Interview by Alan Ng & Charles Kwok
Words by Micheal Ma
Photography by Patrick Leung
MC Turbulance – So Beautiful
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justalilhype! first metMC Turbulance aka MC TBeezy at the Asian Hip Hop Summit. He stood out of the amongst the crowd with his stage presence. After a recent release of a new mixtape throughout the holidays, we caught up with him to discuss about his recent victory at a record deal contest, the direction he is bringing his music to and what it’s like to be a upcoming all-in-one artist. With a strong influence of North American hip-hop culture and a twist of Tawian flavours and styles, Andy Lee is an unique upcoming artist hailing from Emily Carr.
Describe yourself to our readers.
I’m a rapper, producer, performer, and artist too. I’m From Taiwan, immigrated here when I was 10 years old, it’s very different here than Taiwan. Taiwan is really crowded focused more in night life, and here is more quiet.
Do you plan on strengthening your production of music by learning new skills in the future?
Yea, I started beat boxing in the summer last year, and right now, I’m trying to bring popular music with hip hop; trying something different
Tell us about your music style. Your talents range from free styling to beat boxing. Other than that, you also play instruments such as the piano.
My style kind of changed, before my music style was focused more on emotion, rather than lyrics. I would write something really fast, I usually write my lyrics in 30 mins, and then focus more on emotion. So its kinda usually just a rough draft that I write. When I rap, in the studio recording it’s usually 20% free style, and 80% lyrics. I put my own emotions to it, cause it’s important like that the audience hear emotions because my style is kind of similar to Kanye West, and Eminem kinda influenced me too
When you make your songs, do you choose the instrumental to match your lyrics first, or do you start of by writing the lyrics and then finding the music?
Sometimes both
Cool. How did you come up with TBeezy
The name is Turkeus, It stands for going against my culture. Like it’s creating a hype too. Because you know I came from a Christian family they are hard core Christians. For them, you know going to clubs, having night lives and having ppl around me, are the ppl that they hate, they discourage me a lot. Turbulance is kinda like, I want to be different, I want to go against my culture. Parents in Canada you’re just a another Asian kid, you shouldn’t rap, cause you’ll never make it and stuff. I just want to improve. You know the word in Chinese saying (Chinese saying), you fall with your glasses. I just want that kinda effect. What I do, is (Chinese saying)
Speaking of your parents influences, at the start, they might have been more discouraging, speaking of you hitting up a night life and stuff, what about your current opinion as an artist you now. Do they still have that attitude or did it kind of change?
My mom is kinda supportive, must do what I like. Just don’t get into bad habit like smoking weed. Cause it’s hard you know, every musician especially at clubs they’re like you have to smoke weed. Usually in the starting, I don’t’ want to do it. But then every one around do it so I gotta do it. Now I kinda want to step away from it. I kind of do a lot more performances in 2009. Back in 08, I was more focused on recording, and put it on mix tapes AND STUFF. In 09, I kept performing and performing. I only put out 10 songs. The recent mix ttape, all the songs are the songs recorded in 08 to 09. After summer I just stopped performing. So that was like a self evaluation
That was the mixtape that I downloaded. Right before I messaged you, a week before that, I downloaded it. And gotta say it was pretty good.
Thanks!
Starting to rap at the age of 16, it’s been seven years since you stepped you feet in the hip hop game. Drawing influences from Jay-Z and Will Smith, what do you think is the current state of hip-hop?
I think hip hop changed a lot. Like before Hip hop, initially, why ppl want to make that kind of music is to speak; there’s too many ppl that personal you? You need a voice. Like HIP HOP REAL MUSIC. YOU SPEAK WHAT IS REAL. You know B generation right? It’s kinda similar, you know how before the hippy’s there are the b generation riders that did drugs, they were the border line ppl. they wanted to write about that, they’re just like yea they want to do that. Its like what the fuck they gonna do right. And eventually It becomes a trend. But right now, as generation goes on, hip hop is becoming more about fitting in rather than being different. New age rappers, they all wear skinny jeans, kanye west with his pink shirts, and all the autotunes, and some ppl say ahh tht’s gay and stuff.; but to them it’s being different. Right now its’ being a fitting in rather than being different. So I think it changed a lot.
You produce, write, direct all your music and videos. Coming out fro Emily Carr’s Visual Art program, how has that helped you in your music career?
It definitely has. I made my first music video during for my school project back in 2nd year. That was the first time I wanted to make a music video. After that, a lot of ppl liked it, so I just started making more and more. I’ve never wanted to make music videos; it’ was just a class project. It just became something else to me after.
It’s really important for well balanced hip hop artists to know different aspects, them just the music. They won’t be able to manage, produce, directing videos. It’s very important right. If you are the one directing the video you will have a look at everything that is coming. In terms of production and how the video actually is. So its really good you’re doing it. You feel you’ll continue that in the future?
Definitely.I’m actually back to Taiwan coming June. I’ll be staying there for 6 months I want to go back cause my grandma just passed away last summer. So I gotta take care of my family, and on the other hand, I want to pursue my music career. Cause I rap in mandarin there’s not alot of Chinese speaking audience. Even if there are, they aren’t really feelin that kind of music, cause Chinese people, their way of listening to music is really different. I don’t know if you know “South Lupo”. He’s a Taiwanese rapper that put jazz music as back ground and raps to it. Ppl call him Lupe Fiasco in Taiwan; he’s an amazing rapper. When I gave that kind of music to my Taiwanese friends, they aren’t really familiar with that kind of music, because you know Chinese music is more about love, are more into slow, more balanced songs
Or love songs.
