*Interview* SpitRaw McGraw

Tae had a chance to sit down with an up and coming lyrical killer by the name of SpitRaw McGraw. Here's what he had to say about himself and the rap game in general.



Tae:
Who is SpitRaw McGraw and how do you stand out from being another run of the mill rapper?

Spit Raw:
SpitRaw McGraw is a super confident and incredibly intelligent lyrical assassin from Mars; sent to devour whack rappers and destroy instrumentals! (Laughs) I think that perfectly describes the way that I portray myself on the microphone. I've been dubbed, ironically by 504-Dubb, "The Bully". I try to stay away from all things mainstream that lack content. I can't compare myself to the run of the mill rapper, because I am not just a rapper; I am a lyricist.

Tae:
What inspired you to become a rapper or as you say, lyricist?

Spit Raw:
I grew up all over the place, being an army brat, and my ears had the luxury of being the ultimate melting pot. When I settled in New Orleans after the tragic death of my mother and stepfather, I released my anger through poetry in my freshman year of high school. I fell in love with imagery, metaphors, and wordplay even though I was hurting on the inside. In 10th grade, I started hanging out with upperclassmen, and rapping, while someone would beat on a desk. It was then; I realized that I had a gift. I've been spittin my ass off ever since.

Tae:
Who would you say influenced you the most musically?

Spit Raw:
Aww man, there are so many, Eminem & Royce Da 5'9 are two of my favorite mainstream artists. But my greatest inspiration comes from the underground artists that are on the grind, Ness Lee, Verbatim, Dubb Sicks, Bionik Brown (R.I.P.), C Rays Wals, Icon the Mic King,
A. Levy, Lyrikill, Slangston Hughes, and all the other artists in New Orleans I'm working with presently and in the future.

Tae:
Where did you get your name and what made it stick?

Spit Raw:
In my search to find something witty, and different, I stumbled onto an old cartoon "QuickDraw McGraw". I simply replaced quick with spit, dropped the 'd ' and there you have it. I later decided to shorten it and go by SpitRaw, or just Spit. I think it is a great representation of me simply because I spit, and it's always raw therefore, I am SpitRaw.

Tae:
What can people expect from you in 5 years?

Spit Raw:
I guess I could say working part-time at UPS, and writing/performing full-time, OR just doing music full-time, and paying for my own damn benefits.

Tae:
What upcoming projects are you working on?

Spit Raw:
I've said I was going to work on my own mix tape, I've also said I was going to drop an album. I've decided to do both. The mix tape should be released early next year, followed by my solo album in the summer. I'm also working on Still Circulating III with Blitzz from St. Rose, A.Levy's The Best You Never Heard Of & the Soundclash Mixtape featuring some of the hottest artists and producers in Louisiana.

Tae:
What do you think is missing from hip hop right now?

SpitRaw:
I don't really think there is anything missing from hip hop. Hip hop is alive and well, although it lies dormant underground with occasional glints in the mainstream. The question is: How do we bring hip hop from back to the forefront where it belongs?

Tae:
How can people get in touch with you?

Spit Raw:
As always, myspace.com/SpitRawMcGraw, reverbnation.com/SpitRaw or follow me on Twitter: SpitRaw

Tae:
Thank you for taking your time to speak with us, is there anything you would like to add?

Spit Raw:
I greatly appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. I'm looking forward to 2010 and beyond. Be on the lookout for my future projects and shout out to Lyrikill & Soundclash, and Truth Universal & Grassroots, everyone at the Hut Studios, and Kitchen Made Ent. Thanks for having me.