This interview took place in April 2009 a few days before Mr. Lif's show at New York City's Studio at Webster Hall in support of his then-current album, I Heard it Today. This record marked two 'firsts' for Lif: his first post-Def Jux album and his first released music on his own record label, ‘Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises.’ While it's evident that Lif is a dope rapper on wax, he’s an even better live emcee.
Lif remains a teacher in the most fun sense of the word because he teaches through the use of rhyme while moving the crowd. Lif utilizes the space of a song to unpack deep historical truths with their attendant horror-filled legacies along with criticizing current institutional inequities while keeping the vibe positive and visionary. Listening to his lyrics, it’s clear that he can ‘see’ his vision for a better future. Lif is truly a visionary emcee and has stayed true to his vision.
Prop: A lot of people don’t know that there are two different aspects to being a truly great Hip-Hop artist, at least in the scene that we all came up in. One must be a dope rapper on wax but also, almost more importantly, a really dope live emcee. What emcee’s did you see coming up live that really left an impression on you like “Yo, I just learned something from this artist tonight.”?
Lif: I mean definitely seeing KRS-One on stage had a huge impact. I think it was seeing the Live Hardcore Worldwide video that first got me and I’ve also seen the brother in concert a couple of times. I mean I’ve seen a lot of emcees before. I remember I’d seen an amazing show in Rochester, NY. I don’t even remember what year it was it was; like 93 or early 94. It was Biggie Smalls, Craig Mack, KRS One brought Supernatural with him, and then Pete Rock and CL Smooth performed too and it was crazy. I also saw back in ‘93 right after Ballon Mind State came out, De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Tha Alkaholiks came to my college at Colgate University. Those were great shows, but I’d say in terms of just emceeing I think that no one really left a mark like KRS.
Prop: When you were coming up in the Boston scene, what was that time like?
Lif: Well, it was a great environment, man. I mean everyone was going for theirs. It was a very unique time. I had cut a demo and dropped out of school with a one song demo. It was just like, "I’m going back to Boston and I’m going to make this shit happen for myself". It just so happened that when I decided to do that there were all these other cats that had the same idea. 7L and Esoteric were already going for theirs; Akrobatik was already making some noise on the freestyle circuit; there was cats like RipShop. There was this dude T-Max who had a fairly significant record deal and he was well known on the radio. Actually, it wasn’t even 7L and Esoteric back then it was God Complex. My boy Trevski was rhyming with Esoteric and later on Virtuoso came along. It was just a bunch of cats that were real hungry. It was just great environment man. My people who used to be called ‘Main Ingredient’-- later they called themselves Metro Concepts and they were my managers for a little bit in the Boston scene. They used to spin Hip-Hop at this place called the Western Front and it was just a dope night that you had to come to if you loved Hip-Hop. You’d hear the underground shit that was bangin, you know what I mean, They always were playing the raw. You could go there and have a little drink. They had an open mic that you could hop on and say your piece. I mean dude, the scene was just so great. It was such a stimulating time to be involved. And I was just so proud to make a mark in it. So, my first song that caught on was called “Madness in a Cup,” and it was getting love on the radio at Emerson college. It was just a great time.
The scene kind of graduated from being at the Western Front, which was a smaller venue to a place in Cambridge Mass called the Middle East. That’s where the scene really culminated. It was this little nightclub right on Mass Ave. It started out with promoters allowing us local cats to open up for bigger name acts from out of town and it eventually got to the point where local cats could headline. It was just a really cool transition and development. It was just a really pure, vicious era. The game wasn’t as hook driven back then. So just everyone was just writing these lyrics that were just jaw dropping lyrics. Shit was real competitive. And I’m just glad to have been a part of the energy and to have had that energy be part of my development.
Prop: And then you hooked up with Def Jux. How did that come about?
Lif: That came about just through a friendship with El-P. I met him about two weeks before Company Flow imploded. And it was at the height of their popularity. Internal strife within the group caused them to have to go separate ways. I think that I was able to step in and help El-P and Mr. Len smooth over an era that may be a little rockier. Though they did not have Bigg Juss they’d bring me and Cannibal Ox on the road. So, we’d go over to Europe and just mash up like twenty dates. It was just a great experience. Ultimately, by the time I finished recording the Enter the Colossus EP, which I basically made with tour money, I didn’t know where I was going to put it out. I just knew what I wanted to make it. And then uncannily El just called me up I think within a week if finishing the EP and he was just like “Yo man I’m starting a label. You should let me put out your record.” And I was like alight let me think about it you know and then I got back to him and was yeah man why not, lets do this. Not knowing what Jux would become. They definitely developed themselves into a powerhouse. So that’s how it came about. Being at the right place at the right time and really just following my heart. Had I stayed in school just trying to kid myself that I had to stay there for some reason instead of following my heart doing what I wanted to do I would not have been on time to catch these opportunities.
