From Houston to your speaker: are you ready for what The Lower Level is bringing?

As I mentioned before, I had the privilege to meet a Hip Hop group out of the Lone Star State that’s not taking their music as a game. The Lower Level is straight out of Houston, and they’re not messing with these “Hip Hop clones” and “I can only produce hooks” type rappers. Although they were (at one point) signed to a major label, Jedii and Freddy Freaxx took their own musical route, refusing to accept any BS from media "know-it-alls." They profess themselves and emcees, and they tell me that the music they make is just as real as they are--100%.

MISS SHAUN (MS): How did you two hook up as a group?

Freddy Freaxx (FF): We met in the 9th grade when I changed High Schools. We both were on the basketball team (and) we had a thing for music. We both had talent and we both rapped together back then. Jedii met (producer) Q-Stone in college, I came home from the service, and The Lower Level was born.

MS: Tell me about the Lower Level's chemistry. How would you describe your (individual) style? How is it fused to produce the music that you create today?

FF: The Lower Level has a genuine sound. Our styles flow like a 1-2 punch. I have a laid back, seductive flow, with an all terrain texture. Ain’t no telling what I’ll say or do. Jedii’s more energetic, with various techniques to run the track. We’ve been doing what we do, that's why it flow so easy. We both respect and love the music, we are both musicians. We both have our own creativity.

Jedii (J): … That’s where the chemistry comes from. We [are] not new to what we’re doing. You know the whole H-town style of flow didn't get really popular until the late nineties, So in other words, people were just learning how to rap, by then me and Freaxx were seasoned emcees that had already created our style, and we was like “F*ck changing. We dope.” A lot of cats…came up off [of] making songs from other people’s beats [and] using other peoples hooks [by] just kind of changing the words around … We never did that. We were blessed enough to have our own producer the whole time, so we were coming up with our own beats, hooks, everything. We have been working together [for] so long now that it's easy. We sit down with Q, and we start songs from scratch, he starts making the beat, we start vibing with Q and it just comes together every time.



MS: Well, on that note, you’ve seen it for yourselves: Hip Hop has made some drastic changes. Where do you think Hip Hop is going? Where do you want to take it as artists?


FF: Hip-Hop has turned more in the direction of being commercial. It seems like everybody’s just chasing the money. The Lower Level is here to keep the [liveliness] in Hip-Hop. We want to give people something real to bump to, no matter what time it is. We will keep instruments and other original elements involved in Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop is real and will always be real.

MS: Sooo is Hip Hop dead? And I’m still trippin’ off of that blog (on myspace). “If Hip Hop is dead, YOU probably killed it.” Why all the anger? Was it a situation that fueled the fire?

FF: No anger, just putting the truth out there. Everybody wants to point fingers instead of doing something about the problem. The South has been very influential in Hip Hop, that should be obvious. The Industry is killing Hip-Hop, let Hip-Hop be what it is: the sound of the streets.

J: …Hip Hop is not dead. Yes the music is the cornerstone, but Hip Hop is now a culture, reflected in the way we speak [and] everything. What pisses me off is when some people who are in the position to change things don’t. Instead of at least doing their part, which is nothing more than putting out something tight, original and game changing, all they do is follow the clones who mess up the game, and then they complain about it. Don’t complain! Do something!

MS: I feel that. But there are other blogs that The Lower Level has put out that are even more controversial (I like them, however). Everyone has something to say about Hip Hop and the people that listen to it. What do you think about the social responsibility that you hold to the people that purchase and listen to your music?



FF: People are influenced by what they listen to, we do understand that. Although we are not here to raise our listeners, we do make a note to put out useful information in our music. We don't talk about things we have no knowledge or experience in. If we save somebody some trouble or give them the heads up on a situation or issue, then that’s a benefit of real information in your music.

J: Our social responsibility lies in the truth…A Tribe Called Quest ain’t never lied: Industry rule #4,080 [record company people are shady]. You already know. So that’s what we offer our audience: music that they can relate to.

MS: So can people relate to your song ‘I Ain’t Trippin’?” [I know this may sound like a silly question but] Is that your “I’m too grown for that foolishness,” song?

J: I Ain’t Trippin’ is one of my favorite songs because it is an example of how we do it. We made that song in typical Lower Level fashion. Go to the studio with no idea of what to write about, no track, no nothing. Q-Stone picked up the guitar and we started talking about the ride to the studio and there it was.

MS: What advice do you have for those trying to make their mark in Hip Hop music?

FF: Always stay true to yourself. Make music about your life [and] tell your side of the story. Learn the business, and learn about people. Have your own voice.

J: BE original. I’ve never seen a famous clone…there is only one original, so be that!!!



The Lower Level with Mike Jones