It's not you, It's me

Thanks for doing this ahead of time, Kyle. We here at barelyunderground have been digging on your music for a good five or six months. Good to be able to push you even further to the masses. First question and I guarantee everybody asks you this, How long you been working with Big Boi?

Kyle Lucas: No problem man, happy to do it. Vonnegutt has been down with Big Boi for about 2 years almost, but we've been officially signed to Purple Ribbon for about 8 months.

How does it feel to work with someone of that nature?

Kyle Lucas: It's a fucking dream come true. I mean not only is he my boss, and my friend, but he's my hero. Ya know? I grew up on Outkast, their one of the main reasons I even rap in the first place. I'm a fan first and foremost so to have him tell me I’m a dope rapper and be so involved in our project, it's unreal.

Honestly, Outkast is a huge influence on me as well. Are you still working on, "It's Always Sunny In Marietta?"

Kyle Lucas: Yeah, man for sure. I had put a bunch of songs together like 6 months ago and I was going to release it as Always Sunny in Marietta, but then I realized I think I was rushing it. I had to finish the Vonnegutt debut, Falling Up The Stairs then I went to Seattle and did the project w/Captain Midnite. Then when i got back in town I had about 8 records and I realized I was just rushing it out there and it was quantity over quality. It's been a year since Still My Favorite came out and I wanted to do about a mixtape a year, band stuff, side EP’s and guest features. So yeah, It's Always Sunny in Marietta is about 6 records deep right now, it will come out as soon as i feel that its a strong project and better then my last mixtape.

What type of mixtape are you going for?

Kyle Lucas: Umm, I want to just do a dope ass mixtape! I love Drake's mixtape, Donnis's mixtape and Wale's Mixtape About Nothing. I love how it feels like albums, so I’m not sure if I'm gonna do like 12 straight bangers or keep a mixtape feel and do about 18 but I want just dope ass records. I had such a great response off of Still My Favorite, I view that as the tape that like really "put me on." I just want it to be better. So far it's shaping up where it's a little more alternative as far as the beats I'm rapping on. I know I’ve been kind of known for rapping on off the wall pop/punk records, so their will be some of that, maybe more then the last tape. But it's still going to be very hip hop as well. Just trying to do something different at the same time show everyone I'm a fucking emcee. I know I'm in a pop band and I do songs like the Metro Station remix and the auto tune project w/Midnite. I love all that, but I don't want people to forget I can spit.

I was really obsessed with Drake when I first heard him when "Ransom" came out. I still believe he's got a huge stock in rap's future but I feel a little less excited about it, You know?

Kyle Lucas: Yeah Drakes the man. I’ve been listening to him forever, since Room for Improvement when he was on Degrassi. I used to get made fun of cause he's from Degrassi and now look at him. I think he's killing shit and it just goes to show you that a hit record can change any perception of an artist. A hit record changes everything.

I was a big fan of "Greetings & Salutations". Were there a lot of beats on "Kyle Lucas Is Still Your Favorite" that were original?

Kyle Lucas: A few of the Simon illa joints were original but the majority of them were all sampled beats just chopped and flipped. That's kind of been my formula cause it has the classic mixtape feel of rapping on other peoples beats but it's different then just grabbing every Lil' Wayne beat that's out there. I'm like kind of obsessed with finding "non rap" songs and flipping them with some rap shit.

Another song you've done that I really dug was "Fuck You, Kyle". Were you a big fan of South Park growing up?

Kyle Lucas: Hell yeah. I love South Park. I’ve seen every episode, their geniuses man. I'm a huge fan. If this rap shit doesn't work, I want to get a job there. haha

Yeah. South Park is just ridiculous sometimes but you love it. Another one was your remix of "Wow, I Can Get Sexual, Too". I always was obsessed with that song and was a little mad you beat me to making a rap remix of it but you killed it. Do you enjoy throwing verses on pop punk records more than rap beats or what's your preference? You kind of already covered this so maybe the better question is did you start off this way or kind of find your comfort on joints like that?

Kyle Lucas: Yeah cause i grew up on bands like Blink 182, Sublime & MxPx and at the same time know every word to every Outkast album, and emcees like Royce, Cormega, AZ etc. So i feel like it represents me when i rap on beats like that. I'm a product of my influences, straight up. And it just so happens that my influences are from all genres. I’ve recently become friends with some of the guys in Say Anything as well, so it was a great feeling to hear them love that song.

Yeah I'm the same way. Grew up on rock and rap simultaneously. But next question. What's coming first. A Vonnegutt album or a Kyle Lucas album? From the way you were talking earlier, Vonnegutt sounds first but go ahead and elaborate.

Kyle Lucas: Yeah, Vonnegutt is the pride and the job, the bread and the butter. I just do so many mixtapes and side projects cause I love to rap. But Vonnegutt is what’s going to break, it's what got us our deal, it's the shit etc. haha. I always wanted to be in a band, so starting a band, doing an EP and then getting that band signed is an incredible accomplishment. It's what I’ve always wanted. Plus Vonnegutt shows kick ass haha

Any clue on a general time on when the album's going to come? Or where the distribution is coming? Cause I guess I'm not sure what Purple Ribbon's under anymore.

