Artist Of The Week - C.O.N.C.E.P.T.

As one of the founding members of Brooklyn, NY’s MINDSpray crew, which now has nine MC’s in all, C.O.N.C.E.P.T. has worked with a myriad of artists. From Def Jux all-stars like Aesop Rock, Cage, Mr. Lif and EL-P to members of Stronghold they’ve all shared stages with C.O.N.C.E.P.T. A dual citizen, C.O.N.C.E.P.T., who was born in America but raised in Toronto, enjoys the massive amount of travel that comes with being an MC. He’s rocked stages up and down the east coast of the U.S., including his monthly stage time at Style Factory at The Knitting Factory in NYC, and even Canada, most notably being on MTV Canada. The MINDSpray compilation Shot In The Dark was released in 2004 and this year he and LEFTist, the other founding member of MINDSpray, are readying the release of their album, Intervention. The duo just finished recording the mix-CD that will act as a preview for the album. All in all C.O.N.C.E.P.T. is a man who’s working hard to make quality Hip-Hop music and with his visionary ideas it only seemed logical to make him this week’s Artist Of The Week.

Adam Bernard: You and LEFTist started the MINDSpray crew, which has now grown to nine MC’s. What was the original goal when you started MINDSpray?
C.O.N.C.E.P.T.: We wanted to have a venue to build and network with the community and tap into the most original MC’s in NYC. I was finding that most emcees were developing their craft in spots where only one type of genre of Hip-Hop was well received, catering their style to an audience that are only used to seeing and feeling the same old same old. We also wanted guys who were really dope to have a forum to showcase their work and have a show to promote for. Nobody was booking us even for free shows so we booked ourselves, and anyone else who was cool, to get our names on flyers circulating throughout the city.

Adam Bernard: Now that the crew is nine MCs how do you make sure each member stands out both on songs and during performances?
C.O.N.C.E.P.T.: I let everyone in MINDSpray do what they do. We came together because we all work hard and whoever is being really committed and getting down with projects will shine.

Adam Bernard: Mindspray has become an ethnic melting pot of MC’s, almost a Hip-Hop UN. What kind of impact do you feel being so multi-cultural can have on an audience and Hip-Hop in general?
C.O.N.C.E.P.T.: It’s not about color, religion, or culture. People get down with MINDSpray solely based on skills and commitment. If you liked the original trail blazing music you got down with MINDSpray, it just so happens that we all come from different backgrounds. The impact is that we came together through music and we show the strength of unity. We show that positivity can unite all cultures.

Adam Bernard: With a name like C.O.N.C.E.P.T it can be assumed you have some pretty interesting lyrics. What are some of C.O.N.C.E.P.T.’s concepts?
C.O.N.C.E.P.T.: Each placement for each word and thought in my lyrics is a concept. Every initiative starts with a concept, and then you follow through and make it reality. There can’t be MINDSpray with out a C.O.N.C.E.P.T. Socialism is very coherent in my work and one of my concepts is free education and free health for all, then let’s see what would happen with a lot of problems with in the world. Nobody should starve but nobody should get a free ride.

Adam Bernard: Finally, what’s up with all the periods in your name?
C.O.N.C.E.P.T.: My pseudonym is an acronym.

Creative
On point
Noble
Concentration
Exceptional
Penmanship
Tradition

These words best describe how I view my craft. The name is a concept within itself.

Official Website: MINDSprayhiphop.com

MySpace Page: myspace.com/concept

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