Interview: Roc C

Roc C and Chali 2Na are performing in Athens this September 7th @ Bios. On that occasion, we talked to Roc C about their current Ron Artiste project.

Will LA (Lakers or Clippers) be able to get the ring from Le Bron?
u know its a wierd thing meta world is the man but eversince they traded my cousin nick van excel from the lakers i been a clippers fan even threw the tough times i think the lakers a very talented but maybe its the upper management that throws me off but with the upgrades miami just got sheesh its gonna take some injuries for anyone to take that ring but thats the beauty of competition no matter what the arena we all gotta lace up and put it all on the line and may the best man win

Two real hiphop cats like you decide to work together and from all the subjects you could write about, you picked Ron Artest! How come? What is it that you see in Ron that makes him an icon that you should present to the world? I mean I respect the guy, but isn't he popular enough, playing in the NBA and all?
i know me personally the ron artest theme just felt like the only way i could explain myself in one word, meaning so many people judge one another on the surface from what they have heard or may percieve about another and once that thought process is in play its kinda hard for people to look beneath the surface and give one another an unbiases chance to really see what a person is about we never know what makes another person who they are and we shouldnt be judged off of plain nothing but perception to me perception is deception food for thought!!! lol Metta World what better way to explain it he gets judged but we all have a past its about what u doing with the present and future and sometimes when u make that progress the powers that be try to knock u back into what they think is ur place and for him to bring world awareness to what he believes in how can one knock that and no matter what u may think of the man he comes the laceup his work boots each day and gives it his all no matter what it is sports or personal and i felt i identify with that

How did you feel when he changed his name? I found it surprisingly amazing. In a mean business like professional sports, this dude is taking a stand for sth bigger than money and all.
thats my whole point about the metta thing at the end of the day no matter what anyone says if its important to him he gonna rideout full throttle and i def relate to that and i feel alot of people are afraid to put themselves out to the world but expects the world to be at they beckoning call but with him ive always gravitated to people that put them selves out there and u where able to grow with them see the good bad and the ugly so many people want u to like them so bad the put on a smoke n mirrors show i always thought that was weak sauce. At somepoint u gotta stand for something more then money and despite how people may feel about him he put his money where his mouth is and no one can say he dont represent to the fullest from his hometown to his family and beliefs and in a world ran by the dollar bill its refreshing to see someone from ourside of the tracks to not only give back but practice what they preach

Has Ron shown any interest in what you are doing?
to be honest i been so caught up in making sure this is the best product we could give ya on the first round out. I know we have tried to reachout but who knows maybe wasnt the right channels but hopefully this ron artiste thing spread like wild flowers and it crosses his path we would love to have him apart of what we doing we already gearing up working on the next ron artiste album

After one album together, are we to expect a second album from Ron Artiste? I'm guessing the name will change, right?
yes we are def getting ready to work on the second project title and everything we felt this rids album was a great introduction to this ron artiste movement we are repping and leave ya wanting more. naw we gonna keep the name the same we are ron artiste only thing that will change are album titles we have a everyday growing army of fellow artisians so theres no way this is a one and done we only gonna get better and make better music im excited for the journey to keep moving

There's a bunch of guys featuring in the R.I.D.S. album. But I have to ask about King T. How did you get him on board?
yea we wanted to have guests on the album that felt how we felt and brought there own essence to the situation the king t thing was a blessing if u ask me first off og king t is the first solo artist on the west coast i looked up to i knew all bay rappers rythmes to there songs but im not from the bay so when i saw that king t video on venice beach i was hooked lol back then wasnt any solo artist in our neck of the woods getting that love west cost had nwa,ice t, too short and few others but i was like ok im with this and so many people have bitten or learned something from him whether u admit it or not but funny thing is myself and tuna just finished a recording session and tweeted we where on our way to roscoes chicken and waffles and next thing i know tweets started coming back one thing lead to another and homicide was the end result but likwit crew help give my crew cdp a start with allowing lootpack to be apart of there album then the avalanch effect started and jro and e swift i mess with tuff anyway so it was only a matter of time before the king t situation happened and it was a great look he murdered it

Chali 2Na is who he is, kind of a legend. What is it that you take from working with him on this project? Did he let you in on some secret from the Jurassic 5 vaults, that you can let the world know?
damn right tuna is a legend and still relivant thats whats crazy to me that i would have an oppurtunity to be in the situation im in i look at tuna like a big brotha and he def showed me a few things that are forever etched into my mental and everyday living far as jarrassic tuna will be the first one to tell u i dont ask about that ever i mean we have had conversations just about diff things but naw nothing like that with me jurrassic always gonna be jurrassic they helped get the west on the map and for me as a j5 fan id rather leave my memories of j5 as just musical i dont know any of the other members personally but ima big fan of the whole j5 movement but naw i got no juicy j5 stories i know damn huh lol

"Stoned Genious": The result was really dope. What impressed me is that, with all these heavyweights working on it, the album still sounds like a Roc C album. How did you pull this off?
i appreciate that sir but yea with me every project i put out my thing is not to work with just whos hot at time i only work with people i respect outside of music as well and i wanna see win and get just due and at the sametime i wanted to show i really do this music thang and i felt it was time to step it up i guess the main thing is i dont have anyone in my ear saying u should do this kind of music or work with this person so im completely free to todo and work with who i choose and i think that nonrestraint allows me to grow as a person and artist and i always wanna make sure i pull my weight when it comes to that and i do music i enjoy so when ur having fun its pretty easy to stay focused and also the 420 didnt hurt any lol

You chose to leave Stones Throw and work on your own for "Stoned Genious". How is life after Stones Throw for ya? After all, you've been related to ST since before there was a ST.
its funny i always get asked about stones throw ill never diss them they help give me my start but with that said things change and people change i got love for wolf and them but far as my cdp crew lootpack,declaime,med,kankick,ohno,godsgift,etc. i knew them since i was a younging way before stonesthrow so that was never an issue and we will always work together we all cameout oxnard stonesthrow gave us the platform to be heard and i learned alot but life after stones i mean i still get checks from them lol so we still in one anothers life but i needed to leave home so i could become a man and they allowed me with full blessings to do that and that was prob the biggest thing they couldve did for me and they didnt have to ever give me a chance but i had to take that chance and turn it into my livelyhood and at end of the day no one wants to be a blockboy forever i needed to bossup so all is love and its giving me a chance to really explore my talents

West Coast hiphop is on the rise, for sure. New faces, old faces, it's obvious that sth is happening over there. Any names from the West Coast we should keep our ears open for?
yes sir its about time they stop saying the west dont make good songs or can rap we def proving that wrong these days im excited for everyone on the west right now and i listen to so much music it be wrong for me two name one or two people when im messsssing with everybody on the west whether u heard of me or not im fucking with ya tough!!!! West Coast

How has the tour been so far? Any memorable events that stand out?What are you expecting from the show in Athens? What are we to expect from you guys?

tour just starting so memorable moment i would have to say all who woulda ever thought i kid out the ox would see the world few times but what i can say is ive never been to greece yet but some of my favorite movies or time period surronds greece we about to bring that sparta energy up the building and have a wonderfully great time and experience i need someone to take to me a great food spot when i touchdown who got me???