never fails
07-05-2007, 09:54 AM
A-Plus: A Hiero Story
Why don’t you take me through your life and what made you who you are today?
Well, first of all, I was born in Denver, Colorado. My parents came from Jamaica. My sister was born a few years before me, in New York. They went to New York, straight from Jamaica and then started making their way west when they had me in Denver. I ended up moving a lot out here, to Jamaica and Denver and a couple of other places out here. Till [I was five], we settled in Oakland and I been here in Oakland ever since. It’s kind of a little fucked up out here, even though I love it. There’s always been drama going on out here with the government, police and crime and drugs and all that shit.
Growing up, what did you listen to?
I listened to a lot of music growing up. Between my parents, they came from Jamaica and when they came out here, they ended up liking a whole lot of different sh-t. So, I was exposed to that as a youngster. The first time I heard Hip-Hop was in ’79. My pops played it for me. He was like, “Man, you’ll like this. They’re saying poems over disco beats.” [Laughs] That’s what he said. Shit, I heard that and I was like “Man, this is incredible.” And around ’82, I heard The Message. I said, “I’m gonna start rappin’.” Well, back then, I was probably pretty weak but that’s where it started. Ever since then, I used to tell my parents “I’mma be a rap star.” That was just my whole focus.
So, when was the last time you visited Jamaica?
Well, my of my family is still there. I love it. I go there all the time. I already took my son there once. He’s six. I took him out when he was three. I’m bout to take him back. I go every year. I got fam out there so it’s a little different from being a tourist, you know what I mean?
Earlier, you touched on the cops and the government in Oakland. In your new album, you say:
“Them shady cops wondering what we up to… Go find out who killed my aunti and uncle. Till then; Fuck You.”
Can you tell me about that line and what it meant to you? What did you think about when you wrote it?
Yeah, I didn’t even care if I was gonna get in any trouble at all. It’s something that I’d never mention on a Souls album or a Hiero album, but being that it’s my album, I was thinking more personal stuff. It really stemmed from this one time; we had bought this big building in East Oakland. All the Hiero bought this big compound. We call it the Hiero Compound. It’s like a huge building and we got all kinds of shit. We got an office space, some studio space in there that we rent out to a couple cats and we got our silk screen and shit in there and we have our offices. So, it was a big accomplishment for us when we copped it. But, it is in the hood, though. So, you know cops was coming up to us asking what we was doing and sh-t and trying to see if we knew what was going on with the other people in the neighborhood. We was like “Man, we up in here doing business. Leave us the fuck alone.” I was just thinking about that, that day. These motherfuckers bugging us, and there’s murders going on right now. They fucking with some entrepreneurs up in here, trying to see what we doin’. It made me think, both of my auntie and uncle are [victims of] unsolved murders. So, it just popped in my head like “You know, why don’t you find out who killed them instead of trippin; off me trying to make a living.” It was just one of them things that popped in my head. I didn’t plan it out or nothing. I just happened to be writing that song around the time that happened.
You’ve got a lot of Hip-Hop history. Out of everything, what are the top 3 moments that stick out in your head? Top 3 moments you cherish.
One would definitely be on the Souls of Mischief first tour; we toured with De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. I remember when it came to hometown, when it came into Frisco, it was really incredible. It was the first time my whole family was in the house. It was still a brand new thing that I had an album out that was doing well and all that, you know? It was just real dope to have my whole family in the house and it happened to be my Pops’ birthday so I got the whole crowd to sing Happy Birthday to him so that shit sticks out in my head.
Then, back in the day, when Del was working on his album in L.A. with Da Lench Mob. We was in school, so whenever we had time, we’d be kicking it with them. We’d be down at the Lench Studio in South Central. It was wild! We couldn’t walk to the McDonald’s at night time and shit. It was crazy. We used to be in there with gangsters and shit. Not only was they gangstas, these people is niggas you know. We was just bugged out. Even though I grew up with Del and motherfuckers had known O’Shea from before because that’s Del’s cousin. Well, that’s really Cube but back then he wasn’t Ice Cube. That was still a big deal cause he was a mega star at the time. All the boys were real cool taking care of us. Kam was down there. [Sir] Jinx was down there. DJ Pooh was down there. The Lench Mob boys were down there. It was crazy and that was before I had my record deal. It was surreal.
