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Interview
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Around this time last year,
Wu-International interviewed Wu-Tang's latest sensation, Stone
Mecca and got a little glimpse of what the group was about and
since then they have been hard at work putting finishing touches
to their debut project "Stone Mecca: First Contact"
scheduled to be released sometime this year. Early this year,
super producer and Wu-Tang Clan's own RZA released the Afro
Samurai soundtrack and had people all excited and talking again
as the fans got a first hand taste of Stone Mecca's potential
and what they have to offer. Stone Mecca had arguably 2 of the
best songs ("Oh" and "The Walk") on the Afro Samurai soundtrack
without taking anything away from the rest of the good songs on
that compilation, listen for yourself, read the reviews, nothing
less than pure genius, one can't help but anticipate greatly
what more the group had in store.
Since the group was introduced a number of changes and
developments have taken place, still consisting of Trú
James and Salakida, new names
such as
Allen Anthony formerly of
Christion (Rocafella Records), and Wendy Marie have been
included, Wu-International caught up with
singer/songwriter and main producer of the group Trú
James to find out what's
Stone Mecca has been cooking up, progress with their album,
direction of the group and more.. Enjoy!
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Thanks first and foremost for
taking the time to answer these interviews and I would like to
add on that nothing will be altered, edited or changed
when this is published online.
Wu-International: Hello and how is everyone?
Answers: All is well.
Wu-International: On our last correspondence you said
the group has moved in a different direction, can you please
tell us of any new developments?
Answers: Stone Mecca is a
movement consisting of different elements all under the
production of Trú James and for this project I used 4
different singers including myself. My band members are
featured on a couple of joints on the album and we mainly
make up the unit I call STONE MECCA.
Wu-International: You also said the revamped album is
coming out this year, did you mean Stone Mecca First
Contact, if not please tell us more about the revamped
album, title, guests etc?
Answers: It's still STONE
MECCA First Contact but now it's more of a collective album
representing STONE MECCA as a unit.
Wu-International:
Let’s
talk about the album, Stone Mecca First Contact, any special
meaning behind the title?
Answers: Yea... We're about to touch down on this
here planet for the first time bringing our own style of
freshness to the atmosphere.
Wu-International: How far gone are you on this
project as in
how many songs have you completed for first contact?
Answers: The album is done and being
mastered as we
speak.
Wu-International: On last interview you said
the album will most likely drop after Raekwon’s Only
Built 4 Cuban Linx II, but since then, Rae has been
moving between labels and postponing the dates, do
you currently have a better idea of when your album
first contact would be released?
Answers: We're shooting for a late April
early May release.
Wu-International: Have you decided what the
first single for the album would be?
Answers: We have a couple ideas but no final
decision has been made yet.
Wu-International:
We know
Trú is mainly responsible for most if not all of the
production duties, but will RZA or anyone else be producing
for this album?
Answers: No, this album is strictly a STONE MECCA
production but we plan to collab on the next joint.
RZA was already butta on the piano and now I got him
on the guitar so we gotta do it.
Questions: How involved is The RZA on this
project?
Answers: Man the god is like a guru you
know. When RZA speaks or suggests, I listen... A lot
of knowledge he has.
Wu-International: Also on last interview,
when we asked about guest appearances, you said you
were hoping to get Inspectah Deck to add on to the
song “Beautiful”, has
this happened yet?
Answers: No, with the group’s adjustments we
didn't get to that, but maybe on a remixed version
he'll bless the track.
Wu-International: Any other names that you
have done songs with or expect to record with for
First Contact?
Answers: Yes, We got Allen Anthony formerly
of Christion (Rocafella Records), Wendy Marie, and
Salakida on the project.
Wu-International: So to clarify things, what
is the current roster of Stone Mecca?
Answers: As a movement Stone Mecca consist
of 5 core musicians and 4 core
singers. It's a 9 piece outift... Individuals bios
will be on the website soon .
Wu-International: Does this mean that the
roster can change in future projects?
Answers:
We have a family but we might include guest
performances from time to time.
Wu-International: I personally look forward
to your album, what would you say you were trying to
achieve with your music?
Answers: We believe that the people want,
deserve, and appreciate the best of music. Although
the industry’s main concern is the dollar, we wanna
do our part by giving you the best we can and
keeping it STONE (solid) MECCA (home).
Wu-International: You had 2 hot songs on the
Afro Samurai soundtrack, I love “A Walk” it’s
totally different, both songs have been getting
great reviews online and magazines, how did you get
involved on the Afro Samurai project?
Answers: RZA called me and told me he
needed a love song for a part in the series so I
sent him those two joints and he added them to the
story. We’re happy to be part of such an innovative
project.
