Artist Of The Week - Helixx C. Armageddon

I’ll admit it, I was a little late jumping on the Helixx C. Armageddon bandwagon. Although I first caught a taste of her work on the 2001 Fat Beats compilation album, where she had the song “My Time,” it was her guest appearance on her brother Loj’s 2007 album, No Labels, on the song “365,” that gave her name, and her style, a permanent place in my head. Hip-hop is definitely a family thing when it comes to the siblings, as Helixx notes “I paved the way as the eldest, but he brought the fireworks when he began his journey.”

Getting her start at a young age, back in 1995 Helixx co-founded the Anomolies, an all-female hip-hop collective that also includes DJ Kuttin Kandi, Invincible, Pri the Honeydark and Big Tara. Since then she's made her voice heard on a plethora of albums alongside everyone from the X-Ecutioners, to Dead Prez, and her independent single, “Blacklisted,” which featured Jise from the Arsonists, was dubbed the #1 hip-hop song for the summer of 1999 by Time Magazine.

Helixx's latest single, “Kicks Talk For Me,” is off of the Know You Got SOLE soundtrack, and with this month being the Season of Sole here at Adam’s Wold, I caught up with her to find out more about her love of kicks, the ways in which her relationship with hip-hop is a true relationship in every sense of the word, and the subject she feels she deserves a PhD in.

Adam Bernard: Why don’t you start me off with a little bit of the Helixx C. Armageddon story? I know you’re Loj’s sister, but what’s your history in music? Tell me a little bit about your background.
Helixx C. Armageddon: I’ve been writing poetry ever since I could hold a pencil. I love the sound of words! I love how the art of storytelling over music allows you to connect with someone intimately for the duration of a song. I started writing music as a kid and truly enjoyed the art of lyricism. I was part of a few hip-hop groups during my childhood, but didn’t get serious about music until I became a teenager. I embraced Hip Hop as a career during the mid-1990’s and pursued it wholeheartedly. I took on the name Helixx C. Armageddon because I felt the meaning was powerful and reflected exactly who I was and what I brought to the table. Helixx is an adaptation from the double helix DNA strand which infinitely flows and C is the Roman numeral for 100. My last name is Armageddon because that single word signifies the end of all things. So my name means “100% flows until the very end.” My flow has been my trademark since I began rhyming, so this moniker fits me well.

Adam Bernard: I know Loj has been slightly disillusioned with the game recently. Do you share that feeling? What are you current thoughts on life in music?
Helixx C. Armageddon: I think everyone has their moods and moments with hip-hop at different times in their lives. Music is as vital to my existence as the air that I breathe. It keeps me balanced, provides me with a platform to discuss all that makes me who I am, and allows me to show a side of myself that is always bubbling right below the surface. My relationship with music is exactly that - a relationship. As a teen in the music industry I was madly in love with hip-hop and all that it represented. It provided me with a space to call my own and a voice I didn’t know I had. It was the summation of every joy and every pain I had ever experienced, seamlessly fused with your typical teenage angst. I grew up with hip-hop, I couldn’t get enough of it, and eventually I absorbed myself entirely into the culture, consuming everything it had to offer. Hip-hop became my sound, my style, my world. Hip-hop began to change and I began to change, too.  As I matured, hip-hop evolved. I’ve grown to understand that my relationship with hip-hop will forever be riddled with change and transition. I’ve grown to respect the fact that I won’t always be on the same page as hip-hop. I will have times that I love it, times that I hate it, times that I can’t live without it, and times that I’m not sure why I put up with it. Nowadays I treat hip-hop just like any other relationship. I’m never mad at myself anymore when I need a break. I’ve had many breaks throughout my 17 years and always return to it with fresh ideas and a different perspective.

Adam Bernard: How did you land on the Know You Got SOLE soundtrack?
Helixx C. Armageddon: Sean (Williams) and I have known each other for a long time. He is definitely a mover and shaker in the entertainment industry. We attended many of same events, had many of the same friends, and rolled in the same circles. Our paths crossed for years before we actually got to know each other. Eventually, we wound up working at the same company. The universe works in mysterious ways! It then became inevitable that a musical collaboration would ensue.

Adam Bernard: Your song on the soundtrack is “Kicks Talk For Me,” which chronicles the ENTIRE history of sneakers in four minutes. How did you come to have so much sneaker knowledge? Do you teach a course in sneakernomics?
Helixx C. Armageddon: I actually did research on the history of sneakers for this song. I could have written the song solely based on experience, but I figured a combination of both experience and history would be a nice addition to a solid compilation. When I sat down to do the writing, I wanted to approach the topic in a way no one ever had. I actually had outlines, summaries and all. You would’ve thought I was writing a term paper on sneaker history! I enjoyed the experience and think a sneaker PhD is in order.

Adam Bernard: Aside from that degree, what else have you been working on? Is a solo album on the way, and if so, what can we expect from it?
Helixx C. Armageddon: I’ve been working on an album that will merge elements of rock and hip-hop. I really enjoy live instrumentation and music that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. When music is live it wakes up something inside of you that is very real and primal. My project incorporates the best of both genres. It will introduce another side of Helixx C. Armageddon yet to be seen.

Adam Bernard: Hip-hop likes to compartmentalize its female emcees. How are you going about avoiding categorization?
Helixx C. Armageddon: I’ve had a strong foundation in music since 1995 as one of the Anomolies. The Anomolies consists of females expressing their art forms in their own way, without conforming to industry norms. I’ve never apologized for my art or adapted my art to the formulas and roles the industry has assumed for females. I think having a solid network of female artists is one reason I have been successful at avoiding some of the pitfalls that have taken others off the same path.

Adam Bernard: Since this interview is part of the Season of Sole series, tell me about your favorite pair of kicks. What are they, where did you get them, and why do you love em?
Helixx C. Armageddon: My favorite pair of kicks would have to be the Nike - Dunk Low Pro SB - Brown Pack - Baroque Brown/ Hay Maple. I got them from Elements Skate shop a few years ago. Whenever I skateboard those come out of the box and get burn. They are soft and feel like butter in my fingers when I touch them, yet they are rugged enough to handle all types of skateboarding debauchery.

Adam Bernard: Just in case a sneaker manufacturer is reading this, why don’t you close this interview by hitting everyone with the one pair of kicks you’re still dying to get your hands on and your feet into.
Helixx C. Armageddon: The main kicks I would love to get my hands on are the women’s Nike Vandal High GS – Rock N’ Roll Pack – Black / Gold / Studded.  I was happy they finally released these kicks for the ladies! I’ve had my eye on them since 2008! There’s just something wicked about them.

Related Links

MySpace: myspace.com/helixx
MySpace: myspace.com/anomolies
Amazon: Know You Got SOLE