Blue Scholars Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 1st 2010 2:10PM by Lauren Parajon
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Politically-driven Northwest hip-hop duo Blue Scholars have toured with the likes of Gym Class Heroes, Flobots and the Coup. Their next big performance will be alongside thousands of talented musicians at SXSW in Austin. Unexpected winter weather recently canceled their show at North Carolina State University, so the two Seattle, Wash. boys have some major pent up energy to unleash on the Lone Star State. Spinner recently spoke with emcee Geologic about his band, whiskey and the Jonas Brothers.

Describe your sound in your own words.

I'd say it's sort of a cinema art-rap.

How and when did your group form?

We met while attending college at the University of Washington around 2000. We were part of a student group that promoted local all-ages shows. We did that for a few years before we ever made our first song in 2002. We recorded an album using school equipment in 2003 and waited until we had enough of a gap between our due credit card's balance and spending limit to press a thousand copies in 2004.

What are your musical influences?

In the '80s, pretty much anything that was on MTV with a sprinkling of Filipino and Hawaiian music. In the '90s, all rap -- everything from Ice Cube, Digable Planets and Nas to the Coup, Brotha Lynch Hung, Yall So Stupid and some local groups. In the previous decade, anything [J] Dilla produced and film scores and soundtracks. Sabzi's influence is Aphex Twin.

How did you come up with the name Blue Scholars? What does it mean?

It's a play off the term "blue collar." The group formed while we were in college, so it made sense. It was the only name in a list of 50 we initially came up with that didn't suck.

What's your biggest vice?

For me, cigarettes and whiskey. For Sabzi, Scrabble.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Cigarettes and whiskey. Sabzi won't go without water, Tic Tacs and lots of people's phone numbers.

Who was your first celeb crush?

Probably Alyssa Milano.

What is your musical guilty pleasure?

'90s dance music. Sabzi likes to bump slow jams all day in the summer.

Beatles or Stones?

Beatles on records. Stones live.

If you had to choose, Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Brothers?

Miley Cyrus, but I like that 'Pizza Girl' joint that the Jonas Brothers did.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

Fortunately or unfortunately, we haven't experienced anything too crazy on tour. Someone did get shot in the face outside one of our shows in L.A., though. And a methhead bum-rushed the stage and grabbed the mic from me in Spokane, Wash. Got robbed a couple times. Other than that, we watch a lot of movies, go out of our way to find non-fast-food food and sleep as much as we can. The actual craziest thing is being a cocaine and groupie-free indie touring group for five years.

A lot of your lyrics seem to send a political message. What's the number one political message you're trying to get across?

The biggest political message in our lyrics is that everything is political, not just the things we say. What we say is simply our story -- the one you never or rarely hear in the mass media. Be critical of everything, even (and especially) of the music that tells you to be critical of everything.

How does being second-generation sons of working-class immigrants play into your music and lyrics?

You'll hear those experiences in song lyrics, obviously. But I think the influence is more than that and goes beyond the music. Our parents didn't pass down the same music American parents passed down to their children. Being the first generation cut off from a family tradition, we retain what little was passed on mixed with this new culture we were born into. It makes us more eclectic.

If you could tour with anyone (living or dead), who would it be?

Michael Jackson.

What's the most memorable thing a fan has ever said to you?

Very early on someone told me they were about to join the military and go fight in Iraq until they heard our song 'Blink' and how he succeeded in convincing other friends to rethink their recruitment. It was very humbling.

Most embarrassing moment onstage?

I've fallen offstage maybe twice. One of those times they thought I meant to do it and started cheering, so it was all good. One time a june bug kept trying to land on Sabzi's head at an outdoor festival in California. Of course, he didn't know it was just a june bug at the time. He thought it was some sort of giant prehistoric dinosaur insect that escaped extinction, which is probably why he was jumping around trying to dodge it and shrieking like a 12-year-old.

Turn your iPod on shuffle. What are the first three songs that play?

'The Poseur' by the Kinks, 'Holla At Your Boy' by Do or Die and 'You Know How We Do It' by Ice Cube.

Do you have any pre-show traditions?

Last-second review of the set order while eating berries.

Lauren Parajon is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.