Another time would be…there’s quite a few…I don’t know…Just like going to other places. You know, being in Prague and shit or going to the Berlin Wall or being in Tokyo. Just being able to travel like that because I can’t image that I’d be traveling like this without music. So, I take that into account whenever I go anywhere just to stay humble about it and keep it fresh.
Aside from Cube, who were some influences growing up?
Melle Mel, Run DMC, UTFO, KRS, Public Enemy, NWA, and then Guru, Redman, Rakim, EPMD, De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Leaders of the New School. I love Snoop, Dre and Too Short…Man, I’m a Hip-Hop fan first. I just got fortunate enough to be in the club.
Have you met a lot of emcees who came up to you like “A, you influenced me!”
Yeah, man. I wouldn’t say that everybody said I influenced them or whatever but they’d come up like “Yo, I used to bump yo’ shit.” I remember I met Eminem before he came out. He was local with his crew in Detroit. People was hatin’ on them and other rappers was trying to hate. They was not even trippin’. They did they shit. They came up like “We love y’all sh-t.” Then, when he blew up he thanked us in his liner notes. I was kind of juiced about that like “That’s a cool nigga.” Also, Outkast. When I met them back in the day, they was like “We dig y’all shit.” I was like “Fuck. I dig y’all shit.” It’s been a lot. I ain’t trying to name drop too much, but it’s been cool to be on the other end. It feels surreal to me even after all this time. I remember one time Snoop Dogg shouted us out on the radio. I was extra juiced about that!
I interviewed Musab last month, and he said a lot about Hiero’s camp and how you guys are all like a family. That’s a rare sight in Hip-Hop. Can you speak on what created the unity and how it’s stayed that way?
Hiero, we basically grew up together. All of us. If we weren’t doing music, we’d still be partners. When we got older, we just started doing business together. So, the people who join us, like Knowbody, Musab or O.C. it’s the same. It’s like family. We like to do business like that. We just trying to make sure everybody see it like that.
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.807/title.underground-report-a-plus-phat-kat-verbal-e/p.all (http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.807/title.underground-report-a-plus-phat-kat-verbal-e/p.all)
updated:
What they are saying about "My last Good Deed"
"Sure to please Hiero heads, My Last Good Deed is the kind of album that breezes through smoothly with a good mix of songs that are not too heavy or unexpected." - AllHipHop.com
"The ability to mix signature early-90’s beats with progressive hip-hop makes him stand out from other underground artists; not to mention that he and AAGEE produced most of the album’s tracks under the name Compound 7." - GroundLiftMag.com
"With the crowd jumping in unison up until the very last measure, Souls let it all hang out for one last classic banger, assuring everyone that after all these years, they’ve still got it." - GroundLiftMag.com (show review)
“This album is spectacular in nature!" - Officalheat.com
“With fierce beats, strong rhymes, and a ‘can do’ independent attitude, A-Plus has created a very personal record while still incorporating his roots and remembering where he got his start." - InTheMix.com.au
“An APlus solo album has been a long time coming, but the wait was worth it" - BoomBox.co.uk
“Hes been behind many Hiphop bangers over the years and hes now back with another one..." [sic] - CBMag.co.uk
"A Plus' album was worth the wait" - HipHopDX
"All Heiro heads you know what time it is! This is that album you need." - ThickOnline.com
"Definitely a good look from A Plus." - Toflo.com
"Listening to this record is like a time warp, with new school hypnotic beats and hooks calling back to melodies on '93 Till Infinity." - TheOwlMagazine.com
"A Plus put out a knockout album for the hip-hop crowd" - Music-Reviewer.com
Why don’t you take me through your life and what made you who you are today?
