Sioux Falls often seems like a breeding ground for hip hop groups, but it also acts as a pit stop for many regional and national rappers. On Oct. 1, it will cater to the Together/Apart Tour featuring Seattle’s Grieves and Budo. Traveling in support of the duo are Minneapolis’ Prof and Fundo, and Seattle’s emcee, Type.
Fresh off the summer-long Warped Tour and with a brand new album just released, life has been rather busy for Grieves. But before his first major headlining tour officially began, he took a few seconds to chat about his crazy lifestyle, and the pressure he put on himself to succeed.
The tour will be stopping at Boonies Bar with locals Midwest Blessed kicking off the show. Doors are at 9 p.m. and is 18+. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of. They can be purchased at the Ernie November 41st Street location, any Last Stop CD Shop, or online at www.thecollectiveeffortsunion.com.
How does it feel to be back at home?
It feels great. Something like Warped Tour really takes you and puts you in such a foreign environment – both Budo and I felt that. Then you’re out there for almost two months and you never really leave that tour. You load in at 7 a.m., do Warped, probably get your trailer packed by 9 p.m., then you have a BBQ in the parking lot after everyone leaves, and then you fall asleep drunk in your bus and wake up in a different parking lot in a different state the next day and do it all over again. So it’s been nice to get back home. I almost don’t know what to do now; I just kind of wander around my neighborhood.
Was there ever a time where you just wanted to get away from the tour or leave?
No. I’m pretty good with that stuff. I’m really, really good at just not caring. I can just turn it all off and be like ‘whatever’.
I suppose it was pretty good preparation for your upcoming, headlining tour.
I know. It’s exciting. It’s my first major headlining tour. I’ve done a few little shows here and there, but this is our first real go at it. It’s exciting and scary and awesome all at the same time. It’s a new experience.
Are you worried about anything for the tour?
Well, it’s the same worry for me with everything I do. It’s gotten to this point where it’s not just me depending on this doing well: I’ve hired my friends, you know. And it’s not like they don’t get it, because they totally understand the variable in which my world operates, but I just want it to do well so everybody’s happy. And I’m sure everybody is happy regardless of my success, but I want the tour to do well cause, you know, I want my merch guy to have a good experience and I want my tour manager to be happy with what we did. It’s those kinds of things. It’s not like the worry like ‘I want to make a bunch of money’. It’s not that. I want the people brought into this to feel like they have a purpose, because I love those people and I want them to be able to continue to do this with me.
How does it feel to have the new album Together/Apart out?
My mind was blown with the response. It was so good. I really wasn’t expecting it. Not that I thought it was a bad record, you know, it was just that first real record out. It was very flattering. The units moved in the first week and month was very flattering. It’s a cool experience, especially to do something that other people didn’t necessarily think you were going to do. It’s been very cool and without the support of all the people that have helped us get this far, I wouldn’t have been able to do that. So it’s pretty badass.
How long had you been working on the album?
That album was about two years worth of work here and there. We were touring so much that we just had to kind of get work in where it fit. It was about two years worth.
Was there anything you did differently this time?
Well, we didn’t use any samples, so that was something new. I don’t really know. I was in a different place in life, and it’s always a kind of ‘reinvent the wheel’ situation when it comes to what we’re doing and our creation process. It’s hard for me to say it was specifically different, but I hope it was. That’s what we’re trying to do in the studio: come up with something fresh and new.
There have been a lot of compliments on your wide range of vocals on this album… a lot more singing involved.
Yeah, Budo lured me out of that cave. It’s something I’ve always known I could do, I’d always sing as a joke when I was drunk or whatever. Budo asked why I don’t sing more, and seriously I just wasn’t comfortable. He lured me out cause I listen to a lot of neo soul music, you know. I have this saying, you can say and do whatever you want but if you take away my D’Angelo Voodoo record, you and I got problems.
Do you feel comfortable now?
Oh yeah, that was like two years ago. Throughout the process I’ve been working on a lot of that. I’d always dabbled with singing.
Maybe you could make a completely R&B album someday.
Oooh, maybe I’m already working on one.
How is everything with Rhymesayers going?
Is there a word that means more than best? They’re the greatest. I couldn’t ask for a better situation in my life. I went from the worst situation in the world to absolute best. I love it. They don’t lie to me or take advantage of me or act like assholes. It’s great.
What are your plans after tour?
I’m going to Europe and then coming back and doing an East Coast tour and down South. I’m basically spending a year on the road. And then I’ll probably start working on new music.
For more info on Grieves, check out www.rhymesayers.com.
