Celph Titled

MVRemix: Since we've already interviewed you before we can skip all the small talk and name introductions alright?

Celph Titled: Yeah, I appreciate that man.

MVRemix: I remember awhile-back reading the interview you did with Hugo, and you were saying something about hooking up with Kris. I don't remember hearing anything else about it so what happened?

Celph Titled: Alright, well that was just a mistake of mine. I'm gonna try and teach everybody how us aspiring artists are notorious for doing this. At that time I didn't have that many records out. I hadn't really done much, so you're hungry, and you're excited, and things come about that seem to be official at the time or you feel like they're gonna pan out, and they don't. So when stuff like that comes to you, never let the cat out the bag until its official. That's what I've learned to do. Now as far as that situation, it was legit. Kris had contacted me and from what I've heard from other people he had done that to a lot of people. I mean he had contacted me, I think he was still at Reprise, Warner Brothers at the time. You know it was about to be on according to him. Then like phone numbers got disconnected and his manager didn't return pages. So it's like, no diss to Kris, but I guess he wasn't really serious about it, so whatever, it didn't pan out and I made that mistake of running my mouth back at the time, which I would never do again. Since then a lot of crazy stuff has happened to me as far as shit like that which I don't want to speak about, but I didn't let the cat out the bag because I already learned the first time. That's an interesting question though. I'm glad you asked that, because probably people that don't know that that's an old interview will read it and be like "where the fuck is the joint". So I apologize to anyone who I might have misled.

MVRemix: No problem man. Alright, you just had a 12" drop recently with a joint on it called "Right Now" produced by The 45 King right?

Celph Titled: Correct.

MVRemix: How was it working with him and how did that relationship even come about?

Celph Titled: Well, it came about really through the label Bronx Science. They have a lot of dealings with him and the owners of the company are friends of his from back in the day. They had done, actually...which a lot of people don't know about, but that label had actually put out different volumes of 45 King beats, and had also collabed with him to do beats for Big Scoob and Paula Perry. So basically, just naturally, I had heard a beat, and you know, made sure it wasn't taken and I did my thing. Really though, it wasn't so much like a personal situation between me and Mark. I don't really know him like that. It was just more so through the label, but I've met him a couple of times, he's a cool cat. From what I've heard he liked the record, so that's whatever.

MVRemix: So you guys just got down with M-Boogie right, for the Demigodz EP?

Celph Titled: Yeah, on Ill Boogie

MVRemix: So how did the whole Ill Boogie Records deal get started?

Celph Titled: I mean, I had been peeping a lot of the stuff they had been putting out, and like a lot of the beats that M-Boogie did...

MVRemix: Yeah, ill.

Celph Titled: ...which I thought was real dope. He had licensed some of the songs I did for one his his Independents Finest CD's. Like the joint I did with Fudge, "The Smackdown" I think. I think one time I just called him like "Yo, can I get some copies of this", of the CD that my stuff was on. I just got to talking with him and he was telling me...this was awhile back, because the Demigodz shit is like a part of a series of EP's, so he had told me about this whole series he wanted to do, and I just kind of invited myself, you know. Me and Ap' are down to do whatever, and he got interested. It was originally just supposed to be an Apathy and Celph Titled record, but through the complications, whatever, with Bronx Science, which I'm not signed to but Ap' is signed to, they felt kind of funny about his name being out there like that on another label, you know, being a headlining release, as far a like a CD and all that. So we had to change it to Demigodz and we had recorded like two or three songs with just me and him, so with the rest of the songs we got everyone else in the crew involved. Basically it took a minute to do and it's finished and coming out.

MVRemix: Word that was my next question...

Celph Titled: Yeah, it's done. It's coming out in April. Like the first week in April is going to be the single and then I believe the last week in April the CD comes out, and it's also coming out on vinyl with a double vinyl. The songs on one and the instrumentals on the other.

MVRemix: Now I know you listen to a lot of Mainstream Hip Hop, even more than Underground. What's your feeling on all this beef and battling that's going on? You know with Nas and Jay-Z and so on.

