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Interview
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An eruption is
about to take place; there is something about Dexter Wiggle that
forces one to listen to the man or rather ask "Who is that?". RZA is known for his gift of spotting talents and aligning
himself with them, the proof is very evident with the likes of
Black Knights, Holocaust, Stone Mecca
and over on the East Coast, Sunz of Man, Timbo King,
Killarmy, Darkim Be Allah, Reverend William Burke, Suga Bang
Bang just to name a few of the hundreds of talented artists,
musicians and so on under the Wu family tree that have
come through the Abbott to date. Dexter is not an exception to
this list, in fact, he is a great addition in helping to
strengthen and add on to the tree. Lately some fans have
been doubting if the Wu is still relevant and the number of
bogus and unrelated artists claiming the Wu that are not part of
it have watered down the standards associated with such name and
affiliation. A breath of fresh air; Dexter brings something
exceptionally new and unique to the table with his sing along
rapping style that is not very common or resemblant to anyone out
there. A well rounded artist who charms the microphone be
it singing, rapping, chanting or whatever with his unique flow,
voice, word play and expressions; a skill that RZA noticed and
got him involved in a number of projects and albums, it goes
without saying that Dexter Wiggle is the first and only Killa
Bee from the West that has ever been featured on a Wu-Tang
album. A feature that is restricted to very few Killa Beez due
to the large amount of them, the number of Killa Beez that have ever featured on a Wu album is probably not
more than 4 if not mistaken.
Not much is known
about Dexter outside the Westcoast Killa Beez gang and within the
Wu fans until late. Whilst it would appear Dexter crept out of
nowhere, he has been around the music scene for a long time, and
met the Black Knights through the great late Doc Doom in their
early formation, when the Knights were simply Dirty Doggz,
returning after a couple of years break to find the Dirty Doggz were now Black Knights and signed with Wu-Tang. Few might
have missed him on Black Knights' first album "Every Knight Is A Black
Knight" on the posse cut "What ya niggaz looking at me for"
due to the number of the then new names on there along the
Knights and RZA, but he surely couldn't have been missed on his
later contributions on
Afro Samurai
soundtracks 1 and
2
(Resurrection) as well as the latest Bobby Digital "Digi
Snacks" and of course his unexpected but relevant feature on
Wu-Tang's last album "The
8 diagrams". He will also be featured on the upcoming Black
Knights' "All Skillz No Luck" album amongst other upcoming
projects.
A fan once
described Dexter Wiggle as a "Marmite": you either love his music
or hate it, and of course there have been forums where fans did
not show any keenness to his style, it should however be pointed out
that Marmite is nutritious and full of vitamins regardless of
how one perceives the taste and can be used in different ways
that are beneficial.
It is time to find out more about one of the West Coast's best
kept secret, find out about the man, his background, aspirations
and more on this Wu-International West Coast Killa Beez series.
Enter the chambers of Dexter Wiggle because you will surely be
hearing more of and from him, 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: Hello Dexter, How are you?
Dexter Wiggle: I'm blessed although struggling.
Wu-International: Gangsta Wiggle to Dexter Wiggle,
how did that name come about?
Dexter Wiggle: I was in a music group called
Eastside. We were looking for names along side our alter
egos, like for instance, my man Choc Thai had Pepe Le Peu
tattooed on his arm as his, I had no stage name at all, they
insisted that I be Scooby Doo. I didn't want it as such,
even though that is what my nature is. So after some weed
and consideration, "They Call Me Dexter Wiggle" came out. It
was part of this sketch off comedy special, The Robert
Townsend special, the segment “The Bold, The Black, The
beautiful. I told my group, and they loved it.
Wu-International: Where are you from and where do you
currently live?
Dexter Wiggle: I was born in L.A, moved to Long Beach
after a Dallas vacation and now I'm back in Los Angeles.
Wu-International: What was it like growing up in LA?
Dexter Wiggle:
A myriad of shit to be so
young and uninfluenced. I grew up in gang infested
neighbourhoods where, my father was the original over one.
Wu-International: How does living in California shape
your attitude towards music, art and culture in general?
