Damn! It has been way too long, regrettably long and for that Fam, I am really sorry. Screw it, we’re back now and here once again with a fresh new underground interview for you. This time we get a chance to take a look into the life and career of Politicize. I’m sure you’ve seen the ads across the site, but if you haven’t had a chance to check out the new “Grimy” mixtape or the man himself we’ve got you covered. Politicize covers his work with Jason Porter, his latest video and the struggle of being a South Asian Muslim in this world of ours. His story is certainly a unique one, so let’s get to it… Welcome back to the one and only Faygoluvers’ Underground Spotlight.
Johnny O: First, could you introduce yourself to the family?
Politicize: Salaam Walekum everyone, this is your homie Politicize! I’m a Philly based artist who’s been active musically under the name since my last release Codename Assassin.
JO: How would you describe your sound to new and perspective fans?
PL: I would say that my music is a combination of in your face conscious rap/hiphop inspired heavily by the wicked shit and the world of dark lyrics and imagery it’s know for. There are times when I stick to only doing either wicked shit or only doing conscious rap, but I prefer when the two genres come together musically. If I want to make a point about something I want you to feel it. I can use anger, humor, or any other emotion to do it as long as that emotion is a strong one. My music is also very reminiscent of Detroit’s greatest musical creation acid rap and albums put out by Esham like Kill The Fetus and many others.
JO: Your music tends to carry a very powerful, political and personal message. Would you tell us a little bit about that?
PL: When it comes to being political and speaking beyond one self, for me, it’s not enough to just make a song that reads like a summary of what hot button topics are happening at the moment. Playing it like I’m being super conscious doing so. I want to really dig deep and get under your skin. I want you to see and feel the gritty, ugly, and many times nasty vile shit that makes a situation what it is. In my new mixtape, there’s many songs that do that. On “Zombie Squad” me and my guest artist Aequitas represent an elite unit that hunts mass shooters. In the song we go after two of them in a mall killing civilians. On another track from the mixtape, “I wanna be in a place” I talk about being in places where mass murder has occurred. Places where not only spirits are active but being in places where people have died in real time so to see if what the news tells us in situations like Virginia Tech or other shootings is actually real or falsified bs. In other songs like “Immense Pain” with Jason Porter, I chalk out all the most painful and torturous ways a person can die in one quick 16, describing line by line the most ghastly ways a human being could meet his demise. It’s not really about what you say, it’s how you say it. A lot of people make songs about killing or songs about politics, or partying, relationships, whatever. It’s not the subject matter but how you make it come to life and make people feel it through it. I think that’s what I’ve learned to do in my music beyond anything I could in the past.
JO: So, tell us about the name?
PL: Politicize was a name change I did after being known as Political Assassin for 3 years or so. I still love the name Political Assassin but I don’t think the world was ready for a South Asian Muslim going by that name lol. With Politicize though, I learned from many of the mistakes I had made years ago. I stepped my game up as far as my skill set, I learned a bit more about business aspect of the music, marketing, as well as being more mature as a person. I also learned who I wanted to make music for and what I wanted my music to be about. I remember one of the last shows I did as Political Assasin was at a place called The Coliseum In North Philadelphia. I went up there tired of hearing the constant racist remarks from people while performing for not being there color or ethnicity of choice. I got up on stage and told the crowd, “I see a lot of hatred in this music being perpetrated against folks who come from where I do. So let me make this clear, I’m half Indian, and half Pakistani and 100 percent Muslim. If anyone has a problem with that let’s draw blood like a nurse, cus I’ll fight for my respect.” I hopped off stage walked straight through the crowd, had a cigarette outside and left to go home. I was fed up, I’d seen white dudes go on stage and not a single person said shit, but I got on and you had black folks who say there oppressed calling me all sorts of racist shit. And every time someone did, I said equally hurtful shit back, fuck your color, you’ll get the same venom back. But after that day, I realized that this scene is just not for me. Cus if you don’t say the same dumb shit, act the same way as everyone else, you don’t matter. And it’s sad, cus I like Beani Sigel Gillie, and many acts from my city. But trying to get my name out within that circle, or getting there respect buy attempting to get me name out in that circle would prove to be futile. However, my actions that day at the club, that was me letting everyone know i’m no frightened basement rapper. I was proving my medal that day and if I had to I would have bleed for my respect. I thought if anything what I did that day would have gotten me respect in my city, but unfortunately it didn’t. And it clearly showed me that getting respect from these folks by playing in there little boys club wasn’t worth my life. And after that day, the transition into becoming Politicize began.
JO: I know Jason Porter has been a big part of your career, how did this relationship come about?
PL: Me and Jason first linked up doing a track called “Darkness Falls” for my last mixtape which featured both of us alongside Mars. During that time he helped me a lot pushing the mixtape and inviting his fan base to get to know me as an artist. Most artist wouldn’t push you even if you paid them, let alone help push your entire mixtape for a collab there featured on. He really did it out of the kindness of his heart, and I remember thinking like dude I’m no one. Why’s Jason Porter helping me? He’s got over 20 years in the game, a billboard charting artist, been on national tours with huge artists and much more. I mean I’ll never forget the day he told me that he believed in my mixtape, in me, and in what I’m doing. To this day it’s one of my proudest moments as an artist. We continued working together as he dropped me serious knowledge as far as how to market myself and my music the right way. And i’ve been his advice ever since with better results each time around. Once the dust settled on Codename Assassin, we started creating an idea for a mixtape with the concept revolving around Grimy shit. Jason came up with a series of beats he had done that had a east coast Wu-tang/grime feel to it. After finalizing them it was time to get started on the new project!
