The LINE 9: Fat Tony
We talked with Fat Tony — the experimental rapper born in Houston — on the eve of his annual Sunday Jam at the LINE Austin about heaven, hell, and everything in between. With the LINE 9 as our guide, the ever-thoughtful and enthusiastic Tony gave us top notes on his upcoming album, I Will Make a Baby in This Damn Economy (out August 25th), the icons of Texas music, his dream collaborators, a life-changing moment with a stranger, and more.
Q:
What do you want us to know about the new album?
A:
What I’m most excited about is the outro song. It’s called Jasper, Texas, and it’s about the murder of James Byrd Jr., which happened in in 1998 when I was in elementary school, and it’s really stuck with me my whole life. I feel like it was a great way to close the album on such a solemn note, a serious note — a song about grief, pain, and literal torture, and it’s part of Texas history. I think it was national news when I was a kid, but actually, maybe people 10 years younger than me have no idea. But I’m hoping that people know about what happened to James Byrd Jr. after listening to my album.
The couple songs right before it are pretty positive, kind of like fun, really. I feel like it’s hard to not talk about these things, even if the rest of the record’s fun, you know? And for me, it’s hard for me to separate the two. What is life without good and bad, without joy and pain? That’s just how I look at the world and how I like to express myself.
My favorite song on the album is one of the singles, “Make a Baby.” That’s my favorite song hands-down, basically about pushing through no matter what type of shit that you’re dealing with. Like, you know, we live in a world that is crumbling and full of sorrow and pain and a lot of sadness. But I think despite all the troubles that we deal with, personal and professional, and as a nation or a community — or however you want to classify your group — we still find ways to make things happen.
Q:
Who are the icons of Texas music?
A:
DJ Screw, Pimp C, and Erykah Badu are the first three that come to mind. Essentially, Screw is a DJ who in my mind represents experimental music. Pimp C is a producer, rapper, singer, who’s really known for being like a braggadocious, cocky person, but I think some of his best work is very vulnerable and heartfelt. He’s the type of artist that has made songs that I’ve heard all my life that still make me cry. I also mentioned Erykah Badu because she is a great singer. She’s someone who has never been afraid to reinvent herself or to change her style. And much like a Pimp C or a DJ Screw, she’s an artist’s artist, the type of artist that inspires other artists, and those tend to be the people that I respect the most.
If I had more than three, I’d throw a lot more people in there, like a Selena or a ZZ top. I love the additional mentions because you know I was gonna somehow get Selena into this interview.
Q:
Who is your dream collaborator — living or dead?
A:
Living, George Clinton; he’s my hero. He’s one of my favorite producers and artists of all time. I think he’s a total genius. And dead, I’d have to say Prince. Both of them are extremely funky, extremely left-of-center, and extremely original. And they’re both leaders, two artists who I’ve always aspired to be like. I love people that break the mold. I love people that dare to be different. I love people that aren’t afraid to be “weird” and gather a crew of other weirdos and lead them to the promised land of a groove.
Q:
If you could live in any movie, what movie would you live in?
A:
Damn, what’s a good movie where I’d feel safe and happy in? A lot of the movies that I like, I wouldn’t want to live in them. Like one of my favorite movies is Do the Right Thing. I don’t want to live in that. It it was too hot and everybody was fighting with each other, just constantly bickering.
If I could live in a movie, it’d probably be Poetic Justice because I love a road trip. I’m the kind of person that’s been on tour nonstop since like 2011. I love being in a car, I love going place-to-place, and I love romance. I would have to bring another girl there, so it’d be a triple-date road trip.
Q:
What is your go-to conversation starter?
A:
Mine is always to ask someone where they grew up rather than ask someone where they’re from or where they live. As someone that has traveled a bunch around the US and has listened to music from all over, I feel like when I hear about where somebody grew up, that kind of gives me an inkling of who they are as a person. It at least gives me a place to start.
Like if you listen to a UGK song, you’ll hear how people in East Texas talk. If you listen to a Snoop Dogg song, you’ll hear how people in Southern California talk. If you listen to a Too Short song, you’ll hear how people in the Bay Area, Northern California talk. And I think all of these things give a little glimpse into who a person might be, or at least what their surroundings were when they were coming up.
Q:
What’s the best moment you ever had with a stranger?
A:
I met this woman named Jazmin Garcia, who’s a filmmaker, in Oakland at this DIY venue in 2012, and we talked pretty much the entire night. And then maybe like four years later, I’m in LA at my friend’s house, and she walked in the door and I was like, Oh shit it’s you. And she was like, Whoa, it’s you. And we started to become friends and talk again, and she introduced me to some of my best friends that I have now. From the moment that we locked eyes, we had some sort of connection that made us feel like we get each other and we should be friends. Every time I interact with her, I feel like, This is a person that understands me.
Q:
If you could create one law, what would it be?
A:
Well, since personally I’m allergic to bullshit I would outlaw bullshit in any form. And by that I mean anything that’s like a con or a deception or something that’s trying to get over on the other person. Because I think living in our truth, being honest about what you want and what you don’t want, you’re always going to be happier. Don’t, like, try to screw somebody over. I hate people that think that trying to get one over on somebody is gonna get them closer to their goals. Because even if you do that and it works, what’s the satisfaction in that? You’re a sucker. Ain’t no shortcuts.
Q:
What is your idea of total hell?
A:
Since I work in music, my idea of total hell is being forced to hear music by people that suck, music by people I hate, music that has no sense of groove or creativity — over and over and over and over.
Like being stuck at a music festival that runs 24/7 featuring the most uncool, dorky artists of all time — the type of person that is very close-minded about their music taste, that likes to section off rap music or is like, “This is real hip-hop, and this is fake hip-hop.” Someone that’s just totally stuck in classic rock or just only listens to music on Spotify playlists. Someone that has never been to anything ever that wasn’t advertised to them. Those are the type of people that grow up to be the worst artists.
Q:
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A:
When all of my loved ones and myself can be comfortable, safe, and feel optimistic about our futures. My idea of perfect happiness is optimism and the opportunity to keep going forward. Like I have the luxury of being a person who has enjoyed a lot of comfort in their life, even when I’ve lived in a way that might seem uncomfortable to some. It is not the worst of circumstances, so I’m grateful for it. I think that I have a good life and I’m lucky to be here. I think about that every day.
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