Vegan Edge Hip Hop

Wolf Cell Solid in one sentence:

WOLF-CELL-SOLID follows the hardcore tradition of two thirds message, one third music, but their beats are tight homey.

Where you’re based:

CROMEGAGOTHAM CITY ONE
(global)

Proudest moment as an artist:

That would probably be learning about soldiers from Cali to as far away as Russia and Japan that are listening to and feeling our music, our call to arms.

Top 5 Straight Edge or Hardcore bands:

Earth Crisis
First Blood
Most Precious Blood
25 ta LIFE
Sick of it All
BTW – fck all the emo fasion metal claiming the label HARDCORE. It’s getting old.

Top 5 books:

In Cold Blood – Capote
The Road – McCarthy
Universal Pagan Earth – Bible of Life (being written by a close brother)
To Kill a Mockingbird – Lee
The Stranger – Camus

Favorite Vegan Recipe:

BBQ CEO – Not quite vegan, and the BBQ sauce will never be revealed!

Tortilla / Burrito
Times can be tough down in the trenches – steal organic black beans, put ‘em in a minimal ingredient tortila, flavor with whatever else you can find, and eat.

Soldier Salsa
Canned goods aren’t the best alternative, but if you’re at war and you don’t fake this shit steal stewed tomatoes, grind up with 2 cloves garlic, 1 bunch of fresh cilantro leaf, and a serano pepper. Put that shit on your burrito!

How did you get first exposed to hip hop?

We all grew up in mixed cities from NY to CALI to the SOUTH. Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, ICE-T, and Public Enemy were all in the mix in the early beginning. WuTang, ICE Cube, Kool Keith, Jedi Mind Tricks and others showed it could be more than total BS.

When did you first begin as a hip hop artist?

All with superXcontra – the larger project. xGNOSTIKAIx on his own.

Have you received negative feedback from a political hip hop artists? Other serious backlash?

We got into a real life gun altercation in NYC, but we don’t back down. People didn’t even know who the fuck we were. They just knew we weren’t there to talk entrepreneurship and making money.

What inspired you to become vegan? Was there a single moment you can point to, or was it a process?

An old Why Vegan pamphlet that brought back that true childhood idea that this world is fucked up.

Do you do live shows? How are they received?

Secret one-off shows at underground locations only. Half hearted kids and “SXE Entertainers” think we take ourselves way too seriously. We do. True soldiers keep tight-lipped on our “projects.”

Rob R Rock is the first known vegan sxe hip hop artist. He sold the fuck out and we put his song at the end of the comp. Anything to say to him and others who stray?

Don’t let xGnostikaix catch you eating a cheeseburger!
We get that some will stray from SXE (we feel that is a personal choice), but never stray from a vegan lifestyle.

Run down your releases to date.

superXcontra – Never Give in, Never Surrender

WOLF-CELL-SOLID – You Betta Axe Somebody

superXcontra – Necronomicon

WOLF-CELL-SOLID – Two to the Chest, One to the Head

(keep them safe, keep them secret)

What lyrical subjects do you plan to explore in the future?

Kids that think this is an “image” or “scene” that doesn’t require participation.

Give a sampling of some of your lyrics that haven’t yet (or will never) make it into a recording.

There was something that mentioned the word President that likely won’t be made available.

You have one bullet and one gun. Who do you take out?

First name Jesus, last name Christ (and no, we don’t hate Christians).

Tell us the best feedback you’ve received as an artist. Any stories of changed lives?

We received an e-mail from Jamey Jasta when he was still hosting Headbangers Ball. He thought Ezac might like to put our stuff out on his label. Pretty funny considering what Ezac writes about.

You have one incendiary device. What building gets burned?

McDonalds Corporate Headquarters – a statement that would last quite a while. The corporations know there’s a war. They just don’t want everybody else to know.

Outside of music, what keeps you driven in this age of insanity?

The vegan cause. From our song titles and group names, one can also figure out that we dabble in video games while recouperating.

Any vegan and/or straight edge artists not on the comp you would like the world to be aware of?

Just let everybody be aware that this is not a spectator sport.

Proudest moment as an artist:
Being on this comp!

Your top 5 political hip hop artists:
KRS-One
Immortal Technique
Loop Troop
Public Enemy
Lost Children of Babylon

Top 5 Straight Edge bands:
Earth Crisis
Judge
Youth of Today
Abnegation
Chain of Strength

Top 5 books:
Autobiography of Malcolm X – Alex Haley
Dwellers in the Land – Kirkpatrick Sale
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse – Peter Mathiessen
Prison Memoirs – Alexander Berkman
Animal Liberation – Peter Singer

Favorite Vegan Recipe:
Chocolate Mousse
1 packet of soft silken Tofu
Dark chocolate (100 grams)
Brown Sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)
Mix Tofu in a bowl using a mixer– melt chocolate – add chocolate to the tofu – mix everything together and add sugar – mix until soft and creamy – crush vegan biscuits – get a glass and put the biscuits and mousse into the glass in layers and put in the fridge to chill for a few hours!

