Who: Posse cut hero Nathan the Alien, previously known as Ruffneck.
Where: Marc and Sharon Costanzo’s Funtrip house, Toronto.
When: Spring 1997, just prior to the Bassments of Badmen release party.

NWSA: What happened to the name Ruffneck?

Nathan: Okay, I’m going to tell you a story. I was watching Much Music one day, right. Usually I hear that techno garbage and I was hearing this techno beat and it was kind of catchy, right, so I heard people around school singing it. And then someone asked me was I on some compilation and never ever heard of it. So, I didn’t know what the hell was going on. That was cool. I was watching Much Music again and Ruffneck came on and I turned it up and it was that song. Some other group took that shit.

NWSA: I understand “Nathan” but why “the Alien”?

Nathan: Cuz of my style. It’s unknown, man. It’s unknown. There’s no MC like me. When I’m doing a show, I like to get right into the crowd. It’s just unknown.

NWSA: You have some of the best rhymes on Jorun’s posse cuts. How do you come up with your lyrics?

Hip Club Groove’s M88kenzie: He’s fresh!

Nathan: It just depends what’s around me at the time. I’m chilling here with the crew, Hip Club, I say something about them in the rhyme. It’s just whatever. …First of all, what makes me write is stress, man. Stress. All that stress builds up in the brain; I put it all down on the paper.

NWSA: Who’s an influence on you?

Nathan: Everybody. Everybody from Halifax, Nova Scotia: Hip Club, Bonshah, Papa. Papa actually started me off. So yeah, everybody from Halifax. Everybody from Nova Scotia.

NWSA: Will you be doing any more work with Papa Grand?

Nathan: Of course, man. That’s my partner in rhyme, man. Big up to Papa, man, I love Papa.

NWSA: Everybody says Nathan is hype on stage. Jorun said you were like Run DMC in their heyday. How does that make you feel?

Nathan: That makes a brother feel fresh, ya know. That makes you feel good because, you know, Run DMC, them guys are legends, right. So, I’d like to be up right where they’re at right now. Unfortunately, I’m not, but it’s still kind of cool to get them kind of props.

NWSA: Do you believe you’re the best on stage?

Nathan: No, I don’t think I’m the best, but I can give a good show.

NWSA: Why are you so good on stage?

Nathan: I have this thing. When I get on stage I always have to start it off with beats, an instrumental people have heard before, and then I get into my hits, right. That gets me going. If I heard a song that I really enjoyed, like an East Coast new school hip hop song that everyone likes, and we put that on that gets me going.

NWSA: Do you use a lot of motion on stage?

Nathan: Yeah, I got to, I got to. It’s the alien in me.

NWSA: How come you’re no longer working with Jorun?

M88kenzie: The bullshit.

Nathan: I don’t know. Man, I couldn’t work with somebody that I can’t trust, right. And everything was always on his time. That’s why it took so long for me to put my tape out, right. Every time I wanted to do some shit he was always busy, and every time he wanted to do shit, I was busy. So, it was just dragging on too far. So, when I got my tape and stuff done, I just gave up.

NWSA: So, who are you going to work with now for beats?

Nathan: I’m going to try and do something myself; I’m going to try and get some gear or whatever. But, I’m going to work with Sixtoo and them…

M88kenzie: Rob [Sixtoo] is on the radio…

[a break to listen to Sixtoo talk about the upcoming Bassments of Badmen release show in Toronto]

NWSA: People have heard you on compilation tracks. When can we expect the album?

Nathan: Actually, it’s out right now, but I have no loot. I can only put out so many copies. When I get money back from putting out those copies, I’ll put out more.

NWSA: How can someone get a hold of it in, say, Toronto?

Nathan: Toronto’s kind of hard. I don’t know how to do that shit.

NWSA: Will you be recording while here in Toronto?

Nathan: We’re gonna try and work on some new stuff.

NWSA: Is this your first time in Toronto?

Nathan: Yeah.

NWSA: What do you think?

Nathan: It’s not bad, but I miss home. I miss home seriously. I never thought I’d say that.

NWSA: Do you think the people of Toronto are ready for what you guys have to offer?

Nathan: They ain’t ready. I’m going to bring it to ‘em.

NWSA: What are you listening to right now?

Nathan: Jeru. I listen to a lot of Jeru. Let me see, baby. All East Coast.

NWSA: You make many references to techno. What’s your beef with it?

Nathan: It’s wack, man. It gets played out too much. It’s like everywhere I go I hear techno, right. If they can give that kind of music that kind of airplay, they can give the underground some airplay.