Gaining local notoriety is easy for some, while for others it can be rather difficult.
WAMI-nominated hip-hop duo Amerikas Addiction falls into the latter category.
Though they are often seen out and about in Milwaukee at myriad different events, usually interviewing people for their own Web site, they somehow find themselves still on the outside of "in crowd."
This is something troublesome to them, but it is also something that they embrace as a worthy challenge after finding supporters elsewhere.
On the heels of their new release "The Enlitened Ones," I talked with Ebonix and J-The Truth about their plight and their new project.
OnMilwaukee.com: You have released two projects this year. How does "The Enlitened Ones" differ from the previous project?
Addiction a.k.a. Ebonix: This album is less sexual than "Dark Desires" and the subject matter is all over the place. It's more hip-hop. I was also very, very passionate when I made this album. I was in a very dark place mentally.
J-The Truth: "Dark Desires" was a concept album, to take listeners outside of the norm from what comes from our area. Yes, it was extremely sexual and we knew people would run from it. We don't and didn't mind at all. Take a listen to our first AA album "Foreplay" and then you will understand. "The Enlitened Ones" takes us back to our roots of hip-hop/rap music, which, despite what we make, will always be in our soul and is the foundation for us musically and culturally. We were also quite disgusted with all the lack of identity with the artists here and in the industry, period. Stand for something and be different.
OMC: How is Amerikas Addiction different from your former group, Black House Gang?
A: Amerikas Addiction is only two members where The Black House Gang was 7 members deep. Musically, Amerikas Addiction dips into other genres while The Black House Gang was entirely hip-hop/rap with a rock fusion. Amerikas Addiction is a fusion of all types of music.
J: Amerikas Addiction has a different aim – to make what we want to make. People question us all the time why we make we make. The name is taken from America's addiction to black culture. From fashion, to music, to style/swagger/steez and whatever else you can think of. Also, America is addicted to sex, violence, drugs, celebrities and a whole host of other things in our commercialized society. We just decided to bring it to the forefront using music and see how people would react to it. We do this out of love and also to see how really tolerant our world truly is.
OMC: What do you want people to take away from the new project?
A: I really want people to understand that I am not doing this to be the best. I just want to tell my story and let all the addicts know they are not alone.
J: We have for years been the outcasts of our city's scene, despite what we have tried to do – our attempt try to unite people/artists and collaborate. We spoke on it in this project. We may lack a "following" or "support" in our own city, but we will not let that hinder us and our goals and our vision. We appreciate every comment, whether negative or positive. We made this project for those artists who don't get heard on radio or seen in local papers/blogs/shows. We made this for our "addicts!"
OMC: If you only had one sentence to sell somebody on Amerikas Addiction, what would you say in that sentence?
A: THESE GUYS DON'T GIVE A F*CK!
J: It is beyond a cheap sell, it is more than music, doing what you desire (living your dreams or attempting to do so) is a way of life for us and we want you to experience it with us ... if you dare to do so.
Their new project, "The Enlitened Ones," can be downloaded for free here.
Born in Milwaukee and raised in the Milwaukee suburb of Brown Deer, Concordia University Wisconsin alumnus Poppe has spent the majority of his life in or around the city and county of Milwaukee.
As an advocate of Milwaukee's hip-hop community Poppe began popular local music blog Milwaukee UP in March 2010. Check out the archived entries here.
Though heavy on the hip-hop, Poppe writes about other genres of music and occasionally about food, culture or sports, and is always ready to show his pride in Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
