NR: Your Disc "11:11" is due out later this summer, What was theinspiration going into making this record?
Mac Lethal: 11:11 is probably as of now, a completely separate record than the one Rhymesayers will be dropping as my mainstream debut. I started work on 11:11 in around 2004, and it was truly my first attempt ever at brushing the canvas with the ideas to make a cohesive, conceptualized album. When I started it, I was hoping to create a quirky, heavily dense with rhyme-structure and charming lyrics, and sort of bluesy influenced album. I had been on tour with Sage Francis and was collecting beats for it. However, when I came home from the tour, my mother fell ill and ended up dying only 5 months after the initial structuring of the record. So, the concept and pain of death obviously would flood most of my art and writing at that point. I ended up crafting the version of 11:11 that Black Clover Records will release at some point this year (hopefully.) It is a very introspective, internally wounded, yet still entertaining piece of music. With the new album that I am releasing with Rhymesayers, it is a much more lighthearted, exciting, and less dense piece of music. It still has it's moments of deep conceptualizing, and even serves as a prequel of sorts to 11:11, but also retains the qualities of an artist that made it through the deeply hurtful stages of death, touring during all of it, and sitting on a record label for a few years learning how to really put together an excellent album. The working title for now is "Take Me In My Sleep," which is also the title of a song I wrote about my mom when she was sick and my battle with religion and vices.
NR:People who have not heard your music, how would you describe the music that you do?
Mac Lethal: I suppose very cerebral, but fun. Never takes itself too seriously. Definitely unique. Funny rhyme schemes, and song concepts, and (anymore) very hard hitting, polished sounding beats.
NR: What is the best part in your live show?
Mac Lethal: The passion! No question. The feeling of it. I would say my live show stands out from a lot of other shows because I touch different feelings. I weave the lighthearted, fun stuff in with the cerebral, introspective stuff, and I suppose the aggregate is me.
NR: When did you decide to start making music apart from being a fan?
Mac Lethal: Sophomore year of highschool
NR: What is the coolest thing a fan or fans has every done for you?
Mac Lethal: I have a fan in Los Angeles who brings me In and Out Burger merchandise and apparel every time I go to LA. He brings coupons, git cards, gym bags, jersies, t-shirts, etc. He's tight!!!
NR: What do you think is a down side to the music industry nowadays?
Mac Lethal: That technology has defeated the set price the industry was charging for music. The price standard has been vanquished by how easy it is to get music for free. In turn I think it's hurtful for artists, because the corporate suits and people who make executive business decisions don't really understand how people emotionally and mentally connect to music. So they make idiotic decisions like charging $3 for a cd at Best Buy , and in turn it just makes the music appear cheap. I also think the music industry is shitty because of how scared the suits are of trying new things. Someone comes along with a brilliant approach at a new record or idea, it blows up giant, sells tons of records, and redefines counter-culture, or what have you. Then the big record labels try to replicate that for 5 years and completely beat it into the ground. They are afraid of trying new stuff and failing, so they see what the current success is as an archetype to their own success. It makes everything in mainstream media really stale and dull. However, that's why independent artists are so successful. Because they make awesome music without being afraid of standing out in a unique sense.
NR: If you could, What would you tell a person that has downloaded your music illegally?
Mac Lethal: Buy a t-shirt! Come to a show and get a ticket! Help me out if you don't mind! Ha.
NR: In the music industry, sell out has a bunch of meanings behind it. What does the term sell out mean to you?
Mac Lethal: I dunno. A lot of people think it's cool to swat those terminologies down and not use them. But I still think "sell-out" pertains very much to artists. I think selling out is when you let the desire to sell a lot of music overturn your desire to make good music, so in turn it is what influences your music and it bleeds through, and causes your art to suffer. It's when you flush your dignity down the toilet and create stuff for the sole purpose of touching demographics. I would say the Red Hot Chili Peppers are too successful for their own good in a lot of those ways. So, it's when you make corporate music. Everyone wants to sell records, and there is a certain art to creating music that is accessible to people without them having to force themselves to listen, hold on to your integrity a little, yeah?
NR: To the new crazy of Myspace.com , Do you think artists should blow off hand to hand promotions?
Mac Lethal: No, and I honestly think myspace.com is making people lazy. They only promote stuff on myspace and lose a lot of non-computer heads.
NR: What do you think when a parent blames the artist for their child acting up? * What would You like to tell them?
Mac Lethal: It's your fault for not teaching your child to be able to differentiate between entertainment and real life. It's always the parental situation's responsibility in cases like this. Even if there were no parents, that's probably the situation to place the blame upon. In my opinion at least.
NR:What are if any plans you have for the rest of 2007?
Mac Lethal: Hopefully lots of touring and releasing new t-shirts on the new online store on the new website, and obviously new music.
NR: Any Last thoughts?
Mac Lethal: "Never let hoe ass n****s r-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ide." - Pimp C
