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"One!" MC | Producer, New York www.myspace.com/akir Page 1 | 2 Lee: What are your thoughts on radio today? Akir: I've been to alot of radio stations that hold it down for music that you would not hear on the large stations. The larger stations are controlled by media monopolies and many of the disc jockeys do not even have the choice to play what they would like. So supporting stations that maintain the freedom to create their own play lists is very important. L: Where is Nfinit from and what qualities does he possess that are different from what you and Southpaw bring to the album? A: Nfinit is from Virginia. He is One Enterprises fam. DJ Nfinit is a club/radio disc jockey and understands how to move people. We all bring something different to the table stylistically. L: On “2003” you talk about One Enterprises distributing and manufacturing their own product. Who all is involved with One Enterprises? A: One Enterprise is a collective of various media resources who combine as one to compete against major industry. I am the Co-owner, Artist, Songwriter, Producer for Always Keep It Real. Southpaw is co-owner, producer, and engineer for Young Elite. Tetsuo is co-owner, graphic artist, and stylist for Tetsuo Graphics Services. Lab Rat is chief of administration, online distributions manager, and promotion services (organization yet to be named). And also extended fam of artists and producers. L: In what ways has the company worked to get the Street Edition Vol. 1 and 2 out there? A: To get Street Edition out there we've utilized hardcore beat you in the head guerilla marketing. L: In terms of promotion, other than the obvious being that you are an artist, what other responsibilities are you involved with in One Enterprises? A: I have to wear many hats because we are an independent business and that requires a consistent level of multi-tasking. My job titles include but not limited to CEO, Artist, and Producer. L: How long has the creation of One Enterprises been in the making? A: One was founded in 2001 and progressively became more serious as the fan base grew. L: “Keeping it real”. What are your thoughts on the ways that mc’s have been using this phrase over the past many years. On “4DaLuv” you mention, “Keeping it wrong.” In what ways does music turn into poison? What kind of advice would you have (or have you been given) to help guide artist away from the traps of the industry that seem more prone to disable creativity rather than embrace it? A: In today’s industry many artists are still very mislead by false hopes of material gain. Being that our forefathers and more recently the hiphop legends that we know and love today have experienced and spoke on this you would think the mindset would change. Keeping it real is not the overused cheesy ass sitcom slogan that it has become today. Feeding your family is keeping it real. Making music with a message is keeping it real. Being honest with yourself is keeping it real. When your music just becomes another marketing scheme and the images that your forced to portray, either by the record company or your supposed fan base are how you measure your success, that’s keeping it wrong. Being a businessman is fine. Prostituting the ears of your future generation is not a honorable occupation. Its poison. L: On “State of the Enemy 01’”, you say “it’s a vicious cycle, acting like they don’t know.” The phrase reminded me of this speech that I saw on dvd where Malcolm X talks about the vicious cycle that exist in education, “When you live in a poor neighborhood, you’re living in an area where you have to have poor schools. When you have poor schools you have poor teachers, when you have poor teachers you get a poor education And when you get a poor education your destined to be a poor man and a poor woman the rest of your life. Poor education you can only work on a poor paying job and that poor paying job enables you to live again in a poor neighborhood.” (1964) He refers to this phrase as a vicious cycle. What are your thoughts on this quote? When you break down the purpose of a track like “State of the Enemy 01’” what sort of thoughts cross your mind? A: I think you pretty much said it all in your question. Malcom was absolutely right. State of the Enemy describes the cycle in detail. "If we were Kennedy’s, would pennys be the remedy, should I let it ride, or genocide, state of the enemy." This basically describes my plea of frustration when the lower class continues to be chastised by the so called higher class in order to keep them as the backbone of America. We want to progress “Slave-sharecropper-factory worker-mail room-salesman-ceo”. The powers that be whom are mostly successful due to lineage would like us to remain the working class. There’s nothing they would like more then to have the freedom to fuck up in the world and pay us all minimum wage, if that, to clean it up. The black leaders aren’t as present as before. Emcees have to step up in someway or another. Just remember parents are the real role models. L: Have any songs been pressed onto vinyl? What songs have been used as singles? What does the single represent in regards to the album as a whole? A: We currently don’t any vinyl but “Best Friend”, “Number Song”, and “One” have been receiving phenomenal radio play. Music is my best friend, and one is my company. L: How are you spending the last week of this year? Ready for 2005? (Interview question conducted prior to 2005) A: In Miami getting drunk and laughing. Are YOU ready? Lookout for the new album coming soon, a joint venture between One Enterprises and Viper Records. And you can pickup Street Edition Volumes 1&2 at: www.cdbaby.com/akir Just remember: Always Keep It Real!!!
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