Life Cycle
The Pacific Northwest has a beautiful landscape and a mellow culture that is very soothing and relaxing to the spirit. Life Cycle embodies the mood of the Northwest with their style of soulful Hip Hop that has not been heard since the golden era of rap. Life Cycle consist of three very talented artists, which adds up to a blend of innovative and inspiring music. As I listen to Life Cycle’s music, I truly cannot find one flaw. The beats are incredible and the rhyming is second to none. The Pacific Northwest maybe best known for Grunge music, but if Life Cycle is any indication of the caliber of Hip Hop that is being created, then I am sure it is only a matter of time before the Northwest is internationally known for a new kind of music. Ladies and Gentlemen it is my pleasure to introduce Life Cycle…….
1. Life Cycle has 3 members Joshua Jay, Burn One, and DJ Hanibal. How did you 3 meet each other?
Joshua J: Burn one and I (Joshua J) are brothers so we got to thank Mama for that one. Hanibal came into the picture when we were in high school. Burn and him met thru the graff scene in Tacoma
2. Who came up with the name “Life Cycle,” and is there any meaning behind the name?
Joshua J: Burn came up the Life Cycle idea. It was originally going to be the title of our first album. Our first group name was “Studio One” which never really sat right and soon was dropped. Life Cycle was born.
Burn One: To me Life Cycle represents the journey that we are on. Every life on this planet and beyond has a cycle and through our music we are trying to connect with that. Art has a way of connecting the artist with his/her surrounding. Life Cycle is our musical connection.
3. I understand you all are from Tacoma, Washington. What was life like growing up in Tacoma?
Tacoma was a lot different growing up than it is now. We grew up in the height of the Gang violence in Tacoma. Although I wasn’t a part of that or in the middle of it the feeling it creates in the city is not good. Gangs still exist in Tacoma but there isn’t the frequency of violence that there was in the late 80’s and 90’s.
4. What was the reason for moving from Tacoma to Seattle? How would you describe the Hip Hop scene in Seattle?
Joshua J: The move to Seattle was something that we had talked about for a few years. Burn One had been wanting to make the move since about 2001. He was in and out of Seattle often
Burn One: Originally the reason for moving from Tacoma to Seattle was my job. I wanted to move away from Tacoma. A lot of people I knew had started down a path I did not want to be involved in. So my day job gave me the opportunity to not be around what I don’t believe in. I’m not trying to judge people, I just choose a different path for my life. Hip Hop in Seattle is flourishing. This town has a lot of very talented artists and is starting to get a light shined on the Hip Hop side of this city. Seattle has been the birthplace of many talented artists in the alternative rock scene. Now Seattle has become a hotbed for new talent in Hip Hop. With that said the “scene” is still very fragmented
But, it is changing.
5. Burn One and DJ Hanibal, since you both started off as Graff writers, how did you two make the transition into rapper and DJ?
Burn One: I had been rapping with a few different people for a minute. I had done both at the same time for a while but eventually making music took over. I still paint but not to get fame anymore. I do it now for the love of it.
6. Who are some of your influences in Hip Hop?
Burn One: Influences… I would have to say my influences come from a wide range of places. I am influenced by the music of the CTI label as much as I am influenced by Dilla. I also find a lot of musical influence from Pink Floyd. The soundscapes they created are timeless. I listen to a lot of genres music . Im really into Bebel Gilberto, The Swell Season, Sia, ect… I like music that is honest to the musician. Of course, I am also influenced by the great producers in Hip Hop. Pete Rock, DJ Spinna, Dilla, Premier, Nicolay ect… Plus I am influenced greatly but the members of my group .
7. Your music is very melodic and soulful. Who produces your music and how would you describe the musical style of Life Cycle?
Burn One: The music is produced by Me and Joshua J. We built our sound up together. Ever since we started producing our own beats we have learned together. We built our home studio up over the years and where we used to sample a lot now we play ourselves. We use a lot of synths. I love the sound of an old grimy synth. It has a character all of its own. Touching the buttons and keys does it for me. I don’t think I could get the same fulfillment out of making music on a computer. We use a MPC2000xl to program most everything, basically the heart of the studio. Plus we record everything ourselves. It’s a fine balance between Producer, Engineer and Rapper. Doing everything ourselves takes a lot longer but in the end its more enjoyable that way.
8. Life Cycle was created in 1999, was it at that point that you really decided to pursue Hip Hop as a career or at that time was it still just a side hobby?
Burn One: Mainly still something we did on the side. I think it was when we moved to Seattle, maybe alittle beforehand, we decided to really focus on it and pursue it. Sad to say in a way it took the fun out of it. Not entirely though. Being an artist, and most artists will agree with me here, you want to create. A lot of times the “Business” side of things take time away from creating. Once again it is about finding that balance.
9. How would you describe your journey in the rap game from 99 up to now?
Burn One: Rap is a strange business. Music in general. There are a lot of ego’s to contend with (including my own). I don’t think I have come to an understand it all yet. We do everything ourselves in the recording side of things so sometimes I find it hard to know how to get help on the business side. I end up designing packaging and marketing my own music, getting shows, ect… a lot of times things are different in your mind than how they play out in life. But that doesn’t mean it is a bad thing. Just different.
10. It is interesting; I read that you decided to really take your time when creating your album. Do you feel it is important as artists to make a complete and solid album instead of just flooding the market with music and hope that a song catches mass attention?
