SoundSlam Interview

Interview by: Matt Harding

Date: 11th April 2006

Parental Control

It's been almost two years since People Under The Stairs released O.S.T. in 2002. With the release of their new album, Stepfather, coming on April 18, SoundSlam linked up with Double K, and Thes One about how they've spent their time between records, and what to look forward to on the new album.

So, guys what does the title of the new album, Stepfather, mean to you guys?

Double K: It means... a kid's parents are like Melly Mel, Busy Bee, Grandmaster Flash, and that's who teaches them about Hip-Hop, and what the culture is. We're like stepfathers. We're trying to teach what Hip-Hop really is; what it was in like the golden era.

The essence of Hip-Hop culture?

Thes One: Yeah the fundamentals of Hip-Hop.

You're known for creating every aspect of your albums... Can you give me an idea of what you've got coming for Stepfather?

Double K: It's gonna look like two people trying to make a dope album.

Thes One: We can't really tell you, you'd have to see it.

Did you guys do the art yourselves, or did you pick an artist?

Thes One: No, no... We didn't do the artwork... We looked at a few people, and chose an artist that had our style. We have control over what we put in it.

Double K: We got an artist called Secret Pizza Party out of Detroit; they gave it a real independent feel.

I got a chance to listen to [an early version of] Stepfather, it's around 40 tracks. Was that because you and Double K had taken a break between PUTS releases?

Double K: We made this album on the road... we had a bunch of material... we had to leave some stuff off. We couldn't put all that on one album.

Thes One: We kind of just made stuff as we toured, then put it together.

Thes, you've been married for almost two years. Has your recent marriage affected your perspective on your music?

Double K: He doesn't go out as much.

Thes One: Yeah (Laughs)... Music first... No, no. always family first, music second. I don't think it changed me, I think I'm still the same artist. It does give you a different perspective, I mean when your 28 and you've got, a wife, and baby... a family, You don't want to listen to a what a 21 year old might, like taggin buildings or something.

You guys use mostly R&B samples, true old school. This is probably DL, but do you have any favorite spots to dig?

Double K: Not really, we pretty much go with our own collections.

Thes One: We've been digging all over the world.

How do you feel the LA underground landscape has changed, with the success of you guys, Dilated and Ugly Duckling, etc.?

Double K: It's dope that other artists have come up. It hasn't really changed things. It's not really the same, because things have changed over time.

Thes One: Yeah, it's not the way things were when we started, but its cool that people who came up around the same time we did are having success.

The song 'Shoot Your Shot' off Ugly Duckling's Bang For The Buck is a great crew track, reminiscent of A.T.C.Q.'s 'Scenario.' How did you guys hook up with them for that song?

Double K: We'd been down with those cats for a while. We wanted to be on the first album, but we couldn't. We always wanted to do a track with them. We f**ked around with those cats a lot but that was the first time it got recorded. We wanted to get on it so we just got on it.

What kind of fingerprint do you want to leave on Hip-Hop culture? Down the road how do you want to be looked at?

Double K: We want people to know we represented us.

Thes One: We did it our way, and didn't sacrifice who we are,

What's in your ipod/CD case right now?

Double K: Superfunky, old school golden era of Hip-Hop, you know.

Thes One: It's a barrel of monkeys; I got all kinds of stuff on there.

What came first? Did you guys pick up the mic , or did you guys come from behind the tables to the front of the stage?

Double K: I can answer this for both of us: the tables.