1773 (pronounced seventeen seventy-three) is a trio of artists that consist of MCs Just J and Wisdm One and DJ Moral One. On their self-titled debut, 1773 (minus Moral One at the time) introduced themselves as torchbearers for the golden era (early to mid-’90s) of rap. In recent months they’ve been busy touring Japan in promotion of a new mix-tape, “Returning the New Stuff” hosted by Othello, which will tide fans over until the next full album, Return of the New. The sophomore effort is 1773′s most fully realized project so far, as it’s the first time the Chicago natives were able to sit down together and build as one unit. Just J and Wisdm seem to have really found their comfort zone on this one, and they’ve matured in their ability to weave together centralized themes. And now that Moral One is officially part of the picture, the group’s style as a whole is much more cohesive and appears destined fo bigger things. Centerstage caught up with 1773 to see how their careers together began and where the next step will take them.

Where are you guys from originally, and how did you come together?
MORALONE: We’re all from the North Side of Chicago – Logan Square, Humboldt Park. I really can’t remember when I first met Just J or Wisdm ONE, because as long as I remember DJing the Chicago scene, I remember spinning for Wisdm and Jay as solo artists. When they started doing shows under 1773 around 2005 they naturally asked me to DJ the shows. I officially became a part of the crew in 2006 after I joined them on tour.

WISDM ONE: I had an idea to start up a group by the name of 1773 (1-773…the Chicago area code but pronounced seventeen seventy-three). Originally the group was supposed to be me and a producer but those plans didn’t work out due to the timing of things. From there I decided to run the idea past J to see if he would be down to join forces and he was down for it. Moral started DJing for us as a group now but he wasn’t an official member at the time. The more performances they did the stronger the bond as a three-man crew got, and it was only right to make Moral the third member of the group.

Can you take me back to the first time you guys performed together?
WO: Wow! As a group, our first official show as 1773 was actually not bad. We played at the Hothouse with Earatik Statik, Lab Rats and a crew named Smokey Bassment I think…

From the beginning we always wanted to stand out as a group who “put on a show.” It was the first time anyone had ever seen us perform as a group and everyone that night was like, “where the heck did these guys come from?” It was cool to see how the people responded and gave back the energy that we were giving them.

Your name, 1773, pays homage to Chicago. What about the city inspires you guys?
MO: Its diversity, its segregation, its hope, its corruption, the North Side, its sudden burst of originality lately.

JJ: I find inspiration from the city as a whole. There have been times when I would just hop on the train and observe my surroundings just to have something to write about. I think that Chicago has so much to build from. It’s diverse, yet segregated, spontaneous and predictable and lies in between the two other major cities in the states. That alone is inspiration in itself.

WO: Growing up here, the everyday life, the skyline, the people, the music, the different neighborhoods, the different cultures, Logan Square, Wicker Park, Humboldt Park, Downtown, our families, our friends, the Chicago artists who came before us and so much more. It’s the City of Wind!

Tell me a bit about your debut album.
MO: It was what we were at the time. It had some great musical takes from Ohmega Watts and Tony Stone. I’m proud of it; “Broken Star” and “Constant Motion” are hits to me.

JJ: Our debut album, which is self-titled, was more of a project than a collective group creating an album. Originally, Wisdm came to me and asked if I wanted to work on a few songs with him. I was definitely down mainly because we were like-minded musically. He was about to move to Portland in a week from the time he approached me, so he brought beats over to my house, and we just banged out all the writing that week. Then I flew out there to record everything a month later.

Now you call your sophomore album your “real” debut. Could you expand on that?
MO: To me it was a true musical partnership with Othello. The beat choices Wis and Jay made were on point and their writing matured. So if people were to ask me about 1773 I would give them this record. It’s complete; it has golden-era bangers with “Its On Again,” battle raps with “Don’t Take,” and some left-field stuff with “Corner Pocket.” So it’s bigger than just those 2 to 3 singles on iTunes, it’s a complete record.

JJ: Well, we officially asked Moral One to join the group as an actual member while we were working on it. That was the first piece of the puzzle. Secondly, we selected production, came up with topics and such collectively. There’s something about taking your time and working together, versus one person having everything prepared and the other just hoping on board. Plus, the overall sound of the album is very cohesive and has a uniform sound to it.

WO: Return Of The New, which will be out summer 2009, just represents who we are musically at this point in time. We’ve grown so much as artist from when we started back in 2004, and we just want to give the people our “right here and now.” We put a lot of time, effort, work, blood, sweat and tears into this album and the end result turned out better than what we expected.

