conducted by Hugo Lunny
MVRemix: Although you have had two previous albums, for those that are now hearing about you for the first time, tell us about yourself.
Klee Magor: Well it’s Klee Magor and Benny Brahmz. I’m the sleazebag he’s the drifter. Together we form Riviera Regime. We join forces to deliver that grimy, original hip hop. We don’t fit into any specific mold; just do what comes natural to us. I do most of the production for RR. We met in ‘97 on a fort in an Israeli infantry brigade, a legendary unit called the Golani brigade. Fought in war, killed some people in the process… almost been killed a few times. We live in the hood, been hood dwellers mad years. We still in the hood. We rep for the streets and for the goons, been putting out music and videos since 2003.
MVRemix: How did the name Riviera Regime come about?
Klee Magor: Its been the name of the clique forever. It used to be just the Riviera click back in the days throughout the 90’s. Before me and Benny even met. In the new millennium it evolved into Riviera Regime. Riviera represents wealth, fortune, luxury, and the good life; basically everything we strive for. The Regime represents the grind and militants it takes to achieve all that.
MVRemix: What about your individual monikers “Klee Magor” and “Benny Brahmz”?
Klee Magor: Klee Magor is actually a Hebrew word - its the nickname I got in the Golani Brigade. It literally means the tool of fear, and it’s also the Hebrew name of the Claymore landmine, very deadly landmine used in warfare. I got that name ‘cause I was a straight killer with my weapon. Peeps call me Klee for short though. Benny Brahmz is Benny Brahmz - the dude is an original.
MVRemix: As songwriters, who have influenced you?
Klee Magor: All the greats; from Big Pun to Bob Marley. From Big Daddy Kane to ACDC, from Jimmy Hendrix to Gang Starr, from N.W.A to Zohar Argov, nah’mean? The list is long and it ranges.
MVRemix: How did you come to serve in the Israeli army?
Klee Magor: Each man left his city. Benny from Boston, me from Toronto, moved to Israel for whatever reasons. Both of us got close family over there. We got drafted ‘cause that’s compulsory over there. We both had the highest physical profile a new draftee can possibly have, so they trained us to kill and fight war and sent us to the front line. with the Golani Brigade 1st Infantry.
MVRemix: After serving with them, what was the main thing you took from that experience?
Klee Magor: To never give up. That it’s all mental, only the weak minded quit. That life is a gift, freedom is a luxury, war is an ugly thing. But necessary at times, and don’t take anything for granted in this world, ‘cause there ain’t no promised tomorrow.
MVRemix: Tell me about growing up in Finch West in Toronto, what was it like and what did you learn from growing up in that environment?
Klee Magor: It was dope, but it had it’s dark and depressing moments no doubt. Between 13- 17, I was in and out of the juvenile system on some delinquent shit. O didn’t like school so I rarely went, and when I was there I was either blazed up or in the back of the class sleeping. I had to watch my back a lot growing up, ’cause the streets ain’t really friendly out here. I had some homies that never made it this far and fell to a life of crime. Some that fell to a life of drugs. I managed to rise up and do something with myself through the music and other ventures I’m involved in. Unfortunately the system tries to keep the hood down, and its gotten worse since the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Shout out to my homie from the hood Sambo who just got knocked on an attempted murder charge, keep ya head up kid! You’ll get through this shit!
MVRemix: How did you first hook up with Psycho+Logical Records?
Klee Magor: We met Necro in NYC at the end of 2005… The rest is history.
MVRemix: Tell me about the album, “Real Soldierz Ride.” How did the title come about?
Klee Magor: We wrote a track and named it “Real Soldierz Ride.” The name stuck out over a lot of the other new tracks we had written, so we ran with it. It works well ‘cause of our military history, but when we say soldiers, we referring to the street soldiers that ride for their family and crew as well as the ones that ride for a nation.
MVRemix: How long did the record take to record and how planned was it - ie did you set out with a track listing and stick to it or record a number of songs and chose a select amount leaving the rest on the “cutting room floor”?
Klee Magor: It was a process that took around one and half years, we started to write the album end of 2006, continued the writing and recording process all of 2007. I did the beats and engineered the recording sessions. Started to mix the album in the summer of 2007, but then a bunch of touring slowed the productions down. So it took a few extra months to get the album completely done. It wasn’t really planned out in advance, we came up with the concepts naturally - the only thing planned out was which beats we were gonna work with.
MVRemix: What do you wish to achieve with the album?
Klee Magor: Units sold would be a good look, new listeners, breaking into the market…
MVRemix: Can you tell us a bit about the DVD?
Klee Magor: It comes with the CD and features a gang of hardcore music videos, live show footage, other bonus footage, and best of all; it comes with a bonus compilation album featuring fourteen Riviera Regime bangers from the two previous albums “Thugz of War” from 2004, and “Cold Blooded” from 2006. Plus two other unreleased songs, so really the album package is nineteen new joints plus the sixteen bonus joints. So you getting 35 joints plus all the visuals, for the price of one album. Definite value, guaranteed to get ya’ll open!
MVRemix: What separates you from other rappers? Why should I opt to listen to your music above others?
Klee Magor: ‘cause we got a unique story. The Riviera Regime story. One day it’ll be a movie, for now you can experience it through the music we make.
MVRemix: Have fun with this one, a la “Fight Club” - “If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight”?
Klee Magor: I’d fight Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton… 2 on 1, naked. In a large tub filled with baby oil.
MVRemix: Would you win?
Klee Magor: whether I win or lose. I still come out a winner.
MVRemix: In a sentence or less, what do you do to relax?
Klee Magor: Drink red wine from Chile, blaze up a blunt and get my dick sucked.
MVRemix: Do you have any non musical aspirations?
Klee Magor: Yeah, to pimp harder.
MVRemix: Any last words?
Klee Magor: Big shout out to all the readers… Check out the new album “Real Soldierz Ride” CD/DVD in stores now! Pick that shit up and bang out to it!
Klee Magor of The Riviera Regime Interview
