What’s the science behind your name? Or Is there any?
Well, LUNATIC was my street name since I was, like, 16 or 17 years old on up trough my hustlin’ years, and it stayed the same until about ’98 when I was incarcerated for about 2 1/2 years. That’s when I met a guy who sort of blessed me with the additional “The Messiah” to add to LUNATIC, because at the time, LUNATIC wasn’t totally dead, but I was becoming a lot more spiritual and knowledgeable about so many things. I was teachin’ a lot of cats in the joint, so Messiah just stuck.
What do you think of Mainstream Hip Hop?
I think that mainstream Hip Hop is 90% commercial bullshit that is having a very negative effect on the next generation of Hip Hop heads. I mean, I don’t think that it had the most positive effect on our generation, but I guess we’ll see. The main thing I see is that there are more and more cats who get in it for the money and aren’t true to the art. It’s like you don’t have to be a lyricist anymore. You don’t need any REAL skills to blow up anymore. You just gotta talk about bullshit material things that don’t matter.
How was your upbringing?
I can sum it all up in one word…………PROJECTS!
What inspired you to become a hip hop artist?
I always wrote good poetry back in grammar school, so when I was introduced to rap back in the mid-80’s, it was like a destined alliance and I’ve been rappin’ since I was about 10 years old.
What other hip hop groups do you listen to?
I listen to Mos Def, Canibus, Lauryn Hill(love her flow!), Common, Busta Rhymes, Wu-Tang, Red Man, Xibit, Emenim, among others.
How would you describe your music?
Very versatile. My main styles are East Coast oriented because I’m originally from the East Coast, but I flow in many rap styles and also reggae. I also write R&B songs in English and Spanish, plus other types of music as well. I once even wrote a country song for a band down in South Carolina. They loved it. Music is music, and I believe that a true lyricist can write in any style or genre of music.
How would you describe yourself?
Not to sound vain or anything, but as the tightest lyricist alive.
What are your future musical plans?
To establish, by whatever means necessary, my own label, and put out my squad of MC’s. I wanna put Chicago on the map as the next big hub for Hip Hop. This is a practically untapped market that has a whole lot of talent.
Out of the songs you’ve created, what is your personal favorite, and why?
“Not Enough”– Because it epitimizes my struggle.
Where can fans listen to some of your music?
https://www.geocities.com/cadreinc
Have you ever rocked events, if so, what was your favorite event you rocked?
Chicago’s annual WGCI/Miller Lite Freshest MC Contest. I won it in April of 2000 and Chicago’s WGCI radio station invited me back in April of this year to rock the mic alongside Ja Rule.
Have you ever found Jesus?
Yeah, I found him, but he told me that he is not the Creator and never tried to make people believe that. He was a political revolutionary who wanted to free his people from Roman rule. He was a Messiah, like me.
How long have you been rhyming? How do you see hip hop, and you? Do you see Hip Hop as a religion, art, culture, a career, job, or just a hobby?
I’ve been rhyming for about 15 years. I see myself as the next best thing that ever happened to Hip Hop. I see Hip Hop as all of the above and more. Hip Hop is my entire life, every aspect.
Do you have any hip hop quotables that you live by? Any song lyrics ever touched you?
Common’s “I Used To Love Her” is a song that definitely touched me and is one that I would consider a Hip Hop quotable in it’s entirety.
Give fans five reasons why they should listen to you, over any other given artist?
I rap true shit. I don’t rap about a bunch of shit that I don’t have, I don’t brag about anything that I can’t or wouldn’t be willing to back up at any given moment. My flow is very versatile, something to suit everyone’s listening needs, I’m very creative and I don’t rap about the same old bullshit in every song on my album like a lot of MC’s do, and my music makes you think.
Do you have any player haters? Or any words you would like to make to player haters who frown on your music? Or is there any?
I haven’t really had a lot of cats hate on me, first of all ’cause my shit is tight, but second of all because they know I’m real and they would look really stupid hatin’ on some real shit.
As an independent artist, how do you find the music industry? What resources online have lent their support to you, and your music?
I see the music industry as a very prejudiced business. It’s hard for independent artists to come out if they don’t have any dough. But there are avenues to getting your music heard. rapmusic.com, mp3.com, tonos.com, building your own web site, and many others.
Do you have any shot outs you would like make?
To all the Cadre cats who are about to blow with me this year! My fam’, all the MC’s I’ve ciphered with, all the Gods and Goddesses out there trying to keep their heads on right. Much love!
Interview by DaHipHopPlace.Com
