It’s a hit on the internet! But this is the first time that the hit of the Internet gives me so much joy, and that’s because its protagonists are my friends, among them my hip-hop sensei, Bboying teacher and friend – Decó (a.k.a. DecSSSpec, Rudy Predator, or David Dec).
On Monday, together with drummer Panda and DJ Sadman, they released their debut album as Szpilersi Fri:”DEC”. There was also a clip of the single song “Elemenele”, which at the time of writing this text already has tens of thousands of views on YouTube and every hour this number is growing. Below is a brilliant clip of Szpilersów, and a record of the conversation I had with Dec.
WJ:
Whats up Decó! On Sunday evening the premiere of your new album took place. How do you feel today?
Decó:
Whats up, I feel great, very surprised by such a nice reception of the first issue of “Elemenele”. Generally happy and that was it, we’ll see what people think about the rest of the material. Besides, I have the feeling that I finally managed to pull it all to the end and close it. Honestly, I’m a bit tired of listening to this material… Mixing, mastering non-stop for several months, playing live is something else, but listening is enough.
WJ:
I also think that this album is the most coherent and thoughtful since the times of the first company (Stylowa Spółka Społem). “Have you matured as an artist”?
Decó:
This material had a plan and we managed to implement it. It went faster than with the previous albums, but it’s probably a matter of the fact that I learned something there before. I assumed that if I choose a topic, I will stick to it textually, I did not serve myself “text escapes to the periphery”, as in other productions. It was supposed to be to the point and a little more serious, to give more food for thought. I also paid a lot of attention to the arrangement of numbers, so that there would be no loops alone over and over again. Have I matured? I’ve definitely grown up, I’ve had my solid years and I didn’t want this material to be about Maryna’s ass, I wanted to do something that would make sense, and how it turned out, let the listeners judge.
WJ:
New label, new listeners… Aren’t you afraid of being pigeonholed after the first single, where you go with a completely changed flow?
Decó:
New listeners and that was the point, to reach as many people as possible, let them check us out. Originally, we were supposed to jump out with a different number, but when we saw what came out of Elemenele visually, it went a quick change. We thought a little bit that those who don’t know us will think that I’m riding the whole album with such vocals, but all in all, we missed it, this clip and number is worth playing as number 1.
WJ:
What will be the next single?
Decó:
Next will be Have to Go Further, a more reflective but solid number. I think we will be able to let him go at the end of the year, it’s not entirely up to us, but we are fighting. There are still some images for the album, but with time we will remind about ourselves in various versions. We don’t want to shoot everything at once.
WJ:
Good choice. I’m looking forward to the next singles, because I would also like to see clips for a few other numbers. But back to the first… Have you been working on the image for a long time?
Decó:
The beard grew for 4 months, and the rest is already in place light characterization, or rolling in the shit(hehehe)
WJ:
What was it like to cooperate with the Krakow elements?
Decó:
Mr. Marek and Mr. Leszek are doing a good job there, proppps! First of all, Marek got really involved and praise him for that! The guys liked the number very much, they said that they agree 100% with the lyrics, the music is also in their way, so they did not let themselves be asked for long. On the set, they were very understanding and disciplined.
WJ:
I don’t know why, but I am often accosted by such individuals on the street to talk. These are mostly very intelligent and educated people.
Decó:
From what I’ve talked to a few, they’ve made that decision and they’re flying with it, they don’t care about their homelessness or they don’t show it, they think they’re free and can do whatever they want. It was an “inspiration” for me to make such a number made in Poland, of course in the form of a joke.
WJ:
Here we can smoothly move on to the next track “Pieniądze”. Do you and the elements have a similar opinion about money?
Decó:
It seems to me that zDECydowanie not… I have a loose approach to this issue, but not so much… In this issue everything is explained, they are simply not an end for me, but a means to an end. When making new numbers, I do not wonder if I will earn on them.
WJ:
This time you are promoted by MaxFlo Rec. How is your cooperation going?
Decó:
We are in MaXFlo Lab, it’s a recruits department, the cooperation is beautiful and everything plays like a tralala. We are very satisfied, thanks to them we reach a wider audience. There is a great contact, very good people, a good group of artists, keep it up!
WJ:
Say 2 words about the skit with Gracjan Rostocki.
Decó:
It turned out that Gratian lives somewhere near me, I saw him several times on the street and I thought that I would come and ask if he would record a skit for the material. I was surprised, because he agreed without hesitation, we went to the side, I turned on the recording and there are effects.
WJ:
I’m very impressed with the production on the new album. The last album (BLE – BreakS, LoopS & EditS) was composed only from music from Eastern Europe. Where did the samples for this album come from?
Decó:
Yes, BLE is by definition cut material exclusively from Eastern European music, such a ride is a bit of educating people, showing the musical achievements of the 70s. Szpilersi is already a whole world of samples. A lot of Poles, Russia, the States, Europe, some I don’t even remember. This is the period when the record collection began to grow. I’m glad that I was able to record songs with bass and Panda on drums, it did a lot of good and taught me a few things how to record and mix live instruments. We recorded everything ourselves, learning from our mistakes along the way.
