Locution Revolution

Local rapper finds his identity on debut
Edmonton Journal
Friday, November 23, 2007
Page: G15
Section: What's On
Byline: Sandra Sperounes
Column: Sandra Sperounes
Source: CanWest News Service

In hip-hop circles, Don Welsh is somewhat of a late bloomer.

While most rappers start rhyming -- and dealing drugs -- in their teens, he
was prepping for university, hanging out with his family in Redwater, and
acting as the designated driver at parties.

Welsh, a.k.a. iD, didn't spit out his first rhymes until he was 23 -- only
four years ago -- but hip-hop is no less part of his lifeblood.

Like many of today's superstars -- 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Eminem -- rap saved the
former call-centre worker from a dead-end life. At 23, Welsh was addicted to
alcohol and video games.

"I would've died had I continued," he says. "I was at the point where I
wanted the least responsibility possible, but if you boycott the world, you
just end up drifting off and that can be very destructive. All I did was
play Tony Hawk and I got good at Tony Hawk. I was a Jedi wizard. It kind of
hit me -- if I can become Yoda at Tony Hawk, why don't I try to be Yoda at
something constructive?"

Outraged by the Iraq war, Welsh began writing political rants, trying to
understand the "bigger picture" so he could become part of it.

"It felt so good to vent," he says. "Just to write down what was on your
mind and spit them out over primitive beats that you made in 20 minutes on
your computer."

With the release of his debut, Watch the Real Die, Welsh proves he's no
longer a hip-hop caveman, but one of Canada's best new rappers and
producers.

The 11- track EP will keep you on the edge of your ears -- with samples of
Supertramp, Johnny Cash, Homer Simpson and Easy Rider. Instead of politics,
he riffs about his own life, those marginalized by society -- "the losers,
the rejects, the street kids with defects" -- and the power and poison of
capitalism.

"I see right through all those guys with the big money and chains on TV," he
says.

"It's a setup. We can't all make big money and drive a Lexus. That's why I
identify more with Chuck D or KRS-One. Instead of being a false idol, their
message is 'Let's educate people. Find out who YOU are, don't let someone
else tell you.' When I tell people I'm a rapper, they look at me cockeyed,
'I don't see you biggin' up the bling.' I don't own a necklace, I don't have
any intentions of getting a necklace. I just want to be an artist more than
a rapper. I want to facilitate a greater artistic community."

To that end, he also started a label and hip-hop collective, Locution
Revolution, with his friend and fellow rapper, Khiry Tafari.

"When I decided to do something, it was like, 'What can one man do?' " asks
Welsh. "Now I'm of the theory that one man can do all that he can do. It's
time for you to get up there and do it. It doesn't matter if you fail, at
least you tried. Trying and failing is better than saying, 'What can one man
do?' My goal is to feel as powerful as anything else in this universe."

iD releases Watch the Real Die tonight at Eddie Shorts, 10713 124th St.
Tickets are $10. - Edmonton Journal

dentifying a New Voice

Local Hip Hop artist iD busy with debut release

by Kevin Maimann

Local rapper iD's debut EP Watch the Real Die is a fiercely poetic expression of personal struggle, perseverance and social commentary.

Citing Joe Strummer and Johnny Cash as two of his biggest influences, iD (a.k.a. Don Welsh) draws from all across the musical spectrum and the line-up for his CD release show is a testament to this.

Tonight at Eddie Shorts, iD will be joined by rappers Nu-Contrast, folk singer Jake Ian, punk band Prisoner Cinema and his partner in rhyme Khiry Tafari. Tafari makes up the second half of iD's rap duo project Locution Revolution, which will close out tonight's festivities.

BEHIND THE SCENES

iD hopes to help build a bigger artistic community with shows like this one, saying that from personal experience, a lot of music fans in Edmonton tend to stick to their respective scenes and are often unaware of what else is out there.

iD never really intended to become a rapper himself.

His sister gave him an acoustic guitar years ago while he was living with a friend who wrote raps, and after doing some collaboration with his rapping roommate, iD found himself always writing rhymes in his spare time instead of picking up his guitar.

Hip-hop culture is now home for iD, albeit a widely misunderstood one. To him, it is a means of making his own mark on the world with a greater appreciation for all kinds of self-fulfilling activities.

"It encourages you to be involved, not to sit on the sidelines," he says. "You are a vital part of a bigger picture and that bigger picture wants you to be yourself and to make this a better place.

