Check out our exclusive interview with Silent Funk +1.
ILLUMINATI2G: I2G is here with Silent Funk +1, how’s it going?
DJ JS-1: What’s Up, I’m the +1 in the group. Life is good, Knicks in 5!
SILENT SOMEONE: Peace. New Album, New Music, Can’t Complain.
RHINOCEROS FUNK: Currently pondering my colon health. But I’m sure with the healthcare network I’ve employed, I’m in good hands
ILLUMINATI2G: Tell me a little bit about how you got your start in hip hop and who are some of your musical influences.
DJ JS-1: Queens, NYer, hip hop was everywhere growing in the 80s. Started writing graff around ’87, then right into collecting records and DJing. RUN DMC & Jam Master Jay, BDP/KRS, Ultramagnetic MCs, PE, EPMD, KANE, G RAP, GANGSTARR.
SILENT SOMEONE: My Start in Hip Hop was at the age of 8 or 9 when I first heard the music. Growing up in the Bronx I was surrounded by all the elements (Graff, DJ,Breakin etc) and I fell in love with all of it! Got my first pair of Turntables when I was in the 6th grade (Thanks Mom) This was like in 92′,93′. My love for Spinning records developed into wanting to make my own records (producing) That led me to start making some pause beat tapes trying to figure things out, learning more as I kept at it, At the same time I’m taking a stab at rhyming. Fast forward a few years and I’m recording my second demo in a professional studio inharlem. It is there that I really fell in love withproduction.The house engineer taught me the basics of the MPC 60 and a24trk mix board. I had a little record collection butdidnt know how to work the gear.
After that all I concentrated on was Beats! Musical Influences range from Frank Zappa, Donald Byrd, Paul C, Cut Chemist, Quincy Jones, Prince Paul, David Axlerod,
Preservation, Steely Dan, J Zone. I’ll leave it at that lol
RHINOCEROS FUNK: I got my start in hip hop by being an overweight fatty Mcfatterson. Whenever I walked around people would yell “Fat Boooys!!!” . So I started rapping in 86 and got my own college radio show in 98.
Musical influences include but are not limited to Camilo Sesto… El Puma… Rafael… Julio Iglesias…mostly gay gentlemen that made my mom soak her bloomers .
ILLUMINATI2G: What are listeners in store for with your new album YouAin’t Special?
DJ JS-1: Silent creates a dope soundscape that constantly switches up and is never lazy, utilizing different tempos, beat-switches, breakdowns, intros, bridges, all with a plethora of movie sound bites and my scratches. Over that, Rhino drops his vocals with dope concepts, from serious, to more fun, and occasionally comedic lyrics. Wecompliment each other to give you a solid hip hop album, beats, rhymes, n cuts.
SILENT SOMEONE: A straight up NO FRILLS, NO BS, Hip Hop experience!
RHINOCEROS FUNK: First of all, they should take a prerequisite course. Listen to our previous work so they may transition properly into this one. U AINT SPECIAL is an expression of artistic freedom while simultaneously debating and denouncing the coercion of a culture we adamantly admire.
ILLUMINATI2G: Do you have any more upcoming videos or singles?
DJ JS-1: “Say Less” will be a single and hopefully a video. I personally really enjoy that song and I think people will understand when they hear it. A lot of “underground” or indie hip hop is stuck doing fake-tough guy raps over slow beats. This one is a bit of a throwback to when there was alil more fun in the music and less putting failed, low-level drug dealers on pedestals.
RHINOCEROS FUNK: Yes and Yes!!
ILLUMINATI2G: What are your current thoughts on the music industry?
DJ JS-1: I honestly try not to think about it. Putting out records independently for 3 decades almost, I had limited interaction with the “industry” and when I did it was getting robbed of credit on major releases or told people don’t like scratching. Current “industry” isreally just apps and people doing too much andacting a fool to trick a math equation into allowing them to go viral. It’s beenreally weird. I neverthough the elements of hip hop would be Tik Tok, Spotify,Youtube, and Twitch. lmao. Everything is oversaturated due totechnology and itturned music into fast food. Today this is the music industry: Imagine the NBA, instead of having ten professionals on the court, allowed 500,000people on the court at the same time, they all have their own ball, they are all chuckinghalf court3-pointers, and thereis no ref or coaches. That is the current indie music scene. Fun.
RHINOCEROS FUNK: It’s like a love deficient child on the lap of a sexual predator.
ILLUMINATI2G: What is currently playing on your playlist musically?
DJ JS-1: I listen to apretty diverse collection of music, most of it older to be honest. I won’t bore you with my old man playlist, but current hip hop related artists I check for isRj Payne,Skyzoo, Afro, Ransom & Premier EP, Coast Contra, Supreme Cerebral, King Topaz, Truth, OSVN, SpitGemz, Bad Seed, Crotona P, new Natural Elements, Marco Polo, Tone Spliff, Rashad & Confidence, Blu, Last Measure, along with all the legacy artists who dropped like De La, Nas, Ghost, Redman, etc.
SILENT SOMEONE: Jouis 1st & 2nd Lp
Big Pun 1st Lp
STP 1st Lp
Khruangbin 1st, 2nd & 3rd Lp’s
Mass Influence 1st Lp
Hi-C 2nd Lp
Wayne Shorter all albums
Beatnuts all albums
I’ll stop there.
RHINOCEROS FUNK: I’m a DJ. This will take me about 3 to 4 business months to answer!!!
ILLUMINATI2G: Do you have any shows or tour dates?
DJ JS-1: I spent damnnear half my adult life touring. Currently due to family circumstances I am staying home. Thereis some local dates in the tri-state area coming, but that’s as far as I can travel right now. We need one of those Vegas-style residencies but in the Bronx, lol.
Release party coming up in NY, July 24th!
RHINOCEROS FUNK: Album release show July 24th. Then the Ham and Eggs tour coming at you!! No set dates yet unfortunately.
ILLUMINATI2G: What is your website information?
DJ JS-1: on all platforms @DJJS1 @silentsomeone_bx @rhinocerosfunk
ILLUMINATI2G: Appreciate the interview, any last words or shout outs?
DJ JS-1: Thank you, we appreciate anyone interested in what we are doing. We are just doing what we love, progressingthe art while still carrying on tradition and respectingthe culture. Fun fact, in our promo video was the first time I wore sunglasses in 52 years.hahaha! Peace.
SILENT SOMEONE: Thank you to everyone who contributed to the album.
RHINOCEROS FUNK: Think like a sociologist not a domesticated dummy!!! Peace out!
