|
Interview
|
Black Sky Blue Death
/ Hell Razah: Razah's Ladder Interview |
 |
Wu-Tang Clan affiliate and original member
of Sunz Of Man, Black Market Militia and Maccabeez sprinkles
more insight into one of this year's greatest highlights, his
most recent collaboration with the dynamic production duo Blue
Sky And Black Death on the album "Razah's Ladder" which drops on
via Babygrande records on the 30th of October.
In this exclusive Wu-International exclusive interview Razah and
Black Sky Blue Death (Young God and Kingston) breaks down
everything you wanted to know about Razah's Ladder and beyond.
Blue Sky Black Death are most renowned for their critically
heralded 2006 collaboration album with another Wu-Tang affiliate
Holocaust and Hell Razah has been putting in work in the game
from numerous group and solo projects too vast to name. His last
work just this year was “Renaissance
Child.” which has helped in bringing to the fore his
steadily elevating profile. |
|
Recognizing the talents of Blue Sky Black
Death,
the veteran emcee shines light on the album’s creative process
from
inspiration to execution, his upcoming projects, his
affiliations, new Sunz Of Man album, and Hip-hop in general
allowing Young God and Kingston to discuss what it was like
working with an upcoming but established lyricist in the game,
the guest artists such as Shabazz The Disciple, Crooked I,
Prodigal Sunn etc on the album, Wu-Tang and much much more.
While technically Blue Sky Black Death’s sophomore album, Hell
Razah appears on every track and thereby views this offering as
the
prefacing opus to his subsequent release: “Heaven’s Razah.” With
“Razah’s Ladder,” (a very spiritual offering, he says) Razah
intends to advance himself from the domain of the underground.
“Hell Razah: Razah’s Ladder” is a shot of adrenaline into the
world of producer/emcee concept/collaboration albums.
Razah's Ladder suitably expands upon
Blue Sky Black Death’s penchant for pairing tasteful
instrumental hip-hop with renowned underground emcees. To date,
Blue Sky Black Death have collaborated with and/or produced for
the likes of Guru (Gang Starr), Sabac Red (Non-Phixion), Jus
Allah, Wise Intelligent (Poor Righteous Teachers), Rob Sonic,
Warcloud aka Holocaust (Wu-Tang Killa Beez), Virtuoso, Chief
Kamachi, A-Plus and Pep Love (Hieroglyphics), Mikah-9 (Freestyle
Fellowship), Awol, amongst many others.
Hell Razah on the other hand is in groups
with Killah Priest and Timbo King as Maccabeez which extends to
Black Market Militia with Queens Bridge legend Tragedy Khadafi
and William Cooper, not forgetting his group, and first
Wu-Tang affiliated group Sunz OF Man..
Enjoy!!!
Blue Sky Black Death, “Hell Razah: Razah’s Ladder” IN
STORES OCTOBER 23rd!!!! |
I like to say thanks first and foremost for
taking the time to answer these questions, highly
appreciated, and will also point out that nothing will be
altered, edited or changed when this is published online.
Wu-International: Peace guys, what's good?
Hell Razah: Good can't complain alive and breathing
BSBD: Good,
thanks.
Wu-International: Another major project, no one really
saw this coming, you kept this quite quiet until it was
completed, any reasons why?
BSBD:
Not for any real reason, other than the project came
together really quick, and we like surprises.
Wu-International: So guys, Razah is one of the sharpest
artists around right now, the combination with your music is
deadly, how did you guys hook up and whose idea was it?
BSBD:
We approached him a while back to build on something, and we
decided to turn it into a full length project and it came
out crazy. He's on top of his game right now.
Hell Razah: Kingston sent me beats I dug the beats..
Title came from a song I did with them before you know it we
had a full album.
Wu-International: Razah, You are quite busy, The
Renaissance Child album was released not long ago and now
you are about to drop a new project “Razah’s ladder” and we
are aware there are more projects in work as we speak, any
reason you have done it this way?
Hell Razah: I've been working on music just trying to
satisfy my fans
Wu-International: How well was The Renaissance Child
received by the public?
Hell Razah: It could have been better true hip hop
heads respect my music and supported me.
Question: Razah's Ladder drops on the 30th of
October, how are you all feeling about it?
BSBD: We feel really
good about it. We know it's got that BSBD quality to it and
we wouldn't put it out if we had any reservations about it.
