“Return of the Boom Bap” was a 3-day cultural event in Grand Rapids, MI centered around the homecoming of Sixman, acclaimed group The Fist Coalition, and Jammie Award-nominated solo MC Alfie Da Great.
A big-hearted wordsmith who embraces his community, Alfie delivered an impressive, impassioned performance at The Pyramid Scheme during the third day finale. After the show we conducted THIS INTERVIEW with Alfie and he didn’t hold back on how he was feeling. It’s appropriate to say our conversation was great!
First off, Alfie, great set! Your performance was excellent! What’s the most fulfilling thing about being on stage?
Thank you! It’s the energy! Watching people gravitate to your words and even anticipate what you’re going to say, rocking with you when they know the words. It happens too fast but it be in slow motion at the same time! I’m scanning the crowd and seeing people’s faces just lit up! That’s satisfaction.
You received a Jammie Award nomination which didn’t surprise your admirers. Your music is good but it’s deeper than that. Do you think you would have gotten it if the people in your community didn’t love you as much as they do?
No. If the people aren’t embracing you, if they’re not familiar with you and your craft, it’s an uphill fight. I’m embraced, especially at my age. My birthday is Sunday. You don’t see this too often. Shout out to Grand Rapids and all the surrounding cities – Muskegon, Kalamazoo, and everybody that supports real Hip Hop! Shout out to Sixman! Shout out to THISENT.com for doing this interview and showing me love!
I learned so much from y’all in 88 days. We’ve been counting down for over 90 days, but we started with the hype content 88 days in. I learned so much and I appreciate y’alll, for real.
Who is someone in your community that did something helpful for you that made you want to do the same for others?
To be honest it was multiple people. I’m a nomad. I moved around a lot due to my parents being on drugs. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot, a lot, a lot of good people in my life. That’s why I’m the way I am.
I try to push for my community, push for people who don’t have a voice. They need to be spoken for, they need to be represented, we need to give our people hope. That’s why I rap. I rap to give my brothers and my sisters hope.
Explain why getting respect is better than having popularity.
Because you can be popular but people will use you up. People will step on you, walk over you, or leech off of you. When you’re respected, respect is almost like an element of love. Respect is earned. Once you earn that respect, and people know you stand on certain values and morals, then you’re good! You earned that!
Popularity can come and go. It can be real popularity, unpopularity, or popularity for a certain reason like you’re getting a little money, or you’re running with the right click. That don’t last.
Alfie, besides being a dope MC, you have a reputation for being a thoughtful, generous person in your community. Why do you care so much?
Why wouldn’t I?! We’re from the have-nots. You’ve got to care! If people didn’t care about me, I don’t know where I’d be!
I was raised by my grandparents, my grandmothers. It’s just something in me. I can’t explain it. I know why I care, that’s because I love my people. Not just Black people. I love my Black people, don’t get me wrong. Them my peoples, but I love everybody!
You treat me right or you’re doing right, you deserve that love. Love can conquer anything! We can kill racism, we can kill hate, we can even kill disease with love. That’s why I care so much.
We can tell you care about your craft by the detail you put into your lyrics. How long do you work on them until you’re satisfied with what you’ve created?
To tell you the truth… My creative process now… I don’t have a certain time to write. I don’t even know what I’m going to say, it just comes out. A lot of times I don’t even write to beats. I might write 4 bars today then might not write for three or four weeks, but then the rest might come out.
My creative technique is a little different. Sometimes I can write a whole song on the spot. It depends. I just write whatever my heart tells me. I don’t ever force it. If I’m not feeling it, I don’t try to make myself sit there. I just let it come naturally.
Do you draw more creative influence from joy or pain?
Joy.
A lot of the time I think we gravitate to and hold on to pain or the bad things too much. When you’re reflecting, when you look back on your life, I’m pretty sure you had way more good times than you did bad. A lot of times we sit and hold those bad times like, oh, my life was so hard. But in reality, you smiled way more than you cried.
It’s got to be the joy.
What has been your biggest blessing?
My wife. She pushes me. She lets me be me, but she pushes me at the same time. She inspires me but she be on me! She’s rocking with me!
I ain’t never had a person rock with me and I don’t have to second guess nothing. That feels real good. And I have to mention my city, and brothers like Monk, Six… They wasn’t obligated to put me on the bill. They saw fit and felt I was working hard enough, and I appreciate it. That’s what it is.
Tell us what you want to see from “Return of the Boom Bap” next year?
Not even next year, by this summer I want to see us hitting different venues, different parks. Let’s take it back; let’s go into the parks and really do this shit! There’s no reason not to! There’s a whole lane for it all around the word, all around the country.
We ain’t got to run from it. Let’s run to it. |THIS ENT
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
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