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| .: --THEM MCEASE
"Bringing it to an end! " |
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For everyone that doesn't know of Mcease, can you tell us how you guys met?
Our squad (Them Mcease) has been running together for years, we all grew up on the South Side of Minneapolis. Really once we realized that there isn't too many real one's left in these streets, we decided we gonna ride til the death, we like brothers, Them Mcease is a family, ya dig?
What made you want to work together?
we don't really consider this work, this is our life right now. regardless we do every thang together anyways, so this ain't nothin different: we grew up together, went to school together, hustle together, make moves together and this rap shit is just another move we bout to make, we are so focused right now!
Why the name "Mcease"?
Everyone asks this question, people often say it wrong too, it's pronounced m-cease. The name is broken down into two parts. First it is” M” which represents Minneapolis, the starting point. Cease is the second half. cease: to take over an action or bring to an end! when you put it together we them minneapolis boyz that are on a quest to takeover, Them Mcease aka the takeover squad. we are on a mission to cease and conquer, and put minne-aps on the rap map!
Yall grew up Minneapolis, can you talk about what that was like?
It wasnt coined murderapolis for nothin, it goes down in the hood. southside, northside both got there safe spots, and both got there killer blocks. we wanted to survive, we wanted to make something out ourselves so we aint fall into the kill or be killed shit. we all hooped so that gave us something else to do besides hit the block. Hoopin was our thang, til we saw what we could do wit music! traded in our Mike's (Jordan's) for mic's.
Is it hard to stay together as a group?
Nah, we look at ourselves as a squad more so than a group. We do things as a squad, we go out as a squad, and we handle business as a squad. Our long history like this keeps us from stepping on each other's toes. you wont ever have to worry about Them Mcease breakin up, its not happenin!
What are your future goals for Mcease?
Musically, Sell, sell, sell!! We just dropped the mixtape “Southside Clean/Northside Dirty” and it has been very successful. But looking down the road, we have an album that has more potential than anything out of the Midwest; it's entitled “That's Us” and is set to drop Memorial Day weekend 2006! Keep your eyes open for a video to our hit single, Redbone/Dark-tone too. The overall goal, however, is to be the group that puts MPLS on the map and represent it THE RIGHT WAY! We feel we are the ones to do that.
When people hear the name "Mcease" what do you want them to think?
MINNESOTA WE HERE NOW! As long as the city keeps backing us, we will give em what they been waiting for. Minneapolis we getint on the rap map, and we ready to put the whole city on our back and go get it!
What's the recording process like when you guys are working on an album?
when we hit the studio, it's all business. we aint writing bars, crackin jokes, smokin, drinkin, and all that, we hit the studio to record. we start recording as soon as we get there, and keep it comin til its time to go, we love the recording part of rappin. we back in the studio now, blazin the booth wit this new material: including a Redbone/Dark-tone remix.
Yall have been on the scene for a while, what are some of the major changes to the scene over the past few years?
one change is the overall style of hip hop here. Minnesota hip hop has always been represented by underground backpackers. we feel them cats and all, but our swagger is completely different. we more of a mainstream sound, we feel like thats more marketable anyways, ya know? We rap about what we know about, what we do, what we have seen, and thats why people appeal to us, because they know what we talkin about, they can feel us at a personal level.
Where do Mcease fit in on the MN Hip Hop scene?
There is a new genre of hip-hop in Minnesota and we are creating it. Nobody has yet came at the music scene like we have, and that's what separates us. Our music fits in rotation in clubs, on the radio, and bangs hard in the car. Hip hop is an urban culture, and rap music is a expression within that. Being born and raised on the South Side of Minneapolis, and bringing to the table what we have…We are what MN Hip Hop is missing.
You guys have a huge buzz around the Twin Cities, What are the best ways right now for yall to continue to build your buzz?
Not to dwell on it, we always keep things moving. Whether we do a huge show, sell cd's, or get a deal, we gotta stay focused on what's next. As long as we keep getting our name and music to the public we can keep things moving. Just grind hard is what we gotta do; try to reach as many people as possible, from ALL backgrounds and upbringings.
Have yall been on any mixtapes?
Besides our own, we just dropped a track with the Street Kingz on their Minnesota mixtape not too long ago. We have had numerous offers but we were so focused on our projects we put some things on hold. The mixtape circuit in Minnesota isn't what it could be, and that is for the simple fact that we have a difficult market to break into in Minnesota. We cant sit on the corner and bang our tracks out of the trunk like they can down south. First off it gets too damn cold in the winter and second the police are…lets just keep it at that. The last reason is the simple fact that it is hard to get support up here from the local people, like radio stations and clubs. But Minnesota wont get put on the map unless people start showing that support, and we are that group that can bring Minnesota to the fore front, so support Them Mcease!
What DJ's have supported you so far?
We have gotten a lot of DJ love around here, especially with our single. DJ Doug D has helped us a lot in the night clubs. DJ Curve, DJ Supreme, DJ Jazz, Sam Soulprano, they have all been looking out for us. we got a few DJ's out of state doin some thangs too.
What's your take on the state of the Music Industry today?
It is what it is. There are way more hustlers and businessmen than there are artists which explains the change hip hop has taken over the years. A lot of snakes, and a lot of people just worried bout themselves and the best way to get a pretty penny. You live and you learn, nothing in this game is free and THAT'S REAL.
Do you think politics have a place in Hip Hop?
Ofcourse.
What place does politics have in Hip Hop?
Politics play a role in everything…better believe that. Even locally politics are critical, It's not what you know its who you know, and just like any other issue in life ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY. If you don't have a lot of it, or someone with a lot of money backing you, it's a long hard road. Right now we support ourselves completely in all aspects.
If y'all could change one thing about the game what would it be?
Just one? One main problem that would be great to eliminate would be lying and fabrication that a lot of music has these days. We keep our music as real as possible, all about us, our past and what we have encountered and endured. Were not out here screamin about killin people because that's not what we are about. Were not out here talking bout layin in maybachs because were not. If you are doing those things that's coo because that's real, but since when did it become so hard to stick to the truth?
Where can people check out your music and find out more info about your successes?
WWW.MCEASE.COM You can listen and buy our music on the site, check us out! SHOW US YOUR SUPPORT, WE NEED IT, MINNESOTA NEEDS IT!
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:: HHC GEAR
Artist: Them Mcease.
Song: "RedBone Darktone" |
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