Mcenroe, One of the best producers on the mic or one of the best mcs the procuction?

Not sure, I guess I am a producer first since I produce so much other material, whereas I don’t usually rhyme over other people’s beats. So I guess “one of the best producers on themic”

Why are producers taking over the mic nowadays, is a lack of skilled mcs or just a brand new multi-talented breed?

I would say just a number of people who want to do both and are capable of doing it. There is no shortage of skilled mc’s but sometimes a producer who rhymes can realize a concept more completely than 2 different people could.

Who do you think is your hardest competitor for that “title”? ( J-zone, Blueprint, Buck 65,...)

All of those people are real dope. I have no idea. Godfather Don is my favorite producer/mc.

It´s been a long time until you´ve decided to drop your first solo LP, you were too busy with the production to grab the pen or it´s just you are too lazy?

Too busy producing other people’s records and doing group projects (farm fresh, park-like setting) and ep’s (the ethics ep, the convenience ep).

And what can we expect from now? Back to focus on production or lyrics are becoming a normal part of your work?

I will be producing a lot this fall, new Eps from Yy and Spoof, Lps from John Smith, Pip Skid and fermented reptile. And I will be making beats and rhyming on an LP with Birdapres and new Park-Like Setting project is coming as well.

Why “disenfrachised”?

I just fit the vibe of the songs that I had written. I like the word and its many meanings, it fit several things that I was trying to say. It represented my thoughts as a voter, consumer, hip-hop fan…

I´m just waiting for my copy, what am I going to find when I get it?

I dunno, you should have it by now. Its just me, rappin, singing, playing some keys, guitar. Its full, rich, melancholy hip-hop.

What do you expect from that LP? I mean, you expect bitches, money and fame? Get a little more known and respected? A collaboration in the next Avril Lavigne LP J ? or... whatever...

I expect to sell a few copies, get some love, play some shows for like minded individuals. Making the record itself is so fun for me that anything else is a bonus. As a label we expect this record to be our biggest seller and to get some attention from new people and media outlets.

What about the topics? While hundreds of groups keeps talking about ghettos, guns and fancy cars, you talk about the miseries of people, it´s a different point of view of the same society or every country got a “different” society with “different” miseries and that shows in music?

Well I can’t talk about ghettos, guns or fancy cars because I know nothing about any of those things. I know far less glamorous things like computers, basketball, science fiction… when I sit down and write a song, I am motivated to make an observation, point something out, make someone think about something from a new perspective or just relate. Some people hear my songs and agree with me, and like the fact that I rap about everyday things that no one else raps about.

For you it would be enough if this record is able to...

Finishing the record and having my friends and family enjoy it as much as they do is all I really needed. Everything else is gravy.

It,s not hard to guess you love the sound of the bass, you use it a lot in your music.I think Charles Mingus it´s tha man! Who is your best? You use to listen to jazz or any other kind of music or you are an “ only hip hop” head?

I like Ron Carter, he played on a LOT of records. His bass playing and tone is real nice. Mingus is great too, a more hectic composer and very interesting. When I had a punk rock band, my first instrument was the bass guitar so I have always been partial to it for some reason.

What´s pumping in your cd player right now?

Wildchild - Secondary Protocol

Pixies - Doolittle

50 cent CD

Yy - Hold the Fort Down EP

Birdapres demos

Lots more…

Some History lessons, the best cd ever?

Tough call. For hip-hop, my faves are:

Organized Konfusion - Stress: The Extinction Agenda

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

De La Soul - Is Dead

Mobb Deep -The Infamous

Main Source - Breaking Atoms

And lots more…

What album you would have liked to produce?

I dunno, I respect the production on my favorite albums but cant say that I wish I had produced them…

And the one you would like to produce? ( mcs, any other producers you would like to work with...)

I would like to produce a rap record with Medesky, Martin and Wood. I would like to do a Blue-Note remix thing like Madlib just did. I would like to produce a good singer who liked Al Green as much as I do.

What kind of equipment you use to make your stuff?

1 Technics 1200 turntable

1 Power Macintosh with Soundedit and Cubase

lots of records

a dope acetone organ

a fender bass guitar

a les paul guitar

Anticon, Def Jux, Peanut & Corn... a neccessay change in hop hop or just evolution?

I cant speak for those labels. For Peanuts & Corn, its just hip-hop from our perspective, which is as outsiders, culturally isolated Canadians who are creative but have huge respect for the culture as it has evolved. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, we are just adding our 2 cents.

Talking about P&C, how is it going?

Pretty good, gets a little better everyday. Its fun. There are not enough hours in a day to get all the stuff I want to get done, done though.

Is there much difference for you being behind a table running a business and behind boards?

Yeah, I mean running a business is work. Its fun but it can be tedious and frustrating. Making music and producing is much more creative and the freedom of creative expression comes first. It usually takes a back seat to business, though, so I don’t spend as much time producing as I would like.

How did you meet the people you work with in P&C?

We have slowly built the label and crew out of friendships… Pip and Hunnicutt are my best friends from school in Brandon, Manitoba. John Smith hung out at our shows and gave us demos until he started working with us. Gruf worked with Pip and they had a bond, and started fermented reptile. I met Birdapres when I moved to Vancouver and we have been close ever since. Yy was a friend of John Smith’s and was also doing his thing.

What´s you main goal in music?

The goal is basically what we are doing now, but on a larger scale - make recordings, play live. We play in Canada a lot but want to see the world and play all over. We want to make a living with our music, not just myself but the whole crew.

This year people like El-P, RJD2, Sage Francis, Sole... are playing live here in Spain, It´s going to be a date for Mcenroe anytime?

I hope so but nothing definite…

Thank you very, very much for blessing this site with this interview. Now you know you got some kids over here that love your shit. Some last words before we both go to take a beer?

Thank you, its great to hear from you and nice to know that people are paying attention from so far away.

Thank you again, man. Peace!

Peace!

NACHO