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Interview
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Kinetic 9 aka
Berretta 9 is a member of the incredibly artistic group
KILLARMY, an affiliation of the legendary group WU TANG
CLAN. He is a gifted, talented MC originally from
Steubenville Ohio. 4th Disciple, another Ohio native and
group producer of Wu- Tang Clan introduced Kinetic to the
group. Through hard work and determination, they became
one of the earliest and most successful groups that emerged
out of the Wu-Tang camp in the early 90’s. They went on
to record three successful albums “Silent Weapons For Quiet Wars [1997];
Dirty Weaponry [1998], and
Fear, Love & War
[2001].
Kinetic has worked closely with Wu Tang’s mastermind
“The RZA” to collaborate on some dynamic songs. He appeared
on all three of RZA’s album.
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The second album “RZA
As Bobby Digital In Digital Bullet” is where he exercised his valuable skills by
appearing in many songs, i.e. the hit single ”LA
RHUMBA”. Kinetic and The RZA fused their
talents on the numerous tracks such as “Take
Swords Part 1" which was featured on
Afro Samurai
Soundtrack soundtrack [2007].
Kinetic’s international efforts included touring with
RZA. He also paired off with Killarmy’s brother SHOGUN
to be the headliners of the successful European “Killa
Bee” concerts in 2007, and paired with other Wu affiliates. With
the warm greeting and support of the European fans,
Kinetic plans on continuing and pursuing more overseas
dates.
Kinetic is striving and ready to push his efforts
towards a solo album. He recently dropped two mixtapes
for his loyal fans, which is distributed and available
at his shows. He is diligently working
hard on his solo album for which he aims to highlight
his individualism, but parallels the best sounds of his Killarmy and Wu-Tang’s genre.
Not only is Kinetic a performer, he has
expanded his creative talents into producing. Kinetic
has finally started producing for brilliant artists such
as Method man (4:20) and a host and handful of Wu affiliate
such as Freemurda, Leggazin and more with the
hopes of making sounds for other rap lyricists alike.
Currently working on numerous projects, Wu-International
caught up with Killarmy's own Beretta 9 to find out
about his contribution on the Achozen project, a project
he worked on with Shavo, The RZA and Reverend William
Burks, Killarmy reunion album, Orphanage project and his
latest and current project with Czech artists IronKap
expected to drop sometime soon. This is part one of the
Kinetic tic and IronKap interview with Kinetic, part two
will be posted tomorrow... Enjoy! |
I like to say thanks first and foremost for
taking the time to answer these questions, highly
appreciated, and will also point out that nothing will be
altered, edited or changed when this is published online.
.....................................
Wu-International: Peace Kinetic, let’s talk about this
current project you have with Ironkap, can you please tell us how
it all started and how you got involved?
Kinetic: That would be a question mainly for Kap,
cause Kap hit me up about it. We did some songs together and
Kap wanted to do an EP so I was like “Let’s do it Kap,
anything for you”.
Wu-International: You have worked with a number
of artists in Europe from Co-Deez, Aslan and now Ironkap,
what does it take to work with you?
Kinetic: Well right
now, that’s all I’m sticking with man. Those are my peoples;
I have known them for a long time. Anybody else, they have
got to pay their fees.
I get hit up on Facebook all the
time, I’ve been doing this since I’ve been 16 years old,
starting with Killarmy and everything , that’s how I make my
living, now before that age and time I was in the negative
shit: on the corner. You know what you do on the corner ...
well, not prostitution (laughs) but you know: you might sell
“uncontrolled substance for a reasonable fee”, know what I
mean? But since I got in the music, I stayed on a straight
and narrow, I never got back to that. But at the same time,
a brotha never graduated, I dropped out of school and went to the “college
of self”.
