Myka 9 + Blu: Staying Power

By: Todd “DG” Davis
Rapindustry.com

When two generations of Los Angeles’ underground Hip Hop collide, the end result is something unapologetically real, naturally raw and divinely transcendent. We had a chance to catch up with Myka 9, the legendary poet from Freestyle Fellowship, and Blu, a pillar of contemporary City of Angels lyricism. They both connect like old souls discovering a new language on their supreme collaborative collection, ‘God Takes Care Of Babies & Fools,’ produced entirely by Mono En Stereo. ENJOY!

Let’s hop into this single, “Park Bench“ — Tell me about this particular track; how did it come to fruition?

Blu: I was going through a pack of beats Mono En Stereo had sent me, and I came across the beat we used for this song. It was something about it that caught my attention; I can’t say what it was. In the end, I would have to say it was divine. I sat with the beat for a few days trying to figure out a good concept or any kind of idea to it, and I got nothing. I put the beat on one more time, and the hook for “Park Bench People” just popped into my head. Before I lost my mind at how well the hook and beat gelled together, I decided to play “Park Bench People” by Fellowship to see if they used the same sample because the match was so perfect. I listened and heard that they didn’t use the sample at all. Little did I know, they were inspired by the sample and flipped it. I recorded my hook and verse idea on my phone, and sent it to Myka and he loved it. Later, he told me that “Park Bench People” was inspired by the same original sample. God works in mysterious ways.

Myka 9: “Park Bench” came about by Blu suggesting we revisit the concept of my song “Park Bench People” from Freestyle Fellowship’s album Inner City Griots, but on a fresh interpolation by Mono En Stereo of the original sampled work from Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay” and with respect to “Sucka Nigga” by (A) Tribe Called Quest.   

Of course “Park Bench” follows on the heels of “B-Boys” — Talk to me a lil bit about this composition…

Blu: Me and Myka picked out 20 beats for the album, 10 each from a batch of about 50 beats chosen from an even bigger batch of 300 beats all sent by Mono. After picking the beats, we decided to come up with concepts before we began the writing process. I knew if Myka chose the beat we used for “B-Boys,” that I would present him with the concept. He dug it. I said it should feel like a b-boy battle through raps. After we wrote our verses, we decided to include the great Ellay Khule to finish the song. Knowing Khule is the ultimate MC / B-Boy, I knew it would come out perfect and sure enough it did. After Exile heard the song, he asked me to send it to him because he had an idea to touch it up a bit. When he sent back the new arrangement and scratches, we knew we had to make it a single.

Myka 9: “B-Boys” has a breakdancing go-getter street vibe, so we cover different aspects of the B and use battle / braggadocio on the flow.

Both selections come courtesy of your joint LP, God Takes Care Of Babies & Fools — Conceptually, what does this title represent both to and for you all? 

Blu: Well, OG Myka came up with the album title and I dug it right away. Myka says we are the babies & fools, me being the baby and him being the fool. But to me, the babies & fools represents everyone, all humanity. Be it that we are all fools according to the quote by Socrates that says “To know, is to know you nothing.” And we are all babies, be it that humanity as a whole is only 6 million years old, compared to animals being 60 million years old, dinosaurs being over 160 million years old and the earth itself being 4 billion years old. We have only just begun and have so far to go, yet God takes care of us all. 

Myka 9:God Takes Care Of Babies & Fools is the age old from the bible type saying in that a higher power protects the vulnerable and naive; it also has a soulful connotation, ha ha! Plus, Blu is a little younger than me and I’ve been somewhat foolish from time to time to time, lol.

Aside from the obvious, how then does God Takes Care Of Babies & Fools either differ and / or compare to previous Myka 9 + Blu  efforts?

Blu: I try to make every album I make unique from all the other albums, every time. And, this time was no different. Although it does remind me of my album Johnson&Jonson from 2009, due to the beats being loops with no drum programming; this is still a very unique effort. A spiritual rap olympic throw down. I am going toe to toe with the best lyricist in L.A. rap history; it is truly an honor, and the entire experience was very organic.

Myka 9: This project is different from others as it’s our first full length collaboration, and first time working with Mono En Stereo on a project; also it feels cohesive.

As lyricists when you all sit down to pen your rhymes, where do you all draw inspiration from?

