Kwizyne - Stoic Boy
Kenya born, globetrotting emcee Kwizyne comes through with stellar performances around Singapore. Proudly so, he rocked the stage in time for me to see. Some people are just blessed with vocab like him, same night I met him was the same night he released his mixtape. The mixtape contains gems unheard of this side of Asia. Read through as the Original Roc Boy ng Pinas interviews the Stoic Boy, Kwizyne about the new Yeezy's, Singapore Hiphop, Preemo and more.
Aiyo man, been a minute, Pinas wants to know more about you. Lets start of by asking, why name yourself Kwizyne?
It started when I was looking for a word which you see or hear often enough so people will remember you somehow when they hear that word associated with your name. You'll often hear the word çuisine in a multi-cultural country like Singapore during mealtime outside in coffeeshops or hawker stalls. You'll see the stalls' names like Indian cuisine, Muslim cuisine or Chinese cuisine and etc. Thats when I embraced 'Kwizyne' like a limited edition Nike kicks one pair only worldwide which fortunately is your size! It’s my quip of describing culinary art of preparing food for thought.
So, if your music was a dish, what dish would it be?
I would say Lumpia. Lumpia are either served fresh or fried and may look the same outside, yet inside its always different. It could contain pork and vegetables. If its for the Muslims, the ingredients would be Halal. If its for the Hindus, the ingredient won't have any beef included. So it’s practically for everyone depending on how its prepared. I would say my music would seem the same 'outside' to the mainstream audience with nothing but just rhymes and hiphop beats but if people check out the content of the lyrics, the 'ingredients', they would realize that its actually something they could relate to. My music changes its flavour according to the consumers but never its style of how it is prepared.
How is the Singapore hiphop scene? Tell us more about your involvement in the Singapore music scene?
The people here are getting more receptive to the genre. The hiphop scene here in Singapore is still small, young but it’s growing. Almost everyone in the scene knows each other coz of its size. I’ve seen small beef here causing more damages to a career than it should have. Be surprised to see how one dude's loyal supporters defect from one side to the latter. Your attitude off stage tends to be more important than your attitude on stage. Its hard enough to get slots for hiphop shows here. You mess with the wrong person whose affiliations stretch all the way to a few prolific organizers, you pretty much screwed up one of your biggest opportunity to blow up.
As for my involvement in the scene, other than doing my own songs I also emcee for a few clubs occasionally and a couple of events, rarely hiphop. Other than that, I’m working with a few rappers to get their material out. We all came from rock bottom.
What instance in your life/ or moment made you want to do music? Whats was your driving force then, and what makes you do music now?
To be real, I never thought of being an artiste. In fact, I only noticed rap when Will Smith released that Men In Black single. As a kid, I always wanted to become a professional basketball player until I gave that dream up. Big regret, a year later, my brother and I were messing around freestyle rhyming in the public train. I was really intrigued about the rhyme schemes and how such a lame line may sound funny just coz it rhymes! From then on, at 15 years-old I scribbled my own hits while studying rap albums from classics to commercial success. Its amazing how much you can say and be detailed about it in a rap song. Back then I was driven to rap as a replacement for my love for basketball and vowing to never give up the mic like I did with spalding. Now, I easily get fired up when at least one unbiased listener sincerely tells me how this particular song of mine inspired him/her or is the perfect soundtrack for his/her current mood/struggles/situation.
Given your Filipino roots, who amongst the current artists would you want to work with?
Being a foreigner most of my life, it was hard for me to catch the buzz going on in the pinoy rap scene. I do try to keep up and im glad I discovered Soulfiesta which made it alot easier for me to learn more about the pinoy rap music. Nonetheless, I'd be more than willing and honoured to work with any pinoy artistes. Most of the time, each artiste you work with helps you discover a different side of you. Seeing it in another perspective, collaborations can help you leave your comfort zone and experiment new styles to compliment each other on the same track.
If you were to teach Filipinos about the Singapore hiphop scene, what 5 songs from SG artists will you use to let us know whats poppin over there?
I'd be bias to name them 5 songs. To save your trouble and to be fair, just check out the music player in http://www.sghiphop.ning.com/
Kwizyne - 90's vs. 80's
Whats the story behind your song 90's VS. 80's?
90's vs 80's reflects how interracial relationships is being challenged not just because of race but also religious differences. Very common in Singapore. This song tells of a story about a foreigner dating a chinese girl whose parents opposed the relationship because the man is not chinese and is a christian (secretly the girl is as well). Unlike their daugther the parents still live in the love rules of the 80's where they are more traditional and conservative.
I read in your blog that someone from SG's hiphop scene had advised you to not write about politicks in your songs and yet you did, why is this?
I was advised then that if Im putting music out on radio in SG, don't mention about your views on politics unless its something positive. The government here is really strict and any hint of rebellion can put you under the microscope. They might even skip the microscope and send you 'somewhere' straight without any trial. Then again, the government here is treating the country and its people well though so its pretty ridiculous to beef with them. That Conspiracy Theory song I recorded is more topical on how a system could work behind the curtains in hard times just to get things back normal again. None dissing the authorities at all.
Whats in store for you this 2009? Anything people back home should look out for?
This year, I'll be working on my next mixtape "El K Why". My current compilation ACQUIRED TASTE MIXTAPE is just a prototype to test the water. I aim this year with D-fault, a Sri Lankan musician to establish a new music group, BLIND4LD. I'll also be working with Enero, D-Fault, Rapscallion and Konfuseus to release a group mixtape hopefully to release this year. I'll be glad to have the support of people back home on my upcoming music video showing late 2009. Look out for that.
I heard you had a knee surgery cause of playing basketball, who is your favorite basketball player and which NBA team are you rooting to win the title this year?
