Legendz

Though there are a number of Afrocentric, politically oriented hip-hop groups, very few of them are on the level of X-Clan; a Brooklyn-based collective that released a pair of historic albums (1990’s To The East Blackwards & 1992’s Xodus) in the early 1990’s.

The group’s primary members, Grand Verbalizer Funkin Lesson Brother J, Lumumba Professor X (the son of prominent and influential activist Sonny Carson), the Rhythm Provider Sugar Shaft and Grand Architect Paradise were joined by a cast of associates, including MC Isis (aka Lin Que). X-Clan were activists both inside the booth and out, as they were Blackwatch members and very vocal supporters of several pro-black organizations.

The underrated crew continues to go strong as they put the finishing touches on their upcoming release, Mainstream Outlaws, and a DVD retrospective of their career. Sixshot spoke with leader, Brother J, about redefining mainstream hip-hop, being hip-hop’s black sheep, working a construction job to survive, and more.

Sixshot.com: What’s the meaning behind the title?

Brother J: That’s the number one question. [Laug hs] The title basically paints me as a black sheep in the game. I’ve had the privilege of touring with some of the strongest groups and I’ve seen another level of mainstream. So I decided to call myself an outlaw of what people consider the mainstream. I want to show them a different texture of hip-hop music through consciousness. It’s basically saying that we’re redefining what people have called mainstream.

Sixshot.com: Mainstream hip-hop is known for being materialistic, misogynistic, and violent. So what are you hoping to redefine about mainstream hip-hop?

Brother J: I’m trying to get the new generation to understand true lyricism; meaning content and topics for the entire family and not just for club heads and radio heads. I listen to everything and I don’t have a prejudice against anything as an adult. But for the children there’s not enough music that shows the raw lyricism of hip-hop. So right now putting out this album that has powerful hooks and content becomes a renegade up against what’s out now on commercial radio.

Sixshot.com: You mentioned feeling like a black sheep in the game. Do you feel like you and the X-Clan are not respected enough in the game?

Brother J: I don’t think they gave enough salute to the Blackwatch Movement which was really a connection of revolutions, generations, and hip-hop. We linked those generations so that people could look back and see the revolution of the streets. That was a powerful movement and it opened a whole new door of expressions. The movement never got enough respect and then the group as a conduit for that—we don’t get the accolades.

People were e-mailing me on MySpace about how they [VH1 Hip-Hop Honors] gave Wu-Tang Clan respect before X-Clan.I’m a fan of Wu-Tang myself but if they were doing it generation by generation then Clan should have been saluted. We helped to open the door for people to express their culture, and not just materialism and sex and things of that nature. So I guess when the commercial stream of things catch up to how important we are to the game we’ll finally get that salute.

Sixshot.com: For acts that been in the game for so long they sometimes change their audience base and shy away from targeting the younger generation. Who are you all making music for nowadays?

Brother J: I would love for the young generation to grasp on and I'm happy that they are. I try to create my music to be timeless. I don’t have hang-ups. I really want to bring the adult audience back into hip-hop because they lost faith in it. A lot of people of the golden era now listen to jazz and R&B. Overall I'm just aiming to have a crowd that likes to have a good time with hip-hop. We kept our albums clean so they don’t have to turn the volume up and down, or play one or two songs. They can leave it on at the barbecue or club.

Sixshot.com: I read that you hope that the second generation of X-Clan is perceived more as a guidance team than as a rap group.

Brother J: One thing about X-Clan is that it’s always been a guidance group. We want to do things that will last and help to improve. I can’t hope that an album is gonna help to make a young man or woman step up and be better. There are things that have to be in line with that and we want people to rise above these things. For example if you have attention deficit disorder then we have to have the focus programs; and we have to build them; and let people have awareness about where they are.

Sixshot.com: Do you feel that the conscious rap community sticks together enough?

Brother J: I don’t think the unity's there because they haven’t figured out how to work the chemistry in the game for them to be successful. It’s something to where if that kind of content you’re speaking of was successful then I'm sure you’d see a lot more concerts with 4 or 5 of those artists on the bill. The fact that it’s not so popular means you have artists fending for themselves. So there won’t be unity until it’s more successful and a consistent audience behind what they’re doing.

Sixshot.com: One of the criticisms with conscious hip-hop is that a lot of people think the musicality is forsaken for deep lyrics.

Brother J: Yes, because they’re angry. Ain't nobody successful right now angry. If you look at Puffy he’s toasting in the video with Jay-Z. He’s smiling and he ain't angry. So anybody successful has a smile on their face. Most of these conscious artists have anger on their mind because they’re learning the truth about how we’re being deceived in this country. I'm telling them as a father and pioneer of this kind of music that you have to let go and let your spirit be free. You'll be a better person and artist, and the better melodies will come out of you. This album is an example of the type of freedom I'm talking about.

Sixshot.com: I read that during the making of the last album you got a chance to learn more about family and your manhood. What sort of things did you learn and get in tune with during that time?

Brother J: Well, I left New York to come to California to expand the team. I needed a break. New York was such a rat race as far as the music and you had to get down with the right clique. I didn’t see myself getting down with Dipset or Puffy's camp or Jay-Z’s camp. I don’t do the kind of music they would hire or bring forth. So I came out here working construction, supporting my family, and not waiting for anybody to give me a deal. So I got in-touch with survival. I go to study a lot of the things that I didn’t have time to do when I'm on a tour bus or running from show to show.

I had two sons out here and I got a new wife. I did things that I really never had a chance to do with running around so much. So that led to me evolving as an artist. Sampling was something as a youth where you dig in the crates, pull up a beat, and put it on. But as a man you find out how to play the notes and what musicians to hire. I’ve been touring for four years now with the new X-Clan group and I have fans that are 15 years old, which is as old as I been doing music. So the grown man business is not just for grown folks; it’s for the youth as well. They want to feel that mature and say, “I want to be like that artist who can reinvent and not be afraid of what he says, and is proud of his culture and his people.”

Sixshot.com: Did it hurt your pride having to do construction work since you’re a hip-hop icon?

Brother J: Well, I mean beyond pride I had to realize this: the people that buy my records do construction, car sales, and are supermarket workers and so on. I'm no bigger than anyone that buys my material. I think a lot of artists that bottom out don’t realize that you got to get off that pride. I have no shame in being a real person. I could kick raps to make people think I live in a big mansion off of royalties, but I’m not lying to my audience. I think it’s better to be truthful with them and to let them know I'm real. I got to go through things and I got bills like anybody else. I have to live and survive and keep my family up. I also have to learn how to balance my career with my survival, and learn how to be an independent artist. So I thought it would be a good thing for people to ask me how I survived all those years rather than how many earrings I have in my nose or about the pink Caddy. People ask me silly things. [Laughs]

For more information please visit:
www.myspace.com/xclanmusic