There are those who aspire to a hip-hop solely based on the assumption of material benefits or there are those who approach it as a craft and seek to put their heart, soul and work into producing a quality product, rolling the dice to see if they can connect with people and leave their mark in history. Markus Tha Great White is an approachable mix of genuine charisma and ingenuity that translates well in gathering diverse crowds to the local hip-hop scene. Markus has that rare ability to draw people to himself without deception, his sincerity and humor compliment his talent for producing the kind of hooks that happily stick with you long after the lights have dimmed. This is fun hip-hop that is expressive, aggressive and interactive.

HC Is there any significance or story behind your name?
MGW So originally I was just gonna go by Markus….but some homies and I (Yung Royal and Michael Paulsen) were throwin around some names. Markus tha Great White was born as a joke, I laughed when he said it, but after a while i really started 2 like it! Now I embody the Great White, almost a split personality on stage, and intend on using the name til I retire!

HC How did you go from dreaming about rapping to performing live and cutting albums?
MGW All props must go out 2 Doctrine aka my hardcore neighbor Jared, and Yung Royal aka Carlos Lynch! Doctrine heard me freestyle and gave me an avenue 2 the booth, and Yung Royal took me under his wing when dude left….I owe all my current success 2 them!

HC For those who are unfamiliar with your set, how would you describe yourself – do you lean towards a particular style of hip-hop? What can we expect from a Markus Tha Great White show?
MGW My shows r CRAZY!! Everyone I rock wit is 100% buck all the time! My set is about dancing, sweating, gettin all the everyday ISH off ur chest! I try 2 stay true 2 my old school hip hop roots, but I mix em up wit a lot of new sounds.

HC I saw you live recently and was impressed with how you seem to have mastered the art of writing hooks/choruses that people can and want to connect with.
MGW First off the hook or chorus of the song is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART! I spend a lot of time choosing each word for a hook because I want it 2 stick in ur head. At shows I have hooks that r designed 2 make u wanna chant along.(I’m so sneaky)

HC In a live performance, a song that stuck out to me declared, “Can we please bring real hip-hop back!” What does this mean to you?
MGW I have a lot of influence stemming from old school hip hop, and I feel the current radio-hop that is forced through our speakers is hard 2 choke down! In my opinion, if ur gonna be on the mic have somethin 2 say!!!

HC Going to Bogey’s for the first time on a Wednesday night, I was surprised with the talent and turn out for a mid week hip-hop show. Has Albany always been good to hip-hop or has that been a lot of work by yourself and others to get it to this point (what can you tell us about the history of hip-hop in Albany)?
MGW I am certainly not the pioneer in this area. U had Murder Creek, Grinestone, Weside Ink, Thug Couzin, Paradox, etc. I have been doing shows for over a year now, and there are some great local groups making the same positive movements I am. Mad love to SOUFside, J lil, Suganuts, Mr. 541, Poverty Posterboy, Tru, Chesha Cat…..and to anyone I forgot, sorry yo! u know my habits lead 2 forgetting ish, its all love!

HC What are some of your early influences that got you into hip-hop?
MGW I’m from the East coast so u know I’ve got 2 b a Biggie fan. I also like Wu tang, Bone thugz, Tech nine, Ludacris, and anyone else who spits wat they stand 4. My mom is a music teacher 2, so I was blessed with rythm at a young age.(unlike most white boys!)

HC Where are you currently grabbing inspiration and/or frustration from and how has this been affecting your music?
MGW I’ve had some tough times with my first album’s release, but I’m releasing the Lost Tracks Compilation Friday July 24th! I actually appreciate the bullish most of the time, it gives me fuel 2 keep grinding and makes 4 some great song themes! Nothing will ever keep me down!

HC Where can those interested best connect with you to find out about news, releases and tours?
MGW I’m a very approachable guy…..so anyone who has any questions or advice please hit me up 541-974-3418 also myspace.com/markusthagreatwhite and N2deepent.com which is my entertainment company I created. There are no contracts 4 the first year so get at me 2 connect wit a deep team!!!