Hell Razah: I feel good bout it same way when
renaissance child dropped.
Wu-International: Who came up with the title for the
album and why is it called Razah’s ladder?
BSBD: Razah came
up with the name based around the overall concept of the
album. It's the ladder that ascends to his level or the
heavens and he's going to help you reach that level. It's
about constant elevation.
Hell Razah: Yes, I came up with title... it's
another level and it's a upgrade from what I normally do
actually also it's about a bible scripture in Genesis that
stems from Jacobs ladder.. the ladder reps me escalating in
my career.
Wu-International: How long did it take for you to
complete this album?
Hell Razah: Wow.. it took us a few months.
BSBD: It's hard to say because some of the amount of
time spent writing for Razah and the some of the beats may
have been started at different times, but never completed
until we wrapped the project up. We spend a good amount of
time fine-tuning everything and we do and we did all the
mixing on the album as well.
Wu-International: How many songs are going to be on the
album and what is the first single going to be?
BSBD:
There's 14 tracks but there's no single. Singles are kind of
obsolete for "underground" music. Nobody's really buying 12"
singles so labels are spending less money on them for
promotion these days, which I don't blame them for. However,
the full length will be on wax.
Wu-International: So guys, what would you say is the
difference between the Holocaust and the Razah’s Ladder
album apart from the artists involved?
BSBD: They're a
lot different. Obviously the content is going to be a lot
different, but also the beats aren't like the beats on the
holocaust album. We try not to rehash the same sound over
and over. it gets boring. So don't expect a holocaust part
two on the beats. People gotta keep in mind different
artists want different sounding beats so we have to come to
an agreement on the sound and direction of the album. Razah
wanted more soulful sounding beats for this particular
project but there's just enough darkness to contrast it. We
want to suit the artist rather than the artist suit us. It
makes it more interesting for us and it should for the fans
as well. Of course there's gonna be that definite BSBD
sound, but its on a different vibe.
Wu-International: Ok, so how does the sound in Razah’s
Ladder compare to the one in Holocaust?
BSBD: It's not
as sinister. For the most part it's an uplifting album,
though there's some straight raw aggressive shit on there as
well. It has hints of that classic Wu era but its definitely
our own. The beats are more dense with layers and there’s
more movement and progression .We feel our beats are always
improving so hopefully others will notice that.
|
Wu-International: On the last project
“Holocaust” you made a conscious decision not to
feature any guest artists, it was solely focused on
just BSBD and the artist. This is different on
Razah’s Ladder, any reasons why you featured other
artists as well?
BSBD:
Well, for one, I think it makes it more interesting
for this album, especially because no one would
expect artists like Crooked-I and ILL Bill to be on
it. We were actually going to have a few more guests
on |
 |
|
it but we couldn't get
them because of deadline issues, but we think it
came out great the way it is. The features are
minimal but really effective…everyone brought their
A game.
Wu-International: Thanks, Did you make the beats
with Razah specifically in mind or did you just made
the beats based on a concept and let Razah write to
it?
BSBD: Some of
the beats were specifically for Razah, and some we
had lying around that we reworked and touched up.
Most of the beats main work was done during the same
period of recording. We also tend to do lots of post
production after the vocals are recorded.
Hell Razah: I picked
out the best beats that I felt... I already had
concepts in mind and the music married each other..
songs written on the spot.
Wu-International: I am sure you are aware of
Razah’s past and the fans dying desire to see
another Sunz Of Man song. Prodigal Sunn and Shabazz
The Disciple were featured on this album, where you
not at least tempted to resurrect a reunited Sunz Of
Man song by getting Killah Priest, and 60 Seconds
Assassin involved on a song?
BSBD: Yeah, we
were definitely trying to do a Sunz of Man song, but
because of time constraints and other factors it
wasn't going to happen. Hopefully we can do that in
the future.
Hell Razah: Well Shabazz is on this album..
yea I was tempted.. I figured I have Killah (Priest)
on Renaissance Child... I couldn't find 60 in time
if so he would have been on the album.. being I knew
fans wanted a sunz of man song.. I got shabazz and
prodigal sun.
Wu-International: Cool, so Razah, What was it
like working with BSBD?
Hell Razah: Professional and done with no
headaches.
