male announcer: "Theatre Corner" is brought to you by: The Harold K. Brown Economic Development and Education Foundation.

Harold and LaVerne Brown.

Tania Adami.

And viewers like you.

Thank you.

Michael Taylor: Welcome to "Theatre Corner."

I'm your host Michael Taylor.

As a lifelong theatre enthusiast and a former board member of one of the nation's top theatres, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of embracing a multitude of perspectives on stage and in the audience.

This interview series was born from my passion for theatre and aims to amplify the rich tapestry of voices that make up the theatre world.

Join us as we engage with leading professionals in the entertainment industry delving into their artistic process, careers, offering inspiration for aspiring creatives and exploring ways to make theatre resonate with a broader audience.

Michael: Welcome to "Theatre Corner."

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Mitchy Slick, a renowned hip hop artist celebrated for his storytelling prowess and deep connection to his community.

Beyond his musical achievements, Mitchy Slick is a dedicated supporter of Lincoln High School's football team, actively contributing to the development of young athletes.

Join us as we delve into his artistic journey and his impactful community involvement.

Mitchy Slick, welcome to "Theatre Corner," brother.

Mitchy Slick: How you doing, Mike?

Michael: It is very good to have you here.

For taking a break from all that you do, thanks for taking our time to visit us here on KPBS.

Mitchy: Thanks for having me.

Michael: All right.

Let's jump right in and this is, I mean this is a theatre interview story.

Let's talk about the storytelling as a hip hop artist.

Mitchy: That's what's been able to keep me in the game so long.

Like, you know, you hear people say they have writer's blocks.

I never had a writer's block because all my music just comes from my life experience.

I think that's an advantage I have, maybe not in the bigger scheme of music because they say rap hip hop is a young man's game, but I got a lot more to talk about than the young cats, you know what I mean?

And I use that to my advantage.

I don't try to go there.

I try to stay right at my level and make people come to me.

That's what hip hop was built off of.

It was about telling the story.

It was about telling the struggle.

It was about having somebody talk about stuff that our community was going through.

But had nobody to tell the story and that's where it came from, you know?

And as far back as like you figure like my favorite artist, a lot of them are the storytelling artists, Slick Rick and Dana Dane, you know?

Even though that's East Coast.

Before this, you know, this third, fourth quarter or whatever of hip hop, it wasn't a coast.

West Coast rap, East Coast, South rap.

Remember in the beginning, it was just hip hop.

It didn't matter where you was from, you listen to it on the east or west.

So, storytelling to me is everything.

I mean, nowadays it's a limited the amount of information you will get from a music with the younger, but that's what hip hop is now.

So, I don't knock it.

But storytelling, that's my lane.

I have something to say, something to talk about, you know?

That's what it's about to me.

Michael: And so, I'm always curious when we speak to hip hop artists.

It's just for myself.

Listening to some of the hip hop songs, I always wonder, does the lyrics come first or is--or does a beat come first?

Mitchy: You know what?

I like the way this interview is going because you're asking the questions that I never get asked and this is the stuff that makes me who I am.

The question so like with me.

I don't look at myself first as an artist as like the personality that goes along with what you consider a artist.

Me, I haven't even really got to be an artist as much as I wanna be because I came in playing harder roles.

The manager, the financier, the artist, the production, every aspect of it.

So, I've never got to be just a full artist.

So, my method of doing music is different than a lot of people I work with.

So, just a format of how to do it.

I never got stuck in it.

However it comes, it comes, but I'm motivated by the music.

The music makes me or it influence me or inspires me to write, but at the same time, I could just be on my own on the plane and knock a whole song down without even hearing any music to write to, you know what I mean?

Michael: And how would you describe your music?

How would you characterize your style of--.

Mitchy: Gangster hip hop.

Hip hop being the four elements, the real hip hop.

Lyrics, beats, graffiti, and the dance.

But then you take that and you put it with the--it's not just regular West Coast gangster rap.

So, when you hear my music, you're gonna get the real lyrics.

You could tell I was on my pen when I wrote it, you feel me?

