THOSE BLATANT BALD HEADZ ARE BACK!
By Joanna Chaundy

In 1993, one of the most original Hip Hop albums was released. This album was BACDAFUCUP by Onyx. With classics such as; SLAM, THROW YA GUNZ and SHIFTEE and not forgetting the SLAM collabo with Biohazard, Onyx became the pioneers of grimey thug rap. Three albums later after; ALL WE GOT IZ US (1995) and SHUT EM DOWN (1998), Onyx have returned with their fourth album, BACADAFUCUP PART 2.

Unfortunately, due to bad organising, this years Essentials Festival in London was cancelled. Onyx were due to appear alongside artists such as; Mobb Deep, DJ Shadow and Blackalicious. But thankfully, due to good organising from Koch Records in New York, I was given a phone interview with those three crazy individuals, Fredro Starr, Sonee Seeza and Sticky Fingaz.
First up is Fredro and after the initial shock of being told I would have my ass kicked if I wrote a bad article, he was cool. I ask why they went with naming their new album after the first. "We wanted to take it back to the original formula that got people going crazy," he says. " It's ten years in the business, it's a full circle." I remind him of the time they last toured London and were accused of inciting a riot in the summer of 93. "How can I forget? I remember that it was so hot in the club that I almost fainted. It was crazy, a lot of energy. But hopefully we'll have the same effect this time." Plans to tour London are obviously on the cards. "We gonna hit London as soon as possible, probably after the Lyricist Lounge tour."

As we all know, these days the airwaves are completely dominated by the likes of Nelly and Ja Rule, so has rap become a lot more watered down? "Nah, rap aint watered down, it's just what radios is playing is watered down." But is it now looked upon as "cool" to make a commercial record? I ask curiously. "I don't think it's a 'commercial record' I think it's a 'smart' record. People make records for different reasons. When you make music that suits everybody that's called a smart record. If you aint makin records to get played on the radio, then you're not making records for the right reasons, you're just wastin' your time." I emphasise that many people into hip hop questioned Nelly's collaboration with N'Sync, but Fredro certainly doesn't seem that shallow. "Shit, if Madonna wanted to do a record with us, we'd do it and we'd make a HOT record too!"

So, does this mean that BACDAFUCUP PART 2 is aimed at everyone? "It's for niggaz standing on the corners, niggaz driving big trucks, it's for the rough types." Nice to know that Onyx haven't gone soft in their age.
Fredro like Sticky, released a critically acclaimed solo album, FIRESTARR in 2001. "That went pretty well. It's a transition when you go from a major label to an independent label." My interview gets disrupted when Fredro suddenly gets distracted by a guy in a pick up truck, (from what I can make out). "This nigga here in the fuckin pick up truck is a asshole yo!" he shouts. The thought of Onyx with road rage makes me so grateful I'm not that guy I laugh to myself.
"I just wanna express that we got a lot more movies comin out." Fredro and Sticky have always managed to have a steady stream of TV and film work. Personally, I thought they both deserved bigger parts in Spike Lee's 1995 joint, CLOCKERS. Fredro tells me of a script he wrote for a future comedy film called, GET OUT THE GAME. "It's the first urban crack comedy,Che states firmly. We can also expect to see him in a film alongside ICE CUBE in the near future. "Look out for OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY FILMS. It's a film company that we've started. We got Onyx boots coming out too! They're better than Timberlands and they last a lifetime!" he tells me. As we know, nearly every artist in the music world has to have a clothing label, so why should Onyx be any different?

On that note, I get passed over to Sonee Seeza who is even more hyper than Fredro. "BIG LOVE TO LONDON NO QUESTION!" he shouts. Before I get onto the subject of Onyx, I have to ask Sonee why he is the only member left who is yet to release a solo album? "I've been tucked away in the bat cave like a mad scientist and I got this young, real, crazy, hungry, sick lyricist by the name of Steven King," he says enthusiastically. We should be receiving Sonee's debut solo album, THE WAR OF ART by November time this year, so look out for that people! But back to Onyx…

"We're not playin! The Onyx is coming back real big and strong. We're trying to show the people real love and real hip hop and we're gonna be hitting London real soon." Again, we discuss the reasons for them naming the album BACADAFUCUP PART 2 and their new single; SLAM HARDER. "It's like 'SLAM', but there are much more people in the game now so you gotta 'SLAM HARDER!' So I ask jokingly, if the next single will be called 'THROW YA GUNZ HIGHER?' "That's good", he laughs. "No, 'THROW YA GUNZ FURTHER!"
Recently, Onyx seemed to have introduced their own DJ, going by the name of DJ Infinite. "Actually, I met DJ Infinite through Fredro. He was mixing stuff for Fredro at the time. He's this white cat coming straight outta Jersey and he's representing real crazy with Onyx!" So, is he going to be used for your live performances then? I ask. "It's to be seen, but make sure you all come to the show so you can find out." Good answer.

