ILLSociety had a chance to sit down and vibe with Skotch Davis. Skotch Davis and I had only begun talking briefly and within 10 minutes I already felt like I could joke with him freely, so I decided to make a fool out of myself by singing and dancing to a 2009 record called “Paradin”. He calls me clever and laughs while sitting in Hall of Fame on Fairfax where I get down to business. From astrology, to his mom being on Jay Z’s track “22 Two’s” Skotch was an open book.
Herfection is by far one of my favorite tracks that you recorded over a Madlib joint. The first verse begins with you saying; “The thin line between love and hate may be because love and hate are from the same place” Each individual can interpret that within their own life but, what does that mean to you?
The same thing that can make you love something can be the same thing that makes you hate something. It’s the same type of passion, it’s the same type of energy just used for a different purpose. When you love something you use that same energy to cultivate it and when you hate something you use that same energy to destroy it. So that’s what I meant by that line, just like you can love something one minute and the next minute you can hate it and vice versa. It’s just all about how much you know about it and how much you understand it.
Right, and how much you’re willing to grow through it. You are definitely considered a lyricist, is there any particular message that you are trying to get across?
I think the consistency of my content speaks for itself. I try not to veer away from things that are not of an agenda that I’m trying to promote, so my message is to be the best you. It’s not about being better than anyone else you know, we’re all the same because we’re all human beings and we’re all stars. Some of us just shine differently, brighter or longer so you just have to take that opportunity and that moment to be the best you can be and turn it into something. What’s important is overcoming fear, because it’s all mental and it all comes from the mind.
What are we looking forward to hearing on your newest project “On my Grizzly: Skotch Tape 2”?
On my Grizzly (OMG) is a collaboration I did with Grizzly Grip Tape skater Torey Pudwill. Being that I’m on the scene where it’s guys like myself, Dom Kennedy, and Diamond Supply’s relationships with Wiz Khalifa and Currency I happened to catch wind of Tory Pudwill through one of my friends lumbo. Tory is just a dope skater and I thought of how hard he skates as a strong representation of how my raps would sound on this project. On my Grizzly is like the grit, the grind, and just that overall aggression. Sonically I used trap beats or synthetically aggressive beats mixed with my lyrics and took them to the max.
One of my personal favorite questions is if you had one track that would play when you walked into a joint, what would it be? Like your theme song, a song that evokes a feeling or a song that describes you.
Maaaan I listen to so much music I can’t even narrow it down. A song that I can always throw on would be Van Helen- Right now. It probably wouldn’t be anything hip hop. Honestly, something by Van Helen or some Jimi Hendrix.
What are your top 3 favorite albums? I know you’re very eclectic so it doesn’t have to be anything Hip hop.
Jimi Hendrix – Electric Lady Land
Outkast – Aquemini
Biggie – Life After Death
Whats your all time favorite sneaker?
I will have to say it’s the Grape 5s. That’s the pair I try not to wear. I had two pair but one pair got stolen. The shoe that I’m about to acquire that’s gonna be like that is the concord 11s.
I actually have a story that goes with that. When the concord 11’s dropped I had a fractured ankle. In New York, we don’t have a lot of grass or fields so we were playing tackle football in the street. My boy tackled me and I fractured my ankle. I was in a full legged cast from my hip to my ankle. Till this day my dad tells me you’re crazy I don’t know what you were thinking.
If you had to work with anyone alive or dead who would that be?
I would want to do Hip Hop records with Frank Zappa. I think Franz Zappa is one of the ILLEST people who have ever produced music. Dude is just sick! He’s not afraid to play with tones and horns and different timings fusing Jazz and Rock. I’m a big fusion fan and I feel like I was born in the wrong era sometimes because everything I listen to seems to be between the times of 1969 to 81. R&B I go from like 77’-95’. I got certain eras of music that I really appreciate. Frank Zappa WHAAATTT Frank Zappa doing a Hip Hop record for me!
Tribe or De la?
TRIBE! I thought I was Q-Tip when I was growing up! I was Q-Tip! That’s probably the reason I went to school in Queens because I wanted to be like him.
“Music is ever expanding and everlasting” – Skotch Davis
Photo By: Bianca Giovanna
Download: Skotch Davis “ARE YOU HEARING ME CLEARLY”
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