Celph Titled: To be honest man...I don't know if there's something wrong with me, but I just didn't really...it was like a T.V. show that comes on that you're just not interested in watching and you just change the channel. For some reason I just wasn't interested in it. Mainly because.let's be honest, you know, as much as we'd like to see Nas recapture what he did back in his heyday, it's not going to happen. I've just lost interest in Nas over the years. Mainly because his production on his albums just overall...his choice of beats are usually wack to me. So I just kind of lost interest in that. Really and truly, I think Jay-Z, as far as battle rhymes, is a better battle rhymer. It was just an ill battle, because to me it just didn't make sense. Nas is like this "street poet", and Jay is like this clever shit talker. So you know I was kind of surprised on the outcome, but whatever. Really and truly I listen to everything, and a lot of people are trying to say it's corny, like a lot of people are saying "well I don't listen Underground...'cause I only listen to Mainstream", because it ain't cool no more to say you like Underground. The game flips all the time. First it was not cool to listen to the commercial jiggy stuff and it was cool to be Underground. Then Underground got popular and now everyone's saying it's cool to go back and listen to Fabolous and all that stuff.

MVRemix: It's kind of ridiculous man.

Celph Titled: It's real stupid. I just wanted to clear the air. I didn't say that in the interview to try to be cool. I just listen to whatever, but it's a lot easier for me to listen to whatever's on the radio because it's more accessible to me. There's a lot of Underground music coming out and I can't keep up with it all, so I listen to Hot97 because it's more accessible to me.

MVRemix: I mean, cats should listen to what they want regardless of whether it's cool or not, but a lot of people feel they need to listen to...well at least what they say they listen to is what's cool.

Celph Titled: I mean Hip Hop became a fashion show.

MVRemix: Exactly. So alright, so if there was one show or concert you could go to, who would you wanna check out?

Celph Titled: I mean like, something that was possible or something that's...

MVRemix: Just something that...is there any artists, whether it is mainstream or Underground, somebody you haven't seen, and you could go check them out, who would it be?

Celph Titled: I probably really would like to see a Juice Crew reunion show. Some shit with G Rap, Kane, Ace, Shan, Roxanne Shante, Biz Mark. You know, just like everybody at one show doing all their classics, and then finishing out with "The Symphony". To me, I would pay like five hundred bills to see that.

MVRemix: That might be the answer to my next question then. My next question was gonna be, if you were in charge of putting together a tour, and you can have whoever you wanted, doesn't matter, who would your line up be?

Celph Titled: Yeah, I'm saying that's an impossible thing to do, but if I could...actually that's not impossible if I was like Bill Gates or somebody, but I'm not so that's not possible, but yeah that's what I would do.

MVRemix: Let's talk about your current projects then, and what the crystal ball sees in the immediate future for you.

Celph Titled: Well right now I'm just working on my album. Pretty much closing shop on everything else and just focusing on that. I'll do a couple things here and there, but as far as doing a lot 12" for people and stuff, I'm kind of chillin' on that. I did a lot in the last year that didn't come out, which will be coming out this year, so it will kind of look like I'm still staying busy. Really just my album and...Rise has a new single out. Basically I have two projects coming out from my peoples from Equilibrium. My group Equilibrium which was my first group.

MVRemix: Yeah, with DutchMassive

Celph Titled: Yeah, DutchMassive and Majik Most, who was actually kicked out of the group at one point back in the day, but it's all good. He's got a record coming out and Dutch has a record coming out.

MVRemix: You doing production on both of those?

Celph Titled: Yeah, production and rhymes. That's another thing. This year I'm really trying to dead the beats, because...I'm not one to complain or whine, whatever, but I really really never wanted to be known for beats, to be honest. It's just like I had to take those opportunities in order to get my name out there, so my first impression on everybody was not what I wanted it to be, you know. Really and truly, I mean I'm appreciative of the support that I get for like production and stuff, but it's really not where my heart is at, and I really don't want to consider myself a producer as far as next to somebody like my man J-Zone or JJ Brown. I've said this before, but those are cats who really produce and do a lot of work into their beats, and a lot of the beats I do, I'll just slap them together and call it a day, because I'm an MC who makes beats. A lot of people try to say I'm a producer who rhymes, or "Celph Titled should stay off the mic and stay behind the boards." "He's wack on the mic". I mean people are entitled to their own opinions, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that they heard me first as a producer, and then they see me rhyming on the record and it's like I already have strikes against me, like "He's rhymin' now". It's like people can't accept the fact that you can do two things. They treating me like a Diamond D or somebody, you know, who's mainly known for producing, but people don't really really check for him on the mic. I'm trying to change that and I realize a lot of previous stuff I did wasn't really the greatest at what I was really trying to achieve, and now I'm getting focused. Hopefully on my album people will kind of take that title away. You know Apathy has that same dilemma because he's also like me, an MC who makes beats, but he got known on the MC tip and he makes really ill beats. Like the beats he did for Rise, you know, "Wickedest Flow", and I still hear people like, "Oh Apathy you suck at making beats, stick to rhymin'". You know it's whatever. I could go on all day about it. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

MVRemix: I did a little research recently to see what other cats were saying about you, you know I went to a couple boards...I mean a lot of people are saying you know how to rhyme though. I mean you got a few here and there that you know...you're gonna have haters regardless. Nothing you can do about that you know.