How did you get first exposed to hip hop?
I guess I really took notice of hip hop at the time of Public Enemy; they got the ball rolling for me.

When did you first begin as a hip hop artist?
I would not dare to call myself a hip hop artist but I guess it’s been 2 years since I’ve been messing around with beats and lyrics and maybe 1 year putting my ideas together.

Have you received negative feedback from apolitical hip hop artists? Other serious backlash?
The only negative feedback we have received is regarding the stance Kurohata takes over the Palestine issue. At one time we received numerous negative emails from people about this but we will never change our stance as long as there is injustice, never!

What inspired you to become vegan? Was there a single moment you can point to, or was it a process?
I grew up in a family which hunts. From an early age I was surrounded by the death of those from the animal kingdom. I knew this was not right and have sought to live a more simple and vegan life since.

Do you do live shows? How are they received?
No, no live shows yet, still not ready for this, maybe one day.
Straight edge revenge stories – everyone has one. Give us your best.
Sorry, I do not have any or any I would like to share. I do not agree with militant SxE actions at all unless it is taken in regards to a wider political outlook, mostly though this is not the case and is just random violence from crews or what not – this is not the type of SxE I care about.

Rob R Rock is the first known vegan sxe hip hop artist. He sold the fuck out and we put his song at the end of the comp. Anything to say to him and others who stray?
Only that I really love the song. Ok, musically it is not that great, but to hear someone from the HC scene making hip hop with lyrics about vegetarianism was different, he was ahead of his time that’s for sure. About those that stray, well, I cannot understand anyone who turns their back on the murder and slaughter of non-humans, they disgust me.

Run down your releases to date.
No releases yet, mini CD out soon I hope.

What lyrical subjects do you plan to explore in the future?
We try to keep the lyrics topical, so any current political issues could be touched upon. The next tune we are in the progress of writing is called Al-Nakbar (the catastrophe) regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Gaza massacres happening right now. Most of the lyrics however, touch on anarchist theory, anarchist history and animal/human and earth liberation.

Give a sampling of some of your lyrics that haven’t yet (or will never) make it into a recording.
Guerrilla warfare in the streets
Sling shots and catapults the weapons of choice for the poor and oppressed
Hardly a threat when you think of the F16 fighter jets
Huey choppers and advanced warfare techniques

You have one bullet and one gun. Who do you take out?
The first oppressor I come across!
Tell us the best feedback you’ve received as an artist. Any stories of changed lives?
Most people have been really positive. I can’t imagine our music will ever change lives, but we at least hope that people may get interested in what we talk about and research some of the issues that we discuss.
You have one incendiary device. What building gets burned?
After freeing the animals, a vivisection lab!

Outside of music, what keeps you driven in this age of insanity?
My friends, my family and my girlfriend. It’s the relationships I have with people which keeps me on the correct path and its nature and the earth which sustains me.

Any vegan and/or straight edge artists not on the comp you would like the world to be aware of?
In terms of hip hop probably not as you have the best ones on your comp.

Thanks in advance.

Goodfellas in once sentence:

Goodfellas is all about good old battle rap, we may appear as a normal gangster rap crew but we’ve got both sides of the coin, brutal lyrics as well as political and recondite text passages.

Where you’re based:

Germany, Hannover / Hamburg.

Proudest moment as an artis:

The video shot of our very first video ‘Weltuntergang’. Check it out:

Weltuntergang Video
Your top 5 political hip hop artists:

Keny Arkana, Naj One.

Top 5 Straight Edge bands:

Daniel Gun:
Floorpunch, Ten Yard Fight, Tyrant, One Life Crew, Earth Crisis.

Partisan:
Maroon, Black My Heart, Earth Crisis, Tyrant, Good Clean Fun.

