Metafore Interview Transcription:
DJ Booth: What’s goin’ on ya’ll? It’s your boy “Z,” doin’ it real big, and joining me inside the DJ Booth is a brand new artist who looks to make a major impact on the Hip Hop game in 2008. Please welcome New York native and Florida-raised, Metafore – how are you?
Metafore: What’s up world, DJBooth.net? It’s your boy Metafore-- holla at me.
DJ Booth: I noticed that you have done quite a few interviews with Online hip hop sites, huh?
Metafore: Yeah, I’m tryinn’ to get my buzz out there Online, you know what I’m sayin’?
DJ Booth: Have any of them really challenged you as an artist?
Metafore: It challenges, but what can they possibly say to challenge me? I’m comin’ up, I’m doin’ this – I have nothing to lose. I’m basically goin’ to the interviews with a focus: this is me, I got here and they wouldn’t be interviewing me for no reason, right?
DJ Booth: Let me officially welcome you to the DJ Booth and let you know that this is not gonna be your average interview.
Metafore: [laughter] Let’s do it.
DJ Booth: A metaphor is a figure of speech that is an implied comparison. Using a metaphor, explain how you would compare to other artists in the industry, who are also up and coming, young, and hustlin’ hard to make a name for themselves?
Metafore: Aw, man. Me compared to another artist in the industry? Mike Tyson and Mugsy Bogues.
DJ Booth: Okay, why is that?
Metafore: ‘Cause I’m versatile. Like, I’m goin’ for the knockout. I don’t know what these other dudes are doing. Obviously it’s not much if you’re not hearin’ much about other artists. I’m goin’ in for the kill. I’m not tryin’ to spar with dudes or go in for the whole round or whatever – I’m goin’ in for the kill, I’m tryin’ to make it straight to the top as fast as possible.
DJ Booth: Okay. Why Muggsy Bogues?
Metafore: You know, the shortest guy that came to mind at the time – I would’ve said Gary Coleman, it would’ve been funnier.
DJ Booth: [laughter] Okay. Currently, you’re unsigned, but I read that you’ve received a variety of label deals. Have any of them been attractive to this point?
Metafore: Oh, yeah. A lot of them have been attractive, just not the right offer. The game is goin’ in the direction of ring tone artists. I feel like I’m not a ring tone artist; I feel like I’m a career artist. No disrespect to the dude – but I don’t think I’m just gonna come out and be a Soulja Boy.
DJ Booth: You say that none of the deals thus far that have been put on the table have impressed you. What kind of deal would impress Metafore?
Metafore: What kind of deal would impress me? Six figures.
DJ Booth: That’s gonna make you sign on the dotted line?
Metafore: Six figures and it depends on with who, ‘cause some labels don’t push their artists. But then again, some artists don’t do work for themselves. I’m lookin’ to work hard and have the label behind me all the way, and not just have them put their money out there and expect me to do everything, you know what I’m sayin’?
DJ Booth: Definitely. There is a give and take that does exist. With the industry in flux, and changes abound, are you in any rush to sign this deal?
Metafore: No, I’m not in any rush. The labels are only signin’ people to cut losses – they’re signin’ checks and then droppin’ people. But no, I’m not really in a rush. Things are goin’ smooth right now; I’m gettin’ a little bit of buzz. I’ve been at it, seriously grinding for two years, and the buzz that I’ve got is phenomenal. I’ve been all the way to Vegas, doin’ concerts and stuff. So I’m not in a rush.
DJ Booth: Let’s talk about Vegas; you were at the Power Summit. You opened for Chamillionaire and Talib Kweli. Describe that whole experience.
Metafore: Oh, man, opening for Talib and Chamillionaire – that’s crazy. There’s no other feeling –I’ve opened up for KRS-One and Method Man also, when I was in Florida. And the feeling of opening up for them, it’s like totally crazy. So Talib’s crowd, you know, they really come for Talib. They’re ready for him. And plus it’s the Power Summit so there were a whole bunch of DJs there, but they’re fans too. It was phenomenal!
DJ Booth: I read that you feel that the Internet has been a huge help to the start of your career. On the flip side, though, the Internet is one of the lead causes of album sales declining. So does the Internet do more good or evil?
Metafore: I think it does more good. ‘Cause Myspace is totally a tool, all of the Internet, the hip hop sites are a tool. I don’t really blame the Internet for album sales decreasing. If the music is hot, and people are dedicated, you have dedicated fans, people are gonna go out and buy your music; it doesn’t have anything to do with the Internet. They might think you’re hot, and they won’t support, they’ll download, but then again that means that the fans aren’t that dedicated to you. Fans have to know you. If you look at all the huge names that are sellin’ nowadays, I think they’re really personal with their people. They know that person’s last name. For instance, 50 Cent: Curtis Jackson. The fans don’t know who the artists are.
DJ Booth: How will your fans, your future fans, know who Metafore really is?
Metafore: I’m gonna get real, real personal in my music.
DJ Booth: How are you gonna do that?
