| Buckshot is one of a kind. His theories on subjects like technology, spirituality and the music industry are in-depth and heartfelt. His record company sells millions of units annually, yet his living conditions consists of a one bedroom and a cat. This man has big ideas and big plans, but staying human is important. His Hip-Hop empire is growing; Duck Down records boasts a powerful roster of youth and experience. MVRemix was able to have an informative chat with this underground hero.
MVRemix: What does Survival Skills mean to you?
Buckshot: Survival skills are about having what it takes to make in the ring. Its about knowing how to stay alive. KRS One has been an MC for 20 years, he knows what its all about. Its a cutthroat industry sometimes, so you need the right tools. This record is about showing weve got what it takes. Its about presenting our reality as weve seen it .
MVRemix: How has KRS one influenced you?
Buckshot: I used to work a summer job and Id listen to KRS-One on my boom box every day. Hes one of the greats. His biggest influence on me has been subliminally. His intricate words had a profound effect on me. Just being a fan of his in the past and coming up on a guy that like. I had a song called breath control, he had a song called breath control too. I was influenced by his breath control. KRS-One has a lot of science behind a tight game, Ive always been a fan of his. Hes always given great things to Hip Hop.
MVRemix: "Robot" is an awesome song and video. Great dancing by the way.
Buckshot: I was always a dancer. I came up doing that.
MVRemix: You Break?
Buckshot: Oh yeah.
MVRemix: Any tips for young B-boys?
Buckshot: Always look to the past for good moves. Go check breaking, B-Street, Breaking 1 and Breaking 2. Look to the past to find inspiration. Know whats out there, what came before.
MVRemix: Knowledge is the fifth element isnt it.
Buckshot: You better believe it. KRS-One said it. Knowledge Rein Supreme Over Nearly Everyone. Youll always have people that feel that way. At the end of the day, health, stamina, damage, its what its all about.
MVRemix: Are you a spiritual person?
Buckshot: Definitely.
MVRemix: How did it come into your life?
Buckshot: Just as a kid. I grew up with a father who had knowledge of self. He was intelligent; he was wise, you start to pick up on those things. As a teenager I gained knowledge of self. And from that point on I studied everything from Islam to Sufism, anything dealing with spirituality.
MVRemix: Do you follow any spiritual tradition?
Buckshot: No, I say my thing is more universal. Im a universal person. I believe that the creator is all of us. I believe that the creator is both the male and the female. I believe that the male and the female coming together is the creation force of life. Anything born can only be born from a female, and anything birthed can only be birthed from the male. Its like what came first the chicken or the egg? And thats the best part.
Hip-hop is about respecting who you are. Thats what hip-hop is about. When hip-hop started, we took nothing and made into something. Everybody had their own version. That nothing was being turned into something. There was a point in time when everybody adopted the same style. They felt that this is hot when he did it, so Im gonna do it. But its a failure because then we all become robots, like how I said in the record.
Unfortunately youre watching and your part of the generation thats introducing the terminator. Youre a part of the T1 generation. You will see the T1. You will see the first bio-robotic companion. Youre already part of the 2nd life, which has avatars and such. Youre already in the matrix. You will be part of physically seeing robotic forms, people walking around that arent actually human, but are humanoid.
Everyone wanting to be a robot is about everybody willing to give up their human rights in order to be relevant to something that only lasts for the moment. Which is a thumbs up, a yay, a praise or an acknowledgement.
MVRemix: Heavy. Any thoughts on 2012
Buckshot: My personal gut instincts and everything thats guided me up to this point, is telling me that 2021 will be the year we have conflict with Korea. The leaders going to die and the military going to take over. This is going to bring the UN and the world in a new way. Soon theres going to be a world dollar. Well all be united in as a global country.
MVRemix: Sounds positive.
Buckshot: Yeah, but there are people out there working to remain in power. There are forces out there, you might call them the illuminati. Theyve talked to me and they dont like me very much. They said they dont like how I dont play poker. Theyve got their rituals, under ground power.
MVRemix: Play poker, like deal with the devil?
Buckshot: You could call it that, they want to me engage with them. But Im not down with excessive power or wealth. Wealth can really change people. When you people get rich over short of amount of time, theyre suddenly into all kinds of weird new experience
Have you heard about these homosexual parties? Im friends with some black business people who got rich and they all got into these parties. They used to be heavy, now they say theyre all on salad diets. Im not saying any names, but somebody out theres knows exactly who Im talking about. Now they get together and have these freaky parties.
MVRemix: Well to each his own I guess.
Buckshot: I dont know about you, man, but I dig girls. Women. But its true, if thats what you like go for it. Im not hating on anyone. But the money can change people. They get to a point where they have everything theyve ever wanted, so they go for any experience, especially if its cool at the time. Its like sucking some dude off one day, then its like boring, okay whats next? Some people get so big and then try to get back down but they can't.
MVRemix: So its important to stay humble.
Buckshot: I call it staying human. I think that Ive lived on this earth many times already, but I dont believe in reincarnation. Without being aware of those past lives, how can you believe in reincarnation? I do believe in karma and powerful energy. I think my past lives have been becoming more enlightened and Im here to continue that.
MVRemix: Whats the difference between independent and corporate labels?
Buckshot: Corporations have a board of directors and investor that make decision. Often they are tapped into the music game, but more often making moneys the most important thing. Being independent and having an independent company means me and the artists get to make all the decision.
People always wonder about my net worth, but no one knows. We sell millions of records, but no one needs to know what I make. Im making money, I couldnt survive otherwise. I couldnt do all the things I do. But nobody needs to know how much I make. Some cats live in an eight-bedroom apartment just to ay they do. You ask them about it and they say, shit I just leave that room empty. I think thats hilarious. I used to sit in my big backyard and just laugh at the excess.
You get some cats that say they have an independent label, but its just a sticker. Nothing more then the word fantastic on a bottle of spray. But theyre all working to make something, so its good.
MVRemix: Has your success brought good things back to your old neighborhood?
Buckshot: Definitely, Ive worked on some good projects, but its the one on one that made the differences. Just being part of the community. I dont like the idea of being famous. I like being cheered for at concerts, but thats cause I just did something good. Getting props for things you did in the past is funny, cause Im already onto better things.
MVRemix: What does the future of hip-hop look like?
Buckshot: Mm, that question is always tough. Its gonna stay. As long as there are haves and have nots, there will be hip-hop. Well always represent ourselves. Well always make something from nothing. It doesnt matter if Rap music fades from the mainstream; its now a global movement. All over the world its growing. Wherever theres poverty, youll find hip-hop. Its the voice of the underground.
MVRemix: Supporting young rappers is important to you isnt it?
Buckshot: Hell yeah it is. They are the new generation. As Hip Hop evolves they are the ones that are going to carry it into the future. Just being a fan of his in the past. Coming up on KRS-ONE in the past and influencing each other.
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