RWL: We've seen big things with you and the SFP (Strange Fruit Project) how'd you all connect?
Symbolyc One: Myth and I are cousins and I met myone at a job I was workin in Waco. And we just put it all together cuz we had the same likeness as far as goals and music.
RWL: Now you rhyme and produce, which do you prefer?
Symbolyc One: Producing hands down. Lol!
RWL: Name some of your musical influences?
Symbolyc One: too many to name. Marvin Gaye, Andrea Crouch, Barry White, all that 70’s soul and gospel stuff.
RWL: What equipment do you use?
Symbolyc One: I'm using Reason right now. along with tons of other keyboards and modules.
RWL: Now one thing people know about you is that you're a family man! Do you find difficulty balancing your life with music?
Symbolyc One: At this point I think not, the reason bein' is that my family is so involved with my music so it all connects and makes sense.
RWL: Whats in S1's CD player? (what are you currently listening too?
Symbolyc One: My new album The Music Box and a lot of new beats…Lol. Also listening to Angie Stone and Joss Stone.
RWL: Any other artist/producers you hear today that keeps you on your toes?
Symbolyc One: Too many to name… Swiff D…Amazing! Picnic (he’s on my beat team)and tons of others man.
RWL: Where are you currently? And hows the weather?
Symbolyc One: I’m actually in Oslo, Norway right now. I'm touring with my group(SFP) in Europe right now. its alil chilly out this way.
RWL: Will there be another "OneMind" album?
Symbolyc One: When the time is right there will…. Illmind and I actually talked about it out in Atlanta. Its gotta be the right timing tho.
RWL: Gerald Walker tposted the Young Buck joint "I Get Money" and we've posted it? How'd that come about?
Symbolyc One: I gave some beats to Sha. He passed along to some folks including Buck. He recorded it. someone leaked it. and there it is..lol
RWL: Who would you like to work with?
Symbolyc One: Any one that’s dope and creative
RWL: PS3 or XBOX 360? And Will you be getting GTA 4?
Symbolyc One: well I got 360. Cuz it was cheaper…lol naw..kinda burnt out on the GTA’s…and my kids cant play it so it takes the fun away.
RWL: Whats up with Vohndee? And will they be getting GTA 4? lmao
Symbolyc One: They are great! makin all A’s in school and stayin out of trouble. My youngest Javohn is makin beats now and my oldest is doin choreography and rappin as well. They some good boys.
RWL: Give me one word that comes to mind when you hear these names!
RWL: Texas:
Symbolyc One: Hot!
RWL: Kay (of the foundation):
Symbolyc One: Dope!
RWL: Strange Fruit Project:
Symbolyc One: FAmily
RWL: Dizzy Gilespie:
Symbolyc One: Genius
RWL: Pres George W. Bush:
Symbolyc One: (*&#@^#)!@*,.....lol
RWL: Jay-Z:
Symbolyc One: entrepreneur
RWL: Blu:
Symbolyc One: WoW!
RWL: Barack Obama:
Symbolyc One: Win!
RWL: The Cool Kids:
Symbolyc One: Unique!
RWL: Rick Ross:
Symbolyc One: Nice!
RWL: PPT:
Symbolyc One: Abstract
RWL: Beyonce:
Symbolyc One: Beautiful
RWL: Rev. Jerimiah Wright:
Symbolyc One: Hmmmm..lol
RWL: What aspiring or up and coming artist are you feeling now? And what advice do you have for them?
Symbolyc One: Too many to name…Keep grindin and stay persistent and keep the music consistent
RWL: Whats up with the Mavericks dude?
Symbolyc One: Need the right chemistry
1. Invincible - 1996 WJLB FM98 Freestyle
I was 15 on this, which is why it sounds like I’m on helium. I didn’t know how to count bars yet so if you listen close you can hear them trying to cut me off. but i just kept going. LOL!
2. Invincible - Pick Your Poison (prod. Waajeed) (Fat City/Bling47)
This was on Waajeed’s The War LP, and he originally made the beat for Tiombe, but I fell in love with how off-and-on beat it sounds, almost like a staggering drunk. On the surface this is about Hip-Hop addicts but if you listen close the meanings of the lyrics are as layered as the beat itself.