Top 5 books:

Honestly, we don’t really read books. We only got brawn, no brains…

Favorite Vegan Recipe :

What you need:
110 gram (4 oz) soy crisp
850 gram (1,9 lb) kidney beans
385 gram (0,85 lb) corn
280 gram (0,6 lb)
Tomato puree
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons curry
1-2 chili hulls
2 onions
3 tomatoes
1 red paprika
Some vegetable oil
Baguette

What you do:
We peel the onions and cut them into small pieces.
We wash the paprika, cut them into two halves, corn it and cut it into small pieces.
We wash the tomato and cut it into small pieces.
We drip of the corn and the kidney beans.
We cut the chili hulls into small pieces. After that don’t touch your eyes or other mucous membranes.
We peel the garlic.
Now we heat 1/2 liter (2,1 pints) water for the soy crisp.
Add the soy crisp to a bowl and add the water. Leave it for 5 minutes.
Now we cast the soy crisp into a colander and wash it up with some water.
Now we put a large cooking pot onto the cooker and add some vegetable oil.
We roast the onions gently for about 3 minutes.
After that we add the paprika pieces and roast them gently for about 2 minutes.
We add the soy rips, the corn, about 700 ml (1,5 pints ) water, the tomato pieces, smashed cloves of garlic, tomato puree, chili and the kidney beans to the large cooking pot and cook everything for about 5 minutes on highest heat.
Afterwards leave it for at least 1-2 hours. The soy crisp need time to absorb the flavor of the other ingredients and the consistency will be different after some hours of waiting.
Serve your chili sine carne with baguette.

When did you first begin as a hip hop artist?

Partisan started the rap thing back in 2k4, and Daniel Gun joined in 2k6.

Hav you received negative feedback from apolitical hip hop artists? Other serious backlash?

We’ve received lots of negative feedback from political people in Germany. Almost everyone thinks we’re Nazis because of the way that we look (tattoos, clothes) and the way that we act. We’re definitely one of the most hated crews in Germany and there are lots of rumors about us being homophobic and anti-Semitic.

What inspired you to become vegan? Was there a single moment you can point to, or was it a process?

Partisan: Back in 2k5 I’ve already been vegetarian and I was listening passionately to ‘antagonist’ from maroon, especially the lyrics of ‘stillborn’ persuaded me to become a vegan.

Daniel Gun: I live straight edge since I was 15 and 5 years later I decided to become a vegan because of personal reasons, I‘ve also been a vegetarian before.

Do you do live show? How are they received?

We only did a couple of live shows. We played with rap acts and hardcore bands and at least a 100 guys showed up every time when we rocked the stage.

Straight edge revenge stories – everyone has one. Give us your best.

Partisan: A couple of days ago, I punched a guy that smoked in the staircase of the block I’m living in. He flipped out as I asked him to put his fucking cigarette out, so I punched him.

Daniel Gun: It was a Saturday night and we were all hanging out at a club. We were all hacked off from the drunk people and all that shit. So outside the club I peed on a fucking punk who slept down on the floor and smelled like shit, the guy woke up and started to wipe the piss from his pants.

Rob R Rock is the first known vegan sxe hip hop artist. He sold the fuck out and we put his song at the end of the comp. Anything to say to him and others who stray?

Run for your lives you unholy bastards! Sometimes it really feels like we’re the last ones left that really care about sXe. It’s a lifetime commitment and it’s a fucking war. Those who drop out need to be erased to keep straight edge pure. Same for veganism. Theses guys that once wore x’s on the back of their hands and now the same hands are touching alcohol and cigarettes, it’s a shame. We have to punish them for the shit they do to sXe and its reputation or our thing loses credit. It’s not a fucking football club you can join or quit whenever you want to, it’s a commitment and we mean it. Erase the dropout scum!

Run down your releases to date.

Doom and Death-Götterdämmerug
Partisan-Messermassaker Ep
Ruffiction Productions-Weltuntergang
Goodfellas-Kieztape
Goodfellas-Blut auf den Strassen (street date: summer 2k9)

What lyrical subjects do you plan to explore in the future?

We really have to write some more songs about sXe, veganism and the way that we see this world. Our focus still is battle rap but we also want to explore more personal stuff in the future.

You have one bullet and one gun. Who do you take out?

Amy Winehouse.

Tell us the best feedback you’ve received as an artists. Any stories of changed lives?

Not as artist, but as vegans. We always impress people with the way that we live and we assume that we’re pretty good example.
You have one incendiary device. What building gets burned?

The crack cave of Pete Doherty… There are lots of buildings that deserve to burn (every Mc Donald’s, Burger King, KFC store, some embassies…) , we need more devices. So many buildings to burn, so little time.

Outside of music, what keeps you driven in this age of insanity?

Partisan: Pumping iron, muay thai, music, my crews, friends and family especially xKALLEx.

Daniel Gun: Tattoos, family, brothers, pumping iron, music.

Any vegan and/or straight edge artists not on the comp you would like the world to be aware of?