Dexter Wiggle: A little bit of gangster, a little bit
of spirituality, a lot of survival takes my creations to the
next level.
Wu-International: How did you first get into
singing/rapping? Who was your biggest personal influence?
Dexter Wiggle:
When I first came to Long
Beach (back in '89), I was fascinated by Doc Doom and S-Man
who used to be called Shawnie-D and M.C. Pace. I didn't know
that I could sing. S-Man's girl at the time discovered me
singing along with their group singings just to be clowning
around, but I took it seriously because I always wanted to
sing. I think Prince and Gangster music always had a big
influence on me (Remember Amerikkka's most wanted?).
Wu-International: You have been heard rapping as well
as singing, which did you initially start off doing and
why/what made you expand into singing or rapping depending
on which you started off with?
Dexter Wiggle:
The hood. The West Coast
Killa Beez. I had to rap to keep up with them. I started
singing first.
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Wu-International:
I have to say I have
never heard you spit that sick with a killer flow as you did
on Bloody Samurai off Afro Samurai soundtrack, especially as
you have been singing most of the time, how do you approach
a song and how do you determine if you want to sing or rap
on it?
Dexter Wiggle: I've privately been preparing
myself to flow over any of RZA’s sick shit almost a decade
before I met him. Since the Wu-Tang, I’ve always wanted to
be an athlete M.C. I compare to Michael Jordan. We don't
talk about his misses because he performed so well. That's
what it was like to watch my click in comparison to the Wu.
You could not say that the Wu was fucking up groups like
N.W.A on the West (which also happens to be one of my
favourites too), but you knew it was true, sorta like Mike
and Magic in basket ball. You knew they were great, but one
was supremely better.
Wu-International: Thanks, Could you describe your
process of creating music? How does a piece start for you?
Dexter Wiggle:
The interjection of
words, sound and subject. If I don't have anything to say I
don't write unless, I have a good start at something to say. |
Wu-International: So which do you prefer doing sing,
or rapping?
Dexter Wiggle:
It all. I know that I'm a
musician. I also know that I'm an M.C. I'm starting to get a
lock on producing so I can be a complete Arm Leg Leg Arm
Head.
Wu-International: That’s whats up, you have been
heard doing mostly hooks when you sing, have you ever
recorded a full solo song just singing?
Dexter Wiggle:
I have some works coming
up in the future with just me on them. Stay tuned.
Wu-International: How would you describe your style,
what makes you different from the rappers out there right
now?
Dexter Wiggle:
My style is unique like
the church and the cabaret. My style is what you do both
Saturdays and Sundays.
Wu-International: You were introduced to the world on
“Every Night Is A Black Knight”, how did you get down with
The Knights?
Dexter Wiggle:
I grew up with the homies
in Long Beach (Doc Doom and S-Man). I came to know Monk and
Crisis in '94. I stepped out of the fire to do spiritual
work. Came back and shit was the same except, they were all
Killa Beez now instead of just Nasty Doggs.
Wu-International: Nasty Doggs? Was that Knights first
name?
Dexter Wiggle:
Yes
Wu-International: Regarding Black Knights, it seems
you knew Doc Doom (RIP) very well, where were you when he
died and what do you have to say in regards to Doc as a
person and as an MC ?
Dexter Wiggle:
I was actually out at the movies with Monk when he died. I
feel he was my actual brother in all this. I feel as an M.C.
he would never be faded by the highest commemorated in the
industry because he felt it and held on to his skill sun up
son down. When he'd get up in the morning, he'd be rapping
or writing his lyrics.
Wu-International: Thanks, You now officially rep the
Westcoast Killa Beez or Killa Bee Gang, how did you get
initiated into this new movement?
Dexter Wiggle:
Told my Niggas I was wit
it. They told The Rza and he was wit it, and here it is.
Wu-International: Without a record out you already have
a string of solid fan base, how does that make you feel?
Dexter Wiggle: Like a challenger still.
Wu-International: You said you were in group
before the Knights, do you have any materials
released solo or in group that we do not know about?
Dexter Wiggle:
I was about to
have a project remake of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it
On" on Motown with my group but they scratched it
for another established group. Their remake was
produced by Warren G.