HC You are working on cutting a CD this summer [July 2009] where did you record this album and who did you work with? What are some of your favorite tracks from this one?
MGW My album WAS being recorded at ReEvolution studios here in Albany, but it was on a hard drive stolen during a robbery in late June! I lost 7 beats, LOTS of hours in the booth, and about 1,800 cash invested!!! No worries though, I will be re-recording it asap and plan on having it released by the end of 09′ The Lost Tracks was made so fans could hear wat I was working on b 4 it was stolen.

HC On July 24th, 2009 you are presented Pause for the Cause with Yung Royal, what is the cause of this show and how did you get involved with this effort?
MGW This show was made 2 raise awareness with wat happened 2 my album. We have sold out pre-sale tickets, and I expect a very positive turn out. Much love 2 Yung Royal who has been working very hard along side me 2 make this show happen!

HC I didn’t get the full scoop on your album being stolen, did somebody hack your stuff or was someone shady and took what you had and pawned it as their own?
MGW There was actually a robbery at the studio I was recording with. They took a bunch of stuff including the computer equipment with all my session files on them! So i have the MP3 formats but I can’t do ANY editing to them without the session files so….back 2 square one : )

HC What have been some of the most important lessons for you as an aspiring artist? Any words of wisdom for those wanting to pursue their dreams of rap stardom?
MGW First off make sure u back up your sessions on a zip drive!! Don’t get em jacked like the Great White! The most important thing I’ve learned is u gotta stay hungry. Never stop learning/growing and u will surpass all those around u!! peace and love markus tha great white

Roseway & 66 Love Letters (hurdcore alumni) together!!!
When: Friday, September 11, 2009
Where: Life Church
5585 SW 209th
Aloha, OR 97007
Details: 6:30PM; $5 ALL AGES

THEN…..

66 Love Letters, Roseway, Skyward Collapse, and Ezerah
When: Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Where: Hawthorne Theatre
3862 SE Hawthorne Blvd,
Portland, Oregon 97214
Details: 7PM, $8

It’s time to get low and wake up the hardcore hibernating within the borders of Eugene, Oregon. A Year In Review has taken upon themselves to blast through the encumbrances, guitars ablaze with brutal riffs dripping from sincere smiles and packaged with extreme energy. AYIR puts everything on the line in their shows, whether playing for small local crowds or preparing for an upcoming venue headlined by nationally acclaimed hardcore act Bleeding Through (August 26th, 2009 in Roseburg, Oregon). They may have been hiding under the bridges of Lane County, but Oregon residents will not want to ignore A Year In Review as they are primed to set fire to local venues and far beyond.

HC What inspired the name of your band?
AYIR Well when we came together, it was basically after the falling out of two other bands that we were all members in, and it was around the turn of the year when we started getting into the swing of things as a new band, and it just clicked. Basically, at any moment in time, if you sit back, and review an entire year, there is so much growth, so much change, so much that occurs in 365 days, that it’s really amazing to think about.

HC How would you describe your musical style?
AYIR That’s actually a question we struggle to answer. It’s sort of a-typical to say “it doesn’t sound like anything else”, but it really doesn’t. We’ve had people listen to us and call us crazy, all-over the place metal, and then we have had others compare us to early Senses Fail. If I had to peg it, I’d say it’s post-hardcore with many pop and metalcore elements.

HC You are currently based out of Eugene, Oregon, are you all natives – I know at least you drummer is from afar, Ohio right?
AYIR Yes, I know Aaron (drummer) was born in Ohio, but I’m not sure how long he actually lived there. As far as I know, we’ve all basically been raised in Eugene, and have all started out even picking up music here.

HC Eugene seems to me a bit perplexing as it is typically referred to as a “hippie town” by outsiders such as myself but there is also a strong metal presence with venues like Samurai Duck, how would you describe the local scene, especially as it relates to hardcore?
AYIR Eugene is an interesting place… the difficulty here is booking, and response from the local scene. There’s simply not many venues, and the few we have are generally 21 and over (Samurai Duck is actually fairly recent, and are off and on with actually being all ages as far as I know), and not exactly receptive to the more “hardcore” scene. There’s definitely a large metal influence here. It seems to me like the younger generations of bands coming out of high school, are all more towards hardcore or an indie-pop movement, but the bands that can book the 21 and up venues are all very metal influenced, aside from a few, probably the most notable being Aeolus. It’s an interesting place… just incredibly limited by the lack of venues. The best shows here are done in makeshift-venues.

