My interview with Abstract Rude in Seattle Weekly!

Idols Series: Gabriel Teodros intervews LA Rapper Abstract Rude

The link above is an interview with Abstract Rude that Jonathan Cunningham asked me to do for the Seattle Weekly... It was kind of like, interviewing your homie.... but i tried and came up with some questions i didn't know the answers to!

After 5 years of trips between LA & Seattle Abstract has finally dropped his Vitamin D produced debut on Rhymesayers Entertainment: Rejuvenation last Tuesday. My relationship with Abstract Rude's music and influence literally goes back to my very first recording experience, 1997 - when i was still in high school and living in Las Vegas, NV... I used to frequent a record store called Da Joynt which was like my safe haven in the middle of Babylon. It was there that i started collecting vinyl, getting really hip to independent music from Rawkus to Living Legends, Heiroglyphics to Project Blowed. Next door to Da Joynt was a recording studio that eventually turned into a clothing store called Industry Records, owned operated by the homie Kool DJ EQ. So one day i run into a common friend at Da Joynt, and he suggested i check out this Abstract Tribe Unique vinyl... i ended up purchasing it and this same friend invites me to get on a track next door with him and EQ - my first recording experience. Didn't realize how tight EQ and Ab were til years later. Fast forward to 1999... I've moved back to Seattle... Joined a crew with Asun and other members of Alpha-P called 500 Years... and have never really been to a Hip Hop show that wasn't a park jam or at a community center. That is until Aceyalone & Abstract Rude hit the RCKNDY. That shit was like, the first concert i ever bought a ticket to see... All i remember is battling hella emcees in the audience for no reason at all... i think i even wanted to battle Bukue-One on stage but he ended up being really cool. Don't ask me why i was so arrogant! But i do remember getting this nod of approval from Acey, and met Abstract after the show... our crew opened up for The A-Team next time they came to Seattle and they've basically been the big homies ever since... we've been running in similar circles musically from Vancouver, B.C. back to his home of Los Angeles since then too... and i'm SO excited to see this Rejuvenation album drop... as it documents this bridge between L.A. and Seattle, and it's really just a dope album. Do check it out! And once again, for more information on Ab & the new album check the interview!