Prototype Issue
The King of LA Soars
By Jessica Koslow
(page 1 of 1)Pigeon John, who got his start at open mic nights with the likes of The Pharcyde, Freestyle Fellowship and Jurassic 5, breaks down his solo career, LA hip-hop and losing it in front of Prince Paul.
“I’m the King of LA,” jested Pigeon John, chillin’ out at a Mexican joint on Venice’s normally bustling Abbot Kinney Blvd. It’s early evening on a Tuesday and the trendy shopping district is nearly deserted. Casually dressed, most notably sporting a wide, friendly smile, the rapper-producer is accompanied by his wife, a Venice local who works in the not-for-profit sector.
Pigeon John is old-school LA hip-hop—without being old. From his first group, the Brainwash Projects, to his first commercially successful venture, LA Symphony, the underground rapper has certainly paid his dues. In 1999 LA Symphony released its first indie album, Composition No. 1, which garnered a bit of buzz. The group’s second effort, Call It What You Want, attracted producers HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will.i.am”Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas and Prince Paul. Unfortunately, that album never saw much daylight.
Buoyed by his own star power, Pigeon John took flight as a solo artist in 2001 and has since released four albums. His most recent release, Pigeon John… And The Summertime Pool Party (Quannum Records), showcases his trademark feel-good, summery rhymes and singing (yes, this multitalented MC sings as well as raps). The album was partly inspired by the city of Hawthorne, where Pigeon John, who is mixed-race, grew up and honed his hip-hop creds.
How’d you get into rap? That’s one of my favorite subjects. I started rhyming at an open mic called the Good Life Cafe on Crenshaw. I totally fell in love with the scene, the people, the heightened skill. They all came from different areas in Southern California, from Watts, Oxnard and Riverside…gangster MCs, weirdo MCs, LA’s finest. There wasn’t just one style. That made me feel like there was room for Pigeon John, a dude from Hawthorne that isn’t in the gangster scene, isn’t in the heightened artistic scene, just a balance between both. That’s where I met LA Symphony.
How’d you get your name? I was just going by “John.” That’s not so hot. My friend said you should be called Chicken John. He was into dub music, and there’s an artist named Chicken Chest. His mom said, “You don’t look like a chicken; you look more like a pigeon.” It was a done deal.
Why did you choose to go the indie route? In 2001 I was trying to get a record deal. I was talking to the VP of A&R at Epic Records. He said this song I did—“What is Love?”—is a mix of Mos Def and Queen, and the label couldn’t sell that. It was a bomb compliment. So my friend and I put in a couple of G’s and pressed up Pigeon John…Is Clueless. We realized we could make money.
Talk about how your music has changed over the years. My first album was my version of straight-ahead hip-hop. With Clueless, it was me and my friends making beats and me rapping. I wasn’t developed. Some people like that Pigeon John. They don’t want to hear me sing. On the second project, I wanted to show all sides of my musical influences. I did a little more singing. With Sings the Blues, I recorded it at the same time as Dating Your Sister, and it was mostly the songs I was singing on. I’d be at an underground LA rap show and guys would come up to me and say they like that song, “[She cooks me]Oatmeal,” they like the soft stuff. People that I thought would have small ears have huge ears. They’re almost waiting for something different. That really set me loose, so I went to the wall on Summertime Pool Party without overthinking. It just opened the floodgates.
How do you think LA hip-hop has influenced hip-hop in general? Cut Chemist used to tape every night at the Good Life. Mikah Nine, Jurassic 5, Kurupt also showed up. Those tapes started circulating and kids in Hawaii were quoting stuff I said when I was a kid. That made me realize that that was something special that we did, that LA hip-hop was really special. When we started rhyming or trying to be different, it was right after LA was just gangster rap, the land of NWA, hardcore rap. We didn’t want to associate with the gangster stuff because we thought it was corny. We wanted to rebel against that whole thing and try to really push through.
As an underground artist, do you like gangster rap? I’m a huge fan of gangster rap when it’s fantastic. Doggystyle, that record is fantastic. I heard this one song from Snoop where he shouted out Murs, 2Mex and the Visionaries, saying how the West Coast needs to support each other, whether it be gangster, underground, artistic, weird or eclectic. I think there is a lot more love today. Murs opening up for the Dogg Pound at the Whiskey. That’s awesome.
Which do you prefer, live instruments or sampling? It depends on the producer. I’ve seen Jeru Tha Damaja with DJ Premier at an LA show and he was such a good DJ that if he played with a band it would slow it down and wouldn’t be as good. I think that if it’s done right, I think it’s equal. Madlib and J. Dilla (R.I.P.) are ridiculous. You never knew what was sampled and what was played. That’s when it’s really good. Beastie Boys around the Check Your Head era, when they started replaying the instruments. I thought it was very dope. No one in hip-hop was doing that in 1991. They laid out the foundation for Rage Against the Machine, for the whole rap-rock thing.
Do you have a funny story you’d like to share? LA Symphony is in a club in NYC. They booked Prince Paul to spin. So we’re practicing and there’s a certain part where it’s a little move, kind of like New Edition. With eight guys on stage you want to do something. b Twice was the hip-hop dude. He didn’t dance. We were practicing and he didn’t do this move and I got real mad at him. I said, “You got to learn the moves.” I realized Prince Paul was watching us. b Twice jets off stage and yells he’s quitting the group. Our manager is running after him and this is all in front of our legend, Prince Paul. I feel like an idiot right now still that I got mad at my homeboy for not doing the dance moves. But you live and learn.
What do you want Pigeon John to be remembered for? I would be absolutely flattered to be a part of the soundtrack to people’s lives.
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