Busdriver and Nocando are both esteemed veterans of the LA rap underground, Busdriver at the forefront of the Project Blowed and Nocando as the emcee of Lincoln Heights’ seminal Low End Theory. Together, their newest collective efforts, donned Flash Bang Grenada. Their newly-released album, 10 Haters, isn’t just a intelligent dissection of age-old rap clichés with some electronic production from the Southern California homies – it’s a rather sarcastic take on the concept of haterism. We has the opportunity to chat with the two concerning the project’s origins, politics, the role of production on the album, and hip-hop’s identity.
First of all, how did you to decide to do a full project together?
Nocando: Umm we’ve did a couple songs together, then bada bing bada boom.
Busdriver: It started off as a lark for myself but slowly grew into a very necessary gesture. I’ve longed to do a hardcore rap record with less outsider music-nut aspirations and more personable immediate dopeness, if that makes any sense. And who better to do that with than my favorite rappers and good friend of mine Nocando.
I knew that it would be an important undertaking and more than just a stop-gap album because of where rap in LA is right now. Currently, there is a post-Project Blowed contingency of rhymers who’s production leanings are Low End Theory club influenced that feel don’t have the voice that they need. And being as that LA underground rap as I knew it in the early 00′s and late 90′s has by and large died, I felt that it was time to grab the elements in reach to give an honest assessment of where our ground zero actually is. Flash Bang Grenada sessions revolved around when Nocando had to be at the Airliner to play Low End Theory every Wednesday and I knew it was important to embraced that.
What’s the significance of the Flash Bang Grenada moniker?
N: There is absolutely no significance. Hip-hop seems to argue over it’s own identity more than any other genre.
B: It’s a funny name that we decided on. In short it is a locale where violent explosions are commonplace. Most rap names go for sensationalist impact first right? … no they don’t. We were going to have a more indie sounding name like “Hot Lip” or “the Ugly Hug” but we decided to keep the level of parody to a minimum.
“It personalizes a mythological figure in hiphop circles (the hater) by giving you a hater head count.”
Hip-hop seems to argue over it’s own identity more than any other genre. Is this project an avenue for you just to make music and have fun, or are you approaching it with intentions of making some serious statements, or somewhere in between?
N: On this record we are just having fun. No ulterior motives whatsoever.
B: This record is filled with distortions of serious premises. “Beat My Bitch” (brilliantly masterminded by Nocando) draws on wince-worthy misogyny and manages to twist what it suggests into a free-for-all assault on rappers who can’t cut the mustard. A majority of the songs take some rap tropes out of context for some self-satisfying comedic effect, but what is serious are the players involved. I take working with Nosaj, Mono/Poly, Free the Robots etc. very seriously. That sense of comradery between us and the producers is what makes this record work.
The promotional MP3′s for the album come with the note, “Anytime someone carries out a positive act they shall receive 10 Haters.” Is there still room in hip-hop (or music for that matter) for healthy dislike, or is rampant haterism a problem at this point?
N: This quote isn’t about hip hop it’s about life. When you do something that people think you can’t do, shouldn’t do, or they think is impractical and it works for you there is usually a backlash. I think the the haterism is a problem but only for the hater because they should be thinking about the things that make them happy and successful.
B: I don’t know. I just thought that ’10 Haters’ was the funniest song concept and apropos album title that our minds could muster. It personalizes a mythological figure in hiphop circles (the hater) by giving you a hater head count. We almost had the funding to create a Snow White and the Seven Dwarves type vignette for the concept. It would have been unreal. Thanks a lot recession.
“We are L.A. rappers we work with L.A. beatmakers we have for a decade now. It has always played a role even before the beat scene had a scene or a name.”
There are some political themes from one of the lead singles, “In A Perfect World,” specifically dealing with the Tea Party and Ann Coulter. Do your politics have any affect on your music and your writing process, and how prevalent are those themes in the album?
N: No! not for me.
