Pheo

I meet Pheo through Speak, so every time I did a show I would book both or one of them cause they put on a dope show. As an artist I appreciate good music, so I downloaded Pheo’s – Word To Ya Blogger and listened to it from start to finish. So you can say i appreciate Pheo and his music and what he is contributing to Hip Hop. That’s hard to say to people that are already in the game. While Im listening to his mixtape, I learned a lot about him not as just an artist but also a person. This guy is the most humble; his swagg his steez ect. is out of this world but he’s down to earth. If you don’t like this guy you must hate god! LOL!

How did you come up with the title of your mixtape?
It’s actually kind of making fun of blogs, they just post bullshit or blog about anyone that is popular or trendy. But the quality of the CD is type of music that is suppose to be on blogs.

Why did you decide to replicate the Al Greene cover?
I’m a big fan and I’ve always loved that cover it’s extra fly, so i decided to duplicate it and it came out good so i said fuck it and ran with it

I’ve seen you perform, your energy is crazy, you’re one of the best performer I’ve seen. How do you feel before you take the stage?
I’m a mellow guy, I get scared and nervous at the last minute when they say I’m on and they’re getting the mics ready. I’ll go off to the corner, take a deep breath come back get on stage and when the beat drops I’m in a different zone I’m super comfortable on stage.

On the track Touch you talk about how you were homeless. I’ve been there, I slept in parks and abandon cars. How did you overcome that?
I’ve slept in cars but it was my homeboys car. I’m still goin from house to house, I’ve been fortunate enough to have friends and people support me and give me shelter. I never had family just brothers and sisters and my aunt raised us; I was the father figure to my older siblings. I’m getting out of it but I know its a slow process and I have to be patient.

That When it’s cold outside track is crazy.
“if you smoke when I smoke/ it’ll look like confetti/ if it unrolled/ I do roll/ I roll hard/ I roll up/ in rolex/ I roll clean/ lets all roll/ get a rolls-royce that’s whats next”
That part specifically I didn’t want people thinking I popped pills. I’m a rider I roll hard. I was at the homie C.Green’s house and he was playing the original joint and I hadn’t heard it in a minute. That night I went outside to see who I could stay with, I was goin house to house that time, it was cold outside and I was saying to myself when it’s cold outside I got the month of may, when It’s cold outside, I got no where to stay, that’s how the song transformed.

How did you come up with your beat selection?
My personality is real mellow, i have a real old soul with my mannerism and how I handle things, I’m mature due to how i grew up so i like more calm, smooth, relaxing type vibe in my tracks

How do you feel about the older generation and their take on us, the newer generation?
They’re stuck in their ways and its hard to get them out of that. It’d be smoother if they talked with us not to us. I talk to my homies dad couple times a week and he’s about 60 and he talks with us, he’s understanding and accepting. Overall, it’s our time and were gonna do it how we want.

What’s your next project(s)?
Pheo & C.Green are KWB (Kids w/ Boomboxes) – Sunny Side Up Mixtape, Pheo – The Elevator Flavor EP (Re-release w/ extra tracks), Pheo & Verbatim – Untitled, Pheo – Untitled Mixtape, Pheo & Afta 1 – Untitled EP, Pheo – F.I.P.H (Fellatio, Interference, Promiscuous, Homo sapiens) EP

Upcoming Shows:

April, 22 2009 08:00 PM – Coffee Depot
3204 Mission Inn Ave, Riverside, California 92507 – Free.99

April, 23 2009 07:00 PM – Smith Campus Center
170 E. 6th St., Claremont, California 91711 – $3.00

May, 16 2009 06:30 PM – 2009 Temecula Music Fest@Temecula Recreation Center
30875 Rancho Vista Road, Temecula, California 92592

click on front cover for free download

click back cover to go to Pheo’s Myspace

interviewed by: Noa James