MAYNE ISHU INTERVIEW
Laura Cirami
CHAMP: What’s up Mayne Ishu, how's your day going?
MAYNE ISHU: Busy, very busy. I just came out of the studio, been in there all day working on my upcoming mixtape.
CHAMP: I know a lot of people, including myself are wondering, why the name "Mayne Ishu"?
MAYNE ISHU: Basically because I'm a problem. All my life people have considered me a problem not only in music but in everything. So I decided to transfer all my thoughts into my music and now lyrically I'm a problem. So that's where the name Ishu comes from, because I'm an Ishu lyrically. The Mayne comes from me standing out amongst all others.
CHAMP: It looked like you went out hard during Caribana 2008 with promoting the Warning Pt. 2 Mixtape, what sort of feedback did you receive from
that?
MAYNE ISHU: The entire downtown area was buzzing from the debut release. Everybody of all backgrounds and genders had a mixtape in their hands. It was a good promotional blitz that was successful in my eyes. Since Caribana I've had lots of requests for collaborations and questions as to when my original material will be coming out.
CHAMP: You currently have a new street smash titled "Hold it up" ft. Everton
Blender, what inspired you to mix reggae with hip hop?
MAYNE ISHU: My producer King D came up with the concept and he felt like because we were in such a struggling time that a positive vibe such as "Holding your Head High" would be a success. Also, I come from an urban background and because of the strong West Indian flavor in Toronto the combination was even more natural.
CHAMP: It was brought to my attention that you're featured on an upcoming Legacy Soundcrew Mixtape; how did you feel about working with them?
MAYNE ISHU: I always enjoy working with people that has the same work ethic as me. Since they first heard my music they have been supporting what I'm doing so when they came to me to appear on their mixtape, I recorded the track the same day.
CHAMP: If you could describe your flow in one word what would it be?
MAYNE ISHU: There's no one word to describe my flow, so if I had to pick one word I would say IMPOSSIBLE.
CHAMP: Reading a little about you told me that you came from a family with strong Rastafarian beliefs, how does your religion influence your
music?
MAYNE ISHU: Those beliefs have allowed me to witness a lot of discrimination first hand. So I took those hard times and struggles and put it to words in my music.
CHAMP: Let the readers know a little bit about Living Proof; what is it and
who's involved?
MAYNE ISHU: Living Proof Enterprises is my production/management/promotional team.Last but not least it is my family. We all have known each other formany years and we all possess different skills that combined togethercreate a complete company.
CHAMP: Being a new Toronto artist how can someone who never heard of MAYNE ISHU get a hold of your music?
MAYNE ISHU: I am available on many websites. To start, www.lvproof.com – Official site of Living Proof Enterprises. You can catch me on MySpace at www.myspace.com/mayneishuonline as well as on ReverbNation at www.reverbnation.com/mayneishu. I also have a Facebook page, Mayne Ishu, and I also have numerous videos on You Tube, so just search for Mayne Ishu and my videos will come up.
CHAMP: Who would you work with locally?
MAYNE ISHU: I am willing to work with anyone that is serious about their business and music. I take this very seriously, and the people I work with have to be the same. Shouts to anybody and everybody doin' they thing...keep ya head up.
CHAMP: What else can we expect in the near future from Mayne Ishu and Living Proof?
MAYNE ISHU: I am currently working on a mixtape that consists mainly of original production from King D as well as from various upcoming producers in the GTA. We are also in the process of getting radio play as well as doing numerous music videos.
CARIBANA 2008 - MAYNE ISHU
