Illuminati 2G

DARKSYDE INTERVIEW 5/8/08

Illuminati 2G sat down with Sac Town' own Darksyde for a interview. We discuss his new album, City Of Kingz, the hip hop scene in Cali, the state of hip and much more so check it out.

How did you get your start in the game and who are some of your musical influences?

I had been writing since I was fifteen, but I didn't think I had the voice to rap so it was kinda my secret until April of 06. Then I just ssaid fukkit. I bought some BS music editor online and started recording my first album with a $5 Radio Shack mic. I released it in June of 07. It was called "Diary of a Rhymelord" I've just been going for it ever since. As far as influences I'd have to say Cypress Hill, House of Pain, NWA, Ice cube, Dre, Mr. Mathers, 50, Brotha Lynch, and a bunch of old school cats like Slick Rick, Doug e Fresh, Rob bass, King Sun, Etc.

You have a very dark, almost morbid vibe to alot of your music. Like a Gangsta Nip or some of the more horrorcore rap that was out in the early 90's. Have you always had that tone in your music?

Yeah, DarkSyde is my evil alter ego So most of the shit I do comes from that perspective. I think a lot of people secretly wish to be the bad guy, so that's who I'm trying to appeal to. The people who have been dealing with their own inner demons and thinking they were the only ones. And crazy ass psychopaths who need somethin' to ride to.

Can you give any details about your new album City Of Kingz and are you planning any mixtapes?

Yeah, this album is my sophomore effort. I think it has an appeal that crosses Genre's. The tracks Kreep, Fade Away, Hit the Stage, and When Angelz Fall, are slammin and worth listening to. There will be a site dedicated to the album opening in the biginning of May. You will be able to find song clips, lyrics, photos, and of course you will be able to buy the CD. The site is www. cityofkingz. com. The CD is $7.00 and has 16 tracks + a little surprise for the faithful. I think it's well worth the money. I don't have any mix tapes coming out yet, but I'm just starting a project with an emcee from Washington state named Cid V. We're callin ourselves the Twiztid Lyri-Psychez and that should be pretty hot. I'm also working on a deal to do a project with Hard Knock Studios but the details on that still need to be worked out. Both projects will be released on my label WyldeSyde Wreckerdz.

What can people expect from the album?

Methodical rhymes over hard beatz. A different rhyme style that still sounds good. An edgy sound that is slightly addictive.

Any guests or producers on the new album?

I’ve got beatz from three producers. Jee Juh beats and Rob Bates each have three tracks and the rest of the beatz are laid down by Nebula.

What are your thoughts on the state of hip hop at the moment?

I keep hearing that hip hop is dead, but I see it alive and kickin every day. Myspace is full of real hip hop, you just have to take some time to look Check out some of the spittas on dope tracks. com. They got some real emcees. I personally aint one of these hip hop fundamentalists who are still waitin for the resurrection of the BDP sound. The shit on the radio(most of it anyway) is hip hop, the underground shit and everything in between is hip hop too. No it aint like it was in the old days, but neither is R&B, or rock and roll. It is the nature of things to change, hip hop is no different.

What are your thoughts on the music scene out in Sacramento, CA?

The music scene here is poppin. Sac has always been a good place for live music and there’s a lot of diversity as well. If you can make someone your fan here then they’re your fan for life. I’ll always have love for the City of Kingz.

Who are some of the artists locally and from other places you think people should be checking for?

In norcal there are a lot of good artists that have gone unnoticed. From the bay there’s Rich Tycoon, Okwerdz, and, Precise, From Washington State Cid V and his boys Third Eye Theory, Anonimity from New York is crazy cool, and his boy medafORACLE is off the chain. Good music is out there, all you have to do is look

Any upcoming tour dates or shows? I been in the lab so much I haven’t even tried to get out there and do any live shit. I’ll be hitting open mics and makin a name within the next month. So watch out for me.

Appreciate the interview. Any last words or shoutouts?

Yeah man. Shout out to Mizz Bonez thanks for the voice. Mama Nemo and RayRay at the Sunshine Smokeshop, thanks for the many chalices. D.C. and Big Sam you know what you do. To Ilgotti at Hard Knocks studios, thanks for the hard knocks. To Cid V and all his peeps up in Washington. To Anonimity and anybody I forgot to name. Hold it down and stay up.