54th Regiment: Glory Days
B’en Original
In hip-hop, acts come and go, especially these days. But just when you were almost convinced that neo-soul was only good music worth buying, along comes an group that reminds you of what loved about the rap game from day one. Repping New Jersey, True Essence recording artists 54th Regiment is not your every day hip-hop act. With their original production, and a wide range of content, they represent what this thing of ours has lost in its rapid growth…authentic hip-hop.
AllHipHop.com: I want to take the opportunity to let you guys clear the air on the confusion between 54th platoon (FUBU) and 54th Regiment?
Unseen: On that situation, you can’t change history. We were first. Our history is documented from reels to DAT’s, music played on Hot 97. You can’t take that away.
Ransom: The music speaks for itself. When you listen to the album, you won’t confuse it.
MP: If you go back to movie Glory with Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, it was always 54th Regiment. You can’t change history.
AllHipHop: Why did you choose to use the name of the historical Buffalo Soldiers, the 54th Regiment?
Unseen: The original 54th Regiment changed history. As far as our group, we all came together from different backgrounds like the members original regiment and we are going to change the face of today’s music.
MP: We are all coming through our share of struggles, with a common goal to make it as artist. We struggled and earned our spot.
AllHipHop: Your debut LP “Civil War” was featured in The Source’s Independence Day. How did that come about?
Unseen: we recorded, manufactured and distributed it ourselves. We pushed it on the streets. Within a month, they heard about the album and it was history after that.
AllHipHop: How do you differ from other hip-hop acts?
Ransom: Styles. We bring different styles and a different flavor to the game.
MP: We are coming with our own angles. We can go from stories, the party thing to the streets, we got everything covered.
Ransom: I feel we are the true representation of hip-hop because we feel what are doing. A lot of cats don’t feel what they are doing.
AllHipHop: How do guys feel about hip-hop as a whole right now with sales declining and a lot of garbage in rotation.
Unseen: I think people need to stick doing what they do best.
MP: Hip-Hop labels are so stuck on sales that they’re not worrying about the music. How are albums going to sell when you’re not focusing on the music?
Ransom: I think it’s good that sales are falling off because we are going to be the saviors. Let the sales keep diminishing and we’ll get it back to where it belongs.
P-Jigg: It’s all about the Regiment now. We are going to get the people listening to hip-hop again
AllHipHop: Do you consider yourself underground artists?
Unseen: We just do music. A lot of people try to categories on music.
P-Jigg: I think that a lot mainstream stuff they put out is underground. They just have a lot of money behind it.
MP: We got soul to our music. It’s not some popcorn music, something that’s here today and gone tomorrow… next year you wonder why you bought that CD.
Ransom: MP’s album is called Instant Classic. Twenty years from now you’ll be able to put it in rotation.
AllHipHop: So you guys are solo artists as well?
Ransom: All of us are working on solo projects. MP’s album Instant Classic will be the first solo release.
Matty Mal: The joint has nothing but bangers on it. It will be the hottest album out.
AllHipHop: How do you feel all the beefs in hip-hop now?
Unseen: Some of it is overboard. We don’t have beef with anyone. We’ll work with anyone who wants to work with us for the right price.
P-Jigg: If we have beef. We’ll handle it. We’re not going to be making songs about.
Matty Mal: It’s a waste time. If you have a beef with cat like that, you need to get it done or let it go. It’s crazy right now.
AllHipHop: What are plans for the future?
MP: We plan to shoot an independent movie on our lives in 2004, throw a few parties, and drop some more projects.
Unseen: We’re doing more than rap.