QTheQuestion.com

Author: Zac “Redhands” Shull

Redhands: I want you to say something first so what’s up?

Catskill: The most important thing right now is I want everyone reading this to go to hitlab.com and vote for Catskill. I am the number 1 and tied for number 3 highest rated song on top billboard rated songs. If I win I could be signed by Akon himself. Check me out see what I got my song Kill Em is voted 95 percent. When you get up to 90 percent a computer says that song will make the top 10 billboard charts. So go to hitlab.com and vote for Catskill.

Redhands: My first question is how long have you been rapping?

Catskill: I have been rapping since 94 you know freestyling getting into ciphers and battles. I started taking it serious around 98 before Eminem came out. Living in Canada there was never really a source to get music out to the people. Everything in Canada is closed in and I am in the center of it. I am not near a big city I am in Manatova where there is 6 to 7 hundred thousand people and most don’t like hip-hop. All that really did was give me time to prepare. I knew the digital age was coming up so I am content with what’s going on right now and my progress.

Redhands: It sounds like you are ahead of the labels in reference to digital age.

Catskill: The labels are in the past they want that hot artist but they don’t want to develop them. So what I did was entered a battle in 2005 and killed it. Then I hooked up with my first producer and our goal was to make the hottest hip-hop album ever. I wanted to make the hottest album ever on my own dime. I put 20,000 into this album out of pocket. I don’t have a car or a license I am living hand to mouth right now. Basically the labels want that hot artist that has longevity and talent like Akon. I plan on being that next artist like Eminem times 10. Everyone says o Eminem is the greatest of all time until you listen to Catskill. That’s where I am coming from I don’t or plan to be an average rapper. Average is nothing I want to be super spectacular.

Redhands: So the cd you put 20,000 into is called Heir to the Throne right?

Catskill: I been working on that album since 2005. I been looking for the right production and the right engineer to make sure it sounds good. My goal is to come out with the hottest independent album of all time. So the biggest labels will find out about me and see I am not an average rapper. I am here to be number one and I have top goals in my life. I am talking to you because you want serious artist and I am serious.

Redhands: We will get back to the album. You talked about Canada a little bit already but what was the scene like growing up?

Catskill: Growing up the only Canadian artist you knew where Shotclare , Kardinal Offishal who is signed to Akon. You have Swollen Members as well but Canada is fairly just there it hasn’t excelled. It has been coasting as just an average city. I always appreciated Canadian hip-hop but I want to put Canada on in reference to hip-hop. It doesn’t matter where you’re from its where your head is at. I just got a message from Swollen Members my man Madchops. They are the biggest Canadian group in history and he sent me a message saying I am making moves. They asked me to be on their album and that is a pretty big accomplish.

Redhands: Congrats on that did you grow up on them?

Catskill: Definitely they were like our Canadian CNN or Wutang Clan. I been a big fan of Canadian hip-hop.

Redhands: Are you a big fan of Drake?

Catskill: I am a big fan of Drake and I want everyone to know that. Drake is dope and he’s almost as good as me. I want everyone to know about him but album for album well see. The thing about him is he sounds like Lil Wayne. Both of them are dope but who’s the doppest. You can listen to both of them for 24 hours and they have so many similarities. Listen to Catskill compared to Drake there is no comparison I am the best rapper alive. He’s dope I mean he couldn’t even walk into class in junior high. He’s been a little celebrity for a minute now.

Redhands: What do you mean?

Catskill: he was on a Canadian TV show called Degrassi Jr High. It was our 90210 except it was in junior high. He played a guy in a wheel chair before he rapped. In the show he couldn’t rap and he couldn’t walk. I am proud of him he’s standing on his two riding like a king.

Redhands: The only difference between you and Drake was he was on the TV show?

Catskill: The only difference is I am the best alive.

Redhands: I would say the only reason why he is where he’s at and you are where you’re at is because he’s on TV.

Catskill. Also he is from Toronto which is a major city. If I was in Toronto fuck man.
I am all about the laws of attraction. I am not trying to be cocky but there is a new era of hip-hop. There was Eminem, Jayz, Nas, Biggie and Pac but now its time for Catskill. It is all about your mentality and how you perceieve things.

Redhands: If you don’t believe in your shit then no one else will.

Catskill: Exactly if you don’t believe in you no one else will.

Redhands: Its like Lil Wayne saying he is the best rapper alive.

Catskill: Every Jayz song he says he is number one or the best rapper. After a while people just eat it up and believe it. Lil Wayne says on B.E.T he’s the number one rapper in the world. So everyone is going to start to believe it. I would battle Wayne on TV and smoke the shit out of him. I respect him but he’s not me.
Big up to Drake he is dope I def want to work with him.

Redhands: After hearing your cd I wasn’t sure what its official label is. I feel you definitely cant call it a mixtape its like an album.

