B-Cide
Interview by Black Dog Bone
You were in Murder Dog 3 or 4 years ago. After that we didn’t hear from you for a while. What have you been up to since then?
It was 2008 actually. I had done a tour with Project Born. Then I too
k a lot of time to create this new shit. After I went on tour it took me a while to create this new album. I’ve been working on it, but I had some health issues that slowed me down quite a bit. I had something called Pulmonary Embolism that kept me in the hospital for a while.
Last time we talked you were touring and promoting your album “Free Agent”. How did that go?
It was great. I got to see the whole country doing that shit. I even got to perform at ICP’s Hallowicked after party with Project Born in 2008 in Detroit.
Is your audience mainly a Juggalo crowd?
A lotta Juggalos and Tech-Nicians (Tech N9ne fans) like my shit. It just kind of happened that way. ICP and Tech N9ne have been big influences in my career. And people who like them just gravitate toward good music. They don’t like people who rap about bullshit or pull any punches.
They are very dedicated fans.
Definitely. The only thing I could compare it to would the Grateful Deadheads. There’s nothing quite like the feeling that they create with their fanbase. It’s fucking amazing! It’s really something spectacular.
Where are you based? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Upstate New York, a town called Utica.
How did you get into the music of Tech N9ne and ICP?
I first found out about Tech N9ne from Murder Dog. If it wasn’t for Murder Dog I never would’ve found out about Tech N9ne. That was like 10 years ago. I remember the ads for Tech N9ne and I was like, who the hell is this crazy motherfucker? I went and bought his album and I was like, holy shit this guy has a totally different take on music.
Where are you heading with your music? Do you have your own vision?
The sky’s the limit. I pretty much base my career on the whole Strange Music business model. No bullshit. Fuck the industry, seriously! If you wanna get something done you gotta do it yourself. I’ve been grinding the shit for like 14 years as an underground artist. I’ve been doing this for a long-ass time.
People don’t realize it but Tech N9ne has been doing music and building from the ground up, for a long time.
A long time. You gotta pay a lotta dues and eat a lotta shit.
You have to be dedicated to the music and keep persevering.
The music is what keeps me going every day, wakes me up in the morning. Every day all day that’s what I think about, the music and what can happen with the music. Once your music really takes off all your dreams can come through.
You said you’ve been working on a new album. What’s it called?
The new album is called “P.E.” or Pulmonary Embolism. I’m really pushing this one hard. This is the album that will take me places, I can just feel it.
What makes this album different from your last one?
My music since I first started until now is 120% better. I’m older, I’ve seen a lot more, I’m more mature. The business has taught me a lot. I feel like I’ve been fucked around in all different ways in the business and on this album I laid it all out on the line. I think this represents how people are feeling today. I’m not talking about some baller shit or some shakin-ass shit. I’m talking about some real-ass shit here. And I can see that people are really catching onto this album.
How are you promoting this album?
I’m looking for some promoters to put me on some tours. I’ve got a video for my single, “Somethin Bout The Feeling”. I’m really pushing that. I’m going hard on the internet, hitting all these Juggalo sites.
Are there a lot of Juggalos in Upstate New York?
There’s a lotta Juggalo type fans out here. They run deep around here.
What about the production on this album? What kind of music did you do?
I worked with all different producers on this record and that really did something to me, just hearing the beats. I don’t write a song until I hear a beat. The beat tells me what to write. The beats that I got for this were just awesome. Some of the producers I worked with, like Diamond Style Productions, were just incredible. I love the music on this album. It’s very different even from my last album, very different.
Is it leaning more toward a dark sound or more light sound?
It’s not exactly dark. After struggling with my health and almost dying, I was going more towards the light. I’ve still got that hardcover gritty feel, but the beats are brighter I’d say. It’s more of an upbeat album. I even do some singing on there. It’s different. I was in the hospital for like 10 days and I was listening to beats in the hospital and writing lyrics on my phone and shit. Even recording lyrics on my phone. Being sick really changed my life.
How did it change your life?
It put everything into perspective. I just kept writing songs like a madman. I had so much to write about.
It sounds like you came face to face with death. A lot of people go through something like that and it gives them new life and a deeper understanding. You could say you were lucky to have that experience.
Yeah, you’re right. It brought me to the edge. I know I’m here to do this music and that’s why I’m still on this earth. I’m here on earth to do music, that’s why I’m still alive.
What kinds of things are you talking about in your lyrics on this album?
Lyrically I’m touching all kinds of topics. I’m talking about the world that we live in—that’s actually the name of one of my tracks. It’s actually more socially conscious music. I’m talking about how fucked up the government is, how fucked up the record industry is, how fucked up America is. And then I talk about my time in the hospital.
After you got sick did you change your lifestyle? A lot of people get sick because they don’t eat right. When you don’t eat right it effects your body, your mind, your emotional state.
Yeah, you’re right. People tend to live off of fastfood. I’m exercising more now.
What I’ve noticed in Rap now is that a lot of artists are incorporating different styles into their music, like Punk Rock or Dubstep or Electronic music or African music. What do you think of that?
I think it’s awesome. It’s funny that you mentioned Punk Rock, cause I’ve been a big fan of Green Day my entire life. they’ve actually been a big influence on me, and on this album that influence shows.
Were you a punk rocker at one time?
I wouldn’t say I was ever a punk rocker, but I like to compare underground Rap music to the old school Punk music. They’re both really hardcore and both have the “do it yourself” attitude that I love. I have my whole back catalog available online. I’ve got like 14 albums, all independent, all on my own dime.
You’re really dedicated.
Yeah, but I’m still looking for that break. I’m looking for my Travis O’Guin. I was signed with Assassin back in 2006, but he ended up closing the label an going on to his solo projects. He’s working with Wyclef now.
How would you describe B-Cide’s image and music? Is what you’re doing similar to what Tech N9ne or ICP is doing?
I think the whole problem with Tech N9ne or ICP fans who make music is they try to emulate their own image after their idols. I’m not into that. I say, take me for me. Once you hear the music you will understand me more. You’re gonna take me for me. What you’re gonna get is B-Cide 100% on ever album. I speak for people in poverty. I speak for people who have money. I’ve experienced all different types of lifestyles. All people are connected by some kind of bond, and a lot of it has to do with music.
Music is powerful. In tribal societies, people held the whole tribe together with the music, the drumbeat, the chanting.
Exactly. Another thing that comes into play is I’m not White, I’m Italian. A lot of people don’t get that, that just because you look kinda white on the outside, doesn’t make you white inside. My Italian background shapes what I do. We talk different, we talk loud, we come together around the dinner table. It’s a very different culture. Like Eminem’s a great rapper, but I’m not Eminem. I’m not a White boy looking at the world from a White boy’s point of view. I’m an Italian dude, and that’s how I look at it.
How can people get in touch with you or find out more about your music, B-Cide?
You can E-Mail me for features, bookings at bcide315@aol.com. And here are some links to my shit:
Official Web Site - www.b-cide.com
Official Webstore - www.eastsideproductionsmusic.com
Twitter - @bcide
YouTube - www.youtube.com/bcide
Facebook - www.facebook.com/bcide