"Play guitar, juggle, dance with fire, write a comic book, whatever. Just be out there and do something," he says. "Create things."

iD is a man who lives up to his word. Watch the Real Die was created and produced almost entirely by himself. A relentless worker, iD has already started on his next solo project even though he's currently working on "a few other albums."

RHYMES FROM SETBACKS

With all this work and lyrics that paint a rather grim depiction of today's world, one might think iD could be a bit of a pessimist. But he is always sure to find the humour in life above all else to avoid ever getting too down on things.

"When you're in the worst situation and nothing can get any worse - your dog just died, you ran out of gas and you're walking down the street and it starts to pour rain - at that point I laugh harder than I've ever laughed in my life," he says.

His sense of humour peeks through in his lyrics from time to time, but another vital element that surfaces in his raps is a genuine hope for a better world. Although he doesn't necessarily like the way the world is being run, he certainly doesn't think it's a lost cause to try to make a change.

"I think us as a people and us as a generation, it's in our hands. All we have to do is realize that and kind of wake up to ourselves," he says. "A lot of people are caught up in the mainstream flow, which is there to keep people thinking that we just need to get a nice car and a fancy necklace and a camera phone and all that material stuff, instead of trying to find who we are and what we can do to make ourselves and everyone else more complete and more alive and make everything shine." - Edmonton Sun

iD – Watch the Real Die EP (Locution Revolution)
By: Thomas Quinlan

After even a cursory flip through Edmonton rapper-producer iD's debut album, Watch the Real Die EP, it's no great surprise to see Buck 65 listed among the small number of emcees that inspired him to pick up the mic. Here he handles all of the raps and cuts, and he is also responsible for most of the production with the exception of two from Prosper and a bit of instrumental assistance from Paul on two others. The beats are fun and just a little bit quirky, a perfect match for iD's wacky word work and concept-heavy tracks like his first-person narrative about “A Rappin Bank Machine,” his confessional “I Am (in a Glam Rock Band)” or the cowboy showdown “Watch the Real Die.” A decent rapper, iD actually excels as a producer, whether fast and fun or mellow and melancholy. He rarely stumbles with his production although he does take a little too long to get into the real meat of album opener “The Inappropriately Titled 'Last Track',” mostly due to a lot of intro samples. And, in a weird aberration for underground hip-hop, iD lists off the samples he uses for the curious-minded. Perhaps not perfect, Watch the Real Die is still an enjoyable debut album that demonstrates a lot of future potential.

For more info on iD check out http://www.myspace.com/idrequired - hiphopcanada.com

KHIRY TAFARI

When: Saturday, 9 p.m.

Where: Teddy's, 11361 Jasper Ave.

Tickets: $10 at the door (includes CD)

- - -

Khiry Tafari, 28, is reading a comic book, cup of coffee in hand.

Perhaps, seeing him pore over the pages of the latest Spiderman or Fantastic Four isn't so far-fetched, considering Tafari and his musical partner/producer Don "iD" Welsh are known for bringing a bit of surreal flair to their live performances.

"We stand out from other groups because we have cowboy gunfights on stage," he says with a grin. "We dress up in cowboy suits and superhero outfits."

Tafari's solo debut, Movements of Luv, encompasses every love of his life -- for music ranging from reggae to rap to country/folk, for his eight-year-old twin boys, for his wife, for his absent father, for Rastafarianism, and for years of collaborating with Welsh (Locution Revolution, Wildstyle Wednesdays, Hip-Hop in the Park), who helped Tafari craft his own brand of western hip-hop after Tafari parted ways with his former rap crew, Intricate Minds.

"I'm a really weird guy," he chuckles. "I don't mind breaking out of the box. This is my environment. This is where I grew up. This is what I know. I'll go out and I'll ride a horse. I like it.

"ID is the country cowboy; I'm the urban cowboy. We bring it together. We're comfortable showing off what we have out here in the West. If it's not truthful, people will see through it. If it's wholehearted, people will accept it and know it's cool."

Much like his musical heroes -- Ice-T, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg -- Tafari's "luv" stems from the strength he gets from faith and family. Of the 23 intros, songs and interludes on his debut, appropriately set for release on Valentine's Day, 11 sport the word "luv."

"The album cover has my wife on it -- that's a 'movement of love' for me," he says. "Ice-T would always have his wife with him. That's something I want to bring back. I want women to know, 'We love ya, we need ya -- stay.'

"I wanted the album to be really melodic. This really expands what I've listened to over all my years -- not just rap and reggae, but folk and heavy metal and country. I really wanted to have a message. I really want you to have your brain, body and spirit dance all at once."

