It's up to those who want to be recognized and strive in the professions/careers of their choice to work for it, to organize and persist. This is what The Dirty Crew do and as a result of their efforts and success', they are about to venture out on a Canadian tour entitled "6 Pack of Canadian" beginning on July 25th in Whistler, B.C.
MVRemix: First and foremost, to those who've yet to know about you, tell us a little about yourselves.
Neoteric: We are big proponents of rap music, women and beer.
D-vice: I’m D-vice, the orange pop evangelist. If you haven’t heard of me, just listen a bit closer, I’ll try to bring what I got to you.
Kaboom: My name is Sean Amsing. I'm funny and outgoing. I like long walks when there is a car involved and I'm sitting shot gun. I'm high maintenance. I, eye, Aiiiigh.
Moves: I'm funny, harmless (unless I don’t get paid on time), fat(beer), sexy, charming, humble, honest. Basically, I'm the guy all women want.
Fatt Matt: I came up in Halifax, Nova Scotia under the tutelage of some sick artists whose names I don't need to mention. I moved to Vancouver in 2003, really began concentrating on my catalogue. I have production and rap credits on international releases dating back to 2000-2001.
MVRemix: How did the "Dirty Crew" form?
D-vice: In my opinion, the Dirty Crew formed during the long, drunken nights at Jeremiah’s Barclay apartments, when Matt & Jere had their group called "the goup" and I would come over and make guest appearances on songs. As time moved on a bit, we got together more and more along with Cee!!!!!!!!! and Moves and a slew of others. By this time fatt matt was living at the Glen and Broadway beat machine. Since then - the rest is history.
MVRemix: How did the group name come about?
Neoteric: Intoxication, pretty much.
Fatt Matt: ask Moves…
Moves: Cee!!!!!!!! fell in a pile of shit, then went on stage in a gravel pit in Whistler. He stunk and Fatt Matt and D-vice and Neoteric were on with us so someone yelled "Dirty crew!"
MVRemix: What do you think of the current Vancouver Hip Hop scene?
D-vice: The current Vancouver hip-hop scene or rap scene as I’d call it is not bad at all, people generally know who’s laying it down and who isn’t, we got a lot of good young rhymers, and a lot of veteran dudes that are doing their thing and have been for awhile.
Kaboom: I'm old school. I remember the days of Birdapres and incredible ease. It was a time when people needed to be skilled to be noticed, but there was so much more to an emcee. It wasn't just a hot punch line and a bunch of coke-dealer friends. These days, popular rap isn't that skilled, so it's very easy to sound like a professional. For really talented emcees to stick out, they would all have to dumb it down. Every venue is underpaying and every show is under-promoted. Someone needs to set the standard and the people need to get off their lazy stoned asses and get to the shows, although I don't blame them on some of the shows for groups have not been up to par as of late.
This may be that no one gets attention this far west of Toronto, but it's more. Hip hop in this city needs a make over, and it takes emcees not listening to their circle of friends to figure out how dope they are.
Fatt Matt: I think it's just like anywhere else man, you got your thug rap, your geek rap, your conscious rap, your party rap. But, us, we're just trying to keep it original and not be the flavor of the month. Respect to everybody doing their thing in the city
Neoteric: I'm loving it! We constantly have great shows coming though, and some serious talent brewing. I DJ the weekly Underground Hip Hop Night called "Monday Night Live" at the Lamplighter which puts me in touch with a bunch of the people making music in the city, and I'm seeing how interconnected the whole scene is. It's dope, but it’s a tough city to play in, or succeed in, there's lots of rappers, lots of DJ’s all puttin’ in work.
Moves: Some suck, some don’t - same as always everywhere.
MVRemix: What are your thoughts on the success' and notoriety that Swollen Members have received and their supposed connections (Hells Angels)?
Kaboom: Yo, regardless of whether that's true or not, what are the Hells Angels not involved in? You wanna hate on someone, don't hate on that group. They are more hip hop than anything you know. They are from the old school. They just didn't want to be mechanics.
You start out as a rap group, then you bud in to a money-making organization, or you fizzle. If you don't find some way to use the other part of your brain that isn't rap, you go broke. As far as I'm concerned I support anyone I know making money and taking care of themselves. They are definitely doing that.
Fatt Matt: I am excited to hear Moka Only's new album.
Neoteric: I'ma say this – “Balance” to me is a Canadian classic, hell, it should be to everyone. I don't really care what people do outside of rap. It's good to see that a group from the west can see success like they did. The fact is Battleaxe is a power in Canadian rap, and they have put out albums from some incredible rappers like P.E.A.C.E, Abstract Rude, Son Doobie, even Shabaaz the Disciple! Ya know, so I won't ever front on them. I saw them in their infancy and Mad Child and Kyle and everyone else involved have put in tons of work. I think it’s in people’s nature to hate on the next man. I'm lookin’ forward the 4th World album they are puttin’ out!
Moves: Get that money in whatever way you can. Money doesn't make the world go round but it does make it a more fun place sometimes.
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"I'ma say this – “Balance” to me is a Canadian classic, hell, it should be to everyone. I don't really care what people do outside of rap. It's good to see that a group from the west can see success like they (Swollen Members) did."
