Snewty Sits Down With Add-2 Plus Starter Jacket Video

December 1st, 2009 | By Isis

Here is the new video form Add-2 for his song “Starter Jacket”off his Vol3 Mix tape. After you watch the video make sure you check out the interview with Add-2 that Snewty had the pleasure of conducting.

Official Add-2 “Starter Jacket” video by PreciseMinds/Tori Boyd from Add-2 on Vimeo.

Chicago should be synonymous with the word versatile. Nothing appears as it seems, and no one underestimates anyone or anything because at a moments notice things will and can change. This is not only the mantra for our weather, but it is exemplified in every aspect of the cities culture, from politics to art. The Hip Hop scene is no different, with artist from all different walks of life, sides of town, and perspectives all seeking to grasp the ears of this ever so culturally adept population. In pursuit, artist have to be quick on their feet, eloquent with their words and have the ability to transition while remaining true to who they are as an artist. Add-2 by all means exemplifies such traits. He has successfully taken the internet by storm and positioned himself as a new wave of talent focused on bringing the core essence of artistic realism through rhymes and beats back to the forefront. Fresh off the release of his new mixtape, A Tale of Two Cities the Rise and Fall, Snewty caught up with Add-2 to dissect the method behind his emceeing.

Snewty: When you think of Hip Hop what comes to mind?

Add-2: I think of the foundation, emceeing b-boying , Djing, but being 23 and being the first generation to grow up with it I see it as a culture, as a staple, as a way of life. It’s our style, the way we breathe, what we do everyday. We influence the world. It’s overwhelming, it’s everywhere and multifaceted. It is permanent and here to stay. I do however wonder what s coming after this stage because we have the artist who laid the foundation but now what. Are we going to be able to reach rolling stone status, U-2 status?

Snewty: What is the meaning behind your name?

Add-2: My initials for my government name are A.D.D. and I’m my parent’s second child. My father use to say to me if there’s anything you have, you don’t take anything away from it, you add to it. He told me whether it was good or bad, remember it, keep it with you, and constantly build on what you have. That’s what pushes me, everything I have now I have to add to it. I got to go harder.

Snewty: So nowadays everybody thinks they’re a rapper, with the industry being as saturated as it is, what do you think separates yourself as a artist?

Add-2: I think what separates me is my creativity. I like to take my time with everything. I’ll sit down sometimes and it’ll be weeks, months, sometimes years that I’ve worked on rhymes. If it’s not right I will wait till it’s perfect. I think a lot of people take the creativity out of it all. I’m really concerned about everything involved with being an emcee, the affect the beat and the lyrics have on my listeners and me as an artist overall. I’m really concerned about the culture overall. I’m not concerned with the money. This is what I love to do, you can probably count on one hand how many people who bought a mixtape from me and I actually charged for it. As long as I maintain the passion that I have I think I’ll continue to stand out.

Snewty: When did it click for you that emceeing is what you wanted to do?

Add-2: I didn’t take rap seriously for a while. I think my first rhyme was in 3^rd grade and it was really corny. In like 6^th grade I had a friend who would freestyle all the time and would harass me to freestyle, so I started doing it and got good at it. Eventually everyone in the school started noticing. and I would battle the juniors and seniors. Then it just clicked like, I like this because it was the one thing I couldn’t master..I could only improve…..

Snewty: So I hear you just got your degree?

Add-2: Yeah I just finished school recently. I got my degree from Valparaiso in Indiana in Communications. I loved college and oddly enough there was no music culture on my campus. I was like the first Hip Hop music act they had on my campus but I established a good relationship to the point now where it has opened up a lot of opportunities for Hip Hop on that campus in terms of acts that have now come to the school.

Snewty: What’s in Heavy rotation on your IPod?

Add-2: Blu.. I really like listening to Blu.. I like Pac Div and some of there joints.. that Clipse “I’m Good” really gets me going.

Snewty: Whats next for you

Add-2: Currently we are working on the Luxury video and the way I’m feeling I’m looking forward to working on a volume 4. I’m going to be working with Twilight Tone on some more joints. I’m just working with more people and keeping the creative process going, staying progressive and not sleeping. This is the time you work harder. I realize I got some ears but I need more, so I got to keep going. I want more ears.

Make sure you check Add-2 out on myspace at www.myspace.com/add2

and on Twitter; @add2themc