Love, as he muses on the album's final song I Prayer, is about the strength of facing the present with arms wide open.

"I Prayer really solidifies where I'm at, where I want you to be at and what I want us all to achieve, which is love," Tafari says. "No matter how you find it -- I don't care what god you go through or what you're reading -- I'm a happy camper."

- - -

A LUV SUPREME: Feel the love with two tracks from Khiry Tafari's new album in this week's Soundcheck Podcast at edmontonjournal.com/podcasts.

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal - Edmonton Journal

When it comes to lyrics, they say you should stick to what you know.

For local rapper Khiry Tafari, love is one thing he's come to know better than most. From his children to his wife Linsay to the city's blooming hip-hop scene, Tafari is surrounded by love these days.

The former Intricate Minds MC will drop his long-awaited debut solo album Movements of Luv tomorrow night with a Valentine's show at Teddy's on Jasper Avenue and 113 Street.

On his long journey toward understanding love, Tafari has learned that sometimes it's the most innocent minds that provide the deepest insight.

"I think before my children were born I had a more negative view of love," he says.

"From their perspective, love is very simple. It's nothing that's been construed or complicated. We make love so complicated and it's not... It's real powerful, but it's a simple thing."

Tafari enlisted his son Keyon and daughter Nitaljah, both six years old, to provide some thoughts on the subject with a few conversational interludes on Movements of Luv, and he even gave them their own track on the CD to make their early rap debuts.

While some rappers might seem perplexed by such a move, it only seems natural to Tafari.

"To rap about your kids is cool. A lot of the older rappers that are here, they realize that it's not about being so ghetto and it's not about being from 118th," he says. "As you get older it's about being happy, and your family."

Tafari has been finding a ton of love from fellow rappers, particularly Don Welsh (a.k.a. iD), who co-fronts the rap group Locution Revolution with Tafari and also guests on Movements of Luv and produces several of the tracks.

A veteran of the local scene, Tafari says he's seen an overwhelming show of love and support from the hip-hop community at large in the past year.

"It's the first time, I think, in this city, that I've seen the hip-hop and rap community actually support each other and embrace each other. People are wanting to put other people on to showcase them, it's not a thing of, 'They're gonna shine more than me' and silliness like that," he says.

"Years ago, or even a year and a half ago, people were trying to hold people down and things like that, but it seems to be passing. People are holding each other up now."

Another thing that's been elevating the scene is a wealth of intelligent rap artists who are writing about their own lives rather than trying to emulate the "bling-bling" gangster mentality prevalent in the rap that litters MTV.

"I think people are finding that we need to rap about what we know, where we come from. People look at America and the stuff that they have; we have a lot more to say than them, we have a lot more cultures here than them. Sure, we have our poverty and we have our ghettos, but we also have West Edmonton Mall and we also have people trying to be fathers to their children," he says.

"You can say Edmonton is stab city, but Edmonton is also a love city and it's also a helping city."

Tafari has been getting play on CJSR with his two singles Heart Music and Souljah Girl and his fresh style of heartfelt rap infused with soulful melodies is sure to start making some major waves.

And for those still searching for love this Valentine's Day, perhaps some words of wisdom from Tafari will help you relax.

"It's not a hard thing to do, it's really plain and simple to (love). But we've been told to put these boxes and doors around us," he says. "Just be outside of the box and you'll see that everything is lovely." - Edmonton Sun

Khiry Tafari, also known as Frank Talk, speaks like a messenger, makes music with love, and sparks flames like a devil. By being himself, he is able to spill his heart to the world. Feel free to agree or disagree with his perspective, but you must respect his conviction. Read Khiry' Q&A with Blinc.Magazine to dive deep in the mind of this self proclaimed geek. Did I mention that he's a little long winded!?
Blinc Magazine: So let’s start from the beginning. How old are you?

Khiry Tafari: 29

BM: Where are you from? Edmonton?

KT: Yah, here is home. I’ve been here since grade one, kindergarten. We travelled a lot with my mom. She’s from Nova Scotia.

BM: My mom loves it out there too.

KT: Just a crazy black community out there, it’s awesome. Coming from the states down, there’s so much to learn. When we first moved to Canada we lived in Ontario.

BM: Do you remember that?

KT: Yah, it’s weird. I remember stuff that I shouldn’t remember. I remember being in Jamaica swimming, and this is under 1 year old. And I tell people about it and they’re amazed that I remember that stuff. It’s just that the place is great.

