Add-2: The One Man Duo, Leader of the True School
Add-2 is just as the title says, he is the one man duo, and leader of the true school. Not interested in money, fame, or recognition, he does music for the passion. I got the privilege to interview him and ask about his last free album Tale of Two Cities: The Rise & Fall [Click To Download], his inspirations, and many other things. Being one of my favorite albums from 2009, I think everyone should take the time to download it.
What would it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?
Who is Add-2, and why should people listen to you?
A2: Add-2 is an ambitious emcee from Chicago. I am a college graduate, a child of hip hop and an overall easy going person who is bringing a new perspective and a new sense of reality back to hip hop.
What (or who) do you rap for? What’s your inspiration?
A2: I make music for everyday people, everyday when I walk outside that’s my inspiration. I write about what I see, what I go through, what I see others go through and hopefully give the listeners some insight on someone else’s life or thought process.
Chuck D said rap was like the black CNN and I would like to follow in those footsteps and tell the world whats going on from an honest perspective.
Being from the Chi, how does that influence your music?
A2: It influences my music a lot from the way I rap, my slang, the beats I choose to the subject matter. In Chicago we don’t like to sugar coat anything, it’s a very upfront place and I try to take the same approach when creating music. I want to give people an honest look at me and the world as I see it. On Vol.2 I did a song called “Black Amerikkka” about 3 different perspectives and the black identity, I also did a song called “Chicago Kids” about the violence with our children last year before it was major news. I just want to show people reality through music.
What three identities do you see?
A2: When I wrote “Black Amerikkka” [click to listen] I told it from the perspectives:
1) A young black female from the suburbs who doesnt fit the stereotypical image of what we label as “Black”
2) A black male who doesnt trust the government and with valid reason, and
3) The elder who has helped to strive and fight for us to be treated better who see’s us now.
Of course there are many many more perspectives but I wanted to talk about how being black isn’t just one thing and show some sides that may not normally be expressed in rap songs.
Chuck D said rap was like the black CNN and I would like to follow in those footsteps and tell the world whats going on from an honest perspective.
Your last project, The Rise & Fall Vol. 3, was more sullen and kind of dark, why is that?
A2: It was really reflective of my life at that time period. Even though I was rising with my career and I was gaining more notoriety I was also getting further away from what I use to like about my life. I wasn’t laughing or happy like I use to be and I was hoping that success would bring happiness but I was more stressed than anything else so it came out in the music. There were still some high points too; it wasn’t all depressing [laughs].
What brought about that depression?
A2: A lot of it came from my girlfriends mother being in the hospital up until she passed. I never had to be in a position like that, where I felt so powerless because you want to do something but you realize you really can’t do anything aside from pray. And it would tear me apart cause you can’t just look that person in the eye and say, “Its gonna be alright”, I had to learn that sometimes the best thing you can do is be there by their side through it all. But it hurt me alot to see her mom, who was like a mom to me, like that. And it hurt to see my girlfriend and her family without a major piece of their family.
What was the theme for the tape?
A2: Like the phrase goes, “What would it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?” and as independent artists we strive for success but not a lot of us get to see how our success is affecting our lives and the lives of those around us and how it will change us. The album is based off that thought and the fact that no matter how much we hope to stay high in life we can’t stay like that forever and you have to be able to appreciate both.
That’s obviously a pretty in-depth analysis, when did you come to that conclusion? What got you thinking about that?
A2: I think about things like that often because I know success is not everything it seems. Since I’m only creating music because I love music it makes me more aware of the things that come with it like the fake friends, the changes within yourself and others etc. So I try to do my best to enjoy this as much without losing sight of the important things like family, real friendships and who I am and what I stand for.
The title track off the album [click to listen], is basically you venting about how you keep falling, and the downs of your life. With all these lows in your life, how do you persevere through it?
A2: No other way but God and others’ support. Even though I don’t go to church often, I have a very strong relationship with God. I have my low times but I understand it’s for a reason and I trust that God’s working on something better for my life. Knowing that God has a plan for me gives me strength; knowing I have people who are pulling for me keeps me going. Friends, family and supporters are all constant reminders that no matter how crazy life is getting you can’t let it get the best of you.
In the same song you say “Pastor told me to shake the demons off/I say you know I try/but no lie, its hard to keep em off/just being real, I feel the devil at my heels, feel my legs about to give out”, can you explain the song, and more specifically that bar?
A2: When I wrote the song at the time my cousin was given a few weeks to live who later died the next week after I recorded it, and my girlfriend’s mother, who later passed, was also given a few months to live and a lot of minor things in life as well. I honestly was feeling like I was losing the will to live, everyday I would wake up and just sit in my room for hours and hours looking at the wall, wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t sleep til 3-4am and just kinda go through the motions. I would try to do things to keep myself from being depressed but it would keep coming back and my soul was just tired of fighting. It felt like the devil was trying to take me and was winning.
As far as production of The Rise & Fall, what were you looking for or trying to accomplish?
A2: I had no particular direction as far as sound even though my style is typically kinda rooted in the true school hip hop sound. I was just hoping to make a few solid songs and the production provided by Antman Wonder, IIL Meel, Slot-A, Marcus Banks, High Caliba, Jonathan P, The ARE and Thoughts For Food were more than perfect. I really do appreciate all those producers cause they are talented beyond their years and to have the privilege of creating something over their beats was an honor.
One of my favorite (and funniest) tracks off of the album was “Locker Room Stories” [Click To Listen], I have to ask, was that based on a true story?
A2: [Laughs] Loosely. The whole story of course didn’t happen but I used pieces from stuff I went through and things I’ve heard from my friends. I have some crazy stories but some I can’t share on the track cause word definitely travels fast nowadays. Every guy I know has been in those situations where you and all your friends are exchanging crazy stories about women so it was nice to sum it up on a song.
Who are some artists or producers that you would like to work with in the future?
A2: I don’t have too many but I really think Blu is dope and if by some miracle in life makes it possible Common. Common is like one of my heroes so if I ever had the chance to make a song with him I’d be honored.
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