Basically, what I’m saying: when you hit
me up on Facebook or anywhere else, please respect this is
what I’m doing for a living man. I’m at the point where I
want to shut down my Facebook page and create a fanpage,
cause there people can’t send me messages and ask me for
verses and shit. That’s all man, if you want to work with
me, hit me up and ask me and respect my fee. I had
a brother hit me up on Facebook the other day: “Yo man, when
we gonna do a song together ?” That’s an inappropriate way
to ask somebody.
Wu-International: Ok, get it, so back to the Kap project,
what is your main role in this project?
Kinetic: Production with a few verses.
Wu-International: You must be a busy man with
numerous projects in works, how do you manage your time with
these projects as well as other commitments?
Kinetic:
Well, there’s 24 hours in a day, that gives me 168
hours a week. That’s how I manage my time man , I’m sure I
can get a little bit of something in there. I’m doing a lot
of stuff right now: from being a booking agent for Ghostface
Killah right now, aside from working on my solo album,
focussed on acting. My boy Roy Perez, a brother that’s
consulting me and a friend I had for a long time, says:
“There’s a lotta things you gotto do so you got to
focus on one thing.” So I took some time, meditated on that
one thing and I said “I’m gonna be good on everything I do”.
Wu-International: With so many projects on, we will
gradually ask about each project individually, so we will
start off with your long overdue début, why is it taking
such a long time to get a solo album out?
Kinetic: I got a lot of friends in the industry
that are very successful in what they do, they made their
finance from what they do. That’s the type of person I’m
gonna be. I know a lot of people, not going to mention no
names, they had one person look after one thing e.g. their
finances, so all they had to do was focus on being an
artist. So why is it taking so long to drop my solo album?
Because I am waiting for the right avenue to put my album
out. I don’t want to be one of those people who keep putting
out albums and not reaching their fullest degree whether
it’s finances coming or the album is not promoted right ...
this, that and the third. I’m gonna have a 100% full proof
plan on putting the solo album out: while I got this person
concentrating on the marketing, this person controlling the
finances, I’m gonna be the person that just want to be an
artist when it’s time for a solo album, and then be sure
anybody else is playing their position. I been through that
in my life when with Killarmy when at one point we felt it
wasn’t being marketed right ... but at the same time we are
underground music. We’re just having all chess pieces in the
proper order basically.
Wu-International: Ok, thanks, so what else do you have
in works other than your solo project?
Kinetic:
I’m working on a project with
Aslan from UK, there’s the project with Kap, doing a bunch
of stuff but that’s all I want to get into right now. I’d
rather let the people know when I have the dates set. When I
have a set date, you’ll hear more about that.
Wu-International: Can you please share with us more
details or songs of some of the ones you are working on,
mainly one with Kap?
Kinetic:
We will, we’ll share
some with you, me and Kap when we are done with our project
we’re gonna share it with you.
Wu-International: Thanks for those answers, you have
released 2 mixtapes, one as a free download, fans want to
know if they can expect vol. 2 of Kinetic radio anytime
soon?
Kinetic: Yes, I have one finished right now, just
got to do a couple things to it and then it will be
available. I plan on releasing it around my birthday, around
March 9th next year.
Wu-International: Moving on to the next project,
Killarmy !! There were talks with you, P and 9th earlier
this year, and suddenly the momentum died down due to a
number of reasons we won’t get into on this interview, can
you kindly tell us what the current state of the Killarmy
project is, can we still expect an album?
Kinetic: I’m NOT doing a Killarmy album without
Killa Sin. Everybody got to be on one page, we gotta have
direction. It’s not 2001, last time we put an album out,
when the hip hop game was easy. It’s not 1998 when we put
out “Dirty Weaponry” nor 1997 when we put out “Silent Army
For Quiet Wars”. It’s 2011, going into 2012. We gotta have a
whole new game plan, whatever, You know, to me, Killarmy didn’t follow
the group plan that was left: we went into merchandising, doing a whole
bunch of shows, I can’t say exactly what our focus was. We
was young , I say that, our focus wasn’t “being successful”
you know? We was just MC’s at that time, mc’s with no
manners, we’ve lost the great General Wise and shit, you
know ? When we lost him we lost a lot of direction, know
what I mean? It let us fall back in not being mature in
some of our decisions so I say that’s one of them, one of
many reasons. I’m not doing the album without Killa Sin and
my brothers unless we’re all on one page, unless we got one
focus. No egos! No egos involved, just like “OK, that sounds
like the best decision” ... know what I mean?
