Todd E. Jones of Punchline Magazine and The New Jeru Poets had a cross-country phone conversation with CASUAL of the Hieroglyphics crew from Oakland, California. He has a new album out called “He Think He Raw”.

T. Jones: “It’s been quite a long time since your last release ‘Fear Itself’. (7 years to be exact). What have you been doing all these years and why did it take you so long to make ‘He Think He Raw’?”
CASUAL: “We had to set up the company. From my last album (‘Fear Itself’), I got dropped from Jive. Then, we went through the process of setting up Hieroglyphics Imperium. Then, we released ‘3rd Eye Vision’ off Hieroglyphics Imperium. And then, after that, it was time for us to do our individual releases. So, the ball should be rolling now so it shouldn’t take so long for the next album to come out.”

T. Jones: “Why did you name the LP ‘He Think He Raw’?”
CASUAL: “It was basically a concept album.. you know… That’s what people were saying about me not what I think of myself. You know…’ah, he think he raw’. I thought that would be a good name for the album.”

T. Jones: “You are from Oakland and you have got a couple of songs about women, dating, sex .. you single?”
CASUAL: “Yup.”

T. Jones: “What’s it like being a bachelor or being a man on the prowl in Oakland?”
CASUAL: “Ah, it’s lovely. I’m going to the clubs tonight and see what I can get into.”

T. Jones: “Where you going to?”
CASUAL: “Um, I don’t know yet. We’ll start at Fridays... you know T.G.I.F. and then goto some club.”

T. Jones: “Do you have any advice for someone who is single and dating in the new millennium?”
CAUSAL: “Yeah… protect yourself!”

T. Jones: “Hieroglyphics as a crew and Hieroglyphics Imperium is a major force in the independent hip-hop nation. How did you become a member of Hieroglyphics?”
CASUAL: “Well, we were buddies since we were younger. I went to kindergarten with A-Plus. Tajai of Souls Of Mischief and Dell (The Funky Homosapian) and I went to the same school. He was just a grade above us.  We all were rapping individually… on our own but we all put it together to make this crew thing.”

T. Jones: “Do you have some favorite Hieroglyphics songs/collaborations that you rhymed on?
CASUAL:  “The first one we did was with Del on the b-side to “Mistadobalina”. That was my introduction. We got a lot of songs we collaborate on.”

T. Jones: “But do you have a favorite?”
CASUAL: “Favorite one?.. Probably be ‘Interrogation’.

T. Jones: “Yeah… that one is good.. It’s from The Souls Of Mischief album ‘Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, & Resolution’.” That’s a damn good song. What about Hiero songs that you are NOT on?”
CASUAL:  “I’m not sure…I don’t think I have one.. I like all the songs.”

T. Jones: “Do you have a favorite guest appearance that did for another artist that was NOT Hiero?”
CASUAL: “Uh, yeah. A guy named Virtuoso. We did a song called ‘All We Know’ with me, him and Del.  I like that very much.”

T. Jones: “The new album is hardcore hip-hop and it sounds like you had fun recording it. What was the recording process like? Who was involved? What was a typical session like?”
CASUAL: “…Well it wasn’t like I went in to record an album. It was like I grabbed songs I’ve been recording. After I thought of the concept for the album, I only recorded about 7 or 8 more songs.  Basically, each session was different. I was recording when I could record.”

T. Jones: “Did you bring lyrics to the studio or did you write them in the studio?”
CASUAL: “I got my own studio. It’s at my house… so, it’s like the same place. When I write my lyrics, I’m already at the studio.”

T. Jones: “Do you generally write the lyrics first and then make the beat or do you listen to the beat first and then, write the lyrics?”
CASUAL: “I always write the lyrics when I hear the track…. Unless, I had a beat that wasn’t tight, I change the beat over.”

T. Jones: “What producers do you have on your new album ‘He Think He Raw’”?
CASUAL: “We got The Alchemist, we got Evidence. I do a lot of tracks. We got Vic from Ghetto Prose…”

T. Jones: “I noticed A.G. too.. A.G.?”
CASUAL: “.. Yeah, A.G. but that’s not Showbiz & A.G. A lot of people think that’s Showbiz & A.G. but it’s not.”

T. Jones: “In the song ‘It’ll All Come Around’, you mentioned that you lost a large sum of money due to a gambling problem. Do you still have that gambling addiction? How are you dealing with it?”
CASUAL: “I try not to gamble too much.”

T. Jones: “Alchemist produced songs for some big name acts like Capone-Noreaga (‘Bang Bang’), Mobb Deep and Kool G. Rap (‘The Realest) and many others. What was it like working with The Alchemist?”
CASUAL: “That’s my boy! I mean, It was dope actually I’m hoping to do more work with him. It was a real chill vibe. Right from the gate, he said that he wanted to work me and the feeling was mutual.”

