Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Where are they now....UPDATE




It came as a surprise to me...People actually DO read this blog. It just so happens that one of the very readers of this blog is G5, member of Suspect Establishment, one of the artists that was featured in my post “Where are they now?” It turns out that they never stopped putting out dope hip hop and have a new album. I chopped it up with G, about what he and the rest of the crew have been up to.




Q: How did you first get into music and what motivated you?


A: Well I started doing music really late compared to others I was staying in the house more after my first child was born so I needed a new hobby. My brother gave me his Casio keyboard and I started making melodies, baselines & beats. I bought a little Boss drum machine & later a 4 track recorder started recording my own original songs. I always loved hip hop & music in general but I never though I could create it until then.

Q: Who were some of your favorite Detroit artists coming up?


A: A.W.O.L. Kaos & Mystro, Smiley, Detroit B.O.X, Detroit ’s Most Wanted & Awesome Dre. We ended up playing some songs for Sole-man from AWOL & C-Nile & I did a couple songs with him later. I’ve got to dig that stuff up some day.




Q: How did the original #1 Suspects come about?

A: We all grew up in the same hood on the west side 6 mile & Livernois area. In our late teens/early 20’s I heard C-Nile was rapping and his step brother “DJ Tech 12” was doing his beats. When I heard their trax I started kick-in it to him that while their music was dope with these melodies and beats I’ve got, he also could have his own original songs, not just break beats & samples. So we hooked up musically and we really vibed, & the music was good… really good and we decided to be a duo something like Guru & Premier.




Q: In the 10+ years you have been in the game, how do you feel about how hip-hop has changed?

A: G- it’s a lot more commercial now a lot less about skill & really saying something in the music. I’ve watched the game evolve from east coast to west coast and then the south & now I think our time has come for the Midwest to put a strangle hold on the game for a while. We just have to have strong artist with a fresh new sound.





Q: As
you know, Detroit is known for not being very supportive of Detroit artists over the years. What do you feel needs to be done to change this?


A: Good question, wish I had a better answer for you but it’s always been our experience that we got more love outside of the D than when were here. I just think in some folks minds, no matter how good you are, when you’re from here you’re viewed as a hood star but not on the same level as the out of town artist. It’s like you have to leave here, get validated by someone else like Dre, or JayZ and then comeback and The D will support you like we do for all of the other major label artist. That’s just kinda my observation on it I really don’t know how we can change things & why we don’t support more…




Q: In 1997 you had a single that outlined the problems of the city and the mayor at that time. What are your thoughts about the current mayor and city council?


A: Well I’m a city resident & I just don’t believe our city’s best & brightest minds are on the job of running our city. I think a lot of the people in place are there because they’re “electable” or popular but we need to get some of the really smart, morally sound, uncorrupted people in the D to run the city and the schools and maybe things will get better.






Q: Some say that hip hop has become stagnant. Others say that the market is over saturated. What are your thoughts on the current state of music in general?


A: Well Labels are trying stick with a cookie cuter like formula they believe works. Execs and A&R’s don’t want to get fired for trying something unconventional. So not many are trying to think outside the box and because of that yeah, I believe the market is over saturated with a ton of the same kind of artist that are all talking about the same things. Some just better than others…


Q: Your music has always had a message to it, but without coming off as self-righteous or condescending. How important do you think it is that music not only should entertain but speak to the listener?



A: Well I think it’s important for our music to have a message because that’s who we are. In this game “you’ve got to do you” so I have no problem with artist like Soulja Boy & Hurricane Chris that don’t really have a profound message just fun. Or like The Clipse or Gucci Mane and Juiceman that rap about moving weight. I just think there needs to be more balance with acts like us or The Roots, Talib Kweli, & Common.




Q: Before I end this, is there any other projects you have in the works, that you want to plug?


A: Well after a long layoff we are releasing a new CD in the summer 2009, “Keep Grinding”. Our music video “Dollar Bill” is getting a lot of air play on the “The Video Shop” on Comcast Detroit CH 68 so check that out. We are getting some spins on “What’s next on the Menu on FM98 WJLB check for that on Saturdays @ 9:00pm. Some of our music is going to be being featured in a upcoming film & on the sound track….That I can’t give the details on yet but stay tuned for that. We are also getting into doing production for other artist, that’s something we really didn't’t do much of in the past because we had so many in the camp we kept everything in house. We’re forming the company now and we will see where that goes… That’s about it Hit us on

www.reverbnation.com/suspectestablishment or

www.myspace.com/suspectestablishment or email us direct at suspectestablishment@yahoo.com