MF Grimm is caged emcee. Like any living thing that is caged, he has an anger, a hunger, a passion, and many opinions. 24 hours before he went into prison for a Conspiracy of Narcotics charge, he went into the studio and did his latest album. “The Downfall Of Ibliys (A Ghetto Opera)” was recorded in one 24-hour long session. I wrote to MF Grimm in prison and he returned my letter/interview on the day after Jam Master Jay got brutally murdered. The insanity and depravation of incarceration is evident in every passionate word he writes. In the past, he has worked with Kool G Rap, Lord Finesse, Freddie Foxxx, Roc Raida, Rob Swift, KMD, MF Doom, Kurious Jorge, and a myriad other hip-hop legends. MF Grimm is an emcee and founder of his label (Day By Day Entertainment) who has both a love/hate relationship with the streets and a love/hate relationship with hip-hop.

T.JONES: “How are you doing?”
MF GRIMM: “Not too good; I’m upset about Jam Master Jay, ‘Hip Hop was murdered!’”

T.JONES: “Tell us about the new album ‘The Downfall Of Ibliys (A Ghetto Opera)’.”
MF GRIMM: “I really don’t know what to say about it, I made it about 2 ½ -3 years ago. I really don’t remember it. I was going through a lot of sh*t at the time so I decided to go into the studio and let it out. I feel selfish even speaking about my album at a time like this. A great man was murdered in cold blood. I’m not an angel. I’ve done a lot of bad sh*t that I have to pay for in this world and then the next world; but I don’t want to be part of this sh*t no more!!! I’m tired of watching good people die over bullsh*t! My heart goes out to his family and as an artist, I choose to be more responsible with my music. I feel all emcees who ‘glorify’ guns, killing, all contributed to the murder of Jam Master Jay to a degree. Talking about love don’t go platinum. It seems like motherf*ckers feed man’s craving for blood with ‘unnecessary violent lyrics’ and sell beyond belief due to gluttony of product consumers. I feel you should have a right to defend yourself and your family but people are killing just to look cool on the block or get a name around the way! Anyone can take a life; that don’t make you a man. There’s people in prisons who’ve taken lives waiting for fake tough n*ggas to come in so they can ‘Eat them!’. I’ve been with brothers with 99 to like 75 to life, 25 to life, ready to eat a motherf*cker who did stupid sh*t like what took place with Jam Master Jay. That was a f*cking tragedy! ‘Hip-Hop is dead!’ For all the people reading this, forget about my album! Go get Run-Dmc! Get all of their stuff! That’s hip-hop! You must get back to that vibe! The sh*t you hear now is fake, selfish, controlled! Don’t get involved with it! Bring hip-hop back to life!”

T.JONES: “Does the name Ibliys have a specific meaning?”
MF GRIMM: “Ibliys is the fallen angel… Satan.”

T.JONES: “I heard you did the whole entire LP in 24 hours! How did that happen?”
MF GRIMM: “I had 24 hours before I went to prison so, I went into the studio and completed a whole album. Anyone who knows me knows that I can make an album in a day every day if I choose to.”

T.JONES: “What’s your favorite song on ‘The Downfall Of Ibliys”?
MF GRIMM: “’Life & death’ because it’s an autobiography.”

T.JONES: “What is the meaning behind your name (MF Grimm)?”
MF GRIMM: “Manipulating frequencies Grimm… Mad Flows.”

T.JONES: “Why are you in jail? Can you tell us the story about the arrest? How long do you have left?”
MF GRIMM: “It started out Attempted Murder but I beat it. They got me on Conspiracy (narcotics) and got life on the back. Who knows. I hope I’ll get out in 2004. I’m trying to get out as we speak and do positive things like chop trees and plant seeds. As far as what happens, I can’t really get into the story. The only thing I can say is that it could have been a lot worse! The police did beat me the f*ck up. I was about to blaze the undercover but I got apprehended before that happened and I’m thankful. They would have killed me and buried my dead body under the prison.”

T.JONES: “What’s a typical day like for you now?”
MF GRIMM: “Look at the clouds and the birds and the trees.”

T.JONES: “What is the address if fans would like to write to you?”
MF GRIMM: “Arther Kill Correctional Facility
                             Attn: Percy Carey #00R5593
                         2911 Arther Kill Road
                            Staten Island, NY 10309”

T.JONES: “What is the key to surviving in jail?”
MF GRIMM: “Stay away from trouble. Stay in the law library but if you are left no choice, you MUST bang it out! This is a different world. Try your best to avoid problems. Learn the law and get the f*ck out of jail.”

T.JONES: “Who are some of your major influences in hip-hop?”
MF GRIMM: “Run-DMC and Public Enemy.”

T.JONES: “For those who don’t know… can you tell us the difference between you (MF Grimm) and MF Doom?”
MF GRIMM: “We are apples and oranges. And, he wears a mask.”

