Edgar Allen Floe 'The Streetwise' album

On November 11th lyricist Edgar Allen Floe released his album "The Streetwise". The album was 'previewed' with an exclusive mixtape entitled "The Road To Streetwise". MusicRemedy had the opportunity to talk with rapper/Producer Edgar Allen Floe about the album, Justus League, his personal life, etc...

Jermy Leeuwis (MusicRemedy) asks a question [Q 1]: For people who may not have heard some music from you yet... what can someone who's never heard of you expect from your music?

Edgar Allen Floe answers [A 1]: The number one word I always use to describe my music is TRUTH. You're going to get honest music from the heart. Obviously you'll have the banging beats, but the lyrics are something that will keep you listening. I always try to deliver dope concepts and knowledge in my lyrics. I feel this is something that will make a song sound fresh for years to come. I hear people all of the time wanting to hear originality back in rap music, without the gimmicks. That's exactly what I'm trying to bring to the listener.

Edgar Allen Floe Interview - continued
[Q 2]: Your upcoming album is your first major album release. Tell us about it.

[A 2]: The name of the official debut album is called The Streetwise LP. I've been working on this album for at least a couple of years, and I'm glad it's finally been released. It's definitely my most personal project to date. I break down all kinds of things...from growing up with a difficult childhood, to some of the things people fear in life...from striving to acheive your goals and aspirations, to strong political content where the hook is simply saying "arrest the president". And of course, there are tracks on the album where I'm just flexing my skill without any deep concept. I wanted to have a wide range of styles, lyrically, on the album. I think I accomplished that for the most part.

[Q 3]: Which song on the album took the longest to complete? Why?

[A 3]: I would say the most challenging track on the album would definitely be "Arrest The President (Cypher God)". It's a remake of the 1990 track from Tragedy Khadafi of the same name. The track is so uptempo, so it was a challenge to be able to try to match Tragedy's intensity, but from my point of view. I felt like Tragedy's track was so intense, and most emcees to this day couldn't deliver a track like this. I felt like if I remade "Arrest The President", I would have to come off and be satisfied 110% with it, or else I would fall back and leave it alone. It took a lot of focus to first write to the joint. I fed off of Tragedy's frustrations from 1990, and wrote about my frustrations in today's times. And it just so happened that the 1990 original was released when George Bush Sr was president...and my remake was released when George W. Bush is our current president. So I felt like there were enough similarities to remake this joint. I felt like I did a good job, and I can only hope Tragedy gets a chance to listen to it and feels the same way.

[Q 4]: In what way has your personal live affected your music? And what about the other way around?

[A 4]: My personal life has been full of ups and downs. I feel like everyone on this planet has their own story, and has something unique to deliver to the world. My personal life has definitely kept me grounded, knowing that a positive can turn negative in the blink of an eye. It takes struggle to make you stronger, so I don't forget the tough times I've had when I was younger. People can relate to real life situations a lot easier than fantasy, so the music sticks to the listener a lot easier if you're speaking about reality. Whether people have been through the same things or not, they can still feel your pain. And it's not only the negatives that should be highlighted...you should focus on the good times too. People can feel that happiness as well. As an artist, as long as you are real with yourself, you'll have many people that will be attracted to that. On the flip side, music has affected my personal life in a good way. I listen to a lot of music in general, but I listen to a lot of my own stuff too. I'm my worst critic, but for the most part I can feel my own material, because I become amazed at how honest my music truly is. And like I said before, being able to be real with myself, it keeps me grounded. The last track on my new album is called "Won't Change", and it basically breaks down some of my stuggles when I was younger. I'm letting you know that no matter how much fame, fortune, or props I get in my career, I will still have knowledge of self...I'll still be the same person and won't change, because I'll never forget how tough it was for me, for example, not having a father in my life...or having to witness domestic violence at a young age...I just always have to make sure I don't forget those things, because they have molded me to become the man I am today.

[Q 5]: You have released a mixtape before releasing your new album. What is the idea behind this strategy?

