Wassup y'all,

Just wanted to post an article I wrote for the San Jose Mercury News that ran in today's (6/12) "Eye" section. La Paz.

mc

Keak Da Sneak is back, with several guests
By Marc Cabrera
Monterey County Herald
Article Launched: 06/12/2008 01:35:49 AM PDT

Keak Da Sneak has become, for many, the hip-hop voice of the Bay Area. It's a gravel-toned, jagged-edged, smoked-too-much-growing-up-in-Oaktown growl that cuts through a track like a diamond slicing glass.

Since his debut with the late-'90s Oakland group 3XCrazy, Keak has maintained a strong foothold in Bay Area rap. But just as Busta Rhymes stepped away from Leaders of the New School, Keak left 3XCrazy to pursue a solo career.

After years of underground tape grinding and creating stellar features on other artists' songs, Keak broke through in 2004 with the regional sensation "Super Hyphy." A sexy, catchy, carnival-ride jingle, that song was ubiquitous on Bay Area urban stations, and it catapulted Keak to solo stardom.

He followed it with a high-profile appearance on E-40's jam "Tell Me When to Go," which garnered national attention. But while Keak was emerging in the spotlight, his contracts with various independent record labels prevented him from fully capitalizing on his success.

With those problems finally resolved, more than two years after "Tell Me When to Go," Keak has just released a solo disc.

"Deified," a full-length album, displays Keak and a whole gallery of guests mixing gritty street rhymes with party jams over fierce beats. The constant is that voice, which is a force unto itself on record and over the phone, in an interview about Keak's work.

Q: "Deified" arrived in stores Tuesday. What can the fans expect

A Some good music, man. They can expect a good Keak Da Sneak album. This is my fourth solo album. It's basically what the fans been waiting for.

Q: The first single, "That Go," was released last year. The album remix features Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Alchemist. How did that come about?


A: I was in New York, finishing the deal I did with Koch (Records, which distributes Keak's music). I hooked up with DJ Vlad, and then I hooked up with Alchemist and Prodigy. I went to Alchemist's studio, and Prodigy was there. I'm a Mobb Deep fan, and Prodigy was a fan of Keak Da Sneak, so we hit it off.

"That Go" was a hot song in the Bay. I just figured I'd do a remix to it. I did a couple of remixes, but that was the one I decided to go with.

Q: I don't want to say it was weird for you to collaborate with Prodigy, but it was definitely different.

A: Exactly. I'm doing stuff I ain't done before.

Q: Fans have been waiting a while between albums. Why did it take so long?

A: My representation wasn't right, so I didn't want to make moves with the wrong representation. Now I'm in control of my situation. . . . This is the first album I'm in control of. (On) all of the other albums . . . I was just the artist. Now I'm the CEO; I actually did a label deal with Koch. I've been working on this album for two to three years. I did, like, 40 songs, and I picked the album out of those 40.

Q: The CD is loaded with guest appearances.

A: I rarely ever line up features on my albums. So on this one, I just wanted to collaborate with a lot of people: Paul Wall, Chingo Bling, Daz Dillinger, Too Short, E-40, Mista FAB. I got Jacka, Messy Marv, Mad Black. I got tired of just hearing me on all the hooks and all the songs. I just wanted to do something new with this album. I reinvented myself. I've been reinventing myself since '98.

Q: Was it frustrating not being able to release an album for so long?

A: Yeah, it was. I had a lot of different labels, and they didn't want to let go. . . . I wasn't going to drop an album until I was in control of my situation. . . . In the meantime, "Super Hyphy" - I did that song in 2004, and it finally branched off to other regions. I've been doing shows every weekend since 2004, without an album. It's like I've been on tour this whole time.

Q: "Super Hyphy" and "Tell Me When to Go" kept your name bubbling. What did those singles do for your career?

A: Those songs were a blessing from God. E-40 opened a lot of doors for me. MTV opened a lot of doors. KMEL - they've been behind me, supporting on every record I do. "Super Hyphy" was getting 1,000 spins a week.

"Tell Me When to Go" was, like, boom! A lot of people didn't know what I looked like . . . before that video dropped. They heard my voice; the video actually put my face out there. Now I can go places, and they know what I look like.