Kyle Lucas: Yeah we are in the process of finishing all that up. Purple Ribbon can sign any act to any major, there is no restrictions. So we will see where we end up. We will release something by the end of the year. A single, an EP or an album. Just a matter of figuring out the best and smartest decision.

True. What's the back-story on Vonnegutt?

Kyle Lucas: I kind of grew bored with rapping when i was like 21. So I decided to start a band. Like I said, I'm a huge fan of acts like Blink 182, Sublime, Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, etc. So I figured I could start a band. I met Neil Garrard and we put together the Vice Nine EP with just us and producer Mike Woodruff. We put it up online, kind of grew a buzz a little online and through physical copies we would give away for free. Neil was doing a lot of studio work with Dungeon Family acts and we got the CD to Big Boi and it jumped off. We recently just solidified our line up with bass player Pat Postlewait and drummer Taylor White.

When did you begin rapping? And did you try your hand at singing or an instrument first when you decided you wanted to be apart of a band?

Kyle Lucas: I started rapping in 3rd grade. And heavily began recording and pursuing a career when i was 16-17. But nah, I’m the most non musical person on the planet. I can't make a beat, keep a beat or play any instruments. I can just rap.

Today was actually the first time I'd listened to Vonnegutt besides live videos and I believe I heard "Bright Eyes". I just want to say I love the sound, What are your influences when it comes to the band and when it comes to your solo music?

Kyle Lucas: Well the influences with the band are so broad cause we have 4 different members with very strong opinions and are all incredible at their craft. Vonnegutt is a band. It's not just me and a band I use to do shows, we all write our songs and have a say in the production and general direction of the music. Neil’s a very big indie rock fan, i love pop music and hip hop, Pat listens to everything and Taylor is a very big on rock music. so its a very interesting time when writing our songs, but i definitely feel its for the better.

Do you feel any pressure as an white emcee even though your more in the rock atmosphere with a full band?

Kyle Lucas: Nah, color is irrelevant to me. I'm a emcee. Period. I cringe at the term "white rapper." I absolutely hate it, and I find it very pathetic when rappers who are white just talk about being a "white rapper" the whole time. It's like grow up, write a fucking song and be dope. Nah, Big Boi doesn't fuck with us cause were white or whatever and I'm rapping, its cause we make jamming music.

Yeah. Hopefully it's a dead term over the next few years but I doubt it. As of now, do you have any big features coming up?

Kyle Lucas: Umm, I mean I'm always up for rapping on peoples songs. I’m about to fly out and do a video in LA for the remix I did on the electro-hip-hop group Hott Mess which i'm stoked about. About 20 minutes ago i talked to Slimm Calhoun about getting on Always Sunny. I'm a huge Dungeon Family fan so to be able to talk to some of them and work with them is awesome. I talked to Donnis and Pill about being on Always Sunny, it's just that everyone is always all over the map and making moves its kind of tough to get people in one place. But hopefully that will happen. That would be big for the South and us new breed of emcees. But with features it's like if their big or not, I just like being fans of their music. Doing a song with PumpkinHead for his mixtape was awesome cause i came up on his music. I'm a huge fan. So I'm down to do any features, but its extra dope when i'm a fan as well.

Yeah, that's pretty sweet. Especially doing a video in LA. I think Donnis is dope. I'm just getting into Pill. I remember seeing Slimm's classic solo when I was a kid. Name always stuck with me. Anyways, any artists, albums or songs you been really feeling lately?

Kyle Lucas: Recently all I’ve been bumping is Donnis, Drake, Nipsey Hu$$le & XV as far as hip-hop goes. Other than that I’ve been killing on some Panic! At The Disco, Passion Pit, The Used, and of course my favorite band is Coheed & Cambria.

Coheed are just nuts. I really think the singer/guitarist is a genius. I was wondering this the other day. Have you done any tracks with Big Boi yet? Either as a band or just yourself.

Kyle Lucas: Yeah, the Vonnegutt single is featuring Big Boi.

Who are you looking forward to possibly having a chance to collaborate with?

Kyle Lucas: I'd love to do a song w/Fall Out Boy. And of course a song w/Coheed & Cambria or maybe do a song and have Claudio of Coheed sing a hook. I think that'd be awesome. I love his side project Prize Fighter Inferno where he is singing on trippy electro beats, that'd be ill to do something like that with him.

Last question, So what's directly coming up in your career you'd like to promote?

Kyle Lucas: The Vonnegutt album Falling Up The Stairs, keep a definite look out for that. My mixtape It's Always Sunny in Marietta is being completed ASAP, Big Boi's album Sir Luscious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty is done! and C-Bone (of KonKrete) album The Strong Pack is coming out soon as well! It's Purple Ribbon shawty!

Thank you Kyle. You are going to go down as the first full interview for barelyunderground. There will be many to come but I can't wait for down the road where we can re-visit this interview once you've gotten even farther.

Kyle Lucas: No problem! It was my pleasure! Everyone can check out more music here http://www.myspace.com/KyleLucasMusic.

That was just the first of many interviews to come here to http://barelyunderground.blogspot.com.