Metafore: There’s gonna be songs that people can relate to. I think that’s what a lot of people like, too. Sure, a lot of people go to the clubs, but most people who buy CDs are teenage girls if I’m not mistaken. But teenage girls can’t go to the clubs – I mean, I know teenage girls who go to the clubs. But, teenage girls aren’t gonna go to the clubs and be buyin’ bottles of Patron and stuff like that. Yeah, you can rap about that, but they really can’t relate to that yet, until they get to that stage.
DJ Booth: I agree with you. There is a disconnect that exists between artists and their listeners when the content of what they’re rapping about is a plush lifestyle that does not match the lifestyle of the listener. Just to play devil’s advocate with you: in your single, “Nah Mean,” you rap, “The wrists shine and the necklace gleam/You nah mean?” But, truth be told, the majority of your listeners might not know what you mean, because they can’t afford expensive jewelry like that. Do you agree?
Metafore: Yeah, I agree. I totally agree.
DJ Booth: So is that just a sample of what you can offer?
Metafore: Definitely a sample. I’m tellin’ people all the time, don’t confuse the lyrical content, the lyrical talent, with a single or whatever. ‘Cause a single is sometimes recorded just to attract radio. And I recorded “Nah Mean” back when I was sixteen? That was two years ago. I’ve grown way more as an artist – how deep I can get doesn’t define me by “Nah Mean.”
DJ Booth: You said earlier, you don’t feel like you’re a ring tone artist. You said you’re not gonna be a “Soulja Boy.” Do you think you could easily be compared to anyone in this industry today?
Metafore: The comparison I get a lot is to Fabolous.
DJ Booth: Why is that?
Metafore: ‘Cause people say I look like Fabolous in my videos. I don’t know where that came from? But I do sing love songs really well, and that’s what Fabolous does also.
DJ Booth: Well, it looks like Fabolous needs to eat some meat – it doesn’t look like you have that same problem, so I don’t see the comparison.
Metafore: [laughter] Aw man.
DJ Booth: You have a mix tape entitled, “Heir to the Throne.” If you’re the self-proclaimed heir, who then is currently sitting in that throne?
Metafore: Who do I think is currently sittin’ in the throne? I think Jay’s sittin’ in the throne still. People might think Jay’s fallen off because of the lyrical content of “American Gangster.” I myself, I’m not too happy with what I’ve heard. I’m like, “Oh man, he’s not doin’ it like he used to.” But then again there’s time for growth; maybe it’s time to call it quits. I’m not gonna say it’s time to call it quits – that’s not comin’ from me. I said maybe. You can quote me on that. But yeah, I think Jay-Z is still sittin’ in the throne. Nobody’s been doin’ it as long as he’s been doin’ it, at the level that he’s been doin’ it on.
DJ Booth: Who do you think your age bracket, up-n-coming artists 18-28 – ‘cause Jay’s thirty-seven; he’s in a bracket all by himself – is really holdin’ it down?
Metafore: I’d say Joell Ortiz.
DJ Booth: I know that you guys have collaborated. What about Joell makes you think that?
Metafore: There’s no one out there that’s doin’ it like he’s doin’ it. I bought “The Brick,” which is his album he dropped on Koch. I don’t wanna make comparisons; I know a lot of people compare him to Pun. But that’s who he gets compared, and he can switch it up. Like most New York artists, when you hear a New York artist you hear a good battle rapper. And you know that song game is garbage, when you hear up and coming New York artists. He doesn’t fit under that.
DJ Booth: You grew up in Florida, but I know you were raised in New York and you’re currently living in New York, so do you consider yourself a New Yorker?
Metafore: Yeah, I consider myself a New Yorker.
DJ Booth: Do you think that New York and the East Coast in general has gotten an unfair rap – no pun intended – over the past few years, based on what has come out of the music scene?
Metafore: We did it to ourselves. It’s not unfair. But music has to go different places. It’s really not an unfair rap; it’s how you present yourself. In New York, we’ve been slackin’. We have been. We’ve been slackin’ the last couple of years. And everybody’s been tryin’ to blame the South, “The South is taking over,” or, “It’s time to bring New York back.” And I say the way to bring New York back is to let some new blood in. Everybody that’s a New York rapper is a seasoned vet, if I’m not mistaken. Correct me if I’m wrong.
DJ Booth: There are plenty of people who are from New York who have been tryin’ to get on for quite some time, but the big dogs, obviously, are seasoned vets.
Metafore: Yeah, definitely.
DJ Booth: So how is Metafore going to change all this? That’s the grand question.
Metafore: I’m gonna let DJ Booth realize that in 2008 when I do another interview.
DJ Booth: There we go! So only time will tell, huh?
Metafore: Definitely!
DJ Booth: Give everybody a website or a Myspace page, so they can find out more about what you got goin’ on.
Metafore: myspace.com/teammetafore.
DJ Booth: Well that’s what’s up. You stood up to all my questions, you answered them very nicely. I wish you nothing but the best of luck in the future.
Metafore: Thanks, Z. I appreciate it.
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