[A 5]: The name of the mixtape is called The Road To Streetwise. When I first thought of releasing something before the album, I was going to first just make it an EP...with 7 or 8 tracks. But I really wanted to wow people before the album dropped, so I decided to make the mixtape 20 tracks long. Some tracks are single verses, but the majority of the songs were full length and unreleased. Some tracks were from upcoming projects, and I felt like the songs were so good, that they would bring a lot of new fans my way. The mixtape was avaialble for free download for about 6 weeks on my myspace page (myspace.com/eafloe), and it received thousands of downloads. Now it's available, along with my entire catalog, on iTunes (itunes.com/edgarallenfloe). The response has been very good. My goal was to invite people into my realm, and to show people I am a true lyricist. I feel like I have something that the entire world needs to hear, so the mixtape was the first step in proving that.

[Q 6]: To what extent do your lyrics make you original?

[A 6]: I feel like my lyrics are the backbone of any hip hop track. People argue all the time that it's all about the beats, and I want to hear a dope beat just like anybody else. But I think if you have a dope beat, but weak lyrics, then the song overall won't stand the test of time. It'll get old a lot quicker, compared to if the lyrics were top notch. So I try to make sure my lyrics are not cookie-cutter and sound like the millions of other rappers out there. One of my tracks that people still love to this day is "The Righteous Way To Go", and that joint is 7 years old. But it still gets the crowd hype when I perform it live. I think that song is a perfect example of how you strive to make classics.

[Q 7]: How important is it to have some sort of (life-)lesson in your songs?

[A 7]: I think it's all about making sure your songs are not one-dimensional. I don't think I would want to hear an entire album of life lessons..The album would start to sound preachy if you did that. But at the same time, we don't need 15 tracks of someone spitting basic "hot 16s". It's all about mixing it up and keeping the listener in tune. Life is not one-dimensional, so the music shouldn't be either. You got to definitely speak on life lessons from your point of view, but you have to do it in a way that is interesting. You don't want to have your album sound like a public service announcement, no matter how badly you feel like the message needs to be relayed. So basically, it's totally cool and necessary to speak on life lessons...but keep the album, as a whole, INTERESTING.

[Q 8]: In what way has it helped your career that you, at a young age, were producing beats, writing rhymes and freestyling?

[A 8]: Doing all of those things made me know for sure that I wanted to seriously pursue music. Back in the day, it was all about having fun. So now that I'm developing my career, dealing with record labels, managers, producers, and all types of business reps, I always make sure I'm having fun and enjoy doing what I do. Once the fun is gone, that's it...I'm done. And I do not want to give some shady individual in the rap game that kind of power, to make me want to stop doing music. Most people in the music business forgot about the concept of having fun. It's so much of a "business" to them now, that it's all about the bottom line. You have to keep your passion for the music, or else you won't be happy. The last thing I want is the music to feel like any other 9 to 5 job. I don't want to dread waking up in the morning to rap. That's crazy! When you have a passion for something, it should be seen as a "job". Once it feels like that, then you've lost the fun. That's not cool at all.

[Q 9]: Which part of hiphop do you prefer, making beats or rhyming? Please explain...

[A 9]: I will always be an emcee before anything else, so the rhyming is what I prefer. I feel like no one can do what I do lyrically. There are so many producers out there, and a majority of them sound like someone else. But, there are some producers that are original and do their own thing, but it's a lot easier to mimic someone's drum kit and bassline, than to imitate lyrical skill. You could of course sound like the next man when you rap, but true lyricists are hard to duplicate.

[Q 10]: Any instruments you would like to learn to play on?

[A 10]: I think I really want to learn the piano and guitar. I've always liked the piano and keyboards, and wish I could play. It would be dope to create tracks where I'm using original melodies and chords. I'll probably try to take lessons to learn the piano and guitar soon.

[Q 11]: What are your Christmas plans? Any Christmas wishes?

[A 11]: We usually travel to my hometown, which is about 2 hours from where I live. That's where all of my family is. So we'll get everything ready for all of the kids, and make sure they enjoy the holidays. I hope everybody has a safe holdiay season. If you're traveling, be careful!

[Q 12]: How do you combine your own imprint and Justus League?

[A 12]: The Justus League is a music collective, but not really a group. So my label is separate from any other labels that may be owned by other Justus League members, like Defenders of The Free World (Cesar Comanche's label) or Hall of Justus (Big Dho's label). Since I've always had my own business sense, I decided to start my own label to get my music out there without having to wait for someone else's approval. SInce I write, produce, engineer, manage, and do some many other things, I can't afford to sit and wait for somebody else to give me ok to drop my own album. That's not how I get down, unless they were able to promote the album in ways that I can't do on my own. Maybe in due time if other Justus League members want to drop something under my label, hopefully I'll be in a position where I can push their project the best way I can.

