Illuminati 2G

JEHUNIKO INTERVIEW

For those familiar with the site, over the last year I2G member Jehuniko has dropped 2 dope street albums, Spiritual Warfare and Spiritual Warfare II here on the site. I constantly bump both of them, whether on the road, at work or cleaning around the house. It's honest, spiritual, good feeling hip hop. That and knowing the history and the things my man J had to go through to get these albums to the masses inspired me to do this special interview with him to talk about how it came together. Check it out.

I2G is here with Jehuniko how's it going?

Real good my I2G comrade, what’s up with you D-Marc? I see you been putting it down for hip hop for the longest. I know you buying CD’s, you been a dedicated supporter for so long and I want to make sure people know that you and I2G are about the movement of hip hop. Much respect to you.

But for real though, just been recording real hard. Balancing that with quality family time. I was on tour in April down in Costa Rica, thanks to my carnal Federico. Haven’t done as many shows lately cuz I normally do a gang of shows but I’ve been focusing on creating (recording/writing songs/shooting videos.)

Appreciate that J. Thought it would be cool to do a little interview on the behind the scenes of you doing the Spiritual Warfare street albums. Tell me a little bit about how you came up with the idea for doing the Spiritual Warfare street albums.

Well, for the past 5 years, I’ve felt a heightened level of activity around me. What I mean by that is things moving around me, shadows running beside my car, crowds of crows on my front lawn, lots of noises of every capacity around various houses that I’ve lived at. People will probably think I’m tripping but it is what it is. So I began to learn, research and I came to the conclusion that it was many forces of opposition trying to war with me. From Babylon, to the history of the U.S. desecrating native peoples around the world, therefore it became evident to me that it was indeed a spiritual war. Christians, Jews, Muslims all going to war over various reasons when ultimately, depending on what you believe, there is really one central power in the Universe, regardless of cultural applications to spirituality. This spirit war hurt me to the point where I had to learn not to feed into it and I could just ride it out, because that is what a man need to do, all the time, always, forever.

It became an outlet for raw, direct frustration to be vented without worrying about structuring full songs. Also, I don’t do a lot of collaborations, so for my solo albums, that shit will be with me forever so I don’t want to put just anyone on my actual album. So on someone else’s beat, with some cats I’m cool with? Hell yeah…As it turned out, homeboys like Wilson and Gun proved to be my people, I call them a real friend and best believe they gon be on my upcoming solo album. Spiritual Warfare 3 is in the works, at least beat wise……got about 300 beats of sheer firepower…

Did you find the recording process for both similar or different? I know you were going through Hurricane Ike during SW2 amongst other things.

Wth SW1, I did it at a different studio, a home studio, though you could walk out and be amazed by ill trees, gardens, etc., I recorded SW2 in a full on nice studio. There is no comparison to the 2 studios. With SW2, my life got turned upside down in every way except I wasn’t back in jail, and no one died. So I channeled that madness running around in my brain into music. I recorded 85% of it in a week. It’s funny to think that I wrote this shit by candle light, no power, some personal stuff also happened so it seemed like everything was really fucked up. Plus I was in Texas, I’m from Califas holmes… with me and me alone in Texas. You know, no support system of family which in all reality isn’t anything that people in Palestine or Oaxaca ain’t already been living through. Quick, fleeting thoughts ran through my brain. Every extreme thought from suicide to illegal shit ran through my mind and it became clear to me that it was not only a test but a cleansing. Long ago, like 15 years ago I was in a punk band and 1 of my lyrics was "a forest burnt to the ground germinates the soil" and I always remembered that. Another cool memory was that 1 day I recorded 8 songs in 6 hours with my daughter in the next room watching movies and a room full of people where the consols are. Radio people, OG MC’s from Texas, Managers, etc, I ignored all the people that I could see through the glass and I went in. They called me the Rap Dad, coming to the studio with snacks, diapers, dvd’s, tv, and a dvd player.

What would you say were your favorite tracks from the first Spiritual Warfare and why?

Best song on there is the one with my homeboy Ozzy whose voicemail is on there with a song all about him. He passed a while back and I can’t really listen to the song but the beat is by Enimem and it goes hard. Song #18 is about my Uncle Dean and Aunt Marlene. They define loyalty, period. There’s a couple that I feel cuz the beats are hard and I like what I did. Um, "work the streets like we work the land." That is #2, number 1 is hard too, slow banging rumble, grrrr…"Fight Fire with Fire" is cool too. Damn, haven’t listened to it in a while. I like all the different sounds/samples we put in. SW2 is better based on the quality of recording, mixing, etc but the way SW1 is arranged is dope because we put lots of different sounds off of CD’s I bought in my travels.

Spiritual Warfare 2 was downloaded 1076 times in 2 hours on thatcrack.com. Funny to see my tripped out creations getting downloaded like that.

