Problem with rap interviews.....

[Sav Scorcese]

I just finished listening to the AP9 interview done by DJ Pimp. It was full of information but the one constant I keep hearing is that not just DJ Pimp but alot of interviewers I hear keep talking over the artist and interrupting his answers. Also I would like to hear more insightful and thought provoking questions. Why does the interviewer feel he or she has to talk similar to the rapper using street slang and "holler at ya boy" vernacular ?

 

[public_domain]

Interviewing a rapper is probably one of the most useless things anyone can do.....Does it really matter what they think??? Make good music and keep the rhetoric to professionals...

 

[ESFCE]

This is how most west coast rap interviews go:

So are you looking for a major deal?

I got a few deals on the table i been having meetings with alot of majors but I cant talk about it right now.

Are you still cool with ____?

There aint no beef, we both just doing our own thang.

When is your official album coming out?

Its coming out next year, first im gonna drop this mixtape then comes the album.

What do you think about the state of the west/bay?

Radio aint showing love, I have the formula to bring it back. Im the best rapper yada yada yada

(album comes out 4 years later and sells nothing)

 

[Sydal]

Interviewing a rapper is probably one of the most useless things anyone can do.....Does it really matter what they think??? Make good music and keep the rhetoric to professionals...

Well, not necessarily...maybe these days, but it hasn't always been like that. Some rappers used to be intelligent and actually said shit that mattered. Coolio, very intelligent. 2Pac, intelligent and always had important shit to say. I mean, it's all relative though. The interviewer has to ask good questions to get good conversation. Not only that, but some have a good sense of humor.

One of my favorite interviews.

 

[public_domain]

Well, not necessarily...maybe these days, but it hasn't always been like that. Some rappers used to be intelligent and actually said shit that mattered. Coolio, very intelligent. 2Pac, intelligent and always had important shit to say. I mean, it's all relative though. The interviewer has to ask good questions to get good conversation. Not only that, but some have a good sense of humor.

One of my favorite interviews.

True...

 

[408mobsta]

This is how most west coast rap interviews go:

So are you looking for a major deal?

I got a few deals on the table i been having meetings with alot of majors but I cant talk about it right now.

Are you still cool with ____?

There aint no beef, we both just doing our own thang.

When is your official album coming out?

Its coming out next year, first im gonna drop this mixtape then comes the album.

What do you think about the state of the west/bay?

Radio aint showing love, I have the formula to bring it back. Im the best rapper yada yada yada

(album comes out 4 years later and sells nothing)

lol very tru same ol shit

 

[Rossibreath]

This is how most west coast rap interviews go:

So are you looking for a major deal?

I got a few deals on the table i been having meetings with alot of majors but I cant talk about it right now.

Are you still cool with ____?

There aint no beef, we both just doing our own thang.

When is your official album coming out?

Its coming out next year, first im gonna drop this mixtape then comes the album.

What do you think about the state of the west/bay?

Radio aint showing love, I have the formula to bring it back. Im the best rapper yada yada yada

(album comes out 4 years later and sells nothing)

lol sounds about rite except u 4got 2 add like 20, know what im talkin bouts or know what im sayins.

 

[sacred ent]

alot of bay rap niggas rap about the same shit. and we love that

 

[CLS550]

When is your official album coming out?

Its coming out next year, first im gonna drop this mixtape then comes the album.

lmao! mad funny but very true. I wish some people would take notes.

 

[Jae iLL]

some interviews are good, but it depends on the context of the interview. If it's just some DJ or somebody affiliated with a website or magazine, it might be a boring ass interview, unless the rapper got some real shit to say. But 9 out of 10 times, it's exactly like what was posted above.

 

[townbusinessinc]

peep game

I just finished listening to the AP9 interview done by DJ Pimp. It was full of information but the one constant I keep hearing is that not just DJ Pimp but alot of interviewers I hear keep talking over the artist and interrupting his answers. Also I would like to hear more insightful and thought provoking questions. Why does the interviewer feel he or she has to talk similar to the rapper using street slang and "holler at ya boy" vernacular ?

I've interviewed hundreds of rappers. From Jay-Z to T.I. to Jacka to a couple cats nobody has ever heard of and the key to a good interview is making the subject feel comfortable. So I hate to say it but the "holla at ya boy" vernacular is sometimes necessary because a lot of these niggas are ignorant as hell and if you speak correct english they think you are talking down to them or they just point blank don't understand you. Secondly sometimes the interviewer talks over the subject because its up to the interviewer to steer the conversation/interview in a direction that they or the website/magazine/tv show wants the interview to go in. Artists are notorious for running on at the mouth about shit that has nothing to do with nothing.

And I agree that more insightful questions should be asked.

Interviewing artists, especially on camera is not as easy as it looks.

 

[Mr Ceza]

IF YOU DO INTERVIEWS FOR A LIVING YOU WILL KNOW WHEN TO CUT IN AND CHANGE THE FLOW OF THE INTERVIEW CAUSE MOST TIMES FOLKS CAN TALK YOUR EAR OFF AND THE INTERVIEW RUNS AN HOUR LONG....GOTTA CUT FOLKS OFF!