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Interview Date: 04th August 2008

Conducted By: Dark 7 Invader

Notes:
Special thanks to the RhymeRecka & Delmar Coward.

Interview

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 Recka, how are you?
RhymeRecka: Peace Dark 7...I'm good, just in grind mode, you know.. campaigning like Barrack. trying to conquer land and plant my universal flag all across the globe. Feelin like I'm running for president.

Wu-International: LOL.. alright we are going to start from the very beginning, please introduce yourself to those who ain't up on game already, where you are from and currently located?
RhymeRecka: "Allow me re-introduce myself"...My name is RhymeRecka, born and raised in Killah Hill 10304 Staten Island N.Y.C. /heavily BK related/ South Bronx designated...current address is everywhere. The earth is my living room and the world is my playground.

Wu-International: How did it all start for you, when did you realise your gift and decided to pick up the pen?
RhymeRecka: My love for music started at home. My path generated from the classic greats like Run-DMC, flash/furious five, treacherous 3, Africa Bambata/Soulsonic, BDP, Rakim, and what have you, but my initial desire came from the local Staten Island hip hop scene. You had the Force MD's, Dr. Rock, The Blunt Bros, Discotizers, Scratchmasters etc. As far as rhymin the original seed was Scotty Watty aka Jackpot. These dudes would throw the infamous "rec room" parties in our buildings and me and few of my friends which were to young to even go but would try to sneak in (my missions were very unsuccessful my mother was not having it.). The one thing that made me want to really do it was on the weekends the older cats in my building would smoke weed and drink 40's and rhyme in the staircase next to my garbage disposal. When I went out to take the garbage out they was beat boxin and spittin, so I would sneak in and listen. I was like fuck going to a club I got live real hip hop concerts going on in my stairwell. From that point on I wanted to rhyme like them, I was always reading. I loved vocabulary. From that point on I picked up my pen and attempted to rhyme everyday day. Dudes on my block were real poets with the wordplay on any subject from storytelling to battle rhymes. Plus they had a phrase called "down by law" that meant you couldn't just come out and say you could rap, write graffiti, break-dance, or Dj and run around trying to perform, dudes would shut you down. Your shit had to be official. Cause you were reppin your block and that meant your hood had to co-sign your shit. There was no room wackness. Basically no frontin allowed...

Wu-International: We know you were part of American Cream Team, but did you start off initially as a member or ACT, a solo artist or in another group?
RhymeRecka: No I was a solo artist first as RhymeRecka, had my own deal and situation. They already knew how I was on the mic, so dudes recognized that already. I did the Tony Touch mixtape 50, that made me a legend and a part of a classic mixtape. I still get mad love from doing that freestyle. Cappa put me on the pillage, that set it off, then Rae was like he was putting together a crew (ACT) and brought me in.

Wu-International: ACT exploded into the scene some years back and since then nothing much has been heard from you all, first tell us how the formation of the group came about and a list of all its members please?
RhymeRecka: Explosion is a good word cause before we even dropped a album we accomplished a lot in short time. Features on gold and platinum albums, videos, your featured in your own motion picture, with a-list actors and your own soundtrack. Not too many crews or artists can say they did that. Power & Rae already had the movement going in which they had already had a deep line up which was later broken down into the group Chip Banks, B Twizzy, Polite, Superb, Trife Diesel and myself. That became the official American Cream Team.

Wu-International: Didn't even know Trife was a member, so what is the current status of the group, apart from some of its members being incarcerated, is the group still functioning or disbanded?
RhymeRecka: I personally can't even say what the official word is for our situation you know...When a person dies in your group it affects the whole team you feel me, that shit is real. This ain't like a movie when a character dies, the reality of it changes the whole spectrum, dynamics, and energy of everybody involved. You take that, plus you got group members incarcerated that equation is not the best formula for building and expanding. Rest in peace to Chip Banks.

