Necro – Necro, Vocals/Producer/Label Head

Legendary underground rapper/producer/label owner, Necro was kind enough to answer some of our questions regarding his love of heavy metal, what it was like to collaborate with some of the best artists in the scene, and much more. The interview was conducted by E-mail and the answers are as they were given to us, caps and all. We hope you enjoy this look into the mind of one of the most demented people in both hip hop and metal.

Most of our readers are probably unfamiliar with your music, and most of them probably don’t like all the materialistic mainstream bullshit that’s passed off has “hip hop” nowadays, which I’m sure is something you’d agree with. So what is it that sets you, and the rest of Psycho+Logical Records, apart from all the garbage that plagues the airwaves?

IM DEATH RAP, IM PORN RAP, IM THE MOST EXTREME HIP HOP ON THE PLANET, NOBODY DOES WHAT I DO, NOBODY, MANY MIGHT TRY OR WANNA BE, BUT IM THE REAL SHIT, A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THEIR STYLE GOOD, BUT NOBODY DOES WHAT I DO LIKE I DO, BEAT WISE OR LYRICALLY WE ARE THE SICKEST WETHER VIOLENT SHIT, PORNOGRAPHIC SHIT, ILLUMINATI SHIT, WHATEVER, EVEN THUG SHIT WE DROP OUR OWN EXPERIENCES, AND WHEN IT COMES TO METAL/HIP HOP NOBODY DOES IT CORRECT EXCEPT ME, SO ON THAT NOTE, BOW DOWN AND PRAISE SATAN

You’re obviously best known as a producer and rapper, but you got your start in music when you were younger playing in metal bands in New York City, even opening for bands like Obituary and Napalm Death. What made you give that up, and is it something you miss?

WELL, AT THE TIME I WAS LIKE 12/13 WHEN I SWITCHED OVER TO HIP HOP, I HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE METAL SCENE TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS SENDING DEMOS PERSONALLY TO PLACES LIKE ROADRUNNER RECORDS, ME AND BILL WERE THE ONES THAT WOULD SEND SHIT OUT TO MAGS, AND I REMEMBER WE WOULD GET LETTERS BACK FROM LABELS LIKE ROADRUNNER SAYING THEY WERENT INTERESTED IN OUR SHIT, NOW KEEP IN MIND WE WERE YOUNG, SO I DIDNT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS TENACITY THEN AND PERSISTENCE OVERCOMES RESISTANCE, SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY WE GAVE UP TOO FAST, WE HAD RECEIVED DEMO REVIEWS IN PLACES LIKE METAL FORCES MAGAZINE, ONLY REAL OLD SCHOOL METALHEADS WOULD EVEN KNOW THAT MAG, BUT WE GO BACK THAT FAR, WE GREW UP IN THE PROJECTS AND WERE HEAVILY INTO HIP HOP AS WELL, AND BACK THEN THEIR WASNT A LOT OF WHITE KIDS RHYMING, IT WAS VERY RARE, SO WE WERE INTO IT, AND WITH OUR GROUP, THEIR WAS ALWAYS TENSION BETWEEN BAND MEMBERS AND I THINK THE PEOPLE IN THE GROUP WANTED TO GO SEPARATE WAYS, I LOOK BACK NOW AND MY WHOLE OUTLOOK ON RIFFS AND SONGS AND RECORDING ARE SO DIFFERENT, IM 29, THEN I WAS 11/12/13 YEARS OLD, I WAS A FUCKING CHILD INVOLVED IN SHIT SO I COULDNT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH IT AS FAR AS THE BUSINESS SIDE, I WAS JUST AWESOME AT COMING UP WITH TECHNICAL RIFFS AND COULD PLAY GUITAR GREAT, THAT WAS MY SHIT, COMING UP WITH COMPLEX BRUTAL DEATH RIFFS, WHICH WOULD LATER INFLUENCE MY RAP STYLE, SO I HAD THE MUSICAL TALENT AT A YOUNG AGE, I PRACTICED GUITAR NIGHT AND DAY, FROM METAL TO CLASSICAL SHIT WITH MY FINGERS
SOMEHOW WE JUST MOVED ON TO HIP HOP, WE FELT IN THE HIP HOP WORLD THERE WAS NOTHING LIKE US AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE IDEA OF MAKING HIP HOP BEATS, AND I FELT I COULD MAKE BEATS THAT WERE DIFFERENT THAN ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE MY FIRST HIP HOP BEATS HAD METAL BASELINES IN THEM, SO I WAS APPROACHING THE LYRICS AND RHYMES FROM A METAL PERSPECTIVE, AND SO WE JUST JUMPED INTO HIP HOP FULL FLEDGE, ONLY UNTIL 2004 HAD I TRULY BROUGHT BACK THE METAL ESSENCE INTO MY LIFE BY INCLUDING GUITARS ON TRACKS AND WORKING WITH METAL LEGENDS

