LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND VERSATILE

Vursatyl of the Lifesavas (right) with Lateef and Jumbo (background), from an instore at Deal Real Records, Carnaby St, London, a couple of years ago now.

Quannum Projects artists Lifesavas visit Australian sands (with DJ Z-Trip) for the first time in early December. I had the opportunity to speak to emcee and vocalist Vursatyl for a local magazine. An edited version of the following will see print at the end of the month, but I felt Vurs' considered and insightful answers were worth a full airing.

Spirit In Stone is coming up two years old and you guys have been touring to support it ever since it dropped.
Before and after. It's been a good experience though. We finished our last European tour a couple of months back. Australia is going be the last tour we do for the album.

How important is touring to artists of your stature?
It's vital, man. That's our only real medium. We don't have videos, we don't depend on commercial radio. A lot of people wouldn't know we exist if we couldn't get on the road and tour.

Do you think the live performance element of hip-hop is as important these days or is it more about videos and gold chains?
Oh man. It depends on what day you ask me. Some nights I feel like there are performers that leave a lot to be desired, but in turn, I can go out to a DJ Q-Bert show and just be blown away. Go see Talib Kweli and have a good time. A group like De La, I have to say that, is something that stands as a testament to what's feasible and stand as a barometer for a good live show. Seeing them getting better and better over time gives us something to reach for. It's a tough standard to hold as an artist. There are still artists out there who take the live show seriously.

You have a gospel background, which is kinda rare in the independent hip-hop arena. How does that gel with the hip-hop sound?
First and foremost, it's spiritual, it's soul music. I equate that to staying original and being true to yourself. We made sure we did that with our record. Coming from the church, those inflections come out from time to time just because I was born into it, the way that I hear music and melodies and things of that nature. I'm just a product of what I was around when I was young. It's nothing that Jumbo or I have to concentrate on. It's something that comes out of us cause that's what we were raised with.

There's a strong spiritual underpinning to the album. What's your opinion on bringing spirituality to art? Is there a conflict between being a Christian and an emcee?
In terms of spirituality, it's always been there. When you have groups like Brand Nubian, Poor Righteous Teachers, Public Enemy, all these brothers were members of the Fruit of Islam. If you listen closely, they talk a lot about it. Rakim talked a lot about being an Asiatic Black Man, being a member of the Nation of Islam. It's always been there, the same as how they conducted themselves in terms of their belief systems and doing music, music is what's at the forefront. I was never apprehensive or reluctant because of their religious take on things, because they made good music. Hopefully that's what Lifesavas can do.

What do you think of what Kanye West has done, taking a single like Jesus Walks to radio?
It's a victory for broadening.. taking the same discussion of censorship, breaking into the whole cookie cutter mold of playing music on the radio. It was more of a challenge to play music other than just what fits what's hot right now. Don't be afraid to go against the grain. He took a gamble, being on a label like Roc-A-Fella which was known for a certain style of music. For him to make an album that took some risks, I think is really an important statement in hip-hop. It's still cool to be original and diversify, even on a label like Roc-A-Fella.

There's been a lot of talk about how the religious right sabotaged the election and helped Bush get back in. What's your take on that?
You mean the robbery? Jumbo and I have never considered ourselves religious by any means. Unfortunately, people take religion and twist it to their own agenda. That's why I don't subscribe to any of that. I don't support Bush, it's unfortunate that anyone would take a religion and twist it to their own agenda. That's what makes anybody look at a religion and have apprehension about it. That's the way the world looked at Bin Laden after 9/11. People made the sweeping statement about Islam as a result of his affiliation with Islam. That's unfortunate, that turns people off from Islam or Catholicism. I don't believe you can judge any religion by its members. We have a situation with Catholic priests abusing children. That's human flaw. I can't judge Catholicism on that. It's unfortunate that Bush is such an idiot and buffoon. Anyone that opposes Bush and wants to see justice, I think they have a reasonable argument.

The album has it's share of straightforward bangers, but tracks like Head Exercise and Skeletons sound totally unique. What sets the Lifesavas apart from other acts?
I've always stayed a fan of music. I'll watch interviews, and artists will be like 'we've got so many flavours and styles', but you'll listen to their music and there'll be no evidence of the diversity in their style. We never made it our platform to say we have something for everybody, but as people, we're different people on different days. Jumbo's production is very diverse. A song like Head Exercise is so different from a track like Hellohihey. The beat is accustomate to our diversity as people, as well as craftsmanship as a producer. We gave each song its own identify. We stay versatile and well-rounded.