What were some good memories and thoughts you have from those SW1 sessions?

SW1….in the Houston Summer, mad mosquitos, no air conditioning, felt like a swamp. But just recording is a blessing and so helpful to my sanity.

Alright lets get into the 2nd installment, SW2. I mentioned earlier you were going through alot during this project. Would you say that came out more in your music, your trials on this album?

Delivery wise, it showed me how I can flip my delivery because my heart and soul were channeled. Me personally, I put my real thoughts, real experiences, real life in my words and I don’t try to hide it. There are no masks in truth only dark and light. I need to be writing and a lot more so I don’t implode. With out music, I’d be living a totally different lifestyle. Music and art saved me. Bottom line.

This one was definitely more dark but very lyrical. You had more guests on this project but the chemistry with them was timeless and seamless also.

Hey holmes, thank you.

A track that is absolutely insane is Trick Or Treat with Kemo Tha Blaxican. What was the studio session like for that track.

You feel it like that? Thanks.. I did the song, had the hook, gave Kemo the song. He said he felt it and I secretly wanted to do a song where I’m dissing fools and talking shit in a righteous conscious middle finger forever type vibe but with Kemo. To do a fuck you song with a real OG was a blessing. He said he wrote the verse while in traffic. He beast on that one. I also mention Alex Collier. Check him out on Youtube. He has met with "extra terrestrials" since a child and has good information on how we can overthrow these corrupt oil wars with pure love.

Another favorite of mine was This Land with Justice, produced by Sid Roams. You interviewed Sid Roams on the site last year. How did they end up contributing beats for the project and how did you link up with Justice from South Park Coalition?

Sid Roams sent me some CD’s and gave me permission to use the beats on a promotional basis. I gave all of them out for free and a free download. Sid Roams, I’d have to say for me, they are the best producers out right now. They can do vibey soulful music all day, whatever any other producer can do but what they bring is a rhythmic pummeling of bass that is like a rolling wave of asphalt stomping through every reality you’ve ever known. Let me tell you about Justice Allah, he 1 of the best to ever do it. Good soul right there, great writer, an inspiration.

Yeah you guys have great chemistry together. Have either of you discussed doing say a duo album together?

We talked about it. It would be tight if it ever happened. He got a new album coming out that is really dope called Justice Served.

Any plans to do a SWIII?

Like I mentioned, it is an ongoing series I guess. Until I decide to do something else. Me and my carnal Lee-Coc got an album we working on, of course the Almas Intocables album is always a possibility. Ikuestion cooked up some new production that is really amazing. I’m also working on a compilation with my homeboys that I meet in my travels. I know Enoch in Costa Rica going to get down, Gun, Wilson, many others and it is going to be fucking sick I tell you. I’m getting beats / conceptualizing my next solo album also. I’ve got a running title, theme, and I’ve got international heavyweights telling me, "oye, cuando estas listo cabron." So my next solo album which will be a late 2009 / 2010 release is in the works. Me and Gun are going to do a street album also. He working on his debut solo album. Gun like the Super Chicano with his delivery…and so someone where in there is the SW 3 featuring me. As many tracks will fit on a CD will be all solo madness.

Any details you can give about Cold In The Hot Sun, your next album?

I’m real deep in that right now. This whole thing was produced by Carlos Quintero also known as Carlos the ColdHardinero. I’m focused only on that right now outside of normal life stuff. I’ve got Gun on there, Capital X recorded in Europe, sent it over. I’m honored to get down with homeboy. I’ve got a lot of videos getting edited right now and I’m mixing and mastering. I am really proud of what is coming. Cold in the Hot Sun is coming this Summer. The homie Mesg from Fourth Cycle clothing and magazine did the cover of my album. I’m sure Jesse Hazelip will be doing some art in there as well. Did a song the other day with Lee-Coc, that was my some shit right there holmes. We gon’ put that on the album, like a last minute addition.

Always good to discuss music with you my brother and take another journey through your music. Any last words?

Check out my carnal Jesse Hazelip.com. He has done all of my artwork, from my 1^{st album, 2 designs for Spiritual Warfare and the Almas Intocables artwork. He is amazing and his website has a lot of sick art ready for purchase. I appreciate you being so supportive, I2G is for the people. I want to shout out my family, my people worldwide for believing in the kid, Federico, como siempre, on self destruct family, Gun y la familia, Scotty out in Tyler, TX, Danny out in Oregon, Scott de la Tierra out in Orange County, Cali, Wilson of Reporte Ilegal, the homeboys in Costa Rica, toda la gente en Mexico, Basti out in Austria, Justus Allah for being real and my baby monstra for being my seatbelt in a crazy world.}

Cold in the Hot Sun is coming !

For anyone interested in checking out the Spiritual Warfare street albums, click on the links below. Free download. Much love to Jehuniko and his continuing contributions to the site.