In this week’s Ear 2 The Streets, Sixshot.com is showcasing a young man representing uptown, Washington Heights, New York. That MC’s name is Unlearn. From battling on the block to building his buzz, Unlearn is spreading the good word to hip-hop heads and bringing lyricism back to the forefront. Due to all his hard work and perseverance he has built a considerable fan base through his mixtapes and other outlets. Unlearn definitely gets the Jonny Boy co-sign so check him out and find out what he’s all about. 

Sixshot.Com: Sup man, what's good?

Unlearn: Everything’s lovely man. I’m just chilling right now.
 
Sixshot.Com: You're a poet, a rapper, and you definitely have some original opinions. When did all this start?

Unlearn: As a kid I always had a desire to be a performer and to be out front in the public, at the same time, I always enjoyed writing and using words to explain the way that I thought and felt about my life. As I got older growing up in Washington Heights, New York, you’re surrounded by Hip Hop, it’s part of your culture, so being an emcee seemed that the perfect thing. For me, not only am I able to write down my most intimate thoughts to express myself, but I can also perform those words and show people how I am emotionally connected to what I am talking about and not ju st rapping for the sake of rapping.

I really just started in local ciphers on my block and in school. I then branched out to talent shows. I finally got into recording and started moving toward having a career as an artist. Along with growing as an artist, you also grow as a person, so just as I working to perfect my craft I was also in school, reading books on my own, looking at the world around me and coming to certain conclusions. It started to seem to me that I had a responsibility to talk about at least some of the things that go on outside of the hood and outside of Hip Hop culture because of the effect these things have on our progress as a people. I think my opinions often echo the thoughts and opinions of my listeners. They believe in my as an artist because I reflect their own thoughts and feelings. Regardless of my job or the notoriety I get, I still put it out there that I am in an everyday struggle of trying to do the right thing with everyone else.
 
 
Sixshot.Com: In your opinion, and I know it's a long list, what are some of the main problems in today's society?

Unlearn: Wow, that’s a big question. You’re right, it is a long list, but I’ll try to break it down. I think the main problem we have in society that trickles down to everything else is that we’ve lost our hope for a better world, especially in Hip Hop and in the inner city.  Over the years, we’ve all seen a lot of people try to make a change, only to still be dealing with the same problems on some level. Our hopelessness has turned into selfishness and keeps us from thinking or caring that our lives and our choices have an effect on other people. Everybody’s out for self, so it’s become increasingly hard to unify people for a common goal. Since the way people think is what determines how they act, one of the main goals of my movement is to change the thinking or at least add to the underlying consciousness of the people. I’m just trying to be Hip Hop’s voice of reason. I don’t expect everything to do a complete 180-degree change, but the hope is to give people more of a balance, which leads to a better understanding.
 
Sixshot.Com: Your journal on HHG is real popular. Do you interact with your fans through there a lot?

Unlearn: I’m always interested in how the public responds to my words and thoughts. The internet in general has become one of the main venues for artists to get a sense of how the people respond to them. So far, people show me a lot of love and that’s always appreciated. In addition to posting songs and breaking down my lyrics in my journal, I also try to write essays that go deeper into a lot of the issues that I bring up in my music. Based on the e-mails and feedback I get, I think I’m really starting to tap in to something that the people have been waiting for.
 
Sixshot.Com: What do you think rappers can do to set a better example?

Unlearn: The reality is, I don’t expect every rapper to be a role model, that’s never going to happen. Rappers and Emcees are human beings and human beings are flawed in our nature. We all fall short from God’s graces. Most emcees just want to make music, have fans, and live the Hip Hop lifestyle that everyone has come to worship. There are some emcees, on the other hand, that make music with the idea of having some sort of culture impact and they really try to inspire their fans. It doesn’t matter whether you make revolution music or club songs, I think we all have a responsibility to the environments we come, to make it better for those who won’t have the same opportunities as artists do. I think if every star rapper went back to their community and tried to put some programs in place for young people to get ahead, you’ll see a drastic change. A lot of rappers do, the problem is the media and the public doesn’t pay much attention to it and the programs go unnoticed. We’re in an era of celebrity idolatry where people are more interested in what clubs we go to and who we date as opposed to what we try do for the sake of good. A lot of rappers don’t get the credit they deserve and other rappers get too much credit for the wrong things.
 
Sixshot.Com: Enemy of the State: Warrior Anthems was hot. Did you get a good response?

Unlearn: I’m glad you enjoyed it. I did get a very good response for it. To date, it’s been my most anticipated project. People were looking for it before it even came out, so when it finally dropped, the public just took to it. I did a lot more campaigning for this project than some of my others, so I was able to introduce more people to my music and the reaction from new and old fans has been dope. I’m also working on putting the final touches on the documentary that goes along with the mix tape for those new fans to get a better sense of my work and who I am.  Keep on the look out for that.

Sixshot.Com: You give a lot of your music away for free. How are you able to survive?

Unlearn: I get that question a lot. Anybody who knows the current climate of the music industry knows that record sales are down. Artists who used to sell 5 million albums are now barely going platinum because the business model of the music industry has changed. For record labels now, it’s all about having one hot song and marketing it as a ring tone and as a video to make their money back. For the artists, it’s about getting a large enough fan base where you can tour, do shows and get endorsements. That’s where your real money comes from. For me it’s more about performing and appearances. In addition to that, music isn’t my only outlet. I’m also a writer as you know and I do a lot of non-profit work. At the end of the day, I can survive off music and my many other talents; you just have to be in a mind frame where you can come to terms with not being an overnight millionaire. I’m fine with where I am at as long as I can feed my family, pay my bills and still look fresh to death! Anything else is just icing on the cake.
 
