Features : The Mighty Iroc Interview

Free Hip-hop Now Interviews Iroc

Okay, the east visits the west in this interview with Komplex Records artist and founder Iroc.
Right now what good man and what ain't?- Well My (Iroc) album "The paradox" is out, and we just tryin to run up some numbers. I'm shooting a video on Feb 19th in Oakland for my song "Old School" so that should be fun. Mainly just tryin to find someone to help push these products man, it's a cold cold world that we live in, and soon the unfortunate become the unforgiving.
The albums finally here (The Paradox- now Available on www.komplexrecords.com) and we hear that you had quite a few pre-orders so I'm sure you were thrilled about that? So what are sales looking like thus far?- Well I'm not gonna say they couldn't be better; we have done about half of the 1st shipment. I have been really busy over the last couple of months and having given my all as far as shows and the like, but we on a mission now, and I hope to begin recording the next one very soon.
So when does the 'Mighty Iroc' tour begin? When you coming out east, or do you even plan to?- I would love to come out to the east; I was born out there.. But it's all about finding a group of shows that will allow me to take a trip. The east is gonna have to open up they hearts and minds though man, not all west coast Mc's are all about gang bangin and all that. Some of us come from a time when what your words said meant as much if not more then how they sounded.On a personal note, you can refuse to answer this question. Iroc has a child. How has that had an effect on the production of your music if any, and do you intend on exposing your art to your child or would you rather not be caught up in this music business?- Well I have 3 kids man 12, 5 and 3 and they all boys. And as far as my music, I never let anything make me not say something, however on my 2nd album I plan on having no cuss words, I truly feel that I can express the same thoughts without contradicting the rules I have set for my own household. As far as them being caught up well they got school and stuff to think about fo now, but if they got skills and want to present them to the world I won't stop em.On the topic of responsibility in the music you create. Do you believe an artist has any responsibility for the message he/she puts out that is heard by the masses. Or is it simply just music that shouldn't be taken too seriously?- ANYONE THAT THINKS YOUR MESSAGE DON"T MATTER IS FULLA BULLS&%T. Of course it matters , ask ppl what they remember about they childhood when they 40 I bet within the 1st 3 things it's gonna be some song, why cuz songs drive right to the center of your brian, they don't need to be touched or seen, just heard. I have said lots of things in my music, some good some not. But the point of using all my life experiences is to show that even though it hasn't all been flowers and candy doesn't mean I am lost in the struggle. We can change and through change we help others.Alright man you're a west coast native. And we know about the notoriously brutal, behavior of law enforcement out there. We ourselves on the east deal with the Rockefeller Drug Law, out in Philly, the have that Zero Tolerance thing. Would you shed some light on the whole 3 Strikes thing and the effects it has on the various communities out there. Seems a lot of folks in general are not aware of what's going on with these implementations of 'law’ nationwide.- Well a friend of mine just got out, and he told me the biggest change he seen is that you got a bunch of 18-21 year olds in jail with life sentences, well the're kids, and most of them grew up without any role models good or bad. So now these young kids got the game all F*&ked up, and they got no one to turn to, cuz the OG's get little to no respect. On the streets it just carries over, if you can get life for possession, intent to sell and shop lifting then why not just body that dude you don't like, hell the last strike is the last one whether it be for a pack of gum or a young man's life.On to other things before we close out this very short interview. What are your 2 favorite Hip-hop albums and 3 Favorite producers and lastly, what would you say would be your favorite year in Hip-hop?- Favorite albums wow, I would have to take Pep loves ascension (in my opinion the MOST slept on album ever) and Paid in full. Those albums contain everything I would ever need from music. 3 favorite producers: Dre of course if not for what he does now but look at the track record. Primer, I mean he crafted some of the tightest beats I ever heard. And I would have to go with Timbo, dudes drums just refuse to follow any known pattern. And my favorite year. Well that's hard cuz for me personally it was 87, that's when hip hop made a huge change from party music mainly to socially conscious records, but then again in 94 so many crucial albums came out.