Guilty Simpson

Gulity Simpson is an MC who lives at the coalface, constantly laying down his thick workmanlike drawl in order to paint everyday stories from the Motor City in vivid monochrome detail. Most of us first heard him spittin on the Jaylib track Strapped back in 2003. There were plenty of guest verses after that, but we had to wait until 2008 for his first full length Ode to the Ghetto to drop on Stones Throw (thanks to a hook up from J.Dilla), which was closely followed by the exclusively Madlib produced Guilty Simpson. Both LP’s gave us Guilty verbally laying down his gritty heart on the cold streets in calculated bars. This was raw and honest and dangerous lyricism all at the same time. An MC who could talk openly about his troubled relationship with his father in one breath and then be tossing molotov cocktails in your crib in the next. We caught up with the man before his Australian tour with Phat Kat this month.

I’ve always thought of your music, and the Detroit scene in general, as real blue collar Hip Hop – the honest and humble sound of the everyday man’s struggle. But what do you think makes the Detroit scene so unique?

I think it’s the changes the city goes through in a year’s time. The harsh winters, blazing Summers and everything in between. The music has the heart of winter in it to me, if that make sense. The cold dark element, the beauty of struggle and grind of the winter. After that, is the energy of spring and Summer. I think our music takes all of those personalities.

It always seemed that Detroit artists were getting more love outside of Detroit (especially overseas) than in their hometown. Does the D still not support its own or has it been coming around in recent years?

I think the scene will continue to be what it is. A close knit family, that’s what Hip Hop is though. Especially underground Hip Hop; it takes individuals to be involved in something before it’s the thing to do. Usually something so unique will grow from the embryo stage and become something bigger and more defined. So people support, just not in numbers consistently like an artist would like. And I think it’ll stay like that, for the underground at least.

You definitely don’t preach, but there are a lot of life lessons within your lyrics. Why do you feel such a responsibility to embed those morals in your rhymes?

I do that because at times I admit I can be a bit selfish in my music. Everything I write is me, me, me. But the world isn’t about me, not all the time at least [laughs]. So I try to include the reality of life in my music. I have to include what I know and see in my music all the time!

Has there ever been a time in your own life when the words of an MC has made you seriously reflect on a situation, perhaps even changed the course of your actions, and led you away from trouble or bullshit?

Yes most definitely. Main Source was Lookin at the Front Door, was one I could remember. It was like Large Pro was speaking for all men, at least the ones I knew going through drama with their girlfriends. Pete Rock and CL’s TROY was another one,that song made me reflect on my own family. Outkast’s Git Up, Git Out is another one. I played it every morning for motivation. I’ve been told Mans World, and Stress have had that effect on people. Songs like that are needed.

Dilla was one of the first heads to reach out to you and you worked extensively with the man over the years. What is that one Dilla story that always brings a smile to your face?

I had recorded a song over one of his tracks that I really wanted him to hear, so I had been trying to get him on the phone for a few weeks. When I finally caught up with him, I told him I was trying for a while to reach him, to let him hear this song. He told me he has mixing and simply put he said “You can be a slave to that cell phone man. Especially when you’re working.” That was the realest thing ever to me. So many are slaves to technology – it’s sick. Just because I’m easy to call, doesn’t mean I’m easy to reach. The ones closest to me can get in touch with me, leave a message and I’ll get back to you.

The chemistry that Madlib and me have together has always been on point. What initially drew you and Madlib together and why do you both vibe as a duo so well?

Because he understands who I am and respects it. He has so many layers of production, I picked the lane I liked the most and went from there. With the foundation established I can pick a majority of the Guilty Style Madlib stuff and then journey more into the left field Madlib stuff to balance it off. He’s a sick producer it’s not difficult to make dope music with him.

So what’s good with the Random Axe project that you Sean P and Black Milk put together? I thought Duck Down were going to drop that this year? Is it true that the entire LP was somehow deleted from Black’s computer?

Not all of it, but a lot of it was deleted. It’ll be out first quarter of next year. What we did after the stuff got deleted crushes the previous anyway.

Can you tell us anything about the collaboration project that we hear is in the works with Jay Electronica? Did you guys meet through Kon Artis/Mr Porter?

Well we’ve talked about that for years now! With all that’s going on with him, I hope we have time to do it. I admit it could’ve been done already and I was difficult to catch for a while. Regardless he’s a good friend and I wish the best for him. Yeah we met through

Guilty Simpson [US] and Phat Kat [US] will be performing as part of the Sounds of Detroit tour at The HiFi on Friday January 21.