HC I recently was able to see you play with Roseway at Treehouse Venue in Eugene (awesome!), you guys play with a lot of energy and can get remarkably low (literally), any secrets to where your energy comes from?
AYIR Haha, we do practice getting low. Probably comes easiest when you’re 5-foot-nothing like me. When we look at our energy, it all comes from putting something out that we want to play. When we write, I think we all have it keyed in as to how this will come out when it’s played live as an end result, so you see that in a lot of our songs, they’ve all got parts specifically made to evoke energy. If there was any advice, just play and write music that gives you an energy by itself, and the actual movement will come easy.

HC You mentioned in your song, Oh Lisa that people do not have to objectify themselves because we are all beautiful, that seemed to be a very personal song, is there a true story behind it?
AYIR Ah, yes, “Oh Lisa”. We’re actually quite proud of that song. I’m not sure how much Luke (vocals) would want me to give away about the details of the origins of that song.
However, yes, it is a very personal song, but it also applies to everybody. His theme with writing lyrics is about inspiring ways to improve ourselves as people, and the ways we interact not only with others, but with ourselves. That song is probably the best example of that, because the lyrics span across band and audience.

HC Where can those interested best connect with you to find out about news, releases and tours?
AYIR myspace.com/ayearinreview is probably the best resource, we generally keep it very updated. If you happen to see one of on or around MySpace, we’re all very relaxed guys that would like to chat and can also keep you up to date on what we’re doing.

HC What are your plans for the near future? Are you working on writing and/or releasing an album?
AYIR Right now we’re in the middle of just demoing some of our newest songs just to get out there, and planning on writing some more. We’re also incredibly excited to open up for Bleeding Through, Carnifex, Miss May I, and Motionless In White in Roseburg. We’ll definitely be working on stepping up our game for that show.

HC Where are you currently grabbing inspiration and/or frustration from and how has this been affecting your music?
AYIR As people, we all draw inspirations just through ordinary life as most of us do. We’re all recent graduates, or about to be recent graduates, so there’s obviously aspects that a lot of people go through with becoming adults that I think can be found in some of our music and lyrics.

HC What have been some of your greatest influences as musicians and artists?
AYIR I can’t speak for the entire band when it comes to what inspires us as far as other bands. With their personal listening, Jordan (guitarist) leans towards alternative, Dan (guitarist) is into really heavy kind of stuff, Aaron has the poppier side, Luke is all over the place, and I’m into the singing kind of post-hardcore.

HC What have been some of the most important lessons for you as aspiring artists?
AYIR We’ve all definitely learned that a lot of what you do, whether it comes to practicing, writing, is all in how you deal with each other. It all needs to be respectable, but you also have the right to hold your position until it’s heard out, no matter what it is.

HC Are there any favorite/funny/scary memories from shows/tours that you’d like to share?
AYIR There was a date in Waldport where we were given time to do a soundcheck earlier in the day, so we assumed that portion of it was done. Somebody in the venue told us it was time and to gather people up to come in (It’s an upstairs venue), and some people had gathered up, so we started into our intro track as well as our first full song, only to be stopped half-way through by the guy telling us our soundcheck was over.

HC What has been the most challenging part of taking your band public? Any words of encouragement for aspiring bands?
AYIR The most difficult part is just getting kids to shows and getting your name to different places. There’s not too many places to play in Oregon, and chances are you’ll end up coming to the same place multiple times, generally to the same kids. If there’s any advice to give, it’s just to go out and hang out with people at the venue when you’re out of town. Some of the people that come to like and follow as a band aren’t people that we’ve blown away while we’re on stage, it’s the ones that we took the time out after the show to get to know, become friends with. The job isn’t finished when you step off the stage.

*UPCOMING SHOWS*
8/26/2009 8:00 PM
@ Riversdale Grange w/ Bleeding Through, Carnifex, Miss May I, Motionless In White, A Year In Review and others! (See us for AYIR for tickets)
4856 Garden Valley Road, Roseburg, Oregon 97470
Cost: $12 Pre, $15 Door

So, perhaps you missed the Facedown Records lineup from Day 3, Brian “Head” Welch or The 80′s Extravaganza with Blessed By A Broken Heart – don’t worry, you can still catch your favorite Solid State Record’s bands tear it up and to make things even crazier, As I Lay Dying headlines for the final day of Tomfest. Tomfest boasts over 130 bands spread over 4 crazy days of music, fun and onsite camping. Discover new bands, see your favorites play live and join the crowds for a packed weekend at a total bargain.

