Str8HipHip

Str8HipHop.Com gets familiar with New Jacks: Eric Live

SHH:Where are you from?

EricLive: I'm from a little place called Mastic Beach, Long Island, NY baby!

SHH: I’m from Long Island too. How’s the scene out there like nowadays?

Eric Live: Terrible!!! And I hate to say that but I feel like there aren't many people who appreciate good music around here, never mind good Hip Hop. Most of Long Island is populated by people who listen to techno in their car, completely brainwashed by the radio and all the "Hip Hop" they play on it now. It's what they're forced to enjoy, and so that's exactly what they enjoy. Basically, if you're an aspiring rapper with a little bit of creativity....this is a hard crowd to please, and a hard area to come up in as an artist. I guess what it comes down to is, this isn't the city...people aren't going crazy for rap music, and so they just accept what's given to them. For example: Leaning and popping with it, Fergie, the same Sean Paul song over and over....you get the point.

SHH: When did you feel you wanted to start a career in music?

Eric Live: I was in like 9th grade, attempting to freestyle battle kids in the cafeteria. To be honest, it started off as more of a joke with some of my friends. By 10th grade, we discovered the beauty of recording on a PC, and took the joke a step further by recording all of this shit we were writing down. It sounded exactly like it was- a joke. But it was satisfying for us to say the least. And it wasn't like we were showing it off to people; we were just having more fun doing it than anything else. It became a hobby, and as I started really getting involved with it, learning new things and really falling in love with rap in general...my music just grew so much. By my senior year I was recording full albums by myself at home, and handing them out in the hallways all day at school. I was just an average kid that no one really knew...and all of a sudden, a lot of people recognized me and respected me because of my music. I couldn't get enough of it, and it was the only thing I ever had a real passion for in my life. So I told myself- "this is it", and here I am today doing the same thing in a bigger way.

SHH: What artists influence your music if any?

Eric Live: There are so many artists that act as an influence, not necessarily on my sound, but just as a person and someone who admires this business. People say I sound like Em, which pisses me off cause I'd like to think I have a unique sound. I also don't want people to think I'm trying to be the guy just because I'm white and I spit. Then again, these are the same people that know more about techno music than rap, and they obviously say it because I'm white, and I'm skilled with the flows. He's def one of my favorite artists though, along with Jay-Z and Biggie of course...Pac, Nas, Big L, Cassidy, Jada, Joe Budden, Saigon, I'm lovin' Lil' Wayne right now (no homo) , Fab, Pun, Juelz is tight...and Nickel Us F is def top 5. The only reason I'm on this site right now- I met H Dollar just tryin' get a verse from the dude. His grind is ridiculous too.

SHH: How would you describe your style/sound to the people?

Eric Live: Man, I don't even know. It's hard to describe a sound; you just got to hear it. I try to change shit up a lot...switch up the flow, the mood, the message in the song...everything. You'll hear stuff that's just straight up fun, and you'll hear stuff that’s real serious. I feel like I got something to say, and being that my background and my life is unique from the usual Emcee spittin' about guns and drugs....my music is different, and in a good way. That’s where most of my sarcasm comes from. There's a real twist to most of my music. As much as the lyrics have an effect on all that, it's the beats that I'm producing that help the sound just as much. Dre is a huge influence, and you can hear it in my production...maybe why people say I sound like Em. I love the smack of the drums...I like to let the drums stand out on a track. I sample shit here and there...a lot of the jazzier tracks are samples from old blues and jazz records. Most of the melodies you hear are straight off the keyboard though.

SHH: What are you working on right now?

Eric Live: Right now I'm just goin song by song. Tryin to build up a catalogue of music to fall back on... I was trying to record another album, but every time I finish a song, I can't resist posting it up online...which kind of eliminates the whole formula to making a full album. Like I said, a career in Hip Hop is a tough thing to pursue out here...I'm doing this entire thing on my own. I have no one helping me promote or reproduce any of the music I make. So it's hard to really have a single project to work on and then push it to try and get some publicity. That’s why doing interviews and getting my music up on sites like this is huge for me. I need people to notice me and show me some support.

