CHILL MOODY

Knowledge of Philadelphia rappers in our group was little to none, however when we had first started to research the subject the two names Chill Moody and Beano kept popping up besides acts like Meek Mill and the Wu-tang Clan, household Philadelphia names. We never thought to consider an interview with these two a possibilty but through a weird connection from a boss's friend, we had the opportunity to sit down with these men, who are defining today'sPhilly music scene.

When Chill Moody was first described to me, I was told to expect a serious guy lead by his determination and passion for the music he creates. This expectation was realized as soon as we met.

When Chill Moody or Chill arrived, he promptly greeted me and apologized for his lateness and set off looking for a back drop for the interview. I almost immediatey noticed the emblem "Nice Things," on his hat, a catch phrase for his intiative to rid Philadelphia of its reputation as a tough and mean city. I also noticed the blue book bag he carried around with him, not unlike the generic model that is worn by most middleschool students. Whether he was carrying the bag around for pure nostalgia, as a sign of freshness in the hip hop scene, or as a metaphor for the burden he carries on his back as Philadelphia's music ambassador, Chill Moody has a specific apperance and presence about him that is translated into our interview.

"How would you describe Hip-hop?"

I’m Chill Moody, I’m a hip hop artist from West Philadelphia. I would define hip hop as a culture. Hip hop is way more than just music, hip hop for me is everything, you know; its my living, its the way I dress, the way I talk, um and its also the music.But hip hop, you know, its also art, you know, you got graffiti and the art of breaking dancing and things like that, so hip hop is just an all encompassing culture.

"How would you describe urban Philly culture ?"

Urban Philly culture is something thats innovative, its something thats ever changing, something thats, as you can see a lot of people want to be apart of. I think that its just something that the world should take more of an eye to, and just you know see more of what we are doing out here.

"Do you believe there is really a genre of music, dance, or art that really came from and describes Philly?"

I don’t know if great music is a genre but I think great music comes from philly and the defines Philadelphia. Whether its hip hop, whether it's indie rock, whether its classical, whatever it is we have the most of all of those genres I think in Philly, so if great music is a genre I think that came from Philly. If you look anybody pretty much thats touring right now with a live band, somebody in their band is from Philly or has roots or a background from Philly and I don’t think thats a coincidence. Its because of the upbringing and our culture here that motivates them to make that great music.

"How does the way we view urban philly culture today been influenced by urban philly culture in the past?"

I think the ways things are going right now are at times a direct influence or the past. The fact that people of Philly have always had that Philly pride, like your very prideful of your city. You’re ready to, you know, yell at anybody who is dissing your city, but at the same time, you ready to check anybody within your city, thats also from the city, to make sure that they are on the up level, going everyday, you know, whether its a musician not putting out the music thats representing the city well or a sports team losing you know. We are yelling at them for that, we are very prideful and I think thats something thats been for generation and generations.

"Has living in Philly, being surrounded by it's particular urban asthetic, and growing up in its street culture influenced your career?"

Thats what shaped my music, that is what shaped my music being from Philly. The fact that, you know I have that pride, I have those foot steps that I follow, and I have that always in the back of my head, that I have to get my city proud, and I’ve got a lot of pride,and theres a lot riding, you know to do what I got to do. Put the city back in the green light, or continue with that green light that the city is in. I think being from Philly, and representing it, carrying the flag and all of those things, really have shaped my music and my art.

"Why do you choose to stay in philly?"

I have chosen to stay in Philly, because I hate the fact that a lot of people say you have to leave Philly to make it. I have never heard a person from New York say, oh I got to go to such and such to make it, or a person from L.A. say I got to go to such and such place to make it. Talent wise we have just as much if not more to offer than any other city in the United States. I don't want five years from now the Chill Moody’s, five years from now, ten years from now, saying you know, I want them to, not even have a thought they have to leave Philly, so if I got to bite the bullet and make it in Philly I’ll do that to make sure the next generation doesn’t have to leave, its not even a thought, and if you want to leave, you left of your own accord, not because you were forced to. I’m doing a lot of things to try to build an infrastructure here as far as music is concerned so people won't have to leave here to follow their passions.