A Q&A with ... Fatlip

A Q&A with ... Fatlip The first time I heard about Fatlip -- No. 85 on this year's top 100 list -- was when my friend Andrew and I were discussing our favorite music videos.

"What's Up, Fatlip? is the greatest video ever made!" he proclaimed before showing me the Spike Jonze-directed clip from 2000, which features the exiled member of Los Angeles rap group The Pharcyde wearing a clown suit, being bullied by children, and chillin' in his mother's living room. This was not a guy who wrote about a gun-toting, gangster lifestyle. He was more like the Woody Allen of hip-hop, a self-described "immature, insecure, grown-up nerd."

Delicious Vinyl

After creative differences got him booted from The Pharcyde, Fatlip fell on hard times in his personal life and with his record label. His new CD took 10 years to make. I grew to love Fatlip through the video and Jonze's accompanying documentary, and in November I was thrilled to hear about The Loneliest Punk, a solo album Fatlip fans had been waiting 10 years to hear. Its hilarious and honest lyrics about fatherhood, failed relationships and writer's block are a big reason why the rapper is one of my favorite people of 2005.

Last week Fatlip called me from outside an elementary school in L.A. (he was there to watch his child's Christmas program). Despite Punk's positive reviews, the rapper revealed he wasn't happy with the record and hopes to release another one next year. He also discussed the Jonze videos, his fondness for Seinfeld and Kelly Clarkson's Grammy potential:

Hey, Fatlip! I heard you lost your cell phone.

Yeah. And I kind of like just picking up messages off of the voicemail, as opposed to having it on me and hearing it ring. So that may be the new way that I communicate with the rest of the world.

On your new album, you say it took a long time to produce because you "caught a bad case of writer's block." But really, was that all there was to it? What else was going on?

Well, from the time I got out of the group, I was just going through a lot of transitions. I had kids, and I was going through a lot of relationship drama. And trying to produce the album on my own, being inexperienced as I was ... really, I can attribute it to not having the right focus, not having anyone there to really help me out and guide me.

Although maybe some good things came out of the long wait. This way, I guess you had more material to work with. Are you satisfied with the final product?

No, I'm not satisfied at all, to tell you the truth. Honestly, I didn't want the record to come out, because I didn't feel it was a representation of who I wanted the world to see me as. But it is what it is -- that's kind of my mantra for this album. I just feel like the album wasn't well produced and is kind of, like, an unfinished work. But I've listened to it some times, and there are some things about the album that I like. But overall, I wanted a pop record -- a heavy-rotation radio kind of record. Maybe next time.

So who was pushing you to get it out?

In my opinion, the label felt like it was a good time to put out the record because I was doing a lot of shows and getting a lot of press. .... I did a little cameo on a Ludacris video that was running on MTV for a month (the Jonze-directed Get Back), and people were talking about me.

Up until then, (the label) had said they were kind of up in the air as to when they would put it out, and they didn't really know who was going to distribute it and things like that. And I was fine with it, because I didn't really want it to come out at all. (But) basically, after the Ludacris video, they went full steam ahead with trying to release it.

Are you unhappy with the lyrics, too?

Yeah, that too. Just my whole mindset, which was, you know, kind of a dark and depressive mindset. You know, I recorded a lot of those songs, like, four years ago. I wasn't feeling like that anymore. I didn't really want to come off as "the lonliest punk," you know what I'm saying? But now that it's out, I'm actually glad that it's out. It's done, so I can move on to the next project.

So when can we expect that to come out?

I'm working on my new record now. From the time I got out of The Pharcyde up until today -- I just got off of the drum machine right now -- I work on music every day. And like I was saying, in regards to TheLonliest Punk, a lot of those songs that they chose for the album were songs that I had worked on in '99 and '98. I've been still working on new material, but it just didn't make the album.

To be honest, what made me first take notice of you was seeing the Spike Jonze stuff. How did his video and documentary change your life? (Note: You can watch both Jonze videos online here.)

It changed a lot, because people identified with it. It was just, like, a character that formed unintentionally.

Most of the scenes that are in that documentary are me actually warming up for the video. When I'm being interviewed, and he's asking me what would I do if the rap career didn't work out, I'm explaining, "Yeah, I might be a bus driver." But, you know, I'm kind of just getting into the character for the video. People took it a lot more serious than I intended. I guess that's good because people felt it and embraced it and were moved by it, but I was just joking! (Laughs)

But it's good. I always love working with Spike. When I first saw the documentary and I first saw the video ... with most things that I do, I was kind of hesitant and I didn't like it, because I always picture myself on television another way. People seemed to like it, though. I get e-mails about the documentary every day. More so than my record.

You can be pretty down on yourself in your lyrics, but some good things have happened to you this year. What would you say was the highlight?

I wouldn't necessarily say one specific moment, but just getting back on the road and doing shows and seeing the fans are still out there. (In) 2004 I was still in limbo, as far as my relationship with the label. ... So I was just sitting there not doing too much. Around the beginning of this year, I started doing a lot of shows. I've been doing shows mostly for the whole year.

Some of your lyrics are hilarious. What kind of stuff -- movies, TV, anything -- makes you laugh?

Everything makes me laugh. Seeing somebody fall makes me laugh. My favorite TV show of all time would have to be Seinfeld. Anything from Larry David. Actually, I look at myself as the Larry David of hip-hop. (Laughs)

Really? What's your favorite episode?

I can definitely say my favorite scene -- it was (when) Jerry and Newman and Kramer were waiting for someone to come outside. They were all in a truck together. They didn't know what day it was, and Kramer said it felt like a Tuesday. And Newman was going on, like, "Tuesday doesn't have a feel. Friday has a feel. Monday has a feel. ..." I was like, "Damn!"

What was the best record you heard this year?

(Laughs) Honestly? I just bought Kelly Clarkson's album. It's a good record. That song that she has right now, I know that's gonna get a Grammy. What's it called -- Because of You? Yeah. And Kanye's record's good ... and the Bloc Party record. I listen to everything. My ears are wide open right now.

Are you still living with your mom?

(Laughs) See, I didn't really want to get into that, but since you brought it up, that was the highlight of this year. Moving out of my mother's house. No, I'm not living with her anymore. I have a condominium downtown.

Well, I can imagine it's much easier for you to meet women now ...

Oh, are you kidding me? (Laughs) Yeah, it is.

You've had some major ups and downs during the last dozen years. Who are some of the people who stuck by you all that time?

Nobody.

Nobody? Not even your mom?

OK, I'm sorry -- yeah, her. That's it. Everybody else -- I can't blame them for not sticking by me, 'cause everybody's got their own problems to deal with.

So what do you hope will happen for yourself next year?

I'm very optimistic about the future, and next year I would love to have another record out -- another record that I'm happy about. And hopefully get a Grammy or something.

Peace!

Jay Sidhu