Words by Hallway Jay
Edited by Mike Waxx
So what happens when your cable goes out and you can't see any images but you still hear static. Hip-Hop isn’t defined by one definition and throughout Statik Selektah’s Nov 6th Release of “Spell My Name Right: The Album” he reintroduces a dream team of collaborations that should bring you into the new and old glory days of hip-hop instantly. If you’re a fan of Hip-Hop and your tired of the TV and Radio, then pull out that that cable and hear some Statik. Welcome to the Bean, Part: II…
illRoots.com: Who is Statik Selektah?
Statik: I’m a DJ, Producer, Hip-Hop Fan in general, CEO, marketing director- Many words can describe him, but when it comes down to it, a hip-hop fan.
illRoots.com: Word man me too man. When did you become a DJ and who are your biggest influences?
Statik: I started DJing in 1995, I was 13 years old. The reason I started really is because I heard DJ Premier and Funkmaster Flex. I definitely consider Tony Touch, Pete Rock, definitely Qbert, Babu a lot of the west coast guys [my influences]. And I mean even the more old school cats like Grandmaster Flash, because I really studied them growing up. Even some of the newer DJ’s like Revolution, Green Lantern- those guys influenced me big time.
illRoots.com: Name one pivotal time in your life that you feel made you a better person?
Statik: Hip-Hop or Personal?
illRoots.com: Personal.
Statik: I’d say basically when I moved to Boston. I was pretty cocky on some “I’ll battle anyone” cocky DJ shit. You know I got checked by a couple older cats and I’d definitely say that was a wake-up call. You gotta watch how you treat your relationships with people. And not even that it was a humbling experience to where you have to realize you have to be humble to a certain extent and pay your dues.
illRoots.com: I’m a huge early 90's, NaS “I Gave You Power” type fan.
Statik: Yeah, me too.
illRoots.com: The whole album has that 90’s feel to it. That Styles P., Q-Tip, Term collab was crazy too.
Statik: Yeah, we’re actually working on a remix right now with someone major to come through. I’m trying to make it happen, so you’ll know it if we do.
illRoots.com: Alright, what track on the album is your favorite and why?
Statik: Umm..I’d have to say “Stop, Look, Listen” or “What Would You Do” with Freeway and Cassidy.
What Would You Do (Ft. Freeway & Cassidy) - Statik Selektah
illRoots.com: Yea that was major too because wasn’t that the first time they did a collab together?
Statik: Yeah, either that or “Back Against the Wall”, I like the whole album really, I think each song has its own vibe.
illRoots.com: The song you did with Jon Hope.
Statik: Yea that’s a dope song.
illRoots.com: The sample is crazy and I dig for samples, and I’m trying to figure out who that was, but don’t tell me, I’ma find that joint.
Statik: [Laughs] You sure? I don’t know if your gonna find it, but I’ll tell you what it is...
illRoots.com: No, No, No. Don’t tell me.
Statik: Aight, aight, aight.
illRoots.com: Which collab was the hardest to put together? Statik: The hardest to put together, wow...
illRoots.com: I mean you got alot of collabs on there. I mean the Krs-One, Doug E. Fresh, Scram Jones and Tony Touch was a crazy collab as well.
Statik: Thank you Bro, that mean’s a lot. [But] the Styles, Q-Tip, Term record [was a challenge] because, I mean Tip’s my man but I was bugging the hell out of him for a long time to do the verse and me and Styles ain’t as close so it was more of a process with that one when compared to the rest of the album but we made happen.
illRoots.com: Ok, how long did it take to do the album?
Statik: 2 Months. The KRS joint I had for like 4 years, the AZ and Cormega joint was done a while ago, other than that “Hardcore” was the first record we recorded for the album. That wasn’t long ago.
illRoots.com: Where are rate yourself as a DJ during your career from like 1-10?
Statik: Um..out of 10 I’d say realistically 6 or 7 right now, because honestly I feel like I was better when I was 16 than I am now. Skill wise, I used to do all kind of crazy beat juggling and now I rock parties. I can still scratch and all that, but I’m definitely going to be real realistic about it and say that I’m not as hungry skill-wise now as I was then.
illRoots.com: After listening to the album would you have done anything differently?
Statik: Nothing worth talking about really, just a couple of mixes and stuff.
illRoots.com: What do want people to get out of this album?
