Urthlings
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The Urthlings are a 518 based hip hop group originally formed in 2002 as a collaboration project between two emcees/producers Scissor Hands and John the Prophet. They released one maxi-single called "Weather Report/Do What U Do" and were set to record their long awaited EP "The Third Color". After a few years the project basically got scrapped and John the Prophet retired as an emcee/producer, moving on to a different genre of music.

Finally, the project has come back in full force in 2005 with a new list of talented, hungry emcees/producers. Original member Scissor Hands, as well as the three up & coming 518 emcees Shade Rhapsodist, Kavi & Babble Free.
Why this name?
Shade Rhapsodist - "Because it's the only thing we could agree on, and it defines our styles... all of us being different and foreign to each other. So Urthlings sounds kinda out of this world which well I think our music is."

Kavi - "The band name is cause that's what we are, it's like Rakim said... "Earth, its my place of birth/ Besides the part of the map I touched first/"

Scissor Hands - "Word.. what they said."

Babble Free - "The name was a unanimous decision I believe."
Do you play live?
Kavi - "Not yet.."

Scissor Hands - "I've done a few open mic shows & one show in Watervliet with Sev Statik, JB!! & Realistikk.

Shade Rhapsodist - "I've performed a few times infront of people, and pan handled on the streets.... but as of right now no big shows, I would love to though and I'm sure it will come in the future."

Babble Free - "I don't play live but one time this Scissor Hands kid peer pressured me into spittin this horribly written verse public in front of a bunch of people."
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
Babble Free - "I think it completely negates any potential monetary positivity that comes out of doing music. One person gets the cd, and all his friends are like "yo burn me a copy these urthling kids are ill" and then so on and so on and then we 35 still doin in the same place we are now."

Shade Rhapsodist - "It made it possible for people to be heard in places where they would never on an ordinary terms be heard, and it made collaborations with people much easier."

Scissor Hands - "It's destroyed it."

Kavi - "The internet revolutionized how up and coming artists can spread their music, it isn't and has never been a question of stealing, the arguement is one that has been plaguing mankind since the beginning of science, that is, should new technology be free. obviously corporate america says no, while the peolpe say yes, and we represent the people."
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
Kavi - "No, but we would be interested in getting a grant from a record label to operate under them, obviously until we can get the money to run ourselves."

Scissor Hands - "Yup"

Shade Rhapsodist - "Medusa Media is where it's at."

Babble Free - "Probably not, I value my anonymity over any money or celebrity status."
Your influences?
Scissor Hands - "Soo, so much. DJ Shadow, Wu-Tang Clan, Killarmy, Sunz of Man, Portishead, Pink Floyd, Modest Mouse, Marilyn Manson, RJD2, Blockhead, White Zombie.

Babble Free - "My musical influences really very too greatly to be summarized down into a simple answer. I sort of take inspiration from all sorts of things from other artists work...analyzing what they might've thought when they did what they did. Music-wise I listen to basically anything from people I know, and everything else is just Def Jux affiliated."

Kavi - "You can learn something from anybody, thats the philosophy we take to our influences, whether its a legend from any genre of music, or any random person on the street, we study them and learn what they have that we dont, then apply that to our music."

Shade Rhapsodist - "Crosby,Stills and Nash, Sweetwater, Wax Poetic, Roni Size, Atmosphere, Grateful dead, Sublime, Granola Funk Express, El-p, Sage Francis, Bob Marley, Jedi Mind Tricks, Nelly Furtado, Alanis Morissette, talib Kweli, Common, Dispatch, Frank Zappa, Wu-Tang, Spooky Kids, Pink Floyd, Rjd2, White Zombie, Danny Elfman, the Doors, KRS one, the Beatles, Marilyn Manson, Eyedea and DJ Abilities, Twiztid, Jimmy Buffett, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Sneaker Pimps, Crustation, Outerspace, Radiohead, Goapele, James Taylor, Alice Cooper, Level Jumpers, Esham, Bjork, Natas,Sly and the family stone, Eric Clapton, Phish, 311, F.R.EEZE, Aesop Rock, Blueprint, the who, Dresden Dolls, Nina Hagen, Easy Star all Stars, eligh, Cannibal OX, Rage against the Machine, Mars Volta, Burning Spear, They might be giants, Jimi Hedrix, Scum Of the earth, Spice Girls, Cage Kennylz, Copywrite, DJ Shadow, Cranberries, The Cure, Blues Traveler, Lauryn Hill, Souleye and Overset, Chauch, and all the musicians i know or have come across in the 518 area... i listen to pretty much anything this is just some."
Favorite spot?
Kavi - "Earth"

Babble Free - "My favorite spot actually would have to be this little secluded parking lot in downtown Saratoga, not many people know about it or go there and it's just got a nice vibe for being in such a busy place.. It's my peaceful little oasis in a cityful of traffic and pedestrian flocks."

Scissor Hands - "Myrtle Beach is iLL."

Shade Rhapsodist - "Saratoga is a really chill place to be, everyone is welcoming and they all show their love towards one an other."
Equipment used:
Kavi - "A few computers for the majority of production, the world is full of instruments and we will find beautiful music in the oddest places."