The Decompoze Interview

The Hype Magazine sits down with the highly intelligent emcee named Decompoze for an exclusive interview.

Your name “Decompoze” is very unique and interesting. How did you come up with it?

I got it from an old school cartoon called “the Inhumaniods”. The intro on my Decomposition album was from that cartoon. I felt that a dope name should have 2 elements: one, it should have some combination of your real name and two, it should describe who you are or what you do. Decompoze does both, it stands for Damon (my birth name) Composing and it describes what I do as a producer. Also on the MC tip, it describes what I try to do lyrically. When something decomposes you see whats inside, so lyrically you hear a line or verse for the first time and get the outside meaning but once rigor mortis sets in and it starts to decompoze you get exposed to whats inside.

Your rap style is authentic and true to hip-hop roots. Who were your inspirations?

Growin up, Kane was that dude. He had all the components of a dope MC on on lock. He had style, delivery, the voice, word play, and content. Never thought I could be like Kane but he was a good measuring stick. I was inspired by so many, for so many reasons. Large Pro and Q Tip were big inspirations because they were the best producer/MC’s. I wanted to be equally respected as a producer and as a MC and I think they mastered both elements. Right now I’m inspired by good music so if I hear it and it moves me, it makes me want to write or make a beat.

Where did you grow up and how did your environment inspire your music?

I grew up in Pontiac, MI (15 miles north of Detroit). It was a city on a economical down slide because the auto industry moved and put a lot of people out of work. So you get inspired by just wanting to be more so you can do more. I think the hip-hop environment surrounded my life and isolated me from all the BS that comes with living in a struggling urban area.

At what point in you life did you decide that you wanted to become a musician/rapper?

Growing up I wanted to be Deon Sanders and Bo Jackson, I wanted to play pro baseball and football. I never grew up thinking I wanted to rap. I only started rapping seriously because I met OneBeLo in the 11th grade and knew he was going to be one of the greatest so I was just trying to align with his destiny. I just had to work to get my skills up to par and he was a natural.

How would you describe your rap style and music? Who would you compare it to?

That’s simple: Sophisticated hip-hop. Quest, Wu, DITC, Boot Camp Clik. Artists that know how to make classic music.

When and where do you like to write your lyrics? Is there a certain location or time of day to put you in your zone?

I usually write in my head so it takes me months to complete verses. To answer the question, I could be anywhere and be doing anything when I’m writing. Not having to be “paper dependent” makes that easy to do.

Do you practice your raps before you go to a session or do you like to write while you are at the session?

When I came up we had to pay for our own studio time so you better have that rhyme mastered before you get in the booth or you getting sent home until you ready to spit. I have my own studio and still feel the same way. I’m not getting on any mic unless I know my verse inside and out. Because I write internally, I usually have the verse mastered as I complete it.

Your song “The Breakdown” has such a deep rooted hip-hop vibe…everything from the beat to your deliverance. Would you like to see original hip hop make a come back?

I don’t think original hip-hop is gone, it just isn’t done on a consistent basis. I think Kendrik, Cole, and Joey Badd have all been eatin good off original hip-hop. The last Ross album had beats that could compete with any record from the golden era. The only thing that needs to come back is the balance. To much Ricoh Suave and not enough Quest!

Of all the songs you did, which one do you feel the most connected to and why?

On the new album, Open Heart/Closed Mind. It was the first song I ever recorded that let people into my own personal pain. I literally wrote the record to get through to a women because there was nothing else I did that could. I didn’t get through to her but I got a great record out of it.

Who would you like to collaborate with?

As a producer, anybody with skills. Of course Kane is on the bucket list and I reached out to his people to get him on “The Breakdown”, but the numbers just didn’t add up at the time. A collab with Black Thought (who I consider the G.O.A.T) would be crazy.

Where do you see yourself in a few years?

As an artist, supplying the demand for my talent. As a businessman, producing for up-and-comin MC’s.

What is something you learned or are learning about yourself as you continue to record music?

That I am my favorite MC and producer. I listen to what I do and feel it like I’m not apart of it. I finally mastered what I do and not every artist gets to that point. And I was able to do it by controlling every aspect of my sound. I write it, make the beat, produce the song, record the song myself, and mix the song myself. It took over 20 years for me to compile the knowledge to do that.

Have you came across any big challenges either while you are recording or just in general?

Balancing the family life and the artist life. With a wife and kids, I don’t have time to live in the studio like I did 10 years ago.

What are you currently working on?

Working on an Album with J.U.ICE called School District and about to get back in the lab with OneBeLo and do another Binary Star record.

I have so many records in the chamber ready to go, I could go in many directions.

Besides music, do you have other passions/goals?

I have a Bachelors and a Masters. I think my next goal is to get my Doctorate. Unlike music, education was something I could excel in that I didn’t need anyone to help me. In music you could be the best whatever but if the people ain’t feelin it, the promoter ain’t bookin, the label ain’t investing, DJ ain’t playin it, you’re done… In education, you are in total control of your success and that’s the kind of activities that are worth investing time into.

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