Wu-International: Are you still in touch with any of the ACT members?
RhymeRecka: Not too much I see dudes once in a blue, me and Polite from the same hood so we see each other from time to time. I saw Twizzy couple of years ago. Trife is on his hustle haven't seen him but we have mutual friends. Superb was locked down for a minute but haven't seen the Perb in a long second either.

Wu-International: Speaking of Lord Superb, he raised some eyebrows when he claimed last year that he was responsible for writing most if not all of Ghostface's Supreme Clientele album, you must have being around also during the time album was created, is there any truth to this or what is your knowledge of this claim?
RhymeRecka: Actually I wasn't. I wasn't even in the same city. As far as that goes, those are questions you want to ask Superb and Ghost, they could answer that for you...if you ain't telling the truth then you lying you feel me. I'm not here to speak for the next man, they have voices...real talk.

Wu-International: Ok, thanks, you worked closely with Raekwon on a number of ventures not so much as of late, what is your current relationship with Rae? RhymeRecka: The relationship is the same as it was as before it varies according to time and circumstances you know... we cool, he gave me some good jewels the liveliest one I can reveal cause it's for all men of all races in every degree.. men come together to build and make moves, everything else is bullshit...

Wu-International: Who else within the Wu family tree would you say you are still very close to or still in touch with?
RhymeRecka: Anybody from the grain...it's hard to stay in touch at times cause everyone is always on the move, on tour, grinding to put out new albums, everyone's grown now, got families and seeds to take care of. We all run into each other making moves. When I see them love is love.

Wu-International: Some members of ACT later evolved into Ice Water Inc, was there any reason why you were not included in this project?
RhymeRecka: I started to do my own thing. I been in the fast lane since I was 16, been around the world twice before I was 22. I did the TV., MTV, video, video music box, spring bling, concert, tours, soul train awards, movies, Hollywood, rap star routine so it's that maturity of wanting to step out on my own you feel me. My man Morocco always said I was better as a solo artist. I had learned as much as I could as a rap artist so the next step is to elevate to straight artist. I was starting to produce my own music, I had different flows, subject matter, and concepts running around in my head that was not going along with what we had already established. I don't like to do the same things twice creatively. They called me when they started doing the Ice Water/Lex Diamonds sessions. I did nine songs with them. I was on the Lex diamonds album song "Wyld in the club" and Ice Water Inc.'s "Hip Hop tribute".

Wu-International: Thanks for those answers, still on your Wu-tang days; you were heavily involved in the Black & White soundtrack beyond being a featured guest, how did that come about and what was your full involvement?
RhymeRecka: That was a great learning experience for me as an artist, producer, and so called actor (laughing). I produced music for the sound track and helped on the movie scoring process. I learned about editing, film making and the process of pre and post production. My music featured on the movie trailer and TV. Commercials for the film, like I said earlier not too many groups or artists can say they did what we did. It was guerrilla how we moved now that I think about it even more. Raekwon and American Cream Team was the featured artist/actors of the story surrounded by Elijah wood, Ben stiller, Brooke shields, Robert Downey jr., Claudia Schiffer, Bijou Philips, Jared Leto etc...before I even dropped an album, let alone my solo album that shit is crazy. My resume is longer than some of these rap dudes careers.