[Q 13]: Why wasnot Mal Demolish not added to the Justus League?

[A 13]: Mal Demolish is my partner-in-rhyme from my crew, The Undefined. My crew has been together before the Justus League was formed, so we were already working to establish our name before the Justus League was even thought of. I went off to college at NC State University in Raleigh, and The Justus League was eventually formed in 1999. Mal Demolish didn't live in the Raleigh area at the time, so we formed the League around people that we meshed with, but the League members had lived generally in the same area. If Mal was in Raleigh around that time, it's possible he would have been a League member. But the League always knew who Mal Demolish was, through me.

[Q 14]: Do you think success and credibility are mutually exclusive?

[A 14]: Yes and no, because it depends on how you measure success and credibilty. I know a lot of artists that have credibility, but aren't really successful. And definitely there are successful aritsts out there that are not credible. But, some people consider a certain level of success credible, and vice versa. Trick question, huh!?!? (laughs)

[Q 15]: What artists are you listening to at the moment?

[A 15]: The last CD I picked up was Rustee Juxx's album "Indestructible". He's an affiliate of Boot Camp Clik. Crazy album! I still need to pick up that Q-Tip album...And I've been banging that new Ice Cube since it dropped.

[Q 16]: Are you living the American dream? Is it anything you hoped for?

[A 16]: I guess you can say I am. I've always been told the American Dream is having the house, the car, and the picket fence. I have a house in a good neighborhood, and a nice car. I don't really want a picket fence, but have a pretty decent sized yard! I think we all just want to be comfortable when we reach a certain age...somewhere we can raise a family. I'm happy with where I'm at in life right now. But once you acquire this American Dream, are we supposed to be automatically happy? I still look to expand my mind, read, and learn new things. I still want to learn more about my people's history...and not just "African American" history, but AFRICAN history. There's so much out there that I want to learn from the past. We as black people have one of, if not THE most extensive histories known to man. And it's so sad that it's not acknowledged like it should be. The American Dream does not include any of that. I've never really wanted to strive for the American Dream, due to a variety of reasons. Even if I was still renting an apartment and didn't have a car, but could raise a family and read a ton of books, I still would be happy.

[Q 17]: How does the weak US economy affect your daily life? How many houses are for your sale in your street?

[A 17]: Oh wow! The economy is just crazy right now. Where I live is near Research Triangle Park, which is the largest high tech research centers in the country. There have been so many layoffs within the last few months, it's unbelievable. You have people that have been working at their jobs for 30 years, and get a pink slip just before the holidays. The unemployment rate is ridiculously high in NC right now, so it's extremely hard to find a job in the same field you use to work in, for roughly the same pay. There are people, old/young, black/white, rich/poor, that are doing pretty bad right now in our area. We've only had one house on our street that was sold, but I think the owners were putting the house on and off the market for a couple of years. It's really sad nowadays, but hopefully it'll get better in due time.

[Q 18]: Recently, what is a typical day like for you?

[A 18]: Honestly, the typical day has been pretty busy for me lately. I'm usually out and about for the majority of the day, then in the evenings I'm trying to handle business on the music side, while at the same time taking care of my little girl. Add that to hitting up colleges with flyers to promote an album release party I had last week...plus working on putting together a tour before the end of the year...finishing up a couple of side projects, promoting the mixtape and album, going to the gym, making sure the family is doing ok, as we had a death in the family recently. So it's been really tough lately. But I'm maintaining and keeping things moving.

[Q 19]: Final words?

[A 19]: Jermy, I wanted to say thanks to you for hitting me up for the interview. I appreciate the opportunity. Thanks to all of the fans and supporters all over the world. Your support means the world to me. Check out the new album The Streetwise LP, as well as the mixtape The Road To Streetwise, on iTunes at itunes.com/edgarallenfloe. Physical CDs are available through major retailers such as Best Buy, and underground spots like Fat Beats Distribution, CD Baby, and others. Hit me up anytime at myspace.com/eafloe. Peace!

Jermy [MusicRemedy] likes to thank Edgar Allen Floe for the respect and to give me the opportunity to interview a great rapper/lyricist. It's been a honor.