BM: So you go back often then?

KT: No! It’s weird. Unfortunately I’m not the biggest fan of Jamaica. I think it’s overrated.

BM: I’m a Trini so I’m down with that. It is totally overrated.

KT: When I go there I get disappointed. So the only thing really, is being in the country and chilling with the Rastas and learning from them. One of the first times my mom went there with us all of our luggage was gone just like that. It’s just disappointing. People there will have a wicked cell phone and live in a box you know!? I just can’t handle that stuff. Barbados I think is the shit.

BM: You’re in school. What are you taking?

KT: Education.

BM: Really!? That’s what I took in school too.

KT: I’m all about it.

BM: What do you want to teach?

KT: Elementary. I go to my kid’s school and take over the class. They get me outside at recess and the school is with me. It’s great. My case manager at school is telling me junior high. But I never really thought of doing it. I look young so I always think that I’ll fit in with them too easily. But looking at it from her point of view, I have a link with it, so now I’m thinking I should look into secondary and see. But elementary is what I love the most.

BM: That’s what I thought too with the looking too young. I didn’t think that I could do high school and elementary never crossed my mind. But I studied for grade7, 8. I think that’s where the fun is. When you’re younger I don’t think that they have formed any opinions whatsoever. And when you get to junior high you really start to make your own decisions. So I would really like to have that sort of influence. Some kids come out of high school and junior high and they’re just crazy. Are you at Grant MacEwan?

KT: Yeah.

BM:You’re a father. Do you like it, do you love it? Was it everything you expected it to be?

KT: I love it. It’s better than I expected, it’s not what I expected. Our language is too weak to describe being a parent. I wish my kids lived with me, I wish I could be a full time dad. I’m one of those people who cry real easy so with my kids, anything makes me cry. My daughter is literally the left side of my brain my son is literally the right side of my brain. Everything like drawing, writing, reading.. That’s my daughter. Anything athletic my son can do it.

BM: Do you see all the things your parents talked to you about when you were younger?

KT: I’m always telling my daughter “Clean your room.” I remember those days of “Clean your room, don’t make me come up there,” and then shoving everything under my bed. My son is always wrestling and banging into the walls, landing on the ground, smashing things. For me, I’m learning to love hugging and kissing and not caring who is around. My kids taught me that.

BM: So how’d you get into music?

KT: That’s my first love. I use to have a little suitcase. I don’t know what happened to it but I had it forever. You open it up and you thought it was a suitcase but it was a record player. That’s all that I had, that’s all that I needed. I had that ever since I can remember. I have so much bad with my dad but the things that my dad gave me are the most influential. My dad always had reggae going. Hearing Bob Marley when I was little all the time and I always thought it was woman, I had no idea. Eventually [my dad] showed me the record and it was Rastaman Vibrations. It became my first one. He shuffled them down to me, like a bunch of Peter Tosh. I can hear anything and remember it. Like when I was a kid I use to listen to radio lots, my mom is really Christian so I listened to a lot of gospel.

BM: Growing up was it more radio music, gospel music, or reggae and did you just find your style from there?
KT: Well my mom was more gospel and R&B, like The Commodores. My dad was more reggae. I don’t recall my parents playing any other type of music but somehow along the way I got Oakridge Boys vinyl and Huey Lewis and Van Halen. So I don’t really know where it all came from but I ended up listening to everything and whatever. I think it was because of my friends. I’m one of those kids where I can just be friends with everybody; I want to learn about everyone.

BM: So you’re more hip hop now. Would you branch out later on in your career if given the opportunity?

KT: We’re labeled as hip hop because we rap. Once you listen to the album we’re everything under the sun. There are a lot of my influences being rap and reggae but there’s acoustic stuff and live stuff. Like Soulja Girl has no drum to it.

BM: I didn’t notice that.

KT: Yah, it’s a rap song with no drums. I think that only Outcast has done that. There’s folk, there’s reggae. iD’s real adamant about putting two more albums out by the end of this year.

BM: Really? That’s a lot of work for you guys.

KT: It’s awesome though, it’s good. So we have Locution Revolution our first one coming out hopefully for July to September. It’s entirely produced by a dude named Curbside from Kentucky. He’s a nerd, so the sound on that is going way into left field as opposed to what iD has put out or to what I have put out. I have lots of melodies and singing and songs. Music-wise it’s out there and spacey and futuristic and all that goodness.

BM: You’ve been in a few bands like Intricate Minds. How have you gone from one group to another group to another group? Is it the natural evolution of things, or were the groups meant to be temporary things?