Tomfest in Camas, Washington (Just minutes from Portland, Oregon)
Day 4 Info – Saturday, August 21, 2009

MEADOW STAGE
9:00am-9:30am: The Terminal Velocity
10:00am-10:30am: Paper Astronomer
11:00am-11:30am: Goodnight Charade
12:30pm-1:00pm: Insomniac Folklore
1:30pm-2:00pm: Endeverance
2:30pm-3:00pm: A Tale Through Audio
3:30pm-4:00pm: Enation
4:30pm-5:00pm: Kat Jones
6pm-6:30pm: Blessed By A Broken Heart
7:00pm-7:30pm: Gwen Stacy
8:00pm-8:45pm: Haste The Day
9:15pm-9:30pm: Jimmy Spencer
9:30pm-10:15pm: As I Lay Dying

GROVE STAGE
9:30am-10:00am: This Is A Stickup
10:30am-11:00am: Sovereign Strength
11:30am-12:10pm: The Neverclaim
12:10pm-12:30pm: Chad Johnson
1:00pm-1:30pm: A Hope Not Forgotten
2:00pm-2:30pm: The Fall Of Babylon
3:00pm-3:30pm: Man Of War
4:00pm-4:30pm: All Or Nothing
5:00pm-5:40pm: Elliot (worship)
5:40pm-6:00pm: Chad Pearson
6:30pm-7:00pm: The Showdown
7:30pm-8:00pm: Showbread
8:45pm-9:15pm: Oh Sleeper
10:30pm: Invisible Children Screening!

FLATBED STAGE
11:00am-12:00pm: RYFO Meeting
1:00pm-1:30pm: Shayde Bridges!
2:00pm-2:30pm: Dewey Lybecker
3:00pm-3:30pm: Bryson Foster
4:00pm-4:30pm: Josiah James
10:15pm-10:45pm: Gayle Skidmore
11:00pm-11:30pm: Rene Velarde
11:45pm-12:15am: Orion Walsh

INSIDE STAGE
10am-11am: Creative Arts Alliance
9:00pm-9:45pm: Aapoaa
10:15pm-10:45pm: Across The Sun
11:00pm-11:30pm: ML3
11:45pm-12:15am: Stillfire
12:30am-1:00am: Moher
1:15am-1:45am: InMyOpinion

CAFE STAGE
11:00am-11:30am: Ron Timen
11:45am-12:15pm: Mikee Bridges (founder)
12:30pm-1:30pm: Band/Music Panel
1:45pm-2:15pm: Jimmy Spencer
2:30pm-3:00pm: Jeremiah Carlson
5:00-7:00pm: Allalom Music & Comedy
10:00pm-12:00am: Allalom Acoustic Recording Workshop!

SKATE PARK
10am-3pm: Free ‘OPEN SKATE’
4pm-5pm: Boarders for Christ Skate Demo
6pm-9pm: Free ‘OPEN SKATE’
10:15pm-10:45pm: FIREWORKS SHOW!!

TICKETS Full Event Pass: $45.00 at the gate *Children younger than 10 are free as always.

DAY PASSES:
Wednesday (August 19th) – $10.00
Thursday (August 20th) – $20.00
Friday (August 21st) – $20.00
Saturday (August 22nd) – $20.00
(available only at main gate)

Camping: Full event camping is free with paid FULL EVENT pass. Camping does not apply to day passes.

Parking:
4-day Parking lot pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
4-day ‘park at your tent’ pass: $20 (per vehicle)
1-day Parking lot pass: $5.00 (per vehicle)
1-day v.i.p. parking pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
(trailers are considered a vehicle)

Ever wanted to see the entire Facedown Records lineup over the course of an entire day? How about Brian “Head” Welch (formerly of KORN)? Tomfest boasts over 130 bands spread over 4 crazy days of music, fun and onsite camping. Discover new bands, see your favorites play live and join the crowds for a packed weekend at a total bargain.

