I ate the meklah fruit, I fell in love with blues

My Q+A with Cat and Stas of rad Sub Pop duo THEEsatisfaction is out now, in the April edition of Diva magazine. We talked about recreating samples, the (unspoken) power of instrumentals (and slang), hip hop rebellion, and making music "travel". THEE are crazy talented, and also the first out black queer female outfit to be signed to Sub Pop. I've been hyping/hearting them for some time (here and here).

 

Leafy crackle underneith my feet, a good beat/crunch beat crunch beat

"Their sound may be a mix of eclectic record samples and new-school GarageBand beats, but they place themselves proudly in the wider tradition and legacies of groundbreaking hip hop women. “We’re definitely a part of that. None of them gave a fuck,” says Cat with approval. “Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Lil’ Kim. They said whatever they wanted to say. And Missy! She sung, she rapped.” “And she made her own beats,” adds Stas. “That’s really important to us.”"

My interview with Stas and Cat, of rad Seattle/Sub Pop rap duo THEEsatisfaction, which also appears in the Wears The Trousers 2011 Yearbook.

THEEsatisfaction @ Jazz Cafe 17.11.11

Debut UK show for this Seattle duo, and they rocked it. Jazzy, abstract, queer hip hop joints - including every track bar 'Early Bird' from their THEESatisfaction Loves The Sa-Ra Creative Partners EP - and the cutest synchronized two-step before a surprisingly protracted and kinda shambling headline set from Shabazz Palaces.

http://theesatisfaction.bandcamp.com/