conducted by Phayde
MVRemix: Introduce yourself.
6th Sense: What’s going on out there world? My name’s 6th Sense—emcee, producer, CEO, songwriter, good friend. I’m from New York. [I’ve] been doing this music thing for about eight years now and I’m just getting warmed up.
MVRemix: Why should people check for you?
6th Sense: People need to check for me ’cause I’m not trying to give people that cookie-cutter, fast food type of music. The industry discovered ways a couple of years ago to sell records in the easiest form possible; I got something that’s actually called musical integrity. I have so many influences from so many types of good music and I draw from all of them to create something special, something that a lot of people think is missing. I’m here to fill that void.
MVRemix: What current and upcoming projects are you working on?
6th Sense: Right now I’m hard at work on my next album, It’s Coming Soon, which will be coming out on Notherground Music/Rawkus 50. It’s going to have a long shelf life. I’m feeling extremely proud of this album because I produced two-thirds of it. Frequency’s on the other third of production and I’ve got my Notherground family Wildabeast and Mike Maven guesting along with some other cool people.
After the album is completed, I’m going to give people a real extravagant mixtape. It’s going to feature a lot of people and will have a ton of really dope, yet unheard material from myself.
By the end of this summer me and producer Nicolay will start working on a whole project together. We’re gonna make some real different shit, and the most exciting thing is we’re gonna create it together. I know Nicolay is known for the Foreign Exchange, how they did that album [via the Internet] across the oceans, but Nicolay lives in the States now and we’re going to make something real special.
I also produced my artist Wildabeast’s new album Many Levels. That album is on Notherground/Rawkus 50 as well. He is the hood hippie from Harlem, NY and he’s so bugged out and so talented that when people fall in love with him, they identify with his music so much, especially this new album of his. I really urge people to check it out.
MVRemix: Tell me about the group you were previously with, the Understudies.
6th Sense: All I can say is that being in the group The Understudies was a learning experience. I don’t really wanna get into it too much because the experience has been put so far behind me, but I do know that the one 12†that was put out still sells to this day. If the label could give us the master of the album we recorded we could put it out just for the fans to hear.
MVRemix: What happened to Freshchest Records, the label that you—along with artists like CunninLynguists and Supastition—were previously on?
6th Sense: Nothing happened. [Laughs] That’s the best way to answer that question.
MVRemix: How did Frequency link up with Snoop, Cam’Ron, Ras Kass, etc.?
6th Sense: Frequency linked up with those dudes ’cause he DUMB NICE. Make sure you print that in capital letters. After It’s Coming Soon drops you could say me and Freq got 17 official joins together, but once the mixtape drops the whole stash is getting unleashed on the public. What’s crazy as hell is that a couple tracks he’s done for other artists, I’d already had recorded for a hot minute. People will get to see that on the mixtape. I don’t even like calling it a mixtape, but that’s defintately what it’ll be. It’s gonna be called It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over. Freq’s got this one joint he produced called “En-why-cee†that’s currently in heavy rotation on Hot97.
MVRemix: You mentioned the Rawkus 50. How were you chosen for that and what does that entitle you to?
6th Sense: First off, Rawkus does not “own†me in the way a label “owns†an artist. Rawkus asked for submissions from everybody; I sent my shit in and boom, I’m in the 50. I was the first person to be put in the 50 and I was the only one who signed the deal face-to-face with the owners of Rawkus. Rawkus is putting their stamp on 50 artists that are to be the future of hip-hop. They are launching a full-out digital marketing campaign. That’s the only end they have to hold up. The rest—and I mean all of the rest—is up to me and my camp. I am using the Rawkus stamp as a marketing move for my Notherground imprint. I know it’s a really stiff answer, but I think as time moves on and as people receive the album well, the whole public will truly see what it is I’m “entitled†to.
MVRemix: How did the deal with Scram Jones’ Beast Music production company come about?
6th Sense: I’ve known Scram since I was 15. I moved to Westchester when I was 14. Scram was in New Rochelle. We lost touch for a couple years and he hollered after I won a showcase. We started chillin and after a while I got back into the beats. Eventually, shit was undeniable to Scram and because I’ve known Scram for so long, I couldn’t say no.
MVRemix: Tell me about the imprint that you started, Notherground Music.
6th Sense: Notherground Music is the end all be all. As strong as an artist I am, a large part of my talent lies in the old school form of production, performance, and artist development. If Cash Money can get $30 million from Universal, I’ll take three. I really get into the nuts and bolts of it on my last verse on the new album, on a track called “Run It By Me.†It ain’t underground, it’s…
MVRemix: You have a bachelor’s degree in Music Industry from Northeastern University. How does that help you in regards to having a rap career?
6th Sense: I just got it like two months ago. I learned a lot in school—a whole lot. I got to work a whole lot, hands-on, in the industry and on my music while in school through the University’s co-op program, which is rated number one in the U.S. I’d definitely recommend the program to the youngins out there who want to major in Music Industry. The only downside is being in Boston. I love New York to death, and truthfully, I was only able to push my career while being based in New York. I did two co-op terms in New York while in school. I’d love to answer that question again in a year, or even six months.
MVRemix: Do you consider it more of an aid or a challenge trying to “get on†in New York?
6th Sense: If this was 1987 then it’d be a definate aid. I’d be poppin’ bottles with MC Serch at LQ or something. Shout to Teddy Ted and Special K. I mean, in this day and age it’s a challenge to “get on†from wherever you from, and more than likely cats is getting on from unheard of and new regions. I do love New York though and in the oncoming months it’ll obviously be crucial for everything I do. I’ve recently spent some time out in LA and I love the vibe over there, especially the way cats move and make things happen.
MVRemix: If hip-hop was a woman, what would she look like?
6th Sense: Ha. Great question. She’s still pre-menopausal; she ain’t done yet! She’s a slightly older woman, pretty much a MILF. Her outfit is questionable though. She got on some nice quality, professional clothes, almost a business suit, but it doesn’t match, and underneath that she has a huge sweatshirt on with a big ass logo on it. That sweatshirt would symbolize today’s stereotypical outlook and musical output of hip-hop. The rest y’all can piece together what it means.
MVRemix: Anything else you want to add?
6th Sense: I’ve got the new video out for the buzz single from “It’s Coming Soon,†a track called “I Wanna Tell Ya†produced by Frequency. Check YouTube for that. We got the new Wildabeast album Many Levels available now. Always check the MySpace page: www.myspace.com/nothergroundmusic. And lastly, everyone should go to my.rawkus.com and set up their own profile. It’s a cool and exciting new spot. It’s gonna be a hot summer. Big shouts to MVRemix, and like always, a big shout to my Cornerstone family.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAwCgJ_RUZ8