T. Jones: “Besides yourself, what producer do you think you have the best chemistry with?”
CASUAL: “Hmm.. I haven’t worked with a lot of people but it would have to be somebody in-house like Toure (‘Talk Boss’). Toure from Hieroglyphics.”

T. Jones: “Why did you leave Jive Records?”
CASUAL: “We had differences like they wouldn’t pay on time. And they would try to make up hella false sh*t about me. Money. So we got out of that relationship.”

T. Jones: “What annoys you about hip-hop these days?”
CASUAL: “Not enough exposure for my personal self. I don’t have a gripe with record label situation but it’s a personal situation. I need more auxiliaries for my music. I need more avenues for people to hear my music.”

T. Jones: “You were a teenage when you recorded ‘Fear Itself’, right? What have you learned since then?
CASUAL: “Yeah, I was a teenager. I learned a lot about making albums. I learned a lot about the business. I learned a lot about life… period.”

T. Jones: “What artists or producers would you like to work with in the future?”
CASUAL: “Premier, Dr. Dre. I’d even work with Neptunes. But really, Premier and Dre. I love their stuff. Wouldn’t everybody, right?”

T. Jones: “I heard Premier’s beats cost a lot of money. That’s why on some albums, you only hear on beat by Premier.”
CASUAL: “He deserves it.”

T. Jones: “Pro-choice? Or Pro-life?”
CASUAL: “Pro-choice.”

T. Jones: “Weed seems like an underlying theme in not only your music but in a majority of hip-hop. How have Marijuana and other drugs changed the way you approach hip-hop?”
CASUAL: “I don’t know if it changed anything because I’ve been smoking weed for so long. I have no control.. it’s not that I don’t have no control over the weed, I have nothing to balance it with. But I know one thing…Lately, I feel weed is like a stagnant.  It’s hard to connect your ideas with actual movements or invest it in some good, clever thought that you had. It’s harder."

T. Jones: “Drug of choice?”
CASUAL: “Marijuana… and mushrooms but you can’t do ‘em too much.”

T. Jones: “Do you think a revolution could ever take place in the future?”
CASUAL: “Definitely. I don’t know how much it would involve combat but I do think a revolution could take place.”

T. Jones: “Do you listen to any music besides hip-hop?”
CASUAL: “Yup. All kinds. I don’t like a lot of heavy metal bullsh*t. You can catch me on the Freeway listening to classical music station just to get my mind off things.”

T. Jones: “In hip-hop, what are some of the emcees that you looked up to?”
CASUAL: “Basically, all the most successful guys. Lyrically, I don’t have anyone I look up really. I mean, only the best. I wouldn’t say I look up to but I look eye to eye to some people. But far as success it concerned, you have to idolize Master P, Jigga (Jay-Z),  L.L. Cool J… all of them. Especially the rappers who are making it easy for me as I’m getting older to remain an emcee. They are still putting out records. The O.G.’s like L.L. and Guru and Scarface. I’m glad that they are still doing because people won’t think there’s a cut-off age for an emcee."

T. Jones: “As a black man, who have influenced you?”
CASUAL: “My father influenced me a lot. He got me into music. Outside of the house, it would be rappers. I’m not that old but I remember being younger and buying EPMD for the first time. I was bumping EPMD when I was like ‘ok, I’m about do that’. I remember hearing ‘So What Chu Sayin’ in around 8th grade probably but I was rapping since around 6th grade. When I heard that, that was one of the most inspirational things.”

T. Jones: “What happened to Snupe of the Hiero crew?”
CASUAL: “Uh, he’s doing his own thing. We don’t get down.”

T. Jones: “Do you have any kids and how did being a father change your approach to making music?”
CASUAL: “Yeah…I don’t think it changed my approach to making music except for the need to prosper. I have to be successful. I can’t just put out records anymore. I mean, I can’t just throw them out there anymore because I actually have to feed children. I have to deal with this like a business, you know?”

T. Jones: “Beef seems to be spreading like crazy in hip-hop. Beanie Sigel is beefing with Jadakiss. Nas and Prodigy is beefing with Jay-Z. The list goes on and on. Are you involved with any beef?
CASUAL: “Nah, don’t nobody want it…. Nah, I’m a cool cat, you know. I don’t talk about nobody in my music. You probably won’t hear me talking about anyone.. but I ain’t mad. That’s normally how a beef starts… one person speaks on another person.”

