Producer/MC Black Milk is on the brink of being the next young artist from Detroit to stand out on the main stage. From producing beats for Slum Village to his own career as a rapper, Black has been putting in work from behind the scenes for the past few years and is set to take things up a level with his major label solo debut, ‘Popular Demand’.
Evans: What’s going on man, how's things?
Black Milk: Yeah man, chillin’, it’s all good.
Evans: Aiight man, Talk to me about the album and how it feels to release your first major label solo debut?
Black Milk: Yeah man it feels good, it’s really good. Like you said the project is the first release on a major label. It’s been getting good reviews and good feed back. I got a lot of Detroit artists on there, like Phat Kat, Slum Village and them, its all about the Detroit movement right now. Got a few other artists and projects that I’m working on, production wise.
Evans: The name Black Milk is open to different interpretations; tell me what it means/represents to you and how you came to be known as Black Milk.
Black Milk: There’s no really deep meaning to it, it’s just when I first started out, I wanted a name that stood out from the rest, so at a young age I wrote a lot of names on paper and the name just came to my head and it stuck out… Black Milk.
Evans: Many people have pinned you to carry the torch for Detroit hip-hop. How are you handling it?
Black Milk: Um I mean you know, I could carry that title. But my own thing is to be putting out good music and reppin’ the D (Detroit) and it feels good. I was just putting out dope music really. But I’ll take it, I’ll take it and run with it.
Evans: Do you feel, at times, Detroit and surrounding areas are over-looked in terms of talent? And do you plan to put it out for mass recognition?
Black Milk: Yeah a lot of the time, we’ve been being over-looked for a while now, but we’re getting a bit more light. But you know, the whole Motown history was from Detroit and some of the greatest artist came from here. There’s a lot of talent in the D and it’s all coming back, full circle, it’s a good feeling. It’s our time.
Evans: With your name becoming both nationally and globally recognized, do you plan to help any local artists to the main stage?
Black Milk: Hell yeah man, that’s another one of my plans, I have a lot of Detroit artists on the Popular Demand record already. I want to buck out my crew. If I blow they’re going to blow with me, you feel me. And this one already has more attention and more talented people on it, it’s doing good. People are hearing them on the album as well as me; it’s all good.
Evans: Growing up, which producers influenced you?
Black Milk: When I first started getting into the beats and into hip hop period it was producers like J-Dilla, Pete Rock and DJ premier that influenced me a lot. I’m trying to do their style, well not really their style, I’m just trying to capture that feeling and it’s what I want people to feel, what I felt when I was growing up. And I guess you could say it’s a re-invented sound. But it’s with a different flavour.
Evans: On the first track, Popular Demand, you say that “producer/rappers get the most criticism.” Why do you think that is?
Black Milk: Uh you know, it’s true, what people think about a lot of MC/Producers. A majority of people think that if you rhyme, you can’t produce, or if you produce, you can’t rhyme, do one you can’t do the other. I mean J [Dilla] was getting it, Pete Rock was getting it, but they actually knew how to spit. I just threw that little line in there though. I’ve been rhyming as along as I’ve been doing the beats, so I don’t really trip, because I can do both just as well.
Evans: On the track, “Sound The Alarm”, you mentioned “Can’t give them fame/ so I’m not dropping names/ labels played the fool/ like they played to lose/ I just played you dudes/ check mate your moves.” Was that in reference to any past history?
Black Milk: Um, yeah, a little bit. There’s a bit of past history you could say. I ain’t putting names out there like that, but it was mainly things like having creative differences with some. But it’s all good, there’s no beef with nobody. I’m just trying to put out good music.
Evans: Being a producer/MC, do you ever feel like holding the best beats for yourself rather than supplying them to other artists?
Black Milk: Sometimes, but it’s really weird because, well not weird, but you know, each artist has a different sound. Most of the time if I do a beat for someone else, I wouldn’t use it myself. For example Slum Village have a different sound. I did work with Pharoahe Monch that I wouldn’t really use for my records. I’m more experimental with my solo stuff. But it’s all about dope hip hop.
Evans: How important do you feel it is to validate yourself as an MC?
Black Milk: You know it’s really important, even though I want people to focus on the beats. I want to show them that I can shine on the mic. I want people to see that I can rock the show and be the triple threat. Show them the talent I got.
Evans: Is it true that you’re working with Bishop Lamont (from Aftermath) on a street album?
Black Milk: Yeah, that’s coming out this summer, the mixtape is called CalTroit with Bishop Lamont, featuring artists from Cali and Detroit. We about to leak a song in a week or two, you know, to give heads a taste.
Evans: How do you feel about people claiming that hip-hop isn’t what it used to be? And do you believe any particular reason for this?
Black Milk: The whole hip hop is dead thing, I mean, I feel ‘em in a way but I don’t feel that it’s dead. In the mainstream probably, but the masses ain’t getting the real shit. Most albums are good but the under ground is where it’s at. It’s not on the same scale. But a lot of people are about the dollars and you hear it on radio waves and see it on the TV. Some will do whatever they will, to make that fast dollar and until someone figures out a way, hopefully it turns for the best. A few mainstream artists are doing good music. I blame the media though, not the artists. They messed up hip hop and it’s wrong for them to do that. People feel that way because they think its dead. You just got to find it.
Evans: Anything you’d like to add, about your career so far, goals set for present and near future or just anything in general?
Black Milk: I want to do more than music, I’d like to get involved in other stuff, but the main focus right now is the music. I want to do the craft, make it better and put out good records. I want to put out dope artists and keep producing good music. Hopefully I can break into the mainstream and hopefully hit that Kanye height, I feel I could do it and we got to bring it back.
Evans: Do you plan any tour dates around the UK?
Black Milk: Yeah man, we’re trying to get out there, when I come out there, it will be with Phat Kat, Guilty Simpson and Pharoahe Monch. I’m pushing for this summer; we’ll hopefully make it out there no later then September. But yeah, we’re coming for Europe.
Evans: It’s been real good man, thanks for talking with us.
Black Milk: For sure fam take it easy. Peace
Black Milk’s Popular Demand LP is now available, check the official myspace page for more info at: www.myspace.com/blackmk