SHH: What's your outlook for 2006/2007 (What are your goals for the year)?

Eric Live: I'm really hoping to get my name out there and make some moves for myself over the next year. This is an early phase of what I'm trying to make a career. I know I probably got some time to go before anything serious happens...but I have a lot of confidence in my talent and the stuff I'm making and I know it deserves to be out there for people to hear. I would love to be featured on more Hip Hop web sites...land some spots on the radio where up and coming dudes like me are endorsed...and just overall, have a lot of people wondering- "where can I hear more of Eric Live". Aside from rap, producing is just as important for me, and it's probably even a little easier to push. I want to start selling more beats as much as anything...and work with as many artists as I possibly can. I got that fire! Holla! (EricBoorum@yahoo.com)

SHH: What producers are you working with?'

Eric Live: Like I said, I make my own beats. Everything I'm spittin over is entirely produced by me...which I think is crazy. That’s not to say I wouldn't work with anyone else though...I'm just picky as hell about beats, so if it’s fire and you want to throw me something through the email- don't hesitate. Otherwise, I'd rather produce my own heat for no charge.

SHH: Who would you like to work with in the future?

Eric Live: Anyone and everyone I listed in my influences. I would do a track with any of those artists any day, whether it’s producing or being featured on a song with them. Not only because that's a dream come true, but also because that to me would signify that I made it. As for as working with producers... There's a million. The obvious ones like Dre, Just Blaze, Timbaland, Neptunes, Premo, Swizz, and even Scott Storch is dope as hell. Track Masters for "I'll be" by Foxy and Jay alone...that’s one of my favorite beats of all time. I wish beats still sounded like that. Basically anyone who did anything hot from the mid 90's when rap was sick...that’s my favorite style of production...and I'd love to team up with someone to bring that sound back fo sho!

SHH: What do you feel separates you from the next artist trying to make it in rap?

Eric Live: Besides the fact that I'm white, which could be good or bad...I'm just nice. I've always been a modest dude, but when it comes to my music...I'm nothing but a believer in myself, and I think I have to be. I don't hold nothin' back, so I'm not afraid to say it...I'm just nice. I taught myself everything I know. Never has anyone ever showed me how to do anything...whether it was how to put my rhymes together, count bars, record and mix everything down, or even to produce. I taught myself everything I know, and I do everything on my own. I think I'm at a level that a lot of people who think they have what it takes aren't. Everything just comes natural to me. And the pace that I learned everything at, and the pace that my music progressed just makes I'll be 4 or 5 years from now...man, I turned 20 four months ago. I've got every reason to believe in myself. I was born for this.

SHH: If not music what would you be doing?

Eric Live: I really don't know. It hasn't crossed my mind since I was in high school. I was always a musical kid even before rap. Always artistic... I guess I'd be doing something similar...expressing myself through the arts. Who knows though? All I can say is that I'm just happy about the path I've chosen.

SHH: Where can people check out some of your music?

Eric Live: Well for now, all I have is the soundclick jump-off.... So head over to WWW.SOUNDCLICK.COM/ERICLIVE. Everything I've ever recorded over the past 2 and half years is up there. The newest shit is at the top of the page though, and I update it with new tracks frequently. You can also hit me up on myspace @ WWW.MYSPACE.COM/WATUPKID. Get at me!

SHH: Any last words for the people in closing?

Eric Live: Yeah, I guess I'll do the typical shout out thing. I want to shout out my main man HiLL- who's been doin' this rap thing with me since the beginning and needs to get back on his grind cause he's sick with it. My dudes Cide and Maur. Pinezilla and George "From the TV show" Romano...for giving me more support than anyone else in the world. You give me a lot of confidence and I appreciate that. All the rest of my friends and family who show me love and believe in my music...and definitely a big thanks to Str8HipHop.com for giving me this sick opportunity to be heard. This site is great. If you wanna purchase the smooth productions of Eric Live for dumb cheap, holler at the soundclick to hear em, and then holler at the email (EricBoorum@yahoo.com) to enquire. Feedback is more than welcomed too. Lastly, let's all grow up and do something to change this world cause right now, shit is real ugly! Peace and love people! It's ERIC LIVE baby!