I WAS ALWAYS LISTENING TO METAL THROUGH OUT MY HIP HOP YEARS AND I WAS SO MUCH OF A METALHEAD FROM A YOUTH THAT MY HIP HOP ALWAYS TOOK METAL WITH ME

WHEN YOU ARE INTO METAL LIKE ME AND BILL WERE ITS LIKE WE WERE BLACK BELTS IN METAL, WE KNEW EVERYTHING, I WAS LISTENING TO MASTER OF PUPPETS IN 1986, REIGN IN BLOOD IN 86, PEACE SELLS IN 86, I HAD SEPULTURA SKITZOPHRENIA WHEN NOBODY HAD IT, WE TRADED IT WITH SOMEONE FROM BRAZIL THROUGH METAL MAG TRADE ADS, SO WE NEVER LOST AN OUNCE OF OUR METAL EDGE, AND WE TOOK IT INTO HIP HOP WITH A BANG, I CAME UP WITH THE NAME NECRO FROM A SLAYER SONG, ITS JUST ONLY UNTIL RECENTLY HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO FUSE SHIT CORRECTLY, IT WASNT MEANT TO BE BEFORE BECAUSE I WASNT READY, I HAVE MASTERED HIP HOP AND I HAVE MASTERED METAL SO BOTH WERE READY TO BE FUSED, I COULD TALK ABOUT THIS FOREVER SO LETS MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION

What was it like for you to go from being a young kid listening to Obituary in your room, to opening for them, to now having the opportunity to actually collaborate with Trevor Peres and John Tardy?

IT WAS SICK, IT WAS AN HONOR, I SHOWED TREVOR AND JOHN THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE, WHEN I FIRST SPOKE WITH TREVOR ON THE PHONE I PLAYED STINKUPUSS FOR HIM ON THE PHONE ON BASS, SO HE KNEW I WASNT SOME JERK OFF THAT DIDNT KNOW THEIR SHIT, WHEN I WAS A KID, SLOWLY WE ROT SHREADED ME, WE USED TO LISTEN TO THAT SHIT ON HASH, IT USED TO BE LIKE THERAPY, THE BRUTALNESS, WHEN I KNEW I WAS OPENING FOR SEPULTURA AND OBITUARY AT LAMOURS THAT WAS SICK, A CRAZY FUCKING RUSH, IT WAS SO LONG AGO I CANT EVEN REMEMBER, PROBABLY NERVOUS AS FUCK, WHEN I MET TREVOR AT A SHOW WE DID WITH OBITUARY AT A SHOW IN JERSEY I ASKED HIM TO WEAR MY INJUSTICE SHIRT, TREVOR HAD THESE EVIL EYES, HE WAS SICK LOOKING, I DIDNT GIVE A FUCK, I APPROACHED HIM, MUST HAVE BEEN 12, AND HE SAID YEAH AND ROCKED THE SHIRT ON STAGE, HE SHOWED LOVE, SO I NEVER FORGOT THAT AND TOLD HIM ABOUT IT WHEN I FINALLY HOOKED UP WITH HIM IN 2004, I CAN NEVER FRONT ON THOSE DUDES, THEY SHOWED ME LOVE BACK AS A KID AND NOW AS AN ADULT, OBITUARY ARE AWESOME, AND BESIDES LOVING TREVOR, JOHN TARDY IS MY FAVORITE DEATH METAL VOCALIST EVER, AND I LOVE DEATH, SEPULTURA AND A BUNCH OF OTHER GROUPS, BUT JOHN IS THE MOST ORIGINAL WITH WHAT HE DOES WITH HIS AD LIBS AND ECHOS AND SHIT

What was the most memorable show you played when you were younger?

HMM, PLAYING THIS S&M CLUB CALLED ZONE DK WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WAS STRANGE, I WAS IN A WHOLE NEW WORLD, IT WAS A SICK EXPERIENCE, THEY WERE PLAYING BLOOD SUCKING FREAKS ON A MOVIE SCREEN, THE STAGE WAS HIGH, IT WAS NUTS, I THINK BACK AND IT WAS LIKE I WAS A LITTLE KID IN A WORLD OF GROWN UPS CUZ I WAS THE YOUNGEST, I USED TO THINK I MUST BE THE YOUNGEST MOTHERFUCKER IN A METAL BAND ON THE PLANET, VERY SURREAL BEING ON STAGE THAT YOUNG AND PLAYING DEATH METAL, VERY REWARDING AND I GUESS ITS PART OF ME, I WOULDNT BE WHO I AM TODAY WITHOUT THAT SCHOOL, THAT PRESSURE, AN 11 YEAR OLD WITH A YELLOW BC RICH WARLOCK GETTING MY SOUND WITH MARSHALL STACKS, ITS LIKE I HAVE LIVED 2 LIVES, A METAL LIFE AND A HIP HOP LIFE

How did you end up hooking up with Alex Skolnick, Igor Cavelra, Matt Harvery, etc. for the Circle of Tyrants CD?

ALEX SKOLNICK I FOUND ONLINE I THINK AND SENT HIM AN EMAIL, HE LIVES IN NEW YORK AND HE IS A JEW LIKE ME, SO THAT ONE WAS EASY, I TOLD HIM HOW I LOVE TESTAMENT AND THAT HIS ARPEGGIOS ON TRIAL BY FIRE ARE GODLY(DIME BAG DARREL SAID HE ONCE WALKED UP TO ALEX AND SAID HEY LOOK IS THIS PART FROM TRIAL BY FIRE CORRECT) SO ALEX KNEW I WASNT SOME CLOWN, I KNEW HIS HISTORY, SO THAT WAS SET, IGOR WAS DIFFERENT, HE SENT ME A MESSAGE ON MYSPACE, THAT BLEW ME AWAY, HE SAID HE WANTED TO BE DOWN WITH MY MOVEMENT, NOW I LOVE SEPULTURA AND IGOR TO ME IS ON THE LEVEL OF DAVE LOMBARDO AND LARS ULRICH, I PUT HIM UP THERE WITH THE BEST DRUMMERS EVER IN METAL, SO I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR FROM HIM CUZ IM STILL A FAN OF THESE GUYS, I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRANK, CUZ I THOUGHT SHIT IT ONLY GETS BETTER, NEXT YOU KNOW JAMES HETFIELD WILL BE EMAILING ME, IGOR SAID HE WAS FOR REAL AND TOLD ME TO CALL HIM IN BRAZIL, I DID AND IT WAS HIM, I TESTED HIM ON SHIT TO MAKE SURE HE WASNT LYING, AND HE REMEMBERED WHEN WE OPENED FOR THEM AT LAMOURS, THE SLAYER OBITUARY AND I THINK SADUS TOUR IN LIKE 91, SO IT WAS AWESOME, IM TELLING IGOR IT WAS AN HONOR TO SPEAK TO HIM AND HE IS TELLING ME ITS AN HONOR TO SPEAK TO ME, HE WAS A FAN LIKE THAT, SO I WAS HAPPY LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER, I LOOK UP TO THESE GUYS LIKE I RESPECT RAKIM, I ASKED IGOR HOW HE GOT UP ON MY SHIT, HE SAID HE WAS IN EUROPE IN A RECORD STORE AND SAW THE COVER TO THE PREFIX FOR DEATH, THE ARTWORK BY EDWARD J REPKA CAUGHT HIM CUZ IT LOOKED LIKE OLD DEATH COVERS AND MEGADETH, HE LOOKED AT THE SONGS AND SAID HE NOTICED ALL HIS FRIENDS WERE ON IT SO HE BOUGHT IT AND THE REST IS HISTORY, THINK ABOUT IT, WHAT I DID ON PREFIX BROUGHT IGOR TO WORK WITH ME, I CANT WAIT TO SEE WHO WILL CONTACT ME FROM ME WORKING WITH IGOR, EVERY MOVE I MAKE BRINGS FORTH THE NEXT, I SEE THE PATTERN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, SO AS MUCH AS I HATE MY STRUGGLE IT WILL ALL LEAD TO ONE GREAT COMPLETION OF WORKS OF MUSIC, AS FOR MATT HARVEY, IF IM CORRECT A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND SUPPORTER OF MY LABEL, SLEAZY ROY, OWNER OF NECROHARMONIC.COM HOOKED ME UP WITH MATT AND MATT WAS DOWN AND WE JUST MADE IT HAPPEN, SLEAZY ROY WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR CONNECTING ME WITH DAN LILKER WHO WAS ALSO A COOL MOTHERFUCKER AND SAW THE VISION