Celph Titled: Yeah, no doubt. I do appreciate this and I realize there is people who like the way I spit, but it's just the people saying that the reason why they think I'm not good is because I'm a producer. That's the stupidest thing. Alright I could tell if you just don't feel me, but saying you don't feel me because I'm not good enough to rhyme because you just think I'm a producer, you know what I'm sayin'. Just that kind of complex.

MVRemix: Well you know the people that I've noticed that are even saying that you're wack, really don't have an excuse for why they think that. They can't really quote any reason why they don't like you, so I guess it just boils down to the fact that, like you just said, people just can't accept the fact that someone is able to do two things.

Celph Titled: Yeah, it's that and also...it just don't phase me...I kind of wish we weren't really just talking about hate and stuff, but it's like...it makes me look wack. Like I'm sitting here talking about people saying I'm wack. (laughs) Makes people think that everyone thinks I'm wack, but nah, everyone has their haters. People think that MC's that are really ill are wack. There's people who think Pharoahe Monch is wack. You know whatever. A lot of it has to do with the fact that a lot of these kids, you know...a lot of this stuff is brought to my attention. Once again I'm not trying to be cool and say I don't really be on the Internet. I am on the internet, but I don't really have time, with as much stuff as I do, to be watching what everyone says, but a lot of time people will send me an email with like a copy of a message board post. I find a lot of it funny, but really what I've learned is that a lot of hating in general, not really hating on me, but people who hate...a lot of it has to do with the fact that there's really not that many fans anymore, and pretty much everyone is an MC. It's cool but it's like...you see other artists and, you know, you just jealous for the most part whether or not you think they're dope or not, you just kind of wish you were in their spot. So that's where hate comes from. It's like other genres of music you don't see people hating on Kenny G. You know, like other people who play instruments, like really out for Kenny G's head. Like "Oh, Kenny G's wack. When I see him I'ma punk him". It's no other genre of music but Hip Hop. That's what's so dumb. That's where the hate comes from. It's like other forms of music people will just dislike an artist. Like "Oh I don't like his music", but Hip Hop gets personal..."MC so and so is wack. He's a bitch.", you know. (laughs) People saying stuff like that or saying stuff like "Yeah, Jay-Z is a bitch, Jay-Z's a pussy and I know it". It's like come on man, you hatin' because you ain't where homeboy is at. That's why I'm talking about it, because it really bugs me out that...because when I was coming up...I'm not really that old, but it was before there was Hip Hop on the internet. It was before the internet was really a mainstream thing. There was no outlet to just anonymously go and talk about people. You know what I'm sayin'. You talk with your boys and talk shit, but you couldn't just go and talk shit about somebody and hide behind an alias, you know. It's whatever. People have their opinion. It's cool. For any artists you just gotta keep doing what you're doing, and if you feel in your heart what you're doing is dope then you're gonna be rewarded.

MVRemix: Word. When you look five years into the future, what do you see? Where do you envision yourself?

Celph Titled: I can't really say. I would hope that I'm just more successful and probably just with a lot more money in my pockets, (laughs), to be straight up honest with you, because...

MVRemix: We all hope for that.

Celph Titled: ...in five years I'm gonna be more towards the age where I'd like to be more comfortable, as far as, have a house, and just kind of be able to enjoy life. Then again I'm not really saying I'm struggling now, but I'm saying that I would like to have house money instead of what's going on. Really, I would say a lot of people say, you know, "I wanna be the next Jay-Z", or "I wanna be the next Premier" or whatever. To be honest, I don't want that. I don't want any of the fame man. I don't want fame. That's why I kind of like Underground Hip Hop, because you can just stay in the cut. It ain't really like real fame, you know. You basically get recognized by more people then if you were just making demos in your basement, but you just get your music heard and that's what I like. Really that's all I want. I want people to hear my music. I wish if there was a way, well there is ways, but I would like the money that comes with fame but not the fame. Like someone like Rockwilder whose face you may not really recognize walking down the street, but dude got millions of dollars.

MVRemix: What's currently in your heavy rotation?

Celph Titled: I'm always late on things. Actually I just got some CD's from BMG. (laughs) Some of it was wack. I really don't have anything in rotation. Really, to be honest, lately I've just been so obsessed with finishing a lot of stuff I had on deck. I haven't really had time to really keep stuff in rotation. Just peeping little things here and there.

