Interview: Glad2Mecha3
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I had the pleasure to interview a local hip hop emcee here in Phoenix, Arizona. Meet Glad2Mecha. Glad to meet’cha! He is the founder of an independent label that was started in 2002 called, Orchestra Records. Orchestra Records includes emcees Glad2Mecha, Ahpasit, Talent Kills, Jack The MC, Dusty Glass, as well as beat-makers Beta 7, Defizit, Ill Treats, The Tranzformer, and Jit Beats. Glad’s discography includes a handful of albums that he’s put out solo, in groups he’s in (Enough Names, More Alike, etc), and through Orchestra Records. He has collaborated with various people such as Crayon Beats’ recently interviewed DJ Bizkid. Anyway, hope you enjoy the interview. Be sure to check out Glad’s myspace to peep his music.
Tiffology: Who or what first got you into hip hop?
Glad: I first got into hip hop at the very early age of 7. My first main influence would have to be, “Kid N Play” and Nas. Growing up in the roller blade scene also had a huge influence to me loving hip hop, when it introduced me to A Tribe Called Quest.
Tiffology: It’s rare to find people that were born, raised, and are still living in Arizona. I’m one of them. Are you?
Glad: I am most def born, raised, and still sweating in the city of the sun… haha.
Tiffology: When you were young, what did you want to be “when you grew up”?
Glad: Ha… ha… when I was young, I wanted to be a basketball player. I could’ve been Steve Nash! Haha. Then I got into skating and dreamed of becoming a pro roller blader…
Tiffology: What made you stick with the name Glad2mecha?
Glad: I could never pick a solid alias, so it was time to start letting my name pick me. When people greet, they usually use the saying “nice to meet you” or Glad2mecha. So a big light bulb went off. One day when I said, “Glad2mecha”, I laughed inside and said to myself, this is brilliant… people will be tricked after every time I use the expression. So once I tried it at a local cypher and everyone I introduced myself to, I left smiling and from there on it’s been my shit…
Tiffology: Who or what inspires you to write songs?
Glad: In 9th grade, my boy Lil Dab and I were in class one day and I noticed him writing on a piece of paper. He and I weren’t quite friends yet, so when he noticed me eaves dropping, he handed me the paper with a note at the top that said, “finish this”. It was some of the dopest shit I ever read at that time in my life. I went home and began filling note books from that day on.
Tiffology: Networking sites like Myspace is a great way to share your talent with the internet-savvy people and come in contact with other folks who share your same passion (in this case: music). Is that how you’ve come to work with people such as Ill Treats (UK), Bridge Beets (UK), Guy Friday (NZ), Jehcee (Can), DJ Bizkid (Germany), Ahpasit (Nebraska) and others?
Glad: Myspace is God, haha. Nah, but it’s the illest thing nowadays for an independent artist. It’s great for catching instant feedback as well as world wide recognition. Although we have no clue who is controlling Myspace, I thank it for letting me meet people who have changed my life such as Ill Treats – a UK producer who I met 3 years ago on Myspace and is now producing my whole entire new album, “Hello”, due to be released in late 09. Not sure how many shows and great opportunities I would of missed without the help of Myspizzle.
Tiffology: You’re teamed up in a handful of group projects with other artists. More Alike (with Jack the MC and producers Bridge Beets & Mastermind), Melatonin (with Dusty Glass and producer Mastermind), Enough Names (with Ahpasit and producer The Tranzformer), any others? Haha.
Glad: Yeah, I’m currently in the works of making 3 more projects to be released later this year. Dark Humor, the time capsule ft Aria Silenced (Canada). Glad2mecha & Joe Blunt (Canada) are working on a project. Alildab and I are working on an EP. The last two projects I’ve listed are still waiting…
Tiffology: Enough Names released “Victory Is A Funeral” this year. How has the feedback been?
Glad: Wonderful, for the 3 months it’s been out. We have pushed over 50-100 units… making sales in France, New Zealand, and Canada. Just landed our first big show as a group, opening for Abstract Rude, Aceyalone, Myka 9, and special guest Nocando (scribble jam’s previous champion). Currently in the works of signing a contract with Domination Recordings, they have decided to pick up “Enough Names: Victory Is A Funeral” as a digital release…
Tiffology: What I’ve gathered from that album is that there are a lot of feelings thrown on there. All the feelings that come along when it involves the opposite sex: love-sick, could’ve-beens, butterflies, and so on. True?
Glad: Yes, this is a true statement… haha. Ahpasit and I are the type to wear our hearts on our sleeve (BIG TIME)! Both of us have been into writing for so long, it easily became a part of our material for songs. We both had our “that one girl experience” come and go, and the “Victory Is A Funeral” by Enough Names was our explanation.
