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Interview
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Not many know this
but while patterning his
persona and adopting the name of a “King” (Darkim means King),
the man behind Fame Labs was probably the first Wu-Tang Killa
Beez to be signed as an artist as well as a producer as part of
the production team known as Wu Elements. Sure there was RZA but he doesn’t really count being a
founding member of the Clan and Elements. 4th Disciple while
part of the Killarmy collective was mainly signed as a producer,
and Inspectah Deck on the other hand was probably not signed as a
producer as he was also a founding member of Wu-Tang. That
leaves Goldfinghaz, True Master and Allah Mathematics... Goldfinghaz
and Mathematics go without saying as it's quite
evident they were both signed as producers. True would probably
be the only one that might have been signed as an artist as well
as producer with Wu-Tang as he did both but peoples first
introduction to True was as a producer who sometimes got on the
microphone. Darkim pretty much was the opposite as fans knew he
was signed as an artist who did beats at times but very few
knew he was actually signed as a producer as well as an artist.
Hailing from the Big Apple (New York), Darkim also known as King Christ, got involved with Wu-Tang as part of the production team and as
duo in the group A.I.G. along with his rhyme partner Allahwise.
Unlike these days where its easy to make beats with the
emergence of production tools such as Pro Tools, CuBase etc.. Darkim’s production duties came out of necessity, his great ear
for sound and manipulation of it was unique in it's own but sits
very well within that gritty New York and Wu premises. This gift
ultimately got Darkim to produce the full length album (then
titled “Truth or Consequences”) of his group under Wu-Tang
records around 1999 that remains unfortunately unreleased to date. Knowledge
of his production came to light however when The RZA picked up
one of his beats and used it for The Gravediggaz project on the
song called “12 Jewelz” off the gold selling album “The
Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel”.
With the album in limbo when Wu-Tang records folded under Priority, Darkim went underground for more than 5 years after a
couple of internet releases. While away his internet release “Live
at the Lab: Take 1” was heavily bootlegged and the genuine
albums were getting sold an average of $100.00 ob eBay, leaks
were coming out here and there and Darkim’s legend grew and grew
on the underground. Wu forums were locked on debates as to the
best lyricist within the Killa Beez circle and Darkim’s name
would appear in line with the likes of Killa Sin, Timbo King, La
The Darkman, Killah Priest and so on. The imaginative and
creative MC finally ended the mystery in 2005, resurfacing with
a new album and making up for lost time with a critically
praised "Fame
Labs presents: A.I.G. (Darkim Be Allah & Allahwise)", on his
own indie label Fame Labs and the following year saw the
official release of several projects from “God
In The Ghetto” to “The
Manhattan Project”, as well as several singles and online
leaks.
With the Wu Element series looking to come to an unfortunate
early ending with a no show from
True Master and 4th Disciple still in doubt, Wu-International sees it fitting to
provisionally end this great series
with this gifted wordsmith and beats maker who was also part of
that history but has remained somewhat a mystery to few, more
like the hidden chamber of the Elements, The King Christ
himself, Darkim Be Allah. Even though a wealth of bootlegs,
compilation appearances, mixtapes, and Mp3’s surfaced over the
years, Darkim’s fans never seem to get enough of his music, as
they are eagerly anticipating “Live At The Lab: Take 2, as well
as an AIG
reunion and a full-length follow up solo album from him. Not
many know of his production history and skills which is covered
on this exclusive interview as Darkim tells us all about it, his
favourite tools and confirms the rumour about his full album
collaboration with Krohme. 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: What's good Darkim?
Darkim Be Allah: Everything is everything. I
ain't complaining, and you?
Wu-International: Fine, thanks, know you are busy so
will dive right into it, what have you been up to?
Darkim Be Allah: In the streets doing what I
do, in the studio making music. You know how it is, it never
really stops.
Wu-International:
We are running this Wu Element series and there has been a
debates and arguements within the fans as to who was part of this collective;
we have had confirmation from three reliable Wu-Tang
sources that you were part of this team in addition to
being an artist as well?
Darkim Be Allah:
I'm causing controversy? That's wild, but yeah I was a
part of that history. I had a production deal with Wu-Tang
production as well as my group project as an artist.
Wu-International: Thanks, you have a very distinctive
sound that was unique but also fitted within the Wu sound at
that time, how did you get into producing and which did you
start of doing (rhyming or making beats)?
Darkim Be Allah:
I was an emcee first. I
got into producing really because I couldn't get beats. It
wasn't like these days when every other person makes beats.