Well, first of all, I was born in Denver, Colorado. My parents came from Jamaica. My sister was born a few years before me, in New York. They went to New York, straight from Jamaica and then started making their way west when they had me in Denver. I ended up moving a lot out here, to Jamaica and Denver and a couple of other places out here. Till [I was five], we settled in Oakland and I been here in Oakland ever since. It’s kind of a little fucked up out here, even though I love it. There’s always been drama going on out here with the government, police and crime and drugs and all that shit.
Growing up, what did you listen to?
I listened to a lot of music growing up. Between my parents, they came from Jamaica and when they came out here, they ended up liking a whole lot of different sh-t. So, I was exposed to that as a youngster. The first time I heard Hip-Hop was in ’79. My pops played it for me. He was like, “Man, you’ll like this. They’re saying poems over disco beats.” [Laughs] That’s what he said. Shit, I heard that and I was like “Man, this is incredible.” And around ’82, I heard The Message. I said, “I’m gonna start rappin’.” Well, back then, I was probably pretty weak but that’s where it started. Ever since then, I used to tell my parents “I’mma be a rap star.” That was just my whole focus.
So, when was the last time you visited Jamaica?
Well, my of my family is still there. I love it. I go there all the time. I already took my son there once. He’s six. I took him out when he was three. I’m bout to take him back. I go every year. I got fam out there so it’s a little different from being a tourist, you know what I mean?
Earlier, you touched on the cops and the government in Oakland. In your new album, you say:
“Them shady cops wondering what we up to… Go find out who killed my aunti and uncle. Till then; Fuck You.”
Can you tell me about that line and what it meant to you? What did you think about when you wrote it?
Yeah, I didn’t even care if I was gonna get in any trouble at all. It’s something that I’d never mention on a Souls album or a Hiero album, but being that it’s my album, I was thinking more personal stuff. It really stemmed from this one time; we had bought this big building in East Oakland. All the Hiero bought this big compound. We call it the Hiero Compound. It’s like a huge building and we got all kinds of shit. We got an office space, some studio space in there that we rent out to a couple cats and we got our silk screen and shit in there and we have our offices. So, it was a big accomplishment for us when we copped it. But, it is in the hood, though. So, you know cops was coming up to us asking what we was doing and sh-t and trying to see if we knew what was going on with the other people in the neighborhood. We was like “Man, we up in here doing business. Leave us the fuck alone.” I was just thinking about that, that day. These motherfuckers bugging us, and there’s murders going on right now. They fucking with some entrepreneurs up in here, trying to see what we doin’. It made me think, both of my auntie and uncle are [victims of] unsolved murders. So, it just popped in my head like “You know, why don’t you find out who killed them instead of trippin; off me trying to make a living.” It was just one of them things that popped in my head. I didn’t plan it out or nothing. I just happened to be writing that song around the time that happened.
You’ve got a lot of Hip-Hop history. Out of everything, what are the top 3 moments that stick out in your head? Top 3 moments you cherish.
One would definitely be on the Souls of Mischief first tour; we toured with De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. I remember when it came to hometown, when it came into Frisco, it was really incredible. It was the first time my whole family was in the house. It was still a brand new thing that I had an album out that was doing well and all that, you know? It was just real dope to have my whole family in the house and it happened to be my Pops’ birthday so I got the whole crowd to sing Happy Birthday to him so that shit sticks out in my head.
Then, back in the day, when Del was working on his album in L.A. with Da Lench Mob. We was in school, so whenever we had time, we’d be kicking it with them. We’d be down at the Lench Studio in South Central. It was wild! We couldn’t walk to the McDonald’s at night time and shit. It was crazy. We used to be in there with gangsters and shit. Not only was they gangstas, these people is niggas you know. We was just bugged out. Even though I grew up with Del and motherfuckers had known O’Shea from before because that’s Del’s cousin. Well, that’s really Cube but back then he wasn’t Ice Cube. That was still a big deal cause he was a mega star at the time. All the boys were real cool taking care of us. Kam was down there. [Sir] Jinx was down there. DJ Pooh was down there. The Lench Mob boys were down there. It was crazy and that was before I had my record deal. It was surreal.