Burn One: I do. In the end it is up to the artist how they want to work. But for me, I would like to make something that has depth to it. Something that can be listened to front to back, again and again. I want to connect with my audience (and myself for that matter) and I find that hard to do when just cranking out song after song after song in hopes of making money. I feel that then the music becomes about one thing, making money. Which in itself is important, every artist wants to live off what they create but, when that’s all the art is about where has the depth gone. I guess that process of working just isn’t for me.
11. As a follow up to the last question, I know artists that will put out 3 or 4 mixtapes a year plus an LP. The mentality behind that is some artists feel that people are always looking for something new and so they feel the need to constantly be producing new music even it is not the best work. It seems to be a quantity over quality mentality. As far as albums sales, music suffers but some artists are able to cash in on a strong single. Would Life Cycle ever follow the trend of mass producing music with the hopes of scoring big with a catchy single?
Burn One: A simple answer would be no. I try to stay concerned with the action of making art instead of the outcome of the art. It is more important for me to create than to be concerned if I am “Sucessful”. To me the fact that I created something makes it a success to me. If my only purpose for making music was to make money, I don’t think I would make music.
12. Lyrically it is obvious that you take time with your words. How does Life Cycle create a song? Are you guys in the studio together creating music or do you each go off separately and come up with concepts and then come together and produce a song?
Burn One: I think it is a little of both. We may come up with a concept together and each go separately and “sketch” musical ideas for that concept which usually end up merging and creating something new and more powerful that the parts of its whole. Since the studio is in our living room and we live together it is hard to go off separately. But a lot of times, we will work alone until it is time to come together and tie up the ends and polish off the song.
13. Life Cycle’s debut album was titled “City of Rust,” which was released in 2008. How long did it take to create that album? How many tracks are on the album?
Burn One: “City of Rust” has 20 tracks. From concept to CD in hand it took about 3 years to create.
14. What was the public response like to your debut album?
Burn One: We were reviewed in a few different local papers. The overall response was positive. I’ve had a lot of people go out of their way to tell me they really enjoy our music. I really appreciate that. For one of our shows we hooked up with a Jazz band called the Teaching. We did a show where they played our music. Josh Rawlings (the Teaching’s Piano player) Transcribed our music so the band could play it. To me that was the best compliment I could ever get as a musician. To have another musician take time out of their life to do that means more to me that a hundred reviews.
15. How much time would you say Life Cycle spends creating music? Are you guys working everyday on new material?
Burn One: I wish I could sit here and say yes. Honestly I would have to admit that we don’t. Sometimes the day to day life takes over and making music doesn’t happen. Other times it’s is like a constant frenzy where it is all I can do. Lately I have been painting a lot. I try to switch between them. I find if I get stuck and can’t write If I paint it breaks that block up and I can focus again and vice versa.
16. The new album is titled “Grounded,” how many tracks are on the EP?
Burn One: Grounded has 9 tracks. Really it is only seven with an intro and an interlude.
17. What is the meaning behind the title, “Grounded?”
Burn One: “Grounded” to me is realizing who I am and what I believe in. If I am content with that than everything else will fall into place. In the context of the EP it is realizing what is happening in the world, negative and positive. On a personal level and as a whole.
18. Did Life Cycle collaborate with any other artists on the “Grounded EP?”
Burn One: We collaborated with Alex Anderson on “Bang Out” he played guitar. Nick Jensen sang background vocals on “Things Change” and Kimberly Lotus sang the chorus on “Here I Go Again”. I like working with other musicians and vocalists. It brings a whole new thing to the plate that didn’t exist before. I think I will always work this way.
19. Between the “Grounded” album and the “City of Rust” album, you guys did a lot of shows in the Tacoma and Seattle area. For a person that has never been to a Life Cycle show, how would you describe your live act?
Burn One: I’d say our live act is more “hype” than on record. I enjoy performing and interacting with the audience. There is something that happens to the musician and the audience in a performance that is hard to explain. The exchange of energy is like nothing else.
20. Are there any plans to tour outside of the Washington area to promote the new album?
Burn One: Nothing solid at this point but I would like to.
21. When you guys aren’t doing music, what other things do you like to do with your time?
Burn One: Like I said earlier, I paint. Hanibal is part of an artist collective Artifakt (Artifaktart.org) that does shows in the northwest combining music and art. They have given us a lot of help. Artifakt shows usually pop off. They give a lot of visual and musical artists a place to showcase their talents. Hanibal and I have shown art at Artifakt shows quite regularly. Artifakt is doing big things. Big ups to Jake and Rob !
22. Are there any artists that you would like to work with if you had the chance?
Burn One: As a rapper, I would love to work with Nicolay. Dude has skills like none other. As a producer I would like to work with Marketa Irglova . I think she has a very unique voice and she is a very talented piano player. I would also like to work with Median and Kev Brown. I like what they do.
23. Have you attempted to get your music played on any of the commercial radio stations in Washington? Are there any radio stations in Tacoma or Seattle that support local Hip Hop talent?
Burn One: I have not attempted any of the commercial stations. I have sent our music into KEXP. I think we got played a couple of times when we first released “City Of Rust” .
KEXP is a great station locally. They play what they want to play. They are not bogged down by commercial investors demanding a playlist of music they are financially tied to. KEXP is a station funded by the listeners and plays music that they want. I have a lot of respect for KEXP.
24. What is next for Life Cycle?
Burn One: Only time will tell. We have a few ideas. One thing I am excited about is DJ Hanibal is going to add more in the future in the way of production. He has been making beats for a minute now and wants to be apart of that side of things. That will be great. I think that if I focus on the present, the future will be a pleasant one.