So it was kind of out of necessity. As far as the sound, the
way I see it, we made New York City Hip Hop. Wu-Tang just
had a particular expression of it as opposed to other crews
that were coming out of NYC. It's like if 5 different people
paint the same object they all have a certain interpretation
that they bring to it. That was our interpretation of the
NYC sound we grew up on. At that time we were all pretty
much coming out of the 5 boroughs.
Wu-International:
On our last interview you said the first beat you made when
you got your ASR 10 was “12 Jewelz” that was later used by
RZA for the Gravediggaz project, so you started making beats
around that time? What did you use?
Darkim Be Allah: That was ONE of my first beats.
I can't recall if it was THE first. My first set up was a
Gemini mixer with a sampler on it and a Tascam 4 track. Then
I started meeting other producers that put me on to some
good equipment. The ASR is when I stepped my game up to the
pro level though. I was making beats on whatever I could get
my hands on at first though.
Wu-International: RZA still performs that song on
tours to date, where you surprised to hear your beat on the
Gravediggaz project considering you did not initially like
it?
Darkim Be Allah:
Ummmm... I was more surprised that the first
thing people knew of me was being a producer. Like I said I
was an emcee first, so I always thought I'd come out rhyming
first. But as far as beats go, that's just how it is. Some
emcees just vibrate at a certain rate and they hear a beat
that's vibrating at a same or similar rate and they can make
it bang. 10 other emcees might have heard it first and
thought it wasn't that great. So I'm never really surprised
which beats an emcee picks.
Wu-International: What is it about ASR 10 that seems
to make it the preferred choice of all the Wu producers we
know of?
Darkim Be Allah:
It's everything in one.
For me I was a beginner, so it made everything simple. But
as I was growing as a producer everything that I was growing
into was possible with the ASR. Eventually I was recording
songs right into the ASR. You can sample, you can play the
keys, sequence, arrange, pretty much everything. The ASR was
actually the machine of the 90s though. It wasn't just a Wu
thing, a lot of producers in that era were using the ASR.
Wu-International: Cool, Where there songs you produce
for Wu-Tang members (Clan and Klla Beez) while you
were there that you were not credited for or remains
unreleased to date that you want to share with us?
Darkim Be Allah: There's some unreleased
stuff, you make a lot of beats and its picked up by people
who use and never release it or never use it, either way I
don't know where any of them are or ended up though. I
definitely don't own the rights to any of it.
Wu-International: Did you collaborate with the other
Elements at that time (4th Disciple, Mathematics,
RZA, True Master or Goldfingaz) on songs or
production duties?
Darkim Be Allah:
Nah, not
directly, plus I never got that opportunity. Was
making beats for my projects as well as those within
my immediate circle at that time.
Wu-International: You were signed as one half of AIG
with Wu-Tang, and apparently completed an album that
was shelved; did you produce that entire album?
Darkim Be Allah:
Yeah, Truth or
Consequences was mainly done by me.
Wu-International: A question we asked every Wu
Element that has been involved in this series is if
you were to produce an entire album for a Clan
member, who would it be and why?
Darkim Be Allah:
That's a good question. I could come up with a
reason to produce an album for all of them from RZA
to Meth, Ghost, GZA, Killa and so on, but right now
I'd probably say Deck though, Inspectah Deck,
because I don't think people really realize how
ridiculous Sun is on the mic. |
 |
Wu-International: Bronze Nazareth, Cilvaringz
and Moongod Allah probably came after your time there; do
you know of any of them or have worked with any of them?
Darkim Be Allah: Nah, I don't know them.
Wu-International: Your beats are equally as vicious
as your rhymes, Big Apple by Allah Wise was popular with the
fans , where would you say you draw your inspiration from
when making beats?
Darkim Be Allah:
That classic NYC sound. That's pretty much what I was
shooting for on that one. I just love making music. Its a
world that I go into. I'm inspired by the whole science of
it.
Wu-International: Most of your productions have been
within the Wu and and your Fame Lab camp, have you done
productions for others outside of this circle and if so,
who?
Darkim Be Allah:
Dudes on the underground, but no major artists. But as
you can already see from your site a lot of people don't
know I make beats. Plus let's face it, the artists right now
ain't really looking for my sound.
Wu-International: i beg to differ, think people will
check if they know, they just dont know you make banging
beats. Thanks for those answers, so lets move out the
production side of things and focus on your albums,
what have you been up to after the release of “Fame Labs
Present: God In The Ghetto” ?
Darkim Be Allah: I have been "Live At The Lab" and
staying a "Ghetto Apostle".
Wu-International: Ok, that album was a solid
offering, how well was it received by the fans?
Darkim Be Allah:
Great, it got nothing but
love from that CD. In the streets and on the internet.
