Up Close And Personal With Rupee
(MK) Hi How you doing
(R) Im safe and you
(MK) Im Good
(MK) Well first all of all the members of dancehallareaz.com wants to congradulates you for your big succes with tempted to touch
(R) Thanks Thanks
(Mk) How did you get involved with music, how did everything started?
(R) I came from a mix family, I have 3 brothers they used to do some rb and hip hop and dancehall too. they would
to take me on stage with them around the age of 5. i used to sing with them. My mother and father werent necessary musician
but they were good listener my father was black Barbadian my mother is german . constantly they would be playing music
on the record player,my father would be like bob marley, Jimmy Cliff, Sparrow and My mother would be like, Beatles,
Rolling stone. you Know. It wasnt until like school when i started to go to school here in barbados that they use to
have local talent shows whithin school Talent shows i would enter i never used to win or anything but i used to do
fairly well and get a lot of encouragement and in 1993 The're were a local equivalent of what ya'll call American
Idol, I enter that and won in 1993 and join a local band.
(MK) What was the name of your first band?
(R) The name of the band was Coalishun (Spells it out *).
(Mk)Where do you get all your inspiration for your lyrics
(R) Well definetly from things that happens around me that, I experience, where i've been.
(Mk)
Example tempted to touch?
(R) Yeah man you know i grow up around the dancehall, i grow up in musical environment espacially in the
dancehall definetly a lot of sexy ladies in the dancehall, tempting when they are dancing just being from the carribean
and being around women in general the love and inspiration not just sexually. I remember for tempted to touch specifically one night
i went to the studio and i heard the track, they played it for me and i said "wow man this is phat man im feeling it" I took it
with me home then i went to a club, i was just watching the women do their thing, dancing, whinning.
(Mk)
Outside of music, what else interests you?
(R) Ima big gadget Dude man ( MK: oh yeah just like me) Im a big computer guy, Gaming, Graphic Design
I used to work in a advertising agency as a graphic design artist. The new psp, playstation two 2, handheld that i got one of those
from japan (MK: how is it? is it good) Ya its really good man, Its phat. (Mk : I was thinking of buying it but i wasnt too sure) yeah its wicked
Is it out ? no it snot out yet in the states and canada (MK: no its not but well i was thinking of buying it from japan too) yeah its phat man
cause you can play like the us game when it comes out, you can play on their too its just like the latest digital camera
(MK:yeah everytime a game come out i get it all the systems ) ah yeah!
(Mk) If you could have your career follow the path of any artist past or present, who would you choose?
(R) Uhm definetly has to be bob Marley. we both come from mix parents. i really have a great consciousness. I'de
Like my music to be like his inspirating.
(MK) Are you a rasta?
(R) Nah i aint no rasta.
(Mk) If you never got involved in music, what do you think you'd be doing right now?
(R) Well Definetly either having my own advertisement agency,design aspect,creating commercial,innovating design,billboard.
All very similar, they are very related, if not being on nature too. Most art and graphic design
(MK) Are you still gon do it or your just staying in music for good?
(R) I dont have time but you know my experience profit me , it helps me because, when it comes to album design
art work,i can give professional critics. i can definetly look at something and know what im saying. It helps.
before signing with atlantic i drop 3 albums with carribean i would work on the art work for them, banners. it still comes handy
but i dont have enough time
(MK) Well lets hope in the future
(R) yah man Definetly
(MK) I read on launch.com that before you started with reggae now you're into soca any plans for other style
like r&b hip hop featuring any artists like r. kelly etc?
(R) uhm im definelty on big innovation, i like experimentation, before existed on an international level being in soca music
blend it with hip hop, blend it with R&B , Dancehall, and i know im blessed to be in the position that i am. Collaboration
Would definetly something im looking forward in doing you know, Maybe something with Fat joe, Maybe Lil Kim. Lil Kim's real man.
She's not frontin. I would work with anybody man,i would work with John legend, Sade. Ima big sade fan. back in the days man I am very picky man
i like to try new things I like to be second, im a follower.
(MK) Who's your favorite hip hop R/b artist?
(R) Im big on Anthony Hamilton and definetly as far as hip hop is concern its Biggie another one who's music
is timeless, he was able to tell stories in one line. With one single line he could make a movie. He never used to write
Ignorant line. so yeah i like anthony hamilton, espacially feeling him right now, Biggie and john legend i like what his
presenting his game.
(MK) I Dont know if you read the Vibes magazine but theres a quote that iwayne says that soca music is devil's music
How do you feel about that?
(R) Iwayne? (MK: Yeah iWayne the reggae artist) Yeah Man theses days everyone is intitled of their own opinion thats
what the world is about. I cant be matter about theses things because thats his opinion. even tho i cant necessarely agree
with him. at the same time if you look at dancehall they are doing the same thing we are doing in soca music its very sexual,
very sensual,erotic,movement of the body,jumping up and waving, if you listen up to the dancehall now a days, Its very heavy
like soca. Just like *sings* you too badmind you too badmind* Thats a soca Beat *beat sound* you know what i mean.if you say one you say next
Dancehall is basically the same thing as soca, dancing up and sexual whinning. And him saying that i could say the same thing
for his music too but at the end of the day i aint matter the guy because we are all intitled of his opinnion it wouldnt affect that
i love his music. i respect that man , But i dont agree with him no way it could be the devil music.
(MK) Whats your favorite Country to perform in?
(R) Uhm definetly hard to point one man. (Mk: cause each country has different things and public) Yah man!
I've travel, i've been very fortunate, Trinidad and tobago very uplifting experience, Toronto is crazy! Miami they are all
even you know espacially now giving the opportunity to hit latino's, the spanish market and the american but at the end of
the day there is nuthing like home. when you on your local stage they know who you are.
(MK) A lot of woman out there been wondering if you hvae any special woman in your life?
(R) *Laugh* Yah man you know in the entertainment,in the blue book, my hand book, page 3 paragraph 2,im not
allowed to give close informations about your personal life. All will all be revealed,soon,i can definetly say at the end
of the day im human we need love.
(MK) What advice could you give to other musicians trying to make it in the competitive music industry??
(R) Well at the end of it always have something to fall back onto, entertainment can be very unpredicatable you know
music can change very quickly. This minute you could be hot and the next minute your not. outside music espacially if your
get involve in it and your mkaing a little money look into investing,stock market,real estate,always have something to fall
back onto,like me i could go back to my graphic design days. Negative experiences makes you stronger. Use it. never let down.
always try to do something different. so people dont say oh you sound like this dude...create a little flyer, t-shirt.
Be strong man be ready for negative
(MK) What would you like to say to your dancehallareaz fans?
(R) Im very humble and grateful. check out my website Thisisrupee.com all the fans on the message board, all the fan
in the radio in barbados. i love ya'll.
(MK) Well thank you for your time and congradulations again.
Interview made by: Miss Kalunji
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