Sapient
The RAPstation Interview
If you Google "Sapient, rapper," the first hit is the Portland, Oregon-based emcee's official website. Underneath the URL it reads, "The views of this website are cosigned by the gawds. If you're not feeling it, you can go behead thyself." Ladies and gentleman, meet Sapient, one of indie rap's most sarcastic emcees. The Sandpeople member and other half of Debaser (a duo also part of Sandpeople), Sapient (real name Marcus Williams) isn't your typical rapper. In fact, he's grown a lot over the past 10 years, especially since becoming a husband and a father. In an article he penned for the Huffington Post, he writes, "Immersing myself in hip-hop culture obviously meant partaking in that dominant, 'I'm better than you' bravado and the 'I don't give a fuck' attitude. Admittedly, I do enjoy that aspect, but I always secretly gave a fuck. Although the stereotypes surrounding hip-hop are changing and have been since I first stepped onto the scene, I don't fit any of them. Nor did any solid role models really exist in that sphere to prepare me for my most influential role -- fatherhood." It's this role that has helped propel his music career even further and a huge reason he keeps doing it, even when he's worn out and just wants to be at home with his family. To understand where he is in his life, the Huffington Post article is a great place to start. After his second child, he took time to reflect on the person he used to be. It made him wonder at what point it became socially acceptable to act like a child, not only in music industry, but also in general.
He writes, "I see a lot of people my age having trouble 'growing up.' Technically, it just means getting older, but I'm 29 [at the time of the article], and when I was 21, my view of 30-somethings was that they were usually square 'grown-ups.' They looked like they should be wearing suits. Nowadays, it seems like the 29-year-olds I see in suits still look like kids who dressed up for their older cousin's wedding or something. Most of my friends still wear baggy pants, smoke weed all day and don't have their shit together, and no -- if you put 'em in a suit, they don't look more 'grown up.' Even though I have moved on from that phase in my life (perhaps by force of love), those are still the people who I relate to. I can't go to these playgroups and make friends with these other dads, because they're always -- I don't know how else to put it -- they're square."
His sense of humor is still heavily intact, his beats are still dope and his rhymes are on point. He's just a lot more level-headed today and clearly has his priorities straight. As he continues on the Lumens Tour, Sapient had a moment in the van to answer a few questions about music, having babies and why menial jobs suck. Visit http://www.sapientkills.com/ to check out his new album, Eaters Vol. 2: Lighter Tiger.
RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): Let's start at the beginning. What was your first exposure to music like?
Sapient: I don't really remember my first hip-hop moment, I mean it was on the radio and stuff as a kid, but I never really was feeling it. I really got into it toward the end of middle school and in high school. I was more of a lightweight punk rock dude. I really started digging hip hop when I heard stuff like 36 Chambers, '93 Til Infinity and other Hiero...Then once Napster hit and all the DIY stuff was on an equal playing field, I just dug into every odd corner super hard.
What made you fall in love with hip-hop?
Landing a verse, or killing a freestyle really gave me the same feeling as the other things I was into - skateboarding and graffiti. There's something about that headnod and that pulsing heavy drum shut that resonated with me so hard.
How did growing up in Eugene, Oregon shape your style?
Growing up in Eugene, I was definitely influenced by hippy culture, though I don't find it as cute nowadays. I'm not super aware of how Eugene really shaped me, I mean there were a lot of people doing creative stuff and I was stoked to be a part of that, but I am who I am and I don't know what part of that is because of Eugene. I love Portland and lived there for a long time, but I'm back in Eugene now because that's what's best for my family at the moment.
How did the Sandpeople come to be? Are you guys still doing stuff as a collective?
Sandpeople was formed when some mysterious ooze dripped on some sewer turtles I think... We still make music as a collective, we just live different lives than we did and live in a different time, so things move at a different pace. SP are my brothers and we will keep crushing till the world blows up.
Your video on your website's homepage is really funny. Do you always try to inject humor into everything you do?
What? That video was serious.
I didn't know you played guitar. Have you always?
Yeah I've played guitar since like middle school, but I'm not that good still.
You became a father and a husband. How has that changed you? Do your goals look different today than they did ten years ago?
Yeah, becoming a father and a husband has changed just about everything - having daughters is heavy. (laughs) To me being responsible for another human creates and new consideration in every decision, from the things I say, eat, represent - to the time I allot to my music/business, the way I treat people and I definitely reflect these changes in my music. I have 3 kids under 6 years old, I'm in the trenches! I can't be out runnin' through the street faded with a backpack full of spray paint!
It's no secret making money as an artist is hard. What keeps you motivated every day?
My wife is a stay at home mom and having four people depending on me makes no other options than to provide.
The video for "Pieces of Paper" makes me wonder if you've ever had some awful menial jobs in your past. If so, what are they? What were some of the worst jobs you've ever had?
Little Caesars sucked. All jobs suck in my opinion, some less than others.
Your Macklemore flip was funny as hell. He doesn't text me back anymore either! No joke. What do you think of his "success?"
I wish him the best and I'm glad he's crushing!
Tell me what you're going on the road for. Do you have a new album? If so, where can I get it? Tell the people Sape!
This is the Lumens Tour. I'm promoting my latest album Eaters Vol. 2: Lighter Tiger. This is the second tour pushing this album and it's been really dope seeing the results and feedback!
What's "Pushin" about?
It's not recorded yet. It's from my next album and I've been performing it, did someone post a vid or something? Trying to give heads a little taste of that next ish.
Finally, what does the music you make mean to you on a personal level?
It's just music to me - sometimes it feels like everything - some times I get caught up and have to pull out my scope and think about that. I wouldn't say it means anything more to me than the average music enthusiast, I just have an obsessive personality, which mixed with an inclination equals my discography.
Sapient: The RAPstation Interview
Sapient
The RAPstation Interview
If you Google "Sapient, rapper," the first hit is the Portland, Oregon-based emcee's official website. Underneath the URL it reads, "The views of this website are cosigned by the gawds. If you're not feeling it, you can go behead thyself." Ladies and gentleman, meet Sapient, one of indie rap's most sarcastic emcees. The Sandpeople member and other half of Debaser (a duo also part of Sandpeople), Sapient (real name Marcus Williams) isn't your typical rapper. In fact, he's grown a lot over the past 10 years, especially since becoming a husband and a father. In an article he penned for the Huffington Post, he writes, "Immersing myself in hip-hop culture obviously meant partaking in that dominant, 'I'm better than you' bravado and the 'I don't give a fuck' attitude. Admittedly, I do enjoy that aspect, but I always secretly gave a fuck. Although the stereotypes surrounding hip-hop are changing and have been since I first stepped onto the scene, I don't fit any of them. Nor did any solid role models really exist in that sphere to prepare me for my most influential role -- fatherhood." It's this role that has helped propel his music career even further and a huge reason he keeps doing it, even when he's worn out and just wants to be at home with his family. To understand where he is in his life, the Huffington Post article is a great place to start. After his second child, he took time to reflect on the person he used to be. It made him wonder at what point it became socially acceptable to act like a child, not only in music industry, but also in general.
He writes, "I see a lot of people my age having trouble 'growing up.' Technically, it just means getting older, but I'm 29 [at the time of the article], and when I was 21, my view of 30-somethings was that they were usually square 'grown-ups.' They looked like they should be wearing suits. Nowadays, it seems like the 29-year-olds I see in suits still look like kids who dressed up for their older cousin's wedding or something. Most of my friends still wear baggy pants, smoke weed all day and don't have their shit together, and no -- if you put 'em in a suit, they don't look more 'grown up.' Even though I have moved on from that phase in my life (perhaps by force of love), those are still the people who I relate to. I can't go to these playgroups and make friends with these other dads, because they're always -- I don't know how else to put it -- they're square."
His sense of humor is still heavily intact, his beats are still dope and his rhymes are on point. He's just a lot more level-headed today and clearly has his priorities straight. As he continues on the Lumens Tour, Sapient had a moment in the van to answer a few questions about music, having babies and why menial jobs suck. Visit http://www.sapientkills.com/ to check out his new album, Eaters Vol. 2: Lighter Tiger.
RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): Let's start at the beginning. What was your first exposure to music like?
Sapient: I don't really remember my first hip-hop moment, I mean it was on the radio and stuff as a kid, but I never really was feeling it. I really got into it toward the end of middle school and in high school. I was more of a lightweight punk rock dude. I really started digging hip hop when I heard stuff like 36 Chambers, '93 Til Infinity and other Hiero...Then once Napster hit and all the DIY stuff was on an equal playing field, I just dug into every odd corner super hard.
What made you fall in love with hip-hop?
Landing a verse, or killing a freestyle really gave me the same feeling as the other things I was into - skateboarding and graffiti. There's something about that headnod and that pulsing heavy drum shut that resonated with me so hard.
How did growing up in Eugene, Oregon shape your style?
Growing up in Eugene, I was definitely influenced by hippy culture, though I don't find it as cute nowadays. I'm not super aware of how Eugene really shaped me, I mean there were a lot of people doing creative stuff and I was stoked to be a part of that, but I am who I am and I don't know what part of that is because of Eugene. I love Portland and lived there for a long time, but I'm back in Eugene now because that's what's best for my family at the moment.
How did the Sandpeople come to be? Are you guys still doing stuff as a collective?
Sandpeople was formed when some mysterious ooze dripped on some sewer turtles I think... We still make music as a collective, we just live different lives than we did and live in a different time, so things move at a different pace. SP are my brothers and we will keep crushing till the world blows up.
Your video on your website's homepage is really funny. Do you always try to inject humor into everything you do?
What? That video was serious.
I didn't know you played guitar. Have you always?
Yeah I've played guitar since like middle school, but I'm not that good still.
You became a father and a husband. How has that changed you? Do your goals look different today than they did ten years ago?
Yeah, becoming a father and a husband has changed just about everything - having daughters is heavy. (laughs) To me being responsible for another human creates and new consideration in every decision, from the things I say, eat, represent - to the time I allot to my music/business, the way I treat people and I definitely reflect these changes in my music. I have 3 kids under 6 years old, I'm in the trenches! I can't be out runnin' through the street faded with a backpack full of spray paint!
It's no secret making money as an artist is hard. What keeps you motivated every day?
My wife is a stay at home mom and having four people depending on me makes no other options than to provide.
The video for "Pieces of Paper" makes me wonder if you've ever had some awful menial jobs in your past. If so, what are they? What were some of the worst jobs you've ever had?
Little Caesars sucked. All jobs suck in my opinion, some less than others.
Your Macklemore flip was funny as hell. He doesn't text me back anymore either! No joke. What do you think of his "success?"
I wish him the best and I'm glad he's crushing!
Tell me what you're going on the road for. Do you have a new album? If so, where can I get it? Tell the people Sape!
This is the Lumens Tour. I'm promoting my latest album Eaters Vol. 2: Lighter Tiger. This is the second tour pushing this album and it's been really dope seeing the results and feedback!
What's "Pushin" about?
It's not recorded yet. It's from my next album and I've been performing it, did someone post a vid or something? Trying to give heads a little taste of that next ish.
Finally, what does the music you make mean to you on a personal level?
It's just music to me - sometimes it feels like everything - some times I get caught up and have to pull out my scope and think about that. I wouldn't say it means anything more to me than the average music enthusiast, I just have an obsessive personality, which mixed with an inclination equals my discography.
