Artist Of The Week - WordSpit


A lot of folks may recognize WordSpit from his appearance in the Dollar Van Demos McDonald’s commercial that ran earlier this year. Believe it or not, it was an instance where a billion dollar company was recognizing the impact of underground hip-hop. WordSpit is not a corporate shill, he’s a veteran emcee in New York City’s underground hip-hop scene, and this week I caught up with him to find out what kind of effect the ad campaign has had on his visibility, who he is as an artist, and where he gets his insane amount of energy from.

Adam Bernard: You are a rare breed in that you’re an underground emcee with national visibility thanks to the Dollar Van Demos McDonald’s ads that aired earlier this year. Heck, I saw your face during American Idol! Is there any way you have of quantifying how much those ads have done for you in terms of recognition?
WordSpit: I've been featured in a lot of different media outlets from newspapers to websites, as well as various radio stations. There have been times that I've walked down the block and someone would whisper “that's the guy from the McDonald’s commercial.” Around the time the commercial aired my online views went up. Some people viewed the online trailer of the ad and then researched me and found my music. Let’s just say it helped out a little. {laughs}

Adam Bernard: Did you sense any jealousy from any of your peers when the ads ran, or was it all love?
WordSpit: For the most part I received all love. I don't think any of my peers were hating because they know my struggle and the persistence of my grind. I feel it's a victory for all underground artists. It's a reminder that we can make major moves without the backing of a label. Some people understand that, the ones that don't I just smile at and keep it moving. #WeTheILLest!

Adam Bernard: Now that you’ve done an ad for a major company have your views regarding emcees doing commercials changed at all?
WordSpit: Honestly, it was a little weird seeing major companies use hip-hop as a marketing platform. Now I think it's dope that companies want hip-hop artists to represent their brands. It shows me the culture has, and is, progressing. When hip-hop first started, music labels didn't want to touch it. Hip-hop was thought of as the new disco, but now it's embraced not only on an urban, but a corporate level.

Adam Bernard: For those who ONLY know you from those ads, tell em what you’re all about musically and lyrically, so they know it’s not all about a burger!
WordSpit: My music is built off witty concepts and raw emotions. I pride myself on being able to construct vivid pictures while being as versatile as possible. I’m not afraid to bare my soul and share my life because I want people to find comfort in my music and know that we relate in so many ways. Also, I'm known for my freestyle ability, so check out some of my links and tell me what you think.

Adam Bernard: What projects are you currently working on and when can people expect to hear them?
WordSpit: All I'm going to say is new music is coming soon. I'm still writing and building on ideas, but expect something in the near future.

Adam Bernard: You have some interesting outside interests. Care to share them with the masses?
WordSpit: Outside of music I'm into Manga and Anime. I love how the artwork and the storylines compliment each other. I'm also into video games. Growing up I wasn't into sports so my Playstation quickly became my favorite pastime. Also, I draw from time to time. I can go on and on, but I'm going to let those marinate. {laughs}

Adam Bernard: Do those interests work their way into your music, or are they completely separate?
WordSpit: I have songs like “Joystick Madness,” which is heavily influenced by my love of video games and brings the arcade directly to your ear. “Hello Good Morning” builds off surreal characters like Godzilla, aliens, and King Kong and relates it to everyday life. Basically, it depends on the mood of the song and how I want to approach it. It's like my version of Super Flat Art. {laughs}

Adam Bernard: Your brother gave you the name WordSpit. Do you know how he came up with it and why it stuck?
WordSpit: Honestly, I couldn't tell you. At the time my name was Word From The Streetz ,so I guess it spawned from there. He prolly thought Word From The Streetz was too long and not catchy enough. Who knows? But then again he always said I was spitting that shit {laughs}. The name WordSpit had a ring to it, it stuck in my head. I could see it on the Billboard Hot 100, and that's why I stuck with it.

Adam Bernard: Finally, when you perform live you have A TON of energy. Do you have Red Bull running through your veins or something?
WordSpit: Actually, my blood stream is sponsored by Red Bull {laughs}. Seriously, I'm just glad to be able to perform for people who enjoy my music. It's a real adrenaline rush to step on stage and either be loved or hated for what you do. All in all, I love it.

Related Links

Website: wordspitwashere.com
MySpace: myspace.com/wordspit
Facebook: facebook.com/wordspitwashere
YouTube: youtube.com/wordspit
Twitter: twitter.com/wordspit

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