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Wu-International: Where those songs recorded
specifically for the soundtrack or was it songs you
had recorded for First Contact?
Answers: "A Walk" was already a part of the
STONE MECCA album and "Oh" was one that we were
considering.
Wu-International: Have you seen the movie, and
what is your opinion of it?
Answers: I think it's incredible. Like RZA I
was a fan of the old kung fu flicks that used to
come on when I was a kid and the dialogue and story
fit.
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Wu-International:
You
used Allen Anthony on the two songs featured on the
Afro Samurai soundtrack, he has the voice of an
angel, and sings extremely very well, can you please
tell us how you met Allen and got him involved in
the Stone Mecca project?
Answers: Allen is one of the best
singers I've ever come across. I met his old band
mate ( Kenni Ski) in a dentist office in Oakland.
The dentist knew I was out there working with E40
and Banks so he started telling me about being
Tupac's dentist. Kenni overheard and told me they
had a deal with Rocafella so we collabed and became
homies.
Wu-International: So when you are working on
a song, how do you decide out of the members who
would feature on that song?
Answer:
The
song usually decides for me. I can hear the
type of tone that would sound right over a certain
song but sometimes the song will take me in a whole
different direction.
Wu-International: What equipments do you use to make your
songs Trú?
Answers: Ancient Chinese Secret. lol I
will say this, I try to keep it as Trú (analog) as
possible.
Wu-International: Do you prefer one form of
the art over the other? As in producing or singing?
Answers: I do whatever is needed. I'm
more interested in making an inspiring song when
it's all said and done.
Wu-International: Have you ever made
beats for anyone outside of the group?
Answers: I've produced and created with a
lot of west coast and east coast cats over the years
but I've always wanted to put my own ideas on an
album.
Wu-International: If you were to get 3
producers to do a track for you, who would they be
and please list in order of preference?
Answers: JAMES BROWN, RZA, DRE.
Wu-International: Trú, From your myspace account
it seems you have a wide range of taste in music, if
you were to redo any old song from any genre, which
song would you choose?
Answers: If you want me to stay (SLY STONE).
Wu-International: Speaking of myspace Trú,
you had a problem with hackers sometime back, can
you please tell us what happened?
Answers: People were writing me saying
thanks for a referral to some porn site and I had to
set the files straight that's all. Tom had me change
my password cuz I wasn't the only one hacked.
Wu-International: You seem like musicians
that pride yourselves with lyrics, what are your
thought processes like when writing a song?
Answers: Pull the best parts out of a
story that’s in your head and make it work. And
don't think the listeners are naive.
Wu-International: SM has a slogan “Bringing
the Apple Back from the juice” that sounds like
resurrection to me, could you break down the meaning
of this for us please?
Answers: I'm not the only one that thinks
too much of the music has been watered down out
there today and needs substance again.
Wu-International: There are rumours online
that Stone Mecca would be featured on Raekwon’s
heavily anticipated upcoming project OB4CL 2, the
title of the song in question is “Rock stars &
Justice”, is this true?
Answers: Yea, it was entitled "Rock stars
and smokin barrels" at first. RZA hit me about it so
we went in as a band and laid that one.
Wu-International: The almighty Wu-Tang Clan
as a group would be releasing their 5th album
hopefully this year, any talks of Stone Mecca being
featured on this?
Answers: God willing.
Wu-International: We know you got the album
coming and you have just contributed to the Afro
Samurai projects, is there anything else in works or
upcoming projects you would like to share with us
please?
Answers: We are working on some things on
the new Bobby Digital album.
Wu-International: Are you individually
involved in other projects that does not involve the
other as in the group Stone Mecca?
Answers: My main focus right now is
the STONE MECCA album.
Wu-International: Thanks very much for the
update, any thing else you might want to add on that
we might have missed?
Answers: "Don't let go of what you got
cause it's a Mutha" The late James Brown.
Wu-International: Any last words to your fans
or potential fans, thank you's, shout outs?
Answers: Stay tuned and join the mailing
list at
stonemecca.com and thanks to you guys for
your blessings...
Thanks very much and good luck with your endeavours,
looking forward to your album and other good things
you would be involved in. |
Catch up with Stone Mecca at
their official website
www.stonemecca.com or visit them on myspace at
http://myspace.com/stonemecca and
stay tuned for more updates.
Other Related Interviews: Stone Mecca
Meccanism [West Coast Killa Beez Series #6] [August
2010]
First
Contact: Stone Mecca Speaks To Your Soul [March 2006]
<Read Other Interviews> |
