Referee: I love it. It’s a new
golden era and lyricism is finally
at the forefront again. Don’t
get me wrong, I like hearing
club and trap music when I’m
partying but when I’m anywhere
else, I want to hear a rapper talk
about something meaningful.
Sean: Who are the best artists
right now? Is there anyone who
motivates you now?
Referee: I rock with Jay-Z,
Eminem, Joe Budden, Andre,
Jadakiss; a lot of people. If you
can actually rap, I f**k with it.
Sean: Do you feel at a
disadvantage being a white emcee?
Referee: It’s a double-edged
sword. Most people think you’re
wack and have preconceived
opinions about you, but once
they hear you, then you get a
boost for being a dope white
boy. I have thick skin, so the s**t
doesn’t phase me much.
Sean: Do you feel like you get
boxed in with other white rappers
in the battle culture?
Referee: I think every new rapper
does at first, but over time, I’ll
show people I have my own skill
set. You just have to show and
prove until you break out of
those boxes.
Sean: How do you feel about the
use of gun bars and street rap in
general?
Referee: It’s fine with me. In
Cleveland, we’re brought up in
52
a violent area. Everybody —
whether you’re white, black,
green, purple — has a street
mentality in some way. We like
that street s**t.
Sean: How do you feel about
battle rap going commercial and
getting mainstream success? How
do you feel about the money in
battle rap?
Referee: I like it. More money.
More exposure. Sounds good
to me. As long as the founders
and the right people keep
quality control over it, it’ll keep
growing. Love it. It’s just going
to get more and more lucrative.
Sean: What is your opinion of
politics in the culture and how is
it affecting the game?
Referee: Every business has
politics. It’s all about building
relationships and networking.
I’m a businessman, so I’ll
maneuver just fine. Some people
just don’t know how to make a
system work for them, so they
complain about it.
Sean: Is there anything that you
dislike about battle rap or hip-hop
today?
Referee: The only thing I don’t
like is when some of the Top
Tiers I rock with get comfy and
start slacking on their rounds.
Other than that, I like just about
every aspect of the culture.
Sean: Who is the worst emcee in
battle rap today?
Referee: O Solo, because
nothing he says moves me. He’s
entertaining, but not because of
his bars.
Sean: Who is the most overrated
in battle rap?
Referee: Big T, because he’s a
Top Tier that hasn’t had a classic
round in more than five battles.
Sean: What is your favorite battle
and why?
Either Chilla-JC or Danny
Myers-Rum Nitty, because all
three rounds they were hungry.
I’ve watched both at least 15
times. It’s hard to find matches
with battlers going all out like
that back and forth.
Sean: How do you prepare rounds
and how does that writing process
differ from when you make music?
Referee: I let a lot of punchlines
and wordplay come to me
naturally instead of forcing it,
whereas in music, it’s a little
easier to write, because the beat
can guide you.
Sean: What do you have to say to
those that say battlers can’t make
musi