But at the same time, it's gonna be the West Coast street element too.

So, you're getting the best of both worlds similar to what you saw like Ice-T and Cube.

You know Cube for sure you could say it was full West Coast, West Coast.

It was full gangster, but it was lyricism involved, you feel me?

Michael: True.

Yeah, very true.

Mitchy: You got it with me if your pen ain't right, man, you--I'm not a fan, straight up.

Michael: This is a theatre show and I--and there is some element of theatre in all performances even when you consider hip hop.

And when I say theatre, I'm thinking, you know, storytelling.

There's costumes, there's--.

Mitchy: Performance, lots of performance for sure.

You gotta give a show.

When you get on stage, maybe the other elements not so much, but getting on stage.

This new era, you could tell they're not so much concentrating on the live performance part of it, but I came in with a group of artists, like I said, the hip hop element.

I don't know if the listeners understand the difference between rap and hip hop, you know what I mean?

Rap is something you do, and hip hop is something that you live.

I compare it to like a religion almost, you feel me?

Like a religion.

Hip hop is really like for our generation, like kinda like religion because people look, a lot of people in today, they look more to hip hop for influence and information than they do the Bible, you know what I mean?

You feel me?

And so, to me, live performance is--it is theatre.

What's the difference?

Michael: You're turning 50 at the same time hip hop started.

Mitchy: Straight up, man.

I'm--it was born with me.

Looking at that 50 year mark, it's just a testament, man, to where I mean, because hip hop came from nothing, man, you know what I mean?

And to me it's inspiring to see something so important could take over the music scene like that.

The only part I hate about it is that we don't actually control hip hop.

See that's the part that makes me still feel like I'm watching from the outside a little bit.

So, it means a lot to me, you know what I mean?

Yeah man, I'm trying to get hip hop to give stuff to my city that I saw I give to other cities, you know?

Michael: You have a record label, a business, "Wrong Kind."

Now tell me about that.

Mitchy: "Wrong Kind" was started, man, in 2000.

A lot of my partners, we did come together as a collective and make something happen.

Me and my cousin CJ pushing the label, but man, rest in peace, my brother Janky, man.

That was the heart and soul of Wrong Kind Records.

But it's a San Diego-based label.

Tried to work with a whole lot of artists from San Diego.

It's just been a home for anybody in San Diego that wants to get heard-- I do what I can.

I don't have a big giant million dollar budget to give every artist that came my way, but I did give a lot of attention to a few artists around San Diego.

It's just a homegrown label, man.

We just push it, man.

That's what it is.

Michael: I mean tremendous amount of people, you know, absolutely look up to you.

And so, if you had the attention of a, you know, of a young cat trying to embark on a hip hop career, what kind of advice would you give that individual?

Mitchy: I would tell him be prepared early and look in a few--I mean look down the line so that you can make sure that you're taking the right steps because there's a lot of things that can happen to a young guy that's getting some recognition.

But like the San Diego I know is a real grimy street place and straight up Southeast San Diego, Logan and Euclid.

You gotta know as a street artist it's so much politics, man.

It's all about who you know.

It's all about making sure that you understand and stay humble.

Remember the names of the people that shake your hands on the way up, you know what I mean?

You got to because it's all about relations.

It's all about relationships, straight up.

When people you think they're not looking, people are looking.

Everything you say, everything you do.

We can go on for hours, but I'm saying that's the main thing, man.

Michael: Perception is a king about a lot of the lenses people look through.

And so, a lot of people would perceive you a certain way based upon the music that you do which is the music that you do.

I was excited about having you here because--so we could see the other side of how you're perceived because you are a father of a daughter who's about to go to college and let's talk about your connection to the community in terms of your support of Lincoln High School and particularly the football program.

Mitchy: I played football in Lincoln, man.

And see, Lincoln High School really is a Mecca in Southeast San Diego for the black community.

I grew up like two blocks away from the school, you know what I mean?

Like I grew up basically playing on the campus before I even went to the school, you know what I mean?

Or even if you live in other communities, everybody know Lincoln High School is pretty much where our people are.