Tiffology: Orchestra Records is a collective of underground hip hop artists all from Arizona. Hahah, sort of what the Living Legends are to California?
Glad: Um, I guess could say that, but I more saw this happening in Canada from my biggest influence emcee / producer mcenroe. Label owner of Peanuts & Corn. I saw mcenroe gather all the top dogs in his neck of the woods and building a sense, while in the states, others had the plan that they were going about it at the same pace as the P&C records. Man, I must have bought at least 8 albums in the first year of even hearing about ‘em. So I began to take the same leaps for my label, “Orchestra”. Orchestra was created before I ever heard of mcenroe and what he was starting. It just seemed to relate very well with what my ideas were for Orchestra. And yes, the Orchestra is an outlet with creative, young emcees coming out of AZ… created by myself (Glad2Mecha) and Ahpasit in 2003.
Tiffology: Being that you’re an independent artist, would you ever consider signing with a major label if you had the chance? Why or why not?
Glad: Yes and no. If I did, it would have to be for a no rights deal or a deal that would consist of owning a co-label inside the majors, like El P did with Rawkus. Except, I wouldn’t exploit anyone to gain publicity. Why not… would be because I could wind up in more trouble than being helped, if I signed the wrong shit. It’s funny how things can be worded these days… watch out… shady execs.
Tiffology: Is there anyone you would like to work with in the future?
Glad: BIG NAMES – Guru, Premier, Pete Rock, Nas, Promoe & Looptroop from Sweden, Jehst or DJ Harry Love, Sweatshop Union, and Robust. UNSIGNED HYPE – Everybody that I think is dope that I’ve met through Myspace, haha. Word…
Tiffology: Have you had any bad / funny / memorable experiences while making music or doing shows?
Glad: Oh, boy… I have laughed, cried, punched holes in the wall, just about everything happens when people spend countless hours with the same heads in the studio making albums. Shows are nuts and you don’t ever know what to expect. I have gotten lots of party favors for being an emcee… hahah.
Tiffology: How do you feel before you step on stage to perform? Do you do anything to prepare yourself?
Glad: I always have to have something new on my shows, ha. It helps the confidence, I think. Every time, before I step on stage, I feel like I’m gonna hurl. My tummy gets all sick and I start sweating up until I step on stage, then shit’s straight. But I can’t take the anticipation sometimes. That’s funny… because it doesn’t show, but in my head, I’m my own worst enemy.
Tiffology: Other than hip hop, do you have any other passions?
Glad: I like to skate sometimes still and drive go-carts to let loose some steam. But when I’m tired of writing, I just make beats and rotate between the two.
Tiffology: Who are you listening to these days?
Glad: Promoe, Blue, Sinuous, Ill Treats, The Connection, Adru the Misphit, Scene, Dirty Circus, Jehst, Gangstarr, Pete Rock, Prolyphic, Es, Locals…
Tiffology: Any shows coming up? What should we look out for?
Glad: Haiku D’Etat, & Enough Names show… featuring Ab Rude, Aceyalone, Myka 9 and special guest… and Nocando. May 20th, 2009, Wednesday at Chasers. I got presales for $15.
Tiffology: Do you have any album treats in the works?
Glad: The “Hello” LP produced entirely by ill Treats from the UK. That’s my main focus for 2009. There is talk about maybe a Japanese Label being interested in digitally releasing the project…
Tiffology: Have you seen the lineup for Rock The Bells this year? I think they have a lot of heat: KRS-One, Common, Slum Village, The Roots, Reflection Eternal, RZA, Raekwon, K’Naan, E&A, Evidence, Psycho Realm, Chali2na… damn. You ever been to a RTB before and are you going this year?
Glad: Yes, I have been twice. Went 3 years ago and last year’s, which was honestly, in my opinion, their best year. How many more people can they book before repeating the lineups again? Don’t get me wrong, I love what they are doing, I just got my dream show last year – Mos Def, Nas, ATCQ… that about sums up the Rock The Bells for me. I think they should start booking international gigs, like put Looptroop and Sweat Shop on these shows instead of Sage and MF Doom, who never shows up anyway.. hahah. But yeah, if I have the money at the time it pops up, I’m there. I could never turn down the masses.
Tiffology: If you can, sum up what hip hop means to you.
Glad: From waking up, to playing beats, to the shoes I wear, to the words I speak, the culture I live, the voice that gets heard… is hip hop.
Yanked this video from someone on youtube. Glad2mecha and Born One – “Real Love” (3-17-2008) at the Brickhouse.
Interview by: Tiffology
WWW: Glad2Mecha’s myspace | Enough Names – “Love Overdose” video
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Dope, Always fun to work with glad. Eager to hear that hello shit.
@ Mr. Thiel: Thanks for checkin the interview.
dope interview….