Bear

originally published January 24, 2007

Bear is performing at a CD release show at the Caledonia Lounge on Saturday, Jan. 27 as part of the "Battle @ the Lounge" hip hop event.

Released late last year as another entry into the growing ranks of local hip hop albums, Bear's Ready Fo' Me will receive its official coming-out party this weekend as part of the "Battle @ the Lounge" hip hop event. The album sees Bear fluctuate between a more comfortable vocal delivery and a gritty, fast-paced rap as full and confident as the R&B sounds sampled liberally throughout. The local T-Nebula production crew handled Ready Fo' Me's musical element, drawing on aggressive rock guitars as well as lush aspects of musical history (check samples from both the Meters and Etta James).

The 27-year-old emcee, Athens-born and Athens-raised, also welcomes a number of the artists in the tight-knit T-Neb crew on the disc; crooner Ben Stevens shines on "Keep Stackin'" (Bear also goes by the name Stackman), and F.L.Y. drops in on the sex jam "Let Me Touch You." Those artists, among others, are on deck to headline at the Caledonia Lounge on Saturday, helping Bear - also an accomplished battle rapper - bring his sounds from the studio to the crowd. "People should expect a party," says Bear. "They should expect fun, they should expect family, but most of all they should expect a show!"

Flagpole

How'd you get started rapping?

Bear

From my father's bloodline, all the men in my family have been into music. I knew it was going to happen anyway because of that. When I was six, a Big Brother - like a mentor Big Brother, not an actual brother - gave me a copy of LL Cool J's "I'm Bad." After that tape I knew I wanted to be bad like LL. That was the definite starting point. But back then, I was rapping about eating at Dominos and bubble gum, Blow Pops, kid stuff.

As I progressed and got older, so did my songs. Right now I know who I am and I know what I am, that's why I'm making this record now. I don't think I could be influenced in terms of my personality, this seemed like the best time to deliver my message.

Flagpole

What is that message?

Bear

I care. I care about what's going on. I want to get back to the good times. My plan is to trick the industry - I'll give them the flash, the glitz and the glamor. That's just to infiltrate the camp and look like what else is out there. Once I get my platform, then I'll hit 'em with "This is how it really is."

I'm not preaching "go sell drugs," I'm trying to pull people away from evil being the way. I'm not self-righteous, but I see what I'd like to address. And once I get to where I have a platform, I'll make my voice heard.

Flagpole

There's a lot of rock guitar and classic soul in the production of Ready Fo' Me. Was that something you aimed for, or was that all T-Nebula?

Bear

The tracks were presented to me and I had a choice. If I hear a track and it moves me, then I can write to it. I can write to anything, because I feel I have an ability to feel the track and match my lyrics to it. But the specific sounds, I give total credit to my production team for those. That's all them, and… [At this point Bear excuses himself to address a voice in the background which says that James Brown was the original rapper and then asks for a pack of smokes.]

Flagpole

You're at work right now?

Bear

Yeah, I've been doing convenience store work for the past seven, eight years. People can say it's a dead end, but I don't base my life on what people say. It gives you a lot of variety to see what real people are like, and what real people are like is what's important when you're rapping. That's what I care about.

Chris Hassiotis

Spotlight is biweekly feature looking at newer or emerging local acts.