What are some of your all time favorite metal albums?

MASTER OF PUPPETS IS THE BEST ALBUM EVER!!!!!!!!!
IN MY OPINION, I DON’T THINK ITS DEBATABLE, AFTER THAT I WILL HAVE TO SAY REIGN IN BLOOD, PEACE SELLS, SEPULTURA BENEATH THE REMAINS KILLS ME EVERY TIME, SLOWLY WE ROT, I LOVE KILL EM ALL AND RIDE THE LIGHTENING, SKITZOPHRENIA, A LOT OF ALBUMS, DEATH LEPROSY IS MONUMENTAL, FIRST 2 PESTILENCE ALBUMS, POSSESSED BEYOND THE GATES, ALL EARLY SLAYER OF COURSE, IM AN OLD SCHOOL HEAD, I DON’T THINK ANYTHING THAT DROPPED AFTER THESE CLASSICS CAN COMPETE WITH THEM, BLACK SABBATH, FIRST ALBUM IS THE MECCA, AND MANY OTHERS THAT FOLLOWED, I GOT LOVE FOR CARCASS, NAPALM DEATH, KREATOR, DESTRUCTION, THE LIST IS LONG, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, VOIVOD DIMENSION HATROSS IS A HUGE INFLUENCE OF MINE, KILLING TECHNOLOGY, TOO MUCH SHIT TO MENTION, BUT FAVORITE ALBUM OF ALL TIME GOES TO METALLICA MASTER OF PUPPETS, AND LATELY ILL SAY BENEATH THE REMAINS SECOND, AND ILL SAY SLOWLY WE ROT IN 3RD PLACE, I DON’T THINK ANY ALBUM HAS HAD THE IMPACT ON METAL LIKE MASTER OF PUPPETS UNLESS ITS SOMETHING FROM SABBATH, SLAYER OR MEGADETH

Why do you think you’re able to so successfully combine metal and rap, where most everyone else who attempts to do so fails miserably?

WELL FOR ONE, IF YOU READ MY ANSWERS TO THE FIRST FEW QUESTIONS OF THIS INTERVIEW YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY I AM DIFFERENT, MOST OF THESE DUDES NEVER LIVED METAL LIKE I DO, I LIVED AND BREATHED IT IN WAYS OTHERS HAVENT, AND THE SAME GOES FOR MY LOVE FOR HIP HOP, I LIVE IT 24/7, MY EXPERIENCES IN HIP HOP ARE JUST AS SURREAL, DOING THE DMC BATTLE IN 94 AND WALKING OUT ON STAGE WITH A CHARLES MANSON SHIRT AFTER BEING TOLD NOT TO BY PMD FROM EPMD, BUT I FELT I HAD TO MAKE A STATEMENT, THESE DUDES JUST CANT DO IT, THEY NOT BUILT FROM THE SAME CLOTH, IM NEXT LEVEL

What other musicians would you like to work with?

