A Recently Discovered Interview From 2004

[Sketch Tha Cataclysm]

Below is an interview with me by this cat for a newspaper in Norwalk back in 2004. A large portion of the interview focuses on my first album Tao Te Ching, but a lot of other things were covered as well. I never actually was able to view the publication but this was the transcription of the interview that I just recently discovered. I think it is funny as hell! lol All references to a producer by the name of Define are referring to the cat who is now known as Defnyshn, who has gone on to produce the bulk of the beautiful tracks on The Rising Sun Quest's Journey Toward The Sun. The time period when this takes place is while I was heavily in the middle of rocking with my former band the late (soda) Popinski during the 2004 primaries. I also want to point out that I was selling t-shirts that said "I Hate Rappers" as early as 2003 and Pack FM started doing this two or three months ago. . . don't believe the hype. lol Peace.

First, lets get it out of the way, explain the
humor behind "eat a danish", is there a backstory?

It isn't supposed to be humorous . . ."Strawberry Cheese Danish" is a phrase created by my boy JK1 and I a few years back which is a metaphor for life. "Strawberry" is the flavor, "Cheese" is the money, and the "Danish" is the essence of it all, the force of wisdom and balance. Nah i'm f--kin' with you, the whole track was our way of dissing the Wu Tang food metaphors that essentially are nonsense, but in my case it backfired and has become a catchphrase.

Explain the title of your album? why is some
Chinese book meaningful on a hip-hop album?

All of my full length albums bear the titles of books that have made a strong mark on me. This one, "Tao Te Ching", is from the base of Taoism, it's title is loosely interpreted as "The Way and it's Power" or "The Way of Life". The complete overall theme of the album is the "ways of life" of different beings on this planet, so I felt the title reflected the theme. Also, maybe the title will cause people to pick up the book and it could make a mark on them.

What about your name? is there any hidden humor in
there? What exactly is a cataclysm?

Sketch tha Cataclysm . . . Sketch-because I drew a whole lot of incomplete drawings as a child, and I thought later it might get misconstrued as an insane metaphor and I thought that would be some funny shit! Tha-because I dig Jeru. Cataclysm-because I knew some day someone would use the name "Sketch" so I would need to attach a subtitle most people can't spell. Ha ha! A Cataclysm is a violent change in atmosphere.

What was a bigger waste of the media's time Deans
screaming fit, or Janet Jacksons exposed tit?

Both were funny as hell at first but now they kind of annoy the hell out of me. But, the biggest waste of media exposure is Kerry, because he isn't that great, meanwhile they are completely ignoring an incredibly interesting candidate by the name of Wes Clark. He's the shit. And, by the way, I just wanted to add....I hate rappers.

--do you have a pet cause you want to talk about as far
as social, culture, politcal etc awareness?

Probably just Wes Clark at this point. He is the first political candidate that I have wanted to get behind. He's managed to hold my attention, he's speaking to me.

At what age did you start rhyming? when did you get serious about it?

I started writing at 7 years old to impress older girls, love raps and shit. I took it serious in Sophomore year of high school after my magician career died.

What emcee(s) influenced you coming up? who made
you say damn i really want to do this?

Singers influence me more. Rappers piss me off. But, rhyming-wise I dig conceptual cats like Pharoahe Monch and anyone who thinks outside of the box.

What influences you now? who do you consider
your peers?

True artists. True musicians. One of my favorite albums is The Mars Volta's "De-loused in the Comatorium". Reading inspires me too, I read a lot of biographies and sometimes a specific sentence or word could inspire an entire song. My peers are people who don't care if they are on a major label or in their garage doing music. I'd rather do my music than bag groceries. Fuck fame!

Where do you perform?

I used to perform regularly on this public access show "Hold Up And Analyze" which was my birthing and warm up period. Now, I hit spots with my band (soda) Popinski like Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport and The Space in Hamden.

Are you in school? what are you studying? how does it tie into your growth as an artist?

I am about to earn my A.A. with a focus in Theatre. It ties into my growth as artist because it helped me grow more as a human being. It helped me look at myself more, and experience more. Also, it deals with performing and putting on a show, and performance is definitely important to me. I don't want to just pace back and forth with a DAT playing of my beat, I want to put on a show.

Who are you peers on the CT scene? who do you
respect?

To me . . . my peers are non-hip-hop people such as Darian Cunning, Chelsea Genzano, Raisinhill, etc. Hip-hop peers are my people SilenTuch, the Ant Farm heads from Waterbury, and my boy Define, an extremely talented producer and lyricist that I think will make a far larger mark than I in music.

the late (soda) Popinski 2002-2005

Is there a difference between what you do live and what you do on record?

It's a big difference. Recorded material is usually my own personal focus, even in cases where others are doing the track for me. Live the songs are constructed along with the others in my band and each song has a piece of each one of us.

Recordings are meant to be listened to and absorbed. Live is all about turning those recordings into a show.

Tell me about your producers? how do there styles reflect yours, what is it like working with them?

I produced "Tao Te Ching" mostly on my own, one track "Lost?" is produced by Define, who I always will collaborate with. He has a sound that is very unlike mine but I feel blends well with me. He started doing tracks after me and I think he excelled far faster than I did. On the next full length you will see more from him and a few others.

Who is psi.dweys? why do you get down with them?

Psi.Dweys is mainly SilenTuch, Sir Cumference, and myself. It is an occasional collaboration, which hopefully in the future will lead to some dope EP's. It's strictly breakbeat driven hip-hop with over-the-top metaphors. No strong conceptual base. Very loose.

Tell me about the emcees on your album.

Knyght Dalinquent-One of my oldest friends, he could be a star with the voice he brings to records. The only cat with two verses on the joint.

SilenTuch-one of my peers that consistently inspires me in rhymes and life. He's an incredible lyricist.

JK1-Very talented cat that dropped an incredibly well produced release called "The Strangest Secret" cop it if you can.

The aforementioned Define-he has an album in the works that I think will smack a lot of people in the face when it drops.

Whats your favorite song on Tao Te Ching?

The strongest conceptual track I have written is "Through My Distorted Eyes (love stories)" because of it's double meanings. I think, with overall performance (lyrics, concept, production), "Lost?" is my favorite, which features the beautiful vocals of Chelsea Genzano and beatbox from Sir Cumference, i'm proud of it.

What are you going to do on your upcoming albums and
why?

Each album will thematically be different from the previous. This one dealt with the world, the next will deal with my life, and then I will venture in other directions. I feel as though an artist should always change format and form, and expand so that when you do something crazy it will be expected and accepted. Things must remain interesting.

What direction are you moving creatively? on Tao.. you balanced yourself between concepts, battle rhymes, and message oriented type song? do you think you'll lean more one way or another in the future?

Battle raps bore me now. They are momentary happiness. I concentrate more on songs and structure. Conceptually, as I said before, I will be dealing more with myself instead of others. It's provided some interesting writing material thus far. Hopefully, heads will feel the change.

In a sumo wrestling match between Vast Aire and
Killa Mike who would win?

Vast Aire would get crushed by Killa Mike's uncanny ability to guest on hit Outkast songs and still not be recognized by the American public.

How about a bare knuckle boxing match between Blind Fury and Prodigy from Mobb Deep?

Never underestimate the power of the handicapped.

Add anything you want to tell the people out there?

I just want to say that Lil Jon's fame is a conspiracy created by the unity of the entire down south rap community to make a 45 year old Jamaican that doesn't even rhyme a rap superstar, and. . . I hate rappers.