Catskill: Thanks a lot. I made sure that it was a complete album. I hooked up with Clinton Sparks but what is he known for? Mixtapes. I needed some type of cosign or some big name to help me out. I got Clinton to give me the drops on the tracks and just that official stamp to help me out. That is the little ninja sneak attack to get people to listen to it. Once they listen to it they will realize it is one of the best albums ever made. It was made on my own dime, which makes it even crazier. Imagine what my album will sound like when I got a major label behind me. When I get on my album will be retarted.

Redhands: How did you link up with Clinton Sparks?

Catskill: Last February or March I flew to New Jersey because I was doing an industry showcase. It WAS BEING runed by Dj Envy and Hot 97. I was so hyped because I am from Winnipeg and I spent 2,000 of my own money. I worked sand harboring floors I am not college educated I saved up. I fly out to jersey in some little bar to perform in front of judges. I performed my song, “Kill Em” in front of like 200 to 300 people. It is the second song on my album and I killed it. Afterwards people wanted to buy me drinks and wanted me to come to the studio. I didn’t win the showcase which I should of because I killed it. I came and took care of business but I didn’t win. I was depressed I spent money on hotel and airline. I was drinking and smoking in my hotel almost killing myself almost giving up. I was thinking what is the point I was so down my brain was fucked. I fly back to Winnipeg and check myspace. By the grace of god I got a message from Clinton Sparks. He says he loves my music and the songs Die and Sugartown and he says he wants to work with me.

Redhands: Did Clinton tell you how he heard your songs?

Catskill: No but I am on a lot of Internet radio and all over the Internet. I sent out a lot of email blast and I am on a lot of east coast digital radio shows. Maybe I left him a comment on his myspace I don’t know. Bottom line is he heard it and loved it. You get what you put into the universe. I put all this positive energy and money into this battle. That hotel I was in had mice and roaches because the door didn’t go all the way to the ground. The universe saw me put all this work into my plane ticket and my motel. I got back what I put in.

Redhands: Do you have any team around you?

Catskill: I have no team I am looking for a manager. I have a publicist who is a beast and he’s real big on the west coast. He got me an unsigned hype on dubcnn.com and he’s hooked up with aftermath.com. My publicist John Bonet said I could be signed by Aftermath or Shady. I been talking to a lot of a and rs like Riggs Morales from Shady. Big ups to John because I am trying to sign with the biggest of the big labels. I should be number 1 everywhere and on every site. Anyone who reads this and wants to help hit me up on myspace I am all ears.

Redhands: Lets say Shady or Aftermath offers you a deal would you take it?

Catskill: I wouldn’t take the deal. I know my potential and I see what happen to Stat Quo and Rakim and Busta Rhymes I am not a retard. I am into this hip hop I know what’s going on I spit a certain way. Dr Dre could offer me 20 million and I would no because maybe the next label will give me 40 million and make me the next Michael Jackson. We will see what happens I am not going to just settle. I am to smart to sign the first deal I get. Everyone says Dre is the best producer of all time well listen to my album. It sounds 10 times better than Eminems. All his beats sound the same he’s not a magician he just stays in his comfort zone. An artist will make a hit using a certain formula. They get stuck in that formula but I don’t do that. I listen to a beat and become the ghost of the beat and I make sure you hear something never done before in history. Eminem is dope but he is in his comfort zone. You can fart on a track and I will make it a number one hit.

Redhands: How did you meet Riggs Morales and all these A and R’s?

Catskill: Through some A an R website they let you spend like 100 bucks to get a an rs to listen to your tracks. They give you their feedback and tell you if it’s a hit or not. If they like it they give you their cell number. Every time I sent my shit in Jive Records was on my dick, Aftermath and Shady liked my shit a lot. Riggs Morales freaked out over my unsigned hype on Dubcnn.com. I did a whole song for that site and Riggs fuckin loved it. Catskill how did you make that song for Dubcnn. I used a M.O.P beat and Riggs thought it was all original shit.

Redhands: Riggs is real tough on artist so that is huge for him to fuck with you.

Catskill: It is he is the dude who signed and found Eminem through the source. He used to write the unsigned hype column. I told him every thing is digital I wont be in the source and if I was it wouldn’t mean shit now a days. There is digital everything now a day’s magazines and labels radio shows etc. Riggs said he never heard anything like my shit before. Eminem knows about me he’s putting out two albums because he knows I am coming out. He knows he is done and my songs will be a hit. The website hitlab.com and dbs.com has a device that tells you if the song will be a hit. Eminems Crack a Bottle is 88 percent and my song is 90 percent. I am not ready to settle down just anywhere yet. I want the best deal so I can hold out until I feel I am ready.

Redhands: If Jive hears that Shady put a bid on you your stock is going to go up a lot anyway.

Catskill: Ant Rich at Jive heard my song Good to go the number three song on my album. He said its one of the biggest hits or it’s a flop. He said he’d put his money on it being a hit.

Redhands: Jive and hip-hop don’t always work together well but you are more than just hip-hop.

Catskill: I am the type to rap because I can I am not going to be super thug. If I have the write beat I can make the right song. Whatever the beat says that’s what my pen does. I can do anything to any beat no problem. I consider myself to be an Axel Rose or a Bob Dylan I don’t want to be just a rapper. If you have a good head on your shoulders you can do annnnnnything.

