There is a classic feel to the music of Lyrics Born and his music has been taking hip-hop into a new and innovative direction. Like Jurassic 5 (who he is good friends with), the music of Lyrics Born has that deep, dirty, soulful funk that just gets into your spine, your mind, and your soul. More than the music, the Bay Area emcee's lyrics and flow are impeccable. Like his music, his culture and his life is deep rooted in all forms of music. Originally born in Tokyo, he eventually moved to Berkeley, California. In 1990's, Lyrics Born met Gift Of Gab, DJ Shadow, and other people who would change his life forever. Eventually Solesides Records (which morphed into Quannum Records) was formed. Working with Qaunnum Records, Lyrics Born and Lateef The Truthspeaker formed Latyrx. They released "Latryx: The Album" to critical acclaim and formed a new, original, and intelligent approach to hip-hop music. Such classic cuts by Latyrx included "Burnt Pride", "Say That", and "Balcony Beach". Since then, Lyrics Born has been doing tracks for Qaunnum as well as collaborations with Blackalicious, Joyo Velarde, and Lifesavas. In 2003, Lyrics Born (aka Tom Shimura) released his debut solo album "Later That Day". More than ever before, his vocal delivery perfectly complements his thick 70's disco/funk production style. "Later That Day" is somewhat of a concept album since it tells a story about one typical day in his life. The album begins with "Bad Dreams", where Lyrics Born is dreaming and he eventually wakes up. He goes on with his day and the LP ends late into the evening. While there is not a solid story, the LP flows with a grace and ease and the concept is never lost. The thick bass line along with the handclaps in the beat to "Calling Out" are accentuated with glossy female vocals and an energetic, funky delivery by Lyrics Born. One mind-blowing aspect of "Calling Out" is Lyrics Born's breath control. He rhymes so quick for so long that when the song is over, the listener will be out of breath. Another excellent track is the sultry and sexy "Love You So Bad" with Joyo Velarde. "Cold Call" is a hilarious and funky statement about the annoying persistence of telemarketers. Lateef (of Latyrx) joins back up with Lyrics Born on soulful and poignant track "The Last Trumpet". Cut Chemist, Gift Of Gab (of Blackalicious), The Altered Egos, and (skater turned musician) Tommy Guerrero make guest appearances too. "Later That Day" transcends genres and will both entertain as well as surprise listeners. Basically, "Later That Day" is one of the best hip-hop LPs that have been released in the past couple of years. There is not one filler track nor is there one weak beat or lazy rhyme. The album will be hard to top. On a cold evening in Jan 2004, I had an in-depth conversation with Lyrics Born about Latyrx, production, singing, breath control, politics, and hip-hop. The future looks bright for Lyrics Born because his love and respect for the music of the past shines within him. Music flows through his veins and his heart pumps the rhythm. Lyrics Born was born to make music and we were born to listen.

T.JONES: "What goes on?"
LYRICS BORN: "Ain't nothing, what's going on?"

T.JONES: "Your solo album is called 'Later That Day'. Tell us about it. Who is on it?"
LYRICS BORN: "It's my first solo album. I really wanted to do a lot of the things that culminated in my mind over the years. I wanted to release some of the things and go into certain directions that were not appropriate for a group setting. Another big goal for me was that I really wanted to get better as a producer, a songwriter, and an arranger. I really grabbed the bull by the horns and took it on myself, doing the bulk of the production on my own. I also wanted to make a decent album that was varied. All the songs work together but they are still all different. That was real important to me. I also just had a certain sound that I wanted to do."

T.JONES: "What is the meaning behind the title 'Later That Day'?"
LYRICS BORN: "The album was supposed to be a collection of songs that change with a progression and different tones, motions, thoughts, feelings, topics and textures. The challenging part that I realized was this: how do I bring all of these songs together in a cohesive way since they vary so much? I think the underlying sound and the underlying theme is cohesive but I still had to ask: how do I bring these different styles and worlds together? I thought of the concept of going throughout the day. You go throughout your day, your moods change, what you think about changes, and attitudes change as you go through certain emotions from morning to night. The album started off late last night with 'Bad Dreams' and then ends late tonight with 'One Session' and 'Outro'. That is what I tried to do. I'm not sure if I quite hit it on the head but that's what I tried to do."

T.JONES: "Do you have a favorite song on the album?"
LYRICS BORN: "They all have their seasons with me. Right now, I like 'Bad Dreams' and 'The Last Trumpet' with Lateef. I like 'Calling Out' and 'Love Me So Bad' with Joyo Velarde. Last week, it was different."

