hiphop.hu: Fiatal arcnak t�nsz, mi�ta MC-zel? Hogy ker�lt�l kapcsolatba a hiphoppal? Olvastam, hogy graffitizt�l r�gebben...

Raks One: Nos, 22 �ves vagyok �s m�r j� ideje csin�lom, egyszer�en belen�ttem a dologba, �rted? Eleinte freestyle-oztam a sz�mok v�g�n, ahol m�r csak az alap sz�l �s kifut. Igaz�b�l nem graffitiztem soha, kipr�b�ltam kb. egy h�tig, de szar voltam benne, �gyhogy abbahagytam gyorsan.

hiphop.hu: You seem to be a young cat, how long have you been MC'ing? How did u get into the game? I read you wrote graff n shit...

Raks One: Well Im 22 I have been doing this for a while as long as I can remember. I just grew up doing it, you know? I would be freestyling on the ends of beats - when beats actually played out at the end of songs. I didnt actually write graffiti I tried for like one week but I was wack so I stopped that quick.

hiphop.hu: Mit jel�lt az eredeti neved, Sycorax? Mi�rt v�ltoztattad meg Raks One-ra?

Raks One: Haha, igen! Sycorax. Sycorax volt az egyik szerepl�je William Shakespeare "A Vihar" c�m� m�v�nek. Eml�kszem, 13 �vesen a suliban olvastam, �s ahogy meghallottam a nevet azt gondoltam, hogy ez nagyon kem�ny, �gyhogy leny�ltam. K�s�bb ler�vid�tettem Raks One-ra mert sokan f�lrehallott�k a nevemet, mert a Sycorax �sszecseng a cigarett�val. Visszagondolva az eg�szre, kicsit sajn�lom, hogy nem a saj�t, igazi nevemen kezdtem el szerepelni. Emilio Rojas a polg�ri nevem. Ha m�r t�m�n�l vagyunk, eld�nt�ttem, hogy mostant�l az �sszes megjelen� munk�m Emilio n�ven fog szerepelni. Van is m�r egy exkluz�v mixtape ami most fog megjelenni "Emilio Breaks" c�mmel, �s abban megmagyar�zom az eg�sz identit�szavart �s a n�vcsere h�tter�t.

hiphop.hu: What did Sycorax stand for? Why did u change it to Raks One?

Raks One: Haha, Yes! Sycorax. Sycorax is a character out of William Shakespeares The Tempest. I remember being 13 and reading that play in school, and I heard the name and thought yeah that sounds so raw, so I snatched it. I shortened it to Raks One because everyone would think I was
saying cigarettes. Looking back though, a part of me regrets just not going by my real name. Emilio Rojas that is the truth-dot-calm yaself right there. As a matter of fact Im gonna start doing all my releases as Emilio from now on. I got a little mixtape exclusive coming out called Emilio that breaks down the whole identity crisis thing and explains the switch.

hiphop.hu: A(z igazi) nevedb�l �t�lve, gondolom latin sz�rmaz�s� vagy. Volt-e hat�ssal r�d valamelyik latino MC?

Raks One: Igen, ap�m venezuelai. A latino-k term�szetesen hatottak a zen�mre. Big Pun az egyik kedvenc rapperem (R.I.P.), az � strukt�r�i, hanglejt�se, �s sorai �r�ltek voltak, na meg � nem csak egy "sorv�ges" MC volt aki 16-osokat nyomott, hanem t�rt�netei �s koncepci�i voltak. Azt hiszem � nagyon nagy hat�ssal volt r�m �s a hangz�somra.

hiphop.hu: Judging by your name, i guess you are of latin origin. did any latino MC's have an influence on you?

Raks One: Yeah my father is Venezuelan. As far as latinos having an influence on me musically of course. Big Pun is one of my favorite rappers (R.I.P.) he was crazy his structures and cadences and lines. Plus he wasnt just some punchline cat spitting only 16s he had stories and concepts. I think he has had a huge influence on me and my sound.

hiphop.hu: Hogy j�tt �ssze a Wax Reform banda?

