Hip-hop duo Non-Prophets tours to support 'Hope'
Sage Francis’ hip-hop duo,
the Non-Prophets, will play
alongside other musicians
at WOW Hall this Sunday
By Carl Sundberg
Pulse Columnist
Sage Francis has been rapping since
he was 8 years old. He has toured the
country once with Anticon and again
with Atmosphere. Francis is now half
of a hip-hop duo with Joe Beats, the
Non-Prophets. They are currently on
tour to support their album "Hope."
Also slated for appearance on the bill
is Grand Buffet, Mac Lethal, The
Gimme Fund and Macromantics. The
Non-Prophets will make their way to
Eugene this Sunday.
Sage Francis talked to the Emerald
about hip-hop, partying with Willie
Nelson and psychically killing George
Bush's dog.
Emerald: How is the tour going?
What (have) been some of the high
lights thus far?
Sage Francis: The tour is going
great. Naked people and hard drugs
keep the train moving. The best thing
was smoking a joint with Willie Nel
son at the House of Blues in New Or
leans during Mardi Gras. Can you be
lieve that? Normally I'm like, "Nah,
man ... I'm straight edge." But fuck,
you gotta make an exception for
Willie Nelson.
Emerald: For anyone not familiar
with your music, what should people
expea at your shows?
SF: They can expea the performers to
be in your face. None of us are shy on
stage.
Emerald: I read that you signed with
Epitaph Records. What made you de
cide to do that?
SF: The novelty is worth it alone. A
rapper signing to Epitaph Records. I
thought that was hilarious. And my la
bel mates are Tom Waits, Bad Religion
and Noam Chomsky. Sign me up.
Emerald: How has the Internet
helped or hindered your work?
SF: The Internet was essential in ga
ting my music heard by people who
would never had a chance to cop my al
bum otherwise. It spread my name
around the world before I even got a
chance to put out an album. I am grate
ful for that. But the game constantly
changes, and that's especially true on
the Internet. It hasn't hindered me at
all, but I see how some people have
stunted their career by putting too
much faith in the Internet. If your career
only exists on a computer screen you
are not gonna do shit in this world.
Emerald: Who are some poets that
you find inspiring?
SF: Patricia Smith, Kwesi Davis, Bill
McMillan, Jeff McDaniel, Derrick
Brown, Jared Paul, Bernard Dolan,
George McKibbens and so many more
that I can't think of at the moment.
Emerald: How has your background
and degree in journalism
influenced your writing?
SF: It gave me the idea that my point
of view isn't always what should be
presented. My bias is going to be in my
music no matter what approach I take,
so it is a good idea to present
information as honesdy as possible
and let people make up their own
minds about certain things. 1 get ere
ative with that though. I know when I
am breaking the rules of journalism,
but it isn't nearly as much as what I see
on Fox or CNN.
Emerald: Many of your lyrics and
attitudes in your music express a very
socially conscious mentality. What do
you see as solutions to the injustices
that are taking place across the board?
SF: Awareness is the number one
step. Direct action is one of the final
steps if none of the others work. So
cial disobedience seems unavoid
able sometimes. We are rats backed
into a corner. When a rat is backed
into a corner it is given no choice
but to attack.
Emerald: What is the role of
hip-hop in this brand-based culture
we live in?
SF: Hip-hop is a tool of the string
pullers right now. It perpetuates neg
ative stereotypes and keeps the eyes
of our children glossy. The American
dream of quick money and easy
fame eats away at their heart and dis
cipline. Beneath the surface, hip-hop
is still used as a tool for the people,
but so is every other art form. Hip
hop just gets a lot more lip service.
Emerald: Where do you see your
self in 10 years?
SF: Hmm. That's impossible. I
want to be making a positive effect
on whatever community I am able to
tap into. But most likely I will be liv
ing with the wife in an undisclosed
location working on my writing and
music. Learning instruments. New
languages. My brain needs a work
out. I have stagnated. Or maybe
doing nothing is the way to go.
Hunting ghosts perhaps. Working on
my magic. I've got all these old psy
chic abilities that have been sitting
on a back burner. Maybe I can pull
those out and psyche myself out.
After I kill another one George
Bush's pets with my mind.
Sage Francis and the Non
Prophets will perform Sunday at
WOW Hall, located at 291 W. Eighth
Ave. Doors open at 8 p.m.; show
starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 in
advance and $14 at the door. *
Contact the Pulse columnist
at carlsundberg@dailyemerald.com.
Courtesy
Joe Beats (left) and Sage Francis of the hif>hop duo Non-Prophets will bring their tour to
Eugene. Other bands will join them, including Grand Buffet and Macromantics.
DUO
continued from page 9
said South Indian music is more
mathematical than North Indian mu
sic because the tempos switch be
tween different speeds systematically.
Padmanabhan and Chandramouli's
performance will include improvisa
tion, compositions and vocals. They will
play a highlighted piece called "ragam
tanam-pallavi," which will feature a raga
exposition, pulsating improvisation and
a solo by Gopalaratnam. The duo will
wear traditional Indian saris. A pre-con
cert lecture and demonstration will take
place Friday at 2 p.m. in the EMU Inter
national Lounge, where the three per
formers will discuss their musical back
grounds and the history and cultural
elements of South Indian music.
Kosmatka said the duo is unique
because they often break into song
while playing. During most Indian
music concerts, vocals and instrumen
tals are provided by separate perform
ers. He also said their ability to impro
vise onstage flawlessly is impressive
"Usually they decide what they are
going to play the same evening of a con
cert," he said. "One night when they
were performing in Berlin, (Padmanab
han) didn't tell (Chandramouli) what
they were playing. When she sang the
first note on stage, her daughter was
able to pick up the raga and tala."
The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets
are available only at the door for $ 10 for
general admission and $8 for students.
The box office will open at 7 p.m.
Contact the Pulse reporter at
natashachilingerian@dailyemerald.com.
Courtesy
Rajeswari Padmanabhan will perform with her daughter at Beall Hall on Friday.
PULSE BRIEF
University employee
releases first album
University graduate and Student Life
Office Manager Mayr Makenna recently
released her first CD, entitled "Out of
the Bind." The Eugene resident said she
controlled all aspects of her record.
"It's all original vocals," said Maken
na, who also plays piano and guitar on
the album. She produced the album
herself, doing everything from creating
the cover photo art to purchasing 200
CDs for distribution through her Web
site, http://www.mayrmakenna.com.
Makenna was raised in Oklahoma,
and after living in Los Angeles she trav
eled up 1-5 and found a home in Eu
gene. In 1992, she earned a degree in
Turn to BRIEF, page 12
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