By
Niki Gatewood (@THENikiG) | Published 04/19/2011
Who is Brotha Lynch Hung? Is he the cannibalistic psychopath who brags about disemboweling and dining upon his adversaries? The better question is who is Kevin Mann? Kevin, the only child, was born to a mother who introduced him to music. His love of music began to fester, so he began to make his own variety.
Writing poems and eventually turning to the mic, he uses hip-hop to express his thoughts. This artistic introvert created the "Rip-Gut Surgeon," which is Brotha Lynch Hung. Reserved and emotionally reclusive, Kevin Mann is the polar opposite of his lyrical counterpart. Through entrenched lyrics, he presents the metaphoric mirror of himself. Brotha Lynch Hung, his Frankenstein's monster, waves back from a reflected pool of his truth, his struggle, and his unique perspective.
The always appealing Brotha Lynch grants BallerStatus.com an intimate interview where he dissects the lyrical content of his latest album, Coathanga Strangla.
BallerStatus.com: What I'd like to do now is to dissect a little bit of the Coathanga Strangla. Why does the therapist have a British accent? Is she an accomplice, or do we have to wait to find out what her overall role is?
Brotha Lynch Hung: Yeah, you'll have to see what's up with her on the last album [Mannibalector]. Even though I've never been overseas, I love the world. I want to go to England; things about other places fascinate me. If I found a girl that could speak Chinese, she would have been that therapist. England, it's a place where I'm aspiring to go visit. I thought having a therapist from England that might be my next place to visit.
BallerStatus.com: Is she the personification of the sane part of this guy's personality? Is she an actual person, or just his amplified thoughts?
Brotha Lynch Hung: No, she is the therapist. You know, I've always thought I was sick in the head, so it was about time that I sit and talked with a therapist. I'm not talking to myself like I did on the earlier albums -- you know with, Manson, Guy, and all that. Inside of the trilogy, I went with a real therapist, like let me go see what's going on. Not in real life!
BallerStatus.com: On, "Look, It's A Dead Body," you say "...I'm sicker than the rabies / I'm still hella mad because I didn't sign with Shady / Records, but I'm Strange now / snake in the back / n****, sickest independent on the map..." Were you offered a deal with Shady?
Brotha Lynch Hung: No, nothing ever came up with them. Me and Eminem have been on the same type of subject matter, you know? I felt that he should have paid attention to me, but, you know, that's one of my favorite rappers. I ain't got nothing bad to say about him.
BallerStatus.com: Now, with the "...snake in the back..." is that a reference to the Strange medallion, or are there some snake-ass-n****'s on Strange Music?
Brotha Lynch Hung: Nah, it's straight up talking about the Strange chain. That's what we call it at home.
BallerStatus.com: Also, on that track you say, "...leaving Reeces Pieces / my feeces / bitch, give me something to eat with / a brand new recipe, anatomy deep dish / I know this is different / a lot of people tell me I'm gifted..." You are so f***ing dope! (laughing) So, really, you have to eat your own sh** to make these fools taste better?
Brotha Lynch Hung: Basically.
BallerStatus.com: That line was poignant and nasty. I like that you have the audacity to say something like that, wow!
Brotha Lynch Hung: I'm an only child. I've had a lot of time to think.
BallerStatus.com: I'm going to start plagiarizing you. How do you think to say stuff like that? How do you feel as though you've been innovative?
Brotha Lynch Hung: I don't. I don't ever know. I love playing with words so much that while I'm putting it down on the track, I can't really hear it. I just say it like I wrote it. The most fun part is when I get home, I'll smoke a blunt and I'll listen to it. It's almost like I'm a new user. And if I like it, it's a go.
BallerStatus.com: If I wrote like you write, you wouldn't be able to tell me anything.
Brotha Lynch Hung: Man, I never even knew that people were going to pick up on what I had. I just kept doing what I like to do, and they picked up on it. I got lucky with that one. I didn't think that people liked lyrics anymore. Because, I came out in the '90s and that was when N.W.A. was like, you know, you could rap regular as long as you made hits.
BallerStatus.com: We love lyrics, just know that.
Brotha Lynch Hung: Good look, thank you.
BallerStatus.com: On "Sooner or Later" who is that on the hook?
Brotha Lynch Hung: A guy named Mr. Blap. The first time I met him, it was here in Sac [Sacramento, CA]. He was in a studio that I was recording in. I didn't even know he could sing. I came in there one day and he kinda shocked me. He said, "Listen to this," and I said, "It's a go." I finally got Irv The Phenom, from the Strange camp; he got on there with Mr. Blap on another song on the album. It's called "Mama Never Loved Me." That dude, Irv the Phenom, he go! That boy is multi-talented, so I had to get him on there, too.
BallerStatus.com: Why does paranoia prevent thorough companionship? Do you ever feel as though a person isn't with you for the right reasons? Why does doubt always destroy possibility?
Brotha Lynch Hung: I don't know, because I don't know who's listening, you know what I mean? I do it to remind myself. That song is like a reminder of myself. In the future, I can listen to that song and it will remind me of what not to do. I don't know how people are going to take that song.
BallerStatus.com: See, I had questions about that song. At first, I thought you were talking about relationships, and then I thought it was geared towards hip-hop. Then I thought you were intentionally being vague so that the listener could craft his own meaning.
