So... what, you think you're better than me? Fuck outta here!: Consumer X

1. Who the fuck are you? (Alias, oldness factor, place I should avoid if I never want to see you, etc. . .)

Yohance' aka M.E.R.C.U.R.Y. aka Merc80
Los Angeles, CA
27
Artist, Cultural Anthropologist, Urban Renaissance Man, Taste-maker, Interviewer, Intellect, and Lover of all things positive. 

2. Describe hip hop in one word, then explain your word choice. . .

Integrity.  
I think that has been a strong basis of Hip Hop and it's formation out of the disco era.  Something from the soul, rooted in 4 elements, "keeping it real", all have to do with integrity and being true to oneself and overall spirit.  I think integrity is what is severely lacking in Hip Hop now also. 

3. Favorite MC (current vs. all time)?

Yikes....it's a stalemate between Andre 3000 and Rakim.

4. Why the fuck do I care? What qualifies your opinion on the subject?

My father is a drummer and played African and Caribbean music.  He had my hands on the drum when I was a baby.  By the time I was 3 I was on stage with his band.  I wrote stories as a kid.  I had my first Hip Hop CD out with a group when I was 15, performed on the same stages as Aceyalone, Little Brother, Cee-Lo, Black Moon, Raekwon, the Alkaholiks, and The Roots.  I was also in the high school Jazz band from 8th-12th grade.  Made another CD in college, and 2 EPs as a solo artist in my mid 20s.  I love and live music.  It's not a game

5. If you had to boil what hip hop truly is down to three albums, what would they be? Explain.

1. In The Jungle Groove - James Brown
2. Any album from Parliament.

3. Any album by The Meters.
That's about 80% of Hip Hops existence right there.

6. You may not be Dave New York, but I still wanna know. . . How do you feel about radio hip hop?

I don't know what "radio Hip Hop" is.  I am familiar with the stuff called "Hip Hop" that's being played on the radio though.  It sucks.

7. In your opinion, are hip hop and rap the same? Are the words interchangeable? Why or why not?

Hip Hop and Rap are like Bill Withers and Trey Songz.  
They both sing, they both are doing the same job.  
But Bill Withers sings with soul, aims for the heart, and will last you a lifetime.  Trey does not.
Hip Hop= Soul.  Rap= Pop

8. Best producer in the game?

Alive: Timbaland.  For all time: Dilla. 

9. What's your guilty pleasure in terms of music? The stuff you wouldn't want ANYONE to catch you listening to.

If you can't accept whatever the hell I'm listening to in my car or home, then fuck you.
(I don't play my cheesy 80s stuff around the homies though) 

10. Do you like Jay-z? If so, for the love of god, explain why. . .

See #11 

11. Who is the one rapper out right now that you feel does not deserve the success they have? Why?

Jay Z.  I have seen his rise to current fame and LOT of it has been on the coattails of Notorious B.IG.  He's very talented, very smart, but when it comes down to it, I have seen his aims and ambitions be more toward fame than furthering the art.  Some may call it hating, I just don't think money and power should always be central to creating lasting art, and that's where I've seen Jay going for a long time. 

12. Who is the one rapper out right now that deserves more success than they have currently? Why?

If I have to choose one, I'd say Black Thought.  He's too slept on.  He's gangsta and thought provoking.  And really, those two traits are not mutually exclusive. 

13. "I'm tryin' to be one of the best, period. Not just one of the best with breasts and a period. . ." -Invincible . . . How do you feel about the fact that you are being interviewed by a girl that thinks she knows more about hip hop than you ever will?

Haha!  We'll see about that. ;-)

Blogger commentary: Let it be known, my music taste is 16.59% better than this fools... if for no other reason than because he said Timbo was his favorite living producer... don't make me body check you.