sightRIZE Questions Substantial

1. sightRIZE: Your Cover Art For Sacrifice Was Quite Unique. What Was Your Inspiration For That?

Substantial: Thank you. Well, I've always had a thing for Japanese culture, Asian culture in general really. So one day I was checking out this photographers website, my boy Eddie B. Tombs IV, and he had these sick photos, like fashion photos mixed with martial arts. The idea hit me almost instantly. I just wanted to add the twist with the sword being replaced with a pen and a mic.

2. sightRIZE: I Ask Everyone This Question, How do you feel about all the wack tracks and posers in the game right now?

Substantial: I feel the same way I've always felt, if it's terrible I don't buy it. Bad music will always be here, it just seems like there is more of it these days. As far as the posers, I try not to waste my time or energy acknowledging anything that lacks authenticity.

3. sightRIZE: Outside of HipHop what are your interests?

Substantial: Youth work, visual arts, martial arts, movies (martial arts, anime, documentaries, etc.), old records, sneakers, a little bit of everything.

4. sightRIZE: You have a unique clothing style any comments about that?

Substantial: I rock what I like and I don’t go out of my way to rock what everyone else rocking. I definitely don't spend a lot of money on clothes I just try to make what I got look as fresh as possible. I definitely try to keep a lot of custom stuff in the closet and plus my folks Dylated Clothing, Up and Up, & Good Bully Apparel keep me with a fresh Tee too.

5. sightRIZE: My favorite song off Sacrifice was Let It Go, how did you come up with that?

Substantial: I had a lot of challenges going on in my personal life, both positive and negative, so I decided to take a little break from writing so I could deal with them. After nearly 3 months without writing, the first song that I wrote was "Let It Go". I clearly had a lot off my chest and the beat Burns gave me set the perfect mood. It was a while before I recorded it though. When I did, I did it one take to capture the feel of how I perform it live.

6. sightRIZE: How did your career start?

Substantial: I had been battling and performing for years and finally I was discovered by a producer in Japan named Nujabes who signed me to Hyde Out Productions back in 1999. Between that and grinding on the NYC scene with PackFM that's how I started making a name for myself.

7. sightRIZE: Who is your favorite artist in the game right now and why?

Substantial: I honestly don't have one favorite right now. There's a lot of different folks that I dig honestly. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Nas, Lupe, Common, Sean Price, Kokayi, Rhymefest, Guilty Simpson, and Elzhi to name a few. All of them have great lyrics, presences, personality, etc. But honestly, I listen to a lot of other music and try to cut back on hiphop when I’m writing.

8. sightRIZE: Any upcoming projects/news we should know about?

Substantial: Next project is a collab EP with Burns, the producer of Let It Go. It's called "SubstantialBurns". It will be a digital release dropping Late 2008/Early 2009 with QN5 Music. And don't forget, Sacrifice is stores now.

sightRIZE: Thanks for your time man! We appreciate it.

Substantial: Not a problem, anytime fam.