With young hip-hop groups such as U-N-I, Pacific Division, J*Davey, and Custom Made, there is a duo named
Inverse that is helping bring the true essence of hip-hop back in their very own stomping grounds of Los Angeles, California.
For too long west coast hip-hop has been slated with the stereotype of “gangsta rap,” and groups such as Inverse are definitely showing that west coast cats can rock the mic too.
Tunji (being from the San Francisco Bay Area) and Toby (from Los Angeles) are breaking down the west coast moniker for hip hop as “gangsta” with their very own debut release,
“So Far (The Collection)” which can be downloaded for free on their Myspace page. Let’s get to know Inverse more:
Can we start with a little background on who Inverse as a group is and how you guys met? What were the elements that drove the two of you into creating Inverse? How did you meet?
Toby: We met at a show in 2001...had a similar taste in music and a similar desire to make honest, soulful hip hop music. We wrote a song the first day we met. We created Inverse with the idea that through all differences both personally and artistically there lays a similar spirit and passion in what we do. We are able to create something from two different approaches that ties together well as a whole while hopefully reaching more people due to its wider range of approach.
Tunji: We chose the name Inverse because we knew people would immediately focus on how different we are on the surface, and also since we make hip hop so what we're doing is literally in verse.
As far as the LP “So Far” (The Collection), do you feel that it helps define you as a group and as individuals through the mediums of hip hop?
Toby: Well first of all, we'd like to just clarify that “So Far” isn't quite an LP..it's more of a "collection" of old songs, songs from side projects, and a few new songs recorded for this collection. Its intention is to give people a quick taste of who we are, where we've been, and where we're going. I think it's a good introduction to what we're about musically and personally but understand that this is primarily promotional material where as the album will really give us the opportunity to dive into what we're about musically and who we are as people.
Tunji: I definitely feel like we stand out in the current world of hip hop, and “So Far” shows that. We always try to make personal songs and put our real lives in the music, so whatever we do is going to speak to who we are as young men and as artists. In that sense, the music on “So Far” definitely captures who we are as people, but it's not necessarily a complete picture because it's not our real album. It's more of a quick snapshot. It's like an introduction, but you'll get the full story once you hear our album.
What are some of your favorite songs on “So Far?”
Toby: My personal favorites are "So Far" and "I Believe" with "HipHopSoul", "Remember The Name", and "Everything Is Beautiful" closely behind.
Tunji: I'd have to choose between "Constellation," "Remember The Name" and "HipHopSoul". Definitely one of those three.
Are there any major or independent labels that are trying to sign you guys, and do you plan to sign to a label or work independently?
Tunji: We have a few options we're exploring with indie labels, and a few people we work with want to help out on the distribution side, but right now we're just trying to keep the buzz from “So Far” going and focus on finishing the album. We actually got contacted by a major last week to set up a meeting, but we haven't set it up yet. I'm pretty sure we want to keep things independent at this point, but we're open-minded. Obviously, we want to be successful, but we're not in any hurry to get signed or blow up right now. We want the whole world to hear our music, but we also realize that if you want a lasting career, you have to pace and plan things meticulously and make the right business decisions to support the music.
Toby: Basically what Tunji said...We're going to continue to market ourselves independently with somewhat of an entrepreneurial mindset. Trying to create this brand and market it to the world. That being said, we have a few options on the table, and we are open-minded to hear what is available. We will make whatever decision we feel is best for providing us long-term success.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Toby: My musical influences range from blues, classic rock, soul, hip hop, world music, and even some country. I grew up listening to a lot of blues and country because my dad is from the south. My mom listened to more classic rock (the Beatles, Led Zeppelin. etc). [And] I grew up exploring music and gaining huge influences from the likes of Nina Simone, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Tupac, Common, Cee-Lo, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Muddy Waters, Brother Ali, etc..
Tunji: I'm definitely a music junkie, so there are way too many too name. My parents are from Nigeria, so there was a lot of afro beat and Nigerian music like Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade being played in our house that influenced me growing up. My parents were also into soul and all the Motown stuff from the '60s and '70s, along with Michael Jackson and Prince and all the classic '80s R&B and funk. I'm a huge Beatles fan as well. As far as hip hop goes, my biggest personal influences come from OutKast, Jay-Z, Nas, Common, Mos Def and Talib Kweli, Lauryn Hill, Cee-Lo Green, The Roots, The Pharcyde and Atmosphere, along with people we know and admire like Brother Ali, Little Brother, the whole QN5 camp and all our friends out here in LA who we're rising with. Right now, I'm going crazy over the newest Erykah Badu album and these dudes called Chester French who I recently met out here in LA.