Brotha Lynch Hung: Well, I do leave songs open like that. But, that one it was three different situations that was on my mind.
BallerStatus.com: What was the third situation?
Brotha Lynch Hung: Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
BallerStatus.com: (laughs) You ain't f***ing with me?
Brotha Lynch Hung: (laughs)
BallerStatus.com: If the gallows could speak, then they would sound like "Suicide Watch." The production is crazy.
Brotha Lynch Hung: Seven [Michael Summers] is a beast. We work real good together. Like I said before, the good thing about Sev is that he knows how to make beats for Brotha Lynch, that's for Brotha Lynch. The boy is just amazing! We worked together on both of these albums. He did all of Coathanga minus two or three beats, and he did half of Dinner And A Movie. I'm hoping that he can do all of Mannibalector. He knows how to step it up. He knows how to move it up a level. We have a good relationship to where he knows where I want to go next.
BallerStatus.com: When you're working with him, are you guys physically together? Do you go through a bed of beats and choose the ones that you like and builds them up? How does it work?
Brotha Lynch Hung: Well, him being in the East coast and me being way in Cali. He and I just have phone conversations about the next couple of songs. For instance, with this one, I told him, "I need a beat for a song called "I Love My Teeth." And he'll say, "I got you." It might be a day or so later, he'll text me and say, "Peep this." Most of the time I'll "Yeah, yay." I don't know how to say nah to him. But, most of the time they're heaters. He knows what I want to do. He's been a long-time fan [of mine] and I'm a very big fan of him. He kinda knows where I want to go and that's the type of producers I like to f*** with. Those people who have listened to my sh** in the past. They know where I'm at [in an artistic sense].
BallerStatus.com: Let's go to "I Don't Think My Mama Ever Loved Me." There are so many different layers to this track. Initially, when I listened to it, I thought it sounded cluttered. Then I came to appreciate how the production coincided with the conflicting emotions that you seemed to be experiencing. Are you affectionate with your children? Did parenting come naturally or did you have to work on it?
Brotha Lynch Hung: Definitely. It's [parenting] is still kinda coming. During raising my kids, I just developed different patterns that we do. Like, I'll always have them come give me a kiss on the cheek before they go to bed. That's a pattern. I'll always have them come and say good morning to me. In my opinion, before the day starts and after the day is over, is when you need to establish that connection with your kids. Basically, that's what I've did, because I've had a weird career where they wouldn't see me for long stretches of time. They had to get used to it. As long as I give my kids that kiss goodnight and get that wake-up kiss—and my son is 15 and he still kisses me on the cheek.
BallerStatus.com: That is beautiful. Do you have a feeling of unconditional love for them?
Brotha Lynch Hung: It was natural [from] when they were born. You know, I took both of my younger ones out of their mother, and I cut the cord. So, for me, yes. It's enough to drive you crazy.
BallerStatus.com: With the relationship between your mother and yourself, do you focus more on the positive or negative memories? It's natural for us to place our parents on a pedestal and think of all the things that they should have done. Are you able to view her as an actual person with weaknesses and strengths?
Brotha Lynch Hung: The best thing that I could tell you about my mom is that she was satisfied with where her life was at. I envy that a lot. She didn't want to be rich, you know what I mean? She just loved her life. She taught me that pattern stuff. Every morning when I woke up she was on the couch listening to her music. That's how I got into music. It was a pattern every single day. She never really had a job or anything, but she was satisfied with her life. Whether I'm rich or poor, I learned from her to just be satisfied with my life. Then, she died. To me, she had a cool life.
BallerStatus.com: Do you still have that hollow ache and want her to be here? Is it selfish to want her around even though she's in a better place?
Brotha Lynch Hung: Well, I'm sort of a bitch about it, because I run away from it. Like with her birthday, I try to forget that it's coming and Christmas. She made me love Christmas so much. It was not so much about getting gifts. [It was more about] just walking around in the store and watching people do the same thing that you're doing. That's what makes me feel good about Christmas. My mom gave that to me.
BallerStatus.com: The hook on that track is so compelling, "...Hey, Mama. I saw everything but love / had to struggle growing up / wanted her to hold me in her arms and say that it's alright / plans and homies fade away / many things I wish she said to me/ but, I don't think that Mama ever loved me..."
Brotha Lynch Hung: Well, you know, the only reason I used those words I wrote in that hook is because she left me. It wasn't her fault, but she left me. That's where the hook came from.
BallerStatus.com: Until the next time you talk to BallerStatus, you have the last word.
Brotha Lynch Hung: First of all I want you to look out for Made Sicc Movies and Down Raw Flicks. We started a little movie company. We are starting from the bottom, just like I did with the music. And also, go to Youtube.com/SiccTeeVee and check out some of our little commercials and skits and stuff like that. Look out for the Mannibalector album. It'll be put together with the most lyrical and the sick sh**. It'll be more like a Season of da Siccness. Also, go to SiccTeeVee.com.
Who is Brotha Lynch Hung? Is he the cannibalistic psychopath who brags about disemboweling and dining upon his adversaries? The better question is who is Kevin Mann? Kevin, the only child, was born to a mother who introduced him to music. His love of music began to fester, so he began to make his own variety.
