Juiced up by: i-pizzo

The great thing about our site is that we can bring to attention fresh talent; those truly deserving of an audience. DNA6 is a talent that oozes charisma and their unique and innovative approach to Hip Hop makes their new album Human Condition a must for any true fan of the genre.

The FreshJamz Squad recently had the pleasure to shoot the shit with the boys at DNA6 — very chill and very down to earth guys who know and love their craft.

Hit the jump for the band’s beginnings, sample clips of their jamz, and their insight on the industry.

First, the standard regulation questions:

What’s the story on your beginnings? How did you guys start?

M.Prime - Well, the cheerleaders’ county competition and the annual prank war with Valley was being held the same week. Two Valley guys kidnapped Screech in retaliation for some of Zack’s and Slater’s pranks, and… oh wait… never mind. (Haha, The FreshJamz Squad loves their Saved by the Bell)

Alex – We started when Brett and I began writing and performing as “dna” around 2003, about a year or two before the first album was released in November of 2004. Mario was also involved in that recording, writing verses and helping with production and art.

Dosia- We all met a gay bar in seattle. Mario bought me a drink and wondered if I would like to go someplace a little more private. Before I could say no he had an ether-soaked cloth over my mouth. Next thing I knew I woke up next to Alex drooling on my shoulder. I jumped up to find Mario making breakfast and playing guitar. Disturbed and embarrassed from what possibly could have been my first homo erotic experience I tried to make light of the situation and spit a freestyle. Nearing the end of my 16 bar verse, Alex jumped in with a chorus. We’ve been together ever since.

What are your musical influences?

Alex - Our sound stems from our many influences: all great hip-hop, as well as many non-hip-hop artists. Let’s see: Tribe Called Quest, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Jurassic 5, D’Angelo, Sade, you name it… if they are or were awesome, they influenced us.

M.Prime - Literally everyone. A quick tally of what’s in my ears right now would include Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Roots Manuva, Stevie Wonder, Danny Gatton, Clifford Brown, Boards of Canada, Bonobo, DJ Krush, Four Tet, and Bobs & Lolo.

Dosia - Everyday life influences my music. People I meet, situations I encounter and emotions I feel. Music I listen to mainly just motivates me to search for my own sound. I’m really into, Tribe Called Quest, Miles Davis, George Clinton, Queen, The Beatles and so many more I have not the time nor the patience to name them all.

What is more important in a song: lyrical content? Or good beat/melody? And no saying “both” – that’s the easy way out.

Alex – A song must have many weapons to succeed, and even if it’s only an acoustic song, there needs to be a great melody and lyrics at the same time. There is no easy way out… it must all rule even in simplicity.

M.Prime - The easy way out is also the best answer - both are crucial to me as a listener. If the production isn’t there you won’t get me through the song, but if the lyrics aren’t saying something to me I’m not going to remember that piece on any real level. I have no patience anymore for music that isn’t coming from an honest place, and if I can’t hear what an artist is really saying, I’m moving on.

Now some album specific questions:

Your new album, Human Condition, has some songs that made my head explode - I haven’t heard something so different and refreshing in a long time:

The Wake Up – This song really makes you think (I was nodding my head in agreement the whole duration) What was your inspiration for it?

M.Prime - To me, it’s about unity and respect. More specifically, my verse focuses on racism, and the fact that when it comes down to it, if something’s wrong you’ve got to do more than just talk about it – you’ve got to get in there and work if you want to change the world.

Alex – The Wake Up deals with a lot of the crap you see people being fed every day, and how it has begun to seriously affect us as a whole.

Dosia- The wake up is just that. It touches down on some topics that people don’t like to think about even though they know that there is something really wrong with the way people are treating one another these days…Because getting drunk or high is easier than facing reality and owning up to your responsibilities. We all need a wake up from the coma we seem to be in.

All the Things You Do – Another great song. Do you think the majority of people do things because people want them to?

Alex – certainly not. People endure all manners of tasks, jobs, classes, other people and situations that they don’t want to. “All the Things You Do” is more about finding what it is you want from life.

Dosia - No, I just don’t think the majority of people do what THEY want to do. People are too concerned with money and financial gain in place of spiritual freedom. Chase your dreams people. They’re all we truly have.

How would you describe the difference between Human Condition, and your previous album, DNA6 (formerly DNA)?

Alex - We’ve grown as artists since the first album was created, and the DNA6 album shows that.

M.Prime - I’m a lot more involved on this album, rhyming on 10 tracks and co-producing quite a bit. On the DNA album I was more of a guest artist – now I’m like a guest who won’t leave.

Now some fun stuff:

I read somewhere that one of you guys had to perform at a Hyundai dealership, how was that experience?

Alex – I was the one that played at the Hyundai dealership. It only sucked because they kept asking me to turn it down so they could more clearly hear each other talk about Hyundais.

What is your take on the current hip hop scene? Is hip hop dead?

M.Prime - Our brand of hip hop lives and dies with us.

Alex – Hip-Hop is alive and well.

Dosia - In the words of my favorite MC, Mos Def…WE ARE HIP HOP. I eat, sleep and breathe hip hop. So, there’s no way it can be dead.

When you guys bust out madd rhymes is it thought of and written down? or is it all free-style?

Alex – Most of the songs are written in a style that combines the flow of a freestyle with carefully thought out written shit.

M.Prime - I started out as a soloist and freestyle mc, (not to be confused with a battle mc), so a lot of what I write flow-wise is written straight through “from word to line to page to stage”. That being said, an album is forever, so of course I take full opportunity to fine tune my lyrics to make sure that I’m really saying what I want to say.

Dosia - I freestyle with Prime when we kick it, but, I’m not a freestyler or a battler. I don’t battle simply because I like to make people feel good about themselves through my music. I write a lot…so much that I don’t need to freestyle. I got so many rhymes, I don’t have enough beats to lay them all down. I got a lot of respect for the art form of freestyle, but I write most of my rhymes.

Do you guys actually know what DNA stands for? – no Wikipedia-ing!

M.Prime - Without DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) you wouldn’t be here; Without DNA6 You wouldn’t want to be here, anyways.

Alex - Deoxyribonucleic acid… the same stuff they used to make Sepentor out of at Cobra headquarters.

Dosia - Deoxyribonucleic-acid. HAHAHA! I stole the answer from Alex! Suckaz!!

And there y’all have it. An inside look of a fresh sound comin up from the Vancity area; Watch out for DNA6 - they’ll be blowin it up soon.

Buy their new album Human Condition here.