Tomfest in Camas, Washington (Just minutes from Portland, Oregon)
Day 3 Info – Friday, August 21, 2009

MEADOW STAGE
9:30am-10:00am: In Pursuit Of
10:30am-11:00am: Modern Mosaic
11:30am-12:10pm: Rend The Heavens
12:10pm-12:30pm: (speaker)
1:00pm-1:30pm: The Bombadil Project
2:00pm-2:30pm: Prologue
3:00pm-3:30pm: Abandon Kansas
4:00pm-4:30pm: Sleep For Sleepers
5:00pm-5:40pm: Elliot (worship)
5:40pm-6:00pm: Thom Green
6:30pm-7:00pm: Goodnight Caulfield
7:30pm-8:00pm: Children 18:3
8:30pm-9:15pm: Brian ‘HEAD’ Welch (formerly of KORN)

GROVE STAGE (Facedown Records)
9:00am-9:30am: Burning Twilight
10:00am-10:30am: The Red Letter Run
11:00am-11:30am: The Great Commission
12:30pm-1:00pm: Hands
1:30pm-2:00pm: Earth From Above
2:30pm-3:00pm: A Plea For Purging
3:30pm-4:00pm: A Hope For Home
4:30pm-5:00pm: For Today
6:00pm-6:30pm: War Of Ages
7:00pm-7:30pm: Sleeping Giant
8:00pm-8:30pm: Secret & Whisper
9:15pm-9:30pm: Chad Pearson
9:30pm-10:15pm: The Classic Crime

FLATBED STAGE
10:00am-12:00pm: RYFO Meeting
12:30pm-1:00pm: Hannah Jean
1:30pm-2:00pm: Brian Griffing
2:30pm-3:00pm: Joal Kamps
3:30pm-4:00pm: John Davidson
4:30pm-5:00pm: Yes, You Are Ferocious!
10:15pm-10:45pm: Casey Parnell
11:00pm-11:30pm: Valeri Lopez
11:45pm-12:15am: Benjimon Lawson
12:30am-1:00am: The Loveless Estate

INSIDE STAGE
7:00pm-9:00pm: Men As Trees Walking
9:30pm-10:00pm: Josh Hagquist
10:15pm-10:45pm: Holding Onto Hope
11:00pm-11:30pm: Dance My Heart
11:45pm-12:15am: Eyelid Up
12:30am-1:00am: After You
1:15am-1:45am: Alitheia
2:00am-2:30am:

CAFE STAGE
11:00am-11:30am: Carl Culley
11:45am-12:15pm: Mikee Bridges (founder)
12:30pm-1:30pm: Band/Music Panel
1:45pm-2:15pm: Aaron Noll
2:30pm-3:00pm: Israel Escamilla

TICKETS Full Event Pass: $45.00 at the gate *Children younger than 10 are free as always.

DAY PASSES:
Wednesday (August 19th) – $10.00
Thursday (August 20th) – $20.00
Friday (August 21st) – $20.00
Saturday (August 22nd) – $20.00
(available only at main gate)

Camping: Full event camping is free with paid FULL EVENT pass. Camping does not apply to day passes.

Parking:
4-day Parking lot pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
4-day ‘park at your tent’ pass: $20 (per vehicle)
1-day Parking lot pass: $5.00 (per vehicle)
1-day v.i.p. parking pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
(trailers are considered a vehicle)

Where else can you find over 130 bands crammed into 4 days of music, fun and onsite camping. Discover new bands, see your favorites play live and join the crowds for a packed weekend at a total bargain.

Tomfest in Camas, Washington (Just minutes from Portland, Oregon)
Day 2 Info – Thursday, August 20, 2009

MEADOW STAGE
9:00am-9:30am: Affected
10:00am-10:30am: Only Earth & Sky
11:00am-11:30am: Coolfield
12:30pm-1:00pm: ICatchFire
1:30pm-2:00pm: My Paper Camera
2:30pm-3:00pm: Hazel & Vine
3:30pm-4:00pm: Casey Marvin
4:30pm-5:00pm: Brightwood
6:00pm-6:30pm: Ruth
7:00pm-7:30pm: Manafest
8:00pm-8:30pm: Above The Golden State
9:15pm-9:30pm: Chris Greenwood
9:30pm-10:15pm: Joy Electric