Wu-International: Please tell us more about your Nexx Level Click involvement?
RhymeRecka: That was the first run of my career, I got hooked up with them through my man Guestos and Tension because they were the ones really going around hitting up studios to get their demos done. They met D/R Period and he would produce their demo packages for them. At the time I wasn't really rhyming in studios but I was still writing everyday. I didn't even like my voice, so I just messed around with trying to make beats. I would go with Guestos and Ten to their sessions and help on the background hook vocals and hang out. One day we were in the studio I was playin around and he (DR) was like "you pop a lot shit, what can you do?" I said "I can do it all." He was like "I’m gonna put this beat on and we gonna see." The beat comes on...I go off the head and he's like "I want to work with you. I got some situations on the table." At this time he just finished the M.O.P. album and they were buzzin with "how about some hardcore" already. He had this horror core concept in the mix, matter of the fact the beat he played for me would wind up being "Live evil" for the Flatlinerz. He had Headless Horsemen doing a deal with Def Jam as well. So he put me in the mix with my man Guestos as The Punishers. We were rockin the skull and bones shit you see dudes wearin now, we put that down before all these other cats. In the end, the movement wasn't too well received by the industry. I think it was too abstract for the average dude on the block to accept at the time. What dudes was talking about was not going on in the hood and that’s what hip hop is, it reflects what is going on, so the only zombies that people could relate to was the crack fiends. I felt that way also, we were rhyming about werewolves, vampires, and evil spirits, and I'm on the block and dudes is jumping out of benz coups and drop tops. But now people are into Goth-rap and horror-core music heavy. I guess we were just ahead of our time As for myself, it didn't matter, I was always versatile. I changed up my flow patterns at will so I could adapt to any style so no matter what you wanna rhyme about I gets it in. So now the line up and music changes to smooth, trigger, DV alias, and myself. That’s when we started airin' everything out no matter what show or who you were we was shutting you down with no rehearsals, our practice was rollin blunts and getting drunk. Then came the record deals, the money, fame, the greed, jealousy and hate.

Wu-International: That's deep, because of that time you also claimed to be the first or youngest to set a couple of trends in hip-hop as far as rhyming styles and recording without writing in the studio, can you please shed more light on these claims?
RhymeRecka: Writing rhymes in my head and the broken language style.. insiders know what it is.

Wu-International: That's interesting, what would you say inspired you or made you approach recording songs that way?
RhymeRecka: It's was laziness (laughing)...I got a big problem with having to do things over and over. I hated the fact that I would have to scratch things out or erase and re-write things over when it comes to writing verses. The shit was just aggravating! Then I began to just record them in my head and held them til I got to the studio like a flash drive and dumped them over the tracks. Then I started to just come in the studio and do it right on the spot, next thing it was multiple songs, and then damn near whole albums. It would bug D/R out in the studio cause he would have different beats that didn't fit my songs and he'd be like it doesn't go to the beat. I was like fuck that I'm not re-writing that shit over and then alter the flow pattern to the beat. That’s where the broken language shit came from, I couldn't count the bars yet they seemed just like long sentences so I didn't know how to measure them out in my head right. So when I finished the verse they would be like "yo Reck you still short some bars", then to fill it in I would create the noun/adverb/adjective phrases. "The blah blah..the blah blah blah" so forth and so on to fill in the verse. I secretly laugh every time I hear a person do it cause it's like if they only knew, I feel like anyone who does it is my child. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Looking back now, I know I was intimidating dudes in the studio looking back at it now, but they was on some competition/hate bullshit too passing me blunts and drinks to keep me from being focused on writing or what I was going to spit on the track. The funny shit was that I was writing verses right in they face all along, smoking they weed, drinkin they liquor. Then I walked into the booth and shut them down. I Muhammad Ali'ed (rope a dope) a lot so-called hot rappers at they own session.

Wu-International: You have been described as an artist, producer, actor and journalist, what other titles would you add on to that?
RhymeRecka: C.E.O., Editor, and emerging Indy film maker.

Wu-International: Not a lot of emcees can claim to have that vast amount of skills, how do you manage to stay on top of any of them and which would you say is more you?
RhymeRecka: It's kind of hard cause being creative is one thing but to be multi tasking is a whole different path. When I rhyme I already see the video, the editing effects, locations, etc. When I make a beat I already hear the type of flows, verses, hooks, and genre. When I'm thinking of the album concepts I see the album cover, the font style, the colour scheme, and how to market it as I go along. So basically when I'm thinking I think in multiple streams of a lot of shit. Which causes me to jump from subject to subject quick in conversations with people, cause I'll already be on the next sentence while their responding to the last thing we were talking about. The downside of being an "artist" you get caught up the artistry of it. I get so wrapped up in the details of it and making it look and sound the same way I envisioned it in my mind sonically and visually it becomes time consuming against the deadlines set. To stay on top of them I just keep practicing on everything I'm into, but truly I'm more of a writer/poet first and foremost.

