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With an extremely dope album out now the name Giant is definitely well fitting as they bring a huge sound to a somewhat boring and mundane industry with Giant Panda's newest project "Electric Laser" the audience delves into a warm and early 90s sounding album. With the entire CD being recorded on 2 inch analog tape the warmth of each song sounds amazing, I absolutely love this group, and soon everyone else will understand that Giant Panda is an endangered species of emcees. Go Buy it....Enter Giant Panda....illRoots.com: Why the name "Giant Panda" ?
Newman: Peter Bjorn and Jon was already taken.
Maanumental:Because we're black, white, from Asia, and also giant.
Chikaramanga: Black and white from Asia. It doesn’t sound like a name for Hip Hop group.
illRoots.com: One Good Book?
Newman: "Farewell to Arms" Ernest Hemingway
Maanumental: Howard Zinn's A People's History of The United States of America
Chikaramanga: “Nomura Note” Katsuya Nomura, a manager of Rakuten Eagles (Professional baseball team in Japan)
illRoots.com: The new album was recorded entirely on analog tape. Why?
Newman: Pretty much every record that we really love was recorded to 2" tape. Since we had the opportunity via our friends studio (Old Standard Sound in Portland, OR.), it was a no brainer to go that route.
Maanumental: To add more warmth... and compassion?
Chikaramanga: I always wanted to record my music on 2 inch tape to see how it sounds. This was my first time to try.
I am very happy about the result.
illRoots.com: With the recent Sean Bell incidents we find the several Hip-Hop artists preaching there ever growing concerns with our culture. Your opinions on where our culture is at the current moment?
Giant Panda - 90s
Newman: I feel the whole world is in a moment of transition and I hope it's a shift to a more inclusive paradigm. I think electing Senator Obama as our next President is one way of making this happen locally and on a global level we must figure out a way to make Africa a thriving and self sufficient continent.
Maanumental: Our culture is American culture, which is sadly fast becoming world culture. Violent, misogynistic drug-laced rap is as popular as Fake Wrestling, Violent Video Games, Scarface Posters, Generic Tattoos, Chain Wallets, Nihilistic Street Racing and all the rest of this "silicone implants for men" behavior. I love my rap hard and all, but today it's far too cool to be a prick, and that's scary. But millions of people are on the internet sharing for free, so I'm optimistic.
illRoots.com:Your favorite cut off the new album and why?
Newman: Right now, I would say "Laser Ray". It reflects our sense of humor, but it also has some subtle, serious undertones. I think that sums up our collective personality. Plus the drums bang.
Maanumental: : I'm happy with the whole album, but since it's very personal and it came off great, I'd have to say "Pops".
Chikaramanga: Laser Ray. I like everything about this song, concept, rhymes, beats, song structure, and especially Laser Ray’s talking at the end. This song is great representation of Giant Panda to me.
illRoots.com: In an industry that is so boring and mundane I find you guys as a breath of fresh air, What are your main influences for this new album "Electric Laser".
Newman: For me...Sly Stone. Thes One and Double K. Mekalek and Time Machine, Shawn Jackson. Definitely Ta'Raach and Blu. Basically people who are just free with the funk. Also our engineer Justin Higgins. He's been a huge influence on me.
Maanumental:I think our main influence is each other, in that where we agree on hip-hop and music is that it can be done dope in all it's forms, so let's try some of them. The mutual willingness is the main influence, to me.
Chikaramanga: 45s. it makes beat making process more fun.
illRoots.com: If you could be the President of any nation which one and why?
Newman: The U.S. of A. For all that is wrong with us, we are still the best because we are everyone. We dance better, write better, paint better, laugh better, etc. better than anyone else. USA!
Maanumental: Colbert Nation. so I can repeal the policies of promoting Man-Bear animosity.
Chikaramanga: USA! USA! USA!

illRoots.com: Most important piece of equipment in the lab?
Newman: Good ideas and a coffee machine
Maanumental: MPC1000. I need to get on it more.
Chikaramanga: MPC 60, I cannot imagine making an album without this machine.
illRoots.com: One Artist that isn't necessarily considered Hip-Hop would you want to work with?
Newman: There are too many to name, but one that i've always had in the back of my mind is Greg Dulli. I think our aesthetics would mesh in an interesting way.
Maanumental: I wouldn't mind messing with some GoTeam, Bjork, StereoLab, whoever, so long as the result is good music.
Chikaramanga: I cannot really come up with one.
illRoots.com: Giant Panda is ________.
Newman: The three of us and you know we're fresh
Maanumental: "Fern" Gully?
Chikaramanga: Collective efforts.

illRoots.com:Most underrated Emcee of all-time.
Newman: Grand Daddy I.U. or Maanumental
Maanumental: I say it every time - Grand Daddy I.U.
Chikaramanga: People Under The Stairs
illRoots.com:One song to summarize each of your lives?
Newman: "Stand!" by Sly and the Family Stone
Maanumental: Off this album, probably AIM, which I wouldn't expect. Upon further review, it kinda touches most of my concerns in life.
Chikaramanga: “Precise Calculator” from this album.
Thanks alot to the guys as well as the big homie Jon, but I listened to "Electric Laser" about 3 times a day for like a week straight this is definitely a great buy so go out and support that good music.