GROVE STAGE
9:30am-10:00am: The Intolerants
10:30am-11:00am: Park Lane
11:30am-12:10pm: Josiah James (worship)
12:10pm-12:30pm: (speaker)
1:00pm-1:30pm: Straight To Our Enemies
2:00pm-2:30pm: Bright Lit City
3:00pm-3:30pm: Chasing Aurora
4:00pm-4:30pm: Elliot
5:00pm-5:40pm: Elliot (worship)
5:40pm-6:00pm: Jeremiah Carlson
6:30pm-7:00pm: Bradley Hathaway
7:30pm-8:00pm: Falling Up
8:30pm-9:15pm: White Collar Sideshow

FLATBED STAGE
10:00am-12:00pm: RYFO Meeting
1:00pm-1:30pm: Proclaiming Cadence
2:00pm-2:30pm: Low Country Thieves
3:00pm-3:30pm: Candy Apple Blonde
4:00pm-4:30pm: Jeremy Tuell
10:15pm-12:15am: Open mic poetry night hosted by Bradley Hathaway!
12:30am-1:00am: Lower Lights Burning
1:15am-1:45am: Colton & Zara

INSIDE STAGE
10:15pm-10:45pm: Tragedy Ann
11:00pm-11:30pm: The Roe
11:45pm-12:15am: Brazen Layver
12:30am-1:00am: Alyria
1:15am-1:45am: Riots of Eighty
2:00am-2:30am: Heroes Are Forever

CAFE STAGE
11:00am-11:30am: Matt Chapirson
11:45am-12:15pm: Mikee Bridges (founder)
12:30pm-1:30pm: Band/Music Panel
1:45pm-2:15pm: Sasha Timens
2:30pm-3:00pm: Erik Whittington
3:30-5:30: Open Mic w/ Bradley Hathaway

TICKETS: Full Event Pass – $45.00 at the gate *Children younger than 10 are free as always.

DAY PASSES:
Wednesday (August 19th) – $10.00
Thursday (August 20th) – $20.00
Friday (August 21st) – $20.00
Saturday (August 22nd) – $20.00
(available only at main gate)

Camping: Full event camping is free with paid FULL EVENT pass. Camping does not apply to day passes.

Parking:
4-day Parking lot pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
4-day ‘park at your tent’ pass: $20 (per vehicle)
1-day Parking lot pass: $5.00 (per vehicle)
1-day v.i.p. parking pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
(trailers are considered a vehicle)

Tomfest is a local and national music extravaganza, hosting over 130 bands over 4 days packed with music, fun and camping onsite. Discover new bands, see your favorites play live and join the crowds for a packed weekend at a total bargain.

Tomfest in Camas, Washington (Just minutes from Portland, Oregon)
Day 1 Info – Wednesday, August 19, 2009

INSIDE STAGE
6:00pm-7:00pm: Coolfield (worship)
7:30pm-8:00pm: Jake Powell
8:15pm-8:45pm: The Standoff
9-10:30pm: 80′s Dance Party (w/Blessed By A Broken Heart)
11:00pm-11:30pm: Dear Whoever
11:45pm-12:15am: Fallstar
12:30am-1:00am: The Seatbelt Tragedy
1:15am-1:45am: A Rotterdam November

TICKETS: Full Event Pass: $45.00 at the gate *Children younger than 10 are free as always.

DAY PASSES:
Wednesday (August 19th) – $10.00
Thursday (August 20th) – $20.00
Friday (August 21st) – $20.00
Saturday (August 22nd) – $20.00
(available only at main gate)

Camping: Full event camping is free with paid FULL EVENT pass. Camping does not apply to day passes.

Parking: 4-day Parking lot pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
4-day ‘park at your tent’ pass: $20 (per vehicle)
1-day Parking lot pass: $5.00 (per vehicle)
1-day v.i.p. parking pass: $10.00 (per vehicle)
(trailers are considered a vehicle)

When we first arrived in Oregon a few years ago, I hadn’t even heard of Albany. Now that we’ve been residents for nearly 3 years, there are still details and aspects of this “small” town that surprise me. Something that you may not catch, if you were just passing through, would be the depth of talent cultivating in this hip-hop vineyard between the I-5 and Willamette River. Albany (Oregon) isn’t just a haven for homegrown rap aspirations, it has become a destination attracting groups that are chasing the dream from places as fairly near such as The Bay and as far as Louisiana. Suganuts is one such welcome import bringing with him a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the local rap scene. Suganuts is a family man who is doing right by taking care of his own while blowing up mics with the full support of his wife and four doting sons.

