For the last 12 years, Dilated Peoples have come close to breaking out, while contemporaries The Roots–and recently the Black Eyed Peas, whose Justin Timberlake-backed single, “Where is the Love?” earned them a Grammy nod–have captured the mainstream spotlight.
With their latest offering, “Neighborhood Watch,” Dilated Peoples hope their name–and record sales–will rise up to meet those of their peers.
RedEye talked to MC Rakaa from his Los Angeles home to discuss mixing it up with hip-hop hot shot Kanye West, who produced the album’s first single, “This Way” and the group’s upcoming tour.
Do you think this album will finally thrust you into the spotlight?
I just think it’s our best work. We’ve gotten better at what we do–as songwriters, beatmakers, DJs, MCs, performers. We just took it to higher levels.
While you have a strong fan base, do you care that Dilated Peoples has never reached commercial success?
Commercial success is all relative. I don’t get frustrated about it because I know there’s a time and place for everything. I just take it as it comes.
Much of the new album leans toward the darker side, and it almost sounds like you’re going back to early Public Enemy, of course without so much of the anger.
I think it’s just a more honest album. I think we learned how to apply the skills we developed toward a more specific topic, story or issue. Everything I do, personally, is affected by Public Enemy, Run DMC, Boogie Down Productions–it’s what I grew up listening to.
Kanye West’s album really just blew up. What was the production like working with him vs. other producers?
He has a true understanding of production. The vast majority of people in rap production are really just beatmakers. They don’t understand song structure or vocal arrangement–they know how to work the drum machine. He’s a real producer in the sense that he knows how to pull the best out of a session, the best out of an artist and really work it, whether he’s making the beat or not. I think he’s going to be one of the top producers.
This show in Chicago is a snowboard expo. Do you think you’re going to strap on a board and hit the pipes?
I don’t do it man! That’s not my scene at all–not unless I’m really crazy at the top of the mountain. I love to see other people do it and play it on the video games. I got skinny ankles–I can’t be breaking my (bleep). I have to save it for Jujitsu.
Show stop
Dilated Peoples perform Saturday at Soldier Field as part of the Boost Mobile Pro of Snowboarding event–which also features Kanye West and Ludacris–and open for West May 3 at the House of Blues.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Kris Karnopp (kkarnopp@tribune.com)