Wu-International: Agree with you, still on that
topic the reason stated on twitter some months back was that
you were too busy for a Killarmy project? Surely for the
fans sake, a Killarmy project will be priority over some of
the current projects you are working on and if not can you
kindly explain to the fans reasons you do not have the time
for it?
Kinetic: No, I don’t feel like explaining that
..
Wu-International: Ok,
fair enough, how many songs were originally recorded for the
Killarmy project and will you be willing to get back to it
when you are less busy?
Kinetic: Yes, I’ll be able to get back to it
when I am less busy.
Wu-International: It’s been ten years this week since
the last group album dropped on 9/11. How do you look back
on that day? It must have been a very strange day for the
group?
Kinetic: Well, it was the day that I didn’t
feel like going into the city for some strange reason, I was
resting. We had to release it, in a store in Harlem I
believe ... Yes, it was definitely a strange day for the
group, you know, it was one of those events that you don’t
want to look back on you know ? I’d rather not talk about
that anymore. But do the knowledge to the album: “Fear, Love
and War” ,. There was another album that dropped around that
time, I think Jay Z’s “The Blueprint”.
Wu-International: Now that we are looking back, which
of the three Killarmy albums would you say is your personal
favourite and why?
Kinetic: “Fear, Love and War”. Just because of
the maturity we’d reached lyrically and the production and
then the time it took us to record the album and master it :
It took about two weeks for the whole album to be done, to
record, to mix it, master it ... we did all that in about
two weeks.
Wu-International: Thanks for that, let’s move on to the
other exciting project you are involved in Achozen,
word is out that it is complete? If so is there any
reason why there is a delay in putting it out?
Kinetic: Cause we have not found a home
for it, that’s one of the reasons. Me, I believe, we
should have just put it out. Not saying we should
have gave it out and put it away. But we should have
taken whatever deal. Let’s say my boy Shavo wanted
70 grand or 150 grand and say the highest last offer offer was
80 grand? Put that shit out my nigga, I’m a tell
you why. I know RZA’s on it and Shavo’s on it and me
and Reverend Burk ... It’s like to hell with who we
are man. You got to put shit out based upon that
you’re confident in the material you putting out and
it also has to be known that you can put out this
material out at any given date. Just this one
project, the Achozen or something, if you running to
make a franchise then so be it. Put that album out,
touch the waters, show these motherfuckers what
you’re made of. That’s the era and the artists I
come from. You gotta get out and do your promo run.
You gotta get out there and do what it takes to show
these motherfuckers that this shit is real. You can’t go
home with just word of mouth. So what if we had the joint
for “Babylon AD” ? Motherfuckers want to see their artists
face to face and see them do their damn thing. We didn’t
give them that, that’s how I feel about that. We had the
opportunity to do Rock the Bells ! Forget how much it was,
the point is we did NOT do it ! We did not expose it,
whether we wanted more money or this, that and the third .
Let’s leave it at that
Wu-International: From what we heard so far, we can
expect something special and different. Would you say Shavo
is a key element in the specific Achozen sound?
Kinetic:
Yes.
Wu-International:
Considering you also produce, did you produce any joint for
the Achozen project?
Kinetic: They
didn’t let me. They didn’t want me to. Maybe I wasn’t good
enough or something? I don’t know.
Wu-International: William
Burk is talked about a lot on forums as fans do not know
much about him, what was it like working with him on the
Achozen project?