I got reasons why its Kobe Bryant. Other than racking up 30 plus points, smooth j's, rim rattling dunks, hangtime, and anklebreaking cross-overs, you gotta admire his relentless focus. This dude still brings his A-game despite obstacles faced off the court in the past. Not easy doing that. 81 points to the haters? Although, I'm rooting for Boston Celtics to defend their title this year. Its gratifying to see a team finally making it after decades without a championship ring.
Well the Celtics are having a hard time man, hehehe. What do you think MCS should invest on? Why?
Personally, I think MCs should invest on Public Relations to expand their social network. I have seen emcees with the dopest equipments and the illest skills around the neighbourhood but his product didn't have the platform to showcase 'em or Event managers and organisers have never heard of you. There could be instances where you'd be chilling at a gig and tugging your hair out wondering why on earth is a wack emcee you could murder with just 2 bars is performing and you're not. Good PR takes you a step above the rest. I've seen emcees who didn't have skills but get gigs very often just doing small favours for the organisers. I've seen emcees who did not even have a condenser mic and producer software yet has a couple of hits and features under their belt. And a few of them achieved most of it without paying a single cent.
90's vs 80's reflects how interracial relationships is being challenged not just because of race but also religious differences. Very common in Singapore. This song tells of a story about a foreigner dating a chinese girl whose parents opposed the relationship because the man is not chinese and is a christian (secretly the girl is as well). Unlike their daugther the parents still live in the love rules of the 80's where they are more traditional and conservative.
I read in your blog that someone from SG's hiphop scene had advised you to not write about politicks in your songs and yet you did, why is this?
I was advised then that if Im putting music out on radio in SG, don't mention about your views on politics unless its something positive. The government here is really strict and any hint of rebellion can put you under the microscope. They might even skip the microscope and send you 'somewhere' straight without any trial. Then again, the government here is treating the country and its people well though so its pretty ridiculous to beef with them. That Conspiracy Theory song I recorded is more topical on how a system could work behind the curtains in hard times just to get things back normal again. None dissing the authorities at all.
Whats in store for you this 2009? Anything people back home should look out for?
This year, I'll be working on my next mixtape "El K Why". My current compilation ACQUIRED TASTE MIXTAPE is just a prototype to test the water. I aim this year with D-fault, a Sri Lankan musician to establish a new music group, BLIND4LD. I'll also be working with Enero, D-Fault, Rapscallion and Konfuseus to release a group mixtape hopefully to release this year. I'll be glad to have the support of people back home on my upcoming music video showing late 2009. Look out for that.
I heard you had a knee surgery cause of playing basketball, who is your favorite basketball player and which NBA team are you rooting to win the title this year?
I got reasons why its Kobe Bryant. Other than racking up 30 plus points, smooth j's, rim rattling dunks, hangtime, and anklebreaking cross-overs, you gotta admire his relentless focus. This dude still brings his A-game despite obstacles faced off the court in the past. Not easy doing that. 81 points to the haters? Although, I'm rooting for Boston Celtics to defend their title this year. Its gratifying to see a team finally making it after decades without a championship ring.
Well the Celtics are having a hard time man, hehehe. What do you think MCS should invest on? Why?
Personally, I think MCs should invest on Public Relations to expand their social network. I have seen emcees with the dopest equipments and the illest skills around the neighbourhood but his product didn't have the platform to showcase 'em or Event managers and organisers have never heard of you. There could be instances where you'd be chilling at a gig and tugging your hair out wondering why on earth is a wack emcee you could murder with just 2 bars is performing and you're not. Good PR takes you a step above the rest. I've seen emcees who didn't have skills but get gigs very often just doing small favours for the organisers. I've seen emcees who did not even have a condenser mic and producer software yet has a couple of hits and features under their belt. And a few of them achieved most of it without paying a single cent.
Do you think the Air Yeezy's are dope kicks?
To be honest I was bugged out at first, it looks like a silhouette of Air Jordan 5s strapped like Ato Cow Hide Boots. It was not until I saw the new colourways I began to loosen up and feel its dopeness.
If you were to ask who to executive produce your next album, who would you pick DJ Premier or 9th Wonder?
If I were to choose only one between the two geniuses to be an EXECUTIVE producer I would have to say Preem. I have heard him save songs from becoming a disaster when rappers couldn't spit the right bars like Curtis and Joey Crack. His influence as an executive producer on Gang Starr albums has helped earn accolades from critics. How bout Jeru's? Its like everything he touches turns gold. Not forgetting how many classic albums he was featured on from Illmatic to Return Of the Boom Bap.
If you made a music video for 90's VS. 80's and you had to choose a Filipina to act the lead, who would you pick?
Since the song's leading characters are the foreigner and the chinese girl, I would need a filipina who looks chinese. The first girl that came to my mind was Kim Chiu. With her chinese roots, she's perfect for the role. Well, her acting experience is a plus point for the video and so is her popularity with the filipino audiences.
Thank you very much for indulging me with this interview man. Anything else you want to promote?
Shout out to all and I mean ALL pinoy rappers! I'm inspired seeing you guys joining together from different countries for the love of hiphop representing filipino pride. I never thought of that ever since I migrated overseas. So big big thank you for the inspiration and reminding me of my roots. That I should never forget where I came from. Thank you also for making the freshest and illest songs! Its a good way for me to brush up on my tagalog vocabulary as well hahaha!
Shout out to Enero, D-fault, Rapscallion, Konfuseus and Noodlez!
check out http://www.kwizyne.blogspot.com/ for updates
Last but not least, download my ACQUIRED TASTE MIXTAPE [PROTOTYPE] still available online and discover a side of Singapore in a pinoy's perspective.
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