KT: Uhmm, no. I’ve always been in a duo or a collective somehow, always knowing that I’m a solo person. I’ve always gone by the thing of ‘I would just be boring by myself on stage’. And I know that’s not the case but people may get bored of that same voice over and over. So I shied away from that. I think that hooking up with Intricate Minds taught me a whole lot and helped me to find my skin. The thing that sucked was that I was always the black sheep. I’m that kid that dances around and Hulks up. They were more chill and laid back. I didn’t stick in that way and I always felt sort of limited; there was only so much I could do in that capacity with them. With iD, we both showed up at Convergys one day. I was like, “Hey I’m Khiry, I rap I like music.” “Hey, me too.” We clicked that way. But iD wasn’t good, he was just finding his business, he thought he was good. There was this place where you could go and rhyme after work. A couple of us would go in and start rhyming and freestylin’ and iD’s just fucked! His freestyle was like ‘Patty cake, patty cake’. So he stepped aside and took it all in. All of a sudden, boom, no iD. Didn’t hear from him for like two years, I thought I did something. I then get a call out of the blue from iD and he’s doing his shit. I went over to his place and I’m blown away. The guy’s the man I’m telling you. Things just went from there. We want to go to the same place so we’re going together.

BM: Do you like the group stuff, or do you like the freedom of being solo?

KT: Oh yah, way more freedom. With iD it’s weird because I have no limitation and I have even more space to jump ‘cause he has his own thing and then we have stuff that we do. This is the kind of thing that I’ve been waiting to find. Out east they have Cardinal and Choclair and Terra Chase, Aristotle, you have all of them doing their thing. What I’ve noticed is that they’re all in the same place but when it’s Choclair’s time to shine, when its Choclair’s time to put out an album everybody puts him on their shoulders. They fling him to limitless boundaries. They all back each other. Something that has never been here….I don’t even want to get into it. It’s a sad thing ‘cause the east, they ain’t no better than us. No better no worse. We’re both top notch. Out here we’ve got a little more because we’ve got Blacks and we’ve got Natives and we’ve got Asians, and out there it’s pretty much just Blacks. We’re a little bit ahead that way. Anyway, it’s about putting people on your shoulders so when it’s iD’s time he’s on someone’s shoulders. It may only be my shoulders but he’s on someone’s shoulder. It’s a matter of genuine people. Not to take from people and say you’re not this and you’re not that, but I have no doubt when it comes to iD and I’m sure he has no doubt when it comes to me. With Locution Revolution we’re bringing so many people with us. We’ve got DJ Haywood, we’ve got Creasion on it, we’ve got ALK we’ve got Nova (L Dirty D). There’s a dude from Saskatoon Epic Nine, We Def. That alone makes for different stuff.

BM: With how you describe your personality on stage you totally surprise me. When I first met you, I wasn’t expecting ‘you’ at all. And when I heard your music I was not expecting that. And so when you describe your style on stage I can’t see that now. I have to come to one of your shows ‘cause I’m curious. You’re keeping your fans on their toes for sure. Edmonton has a different style of rapper. It’s good to hear real music without glorifying guns and crap. I’m excited for the future in Edmonton because I think we’re going to have some pretty good rappers coming out of here.

KT: No doubt. There’s just so much diversity in what we’ve got and so much to say. When people hear that I rap they automatically think America. For me I think that is why our stuff is different. It’s because the rap that we listen to is not from America. I don’t have that influence and it doesn’t come into my house or my world. We listen to everything under the sun, but when it comes to rap, what we’re listening to is people from where we’re from. Like on there if you look (motions to cd rack) there are people from Saskatoon to Winnipeg to BC. I could name you some cats here that are all about Lil’ Wayne and…….. uhm, Jeezy?? I feel weird just saying the name. You can tell that that’s what they’re listening to. There’s no influence of any other type of music. Rap is the only type of music that has all these categories. They tried to do it with rock n’ roll by having grudge and stuff but it’s all essentially the same. Rap is totally different. From the conscious rapper to the gangster rapper to the Cool Keith rapper. It’s a thing of making people aware. It’s not just the rap you see on TV coming up here from the south, there’s so much more. One of our things is to make people aware that sure you don’t like rap but by the time we’re done, you’ll like us. Don’t be so tunnel vision. Rap is made out of every kind of music, whether it be opera, country, every kind of music is in there and I think people need to realize that too.

BM: Do you think it’s hard for people to branch out? Is there pressure to go a certain route?