Edgar Allen Floe information
True to life talent, original lyrics, and soulful production represent the heart of the long awaited album from Justus League member Edgar Allen Floe, The Streetwise LP. A hard hitting, thought provoking soundscape, demanding long time fans stay familiar with the Repeat button, while provoking new listeners to give their undivided attention, The Streetwise LP is music for the adult contemporary hip hop fan.

The Streetwise LP delivers neck snapping production, thought provoking emceeing, all around feel good music. The album takes the listener back to when hip hop was all about having fun, while at the same time having something to say.

Tracks such as “Shine” encourage listeners to follow your dreams and aspirations. “I See It All” is the most in-depth track on the album, describing daily life that gets taken for granted far too easily. While “Slick Talk” is one of the most energetic tracks, full of the “slickest” braggadocio wordplay.

This album will help ground the current landscape of rap music, giving you the feeling that all is not lost. If advanced lyrics and heartfelt production are what you’re looking for, you’ve found it with The Streetwise LP.

Edgar Allen Floe biography
Justus League member Edgar Allen Floe releases the long awaited album "The Streetwise LP". The album is the second release from Floe's own imprint, MCEO Records, LLC. Floe started rhyming at age 14, initially wanting to be a DJ. Growing up, Floe would freestyle and recite LL Cool J rhymes in school for Show and Tell. His mother let him listen to LL Cool J's "Radio" album, and from then on, Floe has loved the art of the rhyme to the fullest. At a young age of 6 years old, Floe lived in Atlantic City, NJ, where he would break dance and perform at annual festivals in the area.

Floe began writing rhymes at age 14, and eventually would be involved in freestyle sessions at lunch time in high school. He met his partner in rhyme, Mal Demolish, in 1994, and they eventually formed the group The Undefined in 1996.

Upon attending North Carolina State University, Floe met 9th Wonder in 1997 at the school's gymnasium while playing basketball. They naturally bonded through similar tastes in music. In 1999, Floe also linked up with other artists such as Median and Cesar Comanche, and eventually The Justus League was formed in that same year.

The first track ever recorded by Floe and 9th Wonder was "The Righteous Way To Go" in July 2001. This track continues to be one of the most enjoyable tracks in the Justus League catalog, introducing the world to the 9th Wonder sound.

The Justus League built their following from the ground up, performing at local clubs in the Triangle area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC). In 2003, the crew started to gain popularity with the release on their "NC State of Mind Mixtape" (with the assistance of online sites such as hiphopsite.com), as well as the release of "The Listening" album from underground sensation, Little Brother.

Floe has been featured in magazines such as The Source and XXL Magazine, as well as online sites hiphogame.com, ballerstatus.com, allhiphop.com, and featured in the "Next 1000" by Urb Magazine.

Floe continued to stay on the grind and released his first EP, "True Links" in 2005. Tracks such as "Faith In Love" (produced by 9th Wonder) and "Timelife" were highlights from the project and helped him gain critical acclaim.

In 2006, Floe linked up with independent label, Shaman Work Recordings, and released his second disc, "Floe Almighty". This mixtape styled release displayed Floe as an emcee as well as a producer (under the alias Slicemysta), further building his reputation as a top notch, next level artist. Tracks like "The Torch" and "Skyward" are considered the top rated jewels from the "Floe Almighty" project.

In 2007, after leaving Shaman Work Recordings, Floe decided to move forward by establishing his own label, MCEO Records, LLC. In hopes to maintain his buzz, Floe re-released his last CD, calling it "Floe Almighty: The Remixture". This release was full of exclusive remixes and bonus tracks of the original "Floe Almighty" project. "Floe Almighty: The Remixture" was praised by the critics, with a 4 out of 5 stellar review on hiphopsite.com.

Now in 2008, Floe is ready to release his official debut album, "The Streetwise LP". The album features guest appearances from fellow Justus League members Median (Halftooth Records), L.E.G.A.C.Y. and Sean Boog of The Away Team (Hall of Justus). Producers include 9th Wonder who produced 3 tracks (including the noteworthy "Shine"), Khrysis (producing "Exposure", a track which gives an interesting breakdown of the undercover hate surrounding North Carolina's local rap scene), and Blunt (producing the closing track "Won't Change", which delivers a vivid image of Floe's struggles during his childhood).

Floe has released a mixtape, called "The Road to Streetwise", last September before "The Streetwise LP" is released. The mixtape will be hosted by 9th Wonder, and will feature production from 9th, Khrysis, and Blunt.

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Edgar Allen Floe - The Streetwise