With an album coming very soon…. Here is an interview so you can get to know a little more about this Jersey MC.

Mills: What is meaning of your name: Black Irish?

BI: Black Irish is a term used to describe Irish people with dark features (dark hair, dark eyes)….It’s a term my mother introduced to me because my family is all white Irish people with dark features….I’ve learned that it’s a term that has a lot of meanings to a lot of different people…I know black people that are Irish that use it to describe themselves and it’s also a term used to describe all Irish people when they came to America during the potato famine which was 1847 (Black 47)….Thanks for asking this question because now I can fully explain it…Basically for me it was a term used by my family and I decided it described me best because it’s a part of my heritage and it also describes me because I feel like my music and thoughts can be dark at times and I definitely always felt like a black sheep, a rebel so that’s pretty much it….It stands out and it’s powerful especially in this country when majority of people automatically assume it means I’m Irish and Black but it has a deeper meaning than just race…

Mills: Who are some of your influences? What made you want to be an MC?

BI: Well I started writing when I was 7 years old like poetry and little raps and then I heard “Don’t Sweat The Technique” and “Know The Ledge” by Rakim and that was it for me…I know write from there at age 10 that I wanted to rap. As far as influences I would say Gangstarr, Boot Camp, Wu-Tang, Cypress Hill, House Of Pain and Rage Against The Machine really influenced my music. Those groups created a sound that touched my soul and still does. It’s not only music. It feels like a soundtrack to my life. I’m a fan of all music though. My father put me on to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin etc. and my mom put me on to more soulful r&b music. So I listen to everything.

Mills: If you can set up a “dream” concert…Who would it include?

BI: hmmm.. I would say I would have to have DJ Premier come out and do a set and bring out Group Home, Jeru, Freddie Foxxx and his camp..Sean Price…Then have La Coka Nostra….Cypress Hill…Rage Against The Machine and since it’s a dream I would be the closing artist and I would have Brown13 on the turntables and Johnny 3 Rounds and Kolasuss next to me hyping and performing….off the top yeah that’s what I would go with

Mills: On the track “Make My Day” you say, “Yeah I know the mainstream is plastic, but the underground is still putting out classics”…Tell me more on how you feel about the “mainstream” and also the overall state of Hip Hop.

BI: I feel like the industry created an environment in which only a certain type of music is being shoved down your throat every time you put on t.v. or the radio. I like some of the pop music but that’s what all mainstream music is now whether it’s a cat rappin on hot97 or a rock band on z100. It’s all pop music. 10 years ago you could hear a good pop artist followed by a real emcee on the radio. Now it’s one sided. But people like me are still gonna stick to the script and make real soulful music. Hip Hop was never really meant to be mainstream anyway. It’s real soulful music like jazz music back in the day so it’s cool being the underdog making real music that a certain group of cats like.

Mills: Speaking on mainstream and overall Hip Hop…who are you listening to right now?

BI: I’m listening to my man Johnny 3 Rounds, La Coka Nostra, Ill Bill, Vinnie Paz, Eminem’s new album is a classic to me, always bumpin Sean Price, The Roots, The Black Keys, Jay-Z’s my dude and I just broke out “Livin Proof” by Group Home to bump in the whip.

Mills: What is one of the first songs you heard that made you say, “Damn..this is what Hip Hop is all about”? Why?

BI: Like I said earlier “Know The Ledge” by Rakim, but another one I can say was “Mass Appeal” by Gangstarr….Gangstarr and just Premier’s beats represent what Hip Hop is supposed to sound like period.

Mills: You have a new album called “CadillacSupaClova” that drops on very soon…What is the meaning behind the title and what can we expect from the album?

BI: The title is something I just came up with. I’m constantly just thinking of titles, lyrics everything and that came to me one day and everybody was feelin it so I rolled with it. Brown13 and I started workin on a mixtape together and then during the process I was able to link with Da Beatminerz, !llmind, Marco Polo and WrekRoom and we decided to be a group Black&Brown and go with the title. When you hear the album the title represents the music. Smooth pimp shit and just the essence of what hip hop is supposed to sound like to me anyway. It’s the album I always wanted to make. It’s me talkin shit over hard beats with catchy hooks. Welcome to CadillacSupaClova…enjoy the ride cuz it’s an interesting trip we take you on….

Once again, I wanna thank Black Irish for taking time out to do this interview.  Make sure to stay tuned to 7thBoro.com. for more music and news from Black Irish.

For now, check out this Marco Polo produced track, “Say Uncle”.

[audio:https://7thboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/07-Say-Uncle-Master.mp3|titles=Black Irish- Say Uncle ]