Shawn Setaro
[Baje One of long-running underground group Junk Science, along with the Talib Kweli-backed freestyle monster NIKO IS, both recently sat down with hip-hop personality and SOHH Correspondent Shawn Setaro on his popular “The Cipher” podcast. Listen to the full interview and check out five gems they dropped during the Q&A.]
Baje One on Junk Science being signed to El-P’s Def Jux label:
“I felt like a bit of an outsider. While we got to do shows with El-P, and we got to meet a lot of these artists, it wasn’t like we were part of the crew. And I think sonically, we were outsiders.”
Baje One on Junk Science’s elaborate album artwork:
“You won’t hear me talk about how good I am at rap, but I’ll honestly say that I feel like we do a really good job with product design. We have to. If you’re just putting out MP3’s in 2015, that’s all well and good if you have a giant fanbase. But if you’re under the underground like we are, then it’s important to give people something tangible.”
Baje One on money:
“My personal opinion is that our economic arrangement is one of the causes of all of the world’s problems. At the same time, I also like having money, and I would like to have more of it. So it’s this weird tension of participating in a system that’s destroying us all.”
NIKO IS on how freestyling shaped the way he thinks:
“I always think in raps. No matter what, I’m looking around and everything I see, I want to write about it.”
NIKO IS on artists’ overuse of social media:
“I think social media’s been great. It’s a great tool and a great platform, but it’s really affecting people and their art and their perception of life. You’re seeing sides of people you don’t want to see. We need to just keep it in the art.”
To hear the whole interview, click here or listen below.
