Quannum's Lyrics Born fills empty spaces with his brand of hip-hop music

By Sean Orfila
On-line Forty-Niner

Lyrics Born, a prominent member of the illustrious hip hop label, Quannum Projects (Poets of Rhythm, Blackalicious, DJ Shadow) will perform with Ugly Duckling, Grouch, Pigeon John and others on the Cali Comm Tour this weekend.

The On-line Forty-Niner was able to catch up with the lyrical emcee for a quick Q and A.

On-line Forty-Niner: What kind of records do you sample? When you sit down to make a song what do you do to start?

Lyrics Born: When I make records I think about what's missing in the world. I think about where the world isn't going and I go that way. I try to fill that empty space of what is missing.

DF: While touring would you say that people outside of the United States react differently to your music?

LB: Different countries react different ways. Different cities react different ways. I think that here in the U.S. people are very dependant on radio for info on music. In Europe people look to the press for what's hot and stuff, so you get people drawn to different records for different reasons.

DF: What are your favorite cities to play?

LB: Austin, Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Portland, Paris, Sydney, Amsterdam, we just played in San Paulo Brazil. This will be my third U.S. tour this year.

DF: What is touring like?

LB: Imagine being in a hotel every night. It's physically exhausting; you're driving everyday, sometimes your out in the middle of nowhere and can't eat good food.

You don't get a lot of rest; you're sleeping in a different bed every night. But the good thing is that you get to play every night and if that's what you love to do then your happy as a clam. I personally like touring, but I can see why a lot of artists don't. If I didn't have to tour I would still do it. I love to perform.

DF: Why did you and your friends form your own label instead of signing with another label?

LB: We didn't have that option. Now it's different, people offer. I mean, we didn't start it because we wanted to be record executives. If we didn't put our records out then we wouldn't get heard. It was done out of necessity.

DF: What is it like working with your friends professionally?

LB: I like working with my whole crew. Everybody has their own tastes. We all have very stubborn and individual ideas about music but when we sit down and set out to do something,

I know it is going to be good. When you've got that kind of confidence you can go out on a limb...you can't always say that about a lot of things in life.