"I’m not proud of what’s on the radio..."Every once in a while you get an artist that breaks through to not just the industry but to the masses. Termanology has been more than just that voice of the next generation but a hope for all real hip-hop fans. I remember sitting down listening to him with my 3 year old son as his mom is braiding his hair and Circle of Life featuring Lee Wilson came on. The whole room stopped. This is why we call them artists because they paint portraits and Term makes a valiant effort to show why Rap is tomorrows Classical. Welcome to the Bean…..
Words by Hallway Jay
Revised by Mike WaxxillRoots: First off I just want to thank you for the interview. You know I bought Hood Politics V, definitely a good look, as well as the nomination for the Boston Music Award. That was definitely a good look.
Termanology: Word, good lookin man.
illRoots: I alway like to notice who artists surround themselves with over the years. I’ve noticed the likes of Premo and Lil’ Fame aka Fizzy Womack have been around you for sometime now. Explain there role in your success?
Termanology: Well Premier is definitely the reason why I’m getting paid right now. Like Before “Watch How It Goes Down” I used to get a little guap for shows, you know, a little $500 here a little $250 there, whatever. But now I’m getting real stacks to do shows so that I pretty much owe to Premier because after Watch how It Go Down that’s when I started getting into the thousands. And then it just started moving up, and then “So Amazing” just really put it over the top. Pretty much it just gave me that stamp of approval and he just let me go out there and earn it and prove it.
Music video for 'So Amazing', produced by DJ Premeir.
illRoots: Growing up, when was the first time you said rap was what you wanted to do with your life?
Termanology: Like 9 years old, that’s when I started rapping. I knew I like rap before that, but when I was nine I already started rapping.
illRoots: Right, Right. So what were your main influences? I know Pun personally, I’m a huge fan of Pun ever since the D.I.T.C.
Termanology: Pun is a big influence to me from a teenager and on, but as far as my early inspirations, mostly [artists] like Dr. Dre, Snoop, Cypress Hill, and Big Daddy Kane. And shit like that cuz that was alittle bit early. I been into hip-hop for a while, but yea Pun is definitely, cuz I was like a freshmen in high school when Capital Punishment came out so from then to now, he’s been a big influence on me.
illRoots: Yeah, I got that on wax at the crib.
Termanology: Yeah, I love that album, it's one of my favorites.
illRoots: If I say “Hip-Hop”, where are we at in your opinion and why are we here at this point and time?
Termanology: I don’t know, alot of it's fucked up. Terrible. It's like alot of shit people did to it and didn’t realize how much they were harming it and now its like the damage is done. But there’s alot of good stuff going on; there’s Papoose, Saigon, Termanology, Joell Ortiz, you know stuff like that, that’s coming back and breathing fresh air back into so I think its alright. I think we’re doing alright. I’m proud of hip-hop right now.
illRoots: I feel you definitely. Termanology: I’m not proud of what's on the radio.
illRoots: Who you telling, I’m from out of Maryland, they don’t give local artists no love down here.
Termanology: [Laughs]
illRoots: If you had a chance to sign with one label, from now or one that existed in one point or time, who would it be and why?
Termanology: Shhhh…that’s a hard one man.
illRoots: You know I’ma hit you with some hard ones. Over here at illRoots, we dig deep.
Termanology: I say shit man like I like to be how old I am and how nasty I am right now. And like 93’ Death Row. Either that or 2001 Rocafella. That’s the dynasties that I like. When music was really dope, and they were selling records, and people were into it, that’s what I’m talking about.
illRoots: Yeah, when they was having fun.
Termanology: Yeah when they was having fun, they was running shit, it was fly, it was hip-hop it was everything. We don’t get that anymore. It is what it is, its cool. Shit you never know who’s gonna be next, so. I’m here, I’m ready to rock, I ain’t goin’ anywhere
illRoots: Greatest Rapper Alive? Why?
Termanology: JAY-Z!!, all day, its gotta be Hov, yeah Hov got it. He got ten albums there all crazy. He never went away, just kept smashing ‘em and smashing ‘em. Then Nas came in and like tore him up, but never really tore him up where he lost it just made him stronger and he’s no doubt I’ma just get stronger. For real man I think Jay got the crown.
illRoots: Whats your opinion on him signing Jada?
Termanology: That’s great. That’s the best news I’ve heard in years. That’s where Jada needs to be.
illRoots: Yeah man, I’m a big fan of the LOX and want to see them shine, what do think about them?
Termanology: I don’t know what’s going on with there situation, I just know I’m a big fan of them. Styles P. is like my favorite rapper right now. You know how you have a favorite rapper of all-time and then you have like a favorite rapper at the moment. Styles is like my favorite emcee like right now. Its him and Jay. But Styles is a lot more underrated then Jay.
illRoots: That Collab was crazy.
Termanology: Oh yeah, we just did a song, and it was crazy for me to do a song with my favorite rapper. I almost said it on the track but I was like you know what I don’t gotta take it that far with it. I think Styles knows people like him. When I see him I’ll let him know what an honor it was and boom boom know what I mean?
illRoots: Yea and then you put Q-Tip on top of all that. It was classic.
