Artist Of The Week - C.H.A.D. The Change

C.H.A.D. The Change had a lot to live up to when I first popped in his Courage Heart And Dedication mix-CD. Namely, he had to live up to his name. I’ve always felt that intricate monikers should be reserved for intricate artists. Thankfully, it only took a few songs to find out that C.H.A.D. The Change’s name and music fit together perfectly. Originally from Detroit, but now residing in Atlanta, C.H.A.D. The Change manages to be interesting both lyrically and musically, not allowing either side of his work to fall off. Radio stations in the south east are starting to notice his work, and so have I, which is why I caught up with C.H.A.D. The Change this week to find out more about his music, what kind of changes he’d like to see happen in the world, and why he feels Canada has always been quite the inviting option for residency.

Adam Bernard: I’m going to start you off with what will either be the easiest, or the hardest, question of the entire interview; why are in the game?
C.H.A.D. The Change: I rap for three reasons. 1) I do not like what I’m hearing on a consistent basis. 2) It is an effective method to get my message of change across this society, as well as the world, in a relatively short period of time. 3) To help my entire family reach goals and financial stability.

Adam Bernard: Were those the reasons that originally inspired you to pick up the mic, or was there something else that made you want to pursue emceeing back in the day?
C.H.A.D. The Change: My story is different from a lot of artists that I know, or know of. Most of the time when you hear an artist speak on why they got started they will quickly tell you their musical idols. Me, on the other hand, I’m the exact opposite. I thought the rap game was fine when I was growing up. It was a little too violent, but from a music standpoint I didn’t want to compete with the people that were making music because they were great. Then the music started to transition into something I didn’t like. That’s when I felt inspired to make music. I felt like people shouldn’t be forced to suffer by hearing this shit they put out today.

Adam Bernard: There’s certainly a lot of garbage out there to combat. Now, from what I understand, your name, C.H.A.D., is an acronym for Courage Heart And Dedication. What do you feel is most important about those qualities and how do you feel you embody them?
C.H.A.D. The Change: These qualities are essential to a person of success and dependability. Courage shows that you will try hard at all times. Heart shows that in the face of adversity you pay it no mind and push on. Dedication shows that one has the understanding that persistency eventually wins in most cases. I embody these qualities not only through the art of music but as a person throughout life’s ups and downs in general. The full acronym for my name is a saying I came up with, “It takes Courage Heart And Dedication to get through the Chaos Havoc And Destruction.”

Adam Bernard: That’s like C.H.A.D. squared! Since Change is also a big part of your name, and the reason you decided to hop on the mic, tell me about some of the changes you’d like to see made both in music and the world overall.
C.H.A.D. The Change: I’d like to see the return of the regular person in general, specifically males, especially in rap. I’d like to see the death of the love for materials and the end of bandwagon music. I’d like to see blacks regain their identity and culture, and more humanitarians. I’d like to see the return of listening, people including humble pie in their diets, the halt of oppression and exploitation, and people taking care of the Earth, for without Earth there is no us. That’s just to name a few. {laughs}

Adam Bernard: Speaking of music, tell everyone a little bit about yours. Why should people want to pick up a C.H.A.D. The Change album and when they do what should they expect?
C.H.A.D. The Change: One thing I can tell you is that I have my own brand of music and that it is rhythmically addictive and emotionally moving. Within a couple tracks you can go from being extremely happy to extremely sad. Since I’m not a fan of bragging or boasting I can tell you what most people tell me, which is that my music is “a breath of fresh air,” and that I have “the ability to change the trend of hip-hop music.”

Adam Bernard: You have clips from two famous Shakur’s on your Courage Heart And Dedication mix-CD. Why did you feel it was important to include both 2Pac and Assata Shakur on the album and what connections do you feel with each of them?
C.H.A.D. The Change: Really it’s just the message that they carried. They both just happened to have the same last name. I wouldn’t care if the message came from a Martian, but the message that came through them was one worthy of sharing so I had no choice but to throw those clips on the CD, especially being that I am a very message oriented artist. Both of them were great people, from what I know of them, which is what I inspire to be, a great human being.

Adam Bernard: Of the emcees who are nationally known, who do you feel really represents everything an artist should be?
C.H.A.D. The Change: Nobody has it all to me. Some are closer than others, but nobody has it all. People such as Lil’ Wayne, Soulja Boy, Drake, etc. are great entertainers but the content in there music doesn’t move me one bit. “It’ll move my toes, but it won’t move my soul!”

Adam Bernard: Finally, being from Detroit, how many times did you cross the Canadian border when you were 18 to party in Canada? Be honest, dude!
C.H.A.D. The Change: {laughs} Oh yeah, they got a lot of PYT’s (R.I.P. M.J.) up that way! Plus they let you get in the clubs and casinos underage, from what I’ve experienced. Canada’s pretty laid back. I wouldn’t mind having a home out there.

Related Links

Website: chadthechange.com
Website: officialchad.com
MySpace: myspace.com/officialchad
Twitter: twitter.com/officialchad
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/CHAD-The-Change
YouTube: youtube.com/user/officialchad