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Interview
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Leggezin fin is a
native of Angola, Africa. He began his musical career during his
stay in Coimbra, Portugal and became a member of the group
Acropole as a rapper and producer. During his educational
studies in Los Angeles, he opened a label Maggnata Productions
and released his first single in 2001 as a solo artist titled "Globo
Terrestre" which led to a full length CD that was only
distributed in Angola, Africa. In 2003 Leggezin had the chance
to meet Wu-Tang affiliate Prodigal Sunn from Sunz of Man fame
and they hit it off immediately. Sunzini was amazed by the
incredible talent, raw energy and Leggezin's innovative
beats that he signed him to his company GODz Inc entertainment
as a producer. After putting in much work on the label
Prodigal Sunn got him initiated into the Wu-Tang Killa Beez. In
2004 Leggezin released his solo project called "
Precisao”
with the hit single "Universal soldier" featuring Prodigal
Sunn. The album also featured Wu- tang mastermind THE RZA. In
2005 he was credited for producing the hit "Campaign" from “The
Return of the Prodigal Sunn”. He released a brilliant 4
track album for his loyal fan base including the first single
"Afro Killa Beez" with his Wu comrades Kinetic 9 and Shogun
Assassin from Killarmy, Prodigal Sun and new comer Chi-King. Not
one to miss a talent, in addition to taking him on tour, The RZA
also got Leggezin involved on the
Afro Samurai:
Resurrection soundtrack on the song "Take The Sword Part 3"
as well as giving him more than 3 features on The Achozen project alongside himself, Shavo, Beretta 9, and Reverend William Burk.
While pursuing a
career as an architect at university, Leggezin's main
focus right now is putting the final touches to his first compilation
"U.F.F. (Uniao Faz a Forsa) which translates as “Union Brings
Power” and is titled "Tu es o Futuro" (You are the future) in
Portuguese. This album combines the great eclectic mix of Maggnata productions, Leggezin, and Kinetic 9 with guest
appearances by WU members and many others. Leggezin is also
scheduled to release his extraordinary debut album late 2010
amongst other projects he is working on, so find out more about
the first African (Not African American, but from the motherland
Africa) Killa Bee to affiliated with the Wu... 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 Leggezin Fin, what’s good?
Leggezin: I’m good thanks.
Wu-International: How did you acquire that name and
what’s the meaning?
Leggezin: Yeah I made this name myself. Leggezin Fin
means "Last man standing"
Wu-International: For those who don't know you or
your history, please tell us where you are from and your
current location?
Leggezin: I'm from Angola and I'm staying in Santa
Monica, California.
Wu-International: What was it like growing up in
Angola?
Leggezin: It was good and bad. Good because I was one
of the blessed child that had bed to sleep and plate to eat.
Bad because at the time we had war in my country.
Wu-International: You also spent sometime it seems in
Portugal, where your rap career kicked off, can you tell us
more about it as well as your involvement with Acropole?
Leggezin: Yeah, I moved to Portugal in 1991 in the
city of Porto which really opened my mind a lot. I was in
boarding school and sometimes me, my older brother and a
couple of friends watch YO MTV Rap. After watching and
listening a lot of hip hop, I always wanted to became an mc,
so three years later in 1994 me and my classmates formed a
group named ACROPOLE (myself, Azhar and Bell).
Wu-International: Do you have anything released with
your first group Acropole?
Leggezin: I only recorded with each individual
element, but never recorded with both elements at the same
time.
Wu-International: How has living in California,
Angola and Portugal shaped your attitude towards music, art
and culture in general?
Leggezin: It is wonderful being able to learn from
three different and powerful countries.
They all have different type of music, art and culture which
I love it. Really open my mind,
especially when I have been able to make real friends from
different races. I feel like my mind is universal...
Wu-International: So who would you say has inspired
you musically since you started?
Leggezin: My biggest personal influence was THE RZA
Wu-International: You equally rhyme and produce,
which did you start off doing first?
Leggezin: I started rhyming first, and I became a
producer because I didn't really have a choice, especially
when I moved to L.A I didn't know no one to produce for me.
