INTERVIEW WITH JOHN BROWN

John Brown is two things. First, he is a marketing genius. Second, he is a good dude. Most of you will know him from the (White) Rapper Show, which to be fair is logical. Beyond television glory, Brown has built a successful career as a producer and is poised to be a monster behind the microphone. His company is Ghetto Revival, his mission grand and his future bright. Brown has also been popping up all over the net, from Dante Ross' blog to this picture with my dude Rob of Weekly Drop. Scratch what I said in the first sentence. He is three things. The third is that he is an insightful guy.

I had the pleasure of talking with John Brown for Ballerstatus.com a few months ago and exchanged a few emails about his videos and stuff. I was doing something else I thought he might be able to help with and thought, "Shit, the nakashon readers love John Brown, let me see if he won't do a little something with us." Being that John Brown is a good dude, he said yes, and being that he is an insightful dude, his answers are much better than when I interviewed Jla. For the record, Jla's interview is so bad that we will never run it. Anyway, big up Mr. Brown, cop his album, ring tones, ghetto revival tee-shirts (they might get you laid!) and go to his concerts. While Gritz might be upset that John is not a huge Rock Paper Scissors guy, our man on the e-streets will be excited about a little surprise we have in store for him.

 

Many people don't know that you have produced for some underground heavyweights. What have been some of your best experiences behind the boards?

It was priceless to be a central part of building Ghetto Revival from the ground-up through production. There were dozens and dozens of MCs that came and went, recording on beats that may or may not be released one day. I was able to carve out a niche for myself through production as I developed my own craft as an artist. Making beats gave me access into worlds that would normally be hidden. I was also exposed to various rhyming styles, which helped me grow as an artist.

As an MC, what is the most difficult part of song writing?

The most difficult part of song writing is balancing intelligence with instinct. I want to be aware of what I'm writing but at the same time not over think anything. The best material comes naturally and automatic.

Who would you most like to work with and why?

I'd love to work with Dr. Dre because he enhances artists exponentially and makes music that resonates with me.

What is the best show you have been to recently?

The A-life Purple Session with Bun B in NYC.

Any tours for you this summer?

Should be doing some shows in Hawaii, Minneapolis, Cali

Everyone has embarrassing songs on their ipod, what is a song that you are
generally reluctant to admit to liking?

 

"Seventeen" Stevie Nicks

 

Since you are King of the Burbs, could you anoint my brother, Gritz, Lord of the Strip Mall?

Yes, I hereby declare, Gritz the Lord of the Strip Mall..Bless!

Who else would you grant Lordship and why?

 

Not sure

What is your take on urban farming?

 

Urban farming is critical to creating self-sustainability in an era of corruption. On a typical day, it's important to grow healthy crops in areas that are traditionally filled with low quality or hormone-injected food. On a deeper level, if the supermarkets close and electricity is cut how will we survive? FEMA?

Be honest, after you are on TV the quality of women willing to have sex with
you improves, right?

 

Quality, not so much...Quantity..yes.

 

Who has the best boobs in the world?

 

Selma Hayek, Halle Berry.

What have your experiences been with High Times as far as promotion and with
shows they have sponsored?

 

Well I've been a long-time fan of High Times and somewhat of an amateur connoisseur. I recently performed at the official High Times 4/20 party with DMX in Miami. We're also planning on performing and judging at this year's High Times Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam.  Dred Scott and I also occasionally get revived at the High Times office in
NY, and build with the magazine members about various revival minded things.

 

Though some artists (Cyprus Hill and Meth and Red, as reductive examples)
have great appeal to both a weed head and hip hop head audiences, do you
think it can be difficult to break from a pot head niche?

I think weed is so universally accepted in hip-hop that artists shouldn't worry about being a "pot head niche". It's important for artists to represent weed so we can decriminalize it nationally. SO many people are locked up because of weed. I have a court date in Jersey coming up for weed possession.

Why do you think weed culture resonates so strongly with the suburban hip
hop aesthetic?

I think weed resonates with all of hip hop because it's tied into ancient tradition of smoking out of respect top our ancestors. I also think that kids in the burbs smoke weed and do drugs at an earlier age than elsewhere, because kids have more money in the burbs. There's also less stigma for smoking weed in the burbs than elsewhere, because kids in the burbs will likely persevere and not get trapped in drug use, where as it can be more serious to get caught up in drugs if your options and opportunities are limited. I think everybody loves weed
but the burbs got the best weed!

That question being asked, do you think there actually is a suburban hip hop
aesthetic?

I think there is a suburban aesthetic and it's traditionally multi-syllabic, over-intellectualized rhymes. I think suburban kids feel that they have to jam pack as many words in a sentence for it to sound cool. And I think when an artist has something complicated to explain, the artist breaks it down in very simple terms. When an
artist's ideas or story is simple, the artist will often veil it in complexities to compensate for the lack of substance. Although there's always exceptions to the rule.

What is the smartest thing you know about sports?

 

That Rampage is the man.

 

Are you good at RPS?

Not sure

 

Once you told me that if I wore a Ghetto Revival T-shirt, girls would want
to fuck me. Is there evidence to prove this claim?

I think you're the one that needs to either prove or debunk this theory, my brother. (Yo, hit me with a tee and we can see what transpires – Pants)

When does a full fledged John Brown album drop? The e-streets want to know!

The full-fledged John Brown should be out first quarter of '08. Butlook out for the John Brown mixtape soon!!!