3. Dabyre feat. Invincible & Finale - Viewer Discretion (Ghostly Intl.)
Dabrye once told me he makes beats on some MSDOS program with the green and black screen, which is why his beats sound like UFOs. For the subject matter and sample in the middle I dug up one of my favorite flicks of all time, Born In Flames, to inspire me and Finale.
4. Invincible feat. Helixx - Perfectionists (prod. Supa Dave West) (Rawkus)
Originally slated to be my first single on Rawkus back in ‘99, another version of this later appeared on Lyricist Lounge’s Underground Airplay mixpilation. The incredibly talented Supa Dave West produced this and is singing on the hook as well. This is still an ANOMOLIES anthem to this day.
5. Athletic Mic League feat. Invincible - Got ‘Em Sayin (Turn It Up) (prod. Haircut & Forekast) (Lab Technicians)
From AML’s official debut, Sweats & Kicks. The craziest story about this song has to do with AML pressing the vinyl single up in Eastern Europe somewhere where they found a really cheap deal. When it got to the airport Customs called them in and had them re-sticker every single record because it had the wrong country code.
6. NowOn feat. Invincible, Illite & Vaughan T - だれか (Who) (prod. The Lab Techs) (A•Side Worldwide)
I left home when I was 15 and crashed on Mikey from Now On’s couch that whole summer. We would do nothing but get twisted and cipher all day everyday. This was our first official collaboration since so it meant a lot to me.
7. PPP feat. Invincible - Detroit Winter (prod. Waajeed, co-prod. Saadiq) (Ubiquity)
I originally wrote this to a really dark and depressing beat that Waajeed and Georgia Anne Muldrow co-produced. Randomly, Waajeed called me one day and put the phone up to the speaker with this industrial march sounding track that he had flipped it to and as they say “the rest is history!” The line from the hook was inspired by the same phrase written on a shirt my homegirl Bri from Detroit Summer found at Value Village
8. Finale & Spier1200 feat. Invincible, Wordsworth & Jazz - The Ring (Rawkus 50/Soul Step)
From the Develop album just released last year, we wrote this several years ago. Soon as we heard that ringtone in the background of the track we knew it had to be the “love/hate relationship with phones” anthem.
9. Finale & Spier1200 feat. Invincible & Elzhi - Eye Of the Beholder (Rawkus 50/Soul Step)
This joint is also from the Develop album. Finale asked us to write a poetic beautiful verse about all the ugly situations around us. The vibes in the beat really set the tone.
10. Lacks (OKA TaRaach) & Invincible - Real To Reel (prod. Waajeed) (Bling47) *****VINTAGE EXCLUSIVE!****
TaRaach (then known as Lacks) and I ran into each other at the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, and he was with Waajeed (who was passing out the Bling47 mixtape “Best Kept Secret”). I hadn’t seen either of them in years so we met up a few days later to catch up and ended up writing and recording this track on the spot.
11. Buff1 feat. Invincible & Guilty Simpson - SUPREME! (prod. Waajeed) (A•Side Worldwide)
Originally Buff asked me to be on a more laid back and emotional track, but when he played me this Waajeed banger I asked him if i could get on this instead to just straight spit and throw off people’s expectations.
12. Grooveman Spot feat. Invincible - Who’s This (Jazzy Sport)
This is a straight spitting joint which I rarely do, but when I heard this Grooveman Spot beat was so laid back and jazzy I wanted to contrast it with some raw lyrics.
13. Dabyre feat. Invincible & Finale - Get It Together (Ghostly Intl.)
Once again Dabrye makes beats like an alien, and me and Finale have fun trying to match it. The track is so hectic it was a perfect canvas to paint a picture of how crazy our daily hustle is.
14. Invincible - The Place Where We Dwell (Part D) (prod. Waajeed) (Fat City/Bling47)
Off The War LP, this is my ode to one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite groups of all time, Gang Starr. Neither of them are from Brooklyn, but both now call it home. My relationship to The D is similar, since I didn’t grow up here but I call it home. The drums reminded me of the original, so I tried to get that monotone Guru style on too.
15. Invincible - Sledgehammer! (prod. 14KT & Haircut) (EMERGENCE)
Dilla said it best… “pay attention maaan!”
Compiled by Kenny Fresh, Jackie O. & Waajeed for the Bling47 Group
Hosted & Mixed by Waajeed for Bling47 Radio
