When did you find out you wanted to pursue hip hop professionally?
Well I have always known that music will have a big role in my life. I grew up in a musical family so for me to do music has always been a natural progress.
I went to a musical school- sang and played piano. I started to write poetry at the age of 11 so when hiphop came in to my life it was the perfect link between music and poetry.. I started out rhyming on a serious tip and recording since 96. And after that time has made me mature both as an emcee / writer and musician.
For the visitors who never heard your music, how would you describe your signature sound?
My sound is very unique. It has always been important for me to have my own style and to be innovating. It’s important as an artist to be creative and finding your own sound. I have my own sound – The Impersial sound.
It’s very organic and mellow with a bit of a jazzy vibe, and the rap is truly original. The flow is as important as the topics you rhyme about. I love playing with different types of deliveries and flows so I see my voice as an instrument.
And I love rhymes structures and multiple syllables. I am a very technically advanced emcee with a poetic style.
Your album is called The Work Of Art – The Art Of Work. What’s the story behind the title?
This is my first solo album. Before this I was in different groups constellations and I have always waited for the time to be right before I released it. People have been asking me for this album since 2000. But I waited for the day I felt ready. So 2,5 years ago I felt the time was in and I knew from the beginning how I wanted the album to be like.
I wrote this album as 1 whole piece of work… A work of art. Every song is linked together, the album is written like a Book! You must read every chapter to understand.
A lot of people make an album with 20 songs and there is no concept to the album. I don’t do music like that! I have taken this 1 step further, this is art for me. I see hiphop as a way of expressing my self… It’s an art form. I grew up with the 4 elements. I have roots in real hiphop so for me this is bigger then just music. Its art with a lot of thought behind it. You have to take your time nurturing it . The Art of Work – it’s a long process to make music with soul and heart. I do timeless music, music for the mind and soul.
What was the vibe you were going for with this album?
The Vibe of this album is very special; It takes you into another world really. It’s filled with beautiful sounds resurrected by live instruments and a lot of deep lyrics for the mind to comprehend.
If you take a look at the art work of the album, you see it’s a very dreamy world to exist in. It’s my world. The album takes you on a journey into my musical cubical.
You worked on the album for three years. How would you describe the process from when you decided to record the album until it was actually finished? Like, was it difficult to come up with lyrics or did you ran into difficulties with the productions?
I knew from the beginning how I wanted to album to sounds like and what kind of album it was going to grow to be. I had it all in my head.
And I never stress creativity. I write on a daily bases. So when I started to write on a track I knew from the beginning if it was for the album or not. Because under the period I wrote my album I had a lot of other projects also. I never felt like I met any obstacles. I took my time. And I am a perfectionist down to the bone so I could never let go of a track I’m not 100% fulfilled with.
Tell me more about “Hush Hush” and why you chose that particular song as your first single.
Hush Hush is a very, very beautiful track. It’s written with a conventional rap rhyme schedule but I felt like I wanted to deliver in a different way. So it’s a very melodic track. It’s a story about my mental garden. The garden of my creativity witch gives me the harvest to do music. The Harvest that feeds this artist. It’s about my music really, and I felt as it was a perfect introduction.
“While I kiss the melody you taste the music of my garden..”
Do you have a favorite track on the album?
That’s a really hard question for me to answer cause all of the tracks on the album are my children. They came into this world for a reason. So I love them all. But I vibe to some more then others depending on what mind state I’m in.
There are two guest appearances on the album, by José Gonsalez and Nadasdi. How did you hook up with them and what do they add to the album?
A common thing every hiphop album has is the large number of guest appearances. Sometimes there are more tracks on the album with guest emcees then solo tracks. I don’t really feel that. My solo album means a lot to me, there are too many thoughts into the whole concept plus it is my debut solo album. So I was careful to not have too many names on it.
