A Soul Supreme

So I'm Back Again With This Interview thing
today I have a little talk with legendary mr supreme
half of the conmen (jake one is next on the line)
legendary beat digger with an estimated collection of approximately 60 000 pieces!

brother has an undisputed love for music

So Today Kids You Got To Learn
that it s not only about how many records you got
or how crazy you can turn a party out...

No, today it s all about soul
real original deep fried soul
so from veteranos to wheedles groove
come and take a trip inside the soul of Mister Supreme
The Man lives for music
from bein' a world reknown digger
to a prolific dee jay that make you nodge your head constantly in da clubs worldwide,
He's also a musician/producer as half of the sharpshooters (R.I.P.)
and even maintening true funk soul alive
by resurrecting classic funk bands from seattle
with the wheedle's groove project

You Got To Read This To Know The Truth

Preme Is Involved Too deep In Music 

Deeper Than You'll Ever be

26 hours a day

every day all day

It's All About Music

Supreme Music

And If You Don't Trust My Mass Words On This

Here Is A Supreme Introduction By Mr Super Producer Swizz Beatz Himself

___________________________________________________

First Thing First Can You Introduce Yourself To The Ignorant Kids?
Hello ignant kids! I am dj Mr.supreme



or simply Preme for short.





How Long Have You Been A Hip Hop activist?

Hmm... Never looked at myself that way but I guess I am.
100% purist hip hop kid (Now man) to the bone. Was exposed to the culture in 82' while visiting NYC for the summer.

What's your point of view on hip-hop culture,our culture, nowadays?

Well it has changed so much and is there anyone to blame for it? It really sucks now a days as to what most 25 and younger consider "Hip Hop". They got it twisted. I can't blame them though as in all honesty the last 20 years have been pretty bad as far as what is portrayed or shown through mainstream media. A lot of the creativity is gone due to sample laws. business etc. The culture is pretty much dead as NAS stated and has been for a while.
and on hip hop production? (it s all about keyboards,they gettin scared to sample)

I touched on that a bit in the previous statement. I mean almost eveyone thinks they are a producer now. I go to these new jack john come lately cats place and they will have a keyboard and a computer and thats it. No records at all, maybe some cds but that's it. Then play me some shitty crappy keyboard track that is god awful. Where is the soul?

When Did You Start Diggin?

I have always bought records. As a kid with my very first allowence I went to the record store and bought a record.
I bought some of my very first breaks around 84'.

Baby Huey & the Babysitters

and Bob James "Mardi Gras"

Jimmy Castor Bunch Lp

and
The Incredible Bongo band

These were my very first break records I bought at 14 years old.
Those were just beats to cut up for my bboy squad though.
I didn't know I was digging or even aware of what that was at that point.
Over the years I would buy stuff but my limit was $8 so any record that was more then that got left behind.
I noticed around 93' that a lot of the records I would see all the time were dissapearing and were no longer availabe.
Record shop owners would tell me how some japanese or british guys came in and bought every copy they had etc.
It was at that point that I started "digging" as it's known and started up'ing my $8 a record spending limit.
I started to pick stuff up because I knew if I didn't I probably wouldn't be able to down the line.
My motto at that point was get it when you can instead of I should have got that.

Your collection Is Incredibly Vast Like 60 000 Pieces or more (!!!!!!!!)
Do you have a special crib only for your crates?
Like your own private fort knox.

Funny you say that because about 4 years ago I came home one day and I felt like I lived in a fort!!! I mean the were honestly records from the floor to ceiling in every inch of the house and I had enough and couldn't live like that any longer. I went and got a storage warehouse and now it's packed floor to ceiling. I have about 1000 tops at my house now.

Soulman Credits you and beni b as the two guys who made him understand that it's not just about buying records it s all about diggin.
how deep are you involved in that diggin madness?