MVRemix: Tell me a little about the equipment you use. A lot of people like to know what artists use. Also what's the latest piece of equipment you bought?

Celph Titled: I mean I keep it simple. I use an MPC2000XL for the beats. I use a computer for sequencing and for a lot of effects. I'll use the computer for a lot of filters and stuff like that. Send it back to the MPC and that's pretty much it. As far as production goes that's pretty much it. I just keep it simple. The only piece of gear that I would really like to have is like a good keyboard with good bass sounds, so I could freak a lot bass lines. But, I'm able to do that to some effect with the pads on the MPC.

MVRemix: You got a favorite program you like to use on the computer?

Celph Titled: Sound Forge is ill. Sound Forge and Cool Edit are cool.

MVRemix: Yeah, Cool Edit is what I use

Celph Titled: Yeah, those have ill filters and effects. Cool Edit Pro has a lot of effects I use. A lot of delay effects.

MVRemix: You use the multi-tracks?

Celph Titled: Nah I don't use the multi-tracks, but I know a couple people who do and they have good results from it. Actually, a lot of people out there think I use a computer to make beats, which I did a long time ago, but...actually before all these programs like Acid and Fruity Loops were even available, and actually before even Windows 95, I had started on a program in DOS. I think it was when they had Windows 3.1. It was just like some real real ghetto old school program. That's what I used to do a lot of stuff. That's how I learned the basics of making beats, and then I started to use other people's equipment, and then when I got serious enough, I bought the MPC. That's what I would recommend.

MVRemix: If you're gonna make a beat on the computer as opposed to one with some real equipment, what's the difference between the two?

Celph Titled: Well, a lot of people really try to diss the computer and say it's not cool, and I'm like whatever...I'm not trying to make a point that I don't use the computer anymore, and once again trying to sound cool. The only thing I can really say is that if you really want to take...a lot of people have got mad at me when I said this, because they don't really quite understand what I'm getting at, and you might not quite understand until you're in a situation where you'll understand what I'm saying. If you can understand what I just said. (laughs) What I'm saying is that when you use a computer to make beats, it's cool. It doesn't matter what type of equipment you use. If you can freak it then you can freak it. What becomes a problem is compatibility. If you really want to be a serious producer, and you want to be able to shop beats, and you want to be able to have the opportunity to lay down beats for major label artists, or even artists who take their shit to the studio for some real serious mixing, you're gonna run into some problems with compatibility. If you make your beats on the computer, it's real difficult to somehow outsource all your sounds, all separated, and have them all synched to the mixing board at the studio or whatever type of setup they're using. If you have a piece of hardware like an MPC or an ASR or a Trinity, you're never gonna run into the problem of not being able to lay your beat at the studio. Another thing is those are portable pieces equipment and you can take them anywhere, and you can go anywhere and lay your beat, and you can do the changes right on the spot with no problem. You can do the sequencing on the spot. The thing that I've witnessed with computer production is that it's actually a lot more work, in my opinion, to actually construct a beat from point a to point b. You also don't get a real feel, as far as...and I can say this because I've dealt with both. With your drum programming and everything, you can't really accent what you want to do in your head. You can't really get it to do quite what you want it to do on the computer. A computer is more like placing things, and that's a problem you can run into. If you do make beats on a computer, there's ways to get it to work. If you have a pro tools setup, you can save your whole beat with different tracks and save them as wave files, but that all start at the same point and then have them imported into a pro tools session. It's just an awkward situation. I'm not dissing anyone who uses a computer, but I'm just trying to let people know that if you really want to take your shit seriously and you want to be able to really get out there, then...Let's say somebody like Jay-Z wants to use one of your beats but he's like "I need you to come tomorrow and lay the beat. I'm in Miami. I'ma send you a plane ticket to come to Miami and lay the beat". If you have a computer, what are you gonna do? What, are you gonna call Jay-Z and find out the studio's engineer, and try to talk to the engineer, and try and coordinate. (laughs) It's just not gonna happen. If you got a piece of hardware you can be like "Alright" pack it up and boom, the next day you're in Miami and you laid your track for Jay-Z. It's as simple as that.

MVRemix: Alright, so what's your favorite studio to work at?

Celph Titled: Favorite studio would be my own. Just because of the comfortable atmosphere, and not pressured for time.

MVRemix: True. Is that where you do most of your work anyways?

