Hip Hop's new supergroup, Triboro has arrived via 3 NYC boroughs in the form of emcees (l-r) Frsh Aire (Harlem), Sean Conn (Queens) & Elus (Bronx). Their relentless grind has been on notice for a while now by critics and fans alike and these brothers are PURE when it comes to beats and rhymes. Co-signed by Video Music Box icon Ralph McDaniels and featured on his new show Emcee 2 Emcee, Triboro performed with the legendary Cold Crush Brothers on Season 1 and are also the Hip Hop news correspondents doing news in a groundbreaking way. Their performance game is also very notable with performances at many major spots in NYC as well as regular features with the annual Rapathon competitions presented by the Hip Hop Culture Center. Keeping a strong connection with their supporters through social networking and an exceptional viral presence, Triboro has independently created a following of both younger and older listeners. Deeply rooted in the spirit of the culture, Triboro sets a high mark for themselves as tribute for those who have paved the way. Mixshow 360 Host D.Bail had a chance to sit down with the members of Triboro and chop it up with them on the eve of releasing their new mixtape 'Fate....Timing...& Destiny' available on DatPiff.com - right now. For more info on the group check out their website, TRIBORONYC.COM
*EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE* 'Video Games' Directed by Kristian Kruz
D.BAIL: Thanks for your time today fellas, first question is, what is your knowledge of the Justo's Mixtape Awards and what is the relevance of the mixtape today?
SEAN CONN: The relevancy of a mixtape basically is a platform for the underground artists to present themselves to the people. Justo's Mixtape Awards is like the Grammy's of Mixtapes. It something for the people by the people. Justo was from the hood. He understood what it was to come up and how hard it is, so by him making that platform it was great. I actually know a DJ that was nominated and won a Justo Mixtape Award and it was a great feeling coming out from hood to get that. The DJ was Superstar Jay, thats my man, he won a Justo a few years back it was a great feeling and a good look for Queens. It stands out, and the Justo's is something that will be here from now until.
ELUS: As far as the mixtapes, I grew up on them. I used to cop about 5 to 6 mixtapes a week. The bootleg man used to give me deals hardbody. They gave me specials, that's how much I used to actually buy mixtapes, before they were CD's or MP3's they were on tapes. So I came up in the 90's when the mixtape game was at its peak. It was the outlet for new music, exclusive music stuff that you might not ever hear on the radio. I did college radio attending Baruch College, and I met Justo probably a year before his passing, rest in peace. He was a very good brother, down to earth. I vibed with his spirit on Hip Hop, I already knew who he was due to my knowledge on mixtapes and Justo's Mixtape Awards was the only platform that actually showcased the mixtape scene. You get the underground, the new music stuff that the radio don't play. Radio might play the same 4 or 5 joints missing a whole bunch of good music.
FRSH AIRE: First I want to give a shout out to the Faison family. I was doing my research, and I just found out that Justo passed away a day after my birthday, so it's kinda extra personally for others and I can pick that up just by understanding that fact. Justo and the Mixtape Awards is big for Hip Hop, like period. It's a big deal. Like what Conn said, it's our Grammys. It's our MTV, it's our street award for the DJ's and for the artists also. One big thing that Justo did do is that he didn't keep it in a box. He made those awards for everybody. Dudes overseas are getting awards for new joints or even in Cali. It's not just New York and that right there was a step, because New York likes to keep it New York. So for him to open that door, he makes every DJ feel official not just New York DJ's. So for him doing that and opening up his heart and the door like that was big for him and big for Hip Hop. The relevancy of the mixtape still stands. It's been relevant since then and it's still relevant now. From the Ron G's, to Clue to now. Even the instrumental mixtapes, they're mixtapes with just beats on them. Everything evolves, it's most definitely relevant. It's Hip Hop's grail. Mixtape's are like a surprise, that Christmas gift. Every mixtape was a Christmas gift because you really didn't know what you was going to get at some point in time. There was alot of freestyles on there and improv joints. It's a beautiful thing, and to celebrate it and award it is a plus man.
D.BAIL: Most definitely. One of the best new video directors/producers out Kristian Kruz has directed your new video, 'Video Games', which has a cool different look for yall. Stylistically, has Triboro changed a lot since your original inception? If so how? What elements have remained the same?
SEAN CONN: Shout out to Kristian Cruz for directing the new Triboro video, 'Video Games' which is epic, it’s incredible. He is one of the greatest up and coming directors, and they have a movement going on right now that is powerful. Their talent is incredible. I feel as far as Triboro and our growth, it seems like every year we develop and become more. We grow individually and as a whole, we also teach each other things, we learn from each other, like where one person's strong point is and another person's strong point is in another area. Then, it becomes where we all are strong in those divisions. We've grown and visually we went from our first video, which wasn't in HD but was done very nicely, 'Listen Up' and then our second video 'Do It Over Here' was in HD and was put together very well. Our growth came in and now Elus, has directed two videos that we've done which is 'Game Called Life' and 'To Be Nice'. One of his videos was featured in a blog and they did a review on it. 'To Be Nice', has a golden age feel to it. Our music has grown so visually yeah---when you see the new video, it’s ridiculous. Special effects and everything is crazy. Visually we have enhanced, year by year. It's a continuous growth and it started from greatness so it’s like, even greater greatness if that makes sense.
D.BAIL: I got you.
