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[rock theh dub Interview]: Cymarshall Law

As we do here at rock the dub, we continue to bring you interviews will some of the illest cats you might not have heard... but should definitely get to know! Representing New Jersey and the UK, Cymarshall Law is a cat who has been putting it in for a minute. At one point he was down with Subversive Music (which was run by Company Flow's Big Jus) with his brother, but has since been grinding on his own. He's put out acclaimed projects that have gotten love on sites like Okayplayer and Hip-Hop Game, and is continuing to make it happen for himself, taking his music to large crowds out in Europe. Check out this Q&A, and get to know one of the game's budding MCs...

khal: Where in Jersey do you reside?

Cymarshall Law: Central Jersey...

khal: Who were some of your influences growing up, both inside and outside of Hip-Hop?

Cymarshall Law: Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane and Skit Slam (my brother who introduced me to all of them) and all the Reggae music my parents would play around the house were I grew up.

khal: What made you first want to get into making Hip-Hop, as opposed to being a fan? Do you dabble in any of the other elements (DJing/graf/breakin’/etc.)?

Cymarshall Law: I felt it... I think that is the best way to describe it; I could see myself doing it, it felt right, I love music - why not become it. As far as the rest of Hip-Hop, sure I’m involved; I mean when it’s all said and done, I might just be a DJ, old man spinning the illest joints!

khal: You first caught a break with the Everliven Sound crew, on Big Jus’ Subversive Music label, right? How was it being in a situation like that, on a label that housed cats like MF Doom and C-Rayz Walz?

Cymarshall Law: It was inspiring and motivational; I had to make sure my raps were tight. I was young, it was cool and I didn’t think much about it really, I just wrote my rhymes. I mean my brother Skit is in Everliven Sound; we were in the same house, so I was chilling cracking jokes, writing rhymes with my brother - we kept it moving

khal: After that label dissolved, tell the people about your mindstate and how you went about creating the Everlution EP? How hard was it to get your work produced, mastered, pressed and distributed?

Cymarshall Law: The Everliven Sound Everlution EP that we dropped on vinyl (exclusive to 500 copies) was a move that defines a time: Freedom Entertainment was born, and we were just tired of everyone telling us when/how/where/how high or low - we was like “nah, we'll take FREEDOM” we’ve been on it like that ever since; getting the record produced was one of the best times in my life. That wasn’t hard, it was fun. Skit made all the beats (except for 1) on an ASR I had bought and we recorded on digital recorder (a Roland 1680). This was in 2001; we got Jim Brick to master it - he did a good job. Pressing it was nothing like when pressing up a CD now: with the money that we got from an investor, we distributed through some Internet sites but we mostly it got all over the world ourselves.

khal: While many US Hip-Hop heads seem to think that the US is where it’s at for Hip-Hop, there’s a lot of hardcore heads worldwide who rock to the same beats that come from our soil. You’ve spent time touring in the UK – what is your experience when being overseas? Do you have a favorite city or venue in the UK that you performed in?

Cymarshall Law: I LOVE PERFORMING OVERSEAS! I haven’t yet rocked a crowd on European soil that the crowd wasn’t jumping at; it’s mostly because it’s something they don’t see everyday. I can’t say that I have a favorite UK venue - I rocked this crazy ass festival once with like 2000 people in front of me, but I’m sure a lot of them were twisted... it was still dope, though.

khal: You’ve been dropping CDs, performing for large crowds all over, and have been getting props from heads like Okayplayer and a host of other accolades, but you still seem grounded. Is that something you try hard to keep going, or is that just something within you?

Cymarshall Law: Within.

khal: Word is Freedom Entertainment has realigned and the first project from this will be your album, Hip Hop In The Flesh. Tell the people what that title represents, and what people can expect from your project.

Cymarshall Law: HIP HOP IN THE FLESH was last year’s album; the new one is CYMARSHALL & MR. JOEKER: HIP HOP IN THE SOUL; Mr. JoeKer out of Hungary made all of the splendid beats. I supplied the lyrics and we made something I think will have an impact.

khal: Where do you see yourself fitting into the Hip-Hop lexicon?

Cymarshall Law: Well, I see myself fitting perfectly into the space that it seems has been left for me. At first, people would say I sounded “old school but new school”, and, to me I wasn’t trying to do anything – I was just writing rhymes, but now I see the void I’m filling, and it’s just that... just writing rhymes, pure rhymes that come from the heart, just going in with lyrics, original vibes... the lexicon is missing that.

khal: Do you think there is still a market for “real Hip-Hop” on a mainstream level anymore?

Cymarshall Law: Yes.

khal: What are your feelings about the current state of the world, from the wars in Iraq to the current Presidential election process in the US?

Cymarshall Law: We need change and fast! People say I’m an optimist, sometimes they even get mad because I’m that way, but my feelings on the way the world will turn out are more hopeful than optimistic. There’s a difference. I also never claim to really know too much; there are a lot of bad things going on, but I’m sure there’s a lot of good, too. We never see that on the news, so to me it seems like that happens on purpose to put fear into the people and so on... so at the end of the day, I’m hopeful things will change, but change must come from the root. How do you get to the root of most of the worlds problems, and then begin the change? Those are the questions. To add to this I am very hopeful the presidential election this year is fair and just, however I am not optimistic that it will be.

khal: When should Hip Hop In The Soul be dropping? Will you be touring in support of this project?

Cymarshall Law: Hip Hop In The Soul drops August 30th. I’ll be touring a lot this year to promote this album with Mr. Joeker; next, look for Skit Slam to drop his solo on Freedom sometime in the late Fall.

khal: Do you have any final thoughts or shout-outs before we wrap this one up?

Cymarshall Law: Yea get at me on MySpace, any other inquires can reach me at cymarshall.law@gmail.com. Thank you for buying my music – it’s all on iTunes now and physically for sale on the ‘Net, too. HIP HOP IN THE SOUL COMING SOON! Shout Out to all my people showing love, I’mma show it right back. Peace and successful days...

related links:
www.cymarshalllaw.com
www.myspace.com/cymarshalllaw
cdbaby.com/cd/cymarshalllaw

Everliven Sound "Rudeboys" video:
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