before, their initial impression is like who are you?
You're white? That exists but we ain't sweatin' that.

T.A.P: Where did the name THE 87 STICK UP KIDS come from?

NASH with a smirk on his face): from my childhood, you know
Robbin, Stealin, Killin at Will.

TAP: You're childhood in Burbank?

(Everyone laughs)

ROCKWELL: Its actually an homage & a sampled line from an M.O.P song.
If you know about real rap music you will know about Ante Up by the
Mash Out Posse from Brownsville Brooklyn. They referred to themselves
on a few songs as the 87 Stick Up Kids & we kind of adopted it as a
kind of throwback, recognizing where we were in 1987.1987 was the
first time I had my own walkman, it was the first time I had my own
music.

Deacon: It was also the year a lot of big rap records came out. It was
the first time Hip Hop really spread to a mass audience, Eric B. &
Rakim, Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions. The first era of rap
didn't really make it out of New York, but in '87 rap made it's way
across America and into our lives. We're hip-hop's first sons.

T.A.P: Well speaking of stick ups,which one of you would be the most
likely to get stuck up?

SQUISH: Probably me.

Rockwell: I would say Nash because out of all of us he's the only one
I know who's been robbed.

NASH: I got vic'd for my brand new shelltoes by some cholo's when I
was 13. I remember I had just got em and I wore an old pair of shoes
walking home, cause I didn't want to mess em up. I was tryin to high
post with em hangin over my shoulder and I got got.

T.A.P: Who are some artists that you think are dope today?

SQUISH: BROTHER READE is off the hook & family.

DEACON: If you happen to be into real HEAVY DUTY rap JAY
ELECTRONICA is amazing.

NASH: Jay Davey, AB/Nrml, PAC DIV, we like what they're doing. Drake
out of Canada is cool, The Breakfast Club.

ROCKWELL: I will always love Amanda Blank & Spank Rock. The diversity
in Hip Hop is coming back & we're excited for it.

T.A.P: You guys seem to be in a style time warp? From the looks of it,
late 80's, early 90's..

ROCKWELL: I'm trying to wear everything you can't find, and I don't
mean because it sold out at Undefeated.

T.A.P.: HAHAHAHA...GOOD ONE!

T.A.P.: If you guys had the chance to collaborate with any artist who
would it be?

SK-87 (in unison): Slick Rick!!!

T.A.P: OK… here's the big question. Who is the wackest artist out right now?

Rockwell: MICKEY AVALON HANDS DOWN. Check out our blog:
tuckyourchain.blogspot.com for pictures of him when he was a rabbi.

Nash: Hahaha!...Before he was a lesbian!

T.A.P: Who are you guys voting for in 08?

The answer to this question was interesting. The 3 white members all
said Obama while the two black members said they don't vote.

T.A.P.: What's coming in the near future for you guys?

SQUISH: A lot more shows, hopefully hitting up Europe in the fall…
MICAH: We about to bust Jacob the Jeweler outta jail!

DEACON: Basically, we're gonna keep Rockin' like my man Charles Dutton
(The actor from "Roc" for those of you who don't know)

NASH: The game is changin' and real rap is back! PUT YOUR SHOES ON!

ROCKWELL: Definitely keep you ears out for the Summer of '87 mixtape
coming soon. You can keep up with everything by checking us at
87stickupkids.com

T.A.P: LAST QUESTION WHATS THE BEST BLOG IN THE WORLD

SK-87: THEARABPARROT.COM

FRESH: Isn't your name Richard?

T.A.P: BIRD UP

2.06.2008

Loosers

Memory Lane...

Nas' EPK!!!

Back To The Grill Again!

And, now for some Cali love...

Obviously...