“It stands for ‘Always Recording’ classic records,” Vice clarifies, as he picks at some Indian food with his recording/label partner The Arcitype. Each of them is sporting the freshly printed shirts with the label’s logo across the front. They have a gig later in the evening opening for hip-hop supergroup eMC (QRO live review), and the idea is to promote the label during their set. A last-minute cancellation casts The Arcitype in the role of hype-man for the evening, a part he isn’t used to playing, but one that doesn’t seem to faze him either. “I mean, it makes sense,” he says. “I probably know Vice’s music better than anyone else.” As he should. The Arcitype produced Viceversah’s entire 2006 debut Career Suicide, in addition to his follow-up James and the Giant Beats, which is slated to come out later this year.
“The album is done as far as content goes,” says Viceversah enthusiastically. “Right now, we’re basically just waiting on art work.” Judging from the promo tracks, James and the Giant Beats is shaping up to be a more commercial and refined take on Career Suicide. Although, this is not meant to suggest that Career Suicide isn’t a fully realized project. Quite the contrary. Viceversah’s lucid and provocative lyrics atop The Arcitype’s autumnal soundscapes certainly provide an ambitious debut.
Says Viceversah of the album, “I’m surprised with how much I still like listening to it. More established artists have a tendency to disown their earlier work. The Roots have gone on record saying how much they hate Do You Want More?. But that’s one of my favorite albums of theirs.” Viceversah also describes something like nostalgia for the rhymes on Career Suicide. “A lot of those rhymes I had before I had even planned on recording an album. For instance, there are parts on the album that I wrote while I was in Russia. Artistically, it was important because I put down parts of me that I don’t have to come back to.” With James and the Giant Beats, the two shouldn’t have any reason to look back.
Despite the passage of less than two years between albums, the progression of both Viceversah and The Arcitype’s growth as artists is apparent. In simple terms, the rhymes are richer and the beats are bolder. Also, James and the Giant Beats marks each artist’s increasing level of comfort with one another. Both originally from New York, Viceversah and The Arcitype met in early 2006, began working together a few months later, and amazingly put out Career Suicide later that year. However, their partnership hasn’t always been perfect.
“I didn’t even think he was good at first,” recalls The Arcitype. “
” “Creepin’ Up,” one of the more successful tracks on Career Suicide is another example of where the two haven’t seen eye to eye. According to The Arcitype, “Vice was hesitant at first to do it. But I just knew it would sound good.” Indeed, “Creepin’ Up” is something of an unlikely hit. Its upbeat swing stands in contrast to the rest of the album’s dark atmosphere, yet the haunting vocals on the chorus manage to seep into head and stay there.
In terms of commercial goals, Viceversah’s only hopes for the new album are, “That it sells.” Career Suicide sold an impressive 500 units hand to hand or through their partnership with Boston-based outlet Undergroundhip-hop.com. With better exposure and a little luck, James and the Giant Beats should surpass these figures. Rumors of some surprising guest spots have already begun to generate buzz for the album.
Currently, Viceversah is A R Classic Records sole artist, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t taking applications. Says The Arcitype, “The problem with getting new acts is finding people who can commit to making sample-free music. If I want a hot beat, I know at least ten people that I can go to. But if I need it sample-free, that number drops down to zero.” Although this sample-free philosophy will create less obstacles in the long run. It’s also likely to get them more exposure and set them apart from the rest of the pack. Be sure to watch out for James and the Giant Beats due out later this year.