Wu-International: Please tell us more about your freelance writing as a journalist?
RhymeRecka: It's my quiet hobby. I write on indy online mags mostly cause the majors are too politically immersed in agendas rather than journalistic expression. I would say I write more in that "train of thought" method like Hunter S. Thompson and that cold realistic detail like Donald Goines. Those are my two favourite’s right there. With the internet I'm really liking the blog thing cause it's like my own personal newspaper online.

RhymeRecka: Title is inspired by the book The Autobiography of Malcolm X. It is my favourite book and the first real major book I ever read like around nine or so. I am a avid book reader. I grew up when they used to say "reading is fundamental" and I took that to heart. I love to read! What made this book such an impact is how it shows the struggle of a man and the transformation of a human being. From life to death, a complete cipher. Every time I read it I learn something new. I don't compare myself to him by no way. His battles were on a more grand scale against social and global issues. I took it as a revolution against myself, my music, and the industry. I feel in order to be a revolutionary in anything it has to start with self first.

Wu-International: Haven been in the game for a while now, why has it taking you this long to come out with an album?
RhymeRecka: The industry bullshit! The label politics, player hating, egos, jealousy and creative differences. Dudes never really wanted to see me shine. Me lacing their albums with heat benefited them, made their team offence look strong, but when it came to the team work their was none. I had put in a lot of work and I wasn't getting paid like I should have been, so I fell back. I felt burnt out. I had a seed, so that lead to getting a job, and eventually going back to school. Then after all that, the major setback was that I had brain surgery in 2002. I had a tumour, I went to sleep and woke up going into the hospital E.R. It was like my brain crashed like a computer. I was talking backwards, seizures, blackouts, no equilibrium, I couldn't hear in my right ear. It sounded like I was under water, so I couldn't rhyme louder than a whisper. I had to start all over again, it was like somebody hit the reset button on my life. I was going through it. I never gave myself a real break to heal cause I felt that I had to catch up to the game, so that made my situation even worse mentally, physically, and spiritually. When I separated myself from everything and got back to the basics of me, the beat and the rhyme, the revolution began.

Wu-International: Glad to hear your health is better now, back to the album, an autobiography is like a life story or history which is usually attained in a book, how easy was it to cram your whole life story onto an album and would you say you achieved it on T.A.R.X.?
RhymeRecka: Title track is the centre piece of the whole album. Everything formulated from that cause this is the autobiography of an emcee. What factors created this emcee. The times and eras that moulded the thinking of this emcee, the influences and experiences, good and bad that made RhymeRecka the emcee. I wouldn't say I crammed anything cause it was my life. I live it, lived it , and still living it out. Writing about myself was easy, that’s what all rappers do in their career. The challenge was talking about myself to myself and then relating my story to the audience. This recording this album was therapeutic for me. Each song captured a different element of RhymeRecka. You will truth, anger, passion, love, redemption, freedom, crime, war, peace, rebellion, struggle, law, order and anarchy on this project. So yes, I think I captured what I wanted to say on this album.

Wu-International: We know it is currently available only as download, will you be looking to release it on CD format and possibly get it distributed by a major?
RhymeRecka: I am definitely making CD's available for sale a.s.a.p. Most definitely appreciating the downloads, but you know I gotta put that product out in the streets. Hand to hand is still hustle number one in any game. DCM Entertainment has online distribution but there's always room for more business especially on a global level. I'm trying to reach the masses massively. I want to connect with the UK in a big way as well as France, Germany, Denmark, Amsterdam, Poland, Switzerland, Holland, the whole Europe period. I have gotten so much love and support in my career overseas it's crazy. (Shout out to my dude DJ 279 in the UK. Respect!) So I'm willing to work with major distributors and major labels that are serious about selling good music, promoting artists, getting that product out there and cutting the check. Cause I can work hard independently by myself.

