Rap.de Interview with Thes One (translated from German)

From: rap.de

Interview by: Verena

Date: December 21st 1999

In November came an album from California, which without large promotion immediately found itself secured amongst the favourite disc shelves of Hip Hop heads.

Without video rotation on MTV, without large distribution, without front pieces in the relevant press... the LP 'The Next Step' of Double K and Thes One - together the 'People Under The Stairs' - definitely belongs as one of the musical highlights of this winter. And it is worthwhile to see a little more exactly, what actually hides under the stairs.

It is six years ago itself since Thes One and Double K classically met in LA.
Thes One: "We were both notorious beatbattlers in our neighbourhood. Thus we were naturally strained on it, finding each other in such a way life has. When we then met, it clicked immediately, and the remainder is Hip Hop history."

After a few years they had accumulated over 50 titles in Thes One's bedroom, and they began to look around for the possibility of publication. However the search for a suitable label was not as simple. Frustrated by unfavourable offers and bad contract collecting with mainstream labels, Thes One and Double K finally decided to create their own label and so to make putting their titles on the market possible.

People Under the Stairs created themselves their own platform - PUTS records - which called in the life (and with that the vibe) of the Creed Taylor label CTI by copying its logo and style.

Why did you use CTI as a model?
Thes One: "CTI records are perhaps not the most exclusive and rare that you can get in Jazz and Funk, but it belongs to the basis of b-boy history. If you look back on Wildstyle or old DJ records, then you can see the yellow label rotating on the record players. We wanted to catch the spirit of CTI."

PUTS pressed 1000 copies of their album on their own label, in addition to 1000 Maxis of the single "The Next Step II".
Thes One: "I admit, we knew purely nothing about the music industry and had to mostly learn the hard way. But this is probably how it happens for most independents. Nevertheless it brought us a quantity of experience, which the whole process, the machinery of the disk selling, that whole buisness and the fucking policy therefore concerns. At the conclusion we landed with Om, and that was also well like that."

Om Records, originally only interested in one track for a compilation, saw the large potential. Chris, the owner of the label, asked PUTS about their interest, and only one week later the contract came from Om Records, with which PUTS could agree to. The complete artistic liberty including artwork etc. remained with PUTS, Om promised, itself "only" around just to deal with the annoying stuff like pressing and selling etc. The first action of Om Records: the international republication of 'The Next Step'.

The highest priority for Thes One and Double K was in no way to give a part of the pieces into a stranger's hands. Something that was lost according to Thes One in the current Hip Hop completely: "We tried to make the songs with a whole heart, completely contrary to all the Hip Hop actors and short-cutters. If you listen to a PUTS album, then it is like a discussion with us. The album is a large whole, therefore I cannot simply give away a part of the work."

Thes One produced the titles, while Double K made all the scratches. The songwriting took place together, just as the MCing.
Thes One: "We never argued or were divided over our musical direction. We did not consult anybody with our productions, because we are two minds, which pull on a musical strand. We are very close friends and this also helps us during the conversion of our ideas. If we are in the studio, it is never work, rather laughter and high fives. We are as close to each other as brothers. In music and personally."

The question about the things which affected PUTS is not uninteresting, with such a strong requirement for authenticity.
Thes One: "Very many different things affected us. Jazz, Funk and Rock from the years '68 to '75 for example. Or Hip Hop between '90 and '94. Old school things naturally... however also naturally simply good music! We love everything that comes from the heart and has understanding, everything which Funk has - all the same whether folk or country music. I personally was affected very much, very strongly by Stereolab. They changed my approach to music making fundamentally, and therefore I will always feel obligated to them"

And California, the Hip Hop scene in that neighbourhood? In America?
Thes One: "Cali has as well as no influence on us. We are LA muppets, but we were affected by - if at all - more the New York of the 90's, 80's and 70's. And the whole people, which are active here in the Westcoast... most don't even know where they come in music. The two albums of Freestyle Fellowship will always remain our No. 1 classical hip hop. Madkap, Pharcyde, Heiro, NWA, CMW, King Tee and all different were naturally also up to a certain degree an influence, but when you go around the people, who are momentarily active in the scene, we then feel somehow connected with none. Probably we are simply only old. Old school: New York, LA whatever, old evenly."

As an estimate, PUTS are working with other artists, however wrong a lie that is. It already says volumes however, with which PUTS feels connected in a certain way, and with which also things are in planning:
Thes One: "Ugly Duckling. Those are our Homies! We hope also that we work more with them in the future!"

More, because a Maxi of Captain Kidd Lexus in co-operation with Ugly Duckling is already soon set to appear on PUTS Records. Likewise shortly (this time really) the new album of Double K and Thes One is coming out.
Thes One: "The new album is called 'Question in the Form of an Answer' and should appear in the Spring. The first 12" - 'Youth Explosion' - should appear shortly after.

The places under the stairs thus remain interesting, and one may be strained, as the things develop. Thes One has one request concerning Hip Hop only: "Everyone stop taking yourself so damn seriously and learn to have fun again! Hip Hop - lighten the fuck up!"