Swollen Members: Interview
By Taz Dhariwal - Kludge Magazine
Swollen Members is the Canadian hip hop duo of MadChild and Prevail. MadChild’s business savy has gotten them exposure through his very own label Battle Axe records. Now, with a huge buzz on the underground and tours with Tha Alkaholics in the U.S. and Nelly Furtado in Canada, the Swollen Members are getting geared for an incredible year. I got the opportunity to chat with Prevail about their current happenings, their collaborations with Jurassic 5, Del the Funkee Homosapien, Dilated Peoples and the up and coming works of this innovative Hip Hop group.
What are you doing?
Prevail - I’m snowboarding right now with 5 of my friends, it’s a beautiful day, and then I have a flight in a couple of hours.
How’s the fame treating you?
Prevail - It’s getting to the point where it’s more important to have some personal time, in order to keep those things like fame in balance.
How has the US and overseas reaction been to the new album?
Prevail - We haven’t had any real exposure to overseas markets yet, hopefully, our touring will be able to combat that. As for the US, the support has been amazing so far. But that’s what touring is for. To get the word of mouth goin’.
How did you get around in getting some of the other artists on the album to do guest spots?
Prevail - You know, originally Madchild and Del the funkee homosapien had spoken, while MadChild was still living in the bay area, he sent him a couple of songs, and Del had heard some of it and wanted to know if MadChild wanted to come out the following week. We hooked up with Del really early on, then we met Dilated Peoples at the B-Boy summit in ’96. They were just huge, especially Evidence, in introducing us to a lot of people, building that foundation, plus the connections we had in SoCal before, you know MadChild living in the bay area, and Moka and I trippin’ around San Diego. Meeting a lot of ppl at trade shows.
Now you’re getting a lot more airplay in Canada, how did it feel when you used to see talentless artists get more exposure than what you were doing?
Prevail - You know, you realize what happens on the radio, and we’re so lucky to have that support right now. Radio is a whole different game, just to be on there is something to be excited about without getting involved with the politics of stuff, whether or not it’s on the radio or not.
What about the surge in white boy hip hop? Does it even matter? Did it even matter?
Prevail - I don’t think it’s mattered ever in hip-hop. I think that hip-hop has always been a culture that embraces everybody no matter what political, racial, or religious background. There’s something in it for everybody.
What’s happening after Nelly Furtado tour?
Prevail - More shows, just staying on the road. We’re working on a new album. We got a project coming out this summer called Monsters in the Closet,” a release of B-sides and rarities, and a new album in November.
After my conversation on the phone with Prevail, I met up with Prevail and MadChild on the day of their show. We proceeded to talk more on their upcoming works, a U.S. tour, their friendship with Nelly Furtado and the origins of the battle between the two MC’s on their song “Ventilate.”
When do you plan to tour the U.S.?
Prevail - later on this year
So in support of your new album?
Prevail - Absolutely. Plus it’s really important to do territories at time. Just concentrating on making sure that everyone at home gets to hear the music and gets to get the message out. Then, concentrate on everyone else.
How were the Nelly shows?
Madchild - They were awesome. It’s great opening up to audiences, causing more awareness. And she’s incredible too.
How long have you gone back with Nelly?
Prevail - We all grew up in Victoria, and I grew up with her during the same era. She’s still the same person she’s always been and that’s real refreshing nowadays.
What are you guys listening to right now? Anything catching your ear?
Madchild - I just finished listening to Ludacris’ album Word of Mouf, a lot. Sade’s Love Deluxe. Prevail: and I just bought the Coldplay album, Parachutes.
Are you reading anything right now, Prev?
Prevail - Yah, I’m reading a book called Ishmael. It’s like a non-put-down-book. Well, it seems like we’re all on the same vibe, wanna cut out the interview and go on the roller coaster?
You guys have a sort of rock feel to your music with the aggressiveness you bring to your live shows. Have you thought about any rock collaborations?
Prevail - We’re always experimenting, and on our third album I think we’re gonna take steps towards live instrumentation for our producers to have a wider range of sound, music to work with. We’re always experimenting, and keeping our ears open and trying to keep ourselves excited about making music, you never know what’s gonna happen. Also, Bad dreams is being re-released with Bring it home feat. Moka Only and the Saukrates’ remix of fuel-injected.
How do you see the hip-hop scene in Canada, in general?
Madchild - I think it’s awesome, I think it’s growing, and becoming a very experienced culture in our country, and I’m proud of that. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, boundaries and barricades are broken all over the world with hip-hop now. It’s just an incredible thing to be a part of. As far as Canada, we have enormous amount of talent. The support is incredible, more and more kids are getting into it. It’s perfect.
Is there anyone out on the left coast (that’s West Coast for all y’all who don’t know) you’re into?
Prevail - Well, the members of our family, Jurassic 5, Dilated peoples, all those guys are a part of us now. But in Canada, we really like Saukrates, and Brass Monk.
On your track, “Ventilate”, how did that song come about? Do you guys get mad? Was it a set-up? Or just some idea you came up with?
Madchild - That came out of an argument that led to our one and only fight. We’ve never broken into a fight, but almost. In the south of France, that was about three years ago. Then one day in the studio we reflected about that, and decided to make a song about it. It took us 5 minutes. I mean, we’re brothers, and we know how to be exactly. We feed off each other’s energy, and we also know when to give each other space just like your blood brother, a relationship, and a friendship. It’s all like that.
A lot of your tracks like that? Do they all have emotional attachment to them? More than other tracks?
Prevail - I think we’re lucky with the producers we get, they have a lot of range to work with, they give us a lot of different styles to work with, so the beats always invoke different lyrics, and in life you’re always in a different place. Sometimes things are all up, sometimes things are down. It’s all about finding that middle ground and being able to pull out material that ranges from everything from happy to touching on things that a lot of people think about day to day but may not feel totally comfortable speaking with others about it, so they sit on it and meditate. Those are some of the things we try to speak about.
Any producers in particular come to mind for this new album?
Madchild - Well, I think we’re gonna keep it in the same family because they were with us in the beginning. But we’re always open to explore a new opportunity.
Prevail - It’s cool for us to be able to work with producers who’ve made a couple of beats for us already, and they go “I know I have made something in this beat range, this style, flavor, this bpm, so let me know what you think about this.”
Are you guys planning on guesting on any albums in the future? Say Jurassic 5 or Funkdoobiest?
Madchild - We’ve got some things we’re talking about, but nothing solid yet.
Tour plans?
Madchild - We’ll be back after the Nelly tour is over, and we plan on doing the festival circuit this summer.
Well, thanks for your time and good luck with the show tonight.
Madchild - Yeah, no problem.
[Kludge Magazine]
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