Pretty deep I would guess. I used to go out daily and leave early in the morning and go out hitting junk shops, etc. anywhere that had record and wouldn't get back until the middle of the night. I mean I would drive to other states and even fly to other countries. I honestly have to say that Beni B was a HUGE influence on me and so was Soulman. Those two are no joke. The only thing that has changed now is i don't even have to leave the house. just jump online and dig and trade with other djs, dealers, etc. I spend a lot of time online these days.

Who Made You First Became a vinyl Junkie?

No one really, Like I said I had been buying records since I was kid and at one point in high school while still living at my mothers place I came home and took a look at my room and it was filled with records to the point I couldn't walk in. So I guess I'm a self made monster?! Lol...

check out little preme

Who Would you credit as the father of diggin?

It has to be without no doubt

Clive Campbell aka: DJ Kool Herc and Bambaataa
They were doing this eons b4 others were.

As far as currently
DJ Shadow
is serious with his and a very good dude.

Dante Carfagna
is as well and his knowledge is out of this world.

Soulman,

Muro,

Gerald Short,

Keb Darge
and the list goes on.

There are a lot of cats with the illiest shit that don't get shine or people just don't know about them

like Chris Veltri from Groove Merchant.
Lots of japanese cats and so on.

Your favorite diggin story? (like the craziest one)

I have a few but the one I
will talk about here is
I was at a thrift store one day and walking towards the records and there was a mentally challenged kid in a wheelchair with a portable record player and he had a 45 in his hand.
When I got by him he dropped the needle down and "Champ" by the mohawks came on!!! I was like huh? He didn't like it and handed it to me.




your ugliest diggin story?

Not sure but i do remember I was out with Jake One one day and he said do you ever notice that thrift stores smell like shit? I said yeah they do. 5 minutes later we roll up on this thrift store and no joke, as soon as we walked in it smelled like someone had unloaded a fresh pipping hot loaf on the spot!!! It was pretty nasty man.

would you pay any price for a record?

Any? Highly doubt it. although I have no problem dropping up to a few grand for a piece I really really want now days. I did see the SALT "Hung Up" 7" for $3K but just couldn't bring myself to buy it at that price.

is there a particular record you would kill for? like the hard to find you've been dreamin of?

No. I pretty much have every single record that are MUST HAVE'S to me. However I will say I have never ever had a copy of the "Black Out" sounds of 70's lp. Although have actully had a chance to get it about ten times. I have always been a day late on that one. So if anyone can get me a copy out there please hit me up.




apart form records do you collect any other stuff sneakers, whatever?

Yeah sneakers for sure

Blaxploitation stuff,
movie posters,
pimp books,
movies,

cazal glasses,
boomboxes,

portable record players,



45 adaptors,

stuff like that.

You're Also An Overbooked Dj Playing in many Clubs over the world Even Been To Ibiza: Yes and most def trying to again! Tell the right promoter or booking agent to holla. See the thing with me is I have done a whole lot of stuff. More then the average DJ and have never ever had a manager or a booking agent. You now have these managers and booking agents and that is why you have the same djs all the time.

Like Am, Steve 1nder, Vice,
etc.

A lot of them have the same management.
You have SKAM and few others out there who I have not contacted nor have they contacted me as of yet.
I haven't made that effort but with all that is going on with me now it's time.
I can't handle it all by myself any longer.
There is actually a dude from my city that is managing a few friends of mine and running shit in vegas.
His hands are full but he does an awesome job and I'm looking to get on with him as far as management goes. I just haven't officially got with him on it.
(you got to come to paris) I will most definetely be playing in Paris.
you produce tracks for tv shows: Yes I have tracks on different television shows and commercials. Most recently was featured on HBO's "The Wire" soundtrack.
you produced comps: Yes "Wheedles Groove" and a few others.
he also forgot to mention his absolutely remarkable disco 12" edits EP called "love saves the day"on respect records that you should definitely buy,i got two copies of this at home

you're extra prolific Huh? I am???
what is you favorite activity between all those?
Man at this point in my life it's being home.
Being able to have some peace and quiet and relax. I'm pretty busy most of the time.

