JEHUNIKO INTERVIEW 1/11/09
I once again linked up with my partner in this hip hop journey, Jehuniko, for a interview. We discuss his upcoming street album, Spiritual Warfare II dropping later this month, his experience dealing with Hurricane Ike, Barrack Obama, I2G and much more so check it out.
Illuminati 2G is here with Jehuniko, how’s it going?
The homie D~Marc. Much respect my brother, I am blessed. Thankful to be able to write this, to be alive with food in my refrigerator, to have a recording budget for a nice studio, man, I feel truly blessed.
What have you been up to since Spiritual Warfare dropped last year?
Doing shows and recording. I dropped SW1 back in May so since May I was fortunate to have traveled to New Mexico, around Texas, San Jose & Los Angeles, California and Mexico City. Recorded a new promo album, Spiritual Warfare 2, recorded an album produced by my homeboy Carlos the Coldhardinero. Both will be out real soon. Aside from that, a lot of life challenges which detoured projects, deadlines, etc. so it has been real interesting. Always an interesting balance of being a single father, and all things that entail a working underground artist. Never a dull moment.
We officially started On Self Destruct, a company working in music, art, media, events. It’s been time…. As an artist, activist, etc I have been building with people for 17 years now. Instead of solely being an artist with business/networking abilities and existing work, me and my partners decided to name the business behind the ethic and discipline.
What was it like being in the midst of Hurricane Ike in Houston last year and how has it affected you musically and just life in general?
I drove up towards Dallas about 4-5 hours away. At worst, real heavy winds but I was standing out on a lake when it was strong. Nothing too bad because I was so far inland by that time. Lost power out there as well though. Got to meet up with homeboy Scotty. That was cool to connect with him and his people. Two times Scotty saved the day you could say. Houston had a lot of billboards knocked down, lots of trees out, power out. 2 days before it hit, gas stations ran out, grocery stores were running low, no water, period. Being from California, I was tripping the fuck out !!!! I was without power for a month and I found myself going to sleep at 9 at night, waking up hella early. There was a curfew for the longest time, felt like Martial Law but it been in affect. I would write songs with my headphones on, by candlelight. I had like 20 candles glowing around the room just writing song after song after song. Eating from canned food, water, it was fun. A lot of life changes, being a single father, no power, out of state so I know minimal people. I stay real low pro out here homie. All inspiration for raw personal music as my heart was bleeding a little and my capacity to ride out the storm was being challenged. Ultimately what happened is that additional doors were opened in my mind, an elevated maturity and new found well of patience.
Alright let’s get into the street album, Spiritual Warfare 2. What if anything is different with this one compared to the first?
The production is way harder and quality of the recording is much better. Zin is hosting it as I write this. 80% of the project was recorded in a week. One time, I recoded 6 songs in 4 hours, just going hard. You know I’m not just rapping bars, I’m changing my flow up, singing hooks, spitting like a beast. My daughter in there with the portable DVD, movies, snacks, etc. She in my arms sometimes while recording. That was an interesting day. This song “Raise Me Up” is my hardest shit yet and it is so personal, on that written by candle light music. Ill speak confidently of it because the music on there is really personal, absolutely no bubble gum played out shit at all. Like my music or not, it is original and hella direct.
Who are some of the features and producers on the project?
OG Kemo the Blaxican, from the Dead Silence…got a real cool song with him called “Trick or Treat,” There’s a song with Gun of Against Yours that is so sick. The beat is produced by Midi Mafia and it is so crazy. 2 with Justus from the South Park Coalition, someone I kick it with out here, 2 songs with Zin from SOS Radio / Trickle Down Entertainment. Zin also recorded most of it, mixed it, arranged it. Sicko Soldado Dead Silence from LA / El Paso, Mex Tape in San Jose, Califas, Cambio of the band Para La Gente, Def-I of the group Def Rare, from New Mexico, Jdubs from LA’s 96.3 Latino. This is a song that was accidentally left off of SW1. Jdubs gave a lot of exposure to underground artists, Raza doing music and art and got them international television via interviews and videos. He is an OG in LA with music, art, and deserves that respect. Got my carnal Wilson of Mexico City’s Reporte Ilegal. That’s a good person right there. When we chilled in San Francisco, everywhere we walked he knew everyone from the shop owners to the homeless. Much respect to him and Spia104 en Distrito Federal. Orale carnal. Sid Roams sent me some instrumental CD’s and gave me the green light to use them. This will be available on I2G for free consumption, in the streets-free, at shows and in the mail-free, it is also getting international distribution, free as a introduction to Cold in the Hot Sun.
