Sadistik Interview from Croatian site

[Fleka]

Found this on Croatian hip hop forum.

Firstly, huge props on your latest EP with Kid Called Computer. The Art of Dying has definitely proved what you are capable of amongst your European fanbase.



1. Lets start off with telling us something about yourself, so the fans know who are they dealing with?



Sadistik: Where to start? Well, my real name is Cody, I'm 24 years old and I live in Seattle, Washington. I make music for a living, write poetry and am a student of the art and media that surrounds me. I'm also a Taurus.



2. What was it like at the very beginning of your carreer, being an artist within a large group of cats trying to spread their name, what was your formula to get out there and out of the shadows?



Sadistik: My theory was (and still is) that there is such an enormous amount of music out there, that I can't afford to fall in line with everyone else. There are hundreds of indie hip-hop acts alone that tons of people moderately like, and I'm not really interested in that. I would rather make something that I think honestly represents who I am and have it be a little more left-field than to make something safe. I feel like my music might appeal to a smaller audience, but those who it does appeal to connect with it in a stronger way, which I'm happy with. As for the whole "get out of the shadows" part, I really don't know how that happened. I have never had a manager, label, publicist, etc. so it has been almost entirely from word of mouth.



3. Each start is bumpy and obstacles usually turn people away from what they want to do. What pushed you into writing and recording, what made you decide to go for it?



Sadistik: Ever since I was a child I've always felt inclined to create things. I used to draw and paint a lot when I was a kid. As I got older I grew more of an affinity for words and it just began to make sense. I wrote and recorded rap songs for years until i felt like I was actually finding a style that was my own and represented who I was as I person. Now I'm just trying to evolve and fine tune what skills I already have to get better and better.






4. We all have our influences in music, who are the artists you look up to and respect?



Sadistik: Anybody who knows me personally knows that my favorite band is Radiohead. I am a huge fan of their work and their artistic integrity. As far as hip hop goes, I would say that my favorite artists are Eyedea, Sage Francis, Cage and Lupe Fiasco right now. I listen to a lot of music though. I am a pretty picky listener but I would still consider my spectrum of tastes to be pretty wide; I find things to appreciate in everything from The National to Lil' Wayne, folk music, indie rock, etc.



5. The Balancing Act gained you a lot of respect, reviews came out excellent, how long did it take you to form a complete album?



Sadistik: I started "The Balancing Act" when I was 19 years old if I remember right. It took me 3 years to complete that record. I put an intense amount of time into crafting that album to have the sound I was looking for, and I think in the end it came out the way I had hoped. I had a very specific mood and structure I wanted to make and it just took a while to bring that idea to fruition.



6. Your songs are obviously very strong and honest, does the writing come from your own personal experiences; is it a sort of a healing process?



Sadistik: This is a question I get a lot, both in interviews and in person, and I never really know how to answer it. I write from experience, a lot of which deals with pain, loss, love and alienation, but to say it's healing is a really strong statement that I think people might overuse. My writing process is obviously very personal and emotional at times and it can definitely be cathartic but I feel like it's more natural than healing. I'm a writer and I write constantly and I address the topics I do because it is what I know and it feels honest when I do it. I don't know if I answered the question very well, but the short answer would be: "sometimes."



7. When it comes to recording, do you pick out the beats first and then get down to writing or is it the opposite way?



Sadistik: I actually do both. A lot of the time I will get the beat (or in most cases, the basic idea for the track) and then write the song built around the sounds and what it makes me feel. With that said, I also write a lot without a beat whenever the inspiration hits or some kind of word connection comes to mind. This happens when I'm driving, watching TV, taking a shower, etc. I have even had times where I've woken up in the middle of the night with some lyrics in my head to write down. It tends to be a little unpredictable for me at times, but the majority of my songs are written to the actual beat.



