MIKAH 9
of Haiku D' Tat & Freestyle Fellowship
-INTERVIEW

by Skylar

A Poetic Overthrow....
 
Haiku D'Tat isn't your average name but Aceyalone, Mikah 9 and 
Abstrat Rude aren't your average musicians either. These guys go 
back to the day- maybe the one when the term freestyle was invented. 
They have been staying true to hip-hop since the 80's. Not selling 
out but respecting and builing upon their own unique style and 
individuality. Thier fans know this- more of them accross the seas 
than at home. But I had a chance to catch up with Mikah on one of 
his trips up to the bay area...

SKYLAR: So what's the deal with this name- you guys trying to play 
off the ninja thing? 

MIKAH 9: Nah, nah. Traditionally a Haiku is a 5-7-5 rhyme, related to 
nature. It gave you sence of the moment. Like feeling now in another 
place. D'tat is an overthrow. You know, like a coup d'tat. 

S: So you guys are taking on the mainstream? I mean what's up with all 
this mainstream commercialism anyway? Why do you think your stuff 
flys off the racks over seas and Puffy is blowin up here?

M: Well for one, there's just more information on Puffy, and people 
don't like to think about it too much they just want what's handed 
to them.

S: So do fault Puffy or the people who listen to him?

M: Neither. Hopefully Puffy can just be inspiration to kids out 
there... Either to do the shit better or to just get out there and 
get some for themselves period.

S: Speaking of Puffy- how do you feel about samples? Is it all right to 
take any sample? Is there such a thing as off-limits or overplayed? 
How do you approach it?

M: I don't think there is a line. If I think I could make it better or 
do something with it no one else would think of then why not? I try 
to look at where it's coming from and if it's the same idea as where 
I'm going then sure! You can see in my credits, if the sample is 
about a girl then my song is probably too. I try to look at all the 
elements and spiritual qualities and then re-vamp it for today. The 
better muscians know thier resources the better artists they are. 
Samples are just resources.

S: So you've been down with Freestyle Fellowship since the back in the 
days of Leinhart Park, for all those who don't know what was it like?

M: Well, it was just a breeding ground for creativity. We were all into 
contribution, calculation and convolution. Back in the 80's when I 
used to skate and bike we came up with the term freestyle. It was 
just a means of coming up with lots of material. The one who won the 
battles was the one with the most material. We had a really large 
fan base back then and they were apart of the spontaneous 
inspiration. 

S: So what was your inspiration, when did you know you wanted to do 
more than rhyme- you wanted to make records?

M: Definetly Sugar Hill Gang and King Tim III influenced my early 
rappping but when LL's first album came out I knew I had to make wax.

S: So if you could work with any female MC's out there right now- who 
would it be?

M: I've done some shit with Medusa, but I'd really like to work with 
her again. Also Figures of Speech (out of LA) and maybe Lauryn Hill. 

S: If you could work with any producer who would it be?

M: The one I have now, Fat Jack. No question about it. He knows what's 
up!

S: And for all your worldwide fans, where would you like to perform the 
most?

M: In the place where it all began- Egypt, Nubia.

S: Any words of wisdom?

M: The meaning of life is love, God is love, it is all love. 

This article originally appeared on Bass Booty Call. Re-printed 
by permission from Bass Booty Call - http://www.bassbootycall.com