Interview by Zach Feldberg

Okay --- so you're in a few projects right now, Talisman... what are you
currently doing?
CURRENTLY I'M WORKING ON 3 PERSONAL PROJECTS-- A NEW PLAINS ALBUM, AND
TWO SOLO PROJECTS. AS WELL AS PROJECTS FOR THE OTHER UNIT-E MEMBERS.

What does hip-hop mean to you?
HIP HOP IS EXPRESSION. SELF EXPRESSION AS WELL AS THE VOICE OF AN ENTIRE
PEOPLE. HIP HOP IS ART I THINK TOO MANY PEOPLE FORGET THAT. IT IS WELL
KNOWN THAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS ABOUT 10 PERCENT MUSIC AND 90 PERCENT
BUSINESS. I THINK THIS IS SAD. IT (MUSIC) IS THE ONLY ART FORM THAT I
CAN THINK OF THAT IS ONLY 10% PURE. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU PERSUE YOUR
ART, WHAT EVER IT IS YOUR ARE FEEDING YOUR SOUL. MUSIC IS SPIRITUAL. THE
MUSIC BUSINESS IS NOT!

With your live set, you have a really positive vibe, like -- when I saw
you guys you had your kids up there with you! Is that something that you
think is important in hip-hop? Like, positivity...
YO THAT SHOW WAS A TRIP! I WASN'T EXPECTING KIDS TO WANDER UP ON THE
STAGE, BUT WHATEVER'S CLEVER! WE AIN'T GONNA KICK'EM OFF. AS FOR THE
REST OF THAT QUESTION... THERE IS ENOUGH NEGATIVITY IN THIS WORLD
ALREADY WITHOUT ME ADDING TO IT. SO I DO MY PART TO SPREAD UPLIFT...
ELEVATION. REGARDLESS OF THE GENRE I THINK THAT POSITIVITY IS IMPORTANT
IN MUSIC. IT IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE US FEEL GOOD RIGHT? MAKE US FEEL LIKE
DANCING, FORGETTING OUR TROUBLES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PERHAPS
PROVIDING US WOTH NEW ANGLES AND PERSPECTIVES WITH WICH TO LOOK AT
THINGS. HOPE. THATS WHAT I LIKE IN MUSIC. I'LL TURN ON CBC AND WATCH THE
NEWS IF I WANT TOSEE THE NEGATIVE.

So you guys are from Baha'i descent, right? As are P9. What is the ethic
and idea of the Baha'i religion?
THAT MANKIND IS REALLY ONE FAMILY. THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD, WHO IS
DELIVERING ONE FAITH OR RELIGION TO HUMANITY IN STAGES THAT COINCIDE
WITH THE INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL CAPACITIES OF THE PEOPLES OF THE
TIME (THIS CONCEPT IS THE THEME OF OUR TRACK "PROGRESSIVE REVELATION"
OFF THE FIRST ALBUM). THE Bahá'í FAITH IS ABOUT PERSONAL AND GLOBAL
TRANSFORMATION... SPIRITUAL REGENERATION.

All the songs on "Join The Ranks" are about peace and sort of, uh,
elevation... is that a spiritual thing for you, or more of a social thing?
JOIN THE RANKS IS A COLLECTION OF PERSONAL REFLECTIONS. IT IS SOCIALLY
CONSCIOUS BECAUSE WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE CONSCIOUS BEINGS. I FEEL THAT IT
IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SEPARATE MY SPIRITUAL SELF FROM MY NATAL SELF.
THE TWO COMBINED MAKE ME AND ALOW FOR MY EXISTANCE. AS AN MC IT IS MY
EXISTANCE THAT I HAVE TO REPRESENT, SO JOIN THE RANKS IS BOTH  SPIRITUAL
AND SOCIAL. I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A KOLLAGE OF ALTERNATIVES. I'M NOT
TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE I WOULD JUST LIKE TO OFFER TOPICS FOR
CONVERSATION AND PERHAPS ALTERNATIVE VIEWS FOR CONSIDERATION.

The record was actually released quite a while ago now, right? Any plans
for something new in the works?
PLAINS OF FASCINATION HAS GONE THROUGH SOME CHANGES. TWO MC'Z LEFT THE
GROUP FOR THERE OWN REASONS, AND MY BOY ODKAT FROM DETROIT HAS JOINED
FOR THIS NEXT PROJECT. IT SHOULD BE FRESH. HE'S GOT CRAZY SKILLS.

Where have you guys taken the act so far? Have you done a tour?
WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY IN TERMS OF OUR TRAVELLING ETC. PLAINS AS A GROUP OR
AS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE GROUP HAS PERFORMED IN ISREAL,
NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONE, 6 WEEKS IN ENGLAND AND IRELAND, 5 WEEKS IN
GERMANY AND SWITZERLAND, CHINA, ROMANIA, AND ALL OVER THE U.S. AND
CANADA.

What's good about music today?
THE WAY IT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL... YOU KNOW EVEN YA BEST FRIEND WILL LET
YOU DOWN SOMETIMES, BUT THAT FAVOURITE ALBUM IS ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU! IT
LISTENS WHEN YOU NEED TO GET STUFF OFF YA CHEST AND SINGS YA BLUES AWAY.
YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON MUSIC TO RELATE TO

Do you think there's a whole underground scene in Toronto willing to
support hip-hop?
THERE IS A TORONTO SCENE FOR SURE. BUT WHETHER THEY ARE WILLING TO
SUPPORT HOMEGROWN IZM? THAT ANOTHER QUESTION! I THINK THAT WE SUFFER AN
IDENTITY CRISIS IN 'T'DOT THAT STIFFLES TO SOME EXTENT OUR ARTISTS. I
DREAM OF THE DAY THAT T.O. HEADZ WILL GOTO THE WU-TANG SHOW TO SEE PHATT
AL AND KARDINAL... SINCE TO SOME EXTENT WE ARE ASSIMILATING OTHER HIP
HOP MECCAS I WISH WE WOULDNT DO SUCH A HALF-ASSED-JOB OF IT AND START
SUPPORTIN OUR OWN. THAT IS WHY NEW YORK IS HUGE, WEST COAST IS HUGE AND
THE DIRTY SOUTH IS HUGE THEY DISPLAY THEIR TERRITORIAL PRIDE AND SUPPORT
THEIR PRODUCT. T.O. WHERE IS YOUR PRIDE???? I LIVE IN 'T'DOT... I
REPRESENT 'T'DOT... I SUPPORT 'T'DOT CAUSE I LOVE 'T'DOT. THROUGH THIS
SUPPORT THE CREAM WILL RISE TO THE TOP AND 'T'DOT WILL GROW. THIS
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO AVOID IZM FROM ELSEWHERE. JUST SHOW SOME
LOVE TO YA OWN!!!

Anything you want to say to close up, let everyone know?
YES... UMMM RE READ THE LAST ANSWERE, AND THINK UNIT-E NEW EMPIRE. WORD!
PEACE. SPREAD SOME LOVE, T.LUV AKA TALLISMAN THE MYSTIC LINGUISTICZ

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