Their memory of London, obviously lies with the alleged riots they caused at their gig. "We had the bobbies workin overtime! But it was a beautiful thing. BIG LOVE TO THE MOTHERLAND! I'm definitely looking forward to coming out there again and throwing it up with my man Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr."
Highly inspired by the film SNATCH, Onyx are very keen to hook up with British Director Guy Ritchie. "We're tryin to get at him. Let him do a joint with Onyx, it'll be real crazy!" he shouts excitedly. Thinking about it, it would be great to see Ritchie direct an Onyx video and out of the three, can see Sticky in a Ritchie film without a shadow of a doubt. "We would love Guy Ritchie to do one of our videos, that could be a possibility." So, doing a single with Madonna may well be a pretty good move eh?
So what can the world expect from Onyx for 2002? "Expect a lot of electricity, a lot of good ass music and real vibes!"

Last but certainly not least, I get passed to Sticky Fingaz, who is not feeling too well and slightly under the weather. Probably due to the constant partying, smoking and "drinking mad liquor" no doubt, but who knows? I fill Sticky in on the cancellation of the Essentials festival and mention that it would be cool to see Onyx over for London's Nottinghill carnival instead. "Yeah, that'd be dope. It'd be hot if Westwood could hook it up for the carnival!" It's nice to see that Tim Westwood has been given props throughout the interview. He's representing London as usual. I tell Sticky that he should work with some British hip-hop artists. "You know, if I come across it and it's hot, I definitely will fuck with it." He's yet to hear of artists such as Blak Twang and Roots Manuva so I will be sending him over some British shit for sure! "I'll definitely be keepin my ears open for it." Sticky doesn't hesitate in saying that he thinks rap has become more watered down over the years but doesn't deny that people are still making good music. Again, we discuss the controversy of Nelly and N'Sync. "I liked that song they had out before 'Girlfriend', the one that crossed them over to BET," he says referring to N'Sync. Thankfully he didn't go as far as to knowing the name of the track, as the thought of Onyx doing a collabo with N'Sync scares me and would no doubt scare the shit out of them even more.
Sticky comes across as the most mysterious and deep member of the three so I ask him what the most valuable lesson he has learnt since being in the music industry so long? "I think a better question would have been, 'what's the most valuable lesson I've learnt in LIFE?'" I stand corrected. "Music is my life. Some people got nine to fives which is cool, but this is a twenty-four seven job. I guess to be aware of everything that is going on around you. Whether it be with your music or your finances or your peoples, be aware, be conscious, be in the moment and make as much money as you can."

I have to mention his incredible solo album, Black Trash, which certainly didn't get the publicity it deserved in the UK. "Yeah, it's a hip hop classic." It's a damn shame that more singles weren't released off that album cause it's HEAVY! But record company drama seems to be the cause yet again. I must state to all you mad hip-hop headz, that if you haven't picked up Sticky Fingaz solo album, you should be strung up!
To conclude my interview I have the hilarious opportunity of teaching Sticky how to say "BOLLOCKS" the British way. I have to represent ya know? He's adamant that he can say it, "Bar-lex, Bu-lucks" I've made a rule now that every American hip hop artist I interview, has to attempt to say it because hardly any of them can. So far, the only person that has managed it, is Snoop. So if you wanna be in a Guy Ritchie movie guys, you HAVE to beable to say it "proper" ya hear?!
I complete my interview, liking the fact that each member is completely different which makes them who they are.

Fredro is CRAZY, Sonee is LIVE and Sticky is BLATANT. Together they're Onyx and they're back! (And no doubt they're gonna cause "nuff bollocks" when they hit London!)
Pick up BACDAFUCUP PART 2 in stores soon!

Read the Phatmag's album review here

Check out the official Onyx Website at: www.onyxdomain.com