CZARFACE Interview with 7L and Esoteric

Here's an interview from last year that I conducted with 7L and Esoteric around the time that the CZARFACE project dropped.  It never actually got posted online as I was waiting to hear back from Deck about an interview but he never got back to me.  So, here's the interview with 7L and Eso...

Interview conducted by Pattch82 (pattch82@gmail.com)

Interview Date: March 28th 2013

PATTCH82: How did you guys hook up with Inspectah Deck…?  Was ‘Speaking Real Words’ back in 1999 the first time you had met…?

7L: Yeah that was definitely the first time we met, recording that in Brooklyn in 1999 or so. Our manager at the time worked at Loud Records and Deck was on the roster.

PATTCH82: You then hooked up again for the ‘12th Chamber’ track a few years ago.  Is that when talk of this CZARFACE collaboration started…?

7L: Yeah that’s when the conversations started for sure.

PATTCH82: Did it take long to convince Deck to do this project…?  Or was he onboard straight away…?

7L: He was onboard right away, I didn't think he would be, but he was. We had history with Deck so he was down to make it happen. He has a tremendous amount of respect for the underground, no sell-out attitude, and we fall into that category.

PATTCH82: Who came up with the CZARFACE concept…?

ESOTERIC: The CZARFACE concept was mine, but the idea to do a collaborative album with Deck was 7L's. Then we arrived at the "what the fuck are we gonna call this thing?" stage and I came up with the CZARFACE idea. It took Deck a few days to react to the name... those few days were a stressful few for me. I kept saying it in my head "CZARFACE... CZARFACE... how can't he like that? Why ain't he hitting me back?" haha. But it turned out he really liked it. We had a few other names on the table before that.

PATTCH82: With the CZARFACE theme, and previous tracks you have done, you seem to be a long time comic book fan. Going right back to ‘Secret Wars’ where you paid homage to Marvel characters. Do you have plans on developing CZARFACE in to an actual full comic…?

7L: Yeah, but it takes time, money and artists. It has been discussed for sure.

PATTCH82: What was the recording process like…? Were you together with Deck in the same studio to record…? Or were you mailing verses/beats back and forth…?

ESOTERIC: We were in the same studio in Staten Island for some and we emailed some, you know… retakes, revisions, stuff like that.

PATTCH82: Eso, did you feel any extra pressure as an MC when recording an entire album with Deck…?

ESOTERIC: Of course man, he's a living legend with some of the best verses in recorded history... no debate.

PATTCH82: What was it like going toe to toe with Inspectah Deck…? Did it ignite an element of competition…?

ESOTERIC: Yeah man I knew I had to bring my A-game if I was making an album with Deck.

PATTCH82: Did you have any of the lyrics pre-written or did you write everything once you heard the beats…?

ESOTERIC: Everything was brand new and I had a few revisions if we changed the beats here or there. Some of the beats were remixed a few times to give the project a consistent feel. I wanted to make sure I didn't say "Wu-Tang" too much because I knew the kids out there would pick that apart.

PATTCH82: 7L, what vibe were you aiming for when you were crafting the beats for this album…?

7L: I stopped worrying about what the most rare sample was, or what other producers would think... I just started pulling records and making shit that sounded dirty and grimy, and things I'd always want to hear Deck & Eso rap on.

PATTCH82: The album has got a real 90’s boom bap feel to it. A lot of rappers seem to be trying to make nostalgic 90’s themed albums lately, but they come across as sounding forced. This album sounds totally natural, like it really could have dropped in 98 or 99. Would you agree with that…?

ESOTERIC: Yeah no doubt, it is probably because we are 90's cats and it comes natural to us. That is the sound we like, so that is the sound we ran with and did our thing on.

PATTCH82: 7L, you handle the bulk of the production, but you also got a monster of a beat from Premo too… how did that hook up happen…?