Sixshot.Com: What message do you want to get across to the hip-hop fans?

Unlearn: I think the main message I really try to put out there is to think before you act. All to often, I think artists make fans forget that Hip Hop is a culture and more than just music. Because there is so much emphasis and influence on the musical side, large corporations are capitalizing off our popularity, slowly taking control and getting rich at our expense by keeping us ignorant and impulsive. If we can fix that, just slightly, we can take back control of our destiny. Hip Hop comes from the inner city and should be used to help aid the needs of the people who identify with the culture and buy the music. We need to be the solutions to our own problems.

Sixshot.Com: Ultimately, what do you want to accomplish in hip-hop?

Unlearn: I’m trying to give people a new story and new approach to this game. I want to make people realize that as long as you are honest and have a gift of putting words together, you can come as you are and people will love you for it.  Being an emcee shouldn’t be the be all and end all of anyone’s career in Hip Hop so I’m looking be one of Hip Hop’s few intellectuals and Renaissance men. I want to remind everyone that this is an art form and not just a get rich quick scheme. I also want to show people that you can still get yours while helping others.
 
Sixshot.Com: Tell us about Thought Crimes.

Unlearn: Thought Crimes has to be one of my favorite mix tapes that I have done so far. My son was just born and was going through a lot at the time so I basically hadn’t dropped any projects for over a year or so. When I finally put it together, it was time for me to get back out there and show people my growth and versatility. It was a dope experience putting it together because almost every track had been put out on the internet before it dropped, so I had a sense people were going to react as if they had already heard it. That’s when I decided to take some tracks out and add about 8 brand new tracks no one had heard and it pushed the project to another level. I think I gave everyone a pleasant surprise. In comparison to the projects I dropped before, Thought Crimes was a more mature sound. I’m already known for my ability to be introspective, but Thought Crimes allowed me to be more conceptual. I had tracks like, “I Wanna Know” and “Some Some” that stayed on a specific topic while still being lyrical and raw. As with all of my projects, it introduced me to new listeners who then become loyal fans. It’s a project I’m really proud of.
 
Sixshot.Com: Do you think this is a good time for independent artists?

Unlearn: I think it’s a great time for independent artist! These record labels aren’t really listening to the people right now, so artist have the chance to take their music directly to the public. Even established artist are going independent, not just because they have more control of their music, but also because there’s more money in it. Now you can sell a few thousand records and make just as much money as going Gold, in some cases, more. It goes back to what I was saying about being masters of our own destiny and controlling our own music and culture. The grind is harder, the reward is worth it. There are so many more outlets for the independent artist now than there ever has been, so even without a video that plays every 20 minutes or a song on the radio, you’re still able to put your music out there and be heard. If it wasn’t for the independent route, artist like me would still be on the block rhyming to our friends. On the indie scene, if you make enough noise, the majors can’t help but pay attention and will eventually come and try to take you to a bigger audience. That can put you in a position to pimp the system that has been pimping us for all these years.
 
Sixshot.Com: Who are some artists that have really influenced you?

Unlearn: I’m influenced by all music as long as it speaks honestly. Anything from the Beatles to Busta Rhymes, Nas to Bob Marley, I’m inspired by honesty and soul. It’s very hard not to respond to music that comes from a genuine place. I love music from artists who do music for the sake of loving music and not just as a career move or a marketing strategy. I can bet you any money that Bob Marley wasn’t sitting in a studio trying to figure out how his next single can play in the club and make him sell records. Because of that, his music talks directly to the people and has a timeless quality to it. That’s the level I hope to be on.
 
Sixshot.Com: Do you feel that rappers in New York need to be more unified?

Unlearn: People are going to think I’m crazy for saying this, but I think New York Hip Hop needs a musical 9-11. The same way that New York came together after the Twin Towers fell is the same way New York rappers need to come together. We have to realize the influence we use to have is over and in the past, and we have to rebuild towards a future.  Not only do we refuse to come together, but also we keep giving people the same stories in our music with such arrogance. We think because we’re from New York and we created Hip Hop that it entitles us to always be the trendsetters forever. We forget to realize that Hip Hop is now a global movement with many voices and perspectives. What makes it worse is that we end up trying to copy trendsetters in order to survive in the game. New York Hip Hop needs to reinvent itself and show growth and maturity. We need to show the world how we’ve learned from being at the bottom of the music food chain and how we have the leadership and foresight to bring about a new era of New York Hip Hop. It’s going to take some work, but we’ll get there.
 
Sixshot.Com: What projects do you have coming up that we can check for?

Unlearn: Besides the Enemy of the State Documentary, I’m also working on a new mix tape series, “Intelligent Design” Volumes 1-3. After that I’ll be putting out a Best Of CD then dropping my debut album, “The UnLearning: Conspiracy Theories”. Other than that, I have a few other things up my sleeve so stay tuned!
 
Sixshot.Com: Anything you'd like to say to your fans out there?

Unlearn: I’d like to thank everyone who’s supported me over the years as well as my new fans, I promise not to disappoint. If you like what you heard or what you’ve read, be sure to check me out on www.myspace.com/amazeun. The UnLearning movement is just starting, join the fire or get burnt by the flame! Peace and Blessings.