RWD Talks to Dude N Nem
Artist:
Dude N Nem
From the city that Kanye West, Common, Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco call home, Tragic and Upmost are the latest rapper's from Chicago. Known as Dude N Nem, there debut single ‘Watch My Feet’ showcases Jukin' the dance described as the hip hop Riverdance. Emmanuel BoyWonder Ezugwu talks to the rap duo with fancy footwork.
What have you been up to this week?
Tragic: We’ve been working hard in the studio, trying to work on our record and put the album out. We’re really trying to get the album together and make a classic album.
Upmost: we have enough material for 2 or 3 albums because we feel like its never time to stop.
So how far have you got to finishing your debut album?
U: like I said we have enough songs on our album to complete three or four albums but we feel like its never time to stop so we’re gonna keep on working till the day in the end and pick from the songs that we have.
In terms of music genre, where will the album stand?
U: Its gonna be an outerdelic sound. That’s what we call it. It has it’s own name.
How did it all start? How did you get into the music biz?
T: we’ve known each other from high school. We were in different groups but the same groups and just last year we decided to form a group together called Dude N Nem.
Why do you call yourself Dude N Nem?
U: The name Dude N Nem is a Chicago street slang term that most people use when identifying an unknown group of guys. People would say: “dude n nem is over there” so we decided to go by that name because we feel like being new to the game on a major level, a lot of people won’t know why we is so we’d just saved them the trouble.
So does that mean your going to change your name when your more known?
U: (laughs) nah, Dude N Nem is forever man. We made it our own.
t: right we trying to make it a household name. Dude N Nem that will be around forever.
Despite Chicago having a lot of respectable artists, as a whole in terms of chart sales, the South is still running things. What do you make of the Chicago scene?
T: Well actually, a lot of the south came from Chicago music. If you look at the history of Chicago rapping, it dates back to when the south was really influenced by Chicago rappers. In the early 90’s the South was in love with Chicago rappers because of the sound that we have. We have like a soul to it, likes a blues, gospel sound. A lot of people don’t know that but that what it is. Do or Die was from Chicago and they were signed to a down south label, then with 8 Ball and MJG. Youths today felt that they needed that Chicago sound back.
So you would say a lot of rappers in the South are emulating Chicago artists?
T: oh yeah, definitely. A lot of it is related to the Chicago sound. Chicago is so diverse that we have a lot of different sounds because even though Chicago’s a big city, it’s separated. Its real diverse and that’s how we come up with many different sounds. that’s why Kanye West has a sound that Twista doesn’t have.
Why do you think the single is hot right now?
T: The single’s so hot because anybody can relate to it. The title ‘Watch My Feet’ anybody can say it. It doesn’t offend nobody. You don’t have to be a certain type of person to say “watch my feet”, anybody can say it. Whether the President of the United States or a street Hustla. Also it’s a feel good song and everybody want to dance and everybody likes to feel good these days.
U: Its just something different people ain’t heard before and with the footworking and the jukin, and old house music. The actual song can even be used outside of dancing, like if you want to move up in life and people hating on you, you can say “don‘t watch me, watch my feet”
It sounds like your saying wash my feet in the song. Do people ever get confused?
T: Most people know what were saying but sometimes say wash my feet which is ok because it’s a feel good song and its good to have fun. If you wanna say wash my feet its ok as long as you’re happy with it.
You do some pretty fast moves in the video. What’s the dance called?
T: yeah its called footwork in and it’s a form of jukin.
Missy Elliot showcased jukin in her Lose Control video. Did you think she was jumping on bandwagon?
T: I think that it’s good for people to recognise the talents that we have here and showcase it on a national level. But at the same time I you don’t know the ins and out of something it could get showcased in the wrong way. Missy Elliot is big on dance but a lot of other people who tried to do it didn’t showcase it right.
You’re signed to TVT and they are notorious for delaying their artists album (Teedra Moses etc). Does that bother you or were you just happy to get a record deal?
T: We feel like everybody is in charge of there situation and we’re working just as hard as the record company.
U: Everybody is responsible for their role and making music how you want to make it. When we first started there was a hunger for it and there still is.
T: The first album will be good and the second album would be even bigger so it would be in TVT best interest to release it.
Are you worried about being seen as a one hit wonder?
T: well we’re not worried because were so much bigger then one song and as long as were together were gonna continue to push out hits. We did ‘Watch My Feet’ as a tribute to Chicago, it’s a culture here and people take it seriously when they do the dance. We wanted people to know where from Chicago and were representing and were proud.
Whose your favourite rapper from Chicago?
U: I’m loving Kanye. I like what he’s doing for music period!. Its good when an artist can be themselves. He’s not worrying about what nobodies saying. I love Lupe Fiasco as well.
What do you make of Lupe Fiasco‘s lacklustre sales?
t: Lupe is like a slow born like a Common Sense, he gonna build his fan base over the years then he’s gonna have loyal fans who will buy his album and will it will sell platinum. Common has loyal fans whereas some artists have right-now-fans.
So are you hoping to be a slow burner?
Yeah definatey. We would love a loyal fan base and want people to be wondering what we’re doing next. Our thing is this: When we step in a room were gonna be noticed and when we leave a room were gonna be remembered.
Watch My Feet is out now!
DudenNem.net
From the city that Kanye West, Common, Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco call home, Tragic and Upmost are the latest rapper's from Chicago. Known as Dude N Nem, there debut single ‘Watch My Feet’ showcases Jukin' the dance described as the hip hop Riverdance. Emmanuel BoyWonder Ezugwu talks to the rap duo with fancy footwork.
What have you been up to this week?
Tragic: We’ve been working hard in the studio, trying to work on our record and put the album out. We’re really trying to get the album together and make a classic album.
Upmost: we have enough material for 2 or 3 albums because we feel like its never time to stop.
So how far have you got to finishing your debut album?
U: like I said we have enough songs on our album to complete three or four albums but we feel like its never time to stop so we’re gonna keep on working till the day in the end and pick from the songs that we have.
In terms of music genre, where will the album stand?
U: Its gonna be an outerdelic sound. That’s what we call it. It has it’s own name.
How did it all start? How did you get into the music biz?
T: we’ve known each other from high school. We were in different groups but the same groups and just last year we decided to form a group together called Dude N Nem.
Why do you call yourself Dude N Nem?
U: The name Dude N Nem is a Chicago street slang term that most people use when identifying an unknown group of guys. People would say: “dude n nem is over there” so we decided to go by that name because we feel like being new to the game on a major level, a lot of people won’t know why we is so we’d just saved them the trouble.
So does that mean your going to change your name when your more known?
U: (laughs) nah, Dude N Nem is forever man. We made it our own.
t: right we trying to make it a household name. Dude N Nem that will be around forever.
Despite Chicago having a lot of respectable artists, as a whole in terms of chart sales, the South is still running things. What do you make of the Chicago scene?
T: Well actually, a lot of the south came from Chicago music. If you look at the history of Chicago rapping, it dates back to when the south was really influenced by Chicago rappers. In the early 90’s the South was in love with Chicago rappers because of the sound that we have. We have like a soul to it, likes a blues, gospel sound. A lot of people don’t know that but that what it is. Do or Die was from Chicago and they were signed to a down south label, then with 8 Ball and MJG. Youths today felt that they needed that Chicago sound back.
So you would say a lot of rappers in the South are emulating Chicago artists?
T: oh yeah, definitely. A lot of it is related to the Chicago sound. Chicago is so diverse that we have a lot of different sounds because even though Chicago’s a big city, it’s separated. Its real diverse and that’s how we come up with many different sounds. that’s why Kanye West has a sound that Twista doesn’t have.
Why do you think the single is hot right now?
T: The single’s so hot because anybody can relate to it. The title ‘Watch My Feet’ anybody can say it. It doesn’t offend nobody. You don’t have to be a certain type of person to say “watch my feet”, anybody can say it. Whether the President of the United States or a street Hustla. Also it’s a feel good song and everybody want to dance and everybody likes to feel good these days.
U: Its just something different people ain’t heard before and with the footworking and the jukin, and old house music. The actual song can even be used outside of dancing, like if you want to move up in life and people hating on you, you can say “don‘t watch me, watch my feet”
It sounds like your saying wash my feet in the song. Do people ever get confused?
T: Most people know what were saying but sometimes say wash my feet which is ok because it’s a feel good song and its good to have fun. If you wanna say wash my feet its ok as long as you’re happy with it.
You do some pretty fast moves in the video. What’s the dance called?
T: yeah its called footwork in and it’s a form of jukin.
Missy Elliot showcased jukin in her Lose Control video. Did you think she was jumping on bandwagon?
T: I think that it’s good for people to recognise the talents that we have here and showcase it on a national level. But at the same time I you don’t know the ins and out of something it could get showcased in the wrong way. Missy Elliot is big on dance but a lot of other people who tried to do it didn’t showcase it right.
You’re signed to TVT and they are notorious for delaying their artists album (Teedra Moses etc). Does that bother you or were you just happy to get a record deal?
T: We feel like everybody is in charge of there situation and we’re working just as hard as the record company.
U: Everybody is responsible for their role and making music how you want to make it. When we first started there was a hunger for it and there still is.
T: The first album will be good and the second album would be even bigger so it would be in TVT best interest to release it.
Are you worried about being seen as a one hit wonder?
T: well we’re not worried because were so much bigger then one song and as long as were together were gonna continue to push out hits. We did ‘Watch My Feet’ as a tribute to Chicago, it’s a culture here and people take it seriously when they do the dance. We wanted people to know where from Chicago and were representing and were proud.
Whose your favourite rapper from Chicago?
U: I’m loving Kanye. I like what he’s doing for music period!. Its good when an artist can be themselves. He’s not worrying about what nobodies saying. I love Lupe Fiasco as well.
What do you make of Lupe Fiasco‘s lacklustre sales?
t: Lupe is like a slow born like a Common Sense, he gonna build his fan base over the years then he’s gonna have loyal fans who will buy his album and will it will sell platinum. Common has loyal fans whereas some artists have right-now-fans.
So are you hoping to be a slow burner?
Yeah definatey. We would love a loyal fan base and want people to be wondering what we’re doing next. Our thing is this: When we step in a room were gonna be noticed and when we leave a room were gonna be remembered.
Watch My Feet is out now!
DudenNem.net
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