And that's the black high school in San Diego.

I mean, the numbers, the demographic has changed a little bit now, but it's such--it's so rich in the legacy, man.

Like all the NFL players that came out of Lincoln High School, like we got like, I think, well they got a lot.

So, now in high school football they got these super high schools where they recruit kids from all over.

So, the numbers are going up, but when that--before that was happening, Lincoln was like probably had the ninth most players in the NFL.

We probably still right around 12 or 13 right now, but I mean like out of all the schools in the country, we don't got giant actors, we don't have giant rappers and singers, whatever, but we can go toe to toe as far as athletes and specifically football with any city in the nation.

And Lincoln is where a lot of these players come from.

So, I put my efforts there, man, just to see a lot of the kids over there, man, and like a lot of kids in Lincoln like don't have the two parent households and stuff like that.

A lot of my friends are in jail or maybe even dead.

Kids are there and I feel like I'm just doing my fellows a favor, you know what I'm saying?

By being there for some of them when they can't be there.

I give away food every Sunday on Logan and Euclid in the community.

I mean, I can't feed like the whole hood, but 10, 12 maybe 20, 30 families worth of food every Sunday on Logan and Euclid.

Shout out to my brother Herm down there.

He has the monster squad of fitness and me and him collab.

Shabak Ministries, my aunt Shabak, they call her Doctor Carol.

Her name is Doctor Carol, but they call her the Mother Teresa San Diego 'cause she gives away more food to San Diego homeless and stuff like that probably didn't like a lot of people do all over the country, you know what I mean?

And with her, with Shabak and with my brother Herman over there at Monster Squad Fitness, every Sunday morning, man.

Michael: And so, what do you got coming up?

Mitchy: Business.

I got the clothing line going, man, Triv, I got the--.

Michael: Tell me about that clothing.

Mitchy: The clothing line is Triv Where I Live.

Triv Where I Live.

Triv is a word that we use in our part of town that just describes chaos and stuff like that.

But it's just slow growing, but it's not just a shirt with some stuff slapped on it.

I care about the every aspect of making the brand, you know what I mean?

The materials and the cuts and everything.

A lot of people just cookie cut with the clothing stuff, but I'm trying to make stuff that we like to wear.

You know your favorite pair of sweats.

They got the zipper on them too.

You know you wear the sweats, but you want the zipper.

Just the little stuff that we care about.

Michael: Mitchy Slick, I appreciate you, brother.

Mitchy: I appreciate you having me, man, for real.

Michael: And I like what you're doing and I like what you're doing in the community up there in the hood and I could see you get mad respect out there and you just doing the thing.

So, it's greatly appreciated and I could see the love.

Mitchy: Thanks for having me, bro.

Michael: All right.

And thank you for tuning into another episode of "Theatre Corner," and we'll see you next time.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Who that talking 'bout them Hornets ♪ ♪ Who that, who that ♪ ♪ Woofing online, now why would you do that ♪ ♪ Y'all blue in town, let's see you get your way blue back ♪ ♪ All faith, we need that ♪ Line 'em up, gentries, jeans, black business, ♪ ♪ no designer cuts ♪ South east, we be clean without targeting ♪ ♪ Y'all down bad, ain't even a half and the fat lady sings ♪ ♪ Up top, off the half, we need a 50 ball ♪ ♪ Highlights for the whole squad, yeah it's all y'all ♪ ♪ Whole hood up in the stands, yeah we brought the moms ♪ ♪ Secondary, he get a peek at you, don't throw nobody ♪ ♪ Somebody 'bout to get K, on coach player ♪ ♪ Y'all banking on all them rankings-- ♪ Michael: Next, I have the pleasure of welcoming Parker Edison to "Theatre Corner."

Parker is a multifaceted artist and community activist, best known as a member of the live rap band Parker Meridian.

He is also the co-creator and host of "The Parker Edison Project," a podcast that delves into the various aspects of American culture through insightful conversations about creativity and community, all viewed through the lens of black America.

Parker Edison, brother, welcome to "Theatre Corner."

It's so damn good to have you.

