Artist Of The Week – ScienZe

ScienZe is an emcee hailing from Brooklyn, NY, who was highly recommended to me by former Artist Of The Week Top $ Raz. When I started doing my research on ScienZe the first thing I came across was his video for “Her Favorite Song.” The ode to his significant other really struck me as something unique as we don’t usually hear a lot of emcees expressing the emotion of love except when in reference to emceeing, or, in the case of many mainstream rappers, material things. Wanting to know more about ScienZe, I caught up with him this week to discuss his music, as well as the finer points of his Commercial FREE Movement, and why he feels there’s such a lack of love in hip-hop.

Adam Bernard: First off, I don’t know if I’m supposed to mention this, but science isn’t spelled that way. Just kiddin. Please do explain your name, though, including how you came to be ScienZe and why there’s a capitol Z in it?
ScienZe: I got the name ScienZe simply because I believe there's a science to everything and I’m the ScienZe of hip-hop. Where’d the "Z" came from? {laughs} There's no big reason, to be honest, and it’s uppercased because I think the letter "Z" doesn't get enough attention in the alphabet, being the last letter and all.

Adam Bernard: Have you ever blinded anyone with ScienZe?
ScienZe: OF COURSE! {laughs} On a daily basis.

Adam Bernard: I hear you’ve been inspired by wack music. How’d that happen?
ScienZe: Easy, hearing wack music inspired me to show people what good music is. I define "good" music as timeless music; the type of music that you can hear 20 years from now and it will still hit you the same way it did when you first heard it. Want an example? De La Soul’s “Dinninit.”

Adam Bernard: You recently released a love song titled “Her Favorite Song.” The inspiration for it is obvious, but on a deeper level, how come we don’t see more love in hip-hop? Have we been trained to be anti-love?
ScienZe: To be real, I think a lot of emcees are real touchy about that subject, or feel they’ll be seen as “soft” if they express love for a significant other through music. I believe an emcee should hit all subjects, this way everyone can relate. I want someone to be able to play my mixtape no matter what kind of mood they’re in. I think those who have been trained to be anti-love have allowed themselves to be trained that way. Mainstream hip-hop is ridiculous nowadays, and their priorities are out of whack. There’s no room for love if all you talk about is “money over bitches” and materialistic things that lose value as soon as you buy them. Hip-Hop is in a bad state right now.

Adam Bernard: What other important aspects of hip-hop do you feel you’re bringing to the forefront again?
ScienZe: I’m bringing everything I am to the forefront. Hip-Hop is an expression that can’t be described, and through my music I aim to inspire everyone to express themselves the best way they can. I have messages that live among my lyricism, delivery, and style. Most get captured by the style, the lyricism, and then the message, in that order. I honestly feel like I’m on a mission to bring real hip-hop back to the forefront.

Adam Bernard: In at least one of your videos I heard you rhyme that you’d rather have fans than money. Some money would be nice, though, right? Or do you just have the illest 9-5 ever so you’re really not worried about it?
ScienZe: {laughs} I’m currently unemployed, but once upon a time a rocked a 9-5 that wasn’t ill at all. Sorry to say, money is necessary, but when it comes down to what’s important, and the primary reason I’m doing this, I’d have to say that the love for the art and people fuel me. If I could rock a show and change the mind-state of the masses for three hours at a time, without being paid, then that’s what I’m going to do.

Adam Bernard: How does all of this go hand in hand with your Commercial FREE Movement, and what exactly is your Commercial FREE Movement all about?
ScienZe: Firstly, the Commercial FREE Movement is a movement me and my brother, Seven Synz, started that focuses on pure, raw, artistic expression. When you see the word “commercial” you usually think of a television show, but when we say it we mean mainstream - commercialized music. Therefore being commercial free means “without commercial music.” The movement itself is more than a movement, but a lifestyle. I haven’t turned on my radio in so long and I plan to keep it that way. The Commercial FREE Movement is the movement of various artists that do the art for the sake of art and for the love of music.

Adam Bernard: OK, so now that you’ve filled everyone in about your work, where can people hear some of it? What projects have you released and what are you currently working on?
ScienZe: People can hear my work on my MySpace page, and I also have a mixtape floating around the internet called the dopeNESS VOL. 1 Mixtape that people can download for free from my MySpace page. I have a lot in the works at the moment. I just hit up one of the dopest producers I’ve heard in a while, MARKFADER, and we’re doing an album together which I’m looking forward to. I’m also working on a love inspired mixtape called Her Favorite Subject, which should be dropping in December. Lastly, my music video came out not too long ago for “Her Favorite Song.” Shout out to Scooba Steve and 576 Productions for directing it.

Adam Bernard: Finally, if you could approach any one prominent emcee in the game and ask them just one thing, who would you want to approach and what would your question be?
ScienZe: The emcee would be Mos Def. I’d ask him if he’d want to do track together. I think he’s an amazing, talented, and real emcee that stays true to the art. We don’t have many of those anymore.

Related Links

MySpace: myspace.com/scienze
Twitter: twitter.com/dopescienze