I could have had Looptroop or famous MC’s from the states on the album to attract more people to it, but that is not what’s important to me. For me the most vital part is to convey my thoughts in a way my heart can be satisfied. This is more then music for me, this is art and a big part of my life. My thoughts and the person I am reflects on my work. So for me an album is a big deal. I do music for my self. Not for fame or some other Bullshit like that.
Nadasdi is a emcee from my crew Out Of The Blue
( www.outofthebluecrew.com) He has been working with a lot of LA cats like Abstract Rude and Orko the psychotic Alien and many others from the LA scene. We have done tracks together for many years now. I really dig his style.. He has is own way of flipping it. He’s one of the illest out from Sweden, No Doubt.
So we did a classical joint with my Dj on the cuts.The joint is called “Pensativa” and it came out extremely phat, with a lot of wordplays and dope flows.
Jose Gonzales is another musician I really respect and admire. He’s a dope singer/songwriter with dope lyrics which matches his acoustic guitar skills.. First time I heard him on the radio I really got hooked. So I had to contact him He knew my music and liked my shit so we hooked up and vibed and it all ended up with him co/ producing “plucks music on its strings” together with Flyphonic and the beat came out truly beautiful. I love that joint!
Flyphonic produced the album. How would you describe the type of production?
Flyphonics sound is about as original as my own sound. That’s why we match so well together. They are inspired by the early Swedish jazz musicans. All Jazz for that matter and they really have there own way of putting those beats together. I have digged there work since 98, I love there shit. That’s why we linked up for this album. Its an hand in glove match!
What are the main subjects discussed on the album?
Well as I said earlier the whole albums is written in a form of a book. Every track is linked together, so there are a lot of fairytales on it I write with a poetic twist. I love words and I love telling stories in a beautiful way. And a lot of the tracks on the album are metaphors to other things I like to write in metaphors.
Like the song " The traveller " it’s about a raindrops journey. Telling the story of my life really. Same goes for Jasper Flute and The Royal Hunter, all fairytales.
What kind of resources did you rely on for your lyrical inspiration?
Well a lot of my inspiration comes from real life. Things I go threw and things I see around me. My life really inspires me. But on the other hand a dope emcee can inspire me also leaving me wanting to write an even doper verse then the one I just heard, hehe!
How’s the album doing so far in Sweden?
The album has been getting so much love from the critics, it’s overwhelming. The album received the highest ratings in reviews and the single got heavy rotation in Radio and TV. It reached number 3 spot on MTV europe’s Up North Chart. I didn’t expect it at all I knew I had a great album but I didn’t knew that people would appreciate the music. And this album has been getting love from crowds beyond the hiphop scene also. A lot of jazz people from an older generation has been giving me love and support. Real music lovers and that means a lot to me. I guess timeless music can’t be denied.
The album was released on your own label, Imperial Sounds. Compared to being signed to a major, what are the biggest advantages of running your own label?
I have been signed to labels for 5 years now I broke the contract 1 year before album my release I felt like I wanted to have all artistic freedom and I knew that no one would work for my music with so much passion as my self. I am in full control and I can do whatever I like to do I’m not letting my self get pimped by majors.
And the thing that makes me really proud is that I stuck to my artistic freedom and turned down major labels and released on my own label and built everything from the ground up.I’m not riding on someone else’s fame like other female emcees. This all is done by own hands I have build this shit from the ground up and no one can take that away from me.
Who have been signed to Imperial Sounds so far?
For the moment the main focus is on me I want to put all force and time into my own music. But I have big plans for the future and I always have a eyes open for new talents that’s a hobby I have had for year even before having my own label.
What more can we expect from Imperial Sounds in the future?
More beautiful music more innovating artists and producers but first and for most- more Imperial Sounds.
You have been part of the Swedish hip hop scene for over ten years. How would you describe the scene in your country and how it developed itself over the years?
