So, over @ Sphere Of Hiphop, Plastic hit me up to do 7 questions.  Never mind the intro.  He got lucky this year.  I was pretty sure Micro or I locked up the Sphere Of Hiphop fantasy baseball title.  I’m really upset about that.  I mean really.  My fantasy team collapsed like the Mets last year.  Ugh.  Terrible I tell you, Terrible.

The interview is after the jump.

Paco is a good dude who enjoys losing to Plastic in Fantasy Baseball pretty much every year. For real… he’s got a great heart and makes some fresh music. He was a key contributor to the Bar Wars project and is one half of The Knownauts crew. You can download Bar Wars at SphereofhiphopMP3.com and even check out some other stuff he’s been a part of.

What would be the best question I could ask you in this interview?
The best question you could ask me in this interview would be about upcoming projects.  Free publicity is good.  Or records.  Yeah, records are good.  Either those two or something food related.

What’s more important? The live show or recording an album?
Chicken or the egg?  They’re both equally important.  Why do a live performance when you have no merchandise to sell?  It almost takes the point out of touring and building up your fan base.  On the other hand, how are you going to expand your fanbase outside of those who already know you without shows?  I think if you want to make it somewhere in the industry or at least have a minimal side job, you have to have a balance of both.

I think it all comes down to goals.  Do you want to be the best rapper on your block?  Do you want to be the best in your city or state?  Do you want to get known nationally or internationally?  It all comes down to career vs. side job vs. hobby.  Only you can answer that question for yourself.

Bacon or sausage?
Finally, a food related question.  Bacon, all day.  I wish the world’s currency was based on bacon rather than the dollar or the euro.  Can you imagine a world where we can pay for gas using 3 strips of bacon?  I can.  The only setback is that it would make your leather wallet smell worse than it already is, and I’m sure ladies would be upset if made their purses smelly and greasy.  They like fruity smelly things.

I had soy bacon once.  It wasn’t half bad, actually.  Kind of tasty, yet not the real thing.

Are you a Christian rapper or a Christian that happens to rap or a person who happens to be a Christian who happens to be a rapper?
The age old question.  Well, I’m neither because I’m only a producer, buuuuuuut………

The thing is this:  I’m not sure if it’s our genre, or my state, or anything else but the general consensus when it comes to me is that I receive more respect in the secular community than I did in our Christian community.  I’ve had a few others tell me that exact same thing.  The secular 99% of the time does NOT label me a Christian producer or my friends as Christian rappers, but they do recognize us as Christians.  That’s where MY ministry starts.  It’s not about the music, it’s about the relationship I build with others. I happen to think that I’m a producer who happens to be Christian.  That’s the way I view it, at least.

Do you have a dream collaboration in mind?
You know, funny you should mention that.  This came up in a circle of friends not too long ago.  My dream collaborations would be Chuck D., Rakim, KRS-One, and Nas in THAT order.

It’s a strange thing when you get into producing.  A lot of your heroes become your peers.  It’s a daunting thing and it almost gets surreal at times.  Like for example, I was a huge Labklik and MG! fan when I first got into Christian hiphop.  It was an honor to produce not one, but three tracks for Illtrip.  Unfortunately they won’t be on any release from what I understand, but it was an honor to do those.  Since MG! was living in Phoenix for a while, he and I became really good friends.  It’s crazy to see all these cats that you used to look up to at one point in time are just like you and are digging YOUR music and much as you dig THEIRS.

Name your first memory of hip-hop.
Wow… I’d have to say listening to tapes by Run DMC,  UTFO, Dougie Fresh, etc. etc. on my neighbors boombox.  This had to be early to mid 80’s.  It was a love affair with me from then on.

On a day off from work, how do you enjoy spending your time?
Hrm, it depends on what time of the year.  Living in Phoenix the summers can just be brutal to the point of not wanting to go out anywhere.  But, it could be going to a hiphop show, staying in and working on production, it could be just watching MMA or baseball, it could be spending time with my family.  But I like to spend time cooking bacon.  Oh, that glorious bacon……