Bronze Nazareth: Another Man’s Journey

Let’s hop right into this latest single / video, “The Precipice” — Tell me about this particular track; how did it come to fruition?

Roc sent me a pack of beats, and “The Precipice” was the second joint; .it was named “Crows.” I had some back and forth about which beats I was choosing, it was hard to choose because I liked ALL of them…but when I heard “Crows” it was the first one I picked and recorded. That became the first single “The Precipice.”

Of course “The Precipice’” comes courtesy of your soon-to-be unleashed new project, Ekphrasis, largely produced by Roc Marciano — Conceptually, what does that title represent both to and for you?

So the album title is actually Ekprhasis, and it comes from an old word which basically means you express your visual art to such a degree that it feels as if the listener is actually there, whatever your art represents is described in such graphic clear details. This is how I see my writing to be….that detailed and visual that you can close your eyes and take the trip with me.

How then does Ekphrasis either differ and / or compare to previous bodies of work?

It’s a bit different than most of my works…I think anytime you jump on someone else’s production, it’s like an away game…you adjust to what’s in front of you and work it . So with Roc, he’s mastered the art of simplicity and it’s a definite art. Most times, it goes too far one way or the other, Roc is in the pocket every time. So the music is right in your face, I had to make sure my voice melted into each beat properly without doing too much. So I utilized a a handful of pauses between lines, rhyming patiently and clear…each word is important to me; I want them to fit perfect not overcome the beats.

That said, how did the Roc Marciano collaboration even come to be?

Well I had somewhat of a relationship wit Roc Marci, on a professional level, we crossed paths a bunch of times and I ended up on Man Bites Dog Records where I think Roc was A&R for a stint. We did a SXSW joint together while on the label, and then an A3C event, always was a mutual respect. I been a big fan of his releases musically, but I also have a big respect for how he and Jazz handle biz and are proven trendsetters. One day I got a text out of the blue, and it was Roc. He hit me and told me I was “one of the illest with the beats”and we gotta get sum’n in. That was big for me, especially from him. So I sent some work thru, and no beats made it on anything…Later on after Roc started expanding his production to other full albums, I thought about seeing if I could work on some of his beats. I got in touch with Roc, we worked it out and boooom! I’ve got some work from an absolute legend.

Reflecting, tell me your whole inception into music — When did you first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for Bronze Nazareth?

I was interested in rhyming. I had no beats. This was high school…a friend of mine’s Dad played guitar and had some beat machines. I used to sit in their basement try’na make beats. I had been on the hunt on how to make my own beats. It was a hunger. Rocked a few parties, met a few people, then I began working on my fellow artist D the Rebel; he taught me the ASR-10, and I officially started doing my own beats. Putting my own rhymes to them. I just stepped it up year after year. I was in the studio young, recording to my own beats by 1998-1999.

Now you’re a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, correct? So growing up in ‘River City,’ who all did / do you consider to be your strongest musical influences?

Yes, native Gun Ruler, but been in Detroit since 2002…I dug a lot of soul music; Stevie Wonder, Marvin, Sam Cooke, etcetera…I was drawn to my Grandaddy’s Jazz, not the contemporary but Miles Davis, John Coltrane– that Jazz. And def a big Hip Hop influence; NWA, Mobb Deep, Wu, South Centrla Cartel, all that was in my stereo as a young man.

In having said that, how do you classify your overall sound and / or style?

I think it’s a gritty emotional, animated style…but it’s like moods…songs make me FEEL. So I wanna know how it makes you feel…not how much you like it…connect with it first. So my style is all about feeling first, then we can get into the chops, the layers, the filters etcetera…then I throw the words on top like the icing….all parts of the instrumental. The style is a mix like gumbo.

Where does your moniker originally derive from?

My name comes form the connection I had with the 18 Bronzemen Kung Fu movies. I was inspired by all the obstacles and efforts the monks had to do to move out of the temple. Wu map, so I was in that mode of watching those famous joints like Five Deadly Venoms, etcetera. The Bronzemen movies was like fighting to get out, to make it; I identified with that.

As a Wu-Tang affiliate act, what particular string of events led up to this pairing?

I really like to say I’m an artist first, I’mma writer, a composer….my affiliation with the Clan is second to that. but if you’re asking how I ended up with Wu, it’s the story of taking a handful of trips to try and catch RZA. I caught up with him, on the fourth trip, show him my work and the rest is history

Switching gears here,..

Longevity, what do you attribute yours to?

I definitely attribute this to a long string of consistently releasing high quality projects. When you got something good that you know people want, it’s all about keeping up the quality level. Then secondly, you gotta give them this work frequently. I’m like 25 full albums in; either produced or rhyming on.

What do you want people to get from your music?

I want people to feel it first. Get a feeling. Resonate with it. Relate to it. Take something from it and apply it. I want them to not only hear, but LOOK at what I’m saying. Catch a word, catch some wisdom, open your thoughts and consider another man’s journey; experience it. I also want to leave my story behind for generations after me. My recordings are like a record of my legacy.

On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?

Yeah, def enjoying all the different flavors turning up right now. There’s a lot of great lyricism going on right now, and Im here for it. I enjoy listening to artists who take time and put their shit together on a high level – Ransom, Rome Streets, Conway, StoveGod, just to name a few…so it’s jumpin’ right back into the pocket I been in since I jumped on the scene. So it’s a good time to pay attention and go look at what you might have missed from Bronze Nazareth and Black Day In July Productions. Pay attention.

Do you have any other outside / additional aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?

Yeah, man, when I retire, I’ve always been deeply interested in Civil Rights. So I’d like to maybe go to law school and start taking on some Civil Rights cases. Somewhat like what Lee Merritt [Texas] has been doing for years, fighting the injustice system.

To date, what has been your greatest career achievement(s), at least thus far anyway?

If I had to pick my greatest achievement, it’d be my world travels. Being able to travel the world, simply due to my music, is greatness to me. It’s rewarding; it’s like the fruits of all that labor. And to be able to take my brother [#RIPK7] and close friends around the world is the real blessing.

One track of yours that you think defines you and why?

I’ll go with “Black Royalty.” Supreme penwork, but also authentically displays my thoughts and experiences.

Finally, what’s next for Bronze Nazareth?

More music. After this work with Roc…look for me again in January. Projects left and right; including another solo, this one self produced. And some of my homies / artists; Kurt Solid, Lord Jessiah, Illah Dayz, WuZee, Kevlaar 7, Roll Blunt, Rec Ali…there’s a Black Day flood coming indeed.

Is there anything I left out, or just plain forgot to mention?

Nah, we covered a good amount – everyone make sure and support my album with Roc Marciano on most of the beats – OCTOBER 8th!!!

Any “closing” thought(s) for our readers?

Yeah, here’s a thought, if you’re just now getting hip to my whole presence, I ask you to spend some time and check what I’ve done. Great Migration, School for the Blindman, Thought For Food Vol. 3, Welcome to the Detroit Zoo, The Living Daylights, A Beautiful Soul, The Bronze Tape, Coby, Gravitas…go find these albums! Much Thanks TD!!! Appreciate the coverage and support.

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Tags: 18 Bronzemen, Black Day In July Productions, BRONZE NAZARETH, Conway, D the Rebel, Five Deadly Venoms, Illah Dayz, Kevlaar 7, Kurt Solid, Lord Jessiah, Man Bites Dog Records, Ransom, Rec Ali, Roc Marciano, Roll Blunt, Rome Streets, RZA, StoveGod, Wu-Tang Clan, Wuzee