“C.R.A.C. Holes, Cotton and Mr. Big Fizz”
ARTIST INTERVIEWS By TSSCrew on May 14, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Pic By Kyla, Graphics by P
Ta’Raach and Blu might be the hardest people in Hip-Hop to get a hold of. Last time I ran into Blu was at the Pete Rock vs. Primo show a few weeks back and when I saw him I was so happy I did a shuffle.
“Whoa! I get a little dance?!?” he asked.
“Of course!” I said. “You have no idea how hard it is to get at you. You and ‘Raach.”
“Whaaaat?” he said, and he side-smiled like “Who, me?”
Here’s the thing with Ta’Raach and Blu — neither of them has a car or phone. Technically Ta’Raach has a phone, but not one that I’ve been able to get him on. It’s a wonder these two dudes get a hold of each other.
Despite the frustration of trying to contact them, I developed a hypothesis as to why they stay just beyond arm’s reach. First of all, when you do actually see one or both of them it makes you do a little dance. Second, it adds to the enigmatic aura that is C.R.A.C. Knuckles. Third, and most confidently, it makes them the two least uptight people I know.
In this age when we’re all glued to our Blackberry or Sidekick, constantly receiving emails, text messages, phone calls & bulletins, it’s hard to imagine taking a breath and saying, “Fuck it. I’ll be there when I be there.” That said, I’ve never seen Blu without an ear-to-ear grin on his face, or watched him turn a blind eye to dap. I’ve never seen Ta’Raach stress over stage time or wristbands. But I have seen both dudes give love where love is given, take time for those who ask for it and laugh full-bodied at each other’s jokes as well as their own.
“Yooooo!” Ta’Raach gave me with a hug when I ran into him and Blu on another night. “Blu told me you were here, but I didn’t believe him.”
“Why wouldn’t you believe him?” I asked.
“Because Blu lies all the time.”
“Whaaaat?” said Blu, giving the “Who, me?” side smile.
“You do!” said Ta’Raach. “Blu lies, like, for fun. Just to see if he can.”
“Nah, I do not!” said Blu.
“Quit lying. You lying right now!”
“Man!” I said. “I told Blu I’m ready to do this interview when you are. I want to talk about ‘Cotton’.”
“Oh shit! You want to talk about ‘Cotton’?? We can talk about ‘Cotton’!”
“Cotton” is a joint toward the end of The Piece Talks that features a heated Ta’Raach spouting pointed spoken-word. He told me via email that the monologue was inspired in part by an infamous Spike Lee montage.
“I felt like the way the parts in Do The Right Thing were written allowed room for poetry cadence but with a Hip-Hop impact,” Ta’Raach stated. “So we toyed with the idea a little and this is what we came with… ‘Cotton’ is about the people still living in the dark, thinking that they getting away with something when they flash the facade. It’s from all angles — mine and Blu’s as the artists, participants and fans, and then the record label’s standpoint as well.”
My curiosity piqued, I asked him to be more specific about who the the track is dedicated to…
“Big Fizzers. You know, people talkin all big about they hustle but always fuck it up… Gettin paid from livin vicariously… makin all our jobs harder… All Judases, runnin around like ‘Represent! Represent!’ with no loyalties… Self-proclaimed heroes, with different lifestyles altogether, trying to Martin-Luther-King the hood up. Here’s my advice to y’all: Step 1. Experience is the best teacher, so pay attention. Step 2. Objectify ya own struggles first. Step 3. Swagger. Then come holla at me… It’s amazing how that with all the time that has passed in the universe, We still gotta resort to some low shit to get by.”
Big Fizzers or not, it doesn’t matter who hates on The Piece Talks because at the end of the day, C.R.A.C. put together a project that defies past expectations and draws new ones for future artists. They sound nothing like any run-of-the-mill, 1-2-3-4, fast-tap-hi-hat, talk-box blabber, cheap synth, hit makers. They’re wax scratch, live hi-hat, eclectic electric, instrumental anthological, wave makers.
My bias is obviously in their favor — I like Ta’Raach and Blu as people and I do little shuffles when I see them. I would go to bat for C.R.A.C. and their music faster than for 99.9 percent of all other artists out there. But that comes not from my bias, but rather from their adding light to an industry saturated in the dark of sameness. They war against a market blanketed in Big Fizzers.
And for that, I’d do a little dance any day.
Posted in ARTIST INTERVIEWS, AS TOLD TO, GENERAL — Tags: Artist Interview, AS TOLD TO, Blu, C.R.A.C., Interview, Ta'raach, The Piece Talks
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26 Comments
sounds intellectual… bordering on grimy hipsterism. will give it a listen tho.
snoman - the exceptional one 1993
[CODE]http://rapidshare.com/files/114892448/Snoman_-_The_Exceptional_One__1993_.zip[/CODE]
tagged
128 quality
Ouch!
I remember someone gave me the snoman album for free I still got it, only liked one song off of it though…
i, on the other side like snoman quite much :-)
father mc - this is for the players 1995
[CODE]http://rapidshare.com/files/114899966/father_mc_-_This_Is_for_the_Players__1995_.zip[/CODE]
01 - Intro - Treat Me Right (6:20)
02 - This Is For the Players (4:39)
03 - Sexual Playground (4:57)
04 - You Can Do Me Right (5:38)
05 - High Rollers (4:44)
06 - Sexual Healing (4:19)
07 - I Am What You Want (4:55)
08 - Funking with Father (4:58)
09 - Hey…how Ya’ Doin’ (5:16)
10 - I Want Your Lovin’ (4:09)
11 - Life (5:23)
Father MC… wow….
Yo
“We got company. Go play in the back.” lol
I love it… esp. man tan lover…. Gotta love a Ta’Raach album…
main one is classic i would say
C.R.A.C.C is the shizznit!!! “Piece Talks” is tough, well worth the money spent. Nice interview LC; it was more like a conversation since you’re cool with Blu & Ta’raach. Do they have any new projects lined up??? Any shows??? (especially in Toronto!).
@ Flea… hahaha conversation is all I GOT, fam… which is cool though cause I think the best interviews are just conversations anyway.
I know they’re touring in Europe right now, and I’m not sure they have anything coming in Toronto at that moment…. can’t be positive though. Just what it says on Blu’s myspace…
http://www.myspace.com/herfavcolor
“But I have seen both dudes give love where love is given”
love it
blu you’re my boy!
you’re my boy blu
i am just so in love with blu..
We’ve had Blu come to our school twice now, such a fucking cool guy. He and House Shoes always come through and get sauced with us, lol. I love it when dudes like this get shine.
meh, i still can’t get into the crac album…after below the heavens i was really diappointed. I mean, if i downloaded it then fair dues. But I bought it….and I want my $12 back :(
@ LC: Cool LC, thanks for the headz up. Keep the interviews comin’ through yo!
the 3 steps that Ta’Raach shares on the topic of gettin ur shit up is legittttt. Props. More people gotta be like that.
1 know what you want
2 take a lesson
3 do it big
Respect to the whole TSS crew
All I can hear after he is done is “Go the fuck back to Africa!!” LOL
thank me lata:
htp://rapidshare.com/files/114835923/Selena_Spice_-_Shower.avi
Mad props to these two… and great interview. For a moment, I felt like I was there.
Yo Dirk..La Colombiana es fina.
this is the best article i’ve read about the best album of the year so far.
s’bout damn time someone did it just.
nice interview, great record, we’re with you…!