8Questions...

The Hip Hop Chronicles - Chapter 15 - Lateef The Truthspeaker

WHO: Lateef The Truthspeaker
WHAT: MC - 1/2 of the legendary Latyrx - Founding Member Quannum Projects
WHERE: Oakland and Everywhere - Facebook - Twitter - iTunes  

Lateef The Truth Speaker is a good guy and a great musician. I’ve been a fan of his stuff for quite a while. My first exposure was the song Lady Don’t Tek No:

Listening to that one song led me to the QP Collective of Lateef, Lyrics Born, Blackalicious, DJ Shadow, Lifesavas and years of listening pleasure. The QP crew will always have a special meaning to us here at GreenLightJerky.com. The name of our company was inspired by a Blackalicious song “GreenLight Now Begin”. We even had that tag line on our first labels. The lucky members of the Sole Sides forums were our test market from all over the globe!  Some great times!

Back to The Truth Speaker! My favorite album from Lateef is the Maroons Ambush album! The track Lester Hayes is the jam!! Love that track.

Here is a great video for Moving On Up from Headnodic’s album “Red Line Radio” Featuring Lateef and KatO1O.  

Lateef just dropped a The Truth At Sea Mixtape that can currently be found exclusively at Magnifer by Google Music. 

Watch this video of the making of the Truth At Sea Mixtape

His brand new album called Fire Wire is coming out November 8th. I hear that he’s working on a new Latryx album too so its a busy time for Lateef.

Listen to Oakland from Fire Wire while you read what the man has to say.

Lateef the Truthspeaker: Oakland by quannumprojects

1. Why Hip Hop?

I grew up with hip-hop. I first heard it when I was crazy young- like 6.  It spoke to me directly, and it was just my natural inclination to want to start a dialogue.

I always loved music, and always had a distinct love for lyrics.  Both loves were challenged and rewarded by hip-hop early and the sheer possibilities and open ended creativity was intoxicating.

In many ways, in retrospect, I don’t think I had a choice.

2. if you had $100k Drop in your lap right now what would you do with it?

Buy another house. The housing market is suffering, but as a result there are crazy opportunities. Either that or buy some Apple stock. That stuff just won’t quit.

3. If you could have 1 super power, what would it be and how would you use it?

Come on!  Mind Control!  The possibilities are endless!  The world becomes your oyster.  World peace, access, political change, money, success, fame- they all become as easy as making a suggestion.

Of course, you also become the most dangerous person in the world, if people- especially the authorities- become aware of the ability.  You would be a serious security threat- to everybody.

4. Do you have any skills in the kitchen? If yes, what’s your signature dish, if no why the hell not?

Yeah, I’m good with Breakfast, Meats and Salads. I also like heat (I can go as hot as Habenero), so that is an extra dimension I can add to ant dish.

I make a pretty mean sautéed teriyaki chicken breast, and a sexy salad that can double as a panty dropper- Butter lettuce, a little spinach, sliced strawberries, blueberries, alfalfa (or broccoli) sprouts, mung bean sprouts, baby carrots, avocado, grated smoked mozzarella cheese truffle salt, blood orange EVOO & vanilla balsamic for dressing.  Awesome.  No meat and you don’t miss it (the smoked mozzarella has a distinctly “meaty” quality to it).

Breakfast Power Protein Egg White Omelet-

Remove yolks from three eggs, add a touch of milk.

Put Olive (or grapeseed) oil and a touch of butter in a pan.  Fresh cilantro and Serrano peppers sautéed quickly at high heat.

Add egg whites and then immediately reduce heat.  Add spinach, cheese of choice, tomato and mushroom (not too much, tomatoes and mushrooms have a lot of water in them- use sparingly), sprouts, finish with a bit of truffle salt for extra pop.  Garnish with extra cilantro and grapefruit slices.  Turkey Bacon accouterment optional.

The cilantro and serranos should end up on the outside, the rest of the goodness on the inside. Perfect pre-workout meal.

5. Tell me the worst stage experience you are willing to admit to the public?

I had a show at the independent in SF, and the speakers were arranged at the base of the stage in such a way that they left a hole in the floor, just right of center stage.  I spotted it during sound check and made a mental note NOT to step in it.

I come out to the first song, begin to raise my arm- and step right into the hole all the way to my hip.  I stood right up, but it stole some of my momentum and confidence for a moment.

Later in the show, some cute girl in the front row decided she was gonna get up and dance on stage during “Lady don’t tek no.”  She turned around on stage and fell straight through the hole as well. It was like a black hole.  Dangerous, really.

6. What is the #1 Junk Food you just can’t ever refuse?

Cheese it’s.  I can’t buy them anymore. I can destroy a box in two days, easy.

7. What was your first job as a kid and what did it teach you?

Pulling weeds for my Grandmother for a penny a weed.

It taught me that a lot of work doesn’t always pay that well- and sometimes the work you do will just grow back and need more doing in a couple of weeks- but the company of who you are doing the work with can make a world of difference. 

8. I noticed a lot of historical references in your lyrics, why is history so important to you?

We learn from the past (hopefully), so I try to draw inspiration from it as well. It’s also the home of every story ever told by anyone or anything. If you can pull a good song or story out of there, something is wrong.

Bonus Question: Will you share any of this GreenLight Jerky with Lyrics Born and Get him to do 8Questions?

Uh, no my brother- you got to get your own.  GreenLight Jerky is waaaay too good to share. I will tell him to do 8 questions though.

Thanks for playing Lateef!!! Great interview!