Artist Of The Week - Logic

It’s a safe bet that nearly every veteran of Connecticut’s hip-hop scene has come into contact with Logic at some point during their career. Personally, I was first introduced to him back when I was co-hosting a radio show called In Da Mixx with DJ Cue and he came through as a part of team of artists. That was a good half decade ago. Since then the scene has experienced its fair share of turnover, and while Logic has seen it all, he’s been forced to watch much of it from the sidelines, unable to perform or release any of his own work due to a painful medical condition. This week, on the heels of the release of his very long awaited album, The Business of Gods and Men, I caught up with Logic to find out more about the life and death situation that kept him out of commission for so long, what his music sounds like now, and who’s been with him every step of the way.

Adam Bernard: Start everyone off with some background info on who are you, where you’re from and what inspires you to pick up the mic.
Logic: That's a weird long story. Here is the brief version. I started rhyming in seventh grade. It started with performing "Slam" by Onyx at my middle school’s spring show and after hearing the crowd’s reaction I knew that this was what I need to do. I started entering open mics, hitting up 10 x Dope (a local hip-hop shop in New Haven, CT), and going to other hip-hop events around New Haven. I basically went wherever I could rock the mic. 98% of my rhymes back then all the way until I was 20 were complete freestyle right off the top. I used to rock with TC Islam and Zulu Nation when they were stationed in New Haven, which is the place I hail from. I live in Wallingford now, though. I’m like Danny Tanner, the suburban Dad. {laughs} Right now life, my fans, the current state of hip-hop and the lack of the emcee element is what inspires me most to pick up the mic.

Adam Bernard: For someone who’s never heard your work before, what is Logic’s style?
Logic: I would love answer this like Ol' Dirty Bastard by saying "There ain't no fatha to my style, son," but seriously, I think my primary influences molded me and helped me create a unique style that can adapt to any type of song. I tend to switch up rhyme schemes and flow pace throughout each verse. My only rule to writing is to not sound like anyone else.

Adam Bernard: You have FINALLY released The Business of Gods and Men. To say this album has been long awaited would be a vast understatement. What took so long!?!?
Logic: First let me apologize for that to the fans who have supported me. I can't even believe that they still care about my music, man, but they do and I want to thank them for that. I wanted to release this album a few times, but I am a perfectionist and the track listing was missing something, so I let it sit and kept recording, then when I was supposed to actually release it my health got in the way. I got up to 472 pounds and the circulation in my legs got bad. I had sleep apnea and my oxygen level was at 74 (normal is 94 -100), so they gave me this surgery called the MNM procedure, which is sort of a bariatric surgery, just not gastric bypass or any of that. They rerouted my blood through my better veins and had to do this surgery to protect my body that wasn't processing all the nutrients from my food, which was causing all sorts of problems, but since April I’ve lost 140 pounds, my oxygen level is up to 91, and the apnea is gone. I was medically cleared to rock again in August and I did the Onyx show at Toad's Place as sort of an "I'm back" celebration. The turnout was crazy. Now my camp, Skitzofrenik Records, has six mixtapes and four albums planned for release between now and the new year. We have over 150 tracks recorded collectively and we record three to six songs a week, so we got the material.

Adam Bernard: That’s an amazing and inspiring story. I almost hate to go back to talking about music after that, but I have to, so what should people expect from your album, both lyrically and music-wise?
Logic: I used to write music for the fans, or for my group to respect, but this album I wrote for me. You can expect honesty and good ol' fashioned hip-hop aggression and passion.

Adam Bernard: I noticed quite a bit of anger on the album. If you don’t mind me asking, why are you so mad?
Logic: {laughs} Tell 'em why you mad, son! My wife tells me I should see a therapist! I don't know why I’m mad. I have a clinically psychotic mother, I have witnessed a lot of death, I have been locked up, shot at, stabbed by my own mother, almost burned alive, but I don't know why I’m mad, to tell you the truth. I think I like making aggressive music. I have a bit of a temper and I vent through music. Without it I’d probably be a mass murderer or something.

Adam Bernard: Thank God for the music! In addition to your life stories you’ve also been through, and seen, a lot in Connecticut’s hip-hop scene. What have been some of your highest highs and lowest lows there?
Logic: Highest of highs, as far as CT, has got to be winning the King of CT battle at Kangaroo's a few years back. Stezo hosted it and Kendra G from Hot 93.7 was his co-host. That was insane. There were like 60 emcees there and I had to face almost half of them. My lowest of lows is probably ever associating my team with Joe Ugly.

Adam Bernard: Throughout everything, what do you think are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned thanks to your music career?
Logic: I learned a few years back that publishing is everything. No matter what, publish and copyright your music. I wrote a song for this R&B group that ended selling pretty well, but I had no clue how this business works so I got nothing. I am fully educated on the business side of this industry now and everything is legal and legit. I also learned to trust my instincts more.

Adam Bernard: Finally, who’s been with you every step of the way?
Logic: Wow, good question. I would have to say, outside of family, my producer Swift Ikarus is one. He’s been there since 2000, through my 2001 Scribble Jam attempt and fail, our meeting with Bad Boy… we went through a lot. Also, Alley Hood, my right hand man and fellow mc, that's my brother right there. It’s rough, man. In hip-hop I haven't really met any genuinely loyal people. Everyone has their own agenda and nine times out of ten they’re just fake people, man. You have to weed them out along the way. Here is my PSA {laughs} - If you have never lived somewhere don't represent that place because you feel where you are from isn't hard enough. God I hate that. That will cause me to not work with you. You have to be 100% real man. C'mon, be a grown up.

Related Links

Reverbnation: reverbnation.com/logictheskitzo
MySpace: myspace.com/logictheskitzo
MySpace: myspace.com/teamskitzo