JO: Recently, you dropped the video for your latest single, “That’s Grimy,” can you tell us about the shoot itself?
PL: It was hectic, I landed in Detroit on a Friday afternoon and left to go back home around at 2am in the morning the same day. The video was shot by Doc Hollywood Hustle and members of his team in various areas of Detroit. His verse was shot in 7 mile on the Eastside. It’s still surreal to me, I mean you’ve got so many building just hollowed out like a scene out of some sort of zombie apocalypse. Way to many possible places to record and way too little time unfortunately. Jason’s trip was even more hectic with him driving directly from AZ. By the time we linked up with Jason, I had my footage shot and we needed to redo Doc’s. Seeing Jason Porter pull up in a shiny Jaguar was hella dope though. I mean that’s what you call self made, real hustle right there. Once Jason and I parted ways I left with Doc to go back home to Philly in the early am. Doc got me back faster than I thought possible and we took some more footage in Philly which unfortunately wasn’t used in the final cut of the video.
JO: Now the track itself, would you say it’s a good representation of what people can expect from the mixtape?
PL: For sure, the whole mixtape is about various forms of Griminess. “That’s Grimy” is a story driven track, a throw back. The type of song reminiscent of what ICP has done so well through out there career. It introduces a world of sick shit that’s right there out in the open. Yet at the same time it stays under the surface. It’s like those stories people tell that you wish you never heard or just forget because they feel to twisted to be true. Sure enough they are though. The back and forth verses between me and Doc Hollywood Hustle were a great addition to telling of the story. However since it was a story song and me and Doc on the same type of rhyming format, I wasn’t able to use all the weapons in my arsenal as far as showing you my full potential on the mic. In that aspect “That’s Grimy” wasn’t a full representation of what people could expect from the new mixtape since there was a lot of of more difficult flows and styles on the mixtape displayed through out.
JO: Speaking of the Mixtape, where can fans grab a copy?
PL: You can go directly to my website and download it free at www.politicizerise.com. It’s also up on Faygoluvers, The Underground Australia, and Horrorcore Magazine’s website as well as several other sites and blogs.
JO:If fans want to check out more from you, where can they find you?
PL: You can find me on fb by looking up from PoliticizeFarid on youtube by looking up my channel PoliticizeRise. And you can find me on twitter @PoliticizeRise
JO: Though your latest project recently dropped, is there anything else you currently have in the works at the moment?
PL: Expect a new video from “Grimy” for the track Immense Pain featuring Jason porter. A lot of people still don’t seem to believe me that’s it’s me on the first verse on the track. I know I sound a bit like Twisted Insane but it really is me Politicize people! So I should have that coming sometime soon. Got a couple of collaborations with some dope names that I don’t want to give away until there confrimed. I’ll be sure to keep everyone interested in the loop:)
JO: You’ve obviously had the chance to work with some great talent, but if you could reach out to any artist who would you love to work with?
PL: I’ve always been inspired by Jin, I’d love to work with him on a track together. I’ve bought all of his album and always supported the movement he’s built all the way from his first album “The rest is history” to the freestyle Friday massacres he was apart of destroying cats. Die Antwoord would be a fun group to do a track with or perform for. Brother Lynch Hung, Paris, Esham, The Game.
JO: What or who are you currently listening to?
PL: Right now it’s the new Paris album “pistol politics”.
JO: Who would you say have been your influences in your career?
PL: I’d say my greatest influences in no particular order would be Immortal Technique, KRS-1, Esham, Jin, and ICP
JO: Along with that, who have been your inspirations that kept your going throughout the years?
PL: I think my biggest influences haven’t been people as much as they’ve been the rough times, hard times, and the dark times i’ve endured. The things that I didn’t think I could survive through are what inspire me the most. I don’t feel like I can give up cus it’s not in my nature. The anger, sadness the world has given me, the bullshit I see, hear, and feel inspires me to work as hard as possible. If i’m putting out a project or track, it has to be the best possible. You don’t get to many chances and for me you have to step it up with each release.
JO: We always like to end this spotlight thing on a high note, so how about some shout outs to close this thing right?
PL: First and foremost, I’d like to thank you for doing this interview as well as the staff over at Faygoluvers and my homie Ned over at The Underground Australia. I’d like to thank each person that took a moment out of there day to check out my music, download my music, send me a message, or has shown and expressed interest in what I do. Your also the reason I have no problem pushing harder than I ever have to get my message out there. you make it worth while the fold. I put my heart and soul into everything that I do as Politicize and your support means everything to me, I am truly honored and blessed to have your support. I’d like to thank all the websites who have pushed me and the close homies who have made it a point to get my music out there and in the process become brothers and friends. Thank you all so much and you know who you are and your continued support is what I hope to count on!
So, there you have it another stellar addition to the Underground Spotlight’s collection of interviews. I want to give a big Thank You to Politicize for joining us here today and if you still haven’t checked out the “Grimy” mixtape now is the time, go grab yourself a copy now. Trust me the album is more then worth the free download so do yourself a favor and click one of the many links around the site. I thinka thank you to the homie Jason Porter is also in order for sharing his extensive knowledge with a rising underground artist and supporting his endeavors.
Now before I officially sign off, if you would like to be featured right here on the Underground Spotlight, shoot me an e-mail at [email protected]. Make sure to include a short bio, why you would like to/should be featured, a track or two and a couple of pics. Of course, don’t forget to include UGS or something similar in the subject line. So, until next time…
Peace,
Johnny O.
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