Blu:Man, I just read Myka’s book ‘My Kaleidoscope,’ so I was pulling inspiration from that, and direct from the OG himself. Watching first hand how he makes the impossible happen.

Myka 9: I get inspiration from imagination, experience, artists in general and other emcees, not in a competitive sense but in a motivational vibe that drives the creative ambition. 

Tell me your whole inception into music — When did you all first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for Myka 9 + Blu?

Blu: That’s a long story. Basically my mother remarried a pastor when I turned 7, so I couldn’t listen to Hip Hop until my dad got custody of me when I was 14. Being held back from the music for so long, when I was able to listen to Hip Hop, I dived head first into all of it. I immediately began writing raps after I bought my first couple CDs. I was so hooked but so broke, that I began stealing every Def Jam album, every Wu-Tang album, every Rawkus Records CD and started burning copies of the BDP catalogue, the Native Tongue catalogue, etcetera, to catch up on everything I missed out on. I broke my ankle dunking in 12th grade and knew my chances of going pro were shot, so I dropped out of school to become an MC. At the age of 20, I released my first project and met Exile while mixing down the project, and everything changed from there.

Myka 9: I have an interest and impulsive music connection that’s been with me since a kid; my family had musicians, and my parents played and sang, etcetera.

Now where exactly do you all hail from? And growing up there, who all did / do you all consider to be your strongest musical influences?

Blu: I was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. I went to high school in San Pedro, which is the port of L.A. next to Long Beach. I was heavily influenced by East Coast rap because of the deep lyrical content they were pumping out at the time. Common influenced my style more than anyone, and KRS-One has always been my favorite MC since I first heard him. 

Myka 9: I’m from Los Angeles, so between the streets of South Central and Hollywood I heard many forms through the decades; EDM, Hip Hop, Jazz, Reggae, Rock were influential in my early years.

That said, how do you all describe and / or define the style of music that you all create and / or perform?

Blu: I make conscious underground Hip Hop, or raw L.A. underground rap shit! 

Myka 9: We create and perform on this project our brand of Hip Hop rap that stems from skill-oriented vocal delivery and arrangements of songs that show range.

Switching gears here, what exactly do you all want people to get from your music?

Blu: I want people to recognize the talent and skill, and be impressed. I am hoping to impress people with my music. I want them to feel the rawness!     

Myka 9: From this body of work, I hope to encourage others that listen to continue the rap cause and celebrate triumph through life with it’s ups and downs, supporters and naysayers, mistakes and lessons, babies and fools, lol.

If you all could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Blu: I would have to say Ice Cube and Preemo because I have worked with all my other idols at this point.   

Myka 9: I’d love to work with Sun Ra and Galactivate Cosmosis…also, Miles Davis for fusion…plus, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Björk, Kraftwerk, Black Flag, Bad Brains, Dr. Dre and Run-DMC, BOGL, Josef Leimberg, JMD, Fat Jack, Broadway Existerio Voltage Controller, Dibiase, Daddy Kev, Mr. Vigs, Gnome Beats, Erykah Badu, Vernon Reid, Chuck D, Ice-T, Too $hort, E-40, Jazzy Jeff, Kendrick Lamar, Dax, Snoop, Will.i.am, Aloe Blacc, Joyner Lucas, J. Cole, Twista, Eminem, Alchemist, Battlecat, Prince Paul, Ras G, J Dilla, Alice and John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and Eberhard Weber and Triumvirate and Malcolm Jamal Warner and Atmosphere and Eligh and Chino XL and Saafir and Mean Green and Ganjah K and Gajah and Moondog and Norman Connors and Patrice Rushen and Busy Signal and Dizzee Rascal, Stormzy, Skepta, Diplo and Kool G Rap, Rakim, Cookie Monsta, Flynch, Kaytranada, 38 Spesh, Ghostface, Meth, Redman, Mike & Keys, Matt Little, Digable Planets, Kamasi Washington, Natasha Diggs, Terrace Martin, Adrian Younge, Carlos Ninos, and many many more…  

If you all could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?

Blu:Ooh, I would love to rock a West Coast tribute show at the Forum in L.A., that would be amazing. But, a show at the Las Vegas Sphere would be the craziest!    