Termanology: Oh yeah, 'Tip is my man. We just got off tour, Me, him, and Common. I was on tour with them and 'Tip took me under his wings to me to the club and let me chill with the big dogs and shit. So it was fun.
illRoots: Everybody knows about the Greats (Pac, Pun, L, Big) and so forth. Whats gonna make you great?Termanology: Um..shit I already feel great man. The only thing I’m missing is the record sales. I definitely…when I walk into the room…the room lights up. People take a liking to me and my music and me as person. If you a fucking asshole nobody’s gonna like you. If you a cool ass nigga and step into the room and you got love for people and you show respect then you should get it back. And I think just the people I’m working with you know Buckwild, Premier, Pete Rock, Alchemist, M.O.P., and all that shit. There co-signs definitely help with that shit so you know. With me rhyming how I rhyme and having the heart and the way I look. You know I’m not your average emcee. I’m alittle short light skinned dude you might be like wait what’s up with this dude?
illRoots: Circle of Life was my joint with Lee Wilson.
Termanology: Oh yeah for real, I’m here with my Ma Dukes and my daughter so.
illRoots: So the Hood Politic series is getting great reviews what contributes to there widespread success?
Termanology: Like just the music man, the music speaks for itself. I’ve been banging out tracks like crazy. A lot of emcees they do a lot of tracks and all of those tracks go to mixtapes and that’s why they got mad mixtapes out. So it sounds like a whole lot of nothing just a lot of verses out. I make actual records, like produced by producers not just other niggas beats I’m stealing. My Hood Politic series are like albums so when you listen to it you can get into it and feel my pain and where I’m at in my life. Cuz the Hood Politics started in 2003 and I did it every year, part 1,part 2, 3, 4, 5 so if you listen to all 5 you can see where I was at as a person and what year and how I’ve grown every year.
illRoots: When Nas came out the same people that gravitated to him during his debut are gravitating to you on your debut. It seems like your mirroring the same both know what I mean?
Termanology: Fasho, I like to think so, that’s one of my favorite emcees of all-time yo. I know like every word to his first 3 albums.
illRoots: It Was Written got me through some things.
Termanology: Yeah me too man, I was just a little kid riding around on a bike with the stereo tape to the handle bars with It Was Written stuck in the tape deck. I gave you power was like one of my favorite songs.
illRoots: Oh yea the joint where he was a gun oh my god that was the joint.
Termanology: Yea Yea, right then and there I said “I’m gonna do a song with Premier definitely. Sometime in my life I’ma doit. And it took me 10 years but I did it. Its love now I got like 5 tracks with Premier so I’m good.
illRoots: If you were President of any country which one and why?
Termanology: Oh man, I’ma have to say this one so I could change. This shit is all fucked up. And this the one that matters to me cuz this where I’m at and where my family’s at so we have to throw the funny guy out the office and get the God in there.
illRoots: Where are you Lyrically 1-10?
Termanology: Um I don’t know man, cuz honestly like a 9. Cuz sometimes I peak and I get to like a 10 and sometimes I get a little lazy and come down to like a 6 or a seven. I never go supa low. Always try to, even when I do features for people and I don’t even like the beat and I don’t even really wanna do it but it like a favor or it pays the rent or the person’s a cool cat. I try to at least tear it down cuz that’s all you got when die what you got hear. Yea right now I’m doing alright. I’m a 9, I’m on fire right now, sometimes I get to a 10 but not all the time. Nobody gets to a 10 that unrealistic.
illRoots: What artists that isn’t necessarily hip-hop would you collab with?
Termanology: I like to work with Amy Winehouse, Nine Inch Nails(Trent Reznor), Marilyn Manson, Mary J. on the R&B tip.
illRoots: So who’s in the lab with you right now?
Termanology: I’ve been working with ST da Squad that’s my team. Me and my Ghetto we got an album coming out called “Two of Americas most Wanted” we bout to wrap that up and my man Easy Money he’s the hook master, he’s been doing crazy hooks for me. I’ve been working with Lil’ Fame heavy, we’re working on our album its Termanology and Lil’ Fame we might call it “Fizzyology” Fizzy Womack and Termanology.
illRoots: So the big question “Have you been talking to any labels and if so can you drop any names?
Termanology: Yea I had a couple major offers and a couple indy offers. But at the end of the day I think I just want to do it Indy, man. Cuz you know when your indy you can say anything you want and you get a release date. When your major you got do whatever records they tell you and you get shelved a lot times. You know what I mean?
illRoots: Yeah you gotta keep yourself relevant.
Termanology: Yes sir, you don’t wanna be one of those dudes that get signed and are supposed to come out for like 5 years and never come out.
illRoots: What do you think is missing in the mixtape game right now.
Termanology: To tell you the truth the internet helped destroy the mixtape. Just do what I do put out original music, drop the exclusives and hopefully Clue will go get those new Styles P.’s, and Jay-z and whoever else he was getting crazy freestyles from . That’s why I like Green Lantern cuz like when he does all his mixtapes. He does like all his own production so its real exclusive shit.
illRoots: So lastly whats next for Term?
Termanology: I got a sneaker coming out top of next year with K-Swiss. I’m try to pop off the label and try to get them in the door. I’d love to do movies, you never know man. I got a great agent.
For More on Termanology Check out his MySpace and go out and support ShowOff and ST.