You've got some really strong concept tracks, like Clutch Moments. Can you explain the idea behind that song?
Firstly, Jumbo came up with an incredible track. The real meaning of the song is seizing the moment, and the fact that where we're from, we're confronted with a lot of methods of how to get out of our circumstances or get beyond the struggle. We're considered conscious rappers, we're not expected to move beyond our struggle. It's good to struggle, but it's also important to reach beyond our limitations and boundaries. Clutch Moments touched on all the things we face from day to day. From police racially profiling us to our aspirations to get beyond living at homes where our lights and water are getting cut off monthly. We have to aspire to get beyond this point in life. We wanted to make sure we documented that day in Lifesavas' life where me and Jumbo were stuck on the streets on San Francisco with no money, didn't know how we were going to get to the studio. Clutch Moments was kinda borne out of that. We gotta touch something, you know? We have to get to that next plateau by any means necessary. We chose music as our means.

Why was Clutch Moments left off the album?
We couldn't clear the sample.

It sounds like you guys have attracted the attention of police, customs and security on a regular basis. To a person who has no idea what that's like, how does it affect your day to day life?
It's tough. The reality of it is the same old song. but that doesn't mean it's not true. Being a man of colour, a person of colour, is tough when you're dealing with the law because they see you as the usual suspect straight out the gate. We're going through customs, it makes it difficult. We're out here to handle business, keep all of our business intact, but we're treated like criminals before any evidence is even found. Every day when I get in my car, I work with people from all races, ethnicities and backgrounds. We come from a very different experience. When I get in the car, I don't see the police as being there to serve or protect me. They're there to harass me. They're the enemy. When I get in my car, there's a one in three chance I'll be pulled over, and not because I'm doing anything wrong, but because they'll pass me and look and see my face and they'll think, 'Hey, he might be up to something.' That means, out of every day that I take my kids to school, I'll get pulled over once every two weeks, twice a week sometimes.

With your kids in the car?
Definitely. I've been pulled over while my kids are in the car. Handcuffed, sat out on the curb, my car searched. And I'm just picking them up from school.

How does that imprint on them for the future?
It scary for them. My kids are crying in the back seat of the car 'cause they see that daddy's on the curb, handcuffed. It sends a conflicting message, because if something happens at our house or some crime is committed on our street, we have to call those same men. That's why it's so frustrating. At some point we might have to call these guys, but still they're the enemy. It's tough, man.

What coming up next? What's lined up for the new Lifesavas album?
We are in the studio as we speak. All day today I was in there working on new music, we're creating daily right now. We're full fledged into the recording of the album. I'm really excited. We're having a good time and people can look forward to some exciting new music from Lifesavas.

How will it differ from Spirit In Stone?
It will be a more mature album in terms of where we have evolved as people and the freedom that we have as artists, being in a position to have gone places and seen other parts of the world over the past few years. We've built up a lot of things that we wanted to talk about. It's going to be our growth on wax. The men we have become and what we are right now. It'll be very different. I hope people are not expecting another Spirit in Stone, because this is a whole new monster.

How would you sum up the change in sound?
We met other artists on the road. I won't give away any surprises. Last album, we didn't go too far outside the (Quannum) camp. We only did a song with J-Live. We're going to venture a little outside the camp on this record.

You can't give us any hints?
I can't give out no hints, man. I don't want to let the cat out the bag too soon, but you can look forward to some stellar emceeing on this record, with help outside of the Quannum crew. This is like our Midnight Marauders, our Daily Operation, our Buhloone Mindstate. This is our second album for most people, but for us, it's our third. We recorded an album that never came out. Our Illadelph Halflife, if you will. A darker side to Lifesavas, but always conscious and aware.
(On the first album) we wanted to make sure the Quannum fanbase was able to see the cohesive element that brought the Quannum family together and see how Lifesavas fit into that puzzle. We know that we accomplished that. We were received with open arms by the fans. With this album, we trust that they'll appreciate an evolving Lifesavas.

Quannum has a tight ethos. Having been integrated into the crew to the extent that you have, what do you think you've brought to the camp?
Coming from Portland, we obviously had a very different experience than the rest of the fellas coming from the Bay Area. First and foremost, we got a lot from the Quannum artists, Lateef, Lyrics Born and Gab gave us a lot of good energy in terms of making a complete album, a full vision. We brought a youth on 'em, a new voice, a lot of resilience. Because of energy was so fresh, they were able to take from that as well. I think you see that in the project. Me and Gab did a song on his record called Real MCs. When me and Gab got together, it was real electricity and we were able to stretch out on the song. That was something that Lifesavas was able to help nurture in all of them. Even with Lyrics Born's new remix album, you'll see a lot of our energy there. Jumbo has done beats for LB now. Our musical influence as well as our spirit. It's a big circle. We just cipher and get from other and give.

You collect toy cars? What are you pushing at the moment?
Remote control cars are my thing. Funny you mention that. I just got a remote control 1963 Impala. I've had it modified so it has hydraulics. That's the pride of my collection right now. Up until this point, I bought whatever was at the little toy store, but now I'm starting to get off into some custom joints and find out how to get in touch with people who sell me the custom things. The '63 Impala, man, on switches. It's pretty dope.

(Interviewer shamelessly asks for Lifesavas to bring copies of Lateef and Xcel's Ambush EP to the southern hemisphere).

Thanks very much. We'll see you in the country soon.
Indeed. Peace, man.