Raks One: A Wax Reform D-minor �s Muneshine sz�lem�nye, �k kezdt�k a band�t. Azt�n hozz�adtak, illetve elvettek tagokat, illetve m�sok magukt�l mentek el, de alapvet�en a Wax Reform olyan el�ad�k t�m�r�lete akiknek hasonl� a c�ljaik �s hasonl� hangz�svil�guk van, �s akik egy�tt dolgoznak k�l�nf�le projecteken a siker �rdek�ben. �gy is mondhatn�nk, hogy K�l�n�ll� el�ad�k csoportja egy egyes�lt frontvonalon.

hiphop.hu: How did Wax Reform come together?

Raks One: Wax Reform is the brainchild of Dminor and Muneshine they started the crew. Then they added and subtracted a few members, and others left voluntarily, but basically its just a collective of artists with similar goals and sounds who work together on projects for affiliations sake. Its a group of solo artists joining on a united front I guess you could say.

hiphop.hu: Tal�lkoztok-e valaha �l�ben, vagy csak online-ban dolgoztok egy�tt? (> egy kis adal�k a Wax Reform �sszet�tel�hez:  Muneshine kanadai, Raks One new york-i, DJ Realson n�met, M-phazes ausztr�l...)

Raks One: Muneshine-nal, Supastition-nal �s Illmind-dal el�g sokat l�gok egy�tt, �k a haverjaim!! M�sokkal pedig telefonon �s az interneten kereszt�l dolgozunk egy�tt. Mphazes-t viszont �t kell hoznunk ide Amerik�ba. �s ha �tmegyek LA-be akkor bet�madom D-minor cip�gy�jtem�ny�t!! :)

hiphop.hu: Do you guys ever meet, or are you only working together online?

Raks One: I have gotten up with Muneshine, Supastition, and Illmind quite a bit. Those are my peoples right there!! As far as everyone else we work together via the internet or telephone. We need to get Mphazes out here though. And when I get out to LA im going to raid Dminors sneaker collection!

hiphop.hu: Mi a v�lem�nyed a myspace.com fontoss�g�r�l az olyan fiatal arcok felfedez�s�ben, mint amilyen te is vagy?

Raks One: Haha, Myspace! Ember, ut�lom �s im�dom is ezt az oldalt egyszerre. Ez egy tiltott gy�m�lcs.. Nagyon j� prom�ci�s eszk�z �s ha okosan csin�lja az ember, ak�rmi lehet.. hallottam olyanokat, hogy bizonyos lemezkiad�k keresik rajta a tehets�geket �s szerz�d�seket aj�nlanak arcoknak, ez mindent elmond az internetnek a hiphop ipar�ra gyakorolt hat�s�r�l.

hiphop.hu: What do you think about myspace.com's importance for young cats like you to get recognised?

Raks One: Haha MYSPACE!!! Man hate myspace but I love it at the same time. Its such a guilty pleasure. Its also a great promotional tool and if you use it right I heard even certain record labels are looking at it like wow and offering cats record deals which says a lot about the impact the internet is having on the industry you know.

hiphop.hu: Az els� hivatalos albumod, a "For Good" tavaly jelent meg Jap�nban. Kiadt�k m�r Amerik�ban is? Mi�rt Jap�nban jelent meg el�sz�r? El�gedett vagy a kritik�ival?

Raks One: Ahh.. ut�lom azt az albumot. Nincs bajom egyetlen sz�mmal se, de az eg�sz szitu az album k�r�l irrit�l. A kiad� akikn�l megjelent, annyira nem b�nt korrekt�l se velem se az albummal, hogy megut�ltam. Nem adtak ki maxit r�la, na meg nagyon nem profik az el�ad�k kezel�s�ben (tal�n az�rt, mert annyi embert leigazoltak). Jelen �llapotban nem �rdekel ha megszak�tok minden kapcsolatot vel�k, �s �k is pontosan tudj�k, hogy mit gondolok a c�g�kr�l.

hiphop.hu: Your official debut album, "For Good" was released in Japan last year, has it been released in the US? Why did it come out in JP first? Are you satisfied with the reviews of it?

Raks One: Ahhh I hate that record. I dont dislike any of the songs but the situation surrounding that record just irritates me the label that released the record did not handle me, or that release in the right way so it just makes me hate that record. They didnt drop a single, and they are unprofessional when it comes to dealing with their artists (maybe because their roster is so big). At this point I dont care if I burn a bridge with them. They know how I feel about their company..

hiphop.hu: New Yorkban �lsz, egy olyan v�rosban ami sokkal t�bb lakost sz�ml�l mint eg�sz Magyarorsz�g (Mo = kb. 10 milla, NY = kb. 16-17 milla). El�g nagy a hiphop piac ahhoz, hogy a zen�db�l �lj, vagy van egy norm�lis "nappali" mel�d?