I've been chasing you down for a minute.

Parker Edison: Sounds about right.

Michael: I appreciate you showing up.

This is fantastic because what we have in this interview, two producers on KPBS.

Parker: That's a beautiful thing.

Michael: Right off the bat, let's talk about your KPBS show, "The Parker Edison Project."

How did you enter into this podcast space?

Parker: I was doing promotion for a beer that I partnered with Amplified Ales to put out during COVID, and we were doing a film short and had this rap album.

And this beer was to promote it.

And to do it, I was using social media.

I was on Instagram and in the stories, someone from KPBS who's also in the world of San Diego rap reached out to me and said, "Hey, this would be great.

Are you interested in extending it and making this something with KPBS?"

There it was.

Michael: So, what's the description of "Parker Edison Project."

Parker: Specifically looking at San Diego life through the lens of just the black American.

So, it's what's happening around me as I perceive it with the people that I do things with, the places I go.

And it kind of gives a macro picture of what's happening in the micro.

Michael: What's an example of of one of the episodes if one were to tune into "Parker Edison Project."

Parker: I love the "Inner City Highway Conspiracy" and it deals with the way freeways are specifically placed to separate neighborhoods often by economics or race.

This episode is fantastic because I heard about it at a friend's black barbecue.

I was hanging out and his cousin was telling me the story, but it tied into the legacy of the Black Panthers and their presence in San Diego and it's just a really interesting tale and it comes about very organically from my life as it pertains to San Diego and history politics.

It's just the whole thing.

It's a good episode.

Michael: If one were to look for "Parker Edison project," how could they listen to it.

Parker: Anywhere you get podcasts.

So, we're of course on like Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, but also you can catch us on YouTube, KPBS, NPR, yeah, any place that you get your podcast.

Michael: That's beautiful, brother.

You representing I tell you, man.

So what does Parker Edison, the hip hop artist, what does that look?

Parker: I'm a San Diego rapper and I think a trademark of San Diego is--it's a transplant city.

So, we get people who come from other places and we are a people who go to other places.

[vocalizing] [vocalizing] For me it is amalgamation of different cities, different sounds, different eras, different aesthetics, fashions.

I'm pulling from all those things as they come here and as I visit them.

And a lot of that is being conveyed.

So, it's art, it's sonic art and I'm trying to paint a picture and convey something to you.

I'm using feelings, using words.

Sometimes I'm using references that are already familiar to you, but that's the art that I'm doing and it's rap because it's similar to sampling.

It's--that's what it is.

That's the best description of the--of what I'm doing.

Michael: Being for the most part a native San Diego, how much does that influence your rap and your lyrics and your delivery and all of that.

Does that color your art?

Parker: Absolutely, because this is a transplant city and we get so many different things and flavors here.

To be original is very, very, very, very much a pillar of the San Diego rap aesthetic.

And so, that's something I hold really dearly and I very much try to do things that aren't being done and do them in a way that they aren't being displayed for people.

So, that twinge of originality trying to search for that always but still being able to tap into what's popular, that's the most San Diego thing that I'm probably playing with.

Michael: That brings us to "Rap Diego."

Brother you always moving.

You are on the move.

So, tell me about this brand new project "Rap Diego."

Parker: "Rap Diego" is a 12 episode podcast that looks into the origin of San Diego rap, and it started as one or two interviews, but each one led us to someone else and as the story organically unfolds, we just display it for the listener over these 12 episodes.

It's 40 years in specifics maybe 1982 to roughly--1980 to 2020.

We're just covering that span because that's about how old San Diego rap is.

And it's everyone who did anything here.

It's a little bit of everything.

Michael: And this is also on KPBS?

Parker: Absolutely on KPBS.

It's already out.

October 4, it started and we're doing three episodes per week in October.

So, it's completely out right now.

Michael: Is it an interview series?

Parker: I'm hosting it and I have two co-hosts and we are interviewing maybe five people per episode.

And so, it's kind of hard to describe.

It's a lot like the movie Forrest Gump in the sense that it's one person telling their story but it's so many other stories are mixed into it.

