Halifax-based MC Ghettosocks went from updating his Facebook
profile and Twitter account with his “treat of the day,” to basing the
concept of his new album, aptly titled Treat of the Day, around
the idea.
“I was kind of compelled to do this treat-of-the-day thing,” says
Ghettosocks, AKA Darren Pyper. “For albums I get on a loose theme which
sort of just propels me, the whole album is really anchored in it…I
don’t know if it’s an OCD thing, but I just get weird little
fixations.”
From Nerds to Ultimate Burgers at Henry House, chowder and candy
pizza, treats of the day have influenced a good portion of Pyper’s
creative output over the last year. Springing from the online updates,
Treat of the Day also spawned a hilarious series of webisodes
currently advertising the album.
After his I Can Make Your Dog Famous mixtape—“I just
started thinking more about treats, and I did the Facebook status and
Twitter thing,” says Pyper. “It was just a fun thing I was doing and
then I was trying to think of a name for the album when I was 10 songs
deep. I was originally going to go with Not Impressed, but I
felt it was too negative and I wanted to stay away from that. I did a
contest on my website and I was, in the back of my head, thinking of
Treat of the Day, but someone else wrote it and that verified
it.”
The album features appearances from his former Alpha Flight cohort
Apt, D-Sisive (see him next Wednesday at the Halifax Pop Explosion), as
well as Cesar Comanche, El Da Sensei, Timbuktu and Edgar Allen
Floe—all of whom Ghettosocks has either brought here, toured or
collaborated with in the past.
Frequent collaborator Joseph Serra, better known as Jorun Bombay,
whom Ghettosocks met back when Alpha Flight was hosting hip-hop nights
at the Khyber, appears on the album as both producer and DJ.
The difference between Treat of the Day and the last album,
according to Serra, is simple. “I am not saying the last one didn’t
have it, but it’s more clear, the theme. Some people don’t get it when
you make a theme and it’s too over their head. This one is more obvious
of a theme,” he says. “Get Some Friends was a theme, but not
everyone’s that smart. They like the music, but they may not get the
theme of it. This one is more like, you look at the cover and you get
it.”
“I’d say this album is more aggressive,” Pyper adds. “More battle-y
and it’s solid hip-hop…”
“The beats are upgraded,” interrupts Serra.
Pyper describes the album as “more fun” and “kind of like junk
food.” According to Pyper, the production is also stepped up: “With
Get Some Friends I produced all the tracks except one and with
this album it’s sort of the reverse.” Stephan MacLeod of Windom Earle
summed up Treat of the Day as “You’re not going to want to sign
up for the UN and end wars overseas…”
A tour in support of Treat of the Day, with Jorun, kicks off
this Friday in Fredericton with First Words, and then comes back to
Halifax on Saturday night at The Seahorse Tavern, before heading out to
central Canada for four release parties.
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This article appears in Oct 8-14, 2009.