KALANI: It's no secret that as far as hip hop in Hawaii, the genre will always be in the minority. What are your thoughts on this and how have you succeeded despite it all?
PEARCE: I' m not mad at the fact that Reggae and Hawaiianmusic reign supreme in the Islands. That's how itshould be. Island music matches the vibe out here. More and more Hip Hop fans out here are checking for local MCs as well as their favorite MCs from the mainland. That's how it begins. I've been able to work with some of the most respected Hip Hop artists in the game. People see that and wonder "What is this kid from Hawaii doing on a song with these guys?".Hopefully this creates awareness for what we're doing out here. Now, Hawaii Hip Hop artists, who always believed we could be relevant on a national scale, are finally start seeing it happen for real.
KALANI: What are the biggest hurdles hawaii MCs face?
PEARCE: Well, we are the most isolated place on the planet, sothat makes it more expensive to travel and do shows.That, and the fact that some people from outside ofH awaii still view Hawaii as just a touristy, paradise. As much beauty as there is surrounding us, we still deal with a lot of problems that all metropolitan cities do.
KALANI: Talk about some of your biggest struggles, trials and tribulations you've had to overcome to make it?
PEARCE: Back when I was first coming up, I used to battle a lot. Sometimes crews from the housing would roll through to rep. Even though we were all there on Hip Hop shit, those dudes were gangster! I saw a lot of guys get beat up. There was always a certain element of danger. You had to be able to back up what you were saying to some extent. I've had guns pulled on me in cyphers, and watched rhyming turn into straight up brawls on several occasions.
KALANI: What do you think makes Hawaii such a hard market for hip hop?
PEARCE: It's not too bad. I think Hip Hop really has a chance to blow up out here. It could be worse. We could be in Idaho (no disrespect) or something trying to convince people that potatoes are cool. Everyone in the world knows Hawaii is cool. Now, it's just a matter of getting them to listen to our music. Once they hear it they' ll be hooked!
KALANI: What did you think of when you heard Creed and I.A were also coming out with new projects around the same time as yours? What does that do for Hawaii hip hop as a whole?
PEARCE: It's great. I remember when you had only one local hip hop album released every three years. Now we got three dropping in one month. That shows how far we've come as a scene, and how hard we're all grinding these days.
KALANI: Some may think there is a friendly rivalry between hip hop artists, is there?
PEARCE: Absolutely. In Hip Hop you always want to be the best.It's just like sports. A high level of competition is always good for the game.
KALANI: Personally how do you try to REP Hawaii AND hip hop to the fullest?
PEARCE: All day. Everyday. Try to let'em know that we are here and we can hang with the best.
KALANI: What is the most frustrating part about being an> emcee so far from the mainland markets?
PEARCE: I can't complain. Being from Hawaii has helped mycareer more than hurt it. People are generally more open once they find out I'm from Hawaii. It's like a mystery to them. They want to know what we do, how we live. They are already interested before they've evenheard any of my music.
KALANI: How do you take the position bestowed upon your shoulders as the FLAG bearer of Hawaii hip hop?
PEARCE: Any time I am on the road, I feel like I have to represent correctly. I am one of Hawaii's ambassadors. I named my new album "The Opening Act" because I am grateful to the people of Hawaii for putting me in this position. Everything I have accomplished professionally, in one way or another, stemmed from me being The Opening Act.
KALANI: How would you rank the strength and talent of Hawaii artists today in comparision to two or even three years ago?
PEARCE: We've always had our own unique swagger out here. Now,we're in a position where a lot of artists are getting organized and actually releasing albums on a regular basis. That's the biggest difference, to me. It's great to see some of the originators like Kavet the Catalyst, Syze One, or Stone Groove Family, recording albums and getting some well deserved shine.
KALANI: How do you share the responsibility with other artists holdin' down the 808?
PEARCE: We all are just doing what comes naturally. Whether it's Angry Woebot doing paintings for art galleries,Omega Cix hosting video games for Konami, KICKS/HI designing their own Nike sneaker, In4mation releasing their G-shock, or even the Humuhumunukunukuapuaa sneaker Flip The Bird did with Russell Simmons, It's all local people being creative on a international platform. This is an awesome time to be an artist in Hawaii.
END OF PART I
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