Peace 586 – heAr interview

Peace 586’s finger prints can be seen throughout our scene. He was a significant part of many of the most important releases in the formative years of the scene including producing LPG’s classic Earthworm. His early releases were records that many current Christian hip-hop veterans grew up listening to.

We caught up with Peace to talk about where he’s been and where he’s going. Check out his current album heAr which is out now on Illect Recordings.

Josh: Many fans of yours have wondered what you were up to since the Generations album released. What’s been up the last six years or so?

Peace 586: WOW that’s a question that can take me hours upon hours to talk about. I’ll sum it up in one major thing… my wife’s illness! My wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis September 2004. Since then we have been dealing and coping with it. I pretty much shut it down musically because of the 24 hour care she needed after her brain biopsy was done to find out what she had. The doctors couldn’t tell if it was a tumor or MS and she didn’t want to wait another 3 months to go through all the tests again so she chose the biopsy. It hit her hard and I needed to care for her 24/7! She got back on her feet and went back to work about 9 months after that and stayed on them for about 6 months but since then it has been a rapid decline. Currently she is in a rehab home and has lost pretty much all her functions. We are still holding to God’s promises and trust that God’s will is perfect! I truly believe that this album is a result of what has happened in our lives together and I’m gonna continue to do it as long as I can.

Josh: heAr is a rather unique approach to making an album. About half the album is instrumental and the other half features guest artists. Why did you choose to do a project like this?

Peace 586: I think that in my career I’ve always gone against the grain sort of, you know…. from Freedom of Soul’s first album to this one. I’ve always tried to give people the opposite of what is available to them, to me everyone sounds kinda similar you know? I’m not trying to diss anyone but I wanted to make a beat album. I tried putting a verse over a beat to hear what it sounded like and I liked what I heard. Originally I said to myself that I’d only use 2 or 3 emcees. As it grew, the more I liked it. I think this is where I’m gonna camp out for a while you know? Beats, beats, and beats…. a few rhymes sprinkled here and there…. unless God has other plans. I stay obedient to what He wants before what I want! Because realistically…. it isn’t about me! If I were to die today… someone else will fill these shoes!

Josh: What ‘stuff’ was inspiring you during the production and recording of the album?

Peace 586: I definitely found inspiration in Dert’s beats… he kept sending me snippets of tracks here and there and I really felt motivated to make stuff again. Not to out do him, cause I really don’t think I will ever be able to do that… but see if I can’t recreate my sound with new equipment and move people. Dilla was a huge part of this album as well, being that I wanted it to be a beat album. I love listening to beats… sometimes all day long! It’s weird though because I don’t like listening to my own beats! Mainly Dert and Dilla!

Josh: Are you turned off by the direction hip-hop has taken in the last 10-15 years? Is anyone really doing anything “new” in your eyes?

Peace 586: Realistically I’m not “turned off” by the way hip hop has turned. Things have to change, nothing stays the same! It’s up to us to make sure we adapt to the change but remain true to what we know is hip-hop. There are lots of new cats I’ve heard that are try to live hip-hop and I love it!! My message to them is to stay true to the art and keep hip-hop alive!

Josh: What are some things you appreciate about Christians involved in the music scene? Anything you’ve heard in the past few years really made you listen?

Peace 586: I’m gonna be totally honest with this question because it’s all I know how to be. Some people don’t like me because they don’t hear what they want to hear when I answer these types of questions but I need to be honest. I don’t listen to “Christian” music! I listen to music! The people I know that are Christians and believe in what I believe in. Yeah, I love what they’re doing musically and the only people I’ve really listened to that I HAVE to listen to regardless of where, what or when I’m doing are Dert and J. Dilla. Period!

Josh: Do you have a list of musical goals? Songs you’d like to make or artists you’d love to collaborate with?

Peace 586: I really don’t have specific musical goals to be honest. From day one I never thought that Freedom of Soul would branch out to Epic Records and make videos and what not. I just did what I loved to do which was making music. I still would love to do a gospel hip-hop praise and worship album. I think I can do it and it would be dope! That’s something I’ve thought on for years. Also I’d like to collaborate with a couple of rappers where it’s just my beats and their rhymes… But you never know… That could be in the mix right now, hint hint!

Look for new music coming soon from Peace 586 including another new album titled aBle.