8. You've been doing shows with people who proved themselves on stage over the years, how important is touring to you?



Sadistik: Touring is huge for me in so many ways. I actually just got back from a tour a few days ago and am still recovering from it. I really enjoy touring, not only for the performance aspect (which I love), but for the experience of meeting so many people. I've been really fortunate to meet people who have sent me thoughtful emails or shared their stories with me or tattooed my lyrics on them, etc. It is very inspiring and validating for me to actually meet the people that listen to and appreciate my music. It reminds me that what I do actually ripples somewhere further than my little bubble that I make the music in. With that said, this is going to be a big year for me as far as tours go. I am going to have my first European tour this year as well as an Eastcoast and Midwest tour that I'm very much looking forward to.






9. Lets go back to your latest release. Kid Called Computer provided the beats for the entire EP, whats the story behind that? How come the two of you worked together?



Sadistik: Kid Called Computer and I worked on that record for about a year and a half basically over the phone and internet. He is living in Chicago and I am in Seattle so that was kind of how it had to happen. We'd known each other for a few years and had worked together on small things here and there but we eventually discussed doing an album together and it really grew into something much bigger and cooler than I think either of us would have imagined. To be honest, I was in a pretty deep depression and I believe Kid Called Computer was dealing with some things himself so we would talk late into the night and we both decided to just do something dark and edgy and not really put any thought into how people might receive it. That's one of the reasons I am so happy with the project, it is very honest. It isn't dark because we wanted it to be dark, it's dark because that's how things felt at the time. I don't mean to speak for Kid Called Computer on that, but I would venture to guess that he would say the same thing.



10. Searching For Some Beautiful was a great video, who was the man behind the camera? Any plans for new videos for The Art of Dying?



Sadistik: Thank you, I'm glad you like the video. A company called Fueled Creative based here in Seattle created that video for me. It was directed by a guy named Bryan Campbell and produced by Bret Nielsen. I really wanted to shoot a video for The Art of Dying, for the song Ghost in the Machine actually, but we weren't able to do it due to schedule issues with Kid Called Computer and myself being in different cities. I am definitely going to do multiple videos for my next two projects to make up for it.



11. According to Rumors you are working on a full length album with Emancipator, anything you might want to share with the fans?



Sadistik: Emancipator and I are about waist deep in our new record. In my head I am calling it "Karma by Candlelight" but that title isn't official or anything. Emancipator is an incredibly talented musician and I am really excited and inspired to be doing a full record with him. There's not too much else I can really say about the project right now other than I don't think it will disappoint.



12. How familiar are you with the European hip hop scene? We've seen many overseas collaborations over the years, any plans on working with non-english speaking artists?



Sadistik: I'm honestly not very familiar with the European scene at all. I do know that I am really grateful for all of the European fans that support me. I've been overwhelmed with the amount of support my music has received overseas and I am really looking forward to touring in Europe in April. I would definitely be open to working with a non-English speaking artist if the situation was right.



13. The most important question for the European fanbase is can we expect you doing shows over here?



Sadistik: I am going to be in Europe in April with my friend Kristoff Krane. As of right now I am going to be playing in Germany, France, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria. Hopefully I can add some more countries to that list before it's finalized.





14. Nas said hip hop is dead, whats your opinion on a current state of hip hop scene in the USA?



Sadistik: In all honesty I think that is a really dumb statement. People say that hip hop is dead constantly and I don't really understand it. Just because the type of hip hop you grew up with or want to hear isn't readily available on the radio doesn't mean that the culture is gone. It's like any kind of art, you have to search and dig to find the pieces you really enjoy sometimes. And to be honest, I actually think that a lot of the newer mainstream hip hop artists are some of the better acts out there, underground included.



15. Album sales arent doing too good for the artists today. Do you intent staying in the music business and make a living out of it?



Sadistik: As of right now, I have been fortunate enough to do music full-time without a real day job, which is due to the support of a lot of loyal listeners. I don't know if it will last forever but if I have it my way it will. I am just trying to make better music and work harder than ever to share it with people.



16. Any messages for the fans; what to expect from you in near future?



Sadistik: I think the main message would simply be thank you. I really do appreciate every email, album sale, and handshakes at shows of mine. I am currently hard at work on the record with Emancipator as well as a solo album where I am working with multiple producers (like The Balancing Act). I hope to have both of these projects out soon.

Interview by Tranz