Rascalz

Hip-hop is undoubtedly an urban phenomenon, a way of life rising out of the concrete apartment blocks and clamorous streets of the city. So how does it jibe with the vast wilderness that is most of Canada? Rascalz' producer and DJ Kemo doesn't seem to think there will be any problem conquering both untamed territories and urban jungles.

Rascalz' latest album, Global Warning, showcases a band that has learned to appreciate the success they built upon their first effort, Cash Crop, and who can capitalize on their new found influence to create a sound that is both diverse and true to their roots. CM spoke to Kemo over the phone at their studio in Vancouver about piecing together the Rascalz sound and how he copes with presenting it to audiences coast to coast.

"I don't see too many obstacles in our way, other than commercial radio, but we're not necessarily a commercial group," he tells me. "Otherwise, it's been good, but it's a lot of hard work. If you have the know-how and the drive, and you know exactly where you want to hit you can do it." It is this kind of determination that has brought the group to the forefront of the Canadian hip-hop community.

Rascalz come by their hip-hop legacy honestly, proudly embracing what they describe as the four elements of hip-hop culture: Breakdancing, MCing, DJing and graffiti. Meeting in local Vancouver clubs back in 1989, all five members used to compete with each other in breakdancing competitions, eventually falling in together and forming Rascalz. The various roles in the group fell into place naturally. Red 1 and Misfit showed they had the lyrical depth to become rappers, and have handled the task with skill since 1990.

Kemo takes up the story from here. "Both Dedos and I used to write graffiti. He still does with the AA Crew, and they've done all sorts of murals out here. He's done all of our album covers since the start. We all used to dance, so having dancers (Dedos and Zebroc) was something we've had since the beginning. As far as having a DJ," he adds modestly, "that was me being there, providing the sounds."

The next logical step was to find a label. "A lot of the reason we took this seriously was because we connected with an independent label out of here called Calabash, which funded an album for us and producers to work with," explains Kemo. "We recorded the first album (Really Livin') for them, which I'd call a demo, but it got released on a small scale." This landed them a deal with Sony, who in turn wanted to release it, but the group decided that they weren't happy with what they had, and so they went back into the studio to completely overhaul the album. It was eventually released in 1993.

The band soon fell out with Calabash, which lost them their deal with Sony, but they remained unfazed, adding Saul G and Dugai to the Rascalz collective as co-managers. The team of Saul G and Dugai formed Figure IV records for the purpose of presenting Rascalz' material, and eventually a deal was inked with BMG offshoot, ViK Recordings.

Kemo recognizes the importance of Figure IV to the group, not only in maintaining their artistic independence, but also enabling them to plot their career at a pace they are comfortable with. "Figure IV was founded out of our trials and mishaps with Calabash. We saw that all you really need is a little know how and a will to do it." This kind of determination is essential to the success of the Rascalz. "Saul's gotta be one of the hardest working people I know," he adds.

For their latest effort, Global Warning, the group struck out with an intentionally diverse sound. Eastern-sounding beats collide with classical guitars and steel drums as tracks shift from bombastic to thoughtful. Kemo indicates that lyricists Red 1 and Misfit were looking beyond the boundaries of their own world for inspiration. "I think they tried to keep it on a worldly level, in the sense that it's not a regional album, but that people all over can relate to it," he says. The group considered the feel and sound of each track as carefully as the lyrics. "If we did one track that was the party hype track, then the next one couldn't be like that. We didn't want to repeat vibes on any tracks." The contributions made by other artists lend to the range of sounds offered. "We did use outside producers, so we were just trying to go for a well-rounded sound, trying to cover every angle," says Kemo. "Rascalz music is not really hard, but we do have some tracks that come off that way. The rest of them are more suave and laid back."

Global Warning is the result of a completely democratic group. Every member looks after their duties and puts their own stamp on the Rascalz sound, but the collaborative whole is more than the sum of its parts. According to Kemo, getting the songs together seems to be more trial and error than any kind of direct approach. "Usually we start with the music, and from there the two lyricists discuss which topics they want to hit. They both do their thing, write their own lyrics and verses and come together for the chorus. It's not really that hard of a task for them, because I think they're at a point where they write constantly." The creation of the music is a bit more complicated, says Kemo. The key to the selection of workable music is honesty and attention to the details of the group sound. "To me, not everything I make is good, and sometimes I'll create some not so good stuff, so we'll use whatever sounds best in our heads. When I'm creating a sound, I like a mischievous sound in my head, something like a devilish sound, sinister," he explains. "That's my sound, but I've done tracks that are the opposite, just because they came out that way."

Maturity and experience also lent influence to their approach on this album. With the success of Cash Crop came the ability to fully realize the Rascalz' sound. "I think we are more aware of what makes a good track, and we had a couple of tracks we didn't use. One was a case of not wanting to pay money for the sample, and the others just weren't up to standards," Kemo says. "On this album we made sure we used the best material and finished everything completely."

The collaborative effort extends beyond the immediate group, and the inclusion of outside producers and artists lends itself to the eclectic mix of sounds. Global Warning features artists KRSONE, the Beatnuts, reggae artist Barrington Levy, long time collaborators and friends K-OS, Kardinal Offishal and Choclair, and fellow Canadians Esthero and Muzion. It is this kind of artistic support and extension of family that has lent strength to the hip-hop community from the outset.

