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Ghettosocks
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Hip-Hop/ Rap/ Underground
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March 2010
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ghettosocks.com
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myspace.com/ghettosocks...
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tinyurl.com/ghettosfb...
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Thomas Quinlan
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Darren Pyper first cut his teeth as a rapper freestyling at his Ottawa high school and at parties around town, but he came into his own once he relocated to Halifax for a media arts degree at NSCAD. Halifax is where he earned his nom de rap for the shoddy state of his socks, but it's also where he founded long-running weekly outdoor freestyle cypher PRD (Public Rap Distribution) and co-founded the Voltron-like crew Alpha Flight. After only one record as a group, Ghettosocks' solo career started to take off with the release of Get Some Friends in 2006 and follow-up mixtape I Can Make Your Dog Famous in 2007. On the strength of these releases, Ghettosocks booked tours and collaborations with some big names in the underground, from Halifax hip hop legends Jorun Bombay and Classified to American indie rappers El da Sensei, Pumpkinhead and Cesar Comanche. He's worked hard to position himself as Halifax's next hip hop hopeful, and Treat of the Day – his brand new, 90s-influenced, food-inspired concept album – is poised to prove why he deserves it. And considering the projects 'Socks has on the horizon, this is merely the beginning. In this Urbnet interview, Ghettosocks discusses these exciting collaborative projects, as well as his introduction to the Halifax hip hop scene, some of his best known interests (books, shoplifting), and exactly what's going on with Alpha Flight. Here's your treat for the day... You're welcome.
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URBNET: You were born and raised in Ottawa. Is that where you started rapping?
GHETTOSOCKS: I was born in Ottawa, known for the world's longest skating rink. I started rapping in high school, after beginning as a DJ. Freestyling at parties led to battling and eventually writing raps. I met with other individuals and groups in the city. Prior to leaving Ottawa, I had virtually nothing recorded.
What did you think of the Halifax hip hop scene when you moved there? How much did you know about the scene?
I was introduced to the Halifax scene through Ewan "The Jade Emperor" Mill who hosted CKDU's all-Canadian hip hop show, The Maple Mothership. On this radio show, I met many people who grew to be good friends and collaborators. Prior to this I had very little knowledge of the Halifax scene. I once opened for Stinkin' Rich and Sixtoo (Sebutones) at a gallery space in Ottawa.
How did you and Bix hook up? Why Alpha Flight?
Bix and I met on the Maple Mothership radio show. From there, we started to hang out and do small local shows with a handful of other rappers and DJs (including Process, Aziz, DJ Y-Rush, DJ Jabba tha Cutt, Apt and more) under the moniker Rebel Alliance. Kyle McMullin aka Aziz (1979-2004) came up with the idea of forming a group and calling it Alpha Flight, loosely referencing the Marvel comic series. We were all really good friends who were starting to make music together. Kyle died in an accident in May '04, six months before we were to finish the first Alpha Flight album, Battle Royale.
You've released two solo albums and a mixtape since that first and only Alpha Flight album, so when's the follow-up?
After being discussed for a few years, Bix and I have decided to work towards the next Alpha Flight album. I am going to meet with him later in February to discuss details and get some writing done. When it will be done? It's just too soon to say. It may also be the last time Bix raps on record.
So what's Bix been up to since then?
Since Battle Royale, Bix has been busy. He moved to Ottawa with his partner in crime Christina "Queen Kool Krys" Stefanski and completed a degree in interactive design at Algonquin College. Around eight months after Battle Royale, Bix put out his solo album, Incredible Stylo, and later went on to produce the entirety of Kool Krys' debut album, The Return of Diana Prince. Bix's production has been featured on my mixtape (I Can Make Your Dog Famous, "Cut U Baby") and my first album (Get Some Friends, "City Life"). Recently he put out two beat-tapes for digital download called Love and Hate. Check him out at www.biggbix.com.
You're producing less of your own music lately. Why?
I've been making less beats recently because I've found myself drowning in amazing production from a grip of KILLER producers including Bix (obviously), Halifax legend Jorun Bombay, Fresh Kils, Muneshine, Rich Kidd, Ollie Teeba (of the Herbaliser), Memorecks, Royce Birth, Envoy, and on and on. Besides having access to this kind of talent, I've been busy doing features on other people's projects, touring, and promoting my new album, Treat of the Day. Eventually I'll return to making beats on a regular basis.
Is there anything at all on the production front?
On the production front, things are quiet. I have production on the upcoming Backburner crew album (a song called "Hurtin' Units" featuring Wordburglar, Jesse D, Timbuktu, Choke and myself) and a track on the debut Twin Peaks album, [which is] my new group with Muneshine.
You've been killing some great posse cuts lately. Do you approach the writing of a posse cut different from a solo track? Are you out to disgrace the other emcees??
Thanks. Generally, my objective on posse cuts is to earn my spot and hold it down. I'm not out to disgrace anybody, I just write to the level of my collaborators. Writing on a set topic in a group setting is always fun.
Why should we read a book?
People should read in order to learn, expand their vocabulary, expand their culture, have fun, and use their imagination.
Five books you'd recommend?
Off the top:
1) Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
2) Fantastic Voyage by Ray Kurzweil
3) After Dark by Haruki Murakami
4) Animal Farm by George Orwell
5) Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
What's your deal with shoplifting?
I used to steal shit.
You laugh at a hypothetical misspelling of your name on a marquee on Treat of the Day. Does that kind of thing happen often? Has it ever bothered you?
Yeah, sometimes my name is misspelled. It's not the end of the world. I just find it funny when people spell it wrong – especially when they're usually the ones paying me to rap. It's just a little thing.
What inspired you to sample Snap's “The Power” for “Take Chains Off”? Is it everything you hoped it would be?
Originally I just wanted to rap over the chopped loop from "The Power". I just thought it was a tough and funny chop. It wasn't even going to make the album until Fresh Kils and I put some more work on the track, and made it into what is on the disc. So to answer your question, it has exceeded my expectations.
Treat of the Day features some impressive guest appearances. How did you connect with these rappers?
All of the appearances on Treat of the Day are either friends or artists I've toured with and built relationships with on the road. I connected with Cesar Comanche and Edgar Allen Floe online. After doing a lot of touring with Comanche (in Canada and Europe) I was introduced to EA Floe, who I ended up doing a couple shows with after shooting the video for "Don't Turn Around". I was introduced to Pumpkinhead through DJ Frame. While on tour with those guys, we formed a crew called Bullet Tooth Tony, which includes myself, Pumpkinhead, Elete, Fresh Kils, Timbuktu, and DJ Frame. We recorded a bunch of tracks together. Hopefully they'll get see the light of day at some point. Similar situation for El Da Sensei; met, toured together, made tracks, best friends forever.
Bullet Tooth Tony sounds interesting. What's the story with that?
BTT came to be because it was a real fucking mission to pull that tour off. Initially PH and Elete got turned away at the border and we had to hustle to get them into the country. There was tonnes of driving. Lots of shows. Lots of laughs. Basically by the end of it everyone had a new alias and we had several songs recorded. The BTT project will eventually get out, we have lots of material to work with. It's just a matter of getting around to putting it all together.
Anything else you're working on that you'd like to mention?
Well quickly just to recap, there's the new Alpha Flight album, the first Twin Peaks album, the Backburner crew album, the Bullet Tooth Tony project, as well as a new project with Timbuktu and Jorun called Teenburger which we just finished writing in late January. I may also be doing an EP with this dude Envoy who makes beats out of Winnipeg. We'll see what we can do this year.
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