| 05 January 2009
Unlike any other genre in music, geography for hip-hop artists is just as important, if not more important, than the talent the artist possesses because of the subject matters that have become associated with rapping. Because of the come-from-nothing, drug selling, gang-banging stigma that hip-hop has unnecessarily been stuck with, it's hard to accept an emcee coming from Topeka, Kansas as opposed to someone coming from Queens, New York.
In hip-hop, if you're not from a city with a reputation for being rough or in a major market, your chances for making a name for your self are as slim as the records your DJ spins. However, being in a small market isn't stopping Tee Calee (pronounced T-Cali), a rapper located in Tulare, California (hence the name Tee Calee), whose passion for hip-hop will, he hopes, be more than enough to compensate for being smack-dab in the middle of two major market hip-hop scenes in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
After being on the set of the shoot for his second music video clad in his trademark Pendleton and Nike Cortez style, Tee Calee sat down with Talkhoops and discussed issues from the struggles of being an artist in Central California to the state of hip-hop right now and the NBA.
TH: Explain yourself as a person and an artist.
TC: I'm pretty laid back and easy going. I just like to chill, that's me as a person. As an artist I think I'm different because I like to try new things. Everyone may be trying to do one type of thing with music and I try to do the opposite. I try to separate myself from everything else, or at least I try to. I call it being "octagonish," which is another way of saying 'thinking outside of the box.'
TH: Why did you choose to pursue music over everything else?
TC: Music is my passion. I've been into music since elementary school. Earlier in life I was trying to do the basketball thing and music came secondary to sports, but in the back my of mind I knew I wanted to do music so I just figured I'd pursue it full time.
TH: What do you hope to accomplish with your music?
TC: I hope to get a record deal, weather it be independent or mainstream and be successful. I want to make a few successful albums, platinum, and win a couple of Grammy's. I mean, that's everyone's goal as a music artist, or at least it should be.
TH: Tell me about your mixtape.
TC: It's called Take Chances, Get Messy Volume One, it's out right now. I got the title name from Mrs. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus [laughs]. It's doing pretty well and people are catching on to it. I shot two music videos to songs from the mixtape. I also worked with some of the other artists from the area like Skipno Beat, Fame, A-Ron, you know, just some more of the talented rappers we have out here in Central California.
TH: There has been a West Coast foundation in rap, but it's either been the Bay Area or the Los Angeles area. Why do think no one is listening to Central California?
TC: I think it's because no one wants to take the time to find the artists in Central California. I think because it's so small it gets overlooked. I mean, there are some good artists out here, like me for one [laughs]. No, not to be cocky or anything, but people just don't get enough recognition out here. People looking for talent see how small it is out here and think that just because it's small there aren't any artists who can come out and be successful.
That's how it is now, but I think it will change because there are a lot of artists from Central California who are competing with each other and who can compete with people who are already signed. Right now music is changing and I think somebody is going to get through that door. Hopefully it will be myself.
TH: Speaking of the change in music, what do you feel about the state of hip hop right now?
TC: Music changes over the years, but all these rappers doing this auto-tune thing is all bad because it gives artists an excuse to rap about nothing. Anyone can go and make a song using auto-tune and it's going to be hot, now it seems like there aren't anymore real rappers. Because of this there have been a lot of one hit wonders coming into the game and it just seems like hip hop is going down hill. It's not all the way down hill, so hopefully it changes before it gets there.
TH: Who were or who are your influences right now?
TC: Honestly, I like all kinds of music. Like I was telling you earlier [before the interview], I've been into some of the rave music. I wasn't into it as early as a couple months ago, but I've been amazed by the way people can just move to instrumentals - and that inspired me to be more creative. I mean, I'm not going to go out and start making beats, but I need to expand my horizons to different types of music. As far as hip hop artists who I look up to, I like Rakim, I like Jay-Z, I like Lupe [Fiasco]. I also like Lil Wayne because of his hustle, his grind is like no other. I also can't forget about 50 because his grind is ridiculous. As far as lyrics go, I love Common. There are just so many artists I could run off right now.
TH: Earlier you mentioned that you got your mixtape name from the Magic School Bus, what other types of things out side of hip hop do you use to influence your music?
TC: I really don't watch too much TV, but I think cartoons help me because the animators have to figure out how do draw things in the way they want people to see it, and to me that's kind of like rapping. We have to think about how we want to use words so the message we're trying to get out comes out the way we want it to. I get punch lines from watching cartoons all the time.
TH: In your opinion, who is the greatest Emcee of all time?
TC: This is a tough question. A lot of people say Biggie and Tupac were the greatest ever, but I have to say it's Jay-Z. I mean you just have to listen to some of the stuff he says and it's self explanatory. He's on another level.
TH: Earlier you talked about how you wanted to be a basketball player, how do you think basketball influences hip hop?
TC: I think they go hand-in-hand. A lot of rappers want to be basketball players and a lot of basketball players want to be rappers. I think together basketball and rap is a lifestyle. I don't think basketball would be what it is now without hip hop. I mean, you go to the games and you hear the music playing.
TH: Who is your favorite team?
TC: It use to be the Sacramento Kings, but they're not good anymore [laughs]. The Kings use to have Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, they were exciting, when you watched the games you knew on a fast break someone was going to do something special. Now their game is bland and boring. Right now I like watching the Hornets. Chris Paul is a beast. There isn't a better point guard in the game right now.
TH: What's your favorite NBA moment?
TC: It has to be when Jordan crossed Bryan Russell for the game winning shot. It never gets old.
TH: Do you have any predictions for the rest of the 2008-2009 season?
TC: I think Kobe's going to win the MVP again. If he's going to get on that level with Jordan he's going to have to win more than just one MVP, and he's been playing well lately. Whether or not Kobe get's the MVP again, the Lakers aren't going to win it all. I really don't have any idea who's going to win it all though. I think it's going to be a team that shocks everyone, a team that no one is expecting to win it all right now. It might be the Hornets.
TH: If you could compare your rapping style with any player in the league, who would it be?
TC: I would compare my Rap-R&B style songs to Magic [Johnson], because his game was so smooth on the court. I would compare my overall rapping style to Jordan because he can adjust to any style of play and I feel like I can adjust to any kind of beat weather it be rap, rock, rave or R&B.
Tee Calee's mixtape can be bought at www.thenena.com and can be reached at www.myspace.com/teecalee
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