ANYONE FROM METALLICA AS FAR AS THE ORIGINAL FIRST 3 MEMBERS, TOM ARAYA, OZZY, TONY IOMMI, A LOT OF CATS, BUT THOSE COME TO MIND FIRST, ANYBODY IN METAL REALLY, KING DIAMOND, I WANT TO DO A TRACK WITH HIM ON THE HOOK, GENE SIMMONS WOULD BE NUTS, JUST TO DO ANYTHING WITH GENE WOULD BE GODLY

Since you have the unique perspective of both an artist and a label owner, what’s your opinion on how illegal file sharing effects the underground music scene?

I THINK IT HURTS ME, I GOT MORE FEMALE GROUPIES THAN EVER SO IT HELPS MY SEX LIFE BUT IT HURTS ME FINANCIALLY, SO I DON’T KNOW, IT’S A DOUBLE EDGE SWORD AND I WOULD LOVE TO QUANTIFY THE NUMBERS, IF I HAD THE NUMBERS TO QUANTIFY IT THEN I COULD REALLY SEE THE EFFECT AND TELL YOU HOW I FEEL, RIGHT NOW IT’S A 50/50 REACTION

What is more fun for you, the death rap stuff or the more porn oriented shit, like The Sexorcist?

THE SEXORCIST MIGHT BE FUN IF I DO SOMETHING THAT IS HUMOROUS, DEATH RAP ISNT FUN IN PARTICULAR, ON ANY DAY RECORDING CAN BE FUN NO MATTER WHAT I RAP ABOUT, AND ON ANY DAY IT COULD BE GRUELING, ANYTHING WHERE IM SHITTING ON SOMEONE IS THE MOST FUN, LIKE THE BILLY JEAN 2005 TRACK I MADE FOR STREET VILLAINS 2, THATS FUNNY, I NEED DRUGS VIDEO WAS FUNNY, DEATH RAP, WHEN I SPIT SOMETHING SUPER BRUTAL AND IT COMES OFF, THAT LEAVES ME IN AWE OF MYSELF, WHEN I SEE SOMEONE LIKE HYDE OR BILL SHREADED BY SOMETHING I JUST DROPPED AND THEY R SILENT IN AWE, THAT GETS ME, BUT NOT IN A FUN WAY, FUN IS WHEN ME AND HYDE HAVE KID JOE IN THE STUDIO AND WE ARE MAKING HIM DISS HIS WIFE AND KIDS, THATS FUN, GETTING ONE OF MY WHORES TO SAY THEY TAKES BATS IN THEIR ASS IN THE VOCAL BOOTH IS FUN

You’re obviously busy being a producer, rapper, and operating a label, but are there any plans for a US tour anytime soon?

YES IN 2006 I WANNA DO 200 SHOWS, IM PLANNING THAT NOW BEHIND THE SCENES

Is it true that you were banned from the Knitting Factory in NYC?

YES I WAS, BECAUSE BACKSTAGE, MY BROTHER GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH A KID I INVITED AND I GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH A KID HE INVITED, SOMEONE WAS WIELDING A KNIFE AND HYDE THREW A DEAD CHICKEN OUT INTO THE CROWD SO WE GOT BANNED, I ALSO GOT BANNED FROM WETLANDS BECAUSE ONE OF MY BOYS PULLED A RAZOR OUT ON SOMEONE AND THREW A MIC STAND AT A BOUNCER, AND BECAUSE MY PORN LYRICS WERE SO DEGRADING THE FEMALE BARTENDERS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT ME

Would you ever considering doing a tour with like Obituary or Exhumed or another band you’ve collaborated with?