HC Is there any significance or story behind your name?
SN Yep. It began as a nickname from then my girlfriend and now my wife….lol.
It then was the shock of it being said. As how the lyrics from my music make people react…. HONESTY…

HC How did you go from dreaming about rapping to performing live and cutting albums?
SN Well, I started writing in ’91. About my life and real life situations. It helped me release my anger and stress. I did my first show when I was 16 opening for Green Day in 1995, but never have been as active as I am am now here in Albany.

HC For those who are unfamiliar with your set, how would you describe yourself – do you lean towards a particular style of hip-hop? What can we expect from a Suganut’s show?
SN Yo! You can expect to enjoy the set no matter what type of music you enjoy. I guess you can say its an interactive in your face performance with real music, but its tough to pump up your name to folks. Gotta stay humble ya know what I mean?

HC I had no idea that Albany had such a robust hip-hop community, you mentioned that you’ve been doing this for 17 years, have all of those been in Albany?
SN Albany Or is amazing I love it here. I love the artists and the fans, because they love the artists. check out (Yung Royal, Markus tha Great White, Poverty’s Posterboy & Bilyeu, Weside Ink, Soufside Ink, Bent, Treu AKA Tha Hustla, Paradox and thats just a few of my homies with extreme talent).

HC Has Albany always been good to hip-hop or has that been a lot of work by yourself and others to get it to this point (what can you tell us about the history of hip-hop in Albany)?
SN I didn’t even come close to starting this movement if anything I may of just helped it succeed. I have only been here for 11 months, but this will be the 2nd album I have dropped in this time span. Im not sure if the town has always embraced rap as it does now, but I hope so. As far as the history goes I remember Murder Creek. Went to one of their shows back in ’99, a pretty good show. Mafmatix, Paradox, Weside Ink. Those guys are why I can do what I do today.

HC How would you describe the Albany rap scene? Are there other hot spots in Oregon that you have found to be receptive and enthusiastic about rap/hip hop?
SN NOPE…. This is what I call THE CITY OF RAP. I’ve performed in the other towns from here to the Bay, but there is nothing like performing here in Albany. Most people still don’t see and understand that these artists are something special.

HC What are some of your early influences that got you into hip-hop?
SN I’d say my Uncle Ron who got me to start writing and who co-wrote my first jam, all Bay Area rappers and my mother who has always told me that I was born to do this.

HC Where are you currently grabbing inspiration and/or frustration from and how has this been affecting your music?
SN Fake family members and people. Real people and my wife and children. I just do me, work and do music in the late night hours. If there is a sticky situation in my life you can probably bet that there will be a song about it.

HC Where can those interested best connect with you to find out about news, releases and tours?
SN Call me 541-286-0131 or txt. Trust me I will respond because I can’t stand when someone does not. Also MySpace.com/mrsuganuts.

HC You are having a CD Release party at Bogey’s Bar and Grill in Albany (Oregon) on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009. Where did you record this album and who did you work with? What are some of your favorite tracks from this one?
SN First of all yes this is my 5th album release, but most importantly this will be the biggest showing of local talent (rap) ever. That’s the most important to me. I hand picked all of my favorite artists and closest artists. I recorded 80% of the album here in my home at my computer, one song at reEvolution studios and two songs at Poverty’s Posterboy’s Studio – NORTHWEST NOIZE… There are a ton of local artists on the album: Treu AKA Tha Hustla, Yung Royal, Krossbreed, Pov & BIlyeu, E Of CB, Contra & C-Logic, SOUFSide Ink, Weside, Bent, and MY BEST Buddy Trial who is currently in ARKANSAS. Also Beats by alot of different beat makers in town… TruBeats, Krossbreed, Pov, Bilyeu, Myself – PRICELESS. A few of my favorites on the album are F’N Around, Like It Used To Be and M.I.L.F.

HC What have been some of the most important lessons for you as an aspiring artist? Any words of wisdom for those wanting to pursue their dreams of rap stardom?
SN *BEING REAL AND DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL DO!!!!! * BE humble… There is always someone better than you!!!!! * AND last but not least *bleep* what they think about you!!!!!