Hey Tunji, I’ve read that you were from the Bay Area? How do you feel about the hip hop scene in the Bay Area, and who are some of your Bay Area hip-hop influences?
Tunji: My experience with bay area hip hop is pretty unique because even though I grew up there, I didn't really come of age as a hip-hop head until I was in high school on the east coast. When I was in elementary school and junior high and the west coast was really running things commercially, I was into what all the kids in the bay were listening to - Snoop and Dre, Tupac, Too $hort, E-40 and The Click, the Luniz, Mac Mall and all those artists. But then I went to boarding school with a bunch of kids from Brooklyn and the Bronx, so around 9th grade I started listening to Nas, Wu-Tang, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, Biggie, the Fugees, Heltah Skeltah and stuff like that. High school was when I started writing rhymes, so I was more influenced by that east coast style of rhyming and the beats as well, 'cause that's what I was around at the time. So, I'm not really an authority on bay area hip-hop, but I'm definitely influenced by the independent spirit of the bay and the business-minded manner in which bay artists have pushed their own music for the past two decades. Bay area rappers really pioneered the idea of moving major units independently, and hip-hop artists today owe a lot to that. As far as the hip hop scene in the bay right now, I feel the same way as I feel about hip hop everywhere - there are a few talented people making great music, but there's a lot of really, really wack shit as well. I've always been a big Heiro fan and I like Zion I a lot. I'm still a huge E-40 fan - in fact I was part of the marketing team for his last album when I worked at Warner Bros. Records, which was an amazing experience just being a hip-hop kid from the Bay and getting to help push an E-40 album.
Toby, how do you feel about the state of hip-hop in general today? Do you think that there needs to be a complete makeover from the mainstream hip-hop’s “Money, Cash, Hos” format that has been so overly saturating the radio and airwaves?
Toby: Well I don't necessarily think there is anything inherently wrong with that format of music. The problem really lays in the lack of balance...the lack of equal representation. This creates misconceptions about what hip-hop is to fans and outsiders alike. Hip-hop is and can be so many things at once. As a genre of music, it is an extremely diverse medium through which we can bring an extremely diverse spectrum of lyrical content and musical composition. Then you have mainstream fans who define hip-hop as one thing while underground fans define it as another. Both are right and wrong simultaneously. Hip-hop on both sides of the spectrum just lacks balance. There's constantly one type of stuff made over and over and over again with maybe a splash of something different here and there. Rock music has several different subgenres represented in the mainstream world. So, this leaves a chasm in the world of hip hop listeners because they are not represented through the same channels of media. Underground fans will swear that everything underground is "real hip hop" and better than all that "wack" mainstream stuff. Mainstream fans will swear that all underground stuff is amateur or some nerd shit talking about laser beams and galaxies etc..When the reality is that 95% on both ends of the spectrum are not very good. And there's great stuff made on both sides as well. If hip-hop fans would eliminate their own self-imposed boundaries, perhaps it would help bring the good stuff on both ends of the spectrum to the forefront so that we will have balance.
If you guys could do collaboration with any artist of any musical genre (dead or alive), who would it be with?
Tunji: I'd have to say either OutKast or Nas. A hungry Nas though. I wouldn't mind working with Erykah Badu or Fela Kuti either.
Toby: I could go a lot of different ways with this one. First two names that came to my mind were Quincy Jones and James Brown. I also think it would be interesting to make music with one of the big classical composers....Inverse featuring Beethoven.
What can people that don’t know Inverse already expect from you guys that is different from other hip hop groups?
Toby: I think the two main things are honesty and focus on songwriting. I think Tunji and I are both comfortable removing whatever boundaries usually exist between the listener and our true self. I think we bring an intelligence, worldliness, self-reflection, and diversity that most artists are unwilling or unable to bring to the table. This allows us to be honest about ourselves, about those that surround us, our culture, and our world with a sincerity that I believe people can relate to due to the universal themes carried within all people and all cultures. I think we also put a huge emphasis on songwriting that most other hip-hop artists do not. We usually see an emphasis on making a catchy song but without substance or much musicality. Or an emphasis on solely lyrical content and flow while ignoring the musical aspect of the medium. Our intention is to make catchy, well written, musically rich songs with substance that listeners can connect to on multiple levels. Lastly, I would say that we are constantly pushing ourselves...challenging ourselves to make our next song the best we've ever done. So with that mindset I think that listeners can expect us always to be pushing forward and progressing as artists and people.