Kinetic: Church is a DOPE MC man, all day, he
got rhymes all day long, ALL DAY !!! You got to stop him
man, but he’s a dope MC, it was a pleasure to be working
with him, Shavo and RZA . No more Achozen questions please.
Wu-International: Do you perhaps have any clue what’s
going on then with the Gravediggaz projects as in when it
will be complete, Prince Paul’s involvement etc?
Kinetic: Yeah, to be released soon, I think. They
got some upcoming shows, that’s all I can say about
Gravediggaz too..
Wu-International: Thanks, we spoke with Leggazin last
year and he informed us that you were both working on a
joint album, can you please speak more on this collabo,?
Kinetic: We got a bunch of songs, not yet a
working title for it. We also got a video out for that:
“Movo Polluta” . I hope I said that right, or Leggazin wil
be pissed (laughs). I forgot to mention, Leggazin is one of
the many artists who I collaborate with, from Portugal or
Angola, Africa which he likes to say “Just refer to it as
Angola”. But yeah, Leggazin from Angola, then Kap from the
Czech Republic, from Prague and Aslan from the UK, and there
are one the many artists who I work with. There’s a bunch
out there, I give out a lot of verses.
Wu-International: Leggazin is apparently gone back to
Angola, how is he doing and how easy or hard is it for both
of you to work towards this project?
Kinetic: He’s doing good, man, he’s doing good.
Wu-International: You apparently had a joint album
with Co-Defendants (Enzi and Taxi) with Shogun Assassin some
time back, fans have been speculating on how to classify
this project, is it a group project, joint album or just you
and Shogun featuring on their album?
Kinetic: We were just features, that’s all.
Wu-International: We are not done yet with the projects,
There was also talks that you and Shogun Assassin were also
working on a joint album, how true is this and can you shed
more light to this project please if any?
Kinetic: Me and Shogun got a bunch of songs
done. We never really said we were gonna do a joined project
except for the Orphanage. This was a project me, 4th
Disciple and Shogun were in. Lord Superb was to collaborate
on it. I think at the time we did it we lost a lot of
material, so ... it didn’t happen and shit. You got what you
got, we did some shows, performing some of those songs, me
and Shogun performed our verses to some of the tracks that
4th did, you know. Let’s leave it at that.
Wu-International: We were going to ask after the
Orphanage project, what’s your current relationship with
Lord Superb and have you both worked together since he got
out?
Kinetic:
No, we have not. I have
not spoken to Superb since. I don’t know what he’s into
these days or haven’t heard any news about him. That’s it
for that question.
Wu-International: Have you seen Killa Sin since his
release from jail and if so how is he and what are the
chances of you two working together again?
Kinetic: I have not seen him, no.
Wu-International: Thanks, So let’s talk about your
productions, not many know you were behind some of the great
songs (i.e. off Method Man’s last album) and other projects,
are there other known names you have produced for that most
people do not know about?
Kinetic: A bunch of shit man. I got a surprise
coming for you soon. One of them is gonna be Kap, the
Ironkap-Kinetic album. What else ? I’m gonna let it come out
first and then I’ll explain it to you. I don’t want to let
the cat out the bag too soon.
Wu-International: Would you say you have already evolved
as a producer through the years ? If so, how ?
Kinetic: No, I don’t
feel like that. I will feel that way when besides you, some
people in the industry say “Yo, I want a Kinetic beat !”
When people like my brother the RZA say “Let me get this and
let me get that. You’re doing my whole joint, kid !” Know
what I mean ? That’s when I’ll feel, you know ? When my shit
starts, when you hit me on everything, when I get a couple
of singles out there, a video out there, that’s when I’ll be
like I feel my producer thing has been fulfilled. Let’s hope
to get there. I know I got the sound, I know I got the
style, I learned from the best man ! I learned from the best
...
Wu-International: We were under the impression that your
production company Kinetic Music Group is just you
and your brother? What is your brother’s role in the
company?
