Over the course of the past nearly thirty long years, Anthony Davis, PKA Ant, alongside emcee group-mate Slug, as pioneering Hip Hop duo Atmosphere, have dropped 13 studio albums…and now the resident Minneapolis based producer extraordinaire returns with his premiere solo body of work, the first in a four part series, Collection of Sounds Vol. 1.
Let’s hop right into these singles, “SUN DECIDES” and “THIS HAPPENED“ — Tell me about these particular compositions; how did they even come to fruition?
As my usual approach, I messed around until an idea struck me…from that point, I built upon it and continued to pile on from there.
Of course “SUN DECIDES” and “THIS HAPPENED“ come courtesy of your debut LP, COLLECTION OF SOUNDS: VOLUME 1[RHYMESAYERS ENTERTAINMENT]— Conceptually, what does this title represent both to and for you?
I am not big on naming songs or being clever with titles, so my titles tend to be quite literal. Collection of Sounds is exactly what the title says, and it gave me the right excuse to put music out under the umbrella of “Collection,” so maybe there would be room to do many volumes over time.
How then does COLLECTION OF SOUNDS: VOLUME 1 either differ and / or compare to what your fans and followers alike both already know and love you for as one half of Atmosphere?
It differs, these are all instrumentals. If compared, you may hear a “vibe” that relates to certain Atmosphere songs. Also, there are a couple music sketches from old Atmosphere songs that not many people may know.
And, why exactly has it taken this many years to drop a proper solo body of work?
I never had the right concept or felt true desire to release instrumental music, until now.
To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?
No. When I got into DJing in 1984 and began making rap songs in the late ‘80’s, this music was not played on the radio and was often ridiculed and dismissed by mainstream outlets…and people in general.
What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called Hip Hop?
Seeing Run-DMC live in ‘86, it made me wonder what it would be like to do what DJ JMJ was doing.
That said, what else are your future plans and / or goals throughout the remainder of 2024 and beyond?
I have tours scheduled for the remainder of the year, after that continue to create.
Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
That I am capable of a few styles of music, and hopefully people enjoy it and want me to continue releasing more.
If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
Probably First Avenue in Minneapolis, it is down the street from my house and I can drive there on my own…plus, they let me park in the back. That's awesome.
On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?
There are many styles of rap that are accepted and appreciated today, which is a significant change from 25 years ago. Most artists have a solid grasp of the fundamentals of rapping, especially in their recordings, and the quality of beats has greatly improved, along with technology.
What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
Just being me has got me this far, apparently that is probably unique enough until I feel like I am done.
Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?
I do not. Funny enough, that's how I got into this industry in the first place…I have no other interest.
What’s an average day like for you?
40% Family Responsibilities, 40% Music stuff…thinking, creating, planning…15% My own stuff…exercise, alone time, talking shit…5% Wasted…probably more, but, hey, what can I say?
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans...
My interaction is at our shows, walking around in the audience, talking shit. Maybe catch a laugh or two.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
I like all of what I do, I do not always care for the traveling part…mainly the airports, that part is my least favorite.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
My advice is do not let go of your passion as long as you’re enjoying it. If you make music, and you want to get rich and famous, then I have zero idea what advice that would be.
Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
Impossible to imagine. Hopefully, happy, fulfilled and trying to be better.
Any “parting” words for our readers?
Thanks for reading this. I like to think 50% of this was true
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