RapTalk.net Exclusive Q&A Interview Session w/ Substantial

Raptalk.net recently had the pleasure to hook up with QN5 Music emcee, Substantial to chop it up with the Maryland native about his feeling on the current state of Hip Hop, his new project "Sacrifice" and whats hes got planned for the rest of 2007 / 08. Make sure you check out the new Substantial track "Resurrection Of The House Party" taken from his brand new album "Scarifice" dropping 4th quarter via QN5 Music.

Dub MD: Substantial, What's good?
Substantial: Peace my friend. Life is good.

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?
Substantial: I’ve been rhyming for 14 years, been putting out music professionally for the last 7 years. I was formally signed to Nujabes’ label Hyde Out Productions in Japan. I tour Japan and the US off and owned my own label Unlimited Vinyl Ink back in 2003. Combined my efforts with QN5 Music in 2007 to release the new album Sacrifice this November.

Dub MD: Coming from Maryland, what do you think of the MD music scene right now?
Substantial: I think in a year’s time this area is really going to be making some serious noise and push our movement to the next level. We’ve got a lot of amazing talent ‘round these parts. Folks like Oddisee and the whole Low Budget crew, Fertile Ground, Gods’illa, etc. It’s a lot of dope music being made in MD.

Dub MD: A lot of people are saying "Hip Hop Is Dead" lately, how do you feel about the current state of hip hop?
Substantial: I feel like there’s an opening right now for folks like myself and other artist who are providing fans and consumers with quality music. Sells have suffered because of the quality of music that’s coming out these days. Yes, the Internet has also affected the game too but lately it seems like anyone can be a rapper. There’s just a little too much focus on things that have nothing to do with music these days. Make sure yall spend as much time working on yall rhymes as yall do in the mirror!

Dub MD: Do you have a new album in the works? What's it called & what can your fans expect?
Substantial: Of course. The new album is called Sacrifice. People can expect a lot of diversity and style on the project. A wide range of topics, a good amount of live instrumentation, limited MC collabs, & ME! Me just doing what I do not worrying about what people think I should do.

Dub MD: With this project, what artists & producers are you connecting with this time round?
Substantial: There’s a new Extended Famm song. An innovation joint called Sign Language. I brought in an amazing vocalist named Steph to lace two tracks. Male vocalist rnb is on the final track. Fellow Plague member DP One added some cuts. Even got Kool Herc saying a few words on a joint. On the production tip, my man Algorythm handles 5 joints and several interludes. Tonedeff, who also co-executive produced the record with me also produced two joints. The rest of the production was handled by QN5 producers: Kno & Deacon the Villain of Cunninlynguists, Final, Definition, Donnan Links, Studio Steve Wallace, Fero Navi, Burns, & Von Johnson formerly known as J. Johnson.

Dub MD: Your signed to QN5 Music, what's it like working with that whole movement day to day?
Substantial: It’s been great. I’ve been blessed through out my career to work with a lot different folks who really believe in what I do. Although I’ve always worked with them, it’s definitely great to officially be apart of the team. It’s a constant grind without a doubt and there’s always something in the works. It’s a beautiful thing to have additional support.

"The Internet has also affected the game too but lately it seems like anyone can be a rapper. There’s just a little too much focus on things that have nothing to do with music these days."

Dub MD: What do you think is your most defining and unique characteristic that sets you apart from every other emcee out there?
Substantial: My voice and sarcasm definitely sets me apart from most. Like, I’ll do a “conscious” song but add a little bite to it. Also from what people tell me, I’m a nice rapper and a nice guy, oh and if you didn’t notice I’m modest too. Not a lot of folks have both going for them. A lot of wack rappers are nice folks and a lot of nice rappers are sorry excuses for human beings. I’m glad I don’t have their problem.

Dub MD: If you could describe yourself as an emcee in 4 words, What would they be?
Substantial: I’m That Damn Good!

Dub MD: For your fans who haven't seen you perform yet are you planning a worldwide tour anytime soon?
Substantial: Well I just got back from Japan. I should be back out there next year. I’ll be all around the US in the next few months. Would love to hit up Europe, I get a lot of fan mail from out there. I’m also signed to a Dance label out there called Off Shore/Brooklyn Zoo. We put out Electro/House/Hip-Hop shit. Crazy! Those tracks have been getting a lot of love so hopefully that’ll get me on a plane out there sooner than later.

Dub MD: What is on tap for Substantial for the rest of 2007 and beyond?
Substantial: Lets see… I’m working on a collab LP with producer Burns, The Joe Brothers album with me, Oddisee and Trek Life, I’m executive producing Gods’Illa’s debut album, possibly A & R for a label in Japan, a lot of guest spots. The Brooklyn Zoo collab with me, Chew-Fu Phat & Estaw. I recently recorded some new music with Nujabes for his new album and I’m building a studio for the youth I work with in Southeast, DC (donations are appreciated)… HOLLA!

Dub MD: Do you have anything to say to the fans? anything you wanna get off your chest? any shout outs?
Substantial: Shout to my entire family, QN5 Music, U.V. Ink, Tamashie Creations, Dylated, Up & Up Fashions, Fatboy D, Brooklyn Zoo, Covenant House Washington, MD, DC & VA. Shout out to NYC, my folks in Japan and the whole world. To my fans, thank you for the continued support and you know I love yall like Christopher Nolan flix and Butter Pecan ice cream. To everyone else… don’t worry it’s never too late to hop on the bandwagon (peer-pressure, peer-pressure, peer-pressure!)

Lets make sure what happened in Jena, LA never happens again!!

Checkout this brand new track called "Resurrection Of The House Party", Right click & save as to download:
Substantial - Resurrection Of The House Party
http://media.raptalk.net/audio/Substantial - Resurrection Of The House Party.mp3

DUB MD

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