7L: Premier has been supporting us since 2000 or so when ‘Speaking Real Words’ first dropped, he'd play our records and actually buy our records. He's a real supporter like that, a rare breed in this industry to be someone of his stature yet still find time to support the indie artists. It was just a matter or time I think. Eso actually had the beat from Premier before CZARFACE started and decided he wanted it to be part of this project, which was obviously a win/win for the album.

PATTCH82: Would you consider making further albums with Deck under the CZARFACE banner…? Or is this a one off project…?

ESOTERIC: It could have been a one-off, but based on all the positive feedback, we've definitely spoken about a follow-up, we'll see what happens. People seem to really be on board with the whole thing.

PATTCH82: Some Wu-Tang fans may not be aware of the back catalogue of 7L & Esoteric. Which of your albums would you recommend checking out first and why…?

ESOTERIC: ‘Dangerous Connection’ and ‘DC2 Bars Of Death’ would probably give you a feel of where we are coming from... ‘Egoclapper’ too.

PATTCH82: Eso, I loved the Esoteric vs. Gary Numan tape and the Esoteric vs. Japan tape. Have you done or do you plan on doing any other tapes using one central theme…?

ESOTERIC: Thanks! I'd love to man, it is just finding the time. I think around that point when ‘Egoclapper’ and that string of solo records came out, I was just in a real creative space with a lot of time, ambition, and enthusiasm. All of that fire is still there, but it just transferred to this CZARFACE LP.

PATTCH82: Both yourselves and Deck are affiliated with large groups. Do you prefer working in a group environment like with Army Of The Pharaoh’s or do you prefer solo projects…?

ESOTERIC: I think with my solo projects I tend to get a little more brave or creative with the conceptual directions and so forth. In group efforts I think fans like my contributions because it is no frills head-hunting and murderous verses.

PATTCH82: What are your favourite tracks from the CZARFACE album at the minute, and why…?

ESOTERIC: I think ‘Savagely Attack’ has always been one of my favourites, and 7L... I know his favourite is ‘Czar Rafaeli’. Truth be told we like them all, which is a rarity with our releases, we usually butt heads more often. I can tell you 5-6 songs of ours I hate, and he can too. We can't do that with this new project.

PATTCH82: Do you have a favourite line or verse that Deck dropped…?

ESOTERIC: His ‘Savagely Attack’ verse and his ‘Word War 4’ verse... I like those ones of his, and ‘Poisonous Thoughts’.

PATTCH82: Do you plan on touring together in support of the album…? US tour…? Europe…?

ESOTERIC: Yes all that is in the works right now.

PATTCH82: The album comes in a lot of different formats including pop-up artwork and there’s also the action figure too…? Do you feel these extra’s add to the experience of the album…?

ESOTERIC: Yeah man, that’s part of the plan with CZARFACE. I had this idea of an action figure to be made and we went to the right man to get it done, Sucklord of Suckadelic. We'll be doing more stuff together. We wanted the art done right, and we got Lamour Supreme from Mishka NYC involved... he killed it! Papa D from Brick really pushed the pop-up CD and it was NOT easy to get it manufactured, but him and KARMA really pushed it and pushed it and saw it through, so props to them on that, and of course Lamour Supreme for drawing CZARFACE for it. The cassettes were 7L's idea, and I'm glad we saw that through. All these add excitement to the campaign for us and contribute to the interest factor, getting people talking...

PATTCH82: Are there any other future projects you’ve got in the pipeline…?

ESOTERIC: Yeah definitely, we just released a CZARFACE 7" in which we recorded a promo for Sway & Tech's "Wake Up Show" that Revolution has been spinning. Lamour did the art for that too. We are working on the fourth Army Of The Pharaoh’s album, and just put out the Demigodz ‘Killmatic’ album. I also have an album nearly done with Stu Bangas called ‘Machete Mode’ where I'm just chopping people's faces off. That should be out soon. Lots of things in the works!! Thanks for the interview man.

CZARFACE is out now on Brick Records.