Another time would be…there’s quite a few…I don’t know…Just like going to other places. You know, being in Prague and shit or going to the Berlin Wall or being in Tokyo. Just being able to travel like that because I can’t image that I’d be traveling like this without music. So, I take that into account whenever I go anywhere just to stay humble about it and keep it fresh.
Aside from Cube, who were some influences growing up?
Melle Mel, Run DMC, UTFO, KRS, Public Enemy, NWA, and then Guru, Redman, Rakim, EPMD, De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Leaders of the New School. I love Snoop, Dre and Too Short…Man, I’m a Hip-Hop fan first. I just got fortunate enough to be in the club.
Have you met a lot of emcees who came up to you like “A, you influenced me!”
Yeah, man. I wouldn’t say that everybody said I influenced them or whatever but they’d come up like “Yo, I used to bump yo’ shit.” I remember I met Eminem before he came out. He was local with his crew in Detroit. People was hatin’ on them and other rappers was trying to hate. They was not even trippin’. They did they shit. They came up like “We love y’all sh-t.” Then, when he blew up he thanked us in his liner notes. I was kind of juiced about that like “That’s a cool nigga.” Also, Outkast. When I met them back in the day, they was like “We dig y’all shit.” I was like “Fuck. I dig y’all shit.” It’s been a lot. I ain’t trying to name drop too much, but it’s been cool to be on the other end. It feels surreal to me even after all this time. I remember one time Snoop Dogg shouted us out on the radio. I was extra juiced about that!
I interviewed Musab last month, and he said a lot about Hiero’s camp and how you guys are all like a family. That’s a rare sight in Hip-Hop. Can you speak on what created the unity and how it’s stayed that way?
Hiero, we basically grew up together. All of us. If we weren’t doing music, we’d still be partners. When we got older, we just started doing business together. So, the people who join us, like Knowbody, Musab or O.C. it’s the same. It’s like family. We like to do business like that. We just trying to make sure everybody see it like that.
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.807/title.underground-report-a-plus-phat-kat-verbal-e/p.all (http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.807/title.underground-report-a-plus-phat-kat-verbal-e/p.all)
updated:
What they are saying about "My last Good Deed"
"Sure to please Hiero heads, My Last Good Deed is the kind of album that breezes through smoothly with a good mix of songs that are not too heavy or unexpected." - AllHipHop.com
"The ability to mix signature early-90’s beats with progressive hip-hop makes him stand out from other underground artists; not to mention that he and AAGEE produced most of the album’s tracks under the name Compound 7." - GroundLiftMag.com
"With the crowd jumping in unison up until the very last measure, Souls let it all hang out for one last classic banger, assuring everyone that after all these years, they’ve still got it." - GroundLiftMag.com (show review)
“This album is spectacular in nature!" - Officalheat.com
“With fierce beats, strong rhymes, and a ‘can do’ independent attitude, A-Plus has created a very personal record while still incorporating his roots and remembering where he got his start." - InTheMix.com.au
“An APlus solo album has been a long time coming, but the wait was worth it" - BoomBox.co.uk
“Hes been behind many Hiphop bangers over the years and hes now back with another one..." [sic] - CBMag.co.uk
"A Plus' album was worth the wait" - HipHopDX
"All Heiro heads you know what time it is! This is that album you need." - ThickOnline.com
"Definitely a good look from A Plus." - Toflo.com
"Listening to this record is like a time warp, with new school hypnotic beats and hooks calling back to melodies on '93 Till Infinity." - TheOwlMagazine.com
"A Plus put out a knockout album for the hip-hop crowd" - Music-Reviewer.com