BAR GOD: GRAFH
QUEENS, NEW YORK | GRAFH
INTERVIEW KB TINDAL
GROWING UP IN HOLLIS QUEENS WHERE I’M FROM WAS ALWAYS HARD. SOME AREAS WERE WORSE THAN OTHERS BUT IN QUEENS, SOUTHSIDE JAMAICA, TO BE EXACT, WAS PROBABLY THE MOST NOTORIOUS HOOD. BUT JUST LIKE IN ANY HOOD, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BACKBONE AND A TAKE NO SHIT KIND OF ATTITUDE TO SURVIVE. TO COME OUT OF QUEENS AS A SUCCESS IN THE RAP GAME WAS JUST AS EQUIVALENT TO SUCCEEDING IN THE CRACK GAME AT ONE POINT.
GRAFH HAS BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE. ONE AS A SCHOLAR AT ST JOHN’S UNIVERSITY STUDYING TO BECOME A DOCTOR, AND TWO AS A STREET HUSTLER THAT FELL IN LOVE WITH HIP HOP. THANK GOD FOR US HE DECIDED TO TAKE HIS LOVE FOR HIP HOP AND RUN WITH IT. HE’S RELEASED CLOSE TO 30 PROJECTS SINCE THE EARLY 2000’S AND HAS BEEN HERALDED BY HIS PEERS AND CRITICS ALIKE, AS ONE OF THE BEST LYRICISTS IN THE GAME. HE HAS HAD FAILED BUT LUCRATIVE RECORD DEALS WITH EVERYONE FROM SONY RECORDS TO ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS WHEN THEY WERE THE HOTTEST INDEPENDENT LABEL ON THE PLANET, TO DEF JAM AND KOCH.
HIS WORK ETHIC SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. A WHILE BACK HE CREATED HIS OWN BUSINESS AND LABEL, TEAM BANG DOPE GANG WITH HIS PARTNER MAXX WAYNE. HE’S ALWAYS PUSHING HIMSELF TO BECOME A BETTER ARTIST, BUSINESSMAN, AND FAMILY MAN. HE’S BEEN UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF SOME OF THE REALEST AND MOST HIGHLY RESPECTED PEOPLE FROM THE STREETS AS WELL AS SOME FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. HE’S TAKEN NOTES AND JEWELS FROM THE BEST OF THE BEST AND HONED THEM INTO HIS OWN PIECE OF ARTFUL PERFECTION IN VARIOUS AREAS OF HIS LIFE.
GRAFH’S LATEST PROJECT GOOD ENERGY FEATURES THE LIKES OF JIM JONES, SMOKE DZA, ERIC BELLINGER, 38 SPESH, EL CAMINO, HARRY FRAUD AND MYSONNE. IT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM GRAFH. INTOXICATING PRODUCTION AND BARS THAT MAKE YOU DO A DOUBLE-TAKE LISTEN.
VALIDATED MAGAZINE GOT THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE BAR GOD FROM QUEENS AND WE CHOPPED IT UP ABOUT LIFE, CORONAVIRUS, ARTISTS THAT PUSH HIM TO BE BETTER, LOVE AND HIP HOP, JEWELS, LESSONS LEARNED AND MUCH MORE. SO TAP IN WITH TWO DUDES FROM QUEENS AS WE TAKE YOU ON A RIDE OF GRAFH’S JOURNEY THROUGH HIP HOP AND LIFE.
“IT'S ALL ABOUT AMBITION. I HAD TO DO BETTER BECAUSE OF WHERE I GREW UP AND HOW I GREW UP. I HAVE GOALS THAT I SET AND I REACH, I MAKE MUSIC, THAT'S WHAT I DO, YA KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? NO MATTER HOW MUCH I STRUGGLE, MY HEART IS WHERE IT'S AT. AND I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT.”
VALIDATED: SO THE LAST TIME WE TALKED WAS ON THE RED CARPET AT THE GLOBAL SPIN AWARDS IN 2014 AND YOU HAD JUST DROPPED “88 CRACK ERA” SO IT’S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE WE’VE SPOKEN SO THANKS FOR CHOPPIN’ IT UP WITH ME TODAY.
GRAFH: AW MAN THANKS FOR HAVING ME MAN. AND YEAH THAT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE PROJECTS THAT I’VE DONE.
