NATE OG DET @NATEOGDET INTERVIEWS BIG BROTHER, MENTOR AND VERBAL WORDSMITH B_SIDE

1.Whats good family, Now Im a huge fan and am blessed to do this interview. Now I know how ill and dope you are with you gift but for those who may be unfamiliar with  your work , feel free to introduce yourself?

Thank you fam...this is B-Side here. I am an Emcee, lyricist, father, film buff and music head, amongst many other things.

2. Now B-Side, thats an ill side and i can see the reason for the name but for those who may not know how did the name come about?

For a while I couldn't decide on an MC name. I went thru a couple early on but none of them stuck...shoot, I was Lil B before Lil B, haha. One day it just kind of came to me...I was heavy into vinyl and finding rare music. The b-side usually had the unreleased gem or the dope remix on it..."Rebel Without A Pause" and "How I Could Just Kill A Man" were both b-sides for example. Plus my first name is Brian, so I figured it described me: dope, super exclusive and a gem you really had to dig deep to find. So, boom...B-Side.

3.Now what was the moment you feel in love with music aka your brown sugar moment?

As far as hip-hop, I grew up in the 80s so I always heard it, but I felt like it spoke to me most the years of 1994 and 1995. Everything dropping was so ill and so different at that time. It wasn't afraid to say fuck the trends and do what it wanted. I felt like I was a part of it and was consumed by it. I think people who came of age between 1987 and 1995 are kind of spoiled and we have high standards for hip-hop.

4.How long have you been an MC not to show age but what year did you start?

I wrote my first rap when I was 9, and I'm pretty sure it was about the Ghostbusters, but it was just on some trying it out shit...although I will say the verse was probably neck in neck with Bobby Brown's verse about the same topic. I started writing raps right after Illmatic came out, like mid-1994, because I had a good vocabulary and wanted to see if I could do it. But I was terrified to actually do it in front of people for a few years. I think around 1998, my best friend Ro-D kept telling me I was dope and I should stop being so shy. Once I started seeing the reaction to my stuff, my confidence went thru the roof and I stuck with it.

5.Who are some of your influences and what have you adopted form their style to incorporate into you signature style?

Man...Nas, Biggie, Jeru, Gang Starr, Ice Cube, PE, Big L, Wu-Tang, Redman, Lord Finesse, Alkaholiks, Cypress Hill, Scarface, Beastie Boys, MF Doom, KRS, EPMD, Main Source, Boot Camp Clik...you name it, anything from that era really, those are just off the top of the head. I kinda studied their rhyme schemes and cadences but figured out how my voice, delivery and breath control worked and gradually grew into my own individual style. Then once I started hearing more Detroit and Michigan MCs, I knew they were super-lyrical with ridiculous energy and I had to be dope as hell to even walk on to a stage. That's the mentality I keep, and that enables me to stay on my toes and never half-ass a verse. I listen to a lot of soul and funk too: Curtis Mayfield, Parliament Funkadelic, Stax, Motown, Sade, Hi Records stuff, etc. So I like my beats to be hard boom bap, soulful or funky.

6. What or when was the moment or event that you realized or felt you have this talent and that this was something you wanted to pursue? 

Probably the first time I heard a crowd say "OOOOOOHHH!!!" at a punchline, and when I saw people making the ugly face while I was spittin. That was pretty much it. I still love that feeling.

7.What is the local scene like where you live?

Busy. Filled with incredible talent and a fair amount of bullshit.

8,Does the local scene affect your creative process at all?

Somewhat. I keep the mentality of shining on every verse. But now I'm more concerned with competing with myself and translating what I want to convey up to my own personal standards. I try to think of how to speak to and for people everywhere instead of just here. But it definitely keeps me humble and grounded.

9.What inspires you to create?

Happiness...anger...frustration...cockiness...parenthood...struggle...all colors of the spectrum we call life. Just the ability to use words to affect a mood.

10.If you could lock in the lab with any artists or producer for a month for a project who would you choose?

I've always wanted to do a project over Large Professor beats. Premier of course. Dilla, rest in peace. Buckwild, the original Bomb Squad. Producers from here would be J. Mack,

Black Bethoven and Slautah off the top of the head. DJ Los too. MC wise...me and Mr. Cliffnote have already done plenty together, and it's always gold. We'll continue to do so. Also, can't forget Foul Mouth...he's a dope MC and producer, and I always have a good vibe working with him. He's looked out a lot on this upcoming project. I've always wanted to work with Special Ed, Breeze Brewin from the Juggaknots, a few other cats I can't think of right now.

10. Now we are both from Detroit but what are somethings that you like to reveal about the people from our city and the city in general?

