INTERVIEW WITH LEE HARVEY
Introduce yourself to our readers.
Wud up ya'll? I go by the name of Lee Harvey. I'm an Emcee, Producer and Audio Engineer at Black Light Recording Studio along side Rasul Phoenix. I'm also starting my own label: Nightshift Entertainment. I was born in Toronto, Canada, and have been rhyming since I was 14. I am now 23 years old, and only started taking it serious when I hit 19. Straight up, I'm a hip hop head. Some might call me a "back-packer" but I don't even know what the f**k that means. Maybe someone can explain that because to me hip hop shouldn't be categorized like that. Music is music. Whatever type of mind state you're in, there are certain artists that you will listen to.
To me, there are four elements that make up hip hop: The Emcee, the B-boy/girl, the Dj, and the Graffiti artist. I love music in general, whether it's Rock, Jazz, Soul, R-n-B, Reggae or whatever. As an artist I've learned not to be so stubborn and to appreciate other types of music. It’s not only my past-time, but also my therapy and has helped me through all the ups and downs in life. I started out doing this music strictly for me, and that's the way I plan on keeping it. The more I stay true to myself within writing my lyrics, the better I will get expressing myself, and will hopefully reach out to the audience.
Why call yourself Lee Harvey?
Well, I know a lot of people hear the name and they automatically think of Lee Harvey Oswald, the Assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. I didn't just take the name and cut out the Oswald and said that's the name right there. The name Lee is kind of a stereo-typical Asian name, and I wanted that stereo-type to be thought of when u put the name Lee to my face. The name Harvey came from my love of cartoons and comics like X-Men, Spiderman, and Batman ect. Harvey Dent in the Batman comics and cartoons is known as Two-Face. His world revolves around chance. If anyone reading this follows or knows anything about Two-Face, it's that he represents good and evil by flipping his coin. So, on that note the Harvey in my name represents the two faces of me. Jason Chau being one side: just a regular guy who loves music, and the other side, Lee Harvey: the guy that's on stage and has this energy that you wouldn't see in Jason when he steps in front of that microphone.
Most people that chill with me on a day-to-day basis know that I’m very humble, quiet and observant. Then when it's time for me to record or go on stage, I'm cocky, arrogant and everything else that I'm not when I'm not in front of a mic. So I kind of have a split personality I guess. In the end, Jason and Lee make up who I am as one; it's just that those two faces show up at different times depending on the situation. Jason the good, Lee the bad. Everyone has both sides to them whether they want to admit it or not, and one side usually stands out more than the other.
Who were your major influences growing up, whether hip hop or not?
While growing up, I’d say life in general and the people around me – my family and friends. When it comes to Hip Hop I'd have to say Wu-Tang, Nas, Cormega, Masta Ace, Big Pun, 2Pac, Biggie, Bootcamp Click, Kool G Rap, AZ... and the list goes on, but these are some of the main artists that really got me into Hip Hop. I'm clearly stuck in the 90's. I love old soul music: Marvin Gaye, Millie Jackson, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield... this list also goes on - too many greats to name off. I like all types of music and as long as the artist puts their heart into it, I'm feeling it.
Toronto, where I was born and raised, has had a huge influence on me. Having so many friends from different cultures and backgrounds allows me to see how each of them live, and we're so lucky to have that. It keeps me open-minded. Not too many cities can experience that or understand the type of unity we have here, even though it doesn't show too much in the Hip Hop community. But hey, we all gotta start somewhere and I feel that Canadian Hip Hop is on its way to being a better and stronger movement.
Why choose hip hop as a career?
I chose hip hop as a career because it's so RAW. I love music, but this is the genre of music I just relate to. When I was younger, I used to listen to rock music, then I got into break-dancing and I was always into Art, so tagging shit just kinda came as a thing to do. I also played basketball all my life until recently, and those things are all related to the music, and the people I grew up around were all into it.
There were always problems at home with my family, and I'd never want to be around, so when I went to the streets, I changed. The changes and experiences that I went through happened for a reason and led me to where I am today. Also, when I was younger, Hip Hop wasn't really understood let alone accepted, and at that age you're rebelling against everything. So, I continued to study it and just fell more in love with it as the years went by.
Not too many people can come up with rhymes at top of their heads, and keep a constant flow while making sense and stand for something that you believe in. I sucked when I first attempted, but I never gave up, and that's what kept me going at it. I liked the challenge and I won't lie, I love the attention. All the girls liked it, and all your homeys give you a different type of respect.
I feel that there’s a lot of bullshit Hip Hop out there and the younger generation didn't get to hear any of the stuff I was listening to when I was younger. I want to make music that educates them on the type of stuff that got me into it. I mean, I went back and started diggin’ for tunes that were hot when I wasn't even born and I learned to appreciate the growth of the music and where it is today.