KT: For me it’s easy ‘cause I’ve always been the weird kid. I’m the one that’s comfortable with being weird and different. I think for a lot of people it is hard, especially nowadays. Rap is like the soccer of music where all you need is a ball for soccer, that’s it and you go. That’s why it’s the most popular sport on the planet. Rap…. You don’t need anything for it. If you can talk and kind of keep a rhythm you can do it and it’s just a matter of if you’re gifted or if you’re just one of those people who are like, “I like that”. Those are the same people who back in ’86 had on spandex, long hair, and eye liner. Those are the same cats who were doing heavy metal. Whereas me and Touch and Flex we still would have been raping. We still have the guitars no matter what the era is. Everybody can rap nowadays, you don’t need a guitar to rap you don’t need drums to rap. There are few that are really talented and good at it as in soccer.

BM: So you have a lot of different names: Frank Talk, William the Red. Where are all these personalities coming from? Is it like an Eminem thing?

KT: Eminem has our thing. Basically there’s Khiry which is me. The new generation Mr. Frank Talk is what I am when I’m talking about biblical or political stuff. Frankly Talk comes from my hero Steve Biko. Steve Biko use to talk under the name Frankly Talk because he wasn’t allowed to write or speak or communicate with more than 2 people at a time. William the Red is an alter ego. William the Red is a Native dude and being that I like the name William and it fits into that time. Red because… me myself, I’m red. Anyone from the islands will know.

BM: Are you going to bring out different albums for your individual personalities?

KT: 2010 we have Urban Gun Slinging Duo album coming which is our alter egos. They come with us on stage, we’ll do fights and what not. Basically it’s a concept album of the old west and it’s a story from A-B and we’re out to save the day and make things right in the old west.

BM: That would make a really awesome show.

KT: We’re in the works of making it into a comedy which is the first step to a video. We just have to get the comic style of writing down so it can continue.

BM: So do you draw then too?

KT: I do draw and have a portfolio. It’s all I did for the longest while. Draw and write, draw and write. But I wouldn’t do any of the art I don’t think, there are just so many cats from around the way who I think put me to shame. So once again it’s not just about rappers or singers, I want to get everyone up with us. Our logo with the fist is done by a dude here named ErikGravel and I just think he’s the best artist in the city. There’s also Roger Garcia, he’s freakin’ awesome.

BM: You were out in Montreal for a bit. How was that experience for you?

KT: Most beautiful city in this country, Montreal. Woooo! Montreal is awesome. I went out there to basically get better at what I want to do. From rapping, writing, stage presence to battling. Everything and anything that I can get into, that’s what I did out there. I hooked up with a group out there called Shades of Color, they just taught me lots. I think the main thing they taught me is to not be inhibited. My character is a wrestler, which is my personality jacked up a thousand percent.

BM: Do you learn by doing or are you into the more technical side of making music?

KT: I’m a perfectionist. I go through everything. I’ve got books upon books upon books. I’ve been doing it for so long that along the way I kind of got bored. My voice has always been weird. Once again, different from everybody else’s voice, and the closest voice that I ever thought I sounded like was Nas and Busta Rhymes sort of mixed together. Those two are a great influence for me. My breath control is huge just from listening to those guys and what you can fit into a line, so I stuck at that for a long time. I don’t like to freestyle anymore, I almost think it’s below me. Someone who just sticks to free styling is someone who hasn’t perfected their craft or doesn’t want to go further… so they’ll always be that battle emcee. You might be a rapper one day, but you’ll still be a battle emcee. When you get to be a rapper then you can step up and be an emcee and once you can be an emcee you can step up and see if you can be a singer if you can be a singer or write then from there you can be an author. I have tunnel vision for one thing and then perfect it as much as I can. Movements of Luv is a book. It’s an autobiography, and based on love.

BM: What’s the difference between the boy’s version and girl’s version?

KT: Nothing at all, just the covers. There’s me and Lindsay and one just by myself. The one with Lindsay is for the males, and if I can be so cocky, the one by myself is me pulling an LL Cool J. It’s just geek mode having two covers.

BM: Back to shows and competitions that you’ve been in, how was Ookfest?