T. Jones: “You produced some incredible songs for Hieroglyphics like Del’s “Catch A Bad One”. How did your perfect you production skills and what kind of equipment do you use? And what’s your favorite beat that you have produced so far?”
CASUAL: “Favorite beat? That’s a good question. The most recent stuff is always the best stuff. On my album, something I produced that I can really listen to is like the last song (‘We Dem’)… yeah, I got a song that I produced on Del’s ‘Both Sides Of The Brain’ album called ‘Jaw Gymnastics’. I like that one cause it’s real hard.”

T. Jones: “The new Hiero beats sound more mature and less jazz-influenced. Some people are saying that they are not as thick. For example if you listen to the beats on ‘No Need For Alarm’ by Del or ‘93 Till Infinity’ by Souls Of Mischief, they sound very much different than the beats on Del’s new album or the new album ‘Trilogy’ by The Souls. The beats now sound more mature and a little more melodic but they lack the samples. What caused this change or growth? Was it the money involved with the sampling?
CASUAL: “It was sort of an evolution if you know what I mean.  We’ve been making music and making it. It’s been a while since those old albums were released and we’re growing with the music as well. We’re not following the trends. The music is growing so it’s not going to sound the same every year. Plus, we buy new equipment every time something comes out. So, the sounds are updated… It’s a growing process.”

T. Jones: “Many emcees have gimmicks or certain labels try to place a label on their style. Noreaga is ‘thugged out’. Snoop Dogg and Kurupt are ‘gangsta rap. Talib Kweli and Common are considered ‘conscience hip-hop’. I wouldn’t consider you a typical emcee. Has putting a label on you been a problem for A&R people or other people at the label?”
CASUAL:  “Jive was concerned with sh*t like that. When I first signed to Jive, they made a big deal that I cut my dreadlocks off after I got signed. I guess that was something in their marketing plan. You know what I’m saying? They actually made a big deal over that. I wasn’t really understanding what they on about but now that I’m up, I’m like ‘damn, they were some lightweights, man’. But I got my own label now so I don’t need no gimmicks. I’m an underground cat. I guess my gimmick… A lot of people see me as being ‘real’ but f*ck that. I ain’t even on that. I don’t think Herbie Hancock needed a gimmick.”

T. Jones: “What’s the craziest or weirdest thing that ever happened at a Casual / Hieroglyphics show?”
CASUAL: “Probably all the artists fighting with security guards. They pepper sprayed the whole place.”

T. Jones: “Are you going to make a video?”
CASUAL: “Yeah, I made a video already for ‘We Don’t Get Down Like That’. The video is going to serve as my ad to let people know I have an album out. A lot of people don’t even know.”

T. Jones: “The Coup are one of my favorite groups. They are from Oakland too. What’s Boots like?”
CASUAL: “I just got off tour with The Coup. Boots is cool. Actually, he’s real cool. We’ve known em’ for a while. We’re not close but I’ve seen him around for a while.”

T. Jones: “You have a real intense, hungry, and energetic flow but your name is ‘Casual’. Why is your name Casual even though your delivery is so hungry?”
CASUAL: “It’s more describing my attitude towards busting like…’it’s really nothing’. Actually, that’s a name that was just given to me because they way that I am when I’m not rhyming. Like nothing’s really a big deal to me, I guess. You can’t catch me over-reacting too much. I think that’s where that came from. Casual means not really accidental but like spontaneously…. Without effort.”

T. Jones: “Money has always been a strong theme in hip-hop. Now, with artists like Jay-Z and Cash Money Millionaires, it seems like rap music has gotten extremely flashy. Would you think hip-hop is too flashy? Would you agree with that?”
CASUAL: “Yeah, definitely. But music has always been about that. You can look at Al Green on old record covers and he iced up. It’s just a resurgence. It’s coming back. The way we do it, we over-exaggerate many stuff.”

T. Jones: “What’s the lowest or dirtiest thing you ever did for money?”
CASUAL: “Probably went to tour in Europe. (laughs)”

T. Jones: “What kind of women are your type or do you consider sexy? What famous woman would you like to get with?”
CASUAL: “I like all women but small women.., I like small women. Big women or petite women. Either really big, nice face, or be small and petite where I can just….All these girls! Alicia Keys!  Everybody (laughs). Beautiful!”

T. Jones: “The song ‘Windows’ is about smoking and having sex in a car. What is the perfect type of automobile to have sex in?”
CASUAL: “85 Fleetwood…. Fat back seat!”

T. Jones: “Do you have any advice for an emcee who’s starting out?”
CASUAL: “Yup, focus on your skills but don’t lose sight…”

T. Jones: “What artist is in your CD player right now?”
CASUAL: “Uh, believe it or not, I have Fabulous’s new stuff. Fabulous. I like that album actually. He can rap really good. If you know rap, you know he can rap good. All his rhymes are 4 syllables and that’s not that easy to do. And… this guy Kikca . He used to be in a group called 3X Crazy. Keek Da Sneak.”