FRESH AIRE: We got a banger called 'Video Games', Kristian Kruz is behind that pistol. That boy is a pioneer, his vision and work ethnic is crazy. Y'all will remember the name. Triboro has been together for a minute...We've changed, we changed a lot. We've changed in the direction that we needed to be changing into. We're evolving. It's just like anything else, you put a team together yall do a bunch of try outs, ya'll lose yall win, then ya'll start winning, get to the series and take the championship home and that's where we're at right now. We been in a bunch a games and it’s almost series time and we about ready to take that championship home. Musically we haven't changed, but we did because the times have. But still trying to be golden age and keep that hip hop feel, no we haven't changed. Our lyrics and topics have changed somewhat because things change. We're not in a box and we're not old school retro rappers at all. We are vintage dudes. We are not that novelty rap but we are that official hip hop that you need to come home to when you tired of playing around.
D.BAIL: (Laughs) Word up! That was real.
ELUS: I definitely think we changed for the better. We've always been evolving from the formation of the group to where we are now. Individually we've grown and as a group we've grown. Visually we've had some classics like 'Listen Up'. Big shout out to Alan Alfaro (director) who was also a co-worker at Music Choice where I met D.Bail. That was a classic Triboro video. Right before the HD videos became popular, that wasn't HD but it was definitely a classic "This is Hip Hop" joint. Graffiti in it, all the elements of Hip Hop, its official. Where we at now, shout out to Kristian Kruz who I feel is one of the top NYC, East Coast video directors coming out. Him and Mills Miller, Mills Miller Media, they are a conglomerate. They call each other the A-Team. They are killing it. Just to be amongst that is an honor because I see them, and where they're headed. They just did the Jadakiss joint 'Red Light, Green Light', Kristian Kruz and Mills Miller directed it. It's just real. When you see the new Triboro 'Video Games', Kristian Kruz directed and filmed it, he's a genius. It's incredible. It's definitely a level higher, I will say two words - We ready.
D.BAIL: You guys seem to have an affinity and respect for the veterans and that respect is mutual, in the 'Game Called Life' video you had cameos by Treach (of Naughty By Nature), Mr. Cheeks (of Lost Boyz), Ralph McDaniels (Video Music Box) and Do It All (Lords of the Underground). What do you get from that and what are young artists missing by not making that connection or paying homage?
SEAN CONN: It's like you having two kids, one goes to school and learns ABC's and mathematics, and the other one stays home playing a video game. So only one gets the knowledge and understanding of what Hip Hop really is. Today's generation is lost to Hip Hop. They don't really know what Hip Hop is. Luckily for us, and shout to Ralph McDaniels we're apart of a TV series we filmed a whole season of called 'Emcee to Emcee'. By doing that, we were honored and able to meet such veterans like Chubb Rock, Naughty by Nature, Kwame, Lords of the Underground, Roxanne Shante, the list goes on and on. We actually performed the pilot episode with the Cold Crush Brothers which was an honor because they were the first Hip Hop supergroup and we're today's Hip Hop supergroup. It bridged the gap. The way I look at it, the new generation is missing out and they need to go to the school of hard knocks because they really don't know what's going on. They got guys running around with girl pants on looking crazy. Back in the day you would get snuffed for something stupid like that. Its rules to this thing, they not following them, but its rules to this. Triboro follows the rules, we're the bridge of the golden age to today which keeps us golden within it. We're students of Hip Hop, we're fans of Hip Hop, we grew up on original Hip Hop, thanks to Ralph McDaniels for putting us on that platform, growing up our afterschool special was Video Music Box. We would run home to watch that. Just being a part of that and growing up with that, I wish the new generation was able to witness that. Because now they got dudes that’s just looking crazy out there and they are following the trends. We are trend setters. Everyone else out there is being followers and foogazi. That's how my take is on it. I just feel like today's generation needs to get schooled by us, because Triboro to me is the leaders of the new school for improvement.
D.BAIL: No doubt. Elus?
ELUS: What Conn said.
D.BAIL: (laughs) Ok.
ELUS: That was an official answer!
FRSH AIRE: Personally, I am not mad at Hip Hop, we love the forefathers because we have morals. We are men of respect, so we know where we going cause we know where we came from. That's probably what’s wrong with the game now, but in the same fashion regarding the tight jean dudes, I don't really rock with none of that. Ever. But if you look at it they offset, they different. Back in the days when everybody was wilding out, around Onyx or Kool G Rap time everybody was thugged out. Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul came out wearing dashikis and baggy pants with polka dots on em. They would’ve gotten killed, but for a certain reason their music was bigger than what they were wearing. So it made it like, acceptable. Because their music was talking bigger than their clothes even though the clothes were crazy or what have you. So now a days, dudes want to wear these tight shirts and tighter jeans and big sneakers and look all wild and crazy but they ain't saying nothing. So that's why the first thing you notice are his tight ass shoes he got on, or these big *ss shoes he got on with an aqua marine belt with 200 fake diamonds in it looking stupid, know what I'm saying?
D.BAIL: Right.
FRSH AIRE: Because it ain't about what it used to be about and that's only because they don't look up to their forefathers. We here for that, we're near their age level. We can school the kids on what it is. If they don't want to go to the so called "old *ss rappers", we can teach them. That's how I feel about it.
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Check out a recent Triboro release:
Triboro - From Triboro With Love
great interview
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