Raks One: Eredetileg Rochester-i vagyok (NY �llam), de im�dom New York-ot. Majdnem azon a ponton vagyok, hogy meg tudjak �lni a zen�b�l, �s rem�lhet�leg ezt nemsok�ra el fogom �rni, viszont soha nem fogok csak az�rt zen�lni, hogy p�nzem legyen.

hiphop.hu: You live in New York, a city itself with way bigger population than whole Hungary (Hungary = 10 million, NY = 16, 17? million).  Is the hiphop market big enough there to enable you to live off music? Or do you have a daytime job?

Raks One: Man, Im originally from Rochester but I love New York. Im almost at the point where I am eating off music, and hopefully that will come soon. As far as what I do for money Im not going to put myself out there like that - ahaha

hiphop.hu: New York mindig is h�res volt a freestyle battle-�kr�l. Szokt�l-e "csat�zni"?

Raks One: R�gen Rochesterben besz�lltam minden ilyenbe. J� dolog, �s po�n egy ideig, am�g r� nem j�ssz, hogy nem vezet sehova. Mi az �rtelme annak, hogy olyan arcokkal csat�zzak akikkel nem is tal�lkoztam el�tte? Nincs vel�k semmi bajom.. Sz�val le�lltam ezzel �s ink�bb a sz�maimra f�kusz�ltam. �n sz�veg�r� vagyok. A legt�bb battle MC nem tud sz�vegeket �rni, csak �res sorok vannak a f�zeteikben. A csattan� a sor v�g�n pedig nem m�s mint egy rossz po�n amit hangosan �s (rem�lhet�leg) az �temre mondanak ki.

hiphop.hu: NY has always been famous for its freestyle battles. Do you ever battle?

Raks One: Back in Rochester I used to enter all the battles. Its cool, and its fun for a while, until you realize it isn't taking you anywhere. What is the point in battling all these cats I never met before? I dont have beef or problems with them. So I just stopped all that and started focusing on songs. I am a song writer. A lot of these battle cats cant really write songs all they got in their books are bars. And a punchline isnt anything but a bad joke told loudly and (hopefully) to the beat.

hiphop.hu: Ha j�l tudom spanolsz Joeker-rel, aki nemr�g k�sz�tett alapot Muneshine-nak. Mi a v�lem�nyed az alapjair�l?

Raks One: Vannak alapjai a k�ly�knek, az biztos! K�sz�tett egy beatet az �j albumomra, a "Theme Music"-ra, amin az emberemmel, Hassaan-nal nyomom. Az �j album miatt nagyon izgatott vagyok. �gy �rzem egy igazi klasszikus lett �s ha kij�n akkor megkapjuk a meg�rdemelt figyelmet �s elismer�st. Van egy-k�t �rdekes k�zrem�k�d� (majd megl�tj�tok ha kij�n a maxi), plusz a legprofibb alapok. Sz�z sz�zal�kig az album m�g�tt �llok. Theme Music!

hiphop.hu: As far as I know you're cool with Hungarian producer Mr. Joeker, who recently did a track with fellow Wax Reformist Muneshine. What do you think about his beats?

Raks One: The kid got some beats for sure! He has a beat on my upcoming record with my man Hassaan, on my new album, Theme Music. That record is something Im really excited about. I feel like Theme Music is a classic album, and when it comes out were going to get a lot of deserved praise and attention. We got some exciting features on it (youll see when the single  drops) plus some top notch production. Im behind that record 100%. THEME MUSIC!

hiphop.hu: Min dolgozol pillanatnyilag?

Raks One: Nos, �pp a Theme Music-ot fejezz�k be. Pr�b�ljuk az utols� h�rom sz�mot elk�sz�teni �s akkor elkezdhet�nk boltolni a lemezzel. Emellett egy maxin �s a mixtape-em m�sodik r�sz�n, a "Raks (Verses) the industry: Round Two"-n dolgozom.

hiphop.hu: What are you currently working on?

