February 2006

Nach
Interview by Diego Francisco

Latino Hip Hop Radio gives you an exclusive interview with Nach, one of the most influential MC´s of the fertile Spanish hip-hop scene, who recently finished recording a double disc album and also took his first steps onto the international music scene in front of a multitude of fans with a concert in Santiago de Chile.

LHHR: How did your trip to Chile go?

Nach: It was incredible and brutal at the same time because there were more than six thousand people there to see me. It was completely packed. Whenever I raised my hands the people raised their hands. However, after the concert they told me that the sound wasn't good and it was hard to hear me from certain points in the venue. I guess I'll have to make it up to them next time and give them an even better show, but as an experience, it was wonderful.

LHHR: Was it your first time in Latin America ?

Nach: Yes, it was my first trip and for that reason it was special because we were with people who felt just like we do, who listened to my music and it was something very special.

LHHR: Did you expect such a strong reaction from the public in Chile ?

Nach: No, I never expected it. I knew that they listened to me on the Internet and because they send us e- mails, but when you're there and you see it first hand it's very exciting. I don't know what to tell you because it's something that you feel but can't really explain with words, you know?

LHHR: Which groups or rappers from Latin America are you listening to?

Nach: We learn more about the scene in Latin America everyday. There are a lot of people in Chile ; in Mexico it's incredible, in Argentina , in El Salvador also. Every time in each country there are more people who are doing hip-hop and that also know about us. Little by little we are finding out more and it's because it interests us to know what's being made in these countries that speak the same language as us and transmit their music in the same way.

LHHR: But really, who in Latin America has your ear right now?

Nach: I have heard some things of groups like Pescozada, like some groups from Chile that people already know like Makiza, I've listened to a lot of groups. Frescolate from Argentina is good, I can't mention many names but I have listened to a lot of people. What Latin America lacks is the means to be able to make the things better and to establish themselves just a little bit more. I believe that Latin America has a lot of talent and in about two years or so it'll be very noticeable.

LHHR: What do you think is the biggest difference between Spain and Latin America in regards to artists being able to promote themselves?

Nach: The mass media does not support anything here. The thing is that we can buy the equipment to put up a studio. What we have is more money to buy things that enable us to do our music and it's more difficult for people in Latin America because they don't have as much monetary power as we do in Spain . The mass media here, forget about it. They give coverage to some artists out here but not to the big ones who they should be paying attention to. What it all comes down to really is economic means and the power to have your own recording studio you know, to be able to have your turn tables and to be able to improve.

LHHR: There are people in the industry that say that double albums don't work well because it doesn't allow the artist or label to filter the music and end up putting songs on the albums that aren't very good. What you think of that in general and in relation to Ars Magna/Miradas?

Nach: I couldn't care less. I had the material to make two cd's and I wanted to get them out regardless of what the industry thinks is ¨gold¨ or not. I wanted to get them out and I didn't really care about anything else besides that. I don't know, it doesn't really matter to me. I don't know if one does better or worse. In regards to sales, yeah it's more expensive when it comes to selling them. And perhaps it's more difficult to sell it, but I really didn't care. It's what I wanted to do, and I did it.

LHHR: What was your process for creating Ars Magna and Miradas? Did you record more than the twenty-seven songs and chose the best ones, or did you only record the twenty seven tracks completely sure of what you were doing?

Nach: I was creating tracks for Miradas at the same time as when I was recording tracks for Ars Magna. For Miradas I knew for sure that I wanted to tell to those nine stories and have the interlude. For Ars Magna I did the tracks as they came to me and ended up with seventeen. It was as though I was creating an album with my left hand and one with my right hand at the same time. They were being created simultaneously being recorded simultaneously but I don't consider this as double album. I consider them two separate cd´s that came about at the same time. So when somebody wants to hear Ars Magna they can put it on, and when they want something else they can put on Miradas. The process was quite natural really. I didn't give it much thought. I just concentrated on writing and recorded the tracks that I wanted to get out, the ones that I've had in mind to do and they got done. There are always tracks that don't make the album, but I felt that Ars Magna was finished and complete and Miradas too. There are twenty seven tracks which are a lot, but it was what I wanted to do.

