What would be the state of hip-hop today if wasn't for doods such as you arriving on the scene?

Wow, that seems like a bit of a bold question for me to answer without me sounding like I'm gods gift to hip hop! Well I feel as if I and Black Rap are among the group of trendsetters and cutting edge people in hip hop. Hip Hop, like anything, needs these kinds of people to push ideas to the next level and not just follow what's out there, making things stale. If we were just conforming to do what everyone else is doing then I wouldn't feel like we're bringing anything different to the table. So we always approach any project with that mentality so we bring an edge to what we do.

What's up with you and Bozack, how did the whole black-rap thing come about?

Bozack and I are chilling; things with Black Rap are lovely right now. We've seen a lot of growth over the past few years and we're just working hard to put our potential to use. That's something we always say to each other, a lot of cats have potential, there's a ton of talented people out there. We know and recognized our potential from time, so now we're all about putting it into action to making things happen for us.

As far as how Black Rap came about, Bozack and I have been friends from time, 10 years deep now! We were involved in another project together before BR with a couple other (but that's another story!). When that project disbanded around 2001 or so and we all pretty much went to do our own thing, but Bozack and I remained friends, still making movements together. Shortly after we started running with another cat, DJ Islamabad, and from there Black Rap started up.

Is the name black-rap on some Dead Prez/X Clan steez?

The name and idea for Black Rap came from DJ Islamabad. He initially had an idea for t shirts. He wanted to freak the legendary jazz label, Black Jazz' logo (www.blackjazz.com search that and learn about them!), and flip it on a rap tip. Instead of the two hands shaking you'd have two fists giving dap, and he wanted the logo to say Black Rap. He brought that idea to us, got Bozack to design the logo, and we just started to run with the name really!

However, we're in no way trying to alienate our audiences at all by using the name.

I noticed you kick different shit on the radio than in the clubs and the mixtapes, do you just go with the flow and bust out whatever feels right at the time?

Playing on radio compared to the club and my mixtapes are all different vibes. On the radio and mixtapes I'm able to go a bit deeper and every now and then bring out the rare joints, obscure album cuts, b sides, remixes, etc that don't always pop off in the club. Also you have to remember that both radio shows im involved in are predominately hip hop shows catering towards more of an underground crowd. So to play some soulful house on air wouldn't really be in context!

What's real ill is if you have that following and that power where your fans check your show and mixtapes enough and learn these obscure cuts and you can drop them primetime in the club and they CAN go off just because you've broken those records to your fanbase and made them popular. That doesn't always work, but it's ill when it does!

When I play club sets I feel the vibe out for sure. When it's our own parties it's a lot easier cuz I know how we've promoted the party and who we've promoted it. We've began to reach a point where people come to our jams knowing what to expect, they don't come on some top 40 shit unless we promote it as a party like that. I'll still read the crowd though, if I notice a particular sound or style is working well with that crowd then we'll run with it, and vice versa. And now with technology like Serato where I can come to a jam with my entire catalogue on my laptop it just makes things that much easier. The heads are in the place and wanna hear some classic hip hop, we got you. We got ladies in the house who wanna hear some booty, I got you! We'll make it work!

How does it feel taking over the legendary Saturday spot on 88.1?

It's amazing! I can literally remember it like it was the other day, as a teen sitting and taping episodes of the power move. I grew up listening to that, master plan, mastermind. These we're our outlets for new music, there was no internet giving you album advances, the radio was your source! I learned a lot, and even though that game has changed quite a bit now I'm now the host in the time slot and I recognize the responsibility that comes with that position. It still kinda trips me out. Big up to Linx, Taktiks, Spitfire, Seven: 30 and Frenchie. We're all on the mixtape massacre team that makes the show what it is.

Sometimes I forget the power and following that slot has. It's definitely been an amazing platform to be heard, to promote your events, material, and get news out. I realized how big it can get when a piece of my interview with DJ Premier was used as a news source for a popular online site out of the UK ( www.spinemagazine.com ).

We've been able to open a lot of doors for ourselves and others, as well as connect with a lot of people in just over the year and a few months we've been doing the show on 88.1.

You play a lot of oldschool r&b/hip-hop, are your fans just as oldschool?