B: There is not a lot of political discourse in the album. It didn’t seem to fit the dominant themes in most of the record. Actually as a way to vent some frustration with the political theatre pieces du jour I recorded this Busdriver song near the completion of 10 haters. Ironically enough we are in the middle of an era of rap that is thrilled to be oblivious to the political strife that is effecting our lives in real time. On one hand it leaves the music to present itself more as a result of the on-going discourse rather than a commentary of it. But on the other hand it is a tad disappointing to not have either a slice or relevant protest rap cut through the foray or at least some ill-informed grand standing ever so often. I personally don’t need any more excuses to talk down to listeners, so I’ve opted out of a lot of firebrand rap for the time being. Yay for me.
It’s impossible to ignore that all of the production on the album is handled by artists making noise in the “beat scene.” What role does the L.A. beat community play in the album, and is Low End Theory and the culture surrounding it a big part of this release?
N: We are L.A. rappers we work with L.A. beatmakers we have for a decade now. It has always played a role even before the beat scene had a scene or a name. Shouts to dibia$e.
B: It’s where this record reaches out from. A lot more so then Project Blowed. It’s a byproduct of the rapper wing of that night at the very least.
Have there been any big outside influences or inspirations for this project, or for either of your individual careers in general?
N: Teleportation, Mark Zuckerberg, 20th Century Boys, Cigarettes and coffee.
B: Outkast was my huge influence. That and David Byrne and Brian Eno’s records. I really wanted to straddle the medium between catharsis and show-stealing-rap-magic with the album, so I looked to a lot of boundary-defying rap acts in general as well. But I think that being hungry and managing that uncertainly in my own personal life helped my efforts in these songs. The reckless abandonment in some of the cuts didn’t need to be manufactured because I would enter and leave the writing sessions with that hunger. That spirit shines through Nocan more that anything.
Is there anything in particular that differentiates this project from either of your solo work?
N: Yeah, this project is less dark than the music I’ve been working on. I’m glad we did this because it was a getaway from some of the bullshit I’ve been dealing with.
B: Definitely. The next Busdriver record is more of a break-up record. And Nocan’s next solo record sounds like an indie Wiz Khalifa going HAM for 45 minutes. This group does borrow from our previous albums(especially our last two), but tends to heighten the fun ratio a ton. It also fits snuggly into contemporary rap more than our older albums. Songs like “Berne” give us a familiar template to draw from and ultimately ruin.
“I really wanted to straddle the medium between catharsis and show-stealing-rap-magic with the album, so I looked to a lot of boundary-defying rap acts in general as well.”
Obviously the record just dropped, but do you envision there being another Flash Bang Grenada album?
N: I would love for there to be another Flashbang Grenada Record. I envision one being made when I get my sense of humor back. 10 Haters depleted my reserves. I’m all out of jokes.
B: Sure, why not. The writing/recording process for this record was akin to rap physical therapy…which I need lots of.
What else are you two working on now that the album’s finished?
N: I’m Finishing my mix for an upcoming Low End Theory Podcast. Also Working on my next full length tentatively titled ‘Tits and Explosions’.
B: I am in a band called Physical Forms and we are mixing out debut over the next month. We had a label attached to it, but I think that we’ll self-release. So far, the record sounds colossal. On top of that, I’m also putting the finishing touches on the next Busdriver record. It’s a bit of a departure from what people have come to expect from me, but I feel that it’s the most interesting record that I’ve ever made. Lots of vulnerability, lots of twisted melody, lots of awe-inspiring production from my producer Loden.
Are there currently any artists that you’re listening to that you want to hint people to?
N: My peers are on their dean right now. I’ve been listening to Open Mike Eagle, Serengeti, Satyre, Speak, and Pistol Mcfly.
B: Ummm… I’ve been listening to Tera Melos a lot. Kendrick Lamar, Serengeti and Lorn also get a good amount of burn. Bjork and Open Mike Eagle take the cake though.
Interview by Nate James.
