Nocturnal Rage represents Seattle with cable-TV gig
The city that brought grunge to the forefront has a simmering — if not smoking — underground hip-hop scene with talented DJs behind the turntable and clever lyricists behind the mike.
MCs Caligula (Robert Wood), Fo' Feva (Anthony Dunston) and Pyromaniak (Martin Harris) anchor Nocturnal Rage, a Seattle hip-hop band with a vintage, full-bodied sound — courtesy of a live backing band — and hard-edged exterior reflected in the trio's raps.
At 3 years old, Nocturnal Rage is relatively young as a hip-hop band, but its members' collective knowledge of the culture and lifestyle belies their youth. The bond between these three "cats" stretches back to their childhood growing up in Seattle and an affinity for hip-hop music.
During a break from college, Wood and his brother came up with a plan to start a record label to showcase the work of local hip-hop artists. From this meeting of the minds came the independent label Noc On Wood and a decision by Wood, Dunston and Harris to unite their talents as Nocturnal Rage.
"At first we were going to be solo artists, and then we decided to be a group and kill them all," Wood (aka Caligula) said.
With two records to their credit ("The Labyrinth" and "Nocturnal Rage") and a third in production, Nocturnal Rage aspires to bring their blend of old-school funk and hard-core rap to a national audience.
Noc Rage will move one step closer to this quest beginning in November, with appearances on Comedy Central's "Premium Blend." The group will perform as this season's house band in at least 12 episodes of the series — billed as a showcase for stand-up comedians — hosted by funnyman D.L. Hughley. (The show's theme song, "How Ya' Feelin'," is from Nocturnal Rage's self-titled sophomore release).
The seemingly daunting task of bringing Pacific Northwest hip-hop (no, not an oxymoron) to the world doesn't faze Caligula, Fo' Feva and Pyromaniak. While Nocturnal Rage has a strong following outside of the Northwest, the members never lose sight of home.
Q: What was it about hip-hop music that you all connected with?
Caligula: I feel like hip-hop is the final mutation of music that we know. It's a combination of everything. It brings all kinds of music together as one.
Pyromaniak: Hip-hop is like freedom of speech, and we are trying to get paid off it.
Q: When did you start writing raps?
Fo' Feva: I started writing when I was 7 or 8 years old because I saw my oldest brother writing. You always want to be like (your) big bro; and I never stopped.
Caligula: When I first started writing I wrote this corny rap for my mom's 40th birthday when I was 8. Everyone freaked out. It was just kind of fun for me. It's in my blood.
Pyromaniak: I really don't know how I started doing this. But I think it was with the nursery rhymes.
Q: Is there a message or underlying theme to the music of Nocturnal Rage?
Fo' Feva: We just speak about what we know. We try to touch all bases. "Three MCs and One Mike" is our motto. That's what we are trying to do, doing it for the little kids and old folks. We are trying to bring people into the inner city.
Q: Describe Seattle's hip-hop scene at the moment.
Caligula: The hip-hop scene in Seattle is coming together. The problem is there's too many haters. We are just trying to put Seattle on the map. (Seattle) is untouched territory.
Q: How has the scene evolved over the years?
Fo' Feva: A lot more MCs and DJs, a lot of fake MCs and DJs at the same time. There are cats who just think they can make a record like anyone else and think we came out of nowhere.
Caligula: Basically, there is way more independence, way more people doing it themselves. The music industry is in a downward spiral right now, and we're trying to bring that up. Seattle is going to be on the map.
Q: Do you believe that people outside of Seattle know there is a hip-hop scene here?
Caligula: People definitely know that something is happening up here.
Fo' Feva: Everywhere we go, people know we are from Seattle.
Pyromaniak: You have to represent your town to the fullest. That's hip-hop, that's what it's all about.
Q: What's gratifying about a career in music?
Caligula: We are all lucky enough to do what we are passionate about. That's just the truth.
Fo' Feva: And the women.
Q: Tell me about the Comedy Central show "Premium Blend." What was the experience like?
Caligula: The music supervisor of the show called us up and asked us to be the band for "Premium Blend." Three days later we flew out to New York and got the band together.
Q: What was it like to film the TV appearance?
Caligula: It was off the hook. It was an experience. We filmed all 12 episodes in three days.
Q: What makes a good or effective MC?
Fo' Feva: Know what you are talking about. Talk about what you are living.
Caligula: You have to be a real person before you can think about picking up the mike.
Tina Potterf: 206-464-8214 or tpotterf@seattletimes.com
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