Can You explain Us What Was Conception records and why did it stop?

Conception was my record label I owned and started along with 2 partners. We had a solid run and released some great stuff. We originally had a deal through Sub Pop which was famous for Nirvana and mud honey some seattle rock grunge bands. They dissolved our agreement early and we went over to Nu Gruv for distribution who went bank rupt a few months after we were with them. They owed us a lot of money and also kept a lot of our product. So it was a difficult situation and we all split up around that time. I decided it was a done deal.


you used to have that so called acid jazz band( even though i hate the term acid jazz),the sharpshooters dope funk jazz band how deep were you involved on that project?

very deep in fact 50% deep haha, it was just me and dj sureshot and that's it.

is it finished with the sharpshoooters?

Yes, he has moved to Los Angles Ca. and I still currently reside in Seattle, Wa.

Now That It's All About Soul Gorilla what's the future of soul gorilla?

We are a marketing and promotion co. as well as music fashion etc. We are working with neo soul artist Choklate who is amazing
and rap group Dyme Def

who just debuted in the billboard charts last week.








Also, doing a b-boy documentary with the world champion Massive Monkees crew.

and working on a Wheedles Groove album and documentary.

The Conmen serie which is almost ten years old (yeah we're gettin old) is still bangin in heavy rotation at home what made you decide to do this serie with jake one?

That was my man and we were always hanging out, making beats and stuff together at that time.

what was the idea of those tapes?

Really there was no idea or approach. I have always made tapes like that just for me to listen to. I think we got back from digging one day and we just did one just because!! That was volume one and that one took off so we ended up doing 5 all together.
We just wanted some ill shit to listen to. It's amazing when we look about at how far ahead of time they were, I mean a lot of that shit hadn't been sampled or disovered yet.

you're still makin dope ass crates mixes like the one you did for baghat
and the next one you GOT to do for masscorporation... is it your favorite type of mixes?

Yeah it is by far my favorite type of mixes because I personally love the breaks and samples so much. I have no problem dropping a Masscorp. exclusive at all........

any chance of a Conmen reunion los veteranos back in business?

Not sure but probably not. As you grow older with families and responsibilites it's just not as easy as it was back then when we just had the time to do it and it was more of a hobby. Jake One is a super producer right now from everyone like 50 cent, de la soul to mary J. Blige, freeway etc. Plus he has an album dropping. he is that dude. I'm proud of him and always knew had a great talent and ear for it. But you never know. I actually want to start doing some dj stuff with him soon. maybe the both of us will come to paris or something?



Can You Named us your major influences in music as a producer/digger?

Marley Marl and DJ Premier
first and foremost.

Then
Pete Rock, large Pro

and a handful of others.

you were planning to actually re-record the original artists from wheedles what's up with that project?

Yeah in fact that album is actually almost finished. There is gonna be a dvd that comes with and that is the video sample of the you tube that is posted here above. Here is a track from that project:


It's pretty ill. Ural Thomas is on it. The Hill bros. Patrinell Staton, Ron Buford. It's really an amazing line up.

what's the future of mr supreme?

I think no matter what I will always collect records that is never gonna change. I will probably dj for a year or two more then quit going at the rate I am now and just do a few events a year and enjoy life.


one last word for the kids?

Do your homework on this stuff. I know it's ALL available very easy on the internet now. Which is great becuase you can find and enjoy great music. Just do what you can to learn and know about it and preserve it and save it from oblivion.

shoutouts?

Anyone that has ever supported me, influnced me and provided me with great music/records. All the usual suspects. And the person that took the time to read this. That would be you!


and since next on the line for this interview is your long time partner jake one do you have a question you would like to ask him even an ugly one?
Haha, yeah I have a great one! Ask him if he is gonna take Mr.Supreme as the dj for the Red Bull "Big Tune" beat battle tour this year


Some Mixes By Supreme And Jake One Will Come Later On these days
even though you can find some in here already
rememeber it s all about diggin...