Celph Titled: Depending on if it's someone else's record. Sometimes they might have their own studio setup where they're at. My studio's real simple, which if people looked at the credits on my record, that it says the Chrome Depot. That's my studio. That's where I do lots of my stuff at. A lot of the earlier stuff I did, I was just learning as far as getting into my own studio as far as learning the equipment and learning the sounds. It's a good thing you asked me that because a lot of the earlier records I did like Apathy's "Just Begun" and "Chrome Depot Freestyle", and Rasheed...Those records sound cool, but I had a real problem with a lot of distortion vocals. If you noticed on those records a lot of the S sounds have an obvious distortion. It's just something that really bugged me and I really had a lot of problems with my sound quality. You don't really notice how your mix downs are gonna come out until they get on vinyl. Vinyl's the true test of your sound quality. So luckily I was able to do a lot of trial and error, and have it come out on vinyl, and take an L in my opinion. A lot of people don't even notice the problems I had with it. I was able to learn from that and then fix the problem. Then next time there would be another problem and I'd eliminate the problems. So now I'm too the point with my own studio where the sound quality in my opinion is competitive with any major full blown studio. Best example will probably be the Demigodz EP that's coming out. That's something that I completely recorded and mixed, with the exception of one song, at my studio, and the results are just like perfect to me. So if you really want to get technical, listen to "Just Begun" and then listen to something on that and you'll see what I'm talking about.

MVRemix: So its bugged how overly saturated the Hip Hop scene is right now. What do we do to resolve this or can it be resolved at all?

Celph Titled: I think pretty soon it's gonna get maybe changed for the better. I used to be kind of upset about it, but then I realized...It's like, who am I to say so and so can't put out a record. I can't really say there's any wrong doing because people are gonna put out records regardless. I'm not a high powered Hip Hop god that decides who's dope or who's wack, or can say that my stuff is the dopest, so I have the right to come out on records. It is a problem. It is hurting, overall, the independent scene. I would say maybe because now that record sales are very poor overall for everybody, on vinyl in particular...

MVRemix: Yeah, I can't find anything anymore. At least in the stores here.

Celph Titled: The fact that people are losing money on pressing records. People are not getting paid from distributors for their records. Because of the situations with the market companies are going out of business.

MVRemix: MP3's

Celph Titled: MP3's. People are pretty soon gonna realize that it's not gonna pay off to put out wax anymore. Especially, I gotta say, that CD DJ stuff, that is gonna be the death of vinyl.

MVRemix: Now when you say CD DJ some people might not know what you're talking about.

Celph Titled: I think it's the pioneer. Pioneer came out with this piece of equipment...I'm not a DJ, and to be honest I'm not really an ill vinyl head. Back in the day I was into cassettes and then CD's came out and I was into them. The only stuff I would really get on wax is stuff that wasn't available on CD or tape. I was never a DJ, but I respect that. So Pioneer has this piece of equipment, which a lot of friends of mine who are really ill vinyl heads, even say that it's something that they would eventually switch to. It replicates everything that vinyl does.

MVRemix: Yeah, CD turntables. I've seen it but I've never used it.

Celph Titled: If you use it, I'm willing to bet 99%, that you would flip out and probably say, "Yeah, you know what, in a couple of years I might be using it". And the reason why I say vinyl's gonna be dead because of that, is because I've witnessed hardcore vinyl people actually say it's ill and acknowledge it. I know people, like my man Crossphader, from my man DL, he got one, and he did cuts with it, and they sounded...you can't tell that they're not wax.

MVRemix: I feel a little violated by that.

Celph Titled: Yeah, I mean, when I witness stuff like that, I know the death of vinyl's coming. Another plus to that is just music in general for DJ's, because you can burn your own CD's, and burn a CD of whatever and put it on at the club. So, it's like you got all the hot joints on one disk. Not only that, but probably the next step after that, there'll be an MP3 DJ system, and then it's over. All you gotta do then is go online, let's say you're a DJ and you need all the hottest new joints, and instead of going to the record store or calling the record labels for the promos, all you gotta do is go on the internet, download the latest Jay-Z shit, or whatever, that ain't even out yet, load it into your MP3 DJ system, and go to a club, and you gonna rock the motherfucker. You got everything and people don't know the difference, because people just wanna dance. So as far as that aspect, for Club DJs, it's over, it's over for vinyl. I hate to say it because all my stuff comes out on vinyl. That's ultimately what's gonna happen. Vinyl for everybody is just down, and I don't really know if they're gonna go back up.

MVRemix: Yeah, a lot of the major labels are starting to send me CD's instead of records so I definitely feel the impact.