T. Jones: “Alright. I’m going to say a name of an emcee or group and you say the first word that pops in your head. For example, if I said ‘Chuck D’, you’d say ‘revolutionary’… Dr. Dre”
CASUAL: “Deep”
T. Jones: “Eminem”
CASUAL: “White”
T. Jones: “Kool Keith”
CASUAL: “Crazy.”
T. Jones: “Goodie Mob”
CASUAL: “Spiritual”
T. Jones: “Outkast”
CASUAL: “Dope.”
T. Jones: “Wu-Tang Clan”
CASUAL: “Raekwon”
T. Jones: “Big Pun”
CASUAL: “Sasquatch”
T. Jones: “Big L.”
CASUAL: “Dope”

T. Jones: “In The Sopranos, there was a scene where someone said that they don’t listen to hip-hop anymore because it’s all about marketing. Do you believe that rap music is now, just all about marketing?”
CASUAL: “Yeah, absolutely. I have a dope album out right now and we haven’t done any promotion or any marketing. I mean, marketing means just getting to the people who want it. Basically, for real. So, yeah, it’s all about marketing.”

T. Jones: “Favorite T.V. Shows?”
CASUAL: “Probably ‘Sports Center’.”

T. Jones: “Favorite movies?”
CASUAL: “Nope, not right now.”

T. Jones: “Favorite food?”
CASUAL: “Plain old Hoggie or cheeseburger. “

T. Jones: “Do you believe in God?”
CASUAL: “Definitely.”

T. Jones: “Who in your family has been the strongest influence in your life?”
CASUAL: “I guess my Moms.”

T. Jones: “You said that ‘We Dem’ is probably your favorite self-produced beat. Would you say that it’s your favorite song on the album right now?”
CASUAL: “Nah, my favorite song on the album as we speak is ‘The Shakedown’, the song with Evidence of Dilated Peoples.”

T. Jones: “Do you have a least favorite?”
CASUAL: “My least favorite is probably ‘He Think He Raw’.”

T. Jones: “Do you have some all time favorite hip-hop LPS?”
CASUAL: “Definitely. Nas’s first record, Jay-Z’s first record, ‘Reasonable Doubt’.”

T. Jones: “What are some major misconceptions that people may have of Casual or Hieroglyphics?”
CASUAL: “I haven’t heard of any. I hope people don’t think that I want to stay where I am in hip-hop. I want to be in the forefront. I want to be someone who is a major representative for the West coast. So if you think that I’m not hungry and you think that I’m not about to bust these fools to spring myself to the front, that’s a major misconception.”

T. Jones: “Do you have a favorite drum machine, instrument, or programming tool or beat machine?”
CASUAL: “MPC. I use to used the ASI but that’s weak. It started messing up too much.”

T. Jones: “What do you think hip-hop has been missing lately?”
CASUAL: “Intimidating artists as far as lyrics are concerned. Eminem was intimidating. Even when I first hit the scene, my stuff came out and people said ‘oh sh*t!’. You know what I’m sayin? That’s what hip-hop needs. That makes everybody want to rap a little better.”

T. Jones: “You just finished the album ‘He Think He Raw’. What’s next?”
CASUAL: “I’m doing a couple of videos. I did a video for ‘We Don’t Get Down Like That’ and then I’m doing a video for ‘Windows’. I think that there will be singles and then, I’ll try something new.”

T. Jones: “Are you going to do any collaborations with other people?”
CASUAL: “Not at the moment but I definitely hope so.”

T. Jones: “Have you ever been in any movies?”
CASUAL: “No…except for Pep’s. Pep Love has a movie.”

T. Jones: “So, what’s next for Hieroglyphics?”
CASUAL: “We got a new album.. ‘Full Circle’.”

T. Jones: “Did you do any production on the new Hiero album?”
CASUAL: “Yeah, but it’s taking a while because it’s hard to get everybody in one place.”

T. Jones: “Are you going to have the little freestyle songs like on ‘3rd Eye Vision’?”
CASUAL: “Possibly, but we may do something a little different.”

T. Jones: “Do you still freestyle often? Is it a major part of you being an emcee today?”
CASUAL: “Yeah but it’s always for fun.”

T. Jones: “Have you got a message for anyone reading this? Any shout-outs?”
CASUAL: “Buy the album ‘He Think He Raw’ and you won’t be disappointed.”

Thank you CASUAL!!!!!!
-Todd E. Jones

Check out the Review for "He Think He Raw"