WJ:
Speaking of Panda. The album is recorded together with a live band (DJ + drums + bass), but it seems to me that with time you are moving towards more and more old school methods of creating beats. How’s your “new” equipment?
Decó:
There are 20 numbers on “zDECydowanie”, I think 6 with Panda, almost all with bass, in one number there is a cello, the rest is Akai S1100 + MPD24. The numbers from the album sound different when we play them live with Panda, there is more energy. Live drums have power! Now I have the MPC4000 combine. I’m still screwed, but I’m already a fan. Very nice work flow, fast, as you know what you want to do and I hate this word but I must admit – intuitive. Good sound, a lot of effects, nothing but do:) I try to go back to the old school sound, but without exaggeration, I do not have such a big ride on 12bitowce yet.
WJ:
Maybe one day there will be some pieces played only live?
Decó:
There are such plans, we will see what comes out of it, there is such a chance, because in our opinion it is worth recording it alive. Quite different sound, Panda does the job!
WJ:
What do you enjoy rap, producing, or digging more?
Decó:
Or maybe bboying? :)))
WJ:
We’re talking about rap. It is known that Bboying trumps everything.
Decó:
Hahaha that’s it!!! My school.
I never think about it, how I start production, the brain works differently, how you dance differently, etc. When I take on something, and I practice these “disciplines” for some time, I fly as much as I can and as best I can. With diggin this is one basic problem = cash.
WJ:
Known.
Decó:
All these things screw me on and I do them. You can see the progress and it makes me happy, drives me.
WJ:
You say that you fly as much as you can… What time do you sit over the beats at night? Basia is not angry?
Decó:
Basia sleeps like a stone, she does not mind making beats, on the contrary, she falls asleep next to them. Unless it’s a matter of me doing such sleepers (hahaha). I sit there until 2 a.m. on average over things.
WJ:
Some songs have motivational or even educational overtones (“To want is to be able“, “100%“, “Cel-Pal”, “You have to go further”,…). Does your work with kids as a B.boying teacher influence your way of thinking?
Decó:
Anyone who has a child knows that it primarily affects the way of thinking. Working with kids brings me fun, it’s my profession, I teach them to dance, and by the way there is a lot of laughter and work. We have a nice contact, I found myself in it, we can get along well with young people, by the way I greet my students! For all these years when we practice together, there have already been a few hundred “branches”, I noticed that the further, the less they want. Such a trend has prevailed among people nowadays that they want everything immediately, now, effortlessly, at once. I laugh at this fashion, everyone pretends that they are “for everything”, because that’s how it belongs. Most young people think that when they come to classes and show them something, they will be able to do it immediately and are surprised that they have to sweat, that it is not so “hop pee”. These numbers that you mentioned are my reaction to this type of behavior, if you do not give your full power, you will not achieve what you have planned. If you have any plans, because unfortunately there are more and more people who do not have any idea for themselves, what they have to do in life and what they like at all. They like what their colleagues like because they don’t have their own opinion or are afraid to be laughed at.
WJ:
You yourself are a representative of Polish old school. Stylowa Spółka Społem has been present in the hip-hop environment from the b.boy side and for almost 20 years, and on the rap scene for 10 years. You recorded your latest album with guys who are not much more than 20 years old, how do you get along?
Decó:
There are good eggs, lots of laughter and good work, good, fresh ideas. I do not feel any difference, unless they, ask:) In bboy classes I teach kids 30 years younger than me and we get along too. For me, there is no such thing as age, what you suck makes you a person worth talking / cooperation, not how old you are.
WJ:
Coming back to SSS and there are rumors about the reactivation of the bboy part of the team? Are you planning to win a few more dance events in the near future?
Decó:
I think there is an option to dance at a party and have fun. But it’s not any reactivation, just a few people want to bend and that’s it.
WJ:
What are your plans for the coming months?
Decó:
I’ll take on the mixing and mastering of BLE 2, which is lying and waiting ready in the closet. The Turkish version is waiting for its turn, with Sad Man we are thinking about a mixtape and all the time we are combining a loose pin. I also want to build up my bboying a little bit after this year’s injury. And I think that’s it, we’ll see how these plans go:)
WJ:
Good luck! In building up bboying, I will support you when I return to my homeland. Thanks for the interview and I wish you success in promoting the new album!
Decó:
Come back, we press;) Thanks for the chat, see you later!
WJ:
A word at the end?
Decó:
Maybe the quote is not politically correct, but it is accurate: “Fuck, there is no forgiveness, do not get buried easily” (hehehehe). Such a slogan Szpilerskie… Besides, many thanks to everyone who supports us!
For more info about Szpilersów check:
http://www.maxflo.pl/Lab/Szpilersi
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Szpilersi/354735431339390