How did your relationship with Japan-based label River City Music Entertainment come about?
WO: They actually found us on MySpace. Their A&R at the time sent us a message saying that he really liked the song “Constant Motion” and was wondering if we would be interested in releasing a 12-inch with them. I told him that we had an entire album done and that I would submit it for them to listen and get back to me on what they thought. If they liked it then they could release the whole album, if not, then just press up the single of “Constant Motion.” They ended up really liking the album and licensed it from us. In December of 2007 we released our first album, Constant Motion with River City and in March of 2009 they released Return Of The New [in Japan only]. We’ve build a pretty tight knit relationship with the label and things have been going really well with them.

I can imagine the differences between Japan’s hip-hop scene and America’s, but what are some of the similarities?
JJ: Actually, there are a lot of similarities. Japan’s scene kind of models itself after the hip-hop scene here in the states back in the 1995/96 era. From the way they dress, to the music they play. A lot of the shows we did felt like the shows and parties I used to go to back when I was a kid just getting into the scene here.

What do you guys have in-store for us when you come back from Japan?
WO: Well, we will definitely be performing more throughout Chicago and the Midwest. We’ll be starting work on some new projects. Some things to keep an eye on: The release of the US Version of Return Of The New, a 1773/Vertual Vertigo EP, a brand new 1773 EP, a bunch of guest appearances on various projects nation and worldwide and some solo projects from all 3 members are also in the works. Check out 1773live.com for details.

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Besides being able to get into R-rated movies without asking the good-natured homeless man outside to buy you tickets, there’s not a whole lot that changes when you turn 17. You’re still a year away from most of the good stuff: porn, cigarettes, the military. But don’t start channeling Janis Ian just yet; proving that they understand your plight, several Chicago music venues have opened up their doors to fans 17 and up (and, in some cases, enthusiasts of all ages). So get away from the Guitar Hero and have yourself a night out at one of these clubs.

Beat Kitchen
This Roscoe Village venue caters to younger fans of live rock music with frequent 17-plus shows and early all-ages shows (usually starting at about 5:30-6:00 p.m.). A lot of local acts and some national rock acts, from indie to hardcore, are known to make an appearance here. Come early and order a burger or thin crust pizza from their front room menu, or if you’re low on cash, grab a $2 slice of pizza at the show.

Empty Bottle
While Empty Bottle’s main location routinely hosts 18+ shows, the venue’s music bookers also present all-ages shows at a number of locations in the Ukrainian Village/Logan Square area several times a year: AV-aerie, Logan Square Auditorium, Congress Theater and The Mansion. These shows usually cost $10-$15 and include the kind of dance-rock artists that appeal to the indie-music bloggerati (think Does It Offend You Yeah, Girl Talk, etc.), meaning you can check out the buzz acts before they get big enough to play the larger, 21-plus venues.

Metro
There was a time where Metro was the only game in town for rock fans younger than 21. While many of the big-name acts that play here do 21-plus shows, Metro has long been known for hosting its fair share of early evening all-ages shows, particularly festival-style shows and multiple-act bills.

Reggie’s Rock Club
Since it arrived on the local music scene over a year ago, Reggie’s Rock Club has offered up weekly all-ages and 17-and-under rock shows, from punk to doom metal, and less frequently local underground hip-hop. A few blocks from the Chinatown Red Line stop, Reggie’s has quickly become an oasis for younger rock fans; the median age at many shows is about 22. Even better, you can kill some time browsing CDs and old vinyl at Record Breakers upstairs or buying t-shirts at the adjacent Reggie’s Music Joint before heading to a show.

Subterranean

So your fake ID wasn’t convincing enough to get you into the Double Door? No worries, head over to Subterranean less than a block away; the venue’s second floor hosts at least one 17-and-over show a week (and the monthly Emerging Artists Showcase is all-ages). A lot of under-the-radar acts with passionate fan bases (like Dub Trio and Matt and Kim) make their way to this venue.

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Born into a family with rich musical and artistic traditions, Umar Rashid (aka Hi-Fidel aka Frohawk Two Feathers) lives to express. The quick-witted metaphorical storyteller has provided the lyrical backbone for three highly regarded albums: Traveling Between St. Louis and Chicago, FF Express: The Company of Wolves and Friday Night. Of the three releases, Friday Night (a collaboration with Serengeti that tells the tale of two friends, a missed date and a car crash with two transvestites) has been his most fully realized project to date, garnering accolades from esteemed publications like Okayplayer, Creative Loafing Atlanta and UGSMag.

As a fine artist, Hi-Fidel metamorphosizes into his alter-ego Frohawk Two Feathers to create even further-reaching multi-media sensations that often spotlight mankind’s gorging of natural resources and the subsequent destruction that follows. His work has been featured in numerous books and galleries, including a recent exhibition at Taylor De Cordoba in Los Angeles. And as if he wasn’t busy enough, Fidel just finished up Saturday Night (the follow-up to Friday Night), and is currently working on a folk album with Jesse Peterson entitled Crocodile Company. Centerstage corresponded with Fidel at his home in LA to talk about how his career as a fine artist/MC started.

