Loot went to South Carolina, USA. "Wow, ART12 got some dough now?" Nah mate, they met on the digital freeway, first right second left. Interview including a new track on 'Who That?'. So check it out.

I was born at the right time

Loot: "Wassup man?"
Preach: "Nothing much and you?"
Loot: "Chilling…, Aight wassup, can you tell us something about yourself? How did you come in contact with HipHop?"
Preach: "Well, my name is Preach (born under Dherick Jacobs), the leader of band 7 Moonz and on the side have a lil' porno career. HipHop came into me. I was born at the right time to grasp it. And been holding on ever since."
Loot: "At what age did you start rapping?"
Preach: "Ah man! Started back when I was about eleven or so but SERIOUSLY rhyming (or shall I say emceeing) about strong four years."
Loot: "And you are... seventeen right now?"
Preach: "This is my 17th year on earth, but won't turn seventeen 'till August 23rd (I'm a virgo ladies! And I also like walks in the park under moonlight! Pick me to be your 'Love Connection'..sorry)."

Level of maturity

Loot: "You already got your own label, you dropped a single (Still Be/ The Vow) and a LP which both did quite well so where are you going to take this shit next?"
Preach: "Really expand like Thea Vidale's (A female comedian with a big substantial physical presence red.) waistline. I'm just growing with alot of what I'm doing. Not that much new stuff (because I'm on the right track) it's just the level of maturity I'm aiming at and you can hear in the music."
Loot: "Yeah word, let me ask about your music.. You dropped your single called Still Be / The Vow , did you drop some shit before?"
Preach: "I got an album that came out in '99 called 'Distorted Mathematix LP'. It's being remastered and re-released on 'Like Mics'. The first single sold like 800 copies!"
Preach: "The thing is I was like a little infant on the 'Distorted Mathematix' project and 'Still Be' single/ep is the more adult vibe. I'm (and Manny are more focused)."
Loot: "Damn! Only in the S.C. area where you live?"
Preach: "You mean were 'D.M' only sold in S.C. (South Carolina)? I've sold all around mostly in the U.S from a wonderful 7 Moonz street team."
Loot: "And right now you're expanding your market to Europe (France & the Netherlands) so what we gotta expect from you soon?"
Preach: "Really 7 Moonz will really get the love I feel that our hard work has demanded. Right now I'm looking at getting in The Source 'Unsigned Hype' section (dunno when though) and more distributors are looking at us like fat folk look at food at a buffet."

Loot: "Haha, aight so got a lot of work to do, since you're an artist yourself, you got the label and own the website, and write for Rebirth magazine (www.rebirthmag.com), you still got spare time?"
Preach: "I believe in time like this, two men right? One guy gets only 1 or 2 things done in 24hrs, another 20-30 things. We all have the same time it's just managing it right. I have all the time in a day to do all I need if I focus and plan right (and it's the same way with the music). If you work hard at it and think innovatively you can create good shit."
Loot: "About the label, you're the one who founded it?"
Preach: "Yea. It first started off as something to have my music copywritten under 'Like Mics Productions' (get it? Like Mike? In a different way? I thought it was funny). But it became the label for Moonz' artists."
Loot: "So who are the people at the label?"
Preach: "In a sense it's more like a 'club' than a label. Like 'Okayplayer' all the artists aren't on the same label but as one family. People with the family are ABomb from Atlanta, Lmmental Squad from Philly and the band 7 Moonz."

Our style you know?

Loot: "And who are in the 7Moonz band?"
Preach: "Oh! And the group Produx of Turmoil. The immediate members (of 7Moonz) are me (vocalists) producer (DJ Manny) but all the artists apart of Like Mics are with 7 Moonz."
Loot: "SC isn’t a really HipHop metropole, is it?"
Preach: Really to be honest when it comes to (hate to say this) quality HipHop, the population is smaller than a lady bug's ass. As far as support for my style of HipHop, it's not as great as it could be. SC is more into Cash Money click etc. Nothing against that, but it's not our style you know?"
Loot: "Yeah I understand... Do you’ve got any hook ups with other groups from the area?"
Preach: "Naw, never heard of em. Really the closest SC connection is the crew (one of the members was on my debut C-Marvelous with Carolina Pathfindaz on a track called 'The ? Remainz'. But other than that my brother is an acclaimed producer out here (DJ Ambush) who I'm working with. He'll be doing a track on the new album 'ResuRecords: And The Art Of Open Mic' LP of ours."

My delivery

Loot: "I heard some story about your producer hooking up with Malik B of the Roots? What’s up with that?"
Preach: "That's sorta on the low low. But anyway, Manny who's in Philly was like one day "Guess who's in my crib now." And I'm like who? and he tells me Malik B is recording some stuff over his production."
Loot: "When listening to your tracks, it's evident you got a special delivery and subject matter, what's your speciality in this game?"
Preach: "Really, my delivery is somewhat different on my new music for a reason. The influence of 'ResuRecord' is solely the conception of jazz & hip hop and Miles Davis is like my mentor... The thing is his music (during a certain period) was a soothing music. Make love to ya ear drums as oppose to many artists that rape your lobes! I wanted to take it to the calm, relaxing essence of hip hop with jazz influence."

