FURYUS: Standing Alone
From San Diego To ManchVegas. . .
Element (E): So tell me a little bit about yourself.
FURYUS (F): I came out by way of SanDiego, CA, but I like to say I'm
from the United States. I was in the military for a little bit, been
traveling, but uh, my stomping grounds as far as hip hop is SanDiego.
That's where I started rapping and formed my label, Stand Alone Muzik.
E: So what are you doing out here on the East Coast?
F: Basically I was just feelin' the vibe out here. Just doin' my thing.
I came out here summer 2004, flew out here to open for Mr. Lif, and liked
what I saw, so I was like 'yo this the spot I gotta be at'you know? Alot
of people were listenin' to my music so I decided to come out here, do my thing.
E: How long have you been rapping?
F: I've been rappin' for a while, I'd say about '93 but I didn't get really serious into
it, until about 1999. When I was in the military I met this cat Mario Johnson, the founder
of The Bomb Entertainment, and he asked me to join his label. So in '99 I really got serious
about it. Through him I learned the production side of the house, and that's when I really
started doin' it. But I didn't fully get into it, do my own thing, go indy. That was in 2003.
E: So you been livin' in Manchester for a while?
F: Actually I been here for a year and some change.
E: And you're movin' on again?
F: Actually I'm movin' on to Yutaca, NY. I'm about to have a family and what not, and my girl,
her family lives out in Yutaca, so we found a nice little 3-bedroom crib, and we movin' out that
way, but we gonna' still keep it movin' on, I know everybody out here connects, so we still
gonna' do our thing.
E: What's do you think about the way hip hop is now? Not commercial, but independent hip hop.
F: Independent hip hop is definitely poppin' man. Alot of people embrace it. That's one thing
I like about New England. Underground artists get treated like mainstream artists, which is a
beautiful thing. Alot of people support, alot of people right now, thanks to the internet it's
worldwide. It's really bubblin' right now, which is a good thing.
E: If you could collaborate with anybody out there right now, who would it be?
F: Most definitely Common. Well actually, it'd be a tie between Common and Talib Kweli.
E: So you said your girl's about to have a baby?
F: Yea, in about three months I'm about to be a daddy. That definitely changed alot of things.
I know when I first started, I was all about doin' this 24/7. When I was in SanDiego, on my
Saturdays and Sundays I'd be out hustlin' CDs, bookin' shows, goin' to Oakland. But now I gotta
slow down, so it definitely changed my way of thinking.
E: What does your girl think of you always working on music?
F: She loves it, man. That's how I met her. She copped one of my CDs and we started talkin, the
vibe was good. She loves underground hip hop. Mainstream, she's ehh, but she loves the
underground scene.
E: You excited?
F: Oh yeah, I'm definitely happy man. It's crazy, after livin' a while for yourself it's just
amazing and then creatin' something. .I used to be a bachelor for life but my whole
perspective has changed.
E: If you could give one message to your fans, what would it be?
F: Definitely support the underground movement, and just be real. I mean, one thing I do stress,
'cause I'm a do-it-yourself type of guy, you got a idea, make it happen. Don't depend on nobody to do
something for you. You gotta' do it yourself.
E: So you said you've done two CDs right?
F: Yeah, one EP and then there's the full one. The EP, "Standing Alone", was basically just to
test the market to see what was good out there. I was just learning how to produce and engineer,
but I wanted to put somethin' out so I dropped [the EP] just to see what they were feelin'
and based on the input, I decided I'm-a put out a full album. The second joint "Still Standing"
is just an expansion of that, pretty much an autobiographical CD of an underground artist.
E: And you said you started Stand Alone Muzik?
F: Yeah.
E: And you said it's been running for two years?
F: About three, since 2003. since I dropped "Standing Alone"
E: What's it like working for yourself?
F: It's fun. I like to take an idea and just make it happen. It's definitely alot of work. One
thing about music and the industry is that you constantly gotta' learn. It's constantly another
thing I encourage. Especially MCs, to learn, hit them books. Back in the day when I first
started, I was like 'yeah I wanna get signed' but if you do it indy you can do it your way.
E: So what's a typical day like for you?
F: I get up, I go to work. Real hip hop artists know what I mean. You gotta' work to support
that. While I'm at work I'm actually doin' research for my label. Hittin' up Myspace, hittin'
up underground hip hop sites, I'll come home and produce a track or link up. I still keep in touch
with my cats out in California. My boy Gary Devon, he's the cat that produced track 14 on my album.
He's actually trying out some stuff with Too $hort and Dead Prez. Bein' a artist you gotta' think
outside the box, then after that, I try to spend time with the lady. Know what I mean?