Kinetic: I
got a bunch of brothers, man. Right now, Kinetic
Productions is me and a few other producers . I got
a bunch of producers out there, that I like. I’m
hoping that they’ll come to collaborate. But I don’t
want to get into the names of that, I want to first
wait till we’re actually getting some music done.
Wu-International: We are a little bit confused as to
your involvement with Royal Sunn Enterprise, are they your
management company and what is your role within this
Enterprise?
Kinetic: It’s not the
company that manages me. It’s a company that me and my boy
Reza started . I first met Reza a few years ago in LA. Royal
Sunn Enterprise is a company that we started in which we
just wanted to manage artists. But then again, I realised we
don’t make artists, we sign them so we kinda want to manage
some stars out there but that is like saying ? Only save
those that want to save themselves ? And based upon the
person I had to become because I couldn’t find the people to
help me ? I had to become the person to help myself, whether
I had to handle my own business, my own production. I always
wanted to become a producer, right ? I was first, before I
became an MC so I just want to restore it. Based upon I
could have had the right to have my corner, to people say “
Yo, Beretta, you got a lot of potential, we want you to
reach your fullest potential.” , that being Kinetic. I never
had those people in my corner that be confident, everybody
was stuck on everybody else on this and that and the third.
So I never had that people, whether it was family or people
I grew up that said “I went to school for this, I am a
lawyer. Yo, I want to see you reach your fullest potential,
you got a lot of talent”. You never really hear those words.
Till nowadays, I got a few buddies that say “You the next
big thing ” I’m not going to get into names, but nowadays
I’m getting confident to a degree , the age or the degree I
am . I came a long way man, I always been on that narrow
path, today it’s just starting to pay off. But I STILL
haven’t reached my fullest potential I feel. So be on the
lookout: more to come man. Be on the lookout for your boy
Kinetic. I got a lot to say. Aside from being an MC, aside
from the production, aside from me being an actor, aside
from me being a business mogul shall I say ... I like that :
“ a mogul, Kinetic goes Mogul”, the Professional 9 instead
of Kinetic 9. So those are a bunch of things to look forward
to for me. Just be on the lookout, watch what I’m gonna do
next man: I’m taking it to the next level, man. They won’t
provide me with people that’s gonna help me ? To do this
process ? Anybody want to be part of the entertainment, get
at me man, anybody want to be a add on to help me get to the
next point ? So be it, but if not ? I’m gonna do it alone .
Wu-International: Thanks for those answers, RZA
has been working on a movie, Man with Iron Fist, were you
involved in any way on this project and soundtrack?
Kinetic: I cannot talk
about “The Man with Iron Fist”, I am not allowed to
(laughs). Wait till we go public with that one.
Wu-International: Is your interest in the
movie scene focussed on acting or would you like to get
involved in soundtracks as well?
Kinetic: A lot of
people don’t know I got a credit in “Kill Bill” , I worked
alongside RZA and Quentin for “Kill Bill”. A lot of people
don’t know that so if anybody is looking for somebody that
understands what it is to score or do this for a film, I’m
your man
Wu-International: Thanks again, anything else you
will like to add before we round up this interview, anything
we might have missed, any shout outs you have etc?
Kinetic: I want you to
be on the lookout for my boy HO2FA, he’s from
Ohio. He’s a brother of mine, used to be a member of Killarmy one time but we kinda went our separate ways. He’s
doing his solo thing, he’s a dope MC. Literally, he touched
by dope, all types of shit. Check it yo, be on the lookout.
Go to his Facebook, HO2FA. He has a new single called “Easy
street”. We also got a video for it, I’m in it playing a
cop. We also got Biz that’s featured on it, we shot at him
in the studio on my hometown in Ohio. Shout out to everyone
out there and my fam. |
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Related Interview
IronKap:
Kap &
Kinetic: Czech Edition Part 2 [21st
October 2011]
<Read Other Interviews> |
