GUILTY SIMPSON & KATALYST INTERVIEW

Detroit Rap royalty, Guilty Simpson and one of Australia’s finest producers, Katalyst have reunited for Guilty’s new album “Detroit’s Son” now out via Stones Throw Records. Grindin’ spoke to both artists to gain an insight on their working relationship and what inspires them to keep creating these pivotal pieces of realness that stand like pillars against the current state of synthetic disposable music.

The pairing of Guilty and Katalyst and what they have created with “Detroit’s Son” will make any true Hip Hop head smile in the assuredness that the culture and the backbone of what makes it great is still strong, alive and thriving. Catch them both live across Australia & New Zealand next year when they tour in January and February 2016.

Can you pinpoint a song/ album/ or artist that you heard when you were coming up that made you say “This is what I want to do”? What was it about the the particular music that you think resonated with you so much?
Guilty: I think Big Daddy Kane was the 1st rapper I actually idolized. He had the parts in the high top fade and gold chains. I remember thinking that was the coolest thing I had ever seen.
And I think the fact he was a dope MC, a ladies man, and still had pride to be Black drew me in. He embodied MCing & wore the fresh gear. Plus he had the ladies. That’s all I needed to see/hear as a young boy.

Katalyst: For me I’ll say something like Public Enemy, “Fight The Power”. The Bomb Squads beats were so raw and tough and the raps so political it totally caught my imagination. Then the other moment was when I first saw someone using a sampler. Game over.

As fans of music what have been some of your favourite collaboration projects over the years from other artists? What do you think it takes for a collaboration to really gel and sound natural?
Guilty: Madlib & Doom of course come to mind. Myself & Apollo Brown, Black Milk & Bishop Lamont to name a few. The artists have to compliment each other well. If it’s 2 rappers their styles have to blend well. If it’s 1 rapper and a producer the producer has to know what tracks are needed to showcase the rapper. Some joint projects are just thrown together and they sound like it.

Katalyst: Jaylib, Jeru and Primo, Madvillain. You still have to be yourself and make the music that is true to you. When two peeps can collab on this level good stuff is bound to come out of it. Often the best music is made this way in my opinion.

What was the process for the way you wrote with this project and what was the first track you made together from the new album?
Guilty: I just listen to the tracks and go. I honestly go where the tracks take me. I don’t try to force my rhyme to make it work. My process is absorbing my city and expressing it through rhyme. The 1st track on the album might be the 1st track recorded. It was at least recorded in the 1st session. It’s called “RIP”.

Katalyst: After we recorded “War Drums” here for Quakers I sent Guilty beats and he wrote and recorded to them in Detroit, then we linked up here in Australia again and recorded another 5 or so songs and reworked a few till we got it all tight. I’m not sure what the 1st track Guilty wrote to was but I got “Smoking”, “The D”, “Money” and “Vanguard” back as the 1st 4 songs on this record.

You both have impressive discographies and have both been in the game for a while. Has the inspiration behind the music you make changed over the years?
Guilty: It’s never changed for me. I do it for my family, my people that didn’t make it, and my city. I keep all of those things close to my heart so my inspiration is always current. My family makes me who I am. Not just blood relatives, my family. Friends included.

Katalyst: For sure, tastes change and that’s one of the things that keeps music interesting, everyone has different tastes and those tastes change. Also the inspiration has changed to some extent but in some ways its still the same as well. At the end of the day just trying to honestly express yourself as Bruce Lee wisely said.

Can you pinpoint the thing that inspires you the most?
Guilty: My city is a no brainier. It taught me how to survive and I love Detroit unconditionally.

Katalyst: Social justice and the soul in anything. Things that strives to make the world a better place for everyone.

If you had to pick one song in your catalogue that you would be remembered by, which one would it be and why?
Guilty: I have a song on Black Milk’s album called “Glitches In The Breaks”. It’s called “Story of G” I think that would be the 1 because it tells of my intro to Hip Hop as an MC, and how it saved my life. A true story. The streets and Hip Hop was my fork in the road and I chose Hip Hop.

Katalyst: I can’t say to be honest, thats for other people to decide ultimately.