E: What's your opinion on MP3 downloading?
F: If they download it legally and the artist gets paid, then it's cool. Even with technology
though people find a loophole through everything, which is not cool. Like myself, I put out my
music and what I get is what I get. But if you put your heart and soul in somethin' and for
somebody to just take it, that is not cool.
E: Would you rather stay Indie or go to a mainstream label?
F: Honestly, from my research, I'd much rather work with an independent label. With indepenent
labels you can do your own thing. On a major label the artist is the last person to get paid. I mean,
how can someone as successful as TLC back in the day file for bankruptcy when they sellin 14-million?
Somebody gettin' paid off that. For me, if I sell 140,000 that's a good day. Independent all the
way.
E: So if you had the chance would you sign to a major label?
F: I would sign, then what I'd try to do is branch. For example, 50 got signed then he branched
off with G-Unit. . .I would definitely like to have an ideal situation like that. It's funny
how once most artists get established and times change, they gotta' make that sale so they change
that image. One minute you deep in the underground, the next minute you talkin' about bein' in the
club.
E: Kinda' like. .I hate to drop this bombshell. .but like Mobb Deep?
F: Yeah, then the next minute you tryin' to come back to your hardcore fans, and fans aren't stupid.
You lost your fans right then and there. I don't wanna' be a puppet.
E: So with independent hip hop you have more leeway? More freedom of speech?
F: Yeah you have more leeway, and another thing is, for instance, when I put out my EP I didn't
expect somebody to fly out to San Diego and have me come out here and have me open for Mr Lif.
Anything unexpected is cool. The best shit is [an artist's] first shit, when they starvin'. That's w
when you get the best shit. Once they get that food on their plate. . .
E: Do you think independent hip hop artists are more connected with their people, with their fanbase?
F: Definitely. When you a real independent artist somebody send you a e-mail you hit them back, not
your manager. You in the club talkin' to everybody. The fans made you. When you hungry, somebody
buys your cd and you appreciate it more. You hustlin' and sellin' you more connected. You meetin'
your fans. It's a closer relationship.
FURYUS (F): I came out by way of SanDiego, CA, but I like to say I'm
from the United States. I was in the military for a little bit, been
traveling, but uh, my stomping grounds as far as hip hop is SanDiego.
That's where I started rapping and formed my label, Stand Alone Muzik.
E: So what are you doing out here on the East Coast?
F: Basically I was just feelin' the vibe out here. Just doin' my thing.
I came out here summer 2004, flew out here to open for Mr. Lif, and liked
what I saw, so I was like 'yo this the spot I gotta be at'you know? Alot
of people were listenin' to my music so I decided to come out here, do my thing.
E: How long have you been rapping?
F: I've been rappin' for a while, I'd say about '93 but I didn't get really serious into
it, until about 1999. When I was in the military I met this cat Mario Johnson, the founder
of The Bomb Entertainment, and he asked me to join his label. So in '99 I really got serious
about it. Through him I learned the production side of the house, and that's when I really
started doin' it. But I didn't fully get into it, do my own thing, go indy. That was in 2003.
E: So you been livin' in Manchester for a while?
F: Actually I been here for a year and some change.
E: And you're movin' on again?
F: Actually I'm movin' on to Yutaca, NY. I'm about to have a family and what not, and my girl,
her family lives out in Yutaca, so we found a nice little 3-bedroom crib, and we movin' out that
way, but we gonna' still keep it movin' on, I know everybody out here connects, so we still
gonna' do our thing.
E: What's do you think about the way hip hop is now? Not commercial, but independent hip hop.
F: Independent hip hop is definitely poppin' man. Alot of people embrace it. That's one thing
I like about New England. Underground artists get treated like mainstream artists, which is a
beautiful thing. Alot of people support, alot of people right now, thanks to the internet it's
worldwide. It's really bubblin' right now, which is a good thing.
E: If you could collaborate with anybody out there right now, who would it be?
F: Most definitely Common. Well actually, it'd be a tie between Common and Talib Kweli.
E: So you said your girl's about to have a baby?
F: Yea, in about three months I'm about to be a daddy. That definitely changed alot of things.
I know when I first started, I was all about doin' this 24/7. When I was in SanDiego, on my
Saturdays and Sundays I'd be out hustlin' CDs, bookin' shows, goin' to Oakland. But now I gotta
slow down, so it definitely changed my way of thinking.
E: What does your girl think of you always working on music?
F: She loves it, man. That's how I met her. She copped one of my CDs and we started talkin, the
vibe was good. She loves underground hip hop. Mainstream, she's ehh, but she loves the
underground scene.
