Wired recently caught up with underground Hip Hop legend El-P while attending SXSW. During the interview, the Company Flow alum talked about his upcoming fifth solo album Cancer For Cure, due out this May 22 on Fat Possum.
El-Producto explained the recording process that went into his first album as a rapper/producer since 2007’s I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead. He said that he essentially disappears from the world of music while recording his own solo music so that he can best convey his vision.
“I kind of just disappear into a hole and try and come out with [something],” he said. “I do a lot of production for other people, but with these records, they’re so fully me.”
El-P also spoke on Cure For Cancer‘s collaborations, featuring the likes of Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Danny Brown, his R.A.P. Music partner Killer Mike and the lead singer of rock group Interpol Paul Banks. He explained that he is always open to collaborate with a variety of different artists, but that if the collab doesn’t work, he’d have no qualms about scratching it.
“I describe [collaborations] as being the gay dog in ‘South Park’ theory, where they got George Clooney to bark as the gay dog,” he noted. “I collaborate with people who are around me and who I like, but…if it doesn’t fit, I won’t do it.”
Check out the full interview below.
RELATED: El-P Announces New Album “Cancer For Cure,” Features Killer Mike, Danny Brown & More
I met this guy at a club in NYC once. He is secretly gay, I did stuff with him. I know his fans will not want to believe that but it is the truth. Believe me, don’t believe me. I don’t care.
i knew it
Who gives a shit if he’s gay; dude makes great music.
ANYONE CAN GO AROUND SAYING WHAT HE SAID ABOUT FAMOUS PEOPLE LOL cmon now
El-P is one of those dudes where I like his contribution to music better than his actual music. Company Flow is ill, he’s been a leader on the independent scene from the beginning, Def Jux had some good shit, it’s cool how he’s collaborating with a variety of different folks, and it’s cool to see him putting Killer Mike on some different shit…but Fantastic Damage? That shit is too out there for me. Haven’t heard anything he did after that.
I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead isn’t as out there as Fantastic Damage was. Definitely worth a listen.
Exquire cool
danny cool
mike cool
no Cage?lame
no Aesop?lame
no Weather Men at all???wtf EL-P!!!
I dont think EL P & Cage get along anymore
dude’s obviously gay– big deal. So’s Busta and Diddy.
problem with El-P is quality control; while he always comes correct with the beats, some of his collaborators are second-rate, just like most (not all) of the Def Jux roster was second-rate.
I think this will be a good album though the title is stupid.