I WOULD IF THE OFFER CAME IN, I ASKED JAMEY FROM HATEBREED IF I COULD OPEN FOR HATEBREED AND EVEN OFFERED TO PAY BUT THINGS DIDNT HAPPEN, SO I HAVE REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE ABOUT MAKING IT HAPPEN BUT ITS NOT IN MY HANDS, I NEED SOMEONE TO BE DOWN AND DO THE RIGHT THING, EVERY BAND HAD SOMEONE LOOK OUT FOR THEM AT ONE POINT, AND THATS WHAT WE NEED, SOMEONE TO FUCKING LOOK OUT, IF NOT I WILL JUST DO NECRO TOURS AND HEADLINE IN FRONT OF FANS, I FIGURED HATEBREED WOULD BE A GOOD MATCH OUT OF ANYONE IN METAL, I WOULD LOVE TO OPEN FOR AN OBITUARY BUT WE NEVER KICKED IT ABOUT THAT, IM THINKING FOR ANY METAL TYPE SHOW I WOULD NEED TO DO ALL THE METAL/HIP HOP REMIXES, RIGHT NOW I GOT ABOUT 8 THAT COULD BE DONE LIVE, SO METAL SHOWS CAN BE DONE AND IT WOULDNT BE LIKE THE WHOLE SHOW WOULD BE HIP HOP, KIDS WOULD HEAR GUITARS, SO DON’T SLEEP IT WILL HAPPEN SOON ENOUGH, ME AND IGOR WERE TALKING ABOUT NECRO AND NON-PHIXION OPENING FOR SEPULTURA IN BRAZIL, WE’LL SEE IF THAT HAPPENS

What’s it like for you to have your brother be a successful rapper too? Obviously you work together, but is there ever any friendly competition to see who can do better…and do you ever just want to beat the shit out of a critic for blasting one of his releases?

WE HAVE A LOT OF COMP, I DON’T GOT A PROBLEM WITH HIM BEING A RAPPER, I HELP HIM A LOT, I DROPPED HIS DEBUT ON MY LABEL, I PRODUCED 50 PERCENT OF THE BEATS HE HAS RAPPED ON IN HIS CAREER AS FAR AS 12″S OR ALBUMS SO I SUPPORT HIM, BUT WE THINK TOTALLY DIFFERENT, HE HAS HIS VIEWS AND I GOT MINE, I THINK JUST RECENTLY I HAVE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO NOT ARGUE WITH HIM ANYMORE LIKE MOST BROTHERS DO, WE JUST NEED SPACE, BUT IF ANYONE FUCKS WITH BILL THEY WILL GET MURDERED BY ME PERSONALLY, AND THAT GOES FOR BILL TOO IF ANYONE FUCKS WITH ME, SO WE GOT BROTHERLY LOVE, BUT WHEN YOU ARE AS DOPE AS HE IS AND AS DOPE AS I AM, EGOS CLASH

What’s going on with the Secret Society and Blood Brothers CDs, and what else do you have planned for 2006?

IM NOT SWEATING DROPPING THOSE CDS, I GOT OTHER PLANS, SECRET SOCIETY MIGHT DROP, BUT I GOT OTHER OPTIONS, BUT IM STILL WORKING ON SHIT, FOR ALL THE NEW CATS READING THIS, YOU HAVE A SHITLOAD OF MUSIC YOU NEED TO BUY, SO GO TO MY SITE AND BUY EVERYTHING WWW.NECROHIPHOP.COM

SPEND ALL THE MONEY YOU HAVE IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AT MY SITE, YOULL FEEL BETTER ABOUT YA SELF WHEN YA DONE, AND YOU WILL BE FEEDING THE POOR, CUZ I DONATE A $1 TO THE HOMELESS EACH DAY, AFTER WIPING MY ASS WITH THE BILL OF COURSE, DO THE RIGHT THING AND BUY NECRO PRODUCT DAILY, YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT, I LOVE YOU
DIE!!!!!

(+42 rating, 11 votes)

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