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| Exclusive Interview: Hasan Salaam |
|
| Written by Dub MD | |
| Friday, 10 October 2008 | |
 For this weeks Q&A session we hooked up with New Jersey emcee Hasan Salaam, After taking a short hiatus he has just released his anticipated new street album "Children Of God" which is available in stores and online right now. Hasan sits down with us to talk about his thoughts on Hip Hop in 2008, What its like being a Muslim in America and his plans for the future, make sure you check out the new track "The Uprock" off the new album featuring Hip Hop legend Masta Ace at the end of the interview.Dub MD: Hasan Salaam, What's good? Hasan Salaam: Maintaining brother what's good with you? Dub MD: For those who don't know, could you just give a short review of what you've experienced in your rap career up until now? Hasan Salaam: I've released 2 albums "Paradise Lost" and "Children of God" 2 mixtapes, toured the world, won 2 underground music awards, and rocked every show you know Dub MD: Coming from New Jersey, what do you think of the New Jerz music scene right now? Hasan Salaam: The new Jersey scene is directly linked to NYC more than ever there are less venues in Jerz than there used to be but talent wise Jerz always shines Dub MD: What do you think of the commercialisation of Hip Hop right now, do you think its showing respect to its pioneers? Hasan Salaam: As always the culture is a reflection of our people. unfortunately our people are not controlling the mainstream images of our culture at this time. we cant expect our enemy the one who has raped, enslaved, and brutalized us for 500 years to provide us with healthy food. they waged war on the panthers cause they fed the babies so we know what the tactics of the united snakes are, they control the media so its gonna be the same program you dig. As 4 our people who are choosing to sell out and buy in to the bullshit they are the poverty pimps and they obviously don't have a love 4 this if they don't respect those that gave their lives to create and nurture this. the Zulu and Rocksteady anniversaries should be more packed than the VH1 hip hop honours every year cause VH1 didn't build this they used to front on hip hop they just jumped on the bandwagon to get some gwap. we as a people should support the originators not just wait 4 mainstream approval, we set the trends here. Dub MD: Do you have a new album in the works? what's it called? and what can heads out there expect from it? Hasan Salaam: I have a new album out right now its called "Children of God" and you can expect that modern day spiritual, freedom song blues, martyr music over some chest thumpin' production. Dub MD: With this project, what artists & producers are you connecting with this time round? Hasan Salaam: I got Lord Jamar, I.Mpaq, Craig Rip, Kasim Keto, Def Dom, Iron Braydz, Rugged N Raw, and Sos on the tracks, and I did 1 or 2 also guest spots by Rugged N Raw, BadSportt, Majesty, Maya Azucena, Lord Jamar, & Masta Ace its a album 4 real alot of work went into this Dub MD: What's your label situation like just now? Hasan Salaam: Trunk of my car records, nah I'm doin this all on my own right now Dub MD: How come its took you this long to finally release a new album, since your last release "Tales Of The Lost Tribe"? Hasan Salaam: Real talk life was hectic, I was broke and I take my time with these rhymes I don't just write anything you dig Dub MD: How do you feel you've changed as an emcee from your debut album "Paradise Lost" up until now in 2008? Hasan Salaam: I've found my groove its just tighter now the beats are tougher, my pen game has stepped up its overall growth. Dub MD: Your a respected lyricist in the game, why do you think it is that emcees with skills on the mic, never make a real mark on soundscan? Hasan Salaam: I think there are lyricists who have made there mark on soundscan its just the ones we might think of that have not do not have the major marketing machine behind them. or they're label doesn't have that tight relationship with the stores to get there product swiped when somebody buys another album Dub MD: You've got a lot of support from hip hop fans online, How important do you feel the internet is to an underground hip hop these days? Hasan Salaam: The internet levels the playing field a bit. if your looking for some real music if you search you will find it. its also dope that I can build with supporters online Dub MD: Where do you get the inspiration to write the type of material you do? and what was the writing process like on your albums? Hasan Salaam: My inspiration is life as a whole what i go thru, what my peoples go thru what the world is going thru. 4 me the writing process is constant i think of ideas and either jot them down or work em out in my mind. if its gotta beat I just throw the track on repeat and knock it out. if it doesn't I just keep that going till I get a track 4 it. Dub MD: How difficult is it being an emcee in Hip Hop in 2008 and being a Muslim at the same time in America? Hasan Salaam: It's no harder than what our people have been dealing with here since the birth of this hypocritical nation. black folks gonna be hated whether were Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or Atheist, mc, gardener, preacher or hustla. hip hop to me is a microcosm of our Diaspora to qoute dead prez "its bigger than hip hop". As for being a Muslim in amerikkka i look at it like this we been here since it started. 1 out of every 4 Africans brought here was Muslim. Noble Drew Ali and The Hon. Elijah Muhammad were spreading truth in our communities and they were given problems by the establishment so its like fuck it we have to deal with it to let the truth be known whether Muslim or not. Dub MD: There's a lot of Hip Hop artists on major labels these days, Why do you feel so few artists, given the opportunity to express their opinions in such a prominent free-speech platform, are so afraid to do so? Hasan Salaam: Because people are still slaves. they are willing to die over $ and chains and thing with no real value but cringe when it comes to standing for something like freedom and justice. Dub MD: You've worked with a lot of artists over the past 5 years, Who did you have the best connection with both outside and inside the studio? Hasan Salaam: There are a lot of people i think of off the bat I've been blessed to meet a lot of good people thru this music. Iron Braydz held me down in the UK and treated me as family that was true right there. I've learned a lot from working with Lord Jamar he's willing to share his knowledge of the game and its honest. DJ G.I. Joe really looked me out on my 1st national tour that's my dude right there 2. Maya Azucena is my little big sister now and we met thru this music 2 we just vibe very well musically. its funny I feel bad cause there's so many more people to speak of I could've done this whole interview just on that question Dub MD: Is there anyone you'd love to work with in the future, you haven't had the chance to yet? Hasan Salaam: I wanna work with the Dungeon Family I dig there sound and what they stand 4 musically Dub MD: What do you think is your most defining and unique characteristic that sets you apart from every other artist out there? Hasan Salaam: I'm me. my life experience and how I relate it thru my lyrics, the jazz and soul influences in my flow. everyone has a story to tell I just got a style with mines Dub MD: If you could describe yourself as a emcee in 4 words, What would they be? Hasan Salaam: Honest, Relentless, Hungry & Fearless! Dub MD: For your fans who haven't seen you perform yet, are you planning on going on a worldwide tour anytime soon? Hasan Salaam: inshAllah I'ma be everywhere sooner than later. if people wanna get at me to come to there city/state/country they can hit me up on myspace.com/hasansalaam or
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Dub MD: What is on tap for Hasan Salaam for the rest of 2008 and beyond? Hasan Salaam: inshAllah more shows, more music, more building and more learning Dub MD: Do you have anything to say to the fans? anything you wanna get off your chest? any shout outs? Hasan Salaam: I want to say thank you to all the listeners and supporters there's no fans just fam you dig. We are all children of god remember that when you look in the mirror and when you look at your brothers and sisters out here in the world. in order to get free we gotta recognise our true selves. Stay wise keep fighting no progress without struggle, walk on water, peace! Check out this new track "The Uprock", click the link below to download:
Hasan Salaam - The Uprock (feat. Masta Ace) http://www.zshare.net/download/1990194639d18c01 Comments (1)
  written by Styles, October 10, 2008
Trunk of my car Records.... I like that!
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