Yea!
Recently, you placed first place at the A.M.G contest, tell us a bit more about that.
I had Natsu and Chris, they are one of the asian artists I met in Vancouver. They are really my good frds. When I was first making music, I wanted to find someone that has similar passion as me; when I met them it’s like our passion were the same, so we became really good friends. Just a view conversations, sharing music, recording sessions, we became really good relationship. We just perform everywhere; so if I had a show I’ll hook them up, and if they had a show they’ll hook me up. They told me the A.M.G was a show, they just told me 2 days ago. I just showed up, I never knew it was a competition I just always thought it was a show. I was like oh shit, it’s a competition so I just performed, and ended up getting first place
What does that first place entail? Like were there anything you get for that
They give you a choice, a record deal to march. And invest $5000 to training me, and make me an artist and stuff. Or I could just take the cash.
So did you take the record deal or the cash?
I just took the cash
Did you save it up, or just spent it all?
Yea I just saved it up. Obviously I spent some.
Throughout your music videos and mixtapes. We see that you have done many collaborations with Korean artists. What is your connection with the Korean hip-hop scene?
I think Koreans are really international. They aren’t afraid to be different. Their music is strongly influenced by the Western Culture but at the same time, they are different by the way they dress. Even CBC’s in Canada listen to Korean music, like the Big Bang and 21. So I think they did a pretty good job promoting their music into good quality. That’s something that artists in Taiwan and China need to improve on.
You did a lot of music videos with Korean artists. How did you actually started to hang out with those guys? A lot of the music has a little bit of Taiwanese, Chinese, and Korean featuring So sad did you get the whole Korean collaboration actually come about?
Ever since I came to Canada, I listened to Korean music, cause Chinese music sucks, like you know the fact right? I actually respect Korean a lot cause I’ve done shows with Chinese ppl, and Korean ppl and I think the Korean artists are more focused on their performances. I see that when they do something, they do it 100%. But you know, Chinese performers are just like 50%.
Social media plays an important role in our society. From staying connected with your fans to promoting your music, which online networks are you involved with?
Facebook, well I used Resh and Facebook a lot, but now I just use Facebook, and this Chinese site called Street Voice. Street Voice is just a Chinese version of My Space. A lot of Taiwanese ppl used it back then, Taiwanese ppl started it; and then I think in 2008 ppl in China, Hong Kong started using it. So it’s a good place for your music to be heard. Facebook is actually a good place too.
As your music career progresses, do you see yourself more as an Asian hip hop artist or a North American hip hop artist? Furthermore, where do you think T.Beezy is crafted? Taiwan or Vancouver?
I see my self as an Asian music artist. But I don’t want to call myself a Hip hop artist. If ppl have to define me, then call me a rapper. But don’t call me a hip hop artists, because if you call me a hip hop artist its like what I do, I have to do it in a box in order to be called a hip hop artist. I want to step away from that, so starting from last year my appearance and my music has changed. I want to look different compared to all the other artists. If I want to define myself, I’m a rapper first, producer, and then a singer
Well, I speak about more about what I know. Since I’ve been here in Canada for longer than Taiwan, it has had more influence on me.
I’m not necessarily talking about Taiwan or Canada, but I just talk about what I know
At the end of the day, why do you make music? What is your goal?
To have a voice, to let ppl know about my works. I guess every one wants to do something big. I’m not going to lie; I want do want to get famous. A part form that, I just want ppl to hear my music
Do you think it’s a creative outlet as well?
Definitely
Is stage presence really important?
Before I was known more as a recording artist. when I started performing, I wasn’t really good as a performance artist. That’s why last year I focused more on performance, to work on my stage presence. I jump off stage because I see ppl on stage, and all I see them do is walk around. I want to be different and jump off since it’s so much bigger than the stage. And that just caught on and became my style; you know just walk around and jump off.
One of the interviews you’ve done in the past, you mentioned that your English was not that well at the beginning, and coming to Canada was taking a step forward to learn English right? Did hip hop help you learn English?
Yea cause you have to communicate with a lot of club jumpers, and homies and stuff so you have to talk communication skills
What is your next gig, and what’s planned for 2010 and beyond?
2010 and beyond, so my next show is at River Rock. There’s a big rapper called “Big Dragon”, he’s coming from Beijing; he’s a really big rapper over there.
So when is it?
It’s on Feb. 19th
Are you gonna be opening?
I’m going to be performing with that guy, do a song together.
Have your ever worked with him before?
No, but I actually admire him cause he’s actually really big
So what’s planned 2010 and beyond?
2010, I’m gonna release another mix tape. This mix tape I produced all the instrumentals. Just focused on doing more performances, and focus more on the street voice. And do more shows in Taiwan, and you know get into the circle
What is HYPE?
I think HYPE is an alter-ego, like every body wants HYPE, at a certain point they want to HYPE up the crowd. They want to do something different, so HYPE is an ego-driven thing. Like some performers I know they are really quiet. Like Jazbo, he’s a quiet guy, like when ppl talk to him he’s a shy guy. But when he hops on stage, he’s different. He’s really humble and stuff, he’s doing great, his music used to play in Japan. You know “Semra” right? He used to collaborate with Semra. But then he’s still really humble. When I first met him, I was scared to shake his hand, but he was a really chill guy.