Redhands: Are their any samples on the album?

Catskill: The last song called year of the cat is from Al Stuart. The song was called the year of the cat and I heard that song like ten years ago. We were driving to a job and I heard it on a.m radio. I heard this song and I was already Catskill so I was like I am going to make a song to that one day. It’ll be about my road to riches and my journey. I got a female to resing it. The song Daddy Loves You for my daughter is Patti Labelle song. It originally says somebody loves you baby. We made it say daddy loves you baby. Sugartown is a old track that we sampled as well. I forget who its by but when I heard it, it sounds like I need to get a retarded girl and train her for the Special Olympics.

Redhands: Is that you with an effect on the song about your daughter?

Catskill: No that’s actually a chick singer that also sings on Year of the Cat. I wrote the daddy loves you part but she sang it for me. I produced the whole record and my engineer made it sound super sexy. He put it in order and all the timing and such.

Redhands: What’s your plan for the album to promote it and such?

Catskill: I am trying to figure that out now because I don’t have a manager. My engineer and I are trying to figure all this shit out. I have no idea but I know it will be the greatest hip-hop album of all time. I might be signed by Akon through hitlab.com or to Jive or Shady who knows. I plan on getting better and better from today. This album is a proving point and it will help me push forward and prove myself. Like JFK said we are going to go to the moon. Bold people make bold statements and that’s me.

Redhands: You have Bizarre from D12 on the album. How did you get him on the album and why did you do that?

Catskill: I was checking out some site and Bizarre was on it selling his verses for couple hundred bucks. I knew I had this joint that he could be on it has a west coast feel. It’s the song fee fi fo fome. It would be crazy to have Bizarre on it to get somewhat of a big name plus I can shutdown the Eminem comparassions. I had some other motives for Bizarre to show everyone I am better than Eminem. I wanted to prove a point that I can do just as good if not better than everyone else.

Redhands: Did you record it together and how much did he charge?

Catskill: He was In Atlanta so we did it over the Internet. He charged me 500 bucks and did it over the Internet. I sent him my bars and the hook and he sent it back. I kill all my syabills so the track is crazy. He asked me how I wanted it done I said say my name and say the name of the track. On the song you hear him say my real name, which is Ryan Funk.

Redhands: How did you get your name Catskill?

Catskill: I was freestyling in Jr high. My parents used to call me Ryan the Lion because I have always been the little white kid freestyling. I am the redhead stepchild rocking out like Axel and rapping like EPMD. One day I said my name is Ryan Lion don’t you know cats kill. For some reason it stuck and I love the name,

Redhands: What is your favorite song on the album?

Catskill: That’s hard because every song is special. One of the first songs I ever had on the radio was Kill Em. When I had my song on the radio this Dj Doctor Shock wouldn’t play my music because I wouldn’t pay him. I wrote this diss record against him. Daddy loves you is one of my favorite. I see my daughter two times a week I am trying to get custody. Everything I do is for her. My first single was get em and I got on the radio by dominating freestyle battles. I won like 3 times in a row and always killed it. There were guys getting three tries and they would come with raps on paper. I made them changed the rules make sure they are actually rapping about a subject. Like you got to rap about cars or cell phones for example. As soon as they started the subject rule I won 8 weeks in a row. The D.J wouldn’t play my stuff because he was working with an artist who I didn’t get along with. The rapper said he had the same beat as me but I had it copy written so you can’t deny I owned it. The D.J ended up getting fired because of this whole thing.

Redhands: So do you guys have hip-hop stations?

Catskill: No we have like a top 100 station they play Michael Jackson to Madonna its all pop. We don’t have hip-hop anymore but I am killing the pop station. In two weeks I got an hour interview with our big station. They are going to play like four songs from my album.

Redhands: They are doing the interview off the strength of your skills you aren’t paying them right?

Catskill: I don’t pay anyone if a Dj asks for money ill write him or her a song telling him or her how fuckin gay they are.

Redhands: What artist do you currently listen to?

Catskill: Guns and Roses new album, I think Axel has the best voice period. When it comes to hip-hop I love Ghost Face. I like Eminem a lot, Methodman and Cnn. Anyone who can tell me a story or make you feel something. I love Catskill I listen to myself more than anything else. I am the only rapper that excites myself.

Redhands: What do you want to promote right now?

Catskill: www.myspace.com/catskillmc, check out why I am being interview by Redhands. Check out why Clinton Sparks cosigned my album. I want people to know there is a new way of talking and explaining this is what it is and what it is flawless. Checkout www.hitlab.com vote for me I got the top 5 joints. If I win I get a deal by Akon I don’t care who I sign to but I want to sign with a label. Check out my music gives me your feedback.

Redhands: On behalf of qthequestion.com and Quinton thanks for taking the time to do the interview.

Myspace http://www.myspace.com/catskillmc

Filed under: Interviews