I studied this Art way harder than I did any class in school and that's for sure. Today, Hip Hop is commercial; it's the new "pop". The industry will only take the chance on what's bumping on the radio, and what will make you dance. I may not sell millions, and be the next best thing to happen to Hip Hop but I know the people that take the chance to hear my music will be touched with at least one of my songs.
Most importantly, I chose hip hop as a career because I want to help out the Hip Hop community that we have in here. I want Canada and the whole world to know that we’ve got talent and it's not just within our Rock scene. Hip Hop was classified as a fad back in the day, and now look where it's at... SO GET WITH IT!!!
You started out as a pianist in the Royal Conservatory. How do you use that training in your music today?
Yea, I was that typical Asian kid that knew how to draw and play the piano... hahaha. I played in the Royal Conservatory for five years. I started out when I was seven or eight years old and stopped when I started middle school because of sports. Being able to play the piano let alone any instrument is so helpful to me with what I'm doing now. Even though I was playing classical music, knowing chords and scales allows me to create the type of music I like making today. I sample a lot when I make beats, but I also add my own base lines and add different instruments on top of that sample to give it another feeling than just what it was. Also, when I was playing piano, I used to be in a lot of competitions and recitals, so the pressure of being on stage and performing in front of people is nothing new to me. I'm very comfortable with performing in front of an audience. I love it. I also have an ear for what sounds good, so when I'm producing a beat, I already know what I want to hear before I even make it. I can naturally hear notes in my head and play it on the piano, so that definitely helps me when it comes to the music.
 The Lee Harvey Assassination is out now, what can our readers expect to hear on the album?
YEA YEA!!! The CD is now out and you can purchase it at Play De Record. It is 14 tracks of my growth from past situations to the present. I produced 11 out of the 14, and the other producers are my homeys T. West & Blackz from the Night Hawkz Pro.
On this album you’ll find songs that deal with everyday life and what I see going on in our streets. You’ll get songs that are strictly for the lyrical value, where you just listen and are like DAMN! This guy’s wordplay is on some next shit. There's a track specifically dealing with my personal business and what I was going through at a certain time, as well as me trying to find myself and figure out who I really am.
I did a girl track still... haha, but it's not your typical girl track. Its no “I love you, I'm gonna buy you this and that” type of tune. It's about watching out for scandalous women and I got my man Vinny Diablo from The Squad on that track. I got a couple of bangers that feature other Nightshift artists; Flakes, D.I.C.E and Skywalker Soul. I even have a song that I wrote for my mom, and that's the last track on the album. This album is feel good music straight from my heart to your ears, headphones, and speakers. If you want to support some good Hip Hop, then go and cop the album.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? 10 years?
I honestly don't like thinking about the future like that, because I like to deal with each day as it comes. Who knows? I might die, or something will happen before five/ten years from now, so I would rather just live for the moment and everyday that I wake up to. I do hope I'm still doing music and that I've amounted to a lot more than I have today. I'll probably have like 4 or 5 albums under my belt. I hope my label is doing well and that the artists that are on it are getting the exposure they deserve. You will definitely hear a lot from me on the production side of things. You will hear your favorite Canadian rapper now rhyming on a Lee Harvey beat that's for sure. I haven't had to work since 2006 came, and I hope to keep it at that because I hate working for other people. I want to be able to live off of my love and dream. So if I'm a huge star and if I'm filthy rich, I wouldn't complain. But most importantly, as long as I'm able to pay my bills and to live through my music, I'll be the happiest guy you ever met. Straight goods!!
Anything else you'd like to say? Any shout outs?
I would like to give a huge thanks to Matt and Megacityhiphop.com for the opportunity to do this interview.
Shout outs: Nightshift Entertainment, Flakes, D.I.C.E, Skywalker Soul, Black Light Recording Studio, Rasul Phoenix, Just-In-Tyme, Jay from Soul Entertainment, T-West, Blackz, Vinny Diablo, Contejous, Jon Purdy, Dj Wrispect, Dj Snax, Alberto Martinez from Enity Films, P-Nut (Me Thinks Production), New Industry North, all the mandem, my friends, family, Alisha and anyone that supports what I've been doing and have bought the album.
And, any websites, clothing lines, radio shows, etc... Looking for Lee Harvey exclusives for promotional use, holla at me at: lee_harvey_416@hotmail.com & (416)833-0512. Use that if you'd like to buy a Lee Harvey beat, The Lee Harvey Assassination CD, have me feature on one of your songs, and any artist looking for a proper studio.
Also, check out www.myspace.com/leeharvey416 for a sample of the album, beats, dubs, photos and the video for my single "Technique". www.leeharveymusic.com (coming soon).
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