Interview With DeuceDeuce (HipHopCanada)

Ottawa, ON – Deuce-Deuce doesn't do anything on a small scale. From the get-go, the MC duo comprised of Harvey Stripes and Nelson Down have had a massive sound and presence. Their 2005 acclaimed release The Paperboys EP featured a then largely unknown A-list Canadian producer Beat Merchant and let listeners know there was a new confident team on the block. When I ran into Harvey and Nelson at the Stylus Awards, their entire camp was in full-effect pushing their new single "So Fly" hard. The team, the talent, the ambition, the star quality – they have that.In your face and honest about their goals – making music and making money – Deuce-Deuce knows exactly what they want and what it takes to get it. Check out what they had to say.

Tara: Peace Nelson, Peace Harvey. Thanks for speaking with HipHopCanada.com this afternoon! In 2002 we featured you in an article as "up and coming", and then in 2005 we did our first Deuce-Deuce article. Introduce where you're at now, three years later.

Nelson: We are the exact same in terms of us being 50/50 in our business. We've definitely matured and learned a lot from our own personal ventures, we've grown in music and in our own lives. I'd say we're the same, just grown with crazier energy.
Harvey: We're good right now. We're bringing the energy and making music that's been defining who we are, plus we've been on the grind. A lot of people assume we have investors because of our lifestyle but we don't. We make music and get money. It's in a position now where it's do or die for us, this is our future...we've got so much more on the way.

Tara: “So Fly” is the new single, which was released at the Stylus Awards. The response has been wild – Hakeem featured on the track, Beat Merchant on the production. How did it come about?

Harvey: Beat Merchant produced "So Fly". Shout out to Beat Merchant! We've been working ridiculous with him... in the studio 4/7 days of the week. We've got 100-plus Beat Merchant tracks that are still unreleased, plus the 22 that are on Double Or Nothing. As for Hakeem, we banged the track out at 6AM, no sleep, just a bottle of water and some Grey Goose with no chaser. The response has been bananas, people are in love with the track. [Click here to listen to “So Fly”]

Nelson: We've put our work in, the response has been effortless. People just love it, people are feeling it. It speaks for itself. We've got more joints about to drop too, I'd say that are even better than “So Fly”.

HipHopCanada: You were both full force at the Stylus Awards with your camp in the “So Fly” t-shirts. Any plans of getting into the fashion game?

Nelson: Definitely, definitely. Our company, D&D Music Group, covers music and fashion. For fashion, we’ve got Shake Safari who is crazy in the fashion game, his vision is bananas. Veno from Incradouble Inc. is the dude who turns our ideas into real life.

Tara: What else does D&D Music Group handle?

Harvey: We don't hold back. We've got the A&R's, production (Beat Merchant), stylists and artists. The entire team is set, so fly.Nelson: We don't do things small, that’s not our style. We're full force.

Harvey: We're ready for all opportunities.

HipHopCanada: We see that. Another opportunity you've been making use of is the mixtape. With so much controversy surrounding 'em – what's your take?

Nelson: The mixtape is a beautiful thing. The mixtape DJs job is to promote and push new music 150%... that's their hustle. Where else do you get that mass scale promotion? We started coming up in mixtapes, we got to pick and chose what went where. Mixtapes are a beautiful thing that we definitely use.

Tara: How have mediums like college radio and the internet advanced your careers?

Harvey: We had the options to push our music elsewhere first but we go right to leaking it on the internet, then college radio. We could have pushed our tracks right to Top 40 radio but the politics are too much. The internet is our tool though… just Google "So Fly- Deuce Deuce" and see what's up. You'll see search results from international sites pushing our tracks… international.

Tara: What's your take on the state of Canadian hip-hop right now?

Harvey: We're at a stand still. Everyone is stuck in 1998's NY era – we're supposed to be growing and it's stuck with limitations. Why is everybody afraid to grow? Don't get me wrong, we love our Nas and Tribe but we also need to grow to offer what we are. We're a breath of fresh air, using our creativity giving the best we can .We don't want to be labeled as just a Canadian group, our music speaks for itself.

Nelson: We obviously learned from the Golden Era of hip-hop… that's where we learned our foundation. I will, we will, always pay homage to that but it has to evolve. Hip-hop isn't dead; it's very alive and making money. In the 90's we weren’t where we were in the 80's, and right now we need to be in 2008 not the 1990's. We understand both sides.

Harvey: As for Canadian hip-hop, we need to catch up. Everyone is afraid and embarrassed to talk like we don't have the same money and culture as in the States. I don't get that... has anyone been in a club in Canada? People are making up their own moves and dances here just like across the border.

Nelson: We have the same hustle as well. I really don't get it... people have money, have flashy cars, have girls just like America. I'm sure you know people who sell drugs to get by, it's everywhere. How come we're afraid to talk about that in Canada?


Tara: Got you. As a crew making national noise, do you have any advice for those looking up to you?

Nelson: Nothing happens without a lot of work and motivation. We can't express enough how a strong team makes a difference, everyone needs that. Don't stop evolving and keep working.

Tara: What's next for Deuce-Deuce?

Harvey: We've been working with Papoose, Uncle Murda, Mayhem, Trinity Chris, Andreena Mills, Rochester, lots of people. We work with everybody, we’re real cool people.

Nelson: We’re confident and I think people think we’re too cocky but we’re real people. Get too know us, we’re cool.Harvey: “So Fly” is officially out and Double Or Nothing will be out this summer. We’ll be releasing a new single every two-three months; next is “Keep It A Secret” with Adreena Mills.

Taraa: Dope. Thanks for speaking with us today. Any shout-outs? Where can you be found at?

Deuce-Deuce: Shake Safari, Malcom the Mac, Beat Merchant, Veno, Incradouble Inc, Neville Paul, Hakeem, JP, Colin & Pistol Pete, Won-Elevan. Make sure to check out the websites: http://www.deucedeucelive.com/, http://www.myspace.com/deucedeucelive and even hit us up on Facebook: Deuce-Deuce Live. “I'M SO FLY, YOU SO FLY!”