Wu-International: When you make music though, what
comes first the lyrics or the beat?
Leggezin: It depends could be the beat first then the
music or the opposite, but usually I already have the Idea
of the song and I try to make a beat to follow my thoughts.
Wu-International: You have been called the first
official African Killa Beez, how did this title come about?
Leggezin: This title is like a dream coming true.
Kinetic 9 and P.Sunn are the ones who call me that.
Wu-International: You are also part of Godz Inc, how
did you meet Prodigal Sunn?
Leggezin: Right, I met Prodigal Sunn in 2003 in Santa
Ana city. There was a Prodigal Sunn show and my roommate
Mukesh gave P.Sunn a CD with my Beats and next day he called
me and he ask me if I want to be part of his Label and we
got down...
Wu-International: Where you fans of Sunz of Man and
Wu-Tang’s music prior to this?
Leggezin:
Yeahhhhhh, since 92
Wu-International: We only know you, Prodigal Sunn,
Madam Dee as being part of Godz Inc, who else is part o this
collective?
Leggezin: I guess thats all
Wu-International:
How does it feel to be
affiliated in some ways to the almighty Wu-Tang movement?
Leggezin: It feels wonderful man, its a dream that
came true
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Wu-International:
Thanks, Let’s
move on to some of your work, you first project was
released in Angola in 2001, can you please tell us
the title of the album and if it is available for
sales to the fans?
Leggezin: Right, the title of the album is"
Globo Terrestre" which I only made limited copies
and is not available anywhere.
Wu-International: I ask this
as we have had emails in the past of where to get
your work, please tell us more about your 2004
project “Precisao”?
Leggezin: My 2004 project "precisao" was
successful, I sold all the units I made, so
after that I never made any new copies, but a lot of
people
still ask so I'm working on putting something on the
line pretty soon, check my mySpace really soon for
more info about it.
Wu-International: Officially
becoming a Wu Killa Beez normally requires the nod
or approval from the generals, in your case , The
Abbott, RZA, we assume you met him via Prodigal Sunn?
What did he have to say about you and your music?
Leggezin: I met Rza through Kinetic 9 and
Prodigal Sunn, Rza likes my music and our energy
really connects especially on stage, he just advise
me to spit more in English that I have a good voice.
Wu-International:
Obviously good as
you were featured on the Afro Samurai posse cut as
well as the upcoming Achozen project, how did you
get involved on these projects?
Leggezin: I started hanging out with Shavo
and he told me he liked my style and he asked me to
get in.
Wu-International:
Any other
collaboration you have done with the RZA that you
like to share with us please?
Leggezin: Yeah, He appears in my video off my
new album called "MO POVO LUTA" Featuring Kinetic 9
, coming soon this summeer 2010 beside RZA, Sunnzini,
Frukwan, and the Black Knights appeared in the
video. |
 |
Wu-International: Having worked with RZA and other
Killa Beez, what would you say you have learnt from him or
them?
Leggezin:
RZA is like my older
brother from a different mother, what I have learnt is
that , he is a wonderful and very positive person, he
has taught me so much that made me ready to confront the
real world.
The Killah Beez such as
Prodigal Sunn, Kinetic9, Killah Priest, Armel, 60, Black
Knights, Burk, 9th and so on, they all showed a lot of LOVE
and gave me Knowledge for a better understanding of life...
Wu-International: We beleive you have toured with RZA before, how well were you recieved by his fan base?
Leggezin:It was the summer 2009, the European tour and we ended up at the Rock the Bells tour as well.
The crowd received me with a lot of love, I was kind of surprised, but it was very good, can't complain.
Wu-International: How does it feel to be the first
African Killa Bee (technically speaking as Cilvaringz is
Morocco but born and raised in Holland and viewed as the
first European Killa Bee)?
Leggezin: It feels good man, I am here to keep
the real alive, and to show how it should be done!
Wu-International: Do you know Ringz? any plans to
work with him?
Leggezin: I met him last summer in France. Yeah we
all brothers so its only logically for us to collaborate
sometime soon on a song.