Celph Titled: Yeah man, it's the future. One thing I used to think that was ill about about vinyl, and I never thought that vinyl would really die, was no matter what, with MP3's and all that, a DJ is gonna need vinyl to be able to mix and do his club thing. That's why I was like "Alright, well MP3's ain't really gonna put the hurt on vinyl, because the people that buy vinyl still wanna physically have the music on record." Now with all this technology, you don't need to have the physical piece of wax to be a DJ. That sounds crazy and a lot of purists probably think I'm crazy for acknowledging and thinking that that shit is kind of dope, but I can't front. Anyone that's messed with one of those machines, and like I said I'm not a DJ so you can't really say that I know everything about that, but quote me that that's gonna be the death of vinyl.

MVRemix: OK, so what were your top 5 albums of 2001?

Celph Titled: (laughs)

MVRemix: There was a lot of dope joints but it wasn't a great year.

Celph Titled: Alright, I'm gonna say I did like "The Blueprint" a lot, because he kind of took it back with the beats, which kind of reminded of me of '94/'95 flavor, which was cool, because those years were cool years for Hip Hop. So it kind of brought back that flavor with all the samples, which I was happy to hear, because samples are hard to find now in Hip Hop right now on a major level. "'Blueprint" was dope, and what came out this year?

MVRemix: Alright, what about Cannibal Ox? That's my number one personally.

Celph Titled: Really, you know, I heard the album in someone's car, but we were talking and I didn't really get to peep it, so I can't really judge it, but I do think those kids definitely have skills. I know my man C-Rayz is on there but I didn't really get to peep it.

MVRemix: The production on there from El-P is definitely ill.

Celph Titled: Word? I have a lot of respect for him. I don't really know him, but I have a lot of respect for him as far as he's been doing his thing for a long time as far as the Underground is concerned. He's definitely not afraid to express himself production-wise as far as not really following any guideline or rules. You know a lot of people try to be all abstract on purpose, but it's not really in them to do it. Like they'll just make some crazy beat and be like "Yeah, this is ill. I'm ill because this is some different abstract...", but I feel he really feels what he does. That's why lot of his stuff sounds really bugged out. I feel like that's him. That's his personality coming out in the beats.

MVRemix: Now is El-P someone you would work with or is that not really your style?

Celph Titled: It's not my style but that doesn't mean I'm dissing it. It's just not my thing. I would do it to try to do something different than what I normally do, but I'm just really more of a straight forward cat as far as the...

MVRemix: Raw beat right?

Celph Titled: Yeah, the boom bap beats. Nothing too crazy. Just that type of flavor.

MVRemix: Alright, what else came out this year...what about Nas?

Celph Titled: You know, I didn't even really hear him. I've really just been in a chamber. Just in my own world, and I didn't even hear Nas' album, and I wasn't even really interested in it because I had lost interest in Nas. Nowadays you just gotta be real picky, so I just kind of stuck with Jay.

MVRemix: It's cool. On to the next question.

Celph Titled: (laughs) Yeah man, for real, this past year I've listened to a lot of older stuff. Not like classic stuff, but I just went back and listened to weird albums that I had from a couple years ago, like All City. I kind of dug up albums that I had promos of that were just really weird albums that major labels put out, that just kind of got thrown out there, like Dice Raw's solo album, and Pop Da Brown Hornet had an album. Just weird kind of stuff, listening to whatever. It was a real random year.

MVRemix: I know with all the downloading MP3's and losing money in records stores that a lot less DJs are getting promotional material. So kind of break down the situation.

Celph Titled: A lot of times, at least with vinyl sales and Underground sales, it didn't equate to more sales. Some people come to me like, "You're crazy, you're crazy. You promote a record, it's gonna sell", but on an Underground level, a lot of times it just doesn't make a difference whether or not they spend a G to press the promos, and that's a minimum, a G, to do promotions, and with independent labels and that kind of budget, a thousand dollars is needed elsewhere. It just doesn't equate to more sales. For instance, when Bobbito was putting out records on Fondle 'Em, he didn't do any promo. Did it affect the sale of his records? No, I don't believe so. People still bought the records. DJ's that normally got the promos bought the records. I'm not dissing DJ's, and I think DJ's need to have their records, and I know I personally made sure that my record was mailed out.

MVRemix: You know, a lot of people gripe about the internet and losing money because of it, but in all reality that's the best place for promotion. The websites get more hits than any DJ could ever sell mixtapes.

Celph Titled: I realize the importance of it because you don't see Underground Hip Hop on TV and you don't see it in the source.

MVRemix: And you don't see DJ Clue putting too much of it on his CD's either.