What do you think about the current mainstream trajectory of Hip Hop? What do you feel has been maybe lost or gained in the last 10 years?
Guilty: Versatility. All the mainstream music that I hear sounds the same. All the rappers sing, so I can’t tell who the rappers are from the singers. I think the identity of the rappers has been lost. I don’t know how to classify them.

Katalyst: I don’t stay in touch with mainstream Hip Hop that closely to be honest. I check it out but don’t really go deep on it unless it’s something Im feeling straight away. There is so much music out there now it’s hard to keep up. Everything, not just music, is being gentrified and a certain individuality seems to be getting lost. But as with all change there is good and bad. I like to see the good side of it and I just want people to make music for musics sake instead of worrying about what will sell.

Who is your favourite writer and what is your favourite book?
Guilty: Donald Goines- Whoreson

Katalyst: I’ll have to say 1984 by George Orwell.

Guilty in an interview with Grindin’ last year you were saying that you can see the ending rap wise and you’re keen to start producing. How is that coming along? Is the inspiration for that different from writing raps?
Guilty: I’m still deep off into writing right now. I’m doing some stuff behind the scenes as far as my own music, so I’ll be rapping for a while longer. Still learning about producing but I will get more involved later down the line.

What can we expect from the live show this time round? I remember seeing you both in Perth a couple years back and you held down the energy on stage as a duo. Have you added anything this time round or are you sticking with what works?
Guilty: We haven’t really talked about it yet but it is going to be a great show with a lot of energy. You are going to hear some real Hip Hop without the rapper rapping over his vocals that’s for sure.

Katalyst: You’ll get all the heat that Guilty brings on the mic that’s enough on its own! Plus the new beats we recorded for “Detroit’s Son”. I’d like to bring a dope visual element to the show as well. I’ve got some stuff I have been putting together that I think goes really well with the music.

Is there a particular show that has stuck with you both the most? Where is your favourite place to play?
Guilty: My favourite show was with Black Milk and Sean Price at Hip Hop Kemp in the Czech Republic. It has even more meaning knowing that I will never occupy the stage with Sean again.

Katalyst: Too many shows personally to choose one but some of the festival shows have been a lot of fun. Of the shows I did with Guilty the Sydney show was probably my favourite. Just because its my hometown and it was the last show and who doesn’t like The Basement as a venue.

Guilty can you name a rapper on the come up that you think everyone should be checking for? Katalyst can you name a producer?
Guilty: A few new Detroit MCs making noise. A-Minus, Richy Marciano, Nolan the Ninja, & Mahd. The city is full of talent. Also Clear Soul Forces.

Katalyst: Damn people always ask me this! I don’t always have a reply. But someone I’ve been digging on for a while now is Samiyam. Not really new or even on the come up but someone I’ve been checking lately again. He’s got some dope beats.

What was the first track you heard from each others catalogue that made you want to work with one another or at least recognise the skill there?
Guilty: I saw Katalyst at a show and knew as soon as I heard him.

Katalyst: For me it was seeing Guilty live in Amsterdam in 2007, Black Milk was at that show as well. I’d only heard him on Jaylib before that and that was dope as well.

What advice would you give to someone who is fresh in the game, full of talent and wanting to pursue music? Do you think it’s harder today than it was 10 years ago?
Guilty: My advice to them is to build a strong team and to keep motivated people around them. If the people around you aren’t motivated you will be weakened.

I think it is a lot easier to be discovered through music now with the use of internet, you don’t even have to go outside and are able to obtain fans.

Katalyst: Follow your dreams and dream big you might just make a living from it. Yeah it’s a totally different game to what is was 10 years ago in many ways. Harder in the sense it’s harder to make a living since music has lost its value in society. 3D printing is next you’ll see.

What does the next year look like for both of you?
Guilty: Releasing my own music!!!

Katalyst: Busy, lots of good stuff going down and coming out next year.

What’s your definition of Grindin’?
Guilty: Feeding the family with no excuses!!!

Katalyst: Everyday doing your best man that’s all you can hope for.

Interview by Mark Lloyd