Well I can't lie; a lot of our fanbase has come because of the old school joints we rock at jams, on mixtapes, and on the radio. I love our fanbase though, because they're musically inclined and know their shit; they recognize and appreciate good music from the current releases to the old school staples. There's A LOT of amazing already classic music being released right now, and we love and play that stuff too.

The Mixtape Massacre track is dangerous, who produced that? Do you guys produce yourselves?

Word up man! If you're referring to the mixtape massacre dub plate we run. That features 9 th Uno on the mic and Beatwyze on the boards. There's another ill dub plate we have by Rhymefest (Chicago MC down with Kanye West). He actually wrote us that rhyme in the studio after I interviewed him! Check out myspace for the audio. www.myspace.com/mixtapemassacre

When it comes to production I think everyone just assumes I do because I'm a DJ, I dig for records and all that. I don't really mess with the production side of things when it comes to making beats. Bozack however does his thing on the beat tip! If anything I'm more concerned with my mixtape production, putting together ill joints for ya'll to bump!

Are there any hobbies you have that your average fan doesn't know about?

Not really. I mean, if you know me then you know all the stuff I'm into besides music. That's sports really. I'm a big Raptors and Blue Jays fan, basketball and baseball in general really. I'm into the gear too, specifically the baseball fitted caps. Oh yeah, sneakers as well, I'm not a crazy collector but I do enjoy the sneaker game. I'm a fan of many of the air max. The Jordan line has some crazyness on deck for the rest of 06 and 07!

Favorite food?

Hands down, chicken wings (especially drum sticks). I gotta big up Boston Pizza's oven baked wings, a lot of my people are down with them fried joints which are cool, but I prefer the baked wings at BP! And while we're biggin' up restaurants, catch me at a Swiss Chalet near you!!! Toasted Chicken Salad Sandwiches all day, supposedly they're taking them off the menu, so get em while you still can (you can tell I'm there often!).

What can we expect from you in the future?

In the near future, I have a couple mixtape projects on deck, the first being with DJ Royale. He came to me with an ill concept. Covering a mixtape! There's a classic mixtape by DJ Double R & G Bo the pro and we'll be recreating the b-side of that! It features a lot of blends which we'll be reworking to give our own personal touch and while some of the track listing will be similar to their set we'll be throwing in other joints that aren't on there, again to give it our own flavor make it relevant to our current time. If you know the original tape, then you'll love this, if you love classic 80s tunes ( ie. Mary Jane Girls, Roger & Zapp, Michael Jackson, etc) you'll love this. Look out for that!

On the Second project I'm digging the crates for the heads! My man Mikey from inquringmind.ca stepped to me about doing a promotional mixtape for their company. For this joint I've decided to take it back for all my hip hop heads. This mix will feature hip hop from the late 80's and early 90's. Some staples and sprinkled with some of the more obscure cuts. For those who remember my Fat Stax CD, this one is for you.

In the years to come, I just want to continue to grow and build on what we've accomplished so far. I never want to look at myself and feel as if I'm in the same spot I was a year ago. All I can say is the skies the limit and that's what I reach for every time.

If you got paid a bunch of money, would you jump on some Much Music VJ type of shit?

It's not even about the money but damn right if the monetary compensation was on point and I get to be myself and not on some clown shit, I'm going to go for it. Whether it's TV or radio, I've been into the radio game for a minute now and I know where it can lead me if I play my cards right. Besides, we need some educated people in these positions and I'd love to be able to share my knowledge with people (especially the kids coming up) on that level. It's pretty much what I do now on the radio, but for a smaller audience.

Aiight.. Thanks for talking to us. Last words?

Well, respect to ya'll for taking the time to talk to me and big up to all the people who've helped and supported us over the years, we do truly appreciate it. Promoters, get at us, we want to come to your city to rock live! Stores and mixtape distributors get @ us to get our product out where it needs to be. Let's make it happen.

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Catch Big Jacks hosting the Mixtape Masacre show every Saturday [1pm-4pm 88.1]

And DJing Monday nights from 6pm-8pm on Backroad Radio 105.5 fm

The official Black Rap party is called SWERVE. If you're in Toronto, look out for this party every month or so!

For other info, bookings, upcoming gigs, etc:

www.black-rap.com

www.myspace.com/bigjacks

www.myspace.com/blackrap