All songs © 2007 Wrecluse Published by Two Hits and a Cough Music (BMI)
Interview questions from HipHop-Magazine.com for Serge Boogie:
1. First of all, give people a little background about yourself...
2. How long have you been in the game ?
3. How was your upbringing and what was was it that got you into this game ?
4. For people not familiar with you, what can they expect as far as your sound / style and production ?
5. Tell us about your process of writing rhymes ? How do you actually go about it ?
6. Where does your lyrical motivation come from ?
7. What's been your experience like so far in the game ?
8. What is your plan to get your name out there ?
9. What are you looking for in terms of a deal ? Have any labels show any interest in you ?
10. If you were asked to make a comparison to any one artist who you you think is similar to you, who would you pick ?
11. Tell us something about Wrecluse ? Is it a label or a plattform for upcoming artists ?
12. How hard is it for a Midwestern MC to get into the game ?
13. What projects are you working on right now ?
14. Whats your opinion of the game right now ?
15. Any final comments?
Replies:
1. Serge Boogie aka Mr.Serge, Columbus, Ohio. WRECLUSE.COM is the umbrella for any and all creative endeavors. A private person and Id like to think a renaissance man in the making. My focus is to let my walking do the talking.
2. Ive been writing and making tapes since the late 80s. Eye Contact The EP was done in 97 . That was my first studio effort. So Id say 8 or 9 years.
3. I was born in St.Petersburg, Russia. Only child. Moved to the U.S. when I was 7 y.o. Had to adapt to a new culture, learn to communicate etc. Moved to Akron,OH. Was enrolled in a Hebrew school which I attended through the 6th grade. All public school there after. I never really enjoyed school. I was a wallflower who most remembered(if they remembered at all) by name but not by face. Graduated Kent State with a BA in Psych. Moved to Bustown. Was an adolescent Social Worker for about 7 years. Left my job not too long after the director told me I had to learn to eat crow . I have worked as a Treatment Tech at an emergency shelter care facility and a Youth Outreach Specialist in the streets of C.O. Currently employed as a Case Manager for a Head Start agency. As far as I know the parents I have are my real parents. Theyve been together for 39 years and I love em 2 deaf. I got in this game for the love of the artform. Hearing artists like(excuse the name dropping).. RunDMC, FAT BOYS, Big Daddy Kane, SaltnPepa,LLCOOLJ, Eric B. and Rakim, BDP, Slick Rick ,Chubb Rock, Rob Base, 3RD Bass, Just-Ice etc. etc. It was new and it was fresh. My mom bought me my first official HipHop cassette. It was(again with the name dropping) Eazy-Es EZ DUZ IT. Before writing rhymes I was writing little stories and drawing profusely. I was either glued to the tube or writing. It was both an escape and therapy at the same time. It was something that made me feel relevant.
4. Id like to think that they should expect the unexpected. But up to this point Id say my sound has definitely been influenced by early 90s eastcoast HipHop. I was a purist or some might say a hater for a long time. When people started slapping that backpacker label on my favorite sound is around the same time I started noticing that my favorite sound was becoming a parody of itself. I was just about to sleep on HipHop when I was awakend by a fresh new sound coming out of the south. So I went from Beatnuts, Tribe, DeLa, Kurious, Diamond-D, Nas, Mobb Deep, Bootcamp Click, Wu, Gangstarr,Ras Kass, Acey Alone, Saafir, Volume-10 and Del to Three Six Mafia, David Banner, Fiend, Eightball&MJG, UGK, Slim Thugga and Pastor Troy. To make a long story short Id like to think that my music has a unique element to itas in all things though I am influenced by what I see, feel ,touch and hear and will both consciously and unconsciously incorporate that into my music. I dont like the term HipHop Culture because it defines and sets limits. For instance Ive never felt natural freestyling. I didnt get in the game that way. Nor did I break dance. I did what was natural for me. Ill be damned if Im going to let someone question my authenticity or significance because I dont fit some HipHop Culture guidelines. HipHop is a culture that should be identified by its essence rather than broken down into rigid parts. Before there was a term there was the expression. I dont want my expression to be stifled by someone elses lack of imagination.
5. Initially I used to write rhymes without listening to a track. Once I started making beats the process changed to where I let a track grab me and then write rhymes to fit the track.
6. Im motivated by my experiences. It is usually based on how Im feeling about certain issues. It could be something that happened to me or someone I know. I generally dont write about things that Im not emotionally tied into.
7. Id say its been frustrating to say the least. Basically Ive had to put expectations aside and just let things happen how they happen. I used to set goals and time frames for myself but all that does is make it more disappointing when things dont work out as planned. Ive become comfortable with the idea that Im doing this for the love of it and if shit doesnt work out as far as the money is concerned then so be it. Ill keep it moving as long as the inspiration is there.
8. My plan is to be true to self and let things fall where they may. Basically Im hitting up everyone I can. Being that I dont have a lot of money to work with I have to search opportunities that allow me the biggest bang for the buck. The best opportunities are free. The next best are those where one hand washes the other. For instance, I signed a deal with a ringtone co. I am in the works to do some theme music for some underground street fight type ish. I got a review in this months issue of Hip-Hop Connection mag outta London. You guys doing this feature. I gotta a promo only mix cd called Sloppy Secondthat is about to hit Columbus on some out the trunk/hand to hand ish. I got stuff for local radio etc etc
9. Theres been interest shown. The first came from Buds Distro.they initially were going to take care of everythingbut then they flipped it on some recoup shit. Needless to say we were too stubborn to go for that. They werent consistent with the business, which told us they werent that interested. After the 98 Subterranean Spotlight feature in Vibe.. I got a lot of messages on the voicemail. Unfortunately we werent prepared for that opportunity and let the hype die. Im weird like that. I think the idea of hitting it big frightens me.
10. Ive had people say Del and Gift of Gab from Blackalicious.
11. It is both a label and a platform. It is an umbrella to everything I get involved in. If someone has a collabo idea or a business proposition..they can use WRECLUSE.COM to get my eyes and ears. The logo serves as a reminder that Im involved.
12. Probably harder than an MC from NY, Cali , Texas,Georgia etc... Ive been told many times that to make it I had to move somewhere else. I think it comes down to the product and the planning. The South has blowin now for some time. It was almost completely local prior to that. Cats blew up locally first in most cases and learned how to prosper by creating their own market. If they did it, anyone can do it. The big thing there has been the local support theyve received in some of the down south states. Im not sure if thats something that can be done in OH. I can tell you more after I test that out.
13. Im working on some local radio singles, an album, a freshly completed 13 cut mix-cd, a childrens book and plan on doing some fictional writing as well as some script writing.
14. The game is what it is. There's some cool shit , some avg. shit and some out right irritating shit. The corporate aspect is in full effect these days. Its definitely lost a lot of its novelty.but as long as artists are still putting their balls on the line, there will always be good music. I just wish the business was designed to better suit the artist. It shouldnt be the guy with the contacts and money that dictates the bottom line but rather the guy with the original product. The guys with the money should have to out bid each other over that product. The best offer wins. Sometimes it works out that way..most times it doesnt.
15. Much respect for the feature. Feel free to cut it down if it runs too long.
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