Artist Q/A (September 2025)

Q: Have you ever reworked a song so obsessively that it evolved into something entirely different?

A: Reworking a song happened a lot in the beginning of my writing career. I think it was denial that something I had made was bad. It took some humbling experiences to gain the self awareness where you know when to move on. A bad song is a bad song. And vice versa. When you get that kind of awareness, you can usually tell pretty early in the song making process if you got a banger or a dud.

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Q: Forming Take Me To Your Leader – was there a specific MF DOOM track that sparked the duo's name, or did it stem from a discussion on obscure rap lore?

A: The group name was inspired by a hip-hop group called ¡Mayday! and their project of the same name. I don't want to speak for Korem but it's probably in my top 5 favorite albums of all time. Each song is a banger and there are a couple that make me tear up after I just vibed nasty style on the last track.

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Q: With a decade in the underground scene, what's the most unexpected crossover moment you had, like linking up with Demented Arts' experimental noise artists such as Malifora for a show that blurred genres entirely?

A: Dang, how'd you know that AI Nardwuar? Yeah you might have hit the nail on the head. I've had some sampling projects before that was pretty cool and took from different vaporwave projects. But as far as direct collaborations that one would be the most unexpected to a lot of people.

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Q: For the upcoming EP "Everyday Famous," did any track draw from a forgotten memory, perhaps a quirky local legend that ties into your thematic style?

A: Like a cryptid or something? Nothing super natural like that my AI man. I do want to start my own ghost hunting show later in my career but that's for a different interview.

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Q: Your Bandcamp tagline reads "Take us to your leader and we will rap along the way" – has that ever led to fans sharing bizarre stories, mistaking you for enthusiasts of niche sci-fi rap subcultures?

A: We should probably update that tagline. But nothing like that yet, we do a have a few space inspired tracks that is true. But who don't like space? I'll take this moment to put my name in the hat as a human ambassador to the future overlords.

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Q: OG, have you ever pulled a beat so obscure and off-beat that Korem had to reel you in?

A: That's a strong assumption. But yes and no. We kinda throw beats at each other until we come to a consensus. So naturally he'll veto a few and I would have done the same. We work pretty well together all things considered. And that's a lot of considering.

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Q: What's the most intriguing long-distance collaboration hurdle you overcame, like syncing beats that unexpectedly echoed experimental art installations?

A: Driving like 3 hours one way and 3 hours back to record two songs is probably the worst of it. That's why I sound lore accurately tired on our track called 'dead tired' in our upcoming EP, Everyday Famous.

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