ACCLAIM Magazine interviews Magestik Legend
(The Following is a Re:Post from acclaimmag.com)
- Interview by Pj Smith
With all his prior material, the Free Lp and the To Be Continued series of tapes released to the public through a pay what you like system it comes as little surprise that Magestik Legends already solid fan base were looking for a physical release that they could spend their hard earned money on, The Great Escape sees their calls answered. Legend spits with an earnest and heartfelt honesty across the gamut of his catalogue and is not one to shy away from straining the vocal cords a little so as to lay down a harmony or two when occasion calls for it. With a year ahead that looks to take Magestik across his own home country and to far away lands (one of which will hopefully be our own) ACCLAIM sat down and got the same earnest MC on the other line that we’re used to hearing on the mic.
What’s new with you Magestik last year was a busy year for you yeah?
Yes! Last year was crazy busy according to plan. Right now my focus is on pushing The Great Escape. Also working on booking some shows. Might start writing again soon. Feeling creative.
One of the biggest things I’ve noticed with your releases is your continuing build in confidence with your singing. How has this process been and how do you see it fitting in with your sound?
Its funny cause I never planned to sing in my music. The Eye Need You hook started off as chorus idea for Dwele. I originally wanted him to relay that hook with his own style, but I couldn’t make that happen in time for the song. Most of my singing hooks started off as ideas that people ended up liking. So I just kept them. Also, songwriting for a couple singers helped me understand a bit more about harmonies and layers. I really don’t want to force that talent though. I just hold a note every now and then when needed.
Obviously, conceptually you’ve created a link between this album The Great Escape and your previous LP Free Magestik Legend. How does The Great Escape follow through from this earlier release?
Free and The Great Escape are but chapters away from each other in the same book. Free is the good intention. “The Great Escape” is the affirmative Action needed to carry out that Intention. Also there are other more direct connections. A lot of songs from Free were mentioned on Hey You (Special Dedication), In and Out and Street Corner connect to Gonna Miss Me and Waste My Time content-wise. Thanks to… connects to Heaven’s Angels in chronological order.
Between 2007 and 2010 you seem to have taken a break from releasing any material can I ask what you were concentrating on for those 3 years? Was it touring? Recording? Time away from music in general?
It was all of the above. I took some time out to get a better business sense for this industry, build Team Legend, nurture profitable relationships, raise my daughter from age four to seven, do shows, record, plot and plan my releases etc.
On the song Follow Thru you speak pretty openly about being just human and not wanting kids to follow your actions verbatim do you think this is an issue that more rappers need to address and do you think currently a lot of MC’s are saying one thing and doing the other?
A lot of positive rappers aren’t as perfect as they preach and a lot of negative rappers aren’t as bad as they say they are. My whole point in Follow Thru was that I’m not afraid to be human. I may know what’s best at times, but that doesn’t make me perfect in any right. Most of my music has some sort of a message or purpose that can at least ignite someone’s thought process; but at the end of the day you have to use your own common sense and follow through.
You’re a big advocate for getting out and getting yours. Do you think a lot of artists have the attitude that they deserve success rather than that they need to earn it?
I think a lot of artists just don’t know what it takes to make it to their goals. They only see their perception of the end results. Our superficial environments urge us to waste tons of money and time. I’ve yet to understand how artists with jobs can waste their paychecks on clothes and things instead of spending their money on plane tickets and merchandise to further their career.
One thing I didn’t realize was that this is essentially your first commercial release with all your prior material being free. Why did it feel like the right time to produce a commercial release?
I just felt like my fans and supporters were ready. They began to pressure me more and more for an LP with every free project I released. I do this for my fans and for the music; so I had to submit. Everything happened on time.
What’s the best way for you to generate inspiration for your writing? And growing up was there anyone within the local Detroit scene that mentored you or that you worked with that had a big influence on the way that you approach music?
Inspiration comes in many forms for me. It’s hard to pick the best way. An amazing beat will always get me charged up creatively. Sometimes listening to some of the classic music I came up on will get me in the mood to create. I never know. I can never force music. So when it comes to working on a project, everything boils down to building momentum. Once I’m on fire anything can happen. One time I wrote and recorded nine Full songs in three days for a project.
You seem to work predominantly with Astronote and 14KT production wise, do you still connect with House Shoes and Nick Speed at all? Do you think you’ll work with them on the production side of things again?
Yes. House Shoes and Nick Speed are the homies! Right now, the future is limitless and everything comes full circle; so that’s highly possible.
How do you feel about Nick Speeds move over to G-Unit, do you think that was a good look for him?
I think that was a great move to get him exposure, affiliation and connects. Now I feel it’s time for him to shine on his own. I’m looking forward to his solo releases.
You seem to have a lot of love for your city and fostering the local community. Do you see yourself staying in Detroit no matter how big your career gets? Or do you think you’ll just need to play it by ear?
I’m going to play that by ear. My beautiful daughter lives in Michigan; so that’s where I’ll be in between touring and traveling. I’d love to see the world city by city. When I was a young buck I only left Detroit to go to funerals and family reunions. There’s no way I can promise that I’ll live in Michigan forever. I will say that, no matter what, I’ll always keep in touch with the pulse of Detroit.
Obviously the album The Great Escape has dropped, what’s next from now on out and into 2011?
Shows, shows, shows and I also have a couple of future projects in the plans. Like The Black Opera extravaganza with Buff1 for instance and continuing to build a foundation in Team Legend. Keep your eyes and ears peeled. I’ll be around in more ways than one.