Wu-International: Coming from the days of vinyls, to CDs and now downloads, what are your personal views on downloads? Some say it is killing the music industry?
RhymeRecka: It's like they say...another man's freedom fighter is a terrorist to another. For those who are rich from selling CD's in retail stores it is killing "their" music industry. For those who are benefiting from this digital download/internet era it's a revolutionary gold rush to them. That opinion is like church and state right now cause you got old money versus new money. I will say today's kids are more computer based down to what cell phones they use than the older generation. your grandfather might walk around with cash still in his pocket but his grandchild is walking around with plastic with access to unlimited funds. I think the digital download has levelled the playing field a little where even the multi platinum and indy artist are on the same platform in cyberspace...It's giving other people a chance in the game, that's how you build and add on.

Wu-International: True words, You pretty much kept the guest features to a minimum on T.A.R.X., was this conscious decision on your part or where you not able to get some of the names you wanted on there?
RhymeRecka: I've done features with the best of them and seen them done. At times it really didn't even help out their album sales that much as the A&R's predicted to them. Two big names on a wack ass record only showed me three things. The poor album sales on a more expensive record, wasted budget money, and a "double suicide" meaning two artists just killed themselves on a record putting out some trash music. I don't like to do collabos just to be doing them. If the beat and hook is missing and there's no real chemistry it's a waste of time. I wanted to use less of my connections/affiliations on this album. This was my statement of being independent and establishing my own. If you got good music you got good music...they got too many people programmed with that record label bullshit. A big name get on your songs and fuck your album up then what.

Wu-International: As a graphic designer yourself, where you responsible for the cover art of the album?
RhymeRecka: Yeah I did it from top to bottom, front to back.

Wu-International: it's a pretty ill cover, have you done graphic work for others aside from yourself?
RhymeRecka: Thanks for appreciating my work. I'm still striving to get better. I've done design for company logos, album covers, record labels, clothing companies, business cards and flyers.

Wu-International: Which are your favourite songs on T.A.R.X.?
RhymeRecka: It's hard at times because I'm hard on myself creatively, so one day I like it then I'll hate it tomorrow. I try not to get caught up in my own hype. I liked them all for different reasons. "The Autobiography" I would say is my favourite one cause it's one of the purest songs I've written. "Kingpin" because it's a real detailed story and I'm telling people a message that needs to be stress to our youth in the streets. "The Gaza strip" it made me feel like I was in the movie The Kingdom, it starts off like sonic motion picture, a war epic. "It's on" straight up lifestyle of the rich and famous basically my drug and liquor fuelled exploits as so-called Rap star dealing with fame and stardom in the fast lane. " "Y.O.U." is a like a electronic love song with a concept based on the word you. "More than meets the eye" features the real Decepticonz Vital and Cyclonus, it's just straight raw anarchy at it's best.

Wu-International: What is behind the song "The last niggaz on earth"?
RhymeRecka: That was a political satire to the "N" word issue about banning it. The use of that word is dangerous for some, painful to a whole nation of people, and a slang word to youngsters oblivious to the true meaning of it's origin and intent. Everybody was making their opinions from politician to pastor about banning it which lead to the banning of a few other words which began to infringe on the freedom of speech. I said if they're going to ban the "N" word cool but is it really going to change racism cause I felt okay, now they can't call me a "nigger" any more but does it stop people from thinking it when they see me or will they just whisper it now and smile in my face. A lot rappers were making history lessons out of the songs telling people about the origin of the word and I stand behind them 100% I just took a different approach to dealing with the issue. I know some parents that when they caught their kids smoking cigarettes real young they made them smoke all the cigarettes in the pack back to back til they got sick of it and didn't want to smoke ever again. So did exactly just that, I flipped the word so much to the point I didn't ever want to use that word again in my music and that was the theme and my social stance as a Blackman in this world. That’s why it's called "The last niggaz on earth". It starts with the disclaimer stating you are about to hear some graphic language from the hottest comic Dave Chapelle who battles racism flippin the word and ends with Richard Pryor, an icon and legend telling you that word is dead...so that word is dead for me as well in my music after this album.