Gotta earn my $15

Loot: "So how did you go to work with the new project?"
Preach: "It just came out of me in a sense. I feel that every album should have a different focus. 'Distorted Mathematix' was more of a 'BLAM! MOTHAFUCKA!' effort (which I'm proud of. It's considered a classic). But this go around my focus is to do something for the listener. Make you feel good when you chilling like 2 or 3 in the morning. And also I've been getting alot into poetry form delivery (which you can hear in 'Still Be' which is also the focus on this project. Next album it'll have another focus and so on. That's what I feel is the key to longevity, "changing what you are doing" hence ResuRecord is 'Resurection to Records'."

Loot: "You named Miles Davis as a major influence, are there any other artists who had influnece on your work?"
Preach: "Most definitely. Honestly, for this project I was doing something kinda weird if you hear it off bat but when you think about it, it makes sense. I was really fasting HipHop for a minute on this project. Because I feel that other artists like a Miles or a Marvin Gaye or a Coltrane had that flare to do some shit yall ain't heard of yet' and that's what I think gave me the creative edge on this project. From the style of delivery on the tracks and combination of Jazz samples and live instruments I think it'll be something for the people that they wouldn't expect from ya typical HipHop album, that's why I didn't listen to many rappers because I feel some aspects of HipHop are losing it's creativity. This guy sounds like this mothafucka, comeon! You gotta earn my $15!"

Loot: "There's a evident maturing going on with the sound, but on the 'Still be…' EP you showed your story telling abilities on tracks like "the Vow", where you gonna take us on the Resurecord?"
Preach: "Really, I see it like this: If you go to a buffet with only one food then people are gonna be like "What the fuck?" So, with this release I try to put a lil of everything that I am capable of doing not selling myself short. Being a more or less underground artists (I hate to say that, but I am) I don't have to worry about what people are like "Do this for the album and that!" This can be made with a clear conscience. And on this album they're are gonna be some ill guess apearances in the underworld that shall remain secret at this time."
Loot: "Aight we be looking forward to that."
Preach: "For more info as it occurs peep WWW.7MOONZ.COM (sorry had to plug the site once in the interview).

Yes and no

Loot: "We just spoke about the track called "the Vow", it's a story about a girl, was that real?"
Preach: "Yes and no. Yes, the things happened and no the location of the story and things of that nature were changed a 'lil bit. Really that song is more of a triumph than a tragedy to me because writing that was like letting out gas when your stomach bubbles for a long time and you gotta hold it because you around company. Manny just had the right production for the track to give me the energy to do that. But it's gonna be a different version on the album."
Loot: "You got a new track, which is, for now, an exclusive for the ART12 site is that gonna be a single or is it goin to be on the album?"
Preach: "Actually it was gonna be a bonus cut on A-Bomb's album when it was gonna be released on Like Mics online, but after I listened to it '8th Wonduh' had all the elements that 'ResuRecord' possess in my opinion actually I think I sent it to you all the day I recored it."
Loot: "But besides the whole HipHop thing you are still goin to school, and write a big ass update like every two days on your site, if HipHop isn’t going to be your future what do you have for a back up plan?"
Preach: "HipHop is my future and my backup plan. Lemme explain: the music thing is my love/hobby/lifestyle but if it doens't work out I have a promising career in journalism (which I've been doing since I was around 12), so if the music thing doesn't work out you'll see me writing for mags etc. (Rebirth Magazine is going into print and I'm in charge for designing layout etc.)"

Tap dance on the corner for quaters?

Loot: "You gonna go on with your education?"
Preach: "No doubt! College is well in my future. Because if I don't get an education and get writers block (can't write no more illahill rhymes) what am I gonna do? Tap dance on the corner for quaters?"
Loot: "Aight...anything you wanna telle the people?"
Preach: "Hmmm...well just let folks know they can buy the EP From my site of course and online distribs are gonna get it. Right now for the EP we got: 7moonz.com selling them, Rebirthmag (soon), Ugsmag.com, Basementtapes, Hhinfinity, Foolblown (soon) and some I just 4got ( Loot at ART12 ) and the 'ResuRecord' album is coming in winter."
Loot: "Hey last question: Since you were stressing you are single, this one is for all the single females out there...What a girl gotta be/have if she wanna marry you?"
Preach: "Faith, love for hip hop/jazz, love herself (me too), a nice voice (I love voices) and if she has locks it's a plus (but not a minus if she don't have em)."
Loot: "Okay. Y’all heard?"
Preach: "Oh, and 18 OR OLDER!"
Loot: "Why that?"
Preach: "Mental level a lil higher."
Loot: "Aight."
Preach: "So that's a wrap brother?"
Loot: "Yup. Thanks."

Check Preach & other & other 7Moonz artists on www.7moonz.com.
Also check the MP3 track in our "Who Dat?" section & please mail the artists with your comments.

Interview by Loot
Pics by Preach