LHHR: At this stage in your career, are you where you dreamed that you wanted to be when you began, or do you feel that you still haven't gotten there?

Nach: Look, never in my life did I think that I would make an album that would sell thirty thousand copies in Spain . Never in my life did I think I'd record an album that would make it to Latin America, never in my life did I think that people like you would be calling me on the phone to do an interview. I dedicated myself to do rap with my friends, with my people where I was. Little by little we were getting things done, things started happening. I feel very lucky because I can live now on hip-hop. I can pay the rent with hip-hop. I can do a bunch of concerts, where a large crowd shows up. A lot of people listen to me. I never thought that I'd get this far. Because years ago hip-hop was very limited here. Little by little it has been growing. I can't feel anything but lucky and fortunate now, and enjoy all the good moments. I never would've thought it. In any case the dream that has been fulfilled ... getting paid, travel, and doing what you like, there is a price to that dream also. It has its negative side too, and that is: the sacrifice, people criticizing you, you are in the sight of many people; people will attack your character, envy, long hours of work . . . that is the negative part of the dream. The only thing that I try to do is, be prepared for all those negative things, and to enjoy the positive ones. That's what I try to do.

LHHR: Do you feel a responsibility to maintain your rap "pure" in reference to who you would have it represent? As one of the more popular contemporary emcees how big is that responsibility to you?

Nach: I know how I am. I know myself very well. I know very clearly what I want to say, what I want to represent with my rap and that's not going to change because it goes with my person, therefore I am going to dedicate myself to write the things that I feel. There are people who like it, people whom like it less but I can only be myself because to me that's what hip-hip is, no? To represent what I feel and to show it and to use music as a form of expression and fight against the injustice and the shit that goes on, on this Earth. I'm going to keep making my music that way and I don't know if in the future I'll feel more or less responsible, but I can't really think about that. Often that becomes a pressure and it conditions you, and I don't want conditions. I just want to keep living my life how I've been, in the same place with the same people doing the same things as always and enjoying it. All the rest of that stuff doesn't really go with who I am, I don't know if I've explained myself clearly.

LHHR: Have you ever stopped to think when you are writing that it's going to be heard by thousands upon thousands of people, and that in someway you're influencing how a generation of emcees are going to write? Do you have that pressure on your mind?

Nach: I don't think so, and I don't want to have that kind of pressure! I do not want to have it because it would be too much pressure to me and it would make me think too much. On one hand I'm conscious of all that although I don't want to be. I'm conscious of it up to a certain point because I also don't really think of myself as being that big. Or at least that is what I see this way. The only thing that I can do is feel good knowing that I'm doing something that people are getting inspired by to do their music, to me that's a priceless reward. I prefer not to know those types of things. I want to continue here with the same calm life I've had making music as I have always done it. These things come to you separate and come after all the hard work you've done. I think that it's a gift that people find inspiration from you to make music. I think it's the best thing that can happen to an artist.

LHHR: What do you fear? What makes you scared?

Nach: Well, there are a lot of things that I fear even though sometimes when you come out on stage you always have your balls out in front of you. There is always you're scared of. I get scared of myself for example, because sometimes my brain doesn't put itself in accord with the rest of me and it's as though something is wrong with one side of my brain. It's something that can not be said or seen, something unconscious. Fear of dying, fear that something bad might happen to the people I'm surrounded by, fear of evil, fear of violence, fear of injustice. I'm scared of a lot of things that go on but I try not to think about it too much because it affects me in a negative way, I stay focused on it. I fear that the this movie that is my life that I'm living is going to come to an end very soon, but on the other hand it's good to have that fear because if forces you to enjoy everything you have to the fullest. You know?