We have the best emcees, producers, poets, and pretty much everything else here. It's a gold mine of talent. It runs deep. I'll put us up against anywhere else and we'll shine.

11.What are some things you see that need work in the state of music right now and what can be done to improve them?

Hip-Hop has damn near become a parody of itself at this point. The standards need to be higher. We as artists need to be sure we are putting our best foot forward at all times. And fans...buy that shit, damn it. Quit acting like you can't part with $5 to $10 and we owe it to you to give it to you free. We're giving your our hearts and souls here. Country and rock audiences still sell records...U2 and Taylor Swift don't put out free fuckin mixtapes.

12. What is your creative process like without revealing any sector seven secrets?

Depends. If it's topical, I like to write like I'm talking to you and figure out the rhymes as I go. If it's just bars, I figure out syllable runs and go with them, and try not to let any filler lines through. I don't write unless I'm inspired. I could write a few days straight, then not write for a month. But when I do, it's gonna be RIGHT. Quality over quantity.

What are some of your current projects and where can we find them?

Well, I have a mixtape I put out with Mr. Cliffnote called The SideNotes Mixtape Vol. 1. I have a solo album, Vertigo 1.5 available too. There's also a project I did called A Side Called B a few years ago, and it's superdope...it's over all Tribe Called Quest beats and features like 30+ MCs from Detroit and the surrounding areas. Just look it up...you'll probably be like, "damn!". I've done features with tons of artists as well, I'm gonna put together an anthology of them all real soon before I drop the album. You can get everything  at b-side313.bandcamp.com and sidenotes.bandcamp.com. it's free, but if you choose to donate, I won't be mad.

13.What are some of your future projects and which ones are you looking forward to most?

The SideNotes Experience with myself and Mr. Cliffnote. We've been sitting on it for a minute. But because of our meticulous standards, we're scrapping a few songs and replacing them with better ones. The music is timeless, so it will sound just as fresh when it drops. Production from DJ U.N.I., Mike Lamb, Geno XO, DJ Dez, John Wize, Pig Pen.

Currently, I'm almost finished with my album, The Essence. I'm definitely excited for this one. It will be my greatest work yet. It will be raw hip-hop how I feel it should sound, with a lot of great lyrics and songs along with introspective joints. I'm going from heartfelt to shit-talking and everything in between. There are features from Mr. Cliffnote, Dagda, Aztek the Barfly, Foul Mouth, and I'll be recording a joint with Tone Plummer aka Metasyons and Bareda aka Mr. Wrong this week. So far, I have production from Mike Lamb, Konnie Ross, Foul Mouth, DJ Los, Pig Pen, Ro-D, Slautah, Black Bethoven and a few others that just need to be solidified before I mention their names.

14.What is the message that you try or hope to convey with your art?

I guess I like people to hear what's on my mind and find the common ground with me. I go thru trials and tribulations just like everyone else and have a unique perspective on things. Plus, I'm sarcastic and witty, so there's plenty light-hearted moments too. But the sound is all raw hip-hop. I definitely feel I have a voice people need to hear.

15. Do you represent any companies labels crews etc? and if so who are they and how long have you been established with them?

My original crew is Uzual Suspex. It's me, Ro-D, D-Tock and Mike Lamb. Ro and Tock used to rap but stick more on the production side of things now, while Mike Lamb is a dope ass producer and musician. I've been friends with them 20 years, so they're like my day ones. SideNotes of course, Mr. Cliffnote and myself. We make good music together. And I've made great music with artists all over, X-Fam and many others. I make all my own moves, forge my own relationships and look out for those who look out for me. They know who they are.

16.Do you have any jewels for aspiring artist that you would like to share?

Be yourself. Go hard or go home. Always try to be better than your last verse. Know your history, and try to learn something new every day.

17.How do you define your brand and what separates your work from the next person?

My brand is B-Side. You're getting a working class dude with a daughter who goes thru ups and downs like everyone else. I know I have a unique and colorful way of describing things and situations. At this point I know I have my own lane and no one can do it quite like me. And I rap my ass off.

18. Any Special shout outs or thanks feel free to drop them here?

Everyone who takes the time to read this or listen to my music. All the producers and emcees who have contributed to my projects. You're all awesome.

19. Any final thoughts for the readers?

Support these artists. They're out here working hard. When you get a CD or download, you have no idea how much work went into it. Go to their shows. Tell a friend. and keep hip-hop alive. It's up to all of us.

20. How can we stay connected with you?

Facebook.com/bside313
Soundcloud.com/b-side-aka-mr-genga
Sidenotes.bandcamp.com
B-side313.bandcamp.com
Twitter @313bside
Instagram @313bside