Celph Titled: Nah, so really the only outlet for it is the internet. What's funny is a lot of artists try to front on that. A lot of Underground artists try to front on that. "The internet is corny." and whatever, but what they don't realize is, and however much they want to deny it, that's the only outlet really that they have for their music to be heard by that many people, without having to pay anything. It's worldwide. That's just one thing that I find funny.

MVRemix: So what was the first single or album you copped this year, and what did you think about it?

Celph Titled: This year, I guess the first thing I got this year was Necro "Gory Days". I'm a Necro fan, I won't front. I think his shit is ill. You know, I like raw Hip Hop and that's what he does.

MVRemix: Besides Hip Hop, what else is going on in your life? Is it just Hip Hop or are you getting married or whatever?

Celph Titled: It's really just Hip Hop. I'm really just trying to get as much music as I can get done, in a short amount of time, without rushing it. There's not a day that goes by that I'm not working something. There's not a weekend that goes by that I'm not working on something. Really and truly I'm just trying to solidify myself to the point where I can make a living off the doing the music, so now's the time to hustle, and I don't want to be old doing that. Like I was saying I would be doing in five years...hopefully I would have a house and be living comfortably. That's what I'm trying to set up for now. It's gonna get there step by step. You know, the type of music I do, really ain't some big money maker. You can make a living off of this. I know of other independent artists who make a living off of this. That's my goal to make a full fledged living off of this. I'm doing it now but it's not enough.

MVRemix: Alright, for this little exercise we're gonna do, I'm gonna shoot you a word or a phrase and you just give me your first thought. The first one is the Golden Age.

Celph Titled: Big Daddy Kane

MVRemix: The Demigodz

Celph Titled: Ill

MVRemix: Tampa

Celph Titled: Hot

MVRemix: New York

Celph Titled: ......Nothing's popping into my mind. (laughs) Dark

MVRemix: You know, I meant to ask you about New York earlier, and in another interview, you were talking about New York jumping on the bandwagon of whatever was hot. If you could, elaborate on that.

Celph Titled: New York is...I got love for New York, and I guess you could say I'm a New Yorker now, and I do rep Tampa Bay to the fullest, but this is my home now. As far as what I said though, New York is just notorious for doing whatever is hot, as far as what's going on now. Before they used to be a trendsetter. I mean, Hip Hop started here, but now I'm a little upset with New York as far as trying to...You know, it's kind of like whatever. People are gonna say, "Well you shouldn't be so narrow minded. I think it's ill that someone like Busta Rhymes is doing a down south type of joint". Which is cool, but it's like, you don't hear Master P doing a Mobb Deep type of joint. You don't hear Mack 10 doing a Gangstarr sounding joint. You just don't hear that, so what does that make New York look like. It makes New York look like a bunch of dick riders. It's just kind of corny to me, to hear shit like that. New York artists trying to do some Trick Daddy shit. New York has always been known for not having that real thump in their music. I was born and raised in Florida, known for the bass man. We used to never really rock too much New York shit, because it never really thumped right, besides certain joints where they happened to use the 808 drum machine. Like KRS ONE's "Bridge Is Over", that never thumped in the system. We listened to it, but when we really wanted to hear something boom, we'd play Magic Mike. You know, drop the bass. That may sound corny to people not from Florida, but that was what was hot back then.

MVRemix: Yeah, I was born in Ft. Lauderdale so I know about that. Actually my family is from Long Island, so I kind of feel where you're coming from. I've got that mix in me, even though I've never lived in New York, so I still feel kind of upset with the way New York is jumping on the bandwagon. Even if you're not from New York, or you don't know anybody from New York, you could still see what's going on there.

Celph Titled: Exactly. New York needs to take the griminess back. They need to either start something new...and what's funny is all the hottest New York artists ain't even really fucking with New York producers. I mean the Neptunes are like the hottest producers, and more power to them, but they're from Virginia, and Timbaland is from Virginia. So no doubt, peace to Virginia. They're putting it on the map as far as that, but a lot of these New York artists really need to try to find some local talent and set the new trend. I can't even tell you what the current New York sound is, because it's just a big mess. Just one big mess. Even Mobb Deep is buggin'. I used to look at them like bringing a real authentic New York sound, and they're buggin' now. The only people that really bring it every time are people like Gangstarr, and what's even ill about them is they're not even from New York. They've lived in New York longer than me, way longer than me. Premier with his beats really bring a New York sound, and he was born and raised in Houston I think.