Wu-International: Just like Ringz you could claim a
number of titles, you could easily been seen as a Westcoast
Killa bee as you live in LA and roll in that circle, or even
European Killa Bee haven lived in Portugal, then your
birthplace Angola as African Killa bee, which is more you
and why?
Leggezin: I would say Angola is more me because I
feel like my personality really reflects from there,
especially when I speak or spit.
Wu-International: Thanks for those answers, now
let’s talk about your upcoming project “U.F.F”(Uniao Faz a
Forsa)” can you please tell us more, is this a compilation
or a solo project?
Leggezin: Yeah Its a compilation that I came out with
about having different musician from different cultures from
Angola, Portugal, France, U.S.A Mexico and more... This
project is about UNITY between all kind of culture and
races... We need U.F.F Worldwide specially now that Mother
Earth needs us...
Wu-International: Who are the guest producers and
artists on it and do you have a date of release in mind?
Leggezin: The Producers Will be myself, Kinetic 9,
4th Disciple and more... The album will be featuring the
Killa Beez such as Kinetic 9, Killah Priest, Prodigal Sunn,
Armel The Great, 9th Prince, 60 Sec, and my group from
Angola MAGG-FAMM (Aranha and D'Secretto), Duvula, Malefuk,
Ivo laser, Lukenny Fortunato, Raff Tag, Cool Cleva and
more...
Wu-International: What does U.F.F”(uniao faz a forsa)
mean in English?
Leggezin: U.F.F means Union Brings the Power.
Wu-International: Is this coming out via Godz Inc or
is there a label already interested in it?
Leggezin: I don't know yet, I'm looking for a label
right now, but in Angola it may come out independently...
Wu-International: Was there anyone you wanted to be
part of this project that never made it?
Leggezin: Yeah, Ghostface Killah, and I know the fans
would appreciate Holocaust on it so I have been looking for
him also.
Wu-International: We heard there is meant to be a
mixtape prior to the release of UFF, please tell us more on
this?
Leggezin:
Yeah, I will put that
out, its like an album where 70 percent of the songs will be
just Leggezin, but I don't like to call it mixtape because
it turns out more serious, so I called the UFF MIX which
will be ready in June 2010.
Wu-International: If UFF is a compilation, we have to
assume that you are currently working on your solo project,
how’s that going, how many songs deep are you and what is
the planned release date?
Leggezin: Right now I'm just making songs, and
hopefully by September I will start collecting all of it and
by the end of the year or the beginning of 2011 release my
solo project (I Can't Wait)
Wu-International: Anything else you are working on
apart from what we just covered above as in producing for
others, guest features, side projects etc?
Leggezin: Kinetic 9 and I are working on an album
together
Wu-International: Please tell us more about
this Afro Techno you will be working on?
Leggezin: This is an Album that me and my best
friend (Sax) always had in mind since 1991. Finally we will
meet up around September and do this music. So me and Sax
will bring something that people never heard before...
Wu-International: Angola is the birthplace unique
music such as Kuduro and other forms of music, will this
type of influences be visible in your music/releases ?
Leggezin: A little bit... I grow up listening
to a lot of Techno music in Portugal and I have to say that
techno music is part of my life because it brings a very
positive energy...
 . |
Wu-International: You mostly rap in Portuguese, do
you think this will be a hindrance esp. in a market
dominated by English speaking albums only?
Leggezin: Its kind of hard but its not
impossible to make it, I feel like, Why does
everybody from different country change when they
come to America, why do they have to sing in English
to have success? It must be a way of making it into
the music industry without being in English. But Rza
has advised me to rap 50% in English and 50% in
Portuguese, so I think he is right about that... |
Wu-International: So taking that advice would you say
you rap in English sometimes or is that something recent?
and why not in English if you speak English very well in the
first place?