E: You excited?
F: Oh yeah, I'm definitely happy man. It's crazy, after livin' a while for yourself it's just
amazing and then creatin' something. .I used to be a bachelor for life but my whole
perspective has changed.
E: If you could give one message to your fans, what would it be?
F: Definitely support the underground movement, and just be real. I mean, one thing I do stress,
'cause I'm a do-it-yourself type of guy, you got a idea, make it happen. Don't depend on nobody to do
something for you. You gotta' do it yourself.
E: So you said you've done two CDs right?
F: Yeah, one EP and then there's the full one. The EP, "Standing Alone", was basically just to
test the market to see what was good out there. I was just learning how to produce and engineer,
but I wanted to put somethin' out so I dropped [the EP] just to see what they were feelin'
and based on the input, I decided I'm-a put out a full album. The second joint "Still Standing"
is just an expansion of that, pretty much an autobiographical CD of an underground artist.
E: And you said you started Stand Alone Muzik?
F: Yeah.
E: And you said it's been running for two years?
F: About three, since 2003. since I dropped "Standing Alone"
E: What's it like working for yourself?
F: It's fun. I like to take an idea and just make it happen. It's definitely alot of work. One
thing about music and the industry is that you constantly gotta' learn. It's constantly another
thing I encourage. Especially MCs, to learn, hit them books. Back in the day when I first
started, I was like 'yeah I wanna get signed' but if you do it indy you can do it your way.
E: So what's a typical day like for you?
F: I get up, I go to work. Real hip hop artists know what I mean. You gotta' work to support
that. While I'm at work I'm actually doin' research for my label. Hittin' up Myspace, hittin'
up underground hip hop sites, I'll come home and produce a track or link up. I still keep in touch
with my cats out in California. My boy Gary Devon, he's the cat that produced track 14 on my album.
He's actually trying out some stuff with Too $hort and Dead Prez. Bein' a artist you gotta' think
outside the box, then after that, I try to spend time with the lady. Know what I mean?
E: What's your opinion on MP3 downloading?
F: If they download it legally and the artist gets paid, then it's cool. Even with technology
though people find a loophole through everything, which is not cool. Like myself, I put out my
music and what I get is what I get. But if you put your heart and soul in somethin' and for
somebody to just take it, that is not cool.
E: Would you rather stay Indie or go to a mainstream label?
F: Honestly, from my research, I'd much rather work with an independent label. With indepenent
labels you can do your own thing. On a major label the artist is the last person to get paid. I mean,
how can someone as successful as TLC back in the day file for bankruptcy when they sellin 14-million?
Somebody gettin' paid off that. For me, if I sell 140,000 that's a good day. Independent all the
way.
E: So if you had the chance would you sign to a major label?
F: I would sign, then what I'd try to do is branch. For example, 50 got signed then he branched
off with G-Unit. . .I would definitely like to have an ideal situation like that. It's funny
how once most artists get established and times change, they gotta' make that sale so they change
that image. One minute you deep in the underground, the next minute you talkin' about bein' in the
club.
E: Kinda' like. .I hate to drop this bombshell. .but like Mobb Deep?
F: Yeah, then the next minute you tryin' to come back to your hardcore fans, and fans aren't stupid.
You lost your fans right then and there. I don't wanna' be a puppet.
E: So with independent hip hop you have more leeway? More freedom of speech?
F: Yeah you have more leeway, and another thing is, for instance, when I put out my EP I didn't
expect somebody to fly out to San Diego and have me come out here and have me open for Mr Lif.
Anything unexpected is cool. The best shit is [an artist's] first shit, when they starvin'. That's w
when you get the best shit. Once they get that food on their plate. . .
E: Do you think independent hip hop artists are more connected with their people, with their fanbase?
F: Definitely. When you a real independent artist somebody send you a e-mail you hit them back, not
your manager. You in the club talkin' to everybody. The fans made you. When you hungry, somebody
buys your cd and you appreciate it more. You hustlin' and sellin' you more connected. You meetin'
your fans. It's a closer relationship.
Below: Furyus of Stand Alone Muzik.
Quote:
100 percent straight out the basement/
My statements are a haven/
Aint racing or star gazing/
Just place my feet on solid ground/
Mocking sounds/
Profoundly/
Furyus be top notch emcee/
Briefly speak on seeking truth/
Spook these spooks/
Vamoose be gone/
On other ish/
Smother the counterfeit/
With mittens/
For spitting on my religion/
My definition/
Of living/
Is back, Whether black or white/
The fam is tight//
from the track "The Setting", off FURYUS: Still Standing