MVRemix: Yeah, and Guru's from Boston

Celph Titled: Yeah, Guru's from Boston. So they came to New York and really captured the New York sound and they really represent New York.

MVRemix: Word. Alright, so back to this list. The next one is the Clockwork Orange.

Celph Titled: ...I never saw the movie so I can't say anything.

MVRemix: Word, it's a bugged movie. You should definitely check it out. Let's see...The Gas Face

Celph Titled: Hammer (laughs)

MVRemix: Alright...(laughs)

Celph Titled: Because I remember when they said...

MVRemix: Yeah, that's a classic. The C.M. Famalam Show

Celph Titled: Funny

MVRemix: DJ Premier

Celph Titled: Respect

MVRemix: B-Boys...or B-Girls, doesn't matter.

Celph Titled: Funny clothes (laughs)

MVRemix: Two dykes and a pimp.

Celph Titled: Fugees

MVRemix: (laughs) That's kind of fucked up. 21 Jump Street

Celph Titled: 80's

MVRemix: The Sopranos

Celph Titled: ....No words are coming.

MVRemix: You check out?

Celph Titled: I've never seen the show actually.

MVRemix: That's cool. Italian chicks

Celph Titled: Attitude

MVRemix: The Mile High Club

Celph Titled: Pussy Galore

MVRemix: Alright. Favorite kicks

Celph Titled: I guess Timberland boots.

MVRemix: Last but not least, and this is actually from a movie coming out...Billy Bob Thorton banging Halle Berry's back out.

Celph Titled: Nausea

MVRemix: Yeah, they have a movie coming out together called the Monster's Ball.

Celph Titled: I think I saw them on Conan O'Brien.

MVRemix: Yeah, they were interviewing Halle, and she was talking about them doing whatever.

Celph Titled: Yea, nausea. It should be me on Halle Berry.

MVRemix: Alright, here's where the fun's at. I got a scenario for you and you just kind of play along and we'll see what happens. The Fortress of Lyricism, use your imagination on that one, has been bum rushed and is under siege by 5 dope terrorist MC's. Your terrorist MC's are Kool G Rap, Jay-Z, GZA, Chuck D, and Redman. As you can see, they're pretty versatile. You're the commander and your job is to choose 5 ill MC's to battle the terrorists, to keep the fortress from being seized. So what MC's would you choose and why?

Celph Titled: (laughs) This is kind of a different question.

MVRemix: Yeah, I'm different yo. I don't like asking the same questions and doing the same things everyone else does,

Celph Titled: Alright, who's the first one, Kool G Rap?

MVRemix: Yeah

Celph Titled: Probably Freddie Foxx, because G Rap brings real grimy street shit. You're gonna need someone that's brolic enough to battle that. It would probably have to be Bumpy.

MVRemix: Alright, next is Jay-Z

Celph Titled: I'd resurrect Big L. Jay-Z's someone who's real witty and real confident, so I'd send Big L back to battle.

MVRemix: Next up is the GZA.

Celph Titled: That's tough. I'd probably put my man C-Rayz Walz on him. A lot of people say they have similar voices, but not because of that, but Walz is real balanced as far as a lot of knowledge, he can spit, and he can come with the battle rhymes. That's kind of like the Genius. He can kind of do some battle shit and then he also comes with the wisdom, and Walz has the wisdom too. Walz has a lot of culture with him. That would be ill.

MVRemix: Chuck D

Celph Titled: KRS.

MVRemix: I figured you would say that. That's perfect. There's no need for explanation on that one. Last is Redman.

Celph Titled: Apathy. They both have a wild style, wild voices, and funny punch lines. They have fun with their music.

MVRemix: Word. That's basically it man. If you have anything you wanna say, anything you want the fans to hear, anything you wanna get off your chest, now's the time to do it.

Celph Titled: Yeah man, bring back the fun in Hip Hop. Stop bullshitting. Stop hating. Stop worrying about the next man. Enjoy the music. If you're a fan, enjoy the music. I'm a fan. I enjoy the music. If you're an artist, be a fan. Just have fun man. Get rid of the hate. That's some real real bullshit. One thing that Hip Hop taught me growing up was to not really give a fuck about anyone else. Do you. Hip Hop really reinforced self esteem when I was growing up as a teen. I don't know what happened in Hip Hop now, because a lot of these young kids growing up don't have that, but get it and have fun with it. Stop taking shit so seriously. Have fun with the shit. I don't worry about no one else. I just do my thing and I enjoy it.

MVRemix: True. You know what; I forgot to hit you off with one of the words. Vivica Fox

Celph Titled: Fuck (laughs, as we fade to black)