What details if any can you give about Cold In The Hot Sun?
A running theme of staying numb to the adversity. Produced entirely by Carlos the Cold Hardinero. The necessary animal in the jungle vibe that I need is in there, a difficult song to write was about gender roles and the life of a young baby girl to young woman and the negative adversity she deals with that is common in society, how men can be wack, laced over a dope guitar and drums. Some travel music, documenting sighs seen and the moments captured. When traveling, I try to always write down thoughts of the day, little situations or experiences and it made for a dope song that Carlos banged out. I am sure that a lot of the themes, hooks are in a similar vein because I have been mainlining that Cold in the Hot Sun, applying with no other choice but to strike, smile and take mental note. Makes for good music. Probably have 1 song with features and it is getting recorded next week.
What are your thoughts on the election that passed and our new president Barack Obama?
Actions speak louder than words. For any law, politician, talk is cheap and I have a pretty dismal outlook on it all. Oscar Grant, murdered by cop as he lay face down not even struggling, captured live and now all over Youtube. Actions speak louder than words. I almost listen or follow it with half of my attention these days. Focus on maneuvering through this beast while retaining my ethics and values, applying them directly at every possible moment. It’s a nice moment to celebrate but I always say, “no time to celebrate, apurate” (hurry up).
What issues do you think are paramount for Obama to tackle his first year in office?
Police brutality. Fascism in general. Racial profiling. Relations with Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia ASAP ! Stop over spending, period. Oil companies in Q3 reporting sick profits, up from 2007. My tap water at the house is naturally a powder gray. Nothing is sacred, it’s an all over factory farming to almost all that is sacred. An obvious division of have’s and have nots. Those Middle Eastern wars are done. Enough financially unequipped murder and genocide. Palenstine is out right murder. So bad, so so bad it hurts to see.
As many know you also do the journalism gig here on I2G. Anything big coming up soon or any upcoming concerts you want to speak on?
Yes, I am down to hit up righteous cats putting in work to enquire about their music, promote their movement. Events are being booked as we speak in the U.S. and also internationally, check in at the Myspace for confirmations….. But I’m coming. Find me with the warriors, soldiers, righteous, from the streets and from all walks of life.
What are your thoughts right now on the state of hip hop?
You know I am a fan 1st and I enjoy hearing music. Good to see that inviduality is slowly becoming welcomed again with some new artists. I also see a lot of people re-inventing the wheel. Since being in the South, I have felt the music and song structure. Chanting hooks, or catchy hooks, Southern topics/words whether you feel it or not, and banging outrageous production that got you saying goddamn !!! Def like the Southern music. A lot of international hip hop is dope. I’m feeling a lot of hip hop in Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico. I’m always going to promote supporting artists by buying their music. I see it is a movement encompassing the street, the struggle and the liberation of our spirits.
Alright man that is all the questions I have for you, appreciate the interview. Is there any last words or shout outs you want to get out there?
I be on that Lone Wolf homie, got the Information Revolution column here on the site going strong, look out for the SW2, free download on I2G, and in the stereets, many new videos already filmed, Cold in the Hot Sun, produced by my carnal Carlos is almost ready. Give me until February and i’ll have that ready, out of the oven, smelling like blueberrys and paradise. Zin and I are doing an album together. He is producing the whole thing. That is coming and so much more. Pura Vida a Federico mi carnal en Costa Rica. Positive energy to all, to Ozzy Contreras my carnalito rest in paradise, Scott de la tierra, Scotty out in North Texas, Sammy in Arizona, Danny in Oregon, to the collaborators from SW2, of course to my family, friends, I would be nothing with out you. Mi monstra, my only reason to live. Family and friends holding me down when I’m getting struck by lightning, turned a negative into a positive. Thank you, I hella appreciate that with all of my heart. Jehuniko On Self Destruct. Dead Silence.
www.myspace.com/jehuniko
the Information Revolution column:
http://illuminati2g.webs.com/irfrontpage.htm
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