Prop: One thing that one takes away from listening to your lyrics is that you are a politically deep thinker. I’m just wondering if there was a specific landmark moment with other musical artists or albums that after you heard them you would never look at the world the same again?
Lif: I’d have to cite It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. I mean that album changed the way I thought about the world period. It kind of opened up the floodgates for me to analyze the world around me. Just the power of Public Enemy did that. And I mean I think also Hip-Hop just had a lot more commentary in that era too. So, Kool G Rap is known for his gangsta rhymes and one of my favorite songs of his is ‘Streets of New York’ Even though it’s on a lot of shoot ‘em up and hustlers shit he’s still being introspective and providing poetry about some of the ills of society. So that was kind of engrained in me from the culture at the time. And then seeing my parents go through the struggle they were going through. There were definitely things going on that made me want to question why does it have to be this way? Why does survival have to be so tough? People around here are just working jobs that don’t even fuel or ignite their spirit. They’re just doing the shit strictly for the doe. At some point my eyes just became very open to some of the more oppressive points of this existence. I ended up going to Prep School for High School and I was being bred for corporate America. I was wearing a button up shirt and tie and sports coat for like six years in my schooling and I rebelled against that in my own way. But as soon as I got a chance to break away from all that when I went off to college, here came the dreads. I met some cats that had locks that loved hip-hop and we’d all just build. I think once I had a chance to break away from being around my folks and their expectations and be on my own that’s where the real passion for the music really took hold of me. When I came back to Boston I was looking different. I have that line in “A New Man Theme,” about it “Went to college as an athlete, was feedin’ a fade/ and came home as a dread who used his pen as a blade.” And that’s what happened.
Prop: It’s my understanding that growing out one’s hair as dreads is part of one’s education in Rastafarianism. Were you getting into Rastafarian lessons during that time?
Lif: You know what man, honestly, I felt so content with experiences that I had with the small group of brothers that I was hanging with about having locks. I am allergic to religion. I’m just not a religious person. I just have not come across any religion that does not go over the top in some way and kind of makes me feel like I can’t fully subscribe. So yeah I dabbled on trying to understand some aspects of Rastafarianism but I really wasn’t looking for any sort of strict doctrine to follow for my life. I more just follow my heart and try to extend love with just people that I meet. Just treat people with respect and so far that’s worked for me in life because I’ve been getting the respect and love in return. So, locks, rather than have any sort of religious connection, is really just me and who I am how and I feel about ]myself over the last 14 years now. I learn lessons from my locks, one lesson is patience. I also feel like they put me in touch with certain elements of nature. It’s almost like being a human tree.
Prop: Have you ever done psychedelics?
Lif: Mushrooms, yes. When I came up with the name Mr. Lif it was the first time I ever did mushrooms. It was a beautiful experience on a beautiful day. I was outdoors at a concert it was just a beautiful sunny day man, and I was just out on a nice green lawn. Yeah it was powerful. My take on mushrooms is ideally I would do them once a year because they put me very much in touch with the things that matter most in my life. Its almost like a mental cleansing. I don’t worry about the frivolous things. All the people that matter most to me in my life come to the forefront in my mind. I also find myself making very emotionally charged phone calls to people and shit whenever I’m on mushrooms. I don’t take them on some hey let’s just get fucked up. That was never really my mission.
Prop: You’ve performed in global markets. For instance, you performed out in the Czech Republic at the Hip-Hop Kemp festival. What’s you take on international Hip-Hop?
Lif: I say. "Thank God for Europe, man". Cause there’s a lot of diehards out there that still just love this shit that I personally consider to be the real raw. It’s good. It’s good to go out there and travel throughout Europe and see the genuine enthusiasm in so many places about the culture. Cats definitely appreciate the fact that you made the trip top get all the way out there. They definitely show up for the shows and show appreciation.
Prop: What do you think about playing Africa, man?
Lif: Dude, I can’t wait to. I’m trying to hook that up for as soon as I can. My DJ Mr. Sonny James aka Statik of the Ill-Vibe Collective he’s been out to South Africa with Bahamadia at least a couple of times, if not a few times actually. I just want to make that happen. I’ve got to make that happen and that’s definitely a focal point for me right now.
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