Wu-International: With this new album, how do
you think the public and more specifically your fan
base is going to see this album in terms of your
style? I mean, is it something completely new,
different or maybe it’s just straight up, original
Maccabeez / Black Market Militia material?
Hell Razah: It's an upgrade.. new approach..
The style is what I would normally do just more
spiritual.
Wu-International: Thanks, where there songs
recorded for this project that you will not be using
and if so why?
BSBD:
I think we only cut off one song, which was actually
really dope. Razah didn't want to use it because he
felt that the content didn't go with the rest of the
album. We might use it on something in the future.
But pretty much every track went together as an
overall sound we were trying to achieve.
Wu-International: BSBD, its obvious from your
works that you are artists that respect the Wu-Tang
movement and you are now contributing to that same
movement right now by working closely with Wu-Tang
artists and their affiliates, Who next within the Wu
fam tree would you be producing an entire album for?
BSBD:
Well we're going to start working on a Razah and
Shabazz collaboration album. It's going to be on
some dark street shit. Also a few beats on that
Heaven Razah album coming up.
Wu-International: Wow, Razah and Shabazz album?
that's huge! Wu-Tang Clan are planning on releasing
an album soon, did any of you try to reach out to
The RZA or members of the clan to produce a joint on
that album?
BSBD:
No we didn't make any effort to do that. Plus we
really didn't know that album was actually going to
come out till recently, nor had any idea that
outside producers would be contributing. Maybe if we
had known that we might have tried.
Wu-International: You have a Wu-Tang tribute
song on your Myspace page “Rebel to the Grain" &
"Slapbox With Jesus” can you please tell us more
about these songs and when you will be putting it
out?
BSBD:
It's supposed to
come out on Mush Records on a 7" but we don't have a
release date for that, and it's not really a big
deal for us. We did those songs for fun cuz we had
all these classic Wu samples lying around. Those
songs are probably 90% Wu samples and the rest is
other stuff mixed in there. A lot of the sampling in
there is really subtle and very layered so it's hard
to catch all the classic samples on first listen.
Wu-International: Thanks guys, So Razah, Your
last work was released by Nature Sounds and this one
is on Babygrande records, are you signed to any or
both labels as an artist?
Hell Razah: No I'm not signed to any label but
Hell Razah music inc.. which is my label
Wu-International: Ok, as a solo artist you are
also involved in a number of groups and projects, we
are going to run through them quickly, we start off
with Sunz Of Man, what’s the current status of the
group, does the group still exist and what are the
chances of the fans ever seeing another S.O.M.
album?
Hell Razah: Yes the group exists.. yes there
will be another album.. look for it in 08
Wu-International: What’s the word on
the Maccabeez project?
Hell Razah: 75% percent done needs a few more
song to be complete. |
 |
Wu-International: Speaking of Maccabeez, our
knowledge of Maccabeez is made up of you, Timbo King
and Killah Priest, an artist in UK called Aslan also
claims to be part of this collective, who are the
members of Maccabeez?
Hell Razah: Aslan came through Killah Priest,
Macabeez has a few members besides just Timbo, me
and Priest..
Wu-International: Killah priest has confirmed
that there would be another Black Market Militia
album, how soon can the fans expect this?
Hell Razah: Look for it in 08
Wu-International: The least the fans are
aware of is Ghetto Government Officialz, could you
please tell us more about this group/movement, who’s
involved in it and so on?
Hell Razah: G.G.O. is my newborn project that
consists of 7th Ambassador, Lazarus, Face God, and a
few other
|
artists that's up and coming.. Redhook projects
Wu-International: How far gone are you
with the 2nd instalment of Freedom of speech:
article one project with 4th disciple?
Hell Razah: We are almost done.. they can
look for it as my next release after Razah's
ladder.
Wu-International: You are probably the
only artist currently doing it how the old greats
(e.g. Eric B & Rakim, Guru & DJ Premier ) did it by
using one producer on a full album, from 4th
Disciple to BSBD, If you were to do another full
album with a producer who would that be?
Hell Razah: Lets just say.. wow.. I’m really
feelin’ Scram Jones beats right now or MF Doom..or
Kanye West..
Wu-International: You gave your fans a free
download of a full mixtape right before the release
of the renaissance child, you could have easily sold
it, why did you give it for free?
Hell Razah: That was me payin’ my respects to
the hip-hop pioneers that paved the way for artists
like myself.
