Pioneering Sacramento, California, rapper-songwriter-producer Brotha Lynch Hung, née Kevin Mann