Inventive lyrics, rhythms keep it fresh

By David Chang

Daily Bruin Contributor

The uninitiated fan can certainly appreciate a literal name such
as Anti-Pop Consortium. Like Metallica, Busta Rhymes, Funkadelic,
the Beach Boys and Sonic Youth, this unconventional syndicate
possesses a moniker that conveniently sums up its style, sound and
spirit.

Critics have touted APC as one of the top underground rap acts
along with Jurassic 5 and Mos Def. This New York-based hip-hop
group, comprised of members Beans, Priest, and Sayyid, is currently
on An tour throughout North America and Europe in support of its
new album “Arrhythmia.” Irregular beats and abnormal
rhythm will fill the air when APC swings by the Knitting Factory on
Thursday.

“The name is really about our agenda,” Sayyid said
during a telephone interview. “Our agenda, as we formed and
looked at ourselves as artists, was not (being) cats that wanted to
be popular but cats that wanted to make stuff that was ill. When
the name came up, it felt, in context, perfect to what we were
doing ““ the best way to describe our music.”

The trio of MCs has no need to hide behind a metaphor or symbol.
Their philosophy is as straightforward as their name.

“We just try to keep real busy. Our number one thing is to
challenge ourselves, push our limits, and not allow what other
people are doing to dictate what our vision is,” Sayyid said.
“I think there’s enough room in music as a whole, as
well as hip-hop music, to really expand and do some things that
people are going to be able to feel across the board.”

APC’s inventive lyrics and tongue-twisting style were
honed during their infancy in 1997 when the three solo artists
decided that three heads were better than one. Mix master Earl
Blaize was instrumental in the rap outfit’s 2000 debut
“Tragic Epilogue,” which introduced audience to a
hip-hop/electronica hybrid unlike anything floating around in the
mainstream music world. A touch of punk, a trace of ’80s
alternative rock, and a tinge of jazz have also helped them win
over fans of New York underground music.

“Living in New York is definitely a real positive
situation,” Sayyid said. “New York is always
what’s next, what’s next, what’s next, and
who’s hot. It’s real fast, and it’s got a really
competitive nature. Our aim is to be as competitive as
possible.”

APC’s idea of competition is not about record sales or
topping the charts, but about taking that next artistic step past
the existing musical flavor. The last thing they want to do is
insult the audience’s intelligence.

“What we’re doing on a live show level is something
that hip-hop heads are really going to appreciate. I think music
people who are open-minded are going to be able to appreciate it in
general,” Sayyid said. “We are inspired by the idea
that you can have a show and take people into different zones.
That’s what we try to do in our live shows. We try to keep
expanding and challenging ourselves first and listeners
second.”

According to Sayyid, hiding behind a certain image is not going
to fool people. He believes artists can rise to the top by keeping
it real and doing what is within their own reality.

What if one day the members of APC become highly popular and
mainstream themselves?

“It wouldn’t be that big of a deal in the sense that
I don’t really think we being mainstream would have anything
do to with changing our music. Once you become mainstream, people
see you in a certain light and expect you to do certain
things,” Sayyid said. “I think everybody in the
Consortium, as individual solo artists and as a collective, have an
understanding of what we can do and what we can’t do to be
successful in the eyes of ourselves.”