KT: That’s when I was in Intricate Minds. There are two dudes in the group who were going to NAIT and every year they had battle of the bands. We decided to jump in and see what happens. We were the only rap band; everyone else was rock bands, heavy metal bands. It was just a different element for us to be in. We ended up winning it which was the best shit for us up until then. It was awesome. It was really cool ‘cause we were the first rap band to win it. Before that Politic Live had placed 2nd so we were happy that they paved the way for us. We sort of jumped the fence that they couldn’t get over. We got to chill with Swollen Members, Finger Eleven; we got good stuff from them. Best thing about that day is I met Lindsay. Up until that point it was the biggest audience that all of us had been in front of. Just the technicians and the equipment, we had to have stage passes and we could go where no one else could go, and we had our own tent. It was our first taste of what things could be.

BM: So is that advice that you would give anyone coming up…just do everything and anything you possibly can?

KT: Still be picky. If you like it then get out there. Especially if you’re a rapper or an emcee just jump into whatever you can get in to. Because before you know it them shits are gonna be gone. Learn to free style, learn to battle, and learn to write. Read literature.

BM: What is the Temple all about?

KT: Every Wednesday, its called Rock Star Wednesdays, at the temple we put on shit for the community. It’s a thing of who’s going to do it… Nobody is going to do it, alright then I’ll sit at home and wait for someone to do it. Fuck that! I’ll do it. It’s just about being progressive. We’re lucky enough to have people who’ll let us have a spot and do our thing. We just wanted to have a space where common heads can spit and showcase. Where else are you going to learn your shit? Sitting in front of the mirror? That’s what I had to do. I wish I had a mic in my hand with people who could hear me other than my mom.

BM: There’s a lot going on in Edmonton you just can’t find it.

KT: Its nuts. Edmonton is so bloody small, but it’s so big. It’s funny. In Edmonton, whether you know each other or not, people are afraid to talk to each other. You go down to Calgary and people will chat to you. If they have a question they’ll ask you. But here if they have a question it’s all hush hush. Come on, I know you’re not that shy.

BM: I laugh but that’s me.

KT: I’m one of those people who’ll just say something, break the ice.

BM: Maybe eventually we’ll open up.

KT: I hope so. I find that it’s just here. It’s a thing that frustrates me. In class I’m the one who’s like ‘Austria! It’s Austria!’ 5 other people will know that but they don’t come out of their shell. I’m in my shell too but I want to know you.

BM: It may just be your personality. I would love to be able to do that but it’s not my style. My plan with this magazine is to get to the point very quickly where I don’t have to talk to people. I can just dictate and that’s good.

KT: Edmonton is weird. If something is popular then it’s a go. But if it’s not then we’re real iffy on it. We need to get out of the box and start looking for things on your own and recognize that things are good. Take Cadence Weapon, it’s supposedly a solid thing and everyone’s all on it but I’ll beg to differ. There’s hotter shit. Better performances. I’ve been here for 10 years and right now I’m getting what I’ve been looking for whereas someone like Cadence Weapon, comes along out of nowhere and according to me isn’t community wise, doesn’t help out too much in Edmonton, but yet is propelled by the mayor. “Mr. Mayor, look at what we’re doing for your city.” I’m not in it just to be doing music.

BM: Would you prefer the rough route and go through all the things you need to go through to get to the top?

KT: That’s a good question. If you had someone like 118 make it just like that, I know that they could sustain it and they could come out with good music on a regular basis. They would utilize it. They’ve been in the community for how long!? It’s a thing about what would you do with it? If you put iD in that spot he would be doing massive things, he’s a genius, and he’s an activist. You come to cats who get put up there and don’t do anything with it. Depending on the person is it a good thing or a bad thing. I think it’s all about community, which is why I’ve never really left Edmonton. I’ve been invited out by Beat Factory, and by Ruckus. Intricate Minds is on Ruckus now. This is where I’m from I want to be able to help put it on the map and watch Edmonton crawl then walk then run. It’s not my favorite city but I love this place more than anywhere which is why I want this place to be successful and I want to be successful from here. I could go to Toronto but it’s not me. This is what I do and this is where I get my influences. All these other cats sold out rap, they killed her. They get to travel the world and the things coming out of their mouth is still nothing? If I was put in that place could you imagine the things I would learn? I don’t like American rap, its pollution, and its poison. I can see why people say that it’s poisoning our youth. When you come out with racist music its wrong business. I love my forefathers; I love my Fredrick Douglas and Steven Biko and Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. So to me it’s a thing of honor to them, I’m here because of them. I wouldn’t be considered a person if not for them. You can’t put out racist music, that’s hate no matter how you put it. Just to hear the word nigger I can’t handle it, I don’t care if you put an ‘a’ at the end. If I spelt rose with an ‘i’ at the end it’s still rose. The stupidity and the ignorance that comes across I can’t handle. If they’re not talking that business then it’s the business of fuck and lust and baby baby. There’s no substance. People like to dance but I want my brain to dance with my body too and I’m not going to leave it behind. Music is the language of the universe which makes it a higher power so you’ve got to have respect for it.