Wu-International: So with this new album, how do you think the public, and more specifically your fan base, is going to see this album in terms of your style, content and originality, what makes T.A.R.X any different from the average rap album out these days?
RhymeRecka: I hope that they will appreciate my music and vision. That they are willing to test their own creative limits and take this journey with me on this project. As for style, content, and originality...come on do we have to answer that. (laughing) The title alone tells you that this album is talking about little more than rims, cars, money, clothes, and hoes.

Wu-International: So can the fans expect another album after T.A.R.X, or any other music related projects?
RhymeRecka: The 2nd album is already in production. Other music projects will be different genres and more conceptualized. I listen to all types of music.

Wu-International: How do you differentiate yourself as an emcee from other emcees?
RhymeRecka: I don't, I just think differently. I'm in my own lane. I don't worry about competition.. competition is none. When you start to compare yourself with others your limit is what other people are. My only challenge is myself. Let others do what they do. I don't like to be put in boxes, no matter how many they try to put me in...I get out.

Wu-International: Do you still flow with the broken language style?
RhymeRecka: No need to been there done that. I've transformed thousand times since creating that flow. Repetition is creative suicide after a while. If your fans don't want to grow with you and they won't let you elevate. Then your a slave to your audience...that's like prison to an artist, I refuse to be boxed in.

Wu-International: What are the chances of you doing songs with Smooth Tha Hustla and Trigga?
RhymeRecka: Who knows...It won't be cause people tell us to, it will be cause we want to and the chemistry is there.

	Wu-International: How about with Raekwon, former members of ACT or Wu-Tang Clan members? RhymeRecka: Pretty much the same thing...you know, when the time is right and we all connected and focused for a cause and not because. Wu-International: Is being Wu affiliated, a blessing or a curse? RhymeRecka: How could it not be a blessing, to be a part of one of the most influential
and talented groups in hip hop. The curse I would say is the hate that comes along with being one of the best.

Wu-International: Rounding up, what is in store for Recka for the remaining 2008 and beyond?
RhymeRecka: We just shot the "Hellraiser" video (shout out to Divebomb and Hollywood Hook) Establishing the DCM brand, getting my music all round the globe. Making some major power moves, travelling, performing and promoting the T.A.R.X. album domestic and international as well. More graphic design. About to shoot some more videos.

Wu-International: Before rounding up, just a quick and maybe silly question, is it RhymeRecka in one word or 2 separate words?
RhymeRecka: For the record the official name is one word and it is spelled RHYMERECKA...cause people be fucking my name up. (laughing)

Wu-International: Thanks for the answers, anything else you might want to share with the fans that have not already been covered?
RhymeRecka: Hit up youtube I have the new video "Hellraiser" currently online. I am definitely trying to get overseas and rock some shows with my brothers and sisters in Europe hardbody, like I said before UK, France, and Germany has always been very supportive since day one. So any tours, festivals, and official hip hop events holla at me via thewerk@gmail.com and I have a myspace page as well www.myspace.com/rhymerecka  for all mix CD DJ's and underground/online/mainstream radio shows looking to place my music/exclusives/bookings/interviews/freestyles etc. Hit me up, show me some love and friend requests. The RhymeRecka website is under construction...be on the look out for that.
Wu-International: Anyone you would like to shout out, any conclusion or parting phrases?
RhymeRecka: I would like to thank God for giving me these gifts and bringing me so far, thank you for blessing me with so much.

Thanks..

Catch up with Recka at
www.myspace.com/rhymerecka

Buy the CD at
ChamberMusik

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