It's--yes, it's really hard to describe.

Michael: And you--who did you select as your co-hosts?

Parker: It's Jay Smith who's a writer and also a local artist, musician, and rapper.

And Chris Reyes, who's a podcaster editor who edits for the "Park Edison Project" and also a San Diego rapper.

All of us have roots in the scene 20 years deep.

We all live it.

We have the conversations about it.

So, it made a lot of sense for us to just--to document the things that we've experienced all together.

Michael: And what--how many hats do you wear on this--on that particular project?

Parker: I'm wearing half a dozen.

I'm wearing half a dozen.

It's, I'm hosting, I'm executive producing it, co-writing it, and it's detective work.

We're doing history, it's anthropology.

So, I'm a researcher on it with the team and also it's part of a bigger project.

It's a--it's really a four part art history project and we have a digital museum exhibition that we're doing the San Diego History Center, we teamed up with the San Diego History Center for that.

Michael: Tell me about that.

Parker: Yeah, it's a--well the whole thing isn't in art history projects.

We have the audio documentary which is the podcast which gives you an oral history of San Diego Rap's origins.

And then we have the San Diego History Center, "Rap Diego" digital exhibition which showcases items that are inspired by the podcast.

So, that covers maybe 70 different items that are t-shirts, albums, magazines, videos.

We have footage from the 90s, and we also have the film shorts that we did with independent directors from San Diego who are covering fashion from the 90s, the beat machines from the 2000s.

And then we have a Spotify playlist which highlights the music over 40 years.

And when you go through all of it combined, that's when you get a picture of everything that's happened in San Diego rap over the 40 years.

Michael: People will be able to see this exhibit at the History Center in Balboa Park starting when?

Parker: We're open in the spring of 2025.

That's the goal.

That's the goal.

Michael: So, what you just described is taking up a good bit of physical space.

Parker: Yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's worth it.

Yeah, nothing could be more worth it.

Michael: So, I like what you're saying about being an anthropologist and a social archaeologist and researching rap in San Diego.

So far in your research, what's something that--a couple of things that stand out to you that people may be surprised about rap in San Diego, its growth, its development.

What does that trajectory look like?

Parker: The biggest surprise is something that shouldn't surprise us and that is we are--we're peers with LA.

Some say we're LA's little brother.

But if you're LA's little brother, you're everywhere LA is.

So, as far as LA is going, San Diego adds to.

And I don't think that people, even though we know that, I don't know if we understand that well everybody who records in LA comes to San Diego to promote and a lot of people break their records here.

One of the things that we're figuring out is that the song "Rap and Duke," which is mentioned by Notorious B.I.G that broke at 92.5.

That record broke.

It got popular.

The DJs that were spinning it and then when it got popular out here, San Diego, LA, then it moved east and blew up on the west--on the east coast.

That's--and that's a lot of people were breaking their records here because it's a tourist city.

So because it's a transplant city, it's better to come here and break your record and everyone can see it than a record label having to go to every city individually and span it out.

Those are the type of things that we know but we don't notice.

And that's the type of thing that Ran Diego--that that "Rap Diego" is kind of highlighting.

Michael: A Parker Edison style is smooth and slow, kind of a Ice Cube, or is it E40?

Is it?

What's a Parker Edison style?

Parker: I'm again--I'm San Diego.

I'm all over the map and when the music calls for it, I'm fast and I'm, you know, I'm short and I'm sharp.

And then when it needs to be slow flow then I wanna do that.

But you don't ever wanna just be stuck in one thing because then you can't get all the emotions.

That's what it's about.

Michael: That's what's up.

What it's about is Parker Edison.

Brother, I appreciate you coming by the show and you just increase the value of the show.

Please absolutely keep doing what you're doing for San Diego, for KPBS.

Thank you, sir.

We appreciate you coming to the "Theatre Corner."

And thank you folks for tuning into another episode of "Theatre Corner."

We'll see you next time.

That's what's up.

That is what's up.

[vocalizing] [vocalizing] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ female announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explore local Content Fund supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.