Egypt Egypt

Imagine being 8 or so hearing this crazy pounding beat coming out of the trunk of a cutlass classic and seeing some vatos with beer in hand just lamping in front of the car with nothing to do but make the best of it. I witnessed this almost every day growing up in San Antonio and if it were my choice I would not have had it any other way. I think about how much music and culture I was exposed to while I was growing up. Cruising up and down Southwest Military with friends and my brother every sunday, going to school lock ins, frequenting the local flea markets with my family. Stereos were blasting everywhere we went! This was the late 80s and early 90s. I cant tell you the first time I heard Egyptian Lover, but I can tell you how much he has influenced me and so many others. San Antonio had (or should I say, has) such a large appreciation for what we now know as Electro Funk and Freestyle. Mix tapes at the flea market, trying to scratch Mic Mac records at friends houses, Z Cavaricci pants, and wing tip patent leather shoes. The look was on, the dance was on, the music drove it all. Cynthia, Debbie Deb, Tka, George Lamond, Johnny O, Stevie B, Jonzun crew, it was on the radio, in the tape decks, at the pizza joints. As I started getting older, learning about what I was listening to, and trying to remember stuff from my youth there was a song that really stood out. I remember "Egypt, Egypt" being played at all the lock ins. I didnt know what it was, who it was, or where I could get it. Luckily my brother (who basically shaped me and my musical tastes at an early age) was on it and knew exactly what I was talking about. When we really got into club music and djing, I took it to another level and managed to seek out anything I could remember from those lock ins (I still buy duplicates and triplicates of those things). I am honored and thankful to be able to really nurture the sound and interview one of the historical figures of Electro Funk. The questions come to mind, what is a dj if he cant scratch? what is mc if he cant rap? what is a beat without a live clap? Well here is the man that can do it all baby, just like this...

Who are you? Who do you roll with? Tell us about yourself (history, fave foods, whatever)
I am a kid from Los Angeles that wanted to make music like Kraftwerk so bad, that when I heard "Planet Rock" I told myself..."See, I knew it would hit" That was my beginning. That music with crazy sounds and nice beats, listening to Prince, and D.J.ing for Uncle Jam's Army made me who I am today. An Electro / Old School / Hip Hop Pioneer that just loves making music. Hearing good music in the clubs is my favorite thing to do. I like doing a lot of things, collecting Old School Toys, Records, Keyboards, It's just so much fun seeing these things from the early 80's. As far as my favorite food...I love pastrami, spaghetti, cheese cake, steak, buffalo wings, shrimp, gumbo and all kinds of soul food. Hot and Spicy Baby!

Now I have been following your career for some time now, can you give some of the readers a background as to how you came to be the electro force and innovator that you are.
I just wanted to hear beats while I was a D.J. in Uncle Jam's Army. Just dance to breakdowns and maybe some Prince vocals would be cool. No one was doing this so I did. It was all just fun, not trying to make a new kind of music, I was just having fun. And Electro was born.

Who have you worked with in the past and is there anyone you would like to work with now?
I have worked with many people but I like doing things on my own. It seems so much easier to do it by myself. I go into the studio and just go at it. Loud Beats from the 808 and just groovin'. But I have worked with Dynamix II, Jimmy Edgar, Jamie Jupiter, Electro Bass 7, Clone Machine, Dez, Rodney O, Bobby Jimmy, Sir Music, Arabian Prince, and many many others. I would love to work with Dre, Prince, Kraftwerk, Pretty Tony and Scott Scorch.

What sort of equipment is crucial to create the sound you have mastered? I could be wrong, but are you still using some of the old equipment that you have been using for years?
I Love Love Love my Roland TR808 Drum Machine. I still use it and I also use Fruity Loops because they have a great 808 program. I still use my Old Roland Vocoder, and I still use all kinds of Keyboards, old and new. Roland stuff is my favorite.

How many releases were put out on your label, Egyptian Empire records?
Many, Too many to name. In 2008 all my stuff will be available again on vinyl.

On The Nile
One Track Mind
Filthy
King of Ecstasy (Greatest Hits)
Get into it
Back from the Tomb
Platinum Pyramids
Pyramix
Pyramix 2
Classic 12" singles
and Rare Re-Mixes

Did you feel any sort of animosity between yourself and some of the LA producers of the time?
No, never. I get along with everyone and everyone gets along with me. I still see them around and everyone gives me props. It's cool being one of the first L.A. producers of Hip Hop.

Have you been keeping up with the progression of the electro funk style? There are people that have obviously taken cues from you such as detroit's Jimmy Edgar.
I only hear a few things but I love it and I love where it is going. Myspace has many Electro Artist and they all have great music. The future for Electro looks damn good.

I know you and I talked about new material that you working on, when can we be expecting that?
SOON! Most of 2008 I will be releasing stuff every month.

Jamie Jupiter
Electro Bass 7
Egyptian Lover
and alot of re releases.

Can you tell us about some of your musical influences growing up and in your music?
Kraftwerk, Prince, Super Rhymes, Gap band, Ohio Players, The Time, Jessie Johnson, Con Funk Shun, Soul Sonic Force, Africa Bambaataa, Gary Numan, ABC, Art of Noise, and all of the stuff that was played on L.A. radio. Los Angeles was jammin. Tony Joseph and Michael Moore use to get down. I got me mix style started from them.

Last thing, feel free to talk about whatever you feel like here. Tours, girls, love, politics...have at it my man.

Tour...I am doing shows all over the world showing off my D.J. skills and performing with Jamie Jupiter. It is so much fun.

Groopies Groopies Groopies...Being young and a D.J. it was so much fun. Then becoming a recording artist was even better. Girls love a successful man. I have lived 20 life times and have had a great life. Music is my only child. I love my music. I have so many songs I never released and I listen to them and wonder what the world would have done if they heard them? I just may put them out at the end of 2008. Look out for them. The song "Vibrator" is the Jam.

Love...My love is my wife. The person that introduced me to the first Kraftwerk album I ever heard. "Computer World" We went to High School together and met again at her 10 year reunion. We been together since then. I must say..I Love Her!

Politics...I don't care. I just wish it was peace around the world. The world is such a nice place. I only hope more people get to see it.

Egyptian Lover Will be playing this Friday @ Minc with our dude Sober. Don't sleep on this one.

Minc Lounge
813 Exposition Ave.
Dallas, TX 75226

-Prince Klassen