Artist Of The Week - Envelope

It’s no secret that I receive a lot of albums in the mail, so it takes a little something extra for me to really take notice of one based on its cover art. Enter Envelope’s full length collaboration with Blueprint, Shark Bolt!, an album that’s cover features a drawing of a man (presumably Envelope himself) being eaten alive by a giant shark. Sure, we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I had a feeling this CD was going to be an interesting ride. I popped it in and not only was it interesting, it was really dope, which is why this week I caught up with Envelope to find out how the album came to be and discuss everything from some of the theories people have on why he’s named Envelope to what his groupies are like.

Adam Bernard: Start me off with a little bit of your history. What in your formative years led you to rap music?
Envelope: Well, DJing was too expensive, breakdancing was dorky and I can’t draw for shit, so that ruled out writing. I was just always around the shit I guess. This was during the pre-internet days when you couldn’t be a pussy. Columbus, Ohio, in the mid to late nineties had a wide variety of rappers. There were No Limit drug front type dudes, five percenters, wierdos, hip hoppy four elements forever type dudes, timbos and skullys in the summer type rappers, college students, but everyone battled and ciphered, which is funny cuz I cant battle for shit now. There was always something going on, though, like open mics, house parties, Columbus Public football games, the boom; you would just go where people were and cipher. I was still cleaning up my game when a bunch of people started getting on, so I was in high school seeing MHZ, Weightless and Spitball start getting some national shine, which made me take shit a little more seriously cuz dudes from my town were doin it for real.

Adam Bernard: How'd you end up with the name Envelope? I hope it doesn't have anything to do with adhesive being on your body.
Envelope: The name is completely meaningless, I just liked the way it sounded and it was better than the name I had before. I used to call my self Pontifex Maximus. That shit was gay. People always come up to me... not that many people, no one knows who the fuck I am (laughs)… thinking they just figured out some complex meaning behind my name. I’ve heard that it is because I’m a courier, or because I’m white and envelopes are white. I’m like naw shawty. I really started to like it, too, cuz the riffs on it were too obvious and it made other rappers look pinky finger in the air when they said something about licking me.

Adam Bernard: Ha ha! I’m sure it’s made for some great battle moments. Now you have a new album out titled Shark Bolt! Love the exclamation point, by the way. You worked exclusively with Blueprint on it. How did that collaboration come about and who approached who about creating the album?
Envelope: Well, we're friends. Amos Famous, who produced for me before, moved to Cali and Blueprint and I were like "hey dude we’re friends lets make an album." I was like “cool, do I have to pay you for beats?”

Adam Bernard: The cover art for Shark Bolt! is atypical for a rap album. How did you come up with the concept for it?
Envelope: Copious amounts of liquor. My friend Sally is a dope artist and did my other covers, so I just kind of think of ridiculous shit for her to draw then fake some deep artistic meaning about it later. It’s about how the forces of good evil be coming at you and shit… SIKE!

Adam Bernard: Why should people want to pick up this album and listen to your work?
Envelope: Because they don’t want me to work 60 hours a week anymore and they want me to travel to interesting places and meet interesting women, or cuz it doesn’t really suck. I feel a little weird talking about how great the album is, but I am a rapper. I try to keep a “positive without being naïve” vibe to the shit. Shark Bolt! won’t make your life better or anything, but the shit won’t make you want to kill yourself, unlike the new Nas.

Adam Bernard: Nice dig there. What has been your proudest moment as an artist?
Envelope: Making something that means something to the people that mean something to me. Anytime a kid I grew up with from the neighborhood says he likes the shit, that makes me proud. It’s cool when strangers like it for sure, but knowing you articulated an idea that everyone around you is feeling is some powerful shit.

Adam Bernard: How would you describe an Envelope groupie?
Envelope: The sound of one hand clapping, a good Canibus album, healthy beer, hoverboards, trolls/fairys/dragons/orcs. Get the fuck outtatown, nobody’s trying to fuck me.

Adam Bernard: Finally, deepest, bluest… is your hat like a shark's fin?
Envelope: Huh? I need to start wearing hats. I’m getting a little thin up top and my head is getting sunburns. I went to the Dayton Air Show with my girl, her fam’s in the air force, and she wouldn't let me wear a fitted cause I looked "thuggy." I’m like what? It’s fucking Dayton. Anyways my halfie Irish skin burned like a baked potato. Shit’s real. My nephew has a cool shark costume, though.

Related Links

MySpace: myspace.com/enveloperaps