By Odeisel

When you have been listening to rap music your entire life, you are always trying to get hip to something that’s different. Sometimes that difference is a synonym for weird and wack. Other times you find rappers and emcees that are running beneath the radar who possess a different skill set and a way of delivering verses than “normal” rappers. I Am Many is one of those rappers. He was introduced to the Planet by our firend, the Homeboy Sandman, another rapper who takes the road less traveled. We caught up with I Am Many to get a look at how the strength of the man powers the one emcee. Enjoy.

Planet Ill: Who is I Am Many and how does the strength of I become the many?

I Am Many: Good question. Let me answer it with a lyric. “I’ll die a thousand deaths/ and live a thousand moments within the blink of an eye/ who does he think he is? I can’t help but to feel that I am everyone who lives.”

The strength of one becomes the strength of many when the one reaches their full potential. It is only then that he or she can truly inspire. And when that occurs, it is the strength of many that becomes the strength of one.

Planet Ill: If that strength of one comes from many why is musical conformity so rampant?

I Am Many: For that very reason. The individual artist is attempting to produce what he believes the masses want to hear, but what these people fail to realize is that the most commercial artist to obtain success, in most cases had something unique going for them.

Planet Ill: What is special about I Am Many?

I Am Many: The way he thinks.

Planet Ill: So what does he think is the dopest he’s ever heard?

I Am Many: Dopest beat I ever heard was called “Radiation” by Bronx Monx, a group which no longer exists. But since the original version of that beat can’t be heard, I’ll name another. “A Dream” produced by Kanye (used by The Game) seems to be poppin in my head, so I’ma go with that, they’re really to many to just pick one though.

Planet Ill: If you could write one rhyme that could compel whoever heard it to do whatever the song said, what would you rhyme about?

I Am Many: It would sound something like the song “Gimme Mine” on the Born Again Sinner Mixtape, which promotes self-improvement by way of spiritual and mental evolution, to become who you truly are or who you aspire to be.

Planet Ill: What’s the most important thing in this life?

I Am Many: Living

Planet Ill: And what do you live for?

I Am Many: Firstly, I live for music. I can honestly tell you that 75 percent of my day is spent with headphones on. Secondly, I live for live experience, be it dancing, eating, working out, meeting new people, and all things in between.

Planet Ill: Is music an addiction? When you hear a beat, what does it do to you?

I Am Many: Depends what kind of beat.  Some beats i hear and I’m like ehh… but I know I can complement it so i’ll use it. Other beats I feel so much I have to just go in Frank Sasoon Style, (Frank Sasoon is a producer but he also raps and has about 20 unreleased albums Frank Sasoon-Fast Shit) straight feeling and basically just say whatever comes to mind like in “Coo Coo Crazy.” Writing is an addiction, yes.

Planet Ill: If music was your mistress what would she wear to bed?

I Am Many: High heels and a leash.

Planet Ill: How do you soothe the savage beast?

I Am Many: By having sex with women.

Planet Ill: What’s the rhyme you’re most proud of and why?

I Am Many: Usually the latest one I write, but a new stand out one to me is the Savage remix “More Black” because it was about NYC fetish scene shit. That’s gonna be on the S.I.N. album.

Planet Ill: Have you ever heard a song that makes you want to drag the original rapper off the beat?

I Am Many: Many times.

Planet Ill: Such as?

I Am Many: A lot of Missy beats. I definitely would have went in on a few of those.

Planet Ill: Sounds like a dope mixtape idea. Last question what is right with Hip-Hop right now?

I Am Many: Creative Juices, Homeboy Sandman, El-P, QN5, Slaughter House, 2 Hungry Bros, Qwel & Maker and Peter Rosenberg. Add Planet Ill to that list, too.

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