http://www.hiphopug.com/1/post/2010/11/hiphopugcom-interview-with-the-white-shadow-of-norway-destiny.html
HHUG: How would you describe your style of production?
WS: My music sounds like a combo of heaven and hell in the outer dimensions. New school boom-bap. Cinematic Hiphop with a dark but bangin' feel to it. Hard drums, and samples. Beats that'll bring out feelings. From happy to sad to horny to mad. You can find all that in my music.
HHUG: What influences in crafting your beats?
WS: Music and sound in itself. I'm inspired by all that came before me. Hiphop, and all other genres. Movies, especially Horror. Reading. UFOlogy, demonology, life on earth, and in the other dimensions. I'm into stuff that's weird and alternative. I'm an artist.
HHUG: Being from Norway, how have you been able to transcend as an international artist, most notably working with established American artists?
WS: That started kinda early on. The first emcee I worked with in the early 90's was Tricky Tee from New York who was signed to Sleeping Bag records back then. I lived in New York for a few years in the 90's. I've always been a fan of the east coast type of Hiphop, so that's what I wanted to make myself, and I've been in touch with American artists since I started makin' beats. In the 2000's it started with me producing for D-Stroy, and Gr8 Skot of The Arsonists, Maylay Sparks, and Grand Agent from Philly, and Celph Titled. One track lead to another, and now I've worked with a lot of dope artists in the underground, mainstream, and legendary emcee's as well. The Internet has helped a lot as far as makin' music, staying in touch with people, and networkin'.
HHUG: Destiny is your fourth album released on October 30, 2010. How does this album differ from your previous releases?
WS: I always do my best to outdo my previous albums, so I think the beats are better on Destiny. Both musically, and technically. I have a bigger, and better list of featured artists on it, like Joell Ortiz from the mainstream Hiphop scene, legends like Kool G Rap, KRS-One, and Ras Kass, underground legends like Reef The Lost Cauze, and Chief Kamachi, and up & coming artists like Mark Deez, Grindhouse Gang, Burnt MD, Klive Kraven, Lord Willin, Jukstapose, and many others. It has 50 MC's on it compared to my others who all had about 25 each. I don't make it a mission to feature as many as possible, it just happened this time, and I happened to be lucky enough to be able to work with a lot of dope artists. I also think this album has more substance, will last longer, and goes deeper than my other joints, as the message is deeper, and it's more varied. There's the in your face bangers like "Underground", "Verbal Abyss", "Savage Vendetta", and "Check The Perspective", the more laid back like "Thirsty Stylz 2010", and "Liquid Swordplay", a song-title paying respect to GZA's classic album of course, and the deeper joints like "Book Of Shadows", "Destiny (Instrumental)", and "Nefarious Apothecary", the story of my life in Hiphop on "Dedication", and much more. In my opinion right now it's by far my best, but we'll see in ten years from now.
HHUG: Can you elaborate more about how Destiny emerge and the creative process that underwent?
WS: Yeah. Like I always do it starts with the beats. For my own albums I make most of the beats especially for them, then the concepts, and some titles come along as the beats are made, and as I get vocals from people. Sometimes I send the original beats I'm gonna use to the featured artists, and sometimes I remix. I always add cuts last then come up with most of the titles, then I mix the joints. The beats, and title of Destiny, was partly inspired by what I learned from reading, and watching videos at http://www.desteni.co.za. It's a group of people who have found the answers to how and why the universe, earth, people, and everything else exists, through an interdimensional portal. They also support oneness, equality, and an equal money system to change the world to a better place to live for all. I'm not a part of their movement, but they've inspired me a lot musically on this album.
HHUG: Noticing your previous releases in chronological order - Renegades, Untouchable, Victory, and now Destiny - what is the overall continuity theme? Will Destiny be your last project?
WS: There is one, and it's very simple really. It's my story of the Hiphop underground how we were "Renegades" to the established music business, who worked on our crafts till we had "Untouchable" skills. That lead to a musical "Victory" against the established big business of major corporations, and so that was our "Destiny", and yeah, it's my last producer album featuring various artists. I won't say forever, and ever, cause you never know years from now.
HHUG: Destiny features 50 emcees on 20 tracks. How were you able to adequately compile hip hop legends and up-and-coming underground emcees on this project?
WS: Some are my fam, and we always help each other out. Sometimes verses were paid for. Big shout to Uni-Fi Records, Domingo, Mark Deez, Awkword, Jukstapose, Son Of Saturn, LA-Dog, and EQ for hookin' me up with artists they know as well. Other than that just a lot of networkin', and years of experience building my rep and stuff like that. I could've made an album with even more songs, and featured artists, but 20 songs was enough to make a solid album.
HHUG: Who are your top 5 favorite music producers? Top 5 artists?
WS: Of all genres,
Producers:
Trevor Horn
Quincy Jones
Marley Marl
Pete Rock
All the remixers of the Disco-era like Larry Levan, Tom Moulton, Walter Gibbons, Tee Scott, Francois Kevorkian, many more...
Artists:
Parliament/Funkadelic
Goblin
Donna Summer
Kiss
Boogie Down Productions
HHUG: What future plans do you have for the future?
WS: I'll keep it movin' as far as music goes. Not as often as before, but everything that drops is gonna be crazy. I also wanna spend more time writing. It's something I've always wanted to do, and it's a business move as well. We all need to eat, and to quote Conspiracy Worldwide Radio: "Rap is something you do, Hiphop is something you download", and so it's not a good livin' like that. I've also spent my whole life in the world of music, and want to do a few other things as well. I'm also getting more and more into the deeper parts of life, and beyond. I see that the music biz at large is very egotistical, so I want to find ways I can contribute more to people as a whole. I know music does that though. That it makes life worth living for many people, including myself.
HHUG: Thank you for taking the time for this interview. Any closing thoughts?
WS: Thank you for the interview! Good questions, and a bit out of the ordinary, I like that! Respect to my fam from across the map, and to HipHopUG.com!
You can buy all my albums here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-white-shadow/id275601519?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Peace.
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