Myka 9: I would love the challenge of playing the Super Bowl, ha ha, or the GRAMMYs, Oscars, etcetera, Coachella, Rolling Loud, Flog Gnaw, Carnaval, Burning Man, WOW Fest, Outlook Fest, the SoFi Stadium or Forum or Madison Square, etcetera, but to have a smart set at the Blue Note or Yoshi’s or Hiero Day would be everything.  

On a more serious note, are you all happy with the current state of Hip Hop?

Blu: I think Hip Hop is bigger than we ever expected, and it is growing faster than us. I believe the game is at 300% now. In 1998, I feel like the game was at 125% because the level of talent and success at the time. We have doubled everything by now. The game is at a strong 300% out of 100. We need to catch up to Hip Hop, it is moving faster than we are.

Myka 9: Yes, i’m happy with current state of Hip Hop, especially after 50 years!!!

What do you all feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?

Blu: Man, I have no idea. I believe it is a huge blessing I am still here, able to pay bills and keep a roof over my head doing what I love. I would say it is God’s grace for sure.     

Myka 9: Consistently being prolific contributes to the staying power of an emcee, also unwavering passion. 

Do you all have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?

Blu: Yeah, after I put down the mic I am hoping to pick up a camera and create films one day.

Myka 9: I’d like to get into movies; like acting, writing, etcetera…also healing retreats, eco tourism, real estate and education, science, technology, engineering, math, art, etcetera.

To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?

Blu: Besides making this album with the goat Myka 9, I would say rocking the stage free-styling with KRS-One at his show, while Grandmaster Caz DJ’d, and Busy Bee did the ad-libs, is the height of my accomplishments. Even though I did that when I was 22, before I had put out my debut album and really started my career.      

Myka 9: Opening for Prince, Kendrick, Alicia Keys in Sweden…plus, playing with George Clinton, Last Poets, Watts Prophets, opening for Run-DMC, Redman and Meth…also, playing CBGB’s, free-styling with Biggie, 2Pac and Coolio, opening for KRS-One, Slick Rick, EPMD…I don’t know, so many bright moments.

What’s an average day like for you all?

Blu:Eat, smoke, write. Or eat, smoke and record. Or eat, smoke and perform. Mostly writing. Smoking. Soaking up inspiration to write from music, movies, docs, or live shows.

Myka 9: Gratitude regimen to write, record, rehearse, research, repeat…reeder.  

Please discuss how you all interact with and respond to fans… 

Blu: I love my fans; I wait around after every show to sign every piece of merch fans bring out to the show.

Myka 9: The fans are my staunchest supporters; my ‘Mykadelics’ are my family. I’m truly fortunate to have a connection like that! The love is sincere, and strong! Salute to the fans! Some of my fans know my lyrics better than me, haha! I’ve had the honor of several times people telling me they’ve named their children after me, and sometimes a fan will shake my hand with a bunch of money in it just for the support. People tell me my music got them through hard spots in life and express a profound gratefulness to me, but I always give credit to the most high!  

What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?

Blu: Favorite part is the freedom to be myself, and getting paid doing what I love. My least favorite part is no benefits for artists; like life or dental insurance, health care, lol.

Myka 9: I like the travel aspect of what we do, as well as the performing, writing and recording, but I don’t like the fake-ness; it sometimes comes with the business, and the unnecessary rivalry that I’ve seen and the undo influence that it might have on a less mature audience. Still, it’s an honor to exchange positive and creative energy when given a chance.

What advice would you all have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Blu: If you are looking to be really successful, put everything into it at a young age, ’cause they only giving the money to the young bucks. If you just want to make music, do that. If you want respect, study the game and level up.

Myka 9:For those that choose or discover that they have this drive for art or purpose for doing rap music and making songs, more love you put into it the more love you get out of it! 

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you all see yourselves?

Blu:Hopefully, putting out dope films!   

Myka 9:I’m pretty sure five years from now, if I’m so fortunate, I will be doing the same thing…but, hopefully, scaled up and leveled up a little more!

As for the immediate, what’s next for you, Myka 9 + Blu?

Blu:More music…I got the next 4 years packed with releases already recorded, let’s go!!!

Myka 9: I’m looking forward to going on tour, doing more videos and recording more songs. I have a few projects in the works for release next year. A few very special projects!   

Lastly, any “parting” words for our readers?

Blu:Bless up!

Myka 9: Staying positive and creative brings abundance! It’s all love!

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