T.JONES: "When making hip-hop songs, do you go into the studio with pre-written rhymes, lyrics, and themes or do you hear the beat first and write then and there?"
LYRICS BORN: "It totally depends. Generally, I start with the beat. Sometimes, I just have an idea for a song I want to do and I try to compose the music to match the mood that I am trying to capture. Other times, I try to shape the beat around things. Generally, it starts off with a sample, like a simple loop. As I find more ingredients, things start to take shape and it inspires cadence, inspires a subject matter or topic or style."

T.JONES: "How did you hook up with Lateef and form Latyrx?"
LYRICS BORN: "All of Qaunnum met at college. Lateef came along in 1992. Everybody was always rapping together and Lateef was working on his first 12-inch and Shadow laid this beat for him. I told him, 'I got to have this beat! I have to rap on this too! You must put me on this thing!' It all started right there."

T.JONES: "When did you first begin rhyming?"
LYRICS BORN: "I would say like when I was in 6th or 7th grade."

T.JONES: "What song made you fall in love with hip-hop?"
LYRICS BORN: "It was definitely 'Rapper's Delight' by The Sugarhill Gang. I didn't even hear the song. I head the people singing it on the street. I was probably like in kindergarten and I just moved to the Bay Area. I didn't even hear the song. I just heard people going 'Hip hop to the hippy…' By the time I heard the record, I already knew the words because it was so popular when we were kids."

T.JONES: "How did you get the name Lyrics Born? Did you make it up or did someone give it to you?"
LYRICS BORN: "I think it came up by accident in a freestyle and then, it just stuck. There's not really a deep meaning behind it. My name used to be Asia Born and for some reason, I was free styling by accident and said 'Lyrics Born is on the mic' and it was an accident. It just kind of stuck and everyone started calling me Lyrics Born as a nickname."

T.JONES: "In 'Calling Out' (one of my favorites on the LP), you rhyme so hard and for so long that your breath control is amazing. How did you perfect your breath control? Did that song take you a long time to do?"
LYRICS BORN: "That's just from doing a lot of shows and touring for the past several years. Having to play live really strengthens your voice. It really hones your craft when you are on the road. Also, Joyo Velarde, who is on my album, is a singer. She vocalizes. She really taught me how to breathe correctly as a vocalist. It's important to use your diaphragm. A lot of rappers don't do that. It makes a difference and it really has helped me."

T.JONES: "What artist would you like to collaborate with in the future?"
LYRICS BORN: "I want to work with Sade."

T.JONES: "I could imagine Sade on a remix of 'Love You So Bad'."
LYRICS BORN: "That would be so hot!"

T.JONES: "What producer would you like to collaborate with in the future?"
LYRICS BORN: "I want to work with Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, 45 King, Bobby Digital, not Rza but the real reggae Bobby Digital."

T.JONES: "You do much of your own production. Do you have a favorite sampler and drum machine?"
LYRICS BORN: "The MPC 3000."

T.JONES: "What are the 3 best things about living in California?"
LYRICS BORN: "The weather, the diversity, and the food."

T.JONES: "What was the last incident of racism you experienced?"
LYRICS BORN: "Ah, man. It's daily really. It happens daily in subtle ways. It could be as easy as walking into a store and having people all over me. I was also on the road one time and this guy was yelling racist sh*t in the crowd. You feel it daily. It doesn't go away. Sometimes, it is more overt than other times."

T.JONES "Where were you on Sept. 11th (The World Trade Center Terrorist Attack)? How did you deal with it? How do you think it has affected music?"
LYRICS BORN: "I was in California. I don't think it affected hip-hop enough, to be honest with you. I only heard about 4 or 5 rappers talk about it. It's acknowledged but it is not explored. I don't think it has affected hip-hop enough, not the way it would have 15 years ago."

T.JONES: "You did an incredible collaboration with Cut Chemist on "Do That There" from your solo debut LP. How did you hook up with him and what was that collaboration like?"
LYRICS BORN: "I consider Cut Chemist, Nu-Mark, and Jurassic 5 to be an extension of Quannum, to be honest with you. We all came up at the same time, doing shows and putting out independent records at the same time. I've known Cut Chemist for a long time, almost 10 years. We understand music. He understands what I am trying to do. We understand each other. He likes to do sh*t that pushes the boundaries too. The thing about Cut Chemist that is dope is that he likes to do that in a way that is still fun. The DJ in him is very strong. A lot of the sh*t that Cut likes to do is still DJ friendly. It will be different and dope but it will also be danceable because the DJ in him is very strong. He's easy. He's probably the easiest person to work with that I know. He's like 'Here's the beat. Go ahead, rap.' Then, I'll do something to it. It's done.'"