"On "Top Of The World", we got the idea for the chorus from Barrington Levy and the song he did with Cutty Ranks a couple of years ago. We actually had K-OS singing on the chorus, but it wasn't quite what we envisioned. So somehow, Saul G hooked up the man himself, and we said, 'You can't get better than that.'" These collaborative efforts became reality a number of ways. About their work with hip-hop legend KRS-ONE, Kemo says, "We opened for KRS-ONE on three dates, in Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, and it turned out he was looking for a Canadian artist to collaborate with to expand his Temple of Hip-Hop. He found us, and Saul did some really good politicking, and he said, "Yeah, let's do a track together." The band went to New York to cut the track, and are finally able to release it on the new album. The union with the Beatnuts came about in much the same fashion. Kemo admits that having a label helped them draw in artists that the group admired and wanted to work with, opening up resources such as funds and connections that the group wouldn't otherwise have.

Montreal-based group Muzion also appears in a mutual effort to cross the language borders of our country. "They came to our release shows in Ottawa and Montreal and performed "Temoin", and it was a really good vibe," says Kemo. The song seems to be as much a diplomatic message as a jam. "For the most part, we did the song knowing it was a boost for us in those territories, and vice versa. It's definitely a diplomatic thing," he confirms.

Kemo remains dubious that the Rascalz are being sought out, but he is confident in their skills. "I don't know if they are looking for us, but if they see us they'll recognize the talent, drive and authenticity of a real hip-hop band," he says.

To record Global Warning, the Rascalz stayed close to home. "Most of it was recorded here, where we have our own little studio to track vocals. It's not nice enough to mix out of, so we mix down the hall at Hiposonic," says Kemo. The studio work was not limited to Vancouver, however. "We recorded in Toronto, at Cherry Beach and mixed some stuff at Metalworks. We also mixed out of New York, at Mirror Image. But most of the recording was done here in Vancouver, with only one or two tracks done in Toronto."

The band laid down their vocal tracks on a hard-disk recorder, but when it came time to mix, all the material was transferred to two-inch tape. As for the mics, they used the Neumann U-87 for most of the project, and the music was largely created on the Akai MPC 1000 and tracked on the Fostex D-160. The sounds are mostly samples, chopped up and pieced together by Kemo with help from the other members. The exception is the guitar work of Russell Kline (of Vancouver's Salvador Dream) on a couple of tracks. "He's got some really nice guitar playing," says Kemo of Kline. "He's been working pretty tightly with K-OS, and on that track ("Fallen"), K-OS produced and Russ played live guitar. He played on top of the sample used in "Sharpshooter" to enhance that hard-rock guitar sound, and as far as live is concerned, Russ would be the man for that, so all praises to Russ Kline."

While the album was recorded largely at home, the scope of the project is international. I asked Kemo where the band finds inspiration. "I think I heard Misfit mention once that it comes from other Canadian MCs, because that's the level he's at, and he's gotta be there or better. Me personally, I get my inspiration from new hip-hop music wherever it is from. If I hear stuff from London, or Switzerland or France that gets me inspired, I'll try to create something that is as good, or better."

The band is planning to focus on Canada and Europe to promote the album, which means Kemo will have to drag himself out of the studio and into another tour. "I'm definitely more comfortable in the studio," he acknowledges. "I've always told them I'm not really a showguy. Live, each person holds down their aspect, and for me, my aspect is the turntables and scratching, and as far as being a turntablist and being on that competitive level, I'm not there. I'm not willing to pretend to do that stuff, so for me the shows are lacking."

The frustration of playing tours that pack the same crowds into the same venues seems to be wearing out Kemo's enthusiasm to travel. "For me, tours are really tiring. We've been across Canada so many times it's become redundant to me. Maybe if we did the US and Europe as much as we did Canada it would be different, but I'm seeing the same things." While he appreciates the support of fans all over Canada, he names Toronto as his favourite town. "To me, the best audience is Toronto, because they're hard to please, and you have to be really good, or else they'll let you know. If we please them, then I'm happy. I catch the most vibes there, just from the crowds and the scene itself. I don't mean to disrespect our fans anywhere else," he adds, "but it's got everything to do with the city."

While the hip-hop scene in Canada is getting bigger every day, there is no denying that the sheer size of the market down in the US is enough to swamp less determined Canadian acts. The band has made a few forays into the States, playing some shows in Seattle and New York to a warm reception, and they are hoping to release the album there in February.

There are plans afoot to travel to Europe, where the band received a warm response to a tour they took opening for Common Sense back in 1997. Manager Saul Guy lives in New York, and has been working on further overseas treks for the band. "One of Saul's main duties in New York was as Arista's Director of International Artists, and he's got a lot of connections in London and eastward. We opened for Common Sense for a month and a half, and that was a really good first time out there. I'm sure we're going to get some material out there soon."

This is where the bureaucracy of a major label hinders the development of the band, and it is a sore point with Kemo. "My thing is, BMG is reluctant to press up vinyl to sell for us, and as far as the US and Europe goes, that's how the stuff gets heard and sold. For them not to take vinyl seriously is a real piss-off for me. I don't understand what their problem is, but whatever," he says heavily, "we'll work it out somehow." For anyone with even a passing familiarity of hip-hop or dance culture, this is a mystifying marketing decision, but one hopes there is a reason beyond the simple parsimony of a major corporation.

When asked what the future holds, Kemo goes straight to the business. "Figure IV is the focus. We're going to try and work with other artists and release more material. Kardinal and K-OS are definitely the next ones to pop up. I'm sure there will be another Rascalz album in a year or two, but we'll see how far we can ride this one."

The success of Global Warning could place the savvy and resourceful Rascalz on the top of the Canadian hip-hop scene, and if they're lucky, maybe they'll pull a few friends up, too.

Rod Christie is a Toronto-based freelance writer.