Venomiss Interviews Agallah The Don about his Career...

Agallah sat down with me to talk about the past and future of his career via telephone. The New York native is now out on the West Coast but the time difference didn’t stop us from chatting it up. He has a story to tell and I am glad to share it with the readers here. We talked about an hour and I literally could have talked to him for longer about everything he has seen in the hip hop game. He has experience beyond what people realize and a genuine ambition for music and Hip Hop as a culture. These are the people who the industry needs. Those with stories of wins and loses and a willingness to talk about them for the greater good of the culture.

The fans know who he is but If you don’t know who he is, you need to reevaluate your Hip Hop knowledge. Many readers may remember Agallah as Don Bishop from the Diplomats affiliate group Purple City or as 8-Off the Assassin or even as Brad Piff. He released a song as 8-Off the Assassin “Ghetto Girl” in the 90s, later followed by spoof song called the “Crookie Monster” that was wildly popular in the tri-state area. He then teamed up with Rockstar games and was featured on the GTA 3 soundtrack. He is also most recently affiliated with the Propane Gang.

Anyone who has some real Hip Hop to put out has encountered Agallah. He has had many names but his ambition has remained the same. His drive to live by the culture is always on the forefront of his mind.

Check out my interview with him below:

Roberta: You have been through a few names. From 8 off the Assassin to Don Bishop to

Agallah, I’ve always wondered why you changed your name from 8 off the Assassin?

Agallah: Well, I was on tour in Germany in 1995 and after one of my shows I got criticized by the press because they thought I was portraying Hitler. It wasn’t that. I used to write it as a graffiti name back in the day. It was part of hip hop to not use your own name and invent a name….The number when turned on its side, is used for infinite symbol. ‘Off ‘ meant I wanted to go off forever musically. When I went to find out it was hurtful, I went back to the name people knew me as on the block “Aggie” –Agallah.

(He Continues…)

Agallah: …You grow out of certain things in life and the changes of names represent different sides of me. I was creating characters when I changed my name and was bringing different sides of myself as an artist. Not that the characters were different from who I am. I just wanted to be creative and be able to recreate myself.

Roberta: I respect you for being able to listen to your fans overseas and realizing that people took the name as hurtful and taking a second look at it. That’s a good look that you were receptive of what they were saying. You’re still true to who you are in your music.

Agallah: Right, I appreciate that. We are artists we are creative. I like being creative and coming up with new names and identities. There’s so much more to music these days, people want to identify with you and who you become. We are all role players in life whether we want to admit it or not. And the main part, at the end of the day, its me being creative around who I am.

Roberta: You have been someone who has basically been everywhere in the game, right under people’s noses. When did you begin in the music industry?

Agalllah: At the young age of 16, when I came to meet KRS One’s brother ICU in the park after a freestyle cipher, (we were friends), he took me to the village to meet a man named Bobby Crawford in the studio. He shared a space with people who recorded withMadonna down in the village. When I went to meet Bobby, Madonna came out the studio and I was blown away by her aura..Not just looks but she had a great vibe about her. So I went in, met Bobby, we hit it off and he produced my demo.

I came up when there was a budget. A&R’s would see my shows. I was part of Lyricist Lounge which a lot of people don’t know. I kind of made my name through underground rankings. Performing with Biggie, performing with Redman, then The Source got wind of me and put me in “Unsigned Hype” and then the labels got wind of me. I was signed to Tommy Boy Recordsas 8-off the Assassin. They didn’t know how to market an artist like me, no artist was doing what I was doing at that time lyrically. I was being offered a half a million on the spot by some execs and I was being bombarded as a new guy.

It didn’t work out with Tommy Boy because they didn’t know how to market me. A year later I got signed again and I wound up taking a demo deal and turning it into a quarter million dollar deal. I was on a level where I was all about my talent but I got to learn that it is more about the business side of things. I learned a lot and learned about the business side of things.

Roberta: I just want to comment about the business side of music and a lot of people don’t realize that even though an artist is talented, there is another side of music you have to learn when they break into the industry, the business side so I’m glad you mentioned that.

Roberta: What was your first big gig that you can remember doing in the start of your career?

Agallah: Wendy Williams was working for the radio station WBLS in New York and got wind of my record (Ghetto Girl) and asked me to perform at a big birthday party. There were lots of celebrities there and performing. I have to say this was a big moment in my career and the Rock Steady Reunion was in the same week and it made me understand what I was doing and my purpose as a MC. The Rock Steady reunion was more about Hip Hop but the Wendy Williams party stands out to me.