The scene looks a lot different since I started out. It’s a whole other scene now It has really exploded. We have so many different styles now. When I started out there for a handful of emcees doing there thing and we all knew about each other. And there were like 1-3 groups rhyming in Swedish. Cause back then everybody was into English and even the English emcees weren’t that many. Today they are countless amounts of emcees . We even have different styles in Swedish rap and its fucking dope! I really love it. The scene is dope out here, I would lie if I would say anything else we have a lot of dope hungry emcees as well as the new generations of youngsters rhyming and recording at home just evolving. We even have hiphop schools now. People would have laughed at the idea 10 years ago. And me , I’m out in the country holding seminars about hiphop for younger people, that’s shows how much the culture has really blown it will be interesting to see the development in 5 years.
Musically, who are your influences?
Well not that much it’s basically its me and the beat I write to. It’s the beat that inspires me.
I love listening to music but I don’t want to get too much inspired, so in my most creative periods I don’t even listen to music. But I admire emcees like the whole Quanum project people, Living Legends etc..
What can people expect from a Peshi performance?
I always try to have different constellations on my shows. Sometimes only with a Dj, sometimes I have with a full live band sometimes I have Dj and 2 live instruments, sometimes I use both dj and live band I always like to keep it versatile. So you can never be prepared on what you will see but be sure that it will be a show that will stimulate you Senses I dont do headbanging-jumping down the stage- mosh pit- music. It’s music that makes love to your eardrums.
How did you end up as a support act for artists such as John Legend?
Well their management had heard about me and they wanted to me to be on the show, and of course I said yes. I had bumped the John Legend even before he blew. I really love his shit so it was a big deal for me. So I did a show with him on the release day of my album it couldn’t have been a more great release for me, hehe I’m very thankful it was a beautiful day.
So you opened for many artists and performed at big hip hop festivals. What’s your most memorable performance?
Hmm.. well there are many dope moments for me but I have to say Hulsfred 2004 sharing stage with the Rhymesayers crew. Brother Ali and Eyedea and those other cats I had a great time. And The John Legend Show was a also a big deal for me a very memorable day.
Live you are joined by either a live band or DJ Confuze. How did you hook up with him?
Me and Confuzed have known each other for many years now I don’t even remember how we started to work together it came real naturally. Confuze is one of swedens best turntablists and he’s a club promoter. He has the dopest hiphops clubs in Gotenburg city he’s a real active character in the scene, He knows what’s up and that’s why I deal with him.
Tell me more about your live band. How many musicians are there and which instruments do they play?
It’s a 7 people band. The name of the band is Jazzmind Collective and Gothenburg’s finest musicians are in this collective. They all live together, having studios and rehearsal rooms at home dope crowd of people.We got a Drums /Percussion /Keys /Sax/Base/ Guitar Plus a dope backup singer called Mimo she is e real singing Bird.
http://www.peshi.com check out some pics from shows.
You performed over here in June, at Hague Hiphop. How do you look back on your performance, are you content?
Yeah we are real content with the show. But its always hard being new face getting all the attention but we had a bunch a people really loving it so it was all worth while. And it isn’t the last time they will see me around either can’t wait to get back out there.
What kind of impression do you have of the Dutch hip hop culture?
Well I have heard a lot of Dutch acts and I must say the standard is really high. You got some nice things going on out there. I was glad to see the BBOY movement getting its share to I haven’t really checked into the graff scene yet , but dj scene is alive also. I really love C-Mon & Kypski’s work.
What more can we expect from Peshi in the future?
Well you will most definitely hear more from me. Hush Hush is out as we speak. My 2nd single. Jasper Flute REMIX will be out soon, the video is finished and will appear soon also keep an eye open. The remix is so heavy done by a dope producer called KIDS on DMT. Really different from the album but its heavy. Keep your self updated, read news and watch videos and photos.
The English version will be up soon.
Any last words to our visitors?
I truly appreciate the support and love I have been getting from the Dutch folks.
Keep supporting the independent movement..
Keep an eye open and ears acute for new sounds from Peshi & Impersial Sounds.
Keep the mind inspired and keep evolving..
Love & Blessings to you all
Meer info: http://www.peshi.com en http://www.myspace.com/peshi