BM: As far as living in Edmonton and promoting your city and wanting to come out of here, is that more important to you as an artist or as an individual?

KT: I think it might be both. People don’t recognize what we have here. Even if I didn’t rap I’d be doing some sort of artsy thing. If I lost my tongue tomorrow I’ll have another outlet. We get over looked. There are just so many good things coming out of Edmonton. Recently the bad things have been getting the limelight and overshadowing something that tremendous. Some kid saving an old woman who almost got hit by a car should be getting more coverage then the mayor demanding that there be laws against knives. Stabbings have been here for how long? It’s not new; it’s not the main thing. I wish you didn’t have to jump on the band wagon to show that we have stuff.

BM: How about people jumping your bandwagon and people propelling you to that level? Is it different if it’s you?

KT: It’s just in general, I’m not bias. I still have to be convinced that it’s a good thing.

BM: I just want to jump back to you describing mainstream rap as racist music. Can you elaborate a little?

KT: Black people [can be] are racist. I hate to say it black people [can be] the stupidest people on the planet. We’re the trendsetters but we follow, we’re going forward but we’re backward. When I hear the word nigger being used whether it’s in good terms or bad terms it’s just racist. If you can have hillbilly John sing “I don’t want them niggers coming around my bend” and that’s racist music but then Lil’ John is singing “What up my niggas”… and that’s cool? I would never go up to someone and say “What up my muthafucka”. I’ve always been the only black person in the group and someone slips up and says nigger but then everyone turns and looks at me. If that’s not racist then why are you looking at me? Same thing with getting with Obama, all of that is racist. Rap is social commentary. When people are saying “First black president”, no, that’s racist business. I don’t think people overstand what’s going on. Even if it’s not coming across as downgrading, it’s still racist and wrong. It surprises me when KRS says nigga cause there was a time when he would never had said that. He’s come along in that mainstream a bit and it’s become an easy thing to adapt to. Black Americans and us are a little different ‘cause they don’t have that stability they don’t have that pride factor. Blacks are looking to be accepted. Love yourself then you can definitely jump out into others. You’ll learn what God is.

BM: Because in rap and hip hop the word nigger is so easily mentioned when you hear white people using those words or making reference to them do you think that we’ve brought it upon ourselves by promoting this sort of music?

KT: Oh yah.

BM: You always hear people yelling racism for every little thing these days. How fair is it if we, as black people, are putting out racism every four seconds?

KT: It’s like a child. You’ll let them get away with stuff they’re going to go for it. As a race it’s really childish ‘cause we know that we can get away with it. It’s your word over someone else’s and that other person is not likely to get believed. Are you trying to go forward, are you staying stagnant, are you going backward? It’s all about progression. If you’re not going to be progressive you’ll get left behind. Those types of people will be weeded out or you’ll make yourself look stupid which is what we’ve basically done. It’s a double standard. Once pride starts to exclude, it’s racist. Don’t do to others what has been done to you, don’t bring that with you. I don’t have a good dad, so I shouldn’t be a good dad. I’m going to be the best freakin’ dad I can be. The end result is that feeling of love and that’s all anyone wants. Hip-hop, this culture, was made by blacks but they were never saying no. It’s meant to bring in everybody. Everyone should be in tune to it; everyone should be a part of it.

learn more about Khiry Tafari on myspace. See video of this interview on facebook. contact us - Blinq Magazine

Week of January 29, 2009, Issue #693
ALBUM REVIEWS
Haikus: Quick Spins

Whitey Houston / quickspins@vueweekly.com
Hoobastank
For(n)ever
Island

A band about farts
Will they ever make good discs?
Don’t hold your breath pal

Titus Andronicus
The Airing of Grievances by
XL

Can someone explain
Why the best rock comes from dudes
Who don’t give a shit

Late of the Pier
Fantasy Black Channel
EMI

This much energy
Takes a shovelful of coke
And vats of Redbull

The Donefors
How to Have Sex With Canadians
Donefors

Good, but as sexy
As changing a flat tire on
The Henday in March

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives
Communion
Yep Roc

Like Ponce de León
This here double record is
All over the map

Khiry Tafari
Movements of Luv
Independent

Hip-hop space cowboy
All about the luv, except
The parts about hate - VueWeekly