Statik: I just want people to hear it, enjoy it and get a kick out of it. When they hear the Big Shug joint, [I want them to] be like “Oh shit! I remember that.”
illRoots.com: Oh yeah, the Mike Tyson joint.
Statik: Yeah. I hope when people listen to the album, like it and not be bias with the collabs. One of the best songs on the album is “Big Dreamers” by Reks. He’s been out for a minute but relatively new to a lot of people, so I hope they don’t skip it because there’s no big name collabo on there. The point of me doing it if you notice goes right from Lil’ Fame rappin’ into Reks, and I’m trying to introduce new cats too, and its all quality. You know, if I thought somebody didn’t belong on there than they wouldn’t have gotten in.
illRoots.com: Right, it makes perfect sense to… Is there anything other than Hip-Hop that you want to expand into in the future?
Statik: I want to get into real estate eventually.
illRoots.com: Real Estate? That markets kind of down now isn’t it?
Statik: Naw, I live in New York though so its always crazy. [Laughs]
illRoots.com: [Laughs]. Yeah, that’s true.
Statik: Yeah, I definitely want to get into owning a restaurant someday.
illRoots.com: Oh, okay what type of restaurant?
Statik: Yeah, I was kidding around the other day and I was just saying like a restaurant with all the foods I like. On some random shit, like some Ribeye Steak and at the same time you could get like a good roast beef sandwich. [Laughs].
illRoots.com: [Laughs] Yeah, well I’m a fat boy so… if I could get that in one place it might be the Krush Groove scene with the Fat Boys in Sbarro all over again, yea and I would probably have like 3 other fatter people around me so I look smaller and shit...
Statik: [Laughs] Yeah me too.
illRoots.com: Who’s in the lab with you right now?
Statik: Right now um..I’m finishing up Reks album, I’m working really, really close with Joell Ortiz. We just did a bunch of records, we’re doing a mixtape together, I’m doing a CD with Q-Tip, so I mean I'm basically in the lab with Joell, Reks, Q-Tip, Termanology, Consequence. Consequence has been here almost like every day now.
illRoots.com: Yeah, he just dropped that Cons Pt. 5. That was pretty dope, I gotta listen to the rest of that.
Statik: Wait 'till you listen the rest of those records because the ones on there weren’t actually mixed all the way, so wait till you hear the actual songs. His next single is that Queen’s joint, I mixed that record, I did the cuts on it too. When that real version comes out its gonna be dope.
illRoots.com: Word, word, I’m look out for that. What would save the mixtape game?
Statik: Its really not just the mixtape game, but about hip-hop. I was talking to a couple people earlier about it and honestly I wanted say no words and be some corny shit, but there needs to be some kinda like, union of real cats that are controlling the game. And basically right now, everybody raps, everybody dj’s and the internet is real crazy because anybody can be a so-called journalist and say what they want about peoples music. Back in the day it wasn’t always like that. You had to have a resume in the game before you could even talk about it, so there needs to be someone to moderate it.
illRoots.com: What’s your opinion on the RIAA?
Statik: I mean they do there job, they made a really, really bad decision aiming at Drama because there's a lot of other cats that should have been hit instead of him. So at least do your job, go after the real killers and murders, I mean Drama really does a lot for the mixtape game because he makes sure his cd’s are all original music, and does creative projects. I mean he’s a real DJ. I think if there keeping it Hip-Hop its cool, [but] I don’t think any body should be gone after. If you are, then go after the right people. If somebodies taking 5 songs from one album and 5 songs from another album then yeah, that’s bootlegging but if someone is taking and mixing, scratching, remixing the tracks than its art. I understand it's their job but their not using their offense right.
illRoots.com: Since your a CEO… if you could sign one artist that ever existed who and why?
Statik: Wow, Hip-Hop wise Nas, not Hip Hop, I’d say um- I’m trying to cheat I’m looking through my Serato. I’d say Roy Ayers. Definitely. Huge influence.
illRoots.com: And you gotta give something to Gamble & Huff they were dope too. I’m just a fan of good music.
Statik: Yeah, me too. When I started doing it I wasn’t trying to make a career out of it I just did it because I loved it and I used to break dance, I used to DJ every night. I mean I still DJ everynight but back than it was a lot different.
illRoots.com: Thanks Big Homie your welcome over hear anytime.
Check more of Statik Selektah at his MySpace and go out and buy that Statik Selektah presents “Spell My Name Right: The Album” at your local spot and support the artists.