Leggezin:
Yeah sometimes I rap in
English. No disrespect but when comes to rapping in English,
I feel like I'm selling out, but that doesn't mean that I
don't like to rap in English, slowly I am getting used to
rapping in English. The reason I stick mainly with
Portuguese is because there is not too many Portuguese
rappers, and Sometimes I feel that in Portuguese there is
more things to say than in English. Another reason is that
when I spit in Portuguese my flow and my lyrics comes more
natural. When it comes to speaking in English , I think I
speak good enough to deliver the massage. A lot of people
are dying to speak like Americans, but me I always like to
speak my own way so people can recognize that I'm not from
USA. My blood is too powerful to be changed... so I keep it
real, Africano for life, why do we always have to become so
Americanized to succeed in the world. No disrespect to
America and Americans, I love y'all, so don't get me wrong.
Wu-International: How difficult is it to make stuff
that’s so against the norm, and keep it relevant to what
people are listening to?
Leggezin: Its very hard, but at the end of the day it
make us happy, and we must feel free to do music, even my
older brother is against me making things against the norm,
but a lot of people like what I do so I'ma keep going...
Wu-International: Word is that you are studying
architecture at university, quite impressive, how do you
manage to do all this in midst of your studies?
Leggezin: I was, I Just graduated, "I feel free like
a pigeon" , Architecture is one of the most crazy and
difficult major man, It make u hate yourself, but I finally
did it. Sometimes I had to make a decision, for example,
when Rza and Shavo was doing the Achozen Album They used to
call me at 6 am to come to the studio and most of the time I
had to let them down, or refuse to go which was a tough
decision for me, but sometimes I would miss an important
class just to go meet my brothers to make music, or be
without sleeping. Like my last architecture project I made
it at the studio at Rza's house, at the end of the day its
about managing your time right, and I stop going out to the
clubs and bullshit...
Wu-International: What else do you do outside of
music as in hobbies/interests?
Leggezin: I go to the Beach a lot to fly a kite, I
love Skating, playing basket ball with my friends or even
new people, go to the mountain every Friday, I Love cooking,
I raise pigeons since I was 4 and one of my favourite past
time that I do every single day is looking to the sky (I'm a
clouds watcher fanatic) Love to talk to new people,
especially the very traditional people...
Wu-International: Finally come to the end of the
interview, do you have anything else to add on that has not
already been covered here?
Leggezin:
I got 3 albums done, that
I will never release, and also next year I am going back to
Angola FOREVER!
Wu-International: Ok, lets talk about the album, why
would you not be releasing those 3 albums?
Leggezin: Sorry, I meant that I will release
them but each individual albums have their time...
Wu-International: And going back to Angola for good?
Leggezin:
Yeah I think it's
time to go back to my traditional land, I have been leaving
outside of my country for a long time now, especially
knowing that my family and old friends are there, but this
doesn't mean that I am not coming back to the US.
Wu-International: Best wishes.. finally, where is best for the fans to keep
in touch with you?
Leggezin: Just go to
www.myspace.com/leggezin or to my facebook
or you can email me at
leggezinfin@gmail.com
Wu-International: Are you familiar with
Wu-International site and do you browse it occasionally?
Leggezin: Yeah I do, sometimes...
Wu-International: Great, Thanks very much for
agreeing to do this, any last words, shout outs etc?
Leggezin: Thank you so much for all of these, I wish
every single person in this world the best and lets keep
U.F.F., Love is Love... |
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|
Leggezin Fin ft. Beretta 9 - Afro
Killa Beez / Mo Povo Luta |
Upcoming Royal
Sunn Enterprise Releases
-
Beretta 9 aka
Kinetic - The Armory Mixtape [Feb 2011]
-
Beretta 9 aka
Kinetic - Radio Vol. 2 Mixtape [Spring 2011]
-
Beretta 9 aka
Kinetic - Solo Album [2011/2012]
-
Beretta 9 &
Shogun Assassin - Collabo Album [2011/2012]
-
Leggezin
Fin -
U.F.F”(Uniao Faz a Forsa) [2011]
-
Leggezin Fin & Kinetic -
Collabo Album [2011/2012]
-
Leggezin Fin & Sax - Afro
Techno [2011/2012]
Catch up with Leggezin, drop him a note, line,
at
http://www.myspace.com/leggezin
<Read Other Interviews> |