Roberta: How did you get hooked up with doing the Grand Theft Auto III soundtrack? Tell me about that experience? I always say this soundtrack is groundbreaking for hip hop and video games because before this video game soundtracks weren’t so exclusive. It’s a very unique path to get involved with.

Agallah:Through the legendary DJ Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito(Stretch and Bobitto), Stretch came to the label where I was working on projects and I had put out “Crookie Monster”. The label had got involved with Rockstar somehow and asked me to do a song. It was my record originally but I invited Sean Priceand his son. We recorded it, and gave it to Rockstar, who thought it was hot and decided to use it. Coincidentally, I never played the game but when the game came out my lyrics went right along with the game. I didn’t know it would fit so well. That song being on that soundtrack really branched me out to do more like NBA Live, Midnight Club 2, and UFC Undisputed. GTA 3 sold over 18 million copies. So anyone who has ever played Grand Theft Auto 3 has heard my song.

(On his friendship with Sean Price, who appeared on the soundtrack with him:)

…The crazy thing about us doing the video game soundtrack is Sean Price and I met through playing video games. We grew up together… we been friends so long, we are brothers. I love what he has done in the last few years with his branding.

Roberta: You’ve done production for Busta, Remy Ma, Diplomats, Mobb Deep, Big Pun… You’ve also done ghost writing in addition to your own music. Which do you like most, being on the forefront or behind the scenes?

Agallah:That’s a good question. It’s a gift and a curse with each other at the same time. I love producing now for other artists. I get to express myself in different ways but still be able to dig into my talents as a writer and in other ways… you know that’s what producers do.

As a producer you utilize so many different skills. Producers are really more of hat wearers than artists. They are foundation creators. They give artists something to fall back with like a backdrop. Without a backdrop there would have never been a Wu Tang or an Odd Future. Producers take a group of people and put their talents together. I love being a producer its a wonderful talent that I’m blessed with. How can you make great music without having a production mind? Today’s artists are no longer just artists. They do everything in-house. Always have the mindset of a producer when you are a MC.

Roberta: Are you currently still a free agent? Do You have a deal?

Agallah: I have a label. We’re independent and signed to Empire Distribution. We are focusing on making our imprint more effective this year. I just put out a single, it was something I didn’t really plan but “Time Money Drugs and Life” is out now and getting buzz online. I dropped a project with Alchemistearlier this year. The West really picked up on it and it got a lot of downloads and has had some viral buzz. The Alchemist project (Past and Present), which is available for free download, gave me a new lane. Which I am getting ready to release an EP “Agalito’s Way” that will be on iTunes I hope the fans accept it and I thank them first and foremost for giving me this lane.

Roberta: What’s it like working with Alchemist?

Agallah: Me and Alchemist have a relationship as friends. We both go record shopping together. I’m a collector of Vinyl. At the time (when I met him) he was doing a huge amount of work and I got involved with doing records with him and they were coming out stellar. I had all these records from him and I said ‘man, the world don’t even know we work together like this’ and I put it together (on Past and Present). I appreciate working with him and his expertise at music.

Roberta: Any time I hear Alchemist, I know its going to be something off the chain. Its going to be something, good, something lyrical and something potent.

Agallah: Oh, Most definitely and speaking of that, there’s a record he produced that meant a lot to me. It’s called ‘The Gods Must be Crazy.’ Its on the (Past and Present) project. It’s on a different lane and Alchemist told me to speak about peace and love andJah, which is something I never heard him say before. He must have gotten a spiritual vibe off the track. Just that coming from him I knew I had to bless the track properly. It means a lot to me. I’ve been through a lot in my life and near death. I know there are higher powers out there that deals with a lot of elements of life that we can’t fathom. That song kind of explains no matter what you go through in life, do not give up. You have a purpose in life and you got to find out what the reason is and keep pushing if it makes you happy.

Roberta: Anything else for your fans?

Agallah: Definitely, (I) thank all the fans for the support to this day. Thank you to everyone who helped in my career. Shout out to the propane campaign…. and my entire team that keeps me on my toes. “Agalito’s Way” should be out late July. Just enjoy Agallah and Alchemist “Past and Present” for now, stay focused out there and follow your dreams.

Roberta L.

@itsvenomiss

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