From the Bay to LA

Planet Asia is a West Coast hip-hop veteran on the verge of exploding into the mainstream. The one-time independent label darling has recently inked a major deal with Interscope Records and is putting the finishing touches on his latest full length, Life As It Is, due out in 2002.
Looking over Planet Asia's highly impressive resume, it's no wonder he has been the talk of the West Coast underground since the release of the highly acclaimed Planet Asia EP, which came out in 1998 on Heratik records. Planet Asia has performed shows with the likes of Common, Defari of the Likwit Crew, Zion I, Living Legends, as well as the Lyricist Lounge Tour. His collaborations consist of a who's who of the underground - artists like DJ Babu & Evidence of the Dilated Peoples, Kutmaster Kurt, Talib Kweli, Pete Rock, Fanatik, Peanut Butter Wolf, Hi Tek, and good friend Rasco with whom he is in the group Cali Agents with. The Cali Agents are now touring the US along with the remaining members of The Pharcyde as well as the Souls of Mischief and Chico State is one of the first stops along the way. The Synthesis was able to catch up with the Fresno native for a brief chat about the Bay vs. LA, old and new label issues and a few other things on the mind of this planetary MC.

Planet Asia, What does the name Planet Asia mean?
It means this planet all started in Asia.

Who all is performing on this upcoming tour?
Motion Man, Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief, me and Rasco.

How far are you going on this tour with Rasco?
Aw man, we're doing 35 cities.

How do you feel about going to New York?
It's cool - it's almost like I'm from New York

I saw that you did a song with Talib Kweli, how did that go?
It went real dope. That's my boy right there.

Where do you stay at now?
I'm in LA, I moved from Fresno to Oakland, then from Oakland to Hollywood.

How is the LA scene as compared the Bay Area scene?
It's tight. It's better to me now. The Bay scene used to be dope, but it's like there isn't any money in that shit. There's money out here man, and I think everybody got smart and realized that.

What's wrong with the Bay scene now days?
It isn't moving like it used to be.

When do you think it peaked out?
I don't know man… When I left.

Right around when you left huh?
Yep. I'm the last of the Mohicans of ill niggas man besides [a] couple other niggas that's coming up. You know its like there's Self Scientific, Phil the Agony, and me with my click. The rest of that shit, I don't know. Knowhatimsayin?

How is your label situation going? I know you released your E.P. on Heratik, then a single on ABB, then Landspeed put out the Last Stand LP.
Fuck Landspeed.

Fuck Landspeed huh?
They owe me money.

Really?
Yeah… fuck Nu Gruv, too.

How are you and Rasco getting along?
Aw, we cool man.

Is Rasco not down with Nu Gruv either?
I mean he got some shit going through Nu Gruv, but I'm like Fuck Nu Gruv.

Is that because of the Cali Agents Record?
Yep, I haven't got one cent for that.

And what happened with Landspeed? Same thing, they just didn't pay you?
Yep… fuck Landspeed.

Word. I heard rumors that you were talking to Interscope, is that true?
Yeah, I been signed to Interscope.

Are you working with any other major artists like on Interscope or any non-hip-hop artists?
Nah, I'm not fuckin around right now.

Who's going to be on your Interscope release?
Just me and my crew. I got a song with Ghostface Killah, but I didn't want a lot of motherfuckers rapping on my shit. And I still got my boy Phil the Agony with me.

You still got the Schoolyard Riders with you?
Yeah I got the Schoolyard with me. We're doing an album with Kutmaster Kurt and Joey Chavez.

Are you bringing anyone from the riders with you to perform?
Yeah I'm bringing Supream. Have you heard the new schoolyard Single?

Nah, what's it on?
It's on the Funky Precident 2 compilation, it's pretty cool.

Who's doing production on your new record?
I got a track from Battle Cat. I got a track from Touch of Jazz, Pete Rock, High-Tek, SuperDave West. It's dope. Some dope shit.

When is the record going to come out?
Next year.

Are you still down with Fanatik? and 4 27?
Yeah, those are my boys.

You going to perform some new stuff when you come play Chico? Stuff from your new joint and stuff from the Cali Agents record?
Yep. You think the show's going to be packed up there?

Yeah it should be, you should get here early so you can cruise around campus.
Oh, we performing on campus right?

Yeah, yeah definitely.
Is there bitches on the campus?

Oh hell yeah.
Word! Oh it's going down then.

Word. Anything else you want to let people know?
Be checking for that Life As It Is album man, and I'd like to say peace to the Gods.

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