An artist with something to say Marcus Christ, is an artist who puts every single word to force and make it count in Fuck What You Say. This is not just a song. It is a daring and sincere remark concerning respect, loyalty and survival. Having cinematic sounds of The Godfather, the song plunges into the state of mind where respect may be more significant than love, and crude emotion is the force behind each line.
Marcus Christ collaborated with producer Morte Beatz to get a clean, simple, and absolutely powerful sound. That inspirational relationship gave birth to something special as several songs were composed within one day. That very vitality was directly transferred into a speedy and intense recording session at The Room Studios where the song was brought to life to the fullest extent by long hours and unreserved commitment.
The back story to this music is as inspirational as the music. Since he started recording in a garage with his close associates, and entered huge Hollywood studios, this artist has been progressing and yet, has remained fully faithful to his voice. He writes primarily off his phone and he records any idea that comes to him and never lets it slip.
It is a timing music, ambition music, and knowing when to leave. Personal, with whom every one can identify!
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Straight out of Compton, “Fuck What You Say” demands respect over love—what personal philosophy drove that raw edge in the lyrics?
I heard the beat and immediately listened to the strings. It reminded me of a possible soundtrack for The Godfather or something. I’m not in any criminal organization, but I try to understand the basic foundation of any organization. When it comes to the criminal element respect and loyalty is put on a pedestal. When a criminal robs a house or murders someone for their jacket they are demonstrating respect as more dominant than love.
Nobody who claims or proves to love others would rob someone else, especially kids and old ladies. However a “thug’s mentality” will drown out the love in their own heart for the respect of the streets. They may rob or kill for the money, and the money represents respect whether earned honestly or not. So it was based on a feeling. Feeling like the love doesn’t mean shit, just give me the cash. Fuck you, pay us! I suppose the only love in that situation is the love of self.
Linking up online with producer Morte Beatz for six leases—what stood out about his beats that made you go all in for this track?
He’s an incredible producer! I was blown away when I heard his sound. I think I prefer his production because it’s simple, clean, elegant, and classic all at the same time. The intro is killer, the body, structure, and choruses make the beat an undeniable banger. I hope I enhanced the song, but I could listen to the instrumental all day. After I wrote the first song which was Fuck What You Say I sat down and wrote to all the other 5 leases that day. Maybe the next too. I would love to work with Morte Beatz again, but I also want to grow as an artist so I’m producing some of my own tracks too.
Gerogii mixing live at The Room Studios during that insane 13-song-in-6-hours marathon—how did that frenzy birth “Fuck What You Say” as track two or three?
Fuck What You Say was probably the 3rd or 4th song we recorded that day. The first was Rock Ya Body which came out terribly so I re-recorded it the next day at Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood. The second song me and Georgii worked on was Don’t Wait.
Those two songs were going to be my leading singles, but due to reasons I decline to discuss we moved forward with Get The Haters Back and On My Block. By the time we started recording Fuck What You Say, my boy Jester came to the studio to analyze the engineering since he does all of my engineering in the garage studio. I was already a little tired, but I still had a lot of energy left and even more to say.
Dropping the Jay-Z references like “I, Michael, voice of the young disciples” and “little Shawn Carter”—is this a wake-up call or straight homage?
It’s definitely homage. I got no beef nor do I want beef with Jay-Z. I said, “call me little Shawn Carter” cause he said he’s Vito. So I’m said that I’m Michael who’s not even the firstborn son. I’m just the guy that gotta handle shit, cause we can’t trust big bro Fredo. Fredo’s weak, but I ain’t ever weak when it comes to my people. Some say I may be too aggressive. All I was saying to Jay was simply I’m coming for my spot, and whoever is at the top should be worried because their time is short.
First professionally recorded and mastered track after cellphone demos—how does that step-up in quality from The Room Studios change the game for your fans?
Well back in my earlier albums, which are playlisted on YouTube, such as The Repsonce, The Get Back, No Doubt, and Return of the Beast I recorded those in Compton in a garage with my boy Inferno. The quality was very good. He was using a professional mic and pro tools for mixing.
So I have a traditional sound, I was telling an A&R rep that Prince of the Universe was experimental. That’s the only album where I released my own production, my own lyrics, my own mixing, cellphone mic, and a few leased tracks. The Room Studios on Melrose was cozy. Great equipment and even better staff but the next day when I got to Paramount Recording Studios I was blown away. Last time I went was in the early 2000s. They gave me a fruit basket, now they have a kitchen. Thats what I call a come up.