Tunji: Musically speaking, we’re definitely trying to bring something new to the table. Our songs usually have a lot of movement to them, and I don't think we sound like anything that's out now or that people have really heard in hip hop. First and foremost we’re lyricists, but we try to incorporate very distinct hooks, bridges and melodies to bring a fresh approach from a songwriting perspective. I think our songs allow us to appeal to a lot of people who love music but aren't necessarily fans of rap, but diehard hip hop heads are down with us too because at the core we're both MCs and we can really spit. But we’re not caught up in trying to fit in and you can always expect us to channel our true lives and experiences through the music. Our music always comes from our real life experiences and we try to talk about life in a way that’s at the same time personal and relatable to the average person. We realize we don't look or sound like what most people expect from hip-hop nowadays, but we're okay with that and we definitely embrace that uniqueness.
What projects are you guys working on as a collective and even solo?
Tunji: Lately we've been working with some really talented instrumentalists and vocalists to take our live show to the next level. We want to make sure the live experience is just as dynamic as the songs we've been making. As far as recording goes though, right now we're just trying to finish up the album. We already have a few ideas for what to do next, like an EP with all international producers, a collaborations project taking advantage of the ridiculous amount of talented friends we have around us, and a few other ideas we've been kicking around, but the album is top priority. I definitely want to do some solo music as well, but the time will come for that. Right now the focus is on Inverse.
Toby: We've been working on coming up with new ways to market ourselves effectively. [We are] trying to bring Inverse to the world as a globally recognized brand and to find the best ways to get our music into people's ears. It's a new era for independent music artists, so it's important for us to focus on the business aspect of things as much as the music. As far as solo projects go...I really want to establish Inverse first before we consider doing a project individually. There is no doubt though that as two very different individuals we would both like to do some solo music down the road. This would be something in addition to pushing Inverse forward, not in lieu of it.
11 When can hip hop fans expect another Inverse release?
Tunji: Look out for “Long Day's Journey” before the end of 08, and we actually just got So Far up on iTunes, so the people can go grab that now. We just got So Far pressed up on CD too, so holla if you need a copy.
Toby: I think Tunji covered everything as far as Inverse releases go. However, we may have a song here or there on some side projects. Stay tuned, make sure to get a copy of So Far, and make sure to spread the music around as much as possible.
A song that really stood out to me was “’Til The End (C.A.L.I.)” featuring Deacon the Villain from the hip hop group, CunninLynguists. How did you guys click up with him to do this song?
Tunji: We've known those dudes for a long while, almost 8 or 9 years now. Kno used to steal music from my shared folder when I was in college and we started talking and becoming better friends around 2002. Then during my senior year I got a big budget from my school and organized a concert with Inverse opening up for CunninLynguists, Little Brother and Cee-Lo Green. We came up with this plan to book the CunninLynguists and Cee-Lo on the same flight out to Cali, which helped them build a relationship with him and led to him appearing on their album A Piece of Strange.
When they came out for that show at my school, it really solidified the friendship and they asked us to jump on the Sloppy Seconds 2 mixtape they were working on at the time. They were out here in LA for another show and we worked on it. It was a real natural thing. Kno actually came up with the hook first and then Deacon absolutely killed it. That song was our first appearance on an official release, and it introduced us to a lot of people, so we're definitely thankful. Those guys have been a huge help for our careers and we consider them both friends and mentors. Whenever they're out here in Cali you can guarantee Inverse is gonna be there as well.
Toby: I actually first got in touch with them about 9 years ago when I got some beats from Kno for a solo project I was working on that never panned out. We just loosely stayed in touch until the show at Tunji's school that he mentioned.
We have tremendous respect for them as people and for their musical talents and we definitely will be working with them often in the future. A Piece Of Strange Productions, which is the name under which Kno and Deacon produce as a collective, will actually be executive producing our upcoming LP Long Day's Journey.
So there you have it, Inverse…not just your typical hip-hop group. Toby and Tunji are two very different individuals that have been brought together for one sole purpose; to bring the hip-hop heads and music heads alike originality to the music forefront. Los Angeles is becoming a hotbed for young up and coming hip-hop groups (U-N-I, Pacific Division, etc.), and Inverse has the drive and potential to help push themselves into a whole new musical realm of their own. Be expecting a grand set of things from Tunji and Toby in the near future, and if you haven’t already, go download their “So Far (The Collection” on their Myspace page for FREE! Thanks guys.