Wu-International: Fans are still talking about
Live at the Lab Take 2; is that next on the menu or do you
have something else you are working on?
Darkim Be Allah:
All I will say for now is that "Take 2" is coming up as we
speak.
Wu-International: The Manhattan project was more a
release of songs you had stacked in your archives; With few like Killah Priest, 4th Disciple and
Ringz looking to put out songs from their vaults, will you
also be following similar route for some unreleased songs?
Darkim Be Allah:
That's not in the plans right now. It could happen though.
Wu-International:
During the release of your last project, there were
speculations that you were signed to Krohme ‘s Godsendant
Entertainment, please tell us more about this and the album
under this label if any?
Darkim Be Allah:
Yeah Krohme is my peoples. It's
another side project like RZA had Gravediggaz or Raekwon had
solo albums, etc etc. Letting Krohme handle the label end of
things gives me a chance to just make music. Its cool to
wear a lot of hats, but you only got one head. Sometimes
wearing every hat can be a distraction. Yeah though me and
Krohme got a project in the works. He's handling most of the
production.
Wu-International:
Thats good to hear, but what would be the advantage of your
album coming out through Krohme's labe instead of your Fame
Labs label?
Darkim Be Allah:
Me being able to just be an artist and focus on my craft.
Wu-International:
Fans wont rest until they see another A.I.G. album, you
hinted on previous interviews that this was in work? how far
gone is this?
Darkim Be Allah:
Yeah that project is not
progressing as fast as I want it to, but that's definitely
gonna happen.
Wu-International: Since our last interview it
seems the Fame Labs roster has risen in numbers? Can you
please run down the full list of Fame Labs artists?
Darkim Be Allah:
The
roster is actually fluctuating all the time. Brothers get
locked up, come home, out of town, etc etc. On any given day
I just try to get who ever I can on a track.
Wu-International: We are familiar with some of the
names on the last project, its good to see them still on,
are they any singers or international artists on the roster
and do you intend to expand the list in future?
Darkim Be Allah: Nah I wish I had a singer. I
collaborated with some international dudes, but nah we don't
have an international artist nor do I wish to expand the
label right now.
Wu-International:
You have been working
closely with 36Zero, is he your newest protégé and does he
or anyone else within your have any work dropping soon
roster plan to release anything soon?
Darkim Be Allah:
Yea the God is doing his thing. Everybody is putting
in work right now. Everybody is gonna be releasing soon.
Wu-International: Thanks for those, are you
personally working on anything else that you would like to
share with us right now?
Darkim Be Allah: I see you won't rest until I splash
some new music. Seriously though its all good. That's a
great thing that people want to hear what I got to express.
I got a couple songs to send through and see what I got in
store. Will leak you something before you publish this.
Wu-International: Thanks, You are still one of the
favourite lyricist within the Killa Beez circle for those
that know you, unfortunately in the real world these skills
are not reflected in sales or popularity, even though you
have respect amongst your peers, and hailed by your fans.
How do you feel that you have not gotten your over due
deserved shine and still highly underrated by the industry?
Darkim Be Allah: Ummm, that's just kind of the
nature of the music business in particular and being an
artist in general. If I was drawing pictures I might have to
die before I get recognized. Its not something that's unique
to me. It's happened to the best. In reality only a handful
of ARTISTS have achieved commercial success throughout
history. There's other tests besides selling records, like
the test of time. People still talk about good music from
the past and listen to it, that rarely happens with pop
music. "12 Jewels" dropped like 13 years ago and RZA still
makes a crowd go wild with it, how many records sold
millions of copies but no one today will even admit they
bought it?
 |
Wu-International: Yes, I know what you mean, speaking
of test of time, Guru (RIP) of Gangstarr recently
passed away and i am sure his music will forever be
remembered as he made quality hip-hop, what are your
views or remark to the passing of Guru?
Darkim Be Allah:
And don't forget
about Hell Razer being in the hospital too. Yeah
that's why I ain't complaining, I'm too busy
counting my blessings. I don't really have any views
on it, it's just a legendary artist who made a whole
lot of great music that has returned to the essence
of life.
Wu-International: Oh yes, how can we forget Heaven
Razah, thanks for your time and answers Darkim, any
last words?
Darkim Be Allah:
Just peace to everybody and keep your eyes open for
me in 2010. Peace. |
Thanks
for your time and we wish you all the best in your future
endeavours.
Keep up to date with
Bronze
http://www.myspace.com/darkimbeallah
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#3 [Inspectah Deck] -
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#4 [Mathematics] -
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#5 [Goldfingaz] -
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#6 [Bronze Nazareth] -
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#7 [Darkim Be Allah] - King Christ Interview
#8 [True Master] -
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