-Interview- Boo Diddly 10/2/10

Boo Diddly
(Unsigned)

Genre: Catchy hip hop akin to old Kanye West or Lupe Fiasco.
Interviewed on: 10/2/10
From: Reading, PA
www.myspace.com/officialboodiddly

http://www.myspace.com/officialboodiddly

1. How did you get your start with hip hop? What albums inspired you starting out?

I started out making cassette tapes in my parents basement just writing, rapping and trying to craft decent songs. I've been writing since I was 10 so I knew I could write, but the question was 'Could I RAP?'. It took years and years of practice and countless, loud, nauseating nights trying to nail it. Once I felt I was advancing, I linked up with another dude from Philly named Logic and he kinda took me under his wing and helped me better hone my flow, taught me about metaphors, syllables, breath control and that type of thing. We then started making songs, and later on, albums. Looking back, they weren't very good, but at the time it was fun. Years passed, we lost touch, and so I decided to strike out on my own and it just kept escalating to where I'm at now. As for the albums that inspired me, I primarily remember Nas 'God's Son' and Canibus' '2000 B.C.' being very influential. You could say I had two of the best teachers! haha

2. Why did you choose the name Boo Diddly? How did you think of it?

I've had probably a dozen or more names since I started, but to be honest, I never thought any of them really fit me. I was about to release my mixtape 'They're Going To Want Me Dead' and I needed a name to go with it because the one I had didn't really fit and it really wasn't supposed to be permanent. My other names were like hotels. Hotels have pretty much everything you have at your house. A bed, lamps, a shower, sometimes a couch, but it's still not your HOME. It's not something you can truly call your own. My other names felt like hotels to me. They were just something to use for a little while until I found something more comfortable. Boo Diddly is MY home. It was taken from the Mario Brothers (SMB3) video game. I forget what I was doing, I think just looking around on the internet, and then I saw a picture of the Boo Diddly ghost. I already knew his name and liked him so I was just like 'THAT'S IT! BOO DIDDLY!' and it's stuck ever since and I love it. It's everything to me.

3. You just released your highly anticipated album "DU.94" a few weeks ago, how has the response been thus far?

The response has been really good! So far it's doing way better than my other releases have. I think it's because I really took my time with it. If people only KNEW how long and late I would stay up just to perfect it! haha It was definitely a labor of love. It took a little over a year to write, record and complete, but when I was done, I was very, very happy with the way it came out. It's easily the best original album of 2010, hands down. Easily!

4. The album artwork for "DU.94" is very unique. What was the inspiration behind the cover?

Well, I wanted something different, but natural. Some people want different, just BECAUSE it's different, but it won't really pertain to them and says very little, if anything, about them or the music. I wanted something that said something about me, but was different all together. I didn't want the stereo typical rap cover of just me or my face on there with my name and that's it. To me that's bland and has been done to death. The album cover and album in general, to me represents 'Colonization'. Everything on there from the guns, to the airplanes, to the map, to the Euro notes, to the crow, represents ME. EVERYTHING. There's not one thing on there that doesn't say SOMETHING about me. I couldn't sit here and honestly say that, if there were things on there that had nothing to do with me. One of my major sources of inspiration for it though was the Haitian flag, so I definately incorporated some elements of it in there but still kept it 100% me. Like, I said, it represents 'Colonization'.

5. What is your take on the current scene of hip hop?

Current Hip-Hop is what it is. Do I support it? Sure, Hip-Hop is what I am. Am I A Fan? Only to an extent. Hip-Hop is great but I don't like the repetitive nature of it. One thing that always disappoints me is the lack of originality. It also has the tendency to out date itself really quick and that makes for a really horrible mix. Very few artists now a days are putting out albums that really push the boundaries or stand the test of time. Kanye's doing his thing and although I've never owned any of his albums, from what I've seen and heard, he's doing a good job. He's different. I'm not his biggest fan, but I appreciate his knack for making something great. It just saddens me that people are content with what the last man did, and so they duplicate it. I'm still young, yea, but I've studied Hip-Hop. So when albums don't sound like they used to, I can tell.

6. You have international hip hop influences in your music, what does the music from overseas bring to the table?

Good Hip-Hop from overseas is great. I like a lot of artists from Europe. I've even done a couple of songs with artists' from Spain and they seem to have a good appreciation for Hip-Hop as does a lot of other places in Europe. I mean, in certain areas it still seems to be pretty underground over there, especially in eastern Europe, but that doesn't stop their passion for it. I like a lot of artists from Spain, France and Germany but I rep Hungary, too. Can't forget about my Magyars! haha I also like some Dominican Hip-Hop and some South American Hip-Hop artists' as well. Actually, I'm working on a collaboration with my friend Itam from Chile right now, so look out for that in the future, and check him out as well!

7. What are you currently listening to?

A variety of stuff. The new Nessbeal, EPMD's 'Business As Usual', I'm really psyched for the new Bring Me The Horizon album. They never fail. They're a great band and put on a great show. I listen to myself from time to time, but I usually don't listen to myself too too much. haha. Not that I think I'm bad, it's just because I spent the last year, year and a half cutting down the record so why would I want to hear it again right after I just finished it? hahaha.

8.Some of your songs are very personal ("The Homecoming", "Take It
Further"), what was the writing process like for those songs in
particular?

Songs like that are a natural occurrence. I probably couldn't FORCE myself to knowingly write them, like, 'your GOING to write a heart felt song, whether you like it or not!', even if I really wanted to. I just heard the beats, zoned out, and wrote down EXACTLY how I was feeling at the time. From what I remember, those two came really easy to me, too. It was what I was feeling, HOW I was feeling. When I heard the beats, there was no mistake, those songs were MEANT to be written. Everything those songs encompassed was exactly how I was feeling.


9. If someone was to come to a Boo Diddly show, what should they expect?

Well, for starters, a great Hip-Hop performance. With 'DU.94' being how it is, I'm not going to be satisfied until I'm literally killing myself on stage. Expect a lot of passion, energy and emotion. Rappers now a days tend to lack that. It kinda seems like they forgot how to perform. And since I brought originality back with 'DU.94', I'm going to bring back the essence & originality of what it's actually like to PERFORM and not just stand up on stage in the mix of 15 other dudes who don't even rap. That's just dumb. I'm there to entertain the audience, MY audience, NOT put them to sleep. hahaha

10. What's next for Boo Diddly?

I can't tell you too much, but the writing process doesn't ever really stop. I could never abandon being an author. Life is odd like that. You could say, 'Ok, I'm not going to write any more songs' but you'll catch yourself doing it sooner or later, even though you said you wouldn't. Creativity doesn't just turn itself off when you want it to, so you have to embrace it for what it is. If I felt the urge to and my mind was in the right mode, I could easily punch out another album. I've done it. Sure it never got released, but it's not like it wasn't solid material. The timing just wasn't right for it. But to say the least, I've been plotting and planning a little bit, but for now, it's all about 'DU.94' and pushing that. It deserves it.

11. Any shoutouts?

First I want to shout out God because he has kept me going and has helped me stay rather patient these past few years. Secondly, June-June for helping me stay sane and for keeping me motivated more than he knows. Third, my true fans who enjoy my muzik and who genuinely want to see me succeed and last but not least, Fourth, From The Depths Entertainment for their ongoing support of me. :D