T.JONES: “You are the founder of Day By Day Entertainment? How did that happen?”
MF GRIMM: “No company had any faith in me”

T.JONES: “Where did you grow up and what was it like?”
MF GRIMM: “Manhattan, NYC. It was good and bad but I love Manhattan, so the bad was good too.”

T.JONES: “What was the last incident of racism that you encountered?”
MF GRIMM: “From the C.O. who passed me your letter.”

T.JONES: “Abortion: Pro-choice? Or Pro-life?”
MF GRIMM: “Pro-choice”

T.JONES: “The death penalty: For or against?”
MF GRIMM: “Against”

T.JONES: “Where were you on Sept. 11th, 2001 (The World Trade Center attack)? How do you think it will affect hip-hop?”
MF GRIMM: “In jail, No comment!”

T.JONES: “What is the biggest mistake you have made so far in your music career?”
MF GRIMM: “Talking about negativity and not taking music serious.”

T.JONES: “If you would do a cover of any classic hip-hop song, what would it be?”
MF GRIMM: “I prefer to make classics of my own.”

T.JONES: “What emcee/group would you like to work with in the future?”
MF GRIMM: “Raynashine and the Outlawz (Immortals). I’m an Outlaw; Not M.I.C.; Not C.M.; MF Grimm is known as an Outlaw! I would like to work with Public Enemy’s Chuck D.”

T.JONES: “What producer would you like to work with in the future?”
MF GRIMM: “Raynashine,  The Bomb Squad, I was going to work with Dr. Dre on the West Coast many years ago. I would like to get 1 track from him.”

T.JONES: “What song did you have the best time recording?”
MF GRIMM: “’Take Em’ To War’ (the original version) and not the version that is on Kool G. Rap’s album ‘4,5,6’”

T.JONES: “How would you be making a living if you were not making music?”
MF GRIMM: “Selling drugs and killing people or getting killed by rival drug dealers. Doing something that would damage my race & hip-hop look bad in the eyes of the media. Something ignorant because I thought it was the way to be.”

T.JONES: “You worked with Kool G Rap? How did you hook up with him and what was he like?”
MF GRIMM: “Joe Fatal and Large Professor hooked us up. He’s cool but please ask him what am I like!!!” 

T.JONES: “Dr. Butcher did some production on your album. (He did work with Kool G Rap too.) How did you hook up with him and what was he like?”
MF GRIMM: “Some people but Dr. Butcher is family. I feel Kool G Rap gave Nas the Key to the City by doing the video with him for ‘Fast Life’ on the ‘4,5,6’ album and not ‘Money On The Brain’ and / or ‘Take Em To War’ which had me on the song! I felt n*ggas were dissing me; only talking about ‘Fast Life’ and Nas. Meanwhile, all stickers for G Rap’s album were saying ‘Take Em To War’ and ‘Money On The Brain’. F*ck it! I don’t discriminate any more. I’m coming for the crown. I don’t care who you are anymore! I’m going to show the world that it can be done! Dr. Butcher, Rob Swift of the X-cutioners never gave up on me. They put up with all of my sh*t and criminal activity and tried to keep me focused. I tried to work with Dante Ross but he ended up being a little b*tch and I don’t forget sh*t like that. Stretch Armstrong looked out for me too! He’s a real cool person!”

T.JONES: “When you go into the studio to record a song, do you have lyrics already written or do you hear the beat and let the lyrics flow right then and there?”
MF GRIMM: “I’d rather have lyrics done but I can flow right there if I need to.”

T.JONES: “Word association time. I’m going to say a name of an emcee or group and you say the first word that pops into your head. So, if I said ‘Chuck D’, you may say something like ‘Revolution’. Okay?”
T.JONES: “Gangstarr”
MF GRIMM: “Primo”
T.JONES: “Mobb Deep”
MF GRIMM: “Queens”
T.JONES: “Prophetix”
MF GRIMM: “Friend”
T.JONES: “Phife Dawg”
MF GRIMM: “Q-Tip”
T.JONES: “Boot Camp Clik”
MF GRIMM: “Brooklyn”
T.JONES: “Goodie Mob”
MF GRIMM: “Atlanta”
T.JONES: “MF Doom”
MF GRIMM: “Villian”
T.JONES: “Big L”
MF GRIMM: “Harlem”
T.JONES: “Notorious BIG”
MF GRIMM: “Bad Boy”
T.JONES: “Tupac”
MF GRIMM: “Outlaw”
T.JONES: “Sadat X”
MF GRIMM: “Brand Nubians”

T.JONES: “Any final comments?”
MF GRIMM: “Todd, thank you! Please excuse me. It’s 2:30 a.m. and I’m writing this in the dark right now. Take care!”

You can check out MF Grimm at http://www.daybydayent.com