I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how you got interested in music.
I got into music initially because of my father. He used to play all different kinds of music really loud when I was a kid. And when I say all different types, I mean soul, funk, jazz, reggae, psychedelic rock, The Stones and The Beatles. I come from a theatrical/musical background too. My grandfather played tenor sax with Lionel Hampton and there were always instruments lying around my grandmother’s house.

Regrettably, I never learned how to play them very well. My father was not much of a singer, but ever the performer. He teaches acting at ETA Creative Arts on the South Side to this day.

Could you take me back to your first performance?
My first musical performance was in a giant cipher in Grant Park during the Taste of Chicago in ’92. My brother and I rolled up on the cipher and proceeded to outshine the wack emcees that initially kicked it off. A high school friend, who I still believe to be one of the greatest beat-boxers of all time, happened to be nearby and provided us with beats. It was a fun and exciting time. I was just 15, and didn’t have many written rhymes, and my freestyle was only potent after a few rotations, so I started spitting my friend’s rhymes, Mike from Mass Hysteria. I didn’t know that my friend G-Field, also from Mass Hysteria, was in the audience until later and was met with looks of disapproval. I have never been able to live that down. But hey, it was the summer of ’92, the greatest summer for Chicago hip-hop. The summer of love.

You also make art outside of the music medium. Have both creative outlets gelled or are there separate mindsets for both ventures?

I try to keep my alter-egos separate. I generally stick to one per genre. In the art world I’m known as Frohawk Two-Feathers. I rap as Hi-Fidel. I do performance art as Kent Cyclone. I use my birth name, Umar Rashid, interchangeably with all of the disciplines. I’ve always enjoyed creating different characters.

Even as a graffiti artist, I would frequently change my name and my style. I like to think of it as evolving along a single line. A lot of my friends would criticize me and say things like “how do you expect people to recognize you?” and I would say “they won’t, at least not all at once.” Sure, all of the things I do are “connected” to a degree, but each manifestation is a unique, stand-alone entity. For me, it’s more fun this way and I can reach a broader audience.

You did the cover art for the Yoome album, right? Why weren’t you credited?
Yes, I did the Yoome album cover. It was a drawing from a series in an art exhibition I did here in Los Angeles at Taylor De Cordoba. Geti and I have been friends for a long time and he asked me kind of last minute to do the album cover. I was working on a new show, and didn’t have much time to create something new. Geti then explained that if I had anything that was good, send it over. I did, and they used it, but I guess they didn’t have time to credit their Two-Feathered friend. Oh well, I’m over it now [laughs].

Could you talk about your time here in Chicago and some of the inspirations you pulled from the city?
Chicago will always be my home and my favorite city in the whole world. I love everything about it from the architecture to the people, the rivers that criss-cross the city, the great lake, the food, and even the mindless internecine battles that are waged daily, with chivalry and savagery, upon its broad avenues. Maybe that last bit of poetry should find itself in the “things I hate about Chicago” column.

What was it that prompted the move out to LA?
I moved to L.A because it was the only affordable city with a large arts and entertainment scene that happened to be in the middle of my home, Chicago, and my wife’s home, Sado Island, Japan. Plus, I’ve done brick and steel so why not surf and sand? Geography and large bodies of water are important to me, but other than that I have no real concrete explanation for my presence here. Maybe I’ll end up on a sitcom.

I wanted to talk a little bit about the Friday Night album. I think it does a great job of telling a story without sounding convoluted. How did it come together?

Thank you. Friday Night is by far the best album I think I’ve done so far. I’ve always wanted to do an album with Geti [Serengeti]. We were supposed to make one in ’99 but I was too busy staring down whiskey bottles.

Here’s the skinny on how it all went down. Geti flew out here to record an album with me and the Breakfast Kings. We listened to beat after beat, wrote down some lyrics and were content to make a run-of-the-mill backpack rap album. We didn’t have enough time to complete anything so we just recorded a few sessions. No excitement there. About six months later, Geti flew back to finish what we started but with a few additions. He said he wanted the album to sound like a Friday night and from there the magic happened. The Breakfast Kings retooled the beats from backpack soundtracks to packed club bangers. We decided to call our union Friday Night, and set out to make songs that reflected our personalities and ambitions. It was a very freeing time. The narrative was generated from the need to tie the songs together, and the more outlandish things became, the more we were inspired. The skits and hilarity that ensued was the byproduct of all of that. I can’t wait to make the follow-up, but we need people to actually purchase the first one so, buy away people!

What?s the current status of the follow-up?
We are gearing up to work on the follow up-album, Saturday Night, later this week. It will follow our unscrupulous heroes on another crazy adventure. This time, everything takes place on a Saturday night. Hopefully we can get Black Spade, Micah James, Teluv, Kim Haden and the 87 Sick up kids on this one.

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