Wu-International: You are in a very interesting
position right now, you are quite young and can be
seen as up and coming, but you have also been
putting in solid work for some time now to be
considered as an established artists as well, how do
you see your self in that regards?
Hell Razah: I see myself in a position where
most artists today should take notes and learn from
my music... best of both worlds.. I am able to be a
new artist with the experience of a veteran.
Wu-International: No doubt, so as an independent
artist, do you feel that alternative media outlet
like Myspace gives you a more personal connection
with your fans?
Hell Razah: Yes, you are able to network
internationally with your fanbase that's all across
tha globe.
BSBD:
Yeah it definitely helps in that area. It's cool
because they can easily reach out to you with a
click of a mouse.
Wu-International: Thanks, So after Razah’s
Ladder, what’s next for BSBD, anything interesting
that you are working on that you would like to share
with us?
BSBD:
We're working right now on a Crooked I &. ILL BILL
mash up album produced entirely by us, which is
going to be savage. The Shabazz/Razah album, Hell
Razah's "Heaven Razah" album, some tracks on a
Beretta 9 (Killarmy) project, some production for
Virtuoso, we did 5 tracks with Sabac on the Sabac
Red Collabo "Collection Vol2" as well as a track on
that Ill Bill "Black Metal" Mixtape. We'll probably
leak a song pretty soon off of the new project to
let people know that this shit is serious.
Wu-International: Busy busy.. On our last
interview on the BSBD/holocaust collaboration album
you said you didn’t use all the songs recorded for
that project, how many of the songs were left out
and do you have any plans of releasing them anytime
in the near future?
BSBD:
We have a CDs worth of unreleased songs from that
album. Original mixes and songs that weren't used.
We don't have any plans to release them formally
because we didn't want them on the album for a
reason. It's not in our interest to put any effort
into that stuff anymore and we don't have any kind
of relationship with the Holocaust anymore. Maybe
the fans will hear them some day, but for now the
only people that have the songs are close friends
who appreciate that stuff.
Wu-International: That's a shame it might not
come out, so as producers, have there been any beat
released that was an accident initially, or you
didn’t want to use that an artist picked and came
out a hit?
BSBD:
No but we did do some of the original songs, one
featuring GZA/Genius on Jus Allah's "All Fates Have
Changed" which were stolen from Jus Allah's studio
and re-hashed into an unauthorized release called
Devil's Rejects which we had nothing to do with and
neither did Jus Allah.
Wu-International: Have you worked with any
non hip-hop artist, if so who?
BSBD:
Yeah we worked with several non hip hop artists. We
have two other projects that are completed, but
aren't sure what to do with them at this point. You
can check them out on myspace. One is our group,
Slow Burning Lights and it's with female vocalist,
Yes Alexander:
www.myspace.com/slowburninglights,
another is a straight indie-pop project with
Ceschi Ramos (Of TOCA) called Deadpan Darling -
www.myspace.com/deadpandarling.
Wu-International: Cool, who would you not
produce for if any?
BSBD: We try to
work with people we respect. Basically we wouldn't
work with artists that won't help our fanbase grow
or help our movement in some way.
Wu-International: Ok, thanks for that, Razah,
you are viewed as one of the most lyrical and
versatile artists out there, on the underground and
within the Wu fans circle, do you feel that you have
been given the credit you truly deserve, despite all
the strides you have made and the many milestones
you have accomplished as an artist? How has the
industry been to you?
Hell Razah: Well I feel like I deserve way more
credit than I get and the industry is the industry
and I don't expect nothin’ from them... pay me for
my services and do what you can do.. Start raisin
your hopes up too high and it can destroy your
creativity..
Wu-International: Thanks, rounding up then, are
there any more projects you are currently working on
that has not been covered that you would like to
share with the fans?
Hell Razah: Just the Heaven’s Razah album which
will be my next biggest solo project and of course
Shabazz and Hell Razah album.
Wu-International: Ok, that's about it guys,
thanks very much for the time, is there anything
else you might want to add that we missed? final
words for the people who are reading this, Shout
outs etc?
Hell Razah: Shout outs Babygrande, Blue Sky
Black Death and everybody that participated on the
album and contributed to the movement. Stop
downloading and support real hip hop.
Thanks!
Blue Sky Black Death, “Hell Razah: Razah’s Ladder” IN
STORES OCTOBER 23rd!!!!
|
<Read Other Interviews> |
