Krewcial

Started in the early '90s, a bit of DJ-ing. In '94 they got together to work together. "Krewcial is always going to be with Gus as backup DJ and MC." It did not start as something serious. "In 96 we said: lets make something out of this and lets try to make an album. We just recorded 9 tracks and said these tracks are going to be the album." And that is the album that was released in March: Live Guy With Glasses (c review). Before this album they made like six or seven tapes which where distributed in Gent. And some tapes were sent to the Dutch Masters (a former radio program).

AQ: "The Dutch crowd started to know you through Villa 65's Dutch Masters radioshow. How did you end up with Dutch guys, you're Belgian?"
Krewcial: "There is more things happening over here than in Amsterdam. I like to be here, for me it is not only going to Amsterdam but always a bit of holiday because it is abroad. Antwerp I know too well. The difference is also that there are more people involved seriously in HipHop in general in Holland. Than in Antwerp or in Bruxelles. And in Bruxelles you have the language difference of course. I Speak French pretty well so I can connect with those people who rhyme in the French language. And they don't understand English too good. A couple of them still follow HipHop in English. But there is so many releases in French that it is really difficult for the English to be noticed. A lot of people who buy the French stuff don't even listen to English because there is that much choice in French that they have to make a selection and don't even get to the English."

I own everything I recorded

Krewcial: "Gus has always been a MC. There was a period in time that he focused on DJ-ing. Because he wanted to prove his skills. It is difficult to focus on more than one thing. You also go to school etc. So there is a limit in the time you have. Some months I focus on producing and I hardly write any lyrics. And some months I write lyrics and do not produce."
AQ: "How is the album doing?"
Krewcial: "It is doing fine. It could do better. We pressed 4000 copies (that is much for Dutch and Belgium standards). 2000 CD and 2000 vinyl albums. And we sold 2000 at the moment, which is not that much. The record company (PIAS) did not expect the record to sell much. But they wanted to promote me. I own everything I recorded and the only thing they had to do was pay the master, the pressing and the distribution. That doesn't cost them that much. All the money the company spends on you is not a gift. They have to earn it back. If the company is hiring the studio you have to record in that period of time. You have to keep up with the schedule. If you don't do that you have to explain the company why so. I got my own studio. If I want to record I record. If I want to change the mix I do so. And I can leave it for a month if I'm not in the mood. Back to the album, I'll be happy when I sell 4000 copies. We first started in Belgium and just started to promote it in Holland. So, we are just getting the attention in Holland which we already had in Belgium."
AQ: "Does PIAS want to make money?"
Krewcial: "Ofcourse they want. But they realize that this is just the first album. The people that know me are all insiders. A lot of people who like HipHop but don't really follow it, probably won't know me till this album. So this is an album which says: this is Krewcial. So people have an idea and build on that. We did not stop writing after the album. We have a lot of material and now we are looking what material we want to be released. It is almost two years since the first song was recorded for Live Guy With Glasses. So for me it's an old album. I think we have progressed a lot since then. Making an album itself is already a good experience. You run into things you never thought about before. We're anxious to get out new stuff, so people can see what we are doing today."

I make less money but have more time to do what

AQ: "About the song 'Just Don't', you are wearing Adidas and Gus wears Nikes. What up with that?"
Krewcial: "Well, I'm not a dictator. I don't say Gus you can't wear Nikes. I think 'Just Don't' is a difficult song because most of the questions I get is about that song. Some people are offended by it, they say 'You only talk about sneakers, but you are wearing pants that are made under the same conditions'."
AQ: "You have to start at some point."
Krewcial: "Yeah, the song started about Nike but in the last part of the song I try to open it and talk about other stuff as well in general. That as a consumer you have to think about it. The product does not come out of nothing. It is made somewhere in certain conditions. People have responsibilities as consumers and it is good to think about it. Bringing it back to me wearing Adidas, I do wear sneakers of course. I'm in love with sneakers. But at the same time I try not to exaggerate and when I buy sneakers I deposit an amount of money on the bank account of 'Clean Clothes' organization. A lot of people ask me if I want to boycott Nike. I don't think that is a good option because the people working over there need the work. I just want that people who are working over there have decent working conditions. Supporting organizations like 'Clean Clothes' who want to have unions over there is a very good thing."
AQ: "These days are about yes, yes, more, more and buy, buy!"
Krewcial: "Yes, I think that those needs are not so important. That is also the reason that I work part time. I make less money but have more time to do what I want. I have more time for my music and I don't have to worry about the rent or my food at the end of the month. I really can do what I want."

AQ

Krewcial:
0032-(0)9-223-8214
vinyl@urgent.rug.ac.be