Writing most songs in a week on your phone before hitting Hollywood studios—what’s your process for turning quick ideas into fire like this?
Consistency. No stopping, gotta move forward with every word, line, bar, and verse. I still go back and edit some lyrics to make the flow more smooth, but I prefer using my phone for edit. With a notebook you need to write in pencil or carry white out. I can write the traditional way by hand, but my handwriting is atrocious. With the phone I ca. read what I wrote.
With The American Pharaoh sparked by that unanswered message to K.B., how does “Fuck What You Say” fit into themes of love, isolation, and ambition?
The opposite of love, is hate. Regarding this women K.B. I have no ill will towards her. That’s her decision and I understand and will fight to support that. There’s a saying that there’s a thin line between love and hate. That ugly monster “hate” rears its head when there’s drama in a relationship. Fuck What You Say could be a female yelling at someone they’re mad at, or it could be a male yelling at someone they’re upset with.
It’s universal and unisex. It’s like when you hit that limit of the amount of bullshit you can take. When you can no longer take anymore bullshit just yell, “Fuck This Shit!” you’ll feel a lot better. Some people say “fuck this shit” too early and live in isolation. Some people say “fuck it” too late and live with the failed ambition. Timing is everything. You don’t want to be married anymore but before you say “fuck it” check your prenup. Think that about that child support.
That unhappy married person said fuck it too late. If you said “fuck it” when you first met her back in the day when she said “no” you wouldn’t be in this situation. Thats how I see it with KB. She said no (or nothing at all) that’s my cue to leave! Fuck it! I don’t want to be someone who said fuck it too late or too early. Those that say “fuck it” too early must live in their own isolation. Someone that says “fuck it” too early is like a daddy not being there.
Now he separated from the child living in a type of isolation from his kids. It could even be the chubby girl in high school becoming a model 5 years later and now she wants to take you on Oprah to see her new look. Maybe you said “fuck it” too early and isolated yourself from the blessings. Regarding KB at least I tried! My regret is not going to be silence, my regret is that I gave up, but at least I took the chance to shoot my shot.
From Paramount’s gold plaque walls with Pac and Lil Wayne vibes to this Melrose session—what Hollywood history fuels your hunger for your own plaque?
You did your research. So many stories of Hollywood legends that I can’t narrow it down to one. I miss that classic era of Hollywood. The first golden age. Everyone seems so classy and not excessively trashy.
They had their problems like segregation and domestic violence but people dressed with respect and I feel we may never get back to that again. I want my own plaque one day, I won’t lie about that, but I’m a sucker for the rags to riches stories. I hope my story can be just as motivating maybe more so than a plaque.
You’re eyeing gigs, a short tour, or even a wild hologram show with talking rabbits—how do you see “Fuck What You Say” lighting up live?
Yea. It sounds funny when you put it that way, but the kids will love it. My dream is a traveling hologram tour. It would make my life easier. No song is off limits. Fuck What You Say may be 18+ with an Italian background and the set in the coliseum.
It can be a mix of rappers on a stage with wild animals fighting gladiators in the arena. The only limit with a hologram tour is your imagination. Fuck What You Say would be perfect for the stage. The only song that may hit harder live is “Don’t Wait” but both were produced by Morte Beatz.
As Aristotle said, “There is no great genius without some touch of madness”—how does that madness show up in this release and your curator feedback hunt?
I guess the speed at which we were ready to launch was madness. We gave ourselves 2 weeks to release. Recently, I had to slow everything down. We recently got a new producer so we have delayed the album The American Pharaoh to craft a better sound. I’ve been watching the music industry on the sidelines for a few years, so I feel I need to reintroduce myself to the listeners.
I’ve noticed I’ve gotten more positive responses in the international market than the American market. It seems the music industry wants everyone to sound like robots and rap directly on their vocals or just one lead vocal track. I’m experimenting still, I guess. I want every line to have some emotion behind it, so the bars may not line up perfectly.
I can come at bars with different emotions and cadences where you think I’m off beat, but I’m listening to another musical pattern develop. In the end so want the listener to actually feel what I’m saying in your heart, so you don’t need to hear me with your ears.