Wu-International: You have progressed from doing
features within your camp to working with The RZA and on his
side projects, did you meet RZA through the Knights?
Dexter Wiggle: Yes, I met RZA through Black
Knights.
Wu-International: How did you get involved with some
of RZA’s projects and what is it like working with him?
Dexter Wiggle: Just coming to the studio. Staying on
top of rhyme laying, and getting in where I fit in.
Wu-International: Could you describe typical
recording session with The RZA or even during the recording
of 8 Diagrams with the Clan members?
Dexter Wiggle: I jumped on "unpredictable" without Inspectah being there, but with the RZA, it was like
spending the night at your cousins house staying up all
night doing fun shit there and
cutting the check. Cause I can work hard independently by
myself.
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Wu-International: Very few Killa Beez ever get to
feature on a Wu-Tang album with the Clan members, how did
that come about and how do you feel to have had the
opportunity to grace 8 Diagrams?
Dexter Wiggle: I always try to make myself available
to Bobby because it's what I want to do. Shit I lost two
jobs to this dedication. That alone might be the reason why,
or maybe the hook just came to fit the bill. |
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Wu-International: Were there any songs that you
recorded that didn’t make it to the complete album as word
is a lot of songs were recorded for 8 diagrams?
Dexter Wiggle:
I think that “Super star”
might've made the album a club succession, or “S.P.L.A.S.H.”
would have killed all the charts off.
Wu-International: Apart from The RZA, which other
Clan member have you done collaborations with?
Dexter Wiggle:
Believe it or not, the
one I'm compared to, The Method Man.
Wu-International: That’s a great comparison, what
valuable lessons would you say you have learnt working with
the likes of RZA?
Dexter Wiggle:
Stay ready at all time.
Wu-International: Thanks very much for all those
answer, lets take the focus back to you, fans want to know
if you plan on putting out a solo project sometime soon or
in the near future?
Dexter Wiggle:
My solo album should be
ready by the fall of this year or early next year.
Wu-International: So could you please give us more
details as in album title, number of songs completed and who
the featured guests and producers are?
Dexter Wiggle:
Oh not yet, but I promise
to deliver the good is all I can say for now.
Wu-International: Ok, looking forward to that, are
you signed to any label, Wu Music Group perhaps?
Dexter Wiggle:
That’s my destination.
Wu-International: Among all you collaborations, which
do you like the best & why?
Dexter Wiggle:
My own click, the Black
Knights, the Black Ball movement Cuz I'm free, even when
they challenge me to drop a hit and do ME because they know
I'll deliver.
Wu-International: Most collabos you have done have
been within your camp, have you done any work outside of
your click, here or overseas?
Dexter Wiggle:
I've done a little
something with the Indovizuals (Dollar Sign records), as
well as the L.A. Zoo. (no label available). Working on
something with Shaka Amazulu the 7th too.
Wu-International: Thanks, let’s have some fun now; do
you have any non musical aspirations?
Dexter Wiggle: Write this fuckin movie that been in
me since 18, and to start my video game company, make Free,
Keri Hilson, Ciara, or Rocci my baby mama (or Mama's) before
it's all over with.
Wu-International: In a sentence or less, what do you
do to relax?
Dexter Wiggle:
I smoke.
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Wu-International: What character(s) would you play in
Afro Samurai and why?
Dexter Wiggle: The side kick. I have a funny feeling
about dying and coming back.
Wu-International:
What next do we have to look forward to from you for 2009 and
beyond?
Dexter Wiggle:
The official entrance to the
Chamber of Dexter Wiggle.
Wu-International:
How can the fans keep up to date with you?
Dexter Wiggle:
My myspace music page isn't
up and running yet (I’m saving it for my album), but my MySpace
URL is
myspace.com/browndracula858
(it means my address; where I'm from).
Wu-International:
Thanks very much for the time Dexter, a very insightful
interview I must say, any last words?
Dexter Wiggle:
Faith is a wallet, but don't write a check that ya
ass can't cash; meaning don't doubt. Peace. |
Thanks..
Catch up with Dexter Wiggle
http://www.myspace.com/browndracula858
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