Raks One: Well Im Just finishing up Theme Music now. Were trying to get these last three tracks done so we can start shopping the record. Besides that im doing a single for a US release and working on another mixtape Raks (VERSES) the industry: ROUND TWO

hiphop.hu: Mik�nt hogy alakult meg a Phocus, amit Muneshine-nal �s DJ Realson-nal alkotsz?

Raks One: Realson-t a spanomon Blazemattic-ken kereszt�l ismertem meg, Muneshine-nal pedig m�r j� ideje egy�tt dolgoztam, �gyhogy csak bevett�k Realson-t a band�ba, mert egy sz�rnyeteg a lemezj�tsz�kon.

hiphop.hu: How did u team up with Muneshine and DJ Realson to form Phocus?

Raks One: Realson I met through my boy Blazemattic, and Muneshine and I had been working together for a while so we just added Realson to the group cuz the dude is a monster on the wheels.

hiphop.hu: Milyen volt a fogadtat�sa a Phocus els� album�nak, az "A Vision and A Plan"-nek?

Raks One: Amiket hallok azokb�l �gy t�nik tetszett az embereknek. Nagyon kis boldog hangz�sa volt �s az �j albumunkat pr�b�lom m�sk�pp alak�tani, egy kicsivel kem�nyebbre venni. Az igazs�g az, hogy �n egy keser� �s inger�lt ember vagyok �s ez�rt olyan zen�t kell csin�lnom ami ezt t�kr�zi, v�god? (haha)

hiphop.hu: What were the reactions of your first Phocus album "A Vision and A Plan"?

Raks One: People liked it from what I hear. It had a real happy sound so I have been trying to shape this new phocus record ifferently, with a little bit of a harder edge. The truth is Im a bitter and edgy dude so I gotta do music that reflects that, right (haha)?

hiphop.hu: Mikor jelenik meg az �j album?

Raks One: El�bb ut�bb (haha). Nem tudom pontosan, m�g nem jel�lt�nk ki d�tumot.

hiphop.hu: When is the new Phocus LP droppin?

Raks One: Sooner than later (haha). I don't know for sure, we have no set release date.

hiphop.hu: Kinek a zen�j�t csip�zod manaps�g a legink�bb?

Raks One: Nem igaz�n hallgatok sok arcot mostans�g. Akiket hallgatok azok a haverjaim �s a b�vebb csal�d (Kenn Starr, Supastition, Hasaan.. etc), na meg Elzhi, Pharoahe Monch, Grafh, Peedi Crack.. etc. Szeretem azokat a tagokat akiknek j� sz�tagr�meik vannak.

hiphop.hu: Who's music are you diggin the most in today's hiphop?

Raks One: I'm not really listening to a lot of cats these days. The dudes I do listen to are my peoples and extended fam (Kenn Starr, Supastition, Hassaan.. etc) plus Elzhi, Pharoahe Monch, Grafh, Peedi Crack.. etc. I like cats that got good syllable patterns.

hiphop.hu: Fog a Wax Reform csapat turn�zni az USA-ban vagy Eur�p�ban?

Raks One: Igen fogunk! A spanom, DJ Ease most is oda�t van, �gyhogy figyeljetek r� mert forr� a sr�c! A partyszervez�k meg keressenek meg, ugyanez vonatkozik eur�pai DJ-kre �s kiad�kra akik zen�t akarnak, vagy k�zrem�k�d�st, vagy ki akarnak adni lemezt, �zletelj�nk!

hiphop.hu: Will Wax Reform go on tour in the States or Europe?

Raks One: Yes we will! My boy DJ Ease is out there now yall need to look out for him that cat got heat! Booking agents get at me same with European DJs and labels looking for tracks, collabos or to release records lets do business!

hiphop.hu: �zensz valamit a hiphop arcoknak Magyarorsz�gon?

Raks One: Peace & Love!!! Ti [eur�paiak] tartj�tok az igazi hiphop hangz�st �letben, �s oda�t [Eur�p�ban] nyomva fogjuk �jj��leszteni ezt a kult�r�t rajtatok kereszt�l. K�sz�n�m sz�pen az id�t�ket �s a t�mogat�st!

hiphop.hu: Any shoutouts to the hiphop heads in Hungary?

Raks One: Peace and love to yall!!! You guys are keeping that real hiphop sound alive and kicking over there were gonna resurrect this culture through you. Thanks alot for yall time and support!

Sz�veg / text : aMGee
Fot�k / photos : myspace.com/raksone