Partisan: Well, he’s not a hip hop artist, but Fred Mascherino, the former guitarist of Taking Back Sunday, has now a solo project called ‘The Color Fred’. It’s easy listening and I really like it, he plays all the instruments by himself and he’s a vegan. Check him out

http://www. myspace. com/thecolorfred

GOODFELLAS 76 13

How did you get first exposed to hip hop?

It was in the mid 80’s. I started off listening to Whodini and eventually graduated to Fat Boys, Run DMC, and  LL Cool J.  I can’t cite any specific event, I just remember having those records.

I made my first official demo in 1996, but I’ve written raps since the 1990’s and never really had any opportunities or the knowledge of how  to materialize anything until a few years ago when I decided to take my music to a new level.

I can’t say that I’ve had many problems with other artists.  Many I’ve interacted with have very different agendas and don’t really understand where I’m coming from.  But in the end they’re always cool with me being who I am.  The negative feedback I’ve gotten has been mostly from straight edge kids, usually really young, who refuse to respect the spiritual element to my music.  I get some really silly messages on myspace.  I did have a pretty heated argument with someone online who wanted me to know how great vivisection is.

I can remember the exact moment I thought of vegetarianism as a lifestyle.  I met another punk rock kid from the area I grew up in and we were ordering pizza and he said he didn’t eat dead animals. I didn’t understand he was referring to meat and when he explained he was vegetarian, I suddenly realized my food was once a living being.  Soon after I was having thanksgiving dinner with my girlfriend’s family and just to be controversial I said I was vegetarian.  I got the reaction I wanted and haven’t eaten meat since that day, it was thanksgiving of 1987.  I was vegan within a year and greatly inspired by a band from Denver called Dead Silence.

I don’t get to perform as frequently as I’d like.  There aren’t too many shows I fit into the lineup well, but I perform every chance I get.  So far the reception has been great and performing always peaks an interest in people that wouldn’t normally spend much time thinking about some of the topics and issues I speak about.

I can’t really think of anything that I can speak openly about.  It’s no so much of a revenge story, but I did have an incident in a convenient with a drunk guy about twice my size who made some derogatory comments to me.  When I was in my car about to leave he walked up to my car as and asked if I was straight edge.  I said yes and he then asked if that meant I own guns.  I told him, “yes, I have an ak47 and a lock .45, but the ak is too big to put under the seat of my car so I only carry the .45.” I forget his reaction to that, but he left in a hurry.

I don’t have any commentary for anyone who falls from our ranks.  They will have to live with the weight of their decisions on their conscience.  I think the best point to make is that with so many people selling out, you never really know who you can truly trust, if you know what I mean…

demo 2006
demo 2007
Man in Black cd 2008
Por Los Que No Tiene Voz comp  2008
Vegan Edge Hip-Hop Vol. 2 comp 2008

That’s a great question.  You can only rap about vegan straight edge themes before it becomes old news, so it’s necessary to stay on top of current issues.  As an artist it’s important for me to not become labeled as only a straight edge or vegan rapper.  The political state of the world is shifting right now so that will surely be an influence.  I’ve got a lot of material that references my personal life that will be a little different from what people might have heard from me.  I expect to open up a little more in my music. 

“Ice in your grill and material things,
    is that what it means to live like a king?
Always on a missioin to catch you some bling,
    is that what life’s about? I know that’s how it seems.
But no one takes you serious in this so far,
    you haven’t even flowed 16 dope bars.
The rumors you start I am bound to hear,
    cuz around these parts I’m a real big deal.
I’m the last real vegan alive, that’s official,
    with just enough time to find my mic and pistol.
Tattoos on the face say “eyes to see,”
    if you sell out and re-edge you’re not like me.
Detained at gunpoint, hands in the air,
    I’m a suspect but I wasn’t even there.
Light always comes out of the darkness,
    so InI sight you devils who are dishonest.”

of changed lives?

I’ve received tons and tons of great emails and messages from people all over the world.  It’s been really wonderful to feel and see how big and friendly or community is.  People from everywhere are asking me to perform in their country and one offer to perform at a private party on the east coast.  I get a lot of questions about going vegan and I love experiences people share with me regarding their religious and spiritual beliefs, especially from the hardcore scene, where oppressive attitudes can sometimes make individuals feel alone in what they thought was a community of tolerance.

You have one bullet and one gun. Who do you take out?

The leader.

The one they’re sleeping in.

I eat more raw food now than ever before and am really enjoying the health benifits.  I’m also an amateur astronomer and mix that hobby with my love for camping.

Cobwebz, Infinity, and EMCEE SUPERMax are all great artists.

www.xedgex.com