Artist Of The Week - E.Y.E.Q

It’s officially week two of O.I.S.D.uary, where I’m featuring a different member of O.I.S.D. (Operation Industry Shut Down), New York City’s most explosive group of up and coming emcees, every week for the entire month. I’m asking each artist the same questions so everyone can see how truly unique each emcee is as individuals within the group. They all rock shows collectively, but this week E.Y.E.Q, aka JohnNY Storm, takes center stage as he discusses the formation of the O.I.S.D., how the unexpected can be beautiful, and what he thought might happen to him, or more precisely, for him, at a Comic-Con.

Adam Bernard: Start me off with your history in O.I.S.D. How did you land in the group and how do you know the other members?
E.Y.E.Q: I am the co-founder of O.I.S.D. I transferred from Boys & Girls High School in Bed Stuy out to LIC High School in Long Island City when I moved out to Queensbridge to stay with my father. In my second year at LIC I met J.Monopoly. From there I hung out with him a lot, got to see my first cyphers, whether they’d be in the hallways or the lunchroom, and just watched and listened. After being exposed I started to become hands on and make beats on lunch tables that'd he, and later on Khid 2Che and Showtyme, along with other spitters in the school, would rap over. After hearing all these ill spitters I became interested in penning my own rhymes around the end of 2005, beginning of 2006, which is the year me and J.Monop came up with the idea to start O.I.S.D. Khid 2Che and Showtyme were on our list to be included in the group from prior cypher sessions we were impressed with. I started recording when I found out J.O., another good friend that I met chillin in the lunchroom, recorded at his home. It wasn't the greatest set up, but we figured we'd make lemonade out of limes {laughs}. From there me and J.O. made a collaborative tape called O.I.S.D. presents: The Blues Brothers, our two man group name, which was more of a project we made for practice/to test out. The songs were tracks we recorded from the day I started coming to his house. The rest of the group heard the project and from there the rest is history.

Adam Bernard:What do you feel makes you five emcees coming together as O.I.S.D. special?
E.Y.E.Q:: It’s special because it’s more than the coming together of awesome emcees; we've grown together as artists, people and brothers. I don't know if there's a group as tight as ours, honestly. We've experienced life together; the ups and downs, growing pains and everything. We're so cohesive when it comes to emotion and our thought process, and we're always on the same page when it comes to creativity.

Adam Bernard: What has been your favorite moment, either in the studio, or on stage, with the group?
E.Y.E.Q: Hmm, the first time we did “Get Stupid” at End Of the Weak. It was me, Monop and J.O. I felt like that was our official introduction, like “oh shit?! Who are theses guys and where'd they come from?”

Adam Bernard: Have you had any strange, unexpected, or downright crazy moments yet?
E.Y.E.Q: There have been occasions where we've had some people on the stage that aren't supposed to be on the stage, dancing while we perform {laughs}. It’s been very strange and unexpected, but we enjoy seeing people have that much fun during our sets.

Adam Bernard: What makes you unique within the group? How do we know when it’s your verse on a song?
E.Y.E.Q: I feel like I bring the poetic side to the group. I love to paint images with my words so the listener can see what I'm seeing. You can definitely tell my verse is coming up, whether it’s my eased up tone of voice, or if I say E.Y.E.Q, or J.Storm, flame, on! {laughs}

Adam Bernard: Since the groundwork for O.I.S.D. was laid in high school, let’s take it back there for a moment. In yearbooks you have people who are voted “class clown,” “most likely to succeed,” “most likely to love their virginity at a Comic-Con.” OK, maybe not that last one. Create your own high school yearbook descriptions for the other members of the group.
E.Y.E.Q: I used to think I'd be the Comic-Con kid. {laughs}
J.Monopoly - Most likely to write a hip-hop encyclopedia/dictionary.
Khid 2Che - Most likely to date Ms. America.
Showtyme - Most likely to choreograph movie dance scenes.
J.O. - Most likely to be a NBA/streetball legend.

Adam Bernard: Tell me a little bit about your next group project, as well as any other projects you’re currently working on.
E.Y.E.Q: Houston & 1st is the next scheduled project for the group. It drops this month; a lil’ EP of some smooth/jazzy type tunes to hold the people down until the School's Out LP drops this spring. I have a two part solo mixtape I'm working on that I'm not releasing the title of until I've recorded all of it. I have the names, just not putting it out there yet. After that I plan to release a solo LP sometime in the summer/fall of this year.

Adam Bernard: Since I like to have at least a little fun with every interview, close this one out by revealing one album that you’re totally ashamed to have in your collection.
E.Y.E.Q: I remember when my pops bought me LL Cool J's Mr Smith on cassette. I never listened to it cuz at the time I was “too young” {laughs}. It has since disappeared. I don't miss it, at all.

Related Links

Bandcamp: oisd5.bandcamp.com
Blog: o-fficialblog.tumblr.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/oisd5emcees