From KFC to sushi

An interview with Nappy Roots

On December 29, I sat down with rappers B Stille and Skinny DeVille of Nappy Roots before their show at The Shrine. We talked about their upcoming album, a sequel to their 2015 release, The 40 Akerz Project. The 40 Akerz Project was a collaboration between members DeVille and Fish Scales, with an added wildcard of 808Blake, a 31-year-old up-and-coming producer from Atlanta. The trio toured the United States, debuting the new music and interchanging it with classics like “Po’ Folks” and “Good Day.” After the success of 40 Akerz on the road, the decision to make another was simple, this time with the addition of former Nappy Roots members B Stille and Ron Clutch. Another 40 Akerz Project is expected to release at the end of February.  

The Tulsa Voice: Blake mentioned this new album will be a little bit more musical. Can you elaborate on that? 

Skinny: Another 40 Akerz is definitely an extension of the last project. We definitely thought outside the box. We wanted to do bigger records, not just specific to our fan base, but the global industry. We got different writers to come in and help us out, we got the rest of the group on the project a little bit more this album. We’re trying to learn from the last one. The last one was good but we’re trying to make this one better and not get caught up in the run of what the music industry is right now.

TTV: Which is?

Skinny: I was just telling to him (B Stille) right before this, I’m not impressed. There’s some real artists that are out there rapping but they’re not getting the respect they deserve. There’s an underlying slew of monotony. It’s below average and we’re accepting that as that’s what it should be.

TTV: Do you mean mainstream specifically? 

Skinny:  Mainstream is grabbing the lowest common denominator and they exploit that. 

TTV: Appealing to the masses.

Skinny: Yeah, I can’t put my finger on it. It could be me getting older, you know, like when your parents ask “why’re you listening to that garbage it’s not music” and you’re like “whatever it’s hip hop.” There are the J Coles, Kendrick Lamars, Chance the Rappers—people that are really rapping. There are people that are not really rapping, there’s not talent. 

B Stille: I wouldn’t say there’s no talent, there’s some talent but it’s just there’s more music, it’s more melodic with rhymes now. They’re not good rappers, they’re not good singers—but they’re good at putting them both together. The creativity is there but there’s no substance.

TTV: Have you guys been pressured from your fans or anyone else to make statements about what’s been going on politically? 

B Stille: I think they know the Nappy Roots will consciously do that. We are in tune as far as what’s going on in the world; I think they expect it from us, they don’t have to ask. They know we’ll do it. We got a song on the album called “Superstar” and it’s really delving into the police brutality and, you know, what’s going on with the hip hop generation and law enforcement. It really hit the nail on the head creatively with that song. It’s not preaching. It’s not soapboxing. Actually, it’s one of our more dance-y party records. 

TTV: Have these latest projects allowed you to move away from the country image of early Nappy Roots?

Skinny: I just think maturity. Growing and just not wanting to do the same thing, you know. 2002 was 14 years ago. When we was trying to get on coming from Kentucky and trying to make a statement you had to think marketing and what you can do to present yourself as refreshing to the world. Because we’re from Kentucky, that’s what we leaned on instead of coming out trying to be Any City, USA. But now, because we’ve had successes and travelled and seen things, our taste palette has grown. It was Kentucky Fried Chicken and now it’s sushi and you might eat a little eel, squid, or calamari. Once you figure out the magic trick there isn’t really anymore magic, so for us it’s trying to keep our fans guessing and pushing ourselves towards new creativity and delivery styles and what-not. 

TTV: No one likes to be placed in a box.

Skinny: Right. As far as the country, it’s in us—how we look at life and put words together and some of the words we use, those elements are going to be there. But working with 808 Blake—his name isn’t 808 Blake for nothing, and that’s what we’re going for. I come from the car customization era where you have two 15s in the trunk and a 1000 wide amp—you want ‘em to bang. This is hip hop. I think the fans will be satisfied and appreciate this new direction we’re going in. 

TTV: You mentioned when you first started out there being a struggle with marketing Kentucky to the masses. I feel Tulsa artists struggle with the same thing.  Is there any advice you may have for Tulsa artists or any other artists having a hard time marketing their city, or who feel like they have to move to make it?

Skinny: Well, you have to leave. If there’s no music industry where you’re from, you have to go where the music industry is at. From there you can see what the music industry is doing and learn and you can bring it back. We’ve always been able to bring our knowledge back to Kentucky and help those artists coming up. 

B Stille: Groups like Nappy Roots have made it easier for people in no-name places to come out and the world not judge you so much because you’re not from the hood in Atlanta or the streets in New York. Not to say we are the pioneers of that, we came in a time when it was more acceptable. Like Pharrell out of Virginia or Nelly in St. Louis, so we came at a time when people were accepting other places. So now it’s not such an uphill battle.

For more from Mary, read her profile of local hip hop artist, JANKINS.