What up Juggalos? It’s Fawlout back again with another Underground Spotlight for that ass! Today In the Spotlight we got Soundness Of Mind. These dudes are the shit! Check em out.
Interview for: Soundness Of Mind
Members: Rip Ravul, V-Tre
Real Names: Eric Plemons, Virgil Bohannon III
From: Dallas, TX
Rolls With: Puffer Records
Faygoluvers: First off, what makes Soundness Of Mind different from the rest of the underground?
SOM: The sound, the vibe, the lyrics. So many artists out here today want to be the hardest, thuggish, mean mugginess muthafuckas in the rap game, but aren’t. So why front? We decided we needed to take Hip-Hop back to its essence, back when it was about just having fun. Think of it like this, Soundness of Mind is 2 Live Crew meets the Beastie Boys.
Throw a little SOM in your life… I mean we can do an Irish song, a Reggae song, a Psychedelic song, and then do a Techno song all on the same album. We just incorporate everything when making Hip-Hop. We don’t limit ourselves in any way; we bring it all to the table, and just hope that it all pops off.
Faygoluvers: Any notable artists you guys have worked with? Shows, collaborations, etc.
SOM: We got a track right now – with Mars – that’ll be on the next album Zoned Out. After a show in West Virginia back in 2009, we all headed out to a strip club called Southern XXXposure, hence the title of the track.
We’ve also collaborated with some tight Dallas / Ft. Worth talent like Fat Kidz Inc., ClaAs, and U4iK. We also have a very good friend from the U.K. that we collaborate with frequently, Kai Motta. If you have never heard of this guy, you need to look him up; he’s got some wild shit going over there.
We’ve done a lot of shows with some very talented acts like, the before mentioned groups, plus Project Born, Cloroks, SCUM, Insane Poetry, Jason Porter, and Lil’ Flip, just to name a few.
Faygoluvers: What has been your biggest accomplishment as a group?
SOM: Well, we did win a Grammy back in like 94’… We just bullshitin’. We’d have to say for us personally – and up to this point – it was finally getting our albums on the shelves of Best Buy. For us to actually drive down to our local Best Buy and see our shit there with a bin card made for it and everything, was a great feeling.
Faygoluvers: Who are your biggest influences and how have they impacted your music?
Rip Ravul: By far it would have to be ICP. Mainly for that reason that they made songs that one could really relate to. Not to mention they had such a creative edge behind them. Two white boys wearing clown make-up just sounds nuts. Back in the mid 90’s nobody was doing what they were. Violent J is a genius in my mind. They are funny, wicked, and bring the music straight into your face for the listener to feel and live their everyday life to.
I have many more influences, but they would have to be my biggest.
V-Tre: I have to agree with Rip on that right there, ICP had me hooked back in ’98, but Twiztid got me addicted, straight up. In fact, it was Rip that introduced me to ICP. They can do whatever they want in my opinion, and always got something for me to smile at. Just keep it original. Yeah…so many more influences but ICP and Twiztid are at the top…
Faygoluvers: What are your future plans as artists? Where do you see yourselves in ten years?
V-Tre: Well, me personally, I have too many ambitions for myself. I don’t plan on stoppin’ ‘till I get it right.
Rip Ravul: I plan to do this until I’m at least 40 years old. Then by that time I’m only going to start making Blues music. See I love the Blues so much man, that’s my shit. But who is going to take a 28 year old white boy serious making Blues music. Nobody. Blues comes from years of personal experience just living life. All the hardships, heartbreaks, ups and downs. So when 40 hits I’m switching gears. But Hip-Hop will always be my first love. See that’s a Blues song in itself right there.
Faygoluvers: Tell us about your next release?
Rip Ravul: Zoned Out… and I really can’t delve any more into it than that at this point. Just use your imagination.
V-Tre: Zoned Out to the maximum. Keep checking soundnessofmind.com for more details.
Faygoluvers: How did you guys start rapping?
Rip Ravul: For me it all started in High School. Me and a homey would take and flip the lyrics of popular songs. We would keep the cadence the same, but change the lyrics to the most off the wall shit we could write. Kind of like Mad Libs to an extent.
Then I started working at this music store, and that’s when I met Tre. I was about 17 years old at the time, and he had access to a professional recording studio. We use to sit at the work registers and pass blank receipt paper back and forth, adding to the others last line. By the time we would finish our shift we would have a 4 foot long receipt with a rap song on it. Man that shit was awesome…
V-Tre: I started writing raps for fun….never thought anything would happen. Then Rip explains the rest…we met, we had a common goal, then 10 years later and I’ll be like BLAMMM!
Faygoluvers: Tell us about your everyday lives, what do you guys do in this crazy ass world?
V-Tre: My wife and kids are first, but Soundness of Mind is my passion. I won’t stop ‘till I have to. I’m on the phone all the time, in the studio everyday doing whatever it takes. Just on the grind, I don’t want it any other way.
Rip Ravul: I just try to stay low. Mostly playing the role of the family guy. Just trying to be there with and for my family. The music is what keeps me moving though. Without music, my life would feel stagnant.
Faygoluvers: What do you guys think about marijuana prohibition?
V-Tre: Legalize it! Go NORML! That’s all I have to say.
Rip Ravul: It’s great for the weed man, at least he’s getting paid from it. But for me, I’m just waiting until the day when the prohibition is ‘lifted’. I don’t know when it’ll be, but it better be in my lifetime, or I’m going to be soberly pissed.
Faygoluvers: And finally, what is the world coming to?
Rip Ravul: Honestly it doesn’t look good. I’m predicting World War III at some point. I think 2012 will come and go, but these nuclear bombs are just waiting for a purpose. Once the first guy uses one, it’s all over with. Kiss our asses bueno bye!
V-Tre: No comment
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