T.JONES: "What collaboration are you most proud of?"
LYRICS BORN: "I'm really proud of everything. I am excited about working with Joyo Velarde. She has come so far and she is such a great talent and a great singer. I'm working on her album right now. I'm producing most of her LP. It's been 100% pleasure because I get to stretch. I'm learning new things everyday. It's something I have never done before. She's receptive, willing to try stuff and versatile. She's naturally gifted and has a beautiful voice. In my opinion, there aren't many singers out here that are as good as she is."

T.JONES: "Are you doing production work for other people too?"
LYRICS BORN: "Yeah, I just did a remix for Blues Legend. I did a track with Morcheeba. I did a track with Tommy Guerrero. I'm also working on a 'Later That Day' remix album. Shadow is doing a remix. Young Einstein from Ugly Duckling is doing a remix along with Automator and Evidence of Dilated Peoples too. Morcheeba is doing something too. It's going to be hot."

T.JONES: "Word association time. I'm going to say a name of a group/emcee and you say the first word that pops in your head. So, if I say 'Chuck D', you may say 'Revolution'. Okay?"
LYRICS BORN: "I hear you."
T.JONES: "Del The Funky Homosapian."
LYRICS BORN: "Longevity and individualism."
T.JONES: "Jay-Z."
LYRICS BORN: "Prolific."
T.JONES: "Eminem."
LYRICS BORN: "Clever."
T.JONES: "50 Cent."
LYRICS BORN: "Gangsta."
T.JONES: "Atmosphere."
LYRICS BORN: "Persistent."
T.JONES: "Wu-Tang Clan."
LYRICS BORN: "Nuts."
T.JONES: "Phife Dawg."
LYRICS BORN: "The 5 foot assassin."
T.JONES: "Common."
LYRICS BORN: "Individualistic."
T.JONES: "Kool Keith."
LYRICS BORN: "Eccentric."
T.JONES: "Declaime."
LYRICS BORN: "On a mission from God."
T.JONES: "Gil-Scott Heron."
LYRICS BORN: "Deep."
T.JONES: "George Bush."
LYRICS BORN: "Man, f*ck him."

T.JONES: "What do you think hip-hop or music (in general) needs these days?"
LYRICS BORN: "I think it has everything. It's there. You have more variety now than ever. It needs more balance in the mainstream. There are more kinds of hip-hop now than ever before. The mainstream just needs to reflect that."

T.JONES: "What is the biggest mistake that you made in your career?"
LYRICS BORN: "Maybe, not going on the road sooner."

T.JONES: "Since you traveled all over the place, how would you say the European audiences are different than the American audiences?"
LYRICS BORN: "Sometimes, the European audiences are different because they are not as jaded. It's not always lost on them. We are 100,000 miles away. Americans sometimes take their music for granted."

T.JONES: "What are some major misconceptions that people have of you?"
LYRICS BORN: "I don't know. I honestly do not know."

T.JONES: "If you could re-make any classic hip-hop song, what would it be?"
LYRICS BORN: "That's a good question. I would say 'Looking At The Front Door' by Main Source. That's one of the songs that I wish I made. I don't know if it could be re-made. You don't re-paint the Mona Lisa."

T.JONES: "How has your live show evolved?"
LYRICS BORN: "I try to use everybody in the audience more. I try to get everybody involved, including the crowd. I try to turn the crowd into part of the show."

T.JONES: "What is your favorite part of your live show?"
LYRICS BORN: "Probably the freestyle. It's a cappella."

T.JONES: "Favorite movies?"
LYRICS BORN: "Ah, man, there's so many, dude. I like 'Seven', 'American Pimp'. I like 'Spellbound' and 'Best In Show'. I like 'Better Luck Tomorrow' too. That's one of my favorite movies."

T.JONES: "Do you want to be cremated or buried?"
LYRICS BORN: "Buried."

T.JONES: "What do you want on your epitaph?"
LYRICS BORN: "Ah, man. I don't want to talk or think about that."

T.JONES: "What is next in the future for Lyrics Born?"
LYRICS BORN: "Well, I'm going to be touring all over America. I'm working on Joyo Velarde's album and I have the 'Later That Day' remix album coming out too. On the remix album, there will be a ton of collaborations. It's going to be great!"

T.JONES: "Any final words for the people who are reading this?"
LYRICS BORN: "Buy the album, don't burn it!"

THANK YOU LYRICS BORN!
Interview by Todd E. Jones
toddejones@yahoo.com

For the complete un-edited version of this interview, goto http://hardcorehiphop.cjb.net

LYRICS BORN LINKS:

Official website
http://www.lyricsborn.com

http://www.quannum.com