VALIDATED: YOU’VE BEEN RELEASING PROJECTS SINCE ‘04 OR EARLIER THAN THAT?
GRAFH: YOU KNOW IT WAS ACTUALLY BEFORE THAT BECAUSE I WAS RELEASING MIXTAPES BUT KAY SLAY WAS THE FIRST ONE WHO GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET HEARD ON RADIO AND ON HIS MIXTAPES TOO.
VALIDATED: HOW MANY PROJECTS IN TOTAL HAVE YOU RELEASED TO DATE? I COUNTED 22 ONLINE BUT I COULD BE WRONG.
GRAFH: THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION. I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW BUT I KNOW IT’S UP THERE.
VALIDATED: WHERE DID YOU GET THE NAME GRAFH FROM?
GRAFH: I GOT THE NAME BECAUSE I USED TO WRITE GRAFFITI BACK IN THE DAYS. THAT WAS LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID IN HIP HOP. BUT I LOVE DRAWING ON LEATHER JACKETS AND THINGS SO I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INTO ART.
VALIDATED: TELL ME SPECIFICALLY WHERE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN QUEENS IS LOCATED AND GROWING UP AND HOW IT INFLUENCED YOU?
GRAFH: I’M FROM JAMAICA, QUEENS. I’M FROM GUY BREWER, SUTPHIN, LINDEN, FOCH, MERRICK BLVD... I REPRESENT ALL OF THAT. I’M FROM THAT WHOLE SIDE OF QUEENS. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A FLY NIGGA FROM QUEENS AND THAT’S ALWAYS BEEN WHAT I’VE REPRESENTED.
VALIDATED: "GOOD ENERGY" IS THE TITLE OF THE NEW PROJECT AND IT DROPPED ON SEPTEMBER 18TH. WHY DID YOU FEEL AT THIS TIME THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TITLE FOR THE PROJECT?
GRAFH: “GOOD ENERGY” IS JUST THAT, IT’S A VIBE. AFTER THE PANDEMIC AND ALL OF THE SOCIAL INJUSTICE, WE AS A PEOPLE ARE SUBJECTED TO EVERY DAY, I WANTED TO GIVE THE PEOPLE SOME GOOD ENERGY. I WANTED TO GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING POSITIVE TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS NEEDED.
VALIDATED: SO I’VE HEARD THE ALBUM AND “KILLING KINGS” FEATURING MYSONNE, EMMANUEL AND SLY PIPER IS A POWERFUL RECORD. WHAT GAVE YOU THE MOTIVATION TO RECORD THE RECORD?
GRAFH: IT WAS A RECORD THAT WAS NEEDED, AND MYSONNE WAS THE PERFECT PERSON TO GET ON IT. WE'RE TRYING. I'M TRYING. I FEEL LIKE ALL THE PAIN AND STRUGGLES WILL COME OUT. WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP BEING STRONG AND DOING WHAT WE’RE DOING, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE THESE.
VALIDATED: A WHILE BACK WE LOST CHAZ WILLIAMS WHO YOU WERE SIGNED TO UNDER BLACKHAND ENTERTAINMENT AT ONE POINT. WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT HIM THAT YOU STILL CARRY WITH YOU TODAY?
GRAFH: HE GAVE ME SO MUCH THAT I STILL CARRY WITH ME. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME WAS THAT HE WAS MORE LIKE A FATHER FIGURE TO ME THAN A MANAGER AND I NEVER GOT TO TELL HIM THAT WHILE HE WAS ALIVE. THAT’S ONE THING THAT I WISH I WOULD’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, IS TELL HIM HOW I FELT BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY.
VALIDATED: YOU ARE CLASSIFIED IN THIS GAME AS A TRUE EMCEE, SO IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE FROM 2 EMCEES THAT ALWAYS MAKE YOU PUSH YOURSELF HARDER AS A LYRICIST WHENEVER YOU WORK WHO WOULD THOSE 2 EMCEES BE?
GRAFH: NAS WOULD BE FIRST. HE’S THE REASON I STARTED RAPPIN’. THAT ILLMATIC ALBUM CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR ME. WITHOUT THAT, I DON’T THINK I WOULD BE RAPPIN’. AND THE SECOND PERSON WOULD DEFINITELY BE ROYCE DA 5’9”. I FUCK WITH ROYCE HEAVY!
VALIDATED: GIVE ME ONE JEWEL THAT DAME DASH GAVE YOU BACK THEN THAT YOU STILL CARRY WITH YOU TODAY.
GRAFH: DAME IS ONE OF THE REALEST PEOPLE IN THIS GAME THAT I’VE EVER MET. HE ALSO GAVE ME A LOT TO GO WITH BUT HIM JUST BEING A REAL NIGGA IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS. I REMEMBER WHEN I HAD JUST SIGNED WITH ROC-A-FELLA HE JUST CALLED ME LATE ONE NIGHT AND ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO FLY TO JAPAN. I WAS LIKE UMM, YEAH! HE’S JUST A REAL NIGGA AND A GOOD BUSINESSMAN AND I RESPECT THAT ABOUT HIM.
VALIDATED: HOW HAS COVID OPENED UP YOUR EYES FOR YOU DURING THE PANDEMIC?
GRAFH: SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A JOB OR A FUCKING PLACE TO LIVE, I GOT THAT, BUT YOU GOTTA WORK HARD TO MAINTAIN WHERE YOU'RE AT. WE LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE IT’S BEEN HARD YA KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BUT I GOTTA KEEP HUSTLING. I HAVE TWINS SO I KEEP GOING NO MATTER WHAT. IT’S BEEN A ROLLER COASTER WITH CORONA BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER YOU JUST GOTTA KEEP GOING.
VALIDATED: WE SAW YOU ON LOVE AND HIP HOP FOR AN EPISODE OR 2, AND BEFORE THAT ON THE ULTIMATE HUSTLER ON BET WITH DAME SO IS TELEVISION OR FILMS SOMETHING YOU’RE PLANNING ON DOING MORE OF IN THE FUTURE?
GRAFH: WELL, THE ONLY REASON I WAS ON LOVE AND HIP HOP WAS BECAUSE THE BAG AND THE BUSINESS WERE RIGHT. PLUS THEY KNEW THAT I WASN’T DOWN WITH DOING ANYTHING CRAZY IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS. SO IT WAS RESPECTFUL AND I DIDN’T HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL THE CRAZINESS. BUT YES I WOULD LIKE TO DO SOME MORE TV OR FILMS.
VALIDATED: WHAT HAVE YOUR SACRIFICES IN LIFE ALLOWED YOU TO ACCOMPLISH AS AN ARTIST?
GRAFH: YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD TO GET TO THE TOP. I HAVE MY OWN EQUIPMENT AND MY OWN STUDIO. I MAKE MUSIC THE WAY THAT I WANT TO. BUT IT TOOK SACRIFICES TO GET TO THIS POINT. I’M ALSO ALL ABOUT OWNERSHIP. ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK PEOPLE, SO IN YOUR CASE, YOU HAVE A MAGAZINE AND I RESPECT THAT. I WANNA SEE YOU SUCCEED AND ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP WITH THAT I’M ALL FOR IT. MY SACRIFICES HAVE ALLOWED ME TO BE ABLE TO RAP AND CREATE MUSIC IN MY OWN WAY.
VALIDATED: WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE HIP-HOP CULTURE?
GRAFH: IT’S ALL ABOUT ME STAYING TRUE TO MYSELF AND WHERE I COME FROM. I’M A FLY NIGGA FROM QUEENS AND THAT’S WHAT I REPRESENT.
VALIDATED: WHAT DO YOU WANT LISTENERS TO GET FROM YOUR MUSIC?
GRAFH: BECAUSE OF WHERE I GREW UP AND MY PAST, I STARTED RAPPING TO GET MY MIND OFF OF IT AND TO HELP OTHERS. BUT RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE I’M STARTING OVER, I'M DOING WHAT I LOVE. I WANT THEM TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SECURITY WHEN THEY LISTEN TO MY WORDS AND MY MUSIC. IT'S ALL ABOUT AMBITION. I HAD TO DO BETTER BECAUSE OF WHERE I GREW UP AND HOW I GREW UP. I HAVE GOALS THAT I SET AND I REACH, I MAKE MUSIC, THAT'S WHAT I DO, YA KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? NO MATTER HOW MUCH I STRUGGLE, MY HEART IS WHERE IT'S AT. AND I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT.