DiSSaster Las Vegas, NV

The Openmic Crew would like to congratulate DiSSaster for winning the first audio tournament and being our first audio champion.

Goldmic: Tell us a bit about your history with battling and hip hop.

DiSSaster: I've been in the Hip-Hop game for about 4 years now. I look at Hip-Hop as a way of escaping life and it's everyday BS. It's like a totally different world. Battling for me is a way to take out the anger that life gives me and channel it towards something that help me gain a clearer focus on life.

Goldmic: Who is Madflow and how well are you doing with them?

DiSSaster: Madflow Records is a crew comprised of about 8-9 members, that's been around for probably about 2-3 years now. I was signed to them a year ago when my boy Jason (J-Flow) who's my producer introduce me to the idea of getting to be known and coming out with an album when I did not even feel near ready. I've never regreted it.

Goldmic: Tell us about some of the music you have recorded so far. What are you currently working on?

DiSSaster: I'm a battle rapper damn it. I do probably like 3 battle tracks a week, continuously writing and rhyming on a daily basis. As well I am working on an EP/LP, Ballistic Without A Cause, soon to come out next year (2002). Something with a feel for battle, street shit, a lil club ish, and other stuff to provoke you to go out and bash someone's head in.

Goldmic: Your mp3.com page has mostly battle tracks. Do you consider yourself strictly a battle emcee?

DiSSaster: Man, when was the last time you been to that page? Go there now..lol, scroll down, and you'll see I probably have like 2 beats, a Metaphorical/Wordplay track (Naturally Dissasterous), and i even did a track dedicated to my girl. That one being the most recent, is something smooth, laid back, that you can grab your girl and go do a little something something with her. Na'mean? Where have you been?

Goldmic: Who are some of your influences?

DiSSaster: I was a Canibus fan, til I looked at most of his ish and realized that he likes to provoke alot of BS to make a battle track, and that sorta thing disappointed me. No doubt he's still ONE of the illest. But I listen to Copywrite, Chino XL, Tonedeff and a couple of Net artist who im not going to mention, cuz they'll get a big headed ego. Oh yea, I like Eminem too. =)

Goldmic: Do you ever perform/battle live?

DiSSaster: Where im at for school now (which will remain anonymous) there's not really a big rap scene nor a crave, so I have to create the enviroment around me. There has been some club shows as of late that I've went to just to show out, but nothing really major as of late. I'm waiting to get back home, now that I've really established myself elsewhere and opened a couple of eyes. I've achieved my goal.

Goldmic: Describe your style.

DiSSaster: My style is, I'll send you a smiley face on AIM, but when I record that track against you, I don't like you. Before a performance I'll tell you good luck, and if im battling you, it's my intention to embarass you. If I'm recording a track its going to half a piece of my mind in it. My style is to seperate business from pleasure, professional from casual, handle my business and leave. Very seldom when any would cross.

Goldmic: What's the key to being a good spitter? Any advice for the young heads?

DiSSaster: Establish your own style!! There are too many Eminem's, too many Master P's, too many Canibus', too many Juvenille's as it is. TOO MANY!! If you want to be known and establish some sort-of liking to your music/lyrics in general, take your game one step futher and "STFU" about rocking ice, and rolling in your BMW, and popin' champange bottles. Be unique! I promise it pays off! Establish your own style by taking in those things, BUT don't dwell on them. People are quick to call you a style biter or some ish. Be unique!

Goldmic: Do you ever produce your own music or do you usually spit over people's beats?

DiSSaster: I have produced and sold some of my own productions of instrumentals, just I haven't been comfortable with exposing them all. I don't consider myself to be a producer, so I'm quick to go out to Side City's MP3 site, yell at my boy Cheq-Z to make a beat, or just browse around the net, for instrumentals.

Goldmic: What equipment/software do you use for recording and mixing?

DiSSaster: You know what? I ain't even gonna lie to you. System-wise: AMD Duron 800MHz Custom-built system I made. I have a Manhattan 3 Level Boom Mic with built in Noise Reduction and Pop Filtering. Software-wise, I use Cool Edit Pro. That's it. Nothing fancy like an in-apartment studio. Yet. Mixing-wise has just come from alot of my friends like Cheq-Z, my boy Stryke, all teaching me little tricks, and I've taken those idea's, use'd them, and twisted it with my own imagination.

Goldmic: Is rapping your main focus right now? Where do you see yourself in the future?

DiSSaster: First is my education, then uphold my relationship with my girl, Rapping is third. Figured if I aligned it that way, things would fall in place as time went on. So I see myself as being successful in the future if it's Gods will for me to continue.

Goldmic: We're only about 3 months old. What do you think of Openmic so far?

DiSSaster: I think the site is pretty damn nifty. Really nice if we didn't have to submit interviews twice after an application error. LOL! Naw seriously, i like it, you must have had a lot of time on your hands making this. Damn. Mind helping me with mine? Seriously? =)

Goldmic: Any last comments you would like to make?

DiSSaster: I want to give a shout to to Madflow Records, from J-Flow to Cheq Z, all the way down to SacriFICE and HEX Elements. Also want to give a shout out to Stryke, you're my dawg for life. Not forgetting the Spitboxers Family. My girl Victoria. (had to say that or be slapped later). And to the crew of Open Mic and its staff. Also wanted to say hi to Country Gurl and Lyrical Venom, wanted to thank you for letting me herb you in half of my audio tourney tracks, really appreciate it. =)
Im done. Pz. DETROIT!!

Goldmic: Thank you and good luck battling!