Queens based rapper Consequence tries to make good on his second chance at the industry with his new album in stores entitled Don’t Quit Your Day Job. Like the saying goes “Anything worth having is worth fighting for,” and your career and dreams are no exception — this is the case for Mr. Cons. After enduring 10 years of a of ups and downs, Consequence found a home with G.O.O.D Music and is ready to shine on his own. Cons-to-the-Quence vocalizes his talents and lyrical flows through this witty, gritty, and introspective compilation. Despite some rehashed tracks, Don’t Quit Your Day Job is worth a listen. DXStyle.net recently pollied with him about Hip-Hop, fashion, life and all that good stuff.

TEC: Don’t Quit Your Day Job — that’s a hot title. How did you come up with that?

Consequence: It has several different meanings. Truthfully, I came up with it because I was writing a book and while my writing, I came across a book called Don’t Quit Your Day Job — and I just stole the title for the album. I thought about that I wanted to do with the records and a lot of times I got a very good response but with the album it’s like how the saying goes, “You only get one shot to make a first impression.” So, if I was going to talk about anything for 12 records…I felt I wanted to talk about my life and life experiences and having to go from being with A Tribe Called Quest to working from 9-5.

TEC: How did you link up with Kanye? You were with A Tribe Called Quest, and now this new found relationship with Kanye kind of gives you a second chance at the game. How did that come about?

C: Two things…The reason I’m in the game period is because of A Tribe Called Quest. When I met Kanye, he knew me as being Consequence from A Tribe Called Quest. You know, me and Kanye have been working together before he had a deal as a solo artist, when he was producer for Roc-a-Fella. He did a good portion of The Blueprint. I was looking to get a deal so when we met, it kind of was like great timing for both of us. I had another deal before A Tribe Called Quest that didn’t go through. I was trying to find some stability — a place with a label to record. He was looking to being a solo artist because he had so many records. But everybody kept stereotyping him as a producer rather than a rapper so they didn’t give the rapping so much of a chance. Of course, with all that from the time we met to now, there’s a growth spurt. He got better; I got better. But it technically got off — we met through my friend ADA Keys. He made a demo which later turned into College Dropout. With him being one of the top superstars in the world, which happened by the grace of god, and me — I’m on the rise with the new generation of Hip-Hop and I guess the top 10 sexiest dudes in the game [laughs]. But I always had it in the back of my mind. Kanye had gotten his solo deal and when he did he was like, “I’m going to knock my record out.” He was always had a respect for what I did as an artist for being in Tribe. When we first met, it was like “Man I feel like I’m looking at a ghost, I haven’t seen you in so long.” It had been so long since I had been on the scene and I had been in other situations that didn’t pan out. Timing has a lot to do with everything especially in the music industry. Maybe the other situation I was in…maybe the timing wasn’t right. Even when I joined Tribe, unfortunately I joined Tribe when they were about to break up which was bittersweet. I was part of the family and I was a fan of what they did on a music level. It’s kind of sad because they were the love movement and then they broke up. But you take the bitter with the sweet and you keep it moving. We here now!

TEC: That’s what matters!

C: Yes, we are!

TEC: You mentioned being part of the new Hip-Hop generation. Right now there’s big influence coming from down south with the snapping and they’re taking over. Being a Queens native, how does that make you feel?

C: Let me give you this analogy: If Ford company only makes 10,000 Ford Escorts a year and Mercedes Benz makes 300,000 C-Class…forget all the details and model type, focus on the availability. You’re more likely to see more C-Classes on the street than you would see the Ford Escort. The Ford Escort might even be a better car, but because of availability, because of what’s being produced; what’s being serviced, you’re not seeing the Ford Escort like that. The same thing applies to the music business. Basically, you got two different forms of Hip-Hop which…only black music, especially Hip-Hop, is the only music that allows itself to be a victim of separatism. You don’t have rock groups saying “I’m an East coast rock group or I’m a West coast rock group or I’m a down South rock group. I’m a rock group from Ohio.” We just can’t get past the fact that this all the same music. I don’t look at Yung Joc like “You’re making it hard for what I do.” That’s the whole thing about Hip-Hop. You have to think about it like I’m young still but I got the O.G. with me. I know that people would be on the news saying it’s a fad but It’s no longer a fad. Now, it’s a viable business. Now you’re going to tell me New York doesn’t count anymore? Down South, New York…it all belongs to us. So, I don’t look at it like that. I don’t have that grudge about what part of the country or what type of Hip-Hop artists are doing what. If it’s good then it’s good. If it sucks then it sucks. And that’s where I am with it.

TEC: Do you feel Hip-Hop is dead? Some people say it is, some don’t. Like Nas, do you think Hip-Hop really is dead?

C: How can it be dead when Don’t Quit Your Day Job is out? I’m not even saying that to be funny. But for real, for real, I mean I respect the question that he raised and I’m not mad at it. It does get to a point where you have to call people out like — the original form of Hip-Hop…is anybody else still doing it? But I don’t think that snap music kills Hip-Hop because that’s like saying stage music killed Hip-Hop. We went through Luke and if you a Hip-Hop artist, you can’t be southern? Where you only put out one record every two or three years…then what is going to happen? It’s like what I said about the cars. It’s about mass production. It’s a music industry. And if you don’t service the people then they’re going to listen and rock to something else because consumption does not stop for anybody. If you’re not going to do it, they’ll find somebody else that can. When you got 12 different new down South singles coming out versus one Hip-Hop single — people are going to listen to that Hip-Hop single but when you’re bombarded, you have no choice but to surrender.

TEC: Being under G.O.O.D music, do you feel any pressure to deliver a certain kind of music?

C: I mean I’ve been doing what I do for the bulk of my career — whether my business was straight or not. That’s another issue, but on a creative level, I’ve been doing what I do for years. So, I’m not going to stop because I’m not a trend follower. I do what I do because I honestly love it. So, I’m going to continue to do that…it’s dear to me.

TEC: What are some of your influences? What goes through your mind before laying down a track or putting a pen to a pad?

C: Personally, It’s what I go through. I’m not a fabricator so a lot of times it all comes out when some bullsh - t happens to me. It can also be something I overhear. I say like “That’s a dope concept for a record”…you know.

TEC: In terms or production, do you stick with hit makers or do you prefer to be given newbie a shot?

C: It kind of works like you know what certain people got if you’re looking for something in particular, then you’ll go to them. But I rather work with someone new cause it’s not going to cost nowhere near as much as with someone who got some joints out. There’s no bullsh - t I have to go through.

TEC: Anything else in the works?

C: Yeah we got the Uncle Raheim video. We just shot that starring Run DMC and A tribe Called Quest. It’s going to be crazy. I’m working on the next album already. It’s called You Win Some, You Lose Some. It’s gonna be crazy — a continuation to Don’t Quit Your Day Job. So now that people know I got another album on the way. They can actually buy it when it comes out instead of three months later.

TEC: I’m loving those you tube video skits you got going around…hilarious!!

C: Awww…thank you. We actually got a DVD version of Don’t Quit Your Day Job coming out real soon. Every song has a video from a job saying to who knew my luck would change.

TEC: Let’s get to some fashion questions. Did I see you rocking the black on black suit at Kanye’s B-day bash?

C: Yeah, I had to show everybody. Dd you see me come in there and destroy everybody? [Laughs]

TEC: Yeah, you killed it! [Laughs] Do you have a certain type of style?

C: I’m just fresh. I take pleasure in getting fresh. I like to look manly…you know it’s more of a clean thing to me. I like a lot of things. I like to wear things I used to live as a kid…like I got a pair of Gucci wallabies. I grew up in a drug dealer era…it’s like you got fresh but not too sexy but more like “You looking like new money over there kid!”

TEC: Do you have a stylist?

C: Yeah but I also do a lot of it myself. I don’t have a lot places I like to shop in.

TEC: Who is your favorite designer?

C: I like Gucci, Kid Robot, Bape. I also like Bottega Veneta and military shirts.

TEC: What about jewelry?

C: I don’t really do jewelry too much. I still be in the street, you know? I’m about to get a piece…I got a gold chain with the yellow and white diamonds, but I don’t really floss cause I’m still in the field. For some people it’s cool but I have nothing to prove out here. I got jewelry, I got cars…I mean I’m not really into it. It makes no sense in being flashy like that. I’m not inconsiderate like that and wanting to flash things in peoples faces like “Ahhh…look at me, look at me!” When I’m in the hood in Queens, I like to be home as Raymond, I don’t want to be seen as Consequence. I just want to be able to walk to the store. When they see me, I’m not in rapping mode.

TEC: If you were stranded on an island and you could only bring one item of clothing, what would it be? Something you just can’t live without.

C: My hard denim Levis. That’s some Queens isshh, the hard leg Levis. As long as I got those I could wreck up any outfit.

TEC: Do you plan on coming out with a clothing line? Everyone else seems to be doing it.

C: It depends…I would really want it to be well thought out. It would be something that people would buy in high school. I grew up wearing Girbaud and Tommy Hilfiger and that was crazy. So, I would make it like that…not the urban stuff that’s out now.

TEC: Well thanks for your time Consequence…I’ll check you later.

C: Peace!

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 22nd, 2007 at 9:56 pm and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.