The Tastemakers Society

A new feature that will be coming very soon in some weeks, is New Music Tuesday, bringing you interviews and coverage on new artsit from all over the world making a name for themselves. So to debut this thing, sort of, I bring you, Print, a NY based rapper making noise and getting all over the place. Read up on our mini-view with Print and his new track after the jump.  

Name, government name, and location

What’s going on! It’s ya boy Print.  I was born Christian Faust out of Brooklyn, NY.  I was raised all over the borough but in started in Marcy Projects and then all around from Park Slope to Fort Green.  But now I reside back in Bedstuy Brooklyn.

Most rappers say they’ve been rapping pretty much all they life, but can you remember the first song that made you want to start rapping?

I mean I can def contest to the fact that I have not been spitting all of my life.  Actually, I’ve only been spitting for about 6 years now.  Since about 2002.  Before that I was pretty useless at putting 2 words let alone a whole song together cohesively.  The first song I ever recorded that really made me start wanting to do this was called “Hard Work.”  It was produced by my home girl “Morneike.”  The beat had a cray like Reasonable Doubt vibe to it and my flow was just starting to blend nice with music.  And that was probably the first completed song I ever made.  It was a lot of fun sitting in the studio for the first time recording my first real song nah mean.  It was basically about the life struggles of a blue collar worker from my point of view.  It allowed me to tap into some personal aspects of my life that I really could not express in a conversation.  So it was def a good outlet for me and the feedback was crazy.  So I made the effort to keep it up.  Now look at ya boy.

From an insiders point of view how would you describe the NY underground music movement and the openness and opportunities for young artist.

I mean honestly I don’t consider myself an underground rapper or a rapper at that.  I have my qualms and positive attitudes towards it.  I feel that that scene as open as people may thing it is, in regards to artistry and who can “be” in that category or club are just as closed minded as mainstream music.  I think the music if not all of it is really dope and really creative but doesn’t embrace a lot of different other kinds of hip hop.  So as a beginning artist, when I first stated I felt out of place in both circles.  I wasn’t the most lyrically sound dude when I started so the underground market didn’t take me to seriously.  And at the same token, I had no way of branding myself commercially for mainstream music so I had no place there either.  So as a young artist I felt really out of place with no home.  So I made my own home.  I honed in on my skills and my wants and my desires and my loves and made “my lane.”  I make “my music.”  And anybody that feels what I have to say or relates to my life is welcomed to sit and have tea and biscuits wit the kid.  Although being in this rat race I do and did come across a lot of artists that were part of this underground hip hop music market.  Ya see because “Underground Hip Hop” has evolved and surpassed the whole “If your not signed then your underground” frame of mind.  It’s now a living, breathing, growing money making machine also.  But the artists that I’ve come into contact with seem to have the same trials and tribulations as those whom want to go mainstream have.  Learning the ins and outs, the knows and the do and don’ts of the lifestyle is crucial.  They just don’t open their mind to anyone and everything.  But I pretty much mess with everybody who just wants to continue making dope music as a collection of dope musicians.  But I personally think that it could be a little bit more open.  But now I am getting crazy love and returning that love from both sides so its all good money now.  You just have to grow as an artist in order to find your place I guess.  There are a lot of really talented artists out there without a home so be on the look out.

Now tell me about the song “Taxi Cab”, I heard it was a shot at another NY rapper Mickey Factz, what did the track mean, I mean you use a line like “why you wan be me, I see you on myspace ripping off my space, stealing off my space”, what’s the issue, are you saying he’s jacking your style, clear the air, let it be known.

Oh Boy!!  Everybody thinks this!!!  Everybody has this ideology that I’m taking shots at Mickey.  Listen lets clear this air here.  I made Taxi Cap for all the people who have in the lamest terms shitted me, and my family.  Now we as a collective felt at one time or another, we weren’t getting the notoriety  that was deserved from others.  Its a push pull life ya know.  You give and I give and then the cycle just keeps going.  I felt that at one point, cats was just using me for a template to map out their next move.  That I was being watched and dissected like a lab rat and people were taking what they wanted and incorporating what they like into their person.  At first glance I was a lil sensitive about it.  I put a lot of work into making a dope set for people to love, just for it to be regurgitated and washed down by the next man for his own use.  I should just take it as a compliment right?  But I ain’t no bitch and I had to understand the business of things.  That’s just the way shit is ya know.  People are going to steal and people are going to use you and just because I’m a real nigga and I let cats live on their own merit of artistry doesn’t mean the next man will.  Just because I let my hommies be themselves while I find new and innovative ways to do me doens’t mean the next man will.  People think they can do what you do and that’s not the way it is.  I am the way I am because I was built this way.  No one can be me, just like I can’t be like anyone else and I respect that.  Now real talk, I was always taught that dropping names will get you killed or shot or into trouble.  So I don’t do the gossip talk.  If I have personal opinions about someone then its my job to bring that to the person.  If I had a personal feeling about somebody about something they did, I will address them if I haven’t already.  And trust I will get to everyone,  so if I’m taking my shots and we haven’t had a sit down, trust its coming.  But back to the song.  It’s one of those “if it doesn’t fit you must acquit things.”  You know if its about you or not.  Another thing.  I felt honestly that my brother but a lot of these niggas in the right place at the right time ya know.  My brother Michael Peterson owner of YUME BKNY, a fashion experience in Brooklyn, put a lot of these dudes in the right frames of mind to progress.  And that’s cool, the exchange of knowledge, bt when you go on interviews and you shout out everyone under the sun except us is pretty wack ya know.  Cuzz not for nothing, I’m quick to show love to my dudes and cats that aren’t my dudes but show me love nah mean.  But these guys won’t but when you see them they smile in ya face and think nothing of it, its so fake.  Listen all you have in this world is ya balls and ya word and your honor.  “If you take what you take give the right notary.”  That’s all.  Its not a shot a Mickey, shit I have tracks with the brother.  If I have any qualms with him I will address him and then let you guys know what happened.  But I will address that there are some fake ass men floating around fronting about who they are.  And its a little on me as well because I have a tendency to share a lot with cats I shouldn’t be sharing with ya know.  I am real like that.  I’m an open book and my pops always told me that will be a deterrent.  But I know better now and life has ben so much smoother.  Taxi Cab is a shot at niggas that be swagger jacking ya know.  I believe every artist is unique in that they all bring something different to the table.  But when there is to much swapping  of styles and integration it can hinder an artist or increase the power of another.  Is this right?  Well I really don’t know.  Do I do it?  Nope.  Will it change? No.  You just have to accept  that you may be the inspiration for someone to be greater.  But its no sweat now.  I feel that’s gonna happen regardless so like Cha my engineer say “Do it more better”‘ ya know “Become greater” “Evolve Further.”  You’re only as good as your last CD!  No problems over here…it’s all love!!  lol Shouts out to Fresh Daily and the whole AOK squad.  Shouts to Ka pps, Shouts to my bro and the whole Tume Tatta Majour fam.  Shouts to Outasight and the whole daily grind squad.  And shouts to Mickey Factz and GFC family.  Do ya Do meng!!  Shouts to Rahsaan and Wordspit and to everybody I fucks wit I shout you out!!