Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Faze Blue le'goon

I recently got the chance to catch up with the talented emcee known as Faze Blue le'goon.  In this brief Q&A he shares his passion for the art and food for thought for those of us who love the craft as well.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Faze Blue le'goon?

Faze Blue le'goon:  Well when I first starting rapping I went by simply "Faze" until the group I started "Blue le'goon" broke up, then I decided to keep the legacy alive and combine both for my own single moniker "Faze Blue le'goon". I grew up in Detroit and surrounding Downriver Detroit locations, and have resided here ever since, I move quite often but always stay close to home. I started off emceeing to Drum and Bass / Jungle Freestyle in Detroit's underground rave scene, then began writing to Hip Hop and it was amazing how natural it came to me. I then re-invented my style striving to be different than the rest, but even significantly different than another hip hop sound, I would often consider my music to be so different I would not label a genre to it. If there was any limitations or rule's I did not want to be part of it, only self expression and what I think is cool matters when it come's to music, and others seem to react to that.

Achickwitbeatz: When did you discover that you needed music to be a part of your life?

Faze Blue le'goon:  My father has been a musician sine the 1960's with influences such as The Beatles, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Cream and countless others. He played many different instrument's including guitar, drum's & piano to name a few. He began turning my twin brother Phil and I onto music at a very early age and didn't waste time to begin teaching us how to play instrument's and create music. My brother and I, in no time started our first band "Wicked Paradice" playing Punk / Ska music at the tender age of 12 with Phil on guitar and vocals, and myself on drums and vocals. So at that point I knew music was my passion and ran through my blood pulsing through every heart beat.

Achickwitbeatz: What would you say is the best thing about being an independent artist?

Faze Blue le'goon:   Well currently I am on a label C-Rayz Walz's imprint "Sun Cycle Entertainment" but it is a independent label and we work together united as a single entity, we are a family. But the best part is no doubt, not being told how you have to sound, what subject matter to touch down on and selling your rights away to a corporate conglomerate, it's like selling the soul of your music, and what is music without soul? 

Achickwitbeatz: What's the most valuable thing you've learned since you began performing?

Faze Blue le'goon:  To stay real to yourself, and remain humble, people react to that. When rapper's get on stage and no one's really showing them no love, then they stop the music and demand the crowd to make noise and get into it before continuing, do they ever stop and think, mabey the crowd ain't feeling them? No, because their ego will not allow them to. You have to create a strong stage presence and really communicate with the audience with your music and your personality. I have performed crowd's ranging from 20-30 people to 2500 people and I get the same reaction everytime when I follow those guidelines. I like to know the crowd is feeling me instead of demanding them to.

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 skills/attributes that would place an artist on your top 10 list?

Faze Blue le'goon:  Hmm for 5, I would say, the strength of their catalog, their contribution to the culture, their lyrical ability, the image / content of the music itself & their ability to rock a crowd.

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would place an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Faze Blue le'goon:  Having the same sound throughout their catalog or being a one hit wonder, rapping 100% about content they do not live, having no cadence or lyrical skill, being about image instead the music & knowingly used ghost writers.

Achickwitbeatz: What's next on the horizon for Faze Blue le'goon?

Faze Blue le'goon: Well it's been some time for "Sun Cycle Entertainment" to assemble but the label is really just beginning to jump off. A single title "Sun Cycle Generals featuring myself C-Rayz Walz and L.I.F.E Long from the legendary group "Stronghold" also featuring members such as "Immortal Technique" will be dropping on the label. I am also working on the follow up LP to my 2009 drop "Robots and Sneakers" the record will be titled "Robots and Sneakers 2". I have leaked one joint so far from the record which is a remix of a previous track, it is titled "Grayscale Rmx and features myself, Leaf Erikson, C-Rayz Walz, B-Side, Mixo of the Stereo Boyz and Philosophy Cole produced by Nate OG. Also I am assembling a weekly event titled "Robots and Sneakers" in Detroit to continue the legacy of the legendary event "Robots and Sneakers" myself and Joanne Brzys threw in 2008 with R.A The Rugged Man at the Russel Industrial Center, the weekly will also be held there and will begin early 2015.

Achickwitbeatz: How can people connect with you to stay current with what you have in the works?

Faze Blue le'goon:  Well folks can connect with me through my facebook or my email robotsandsneakers@gmail.com. Also my entire online catalog is available at www.faze.bandcamp.com as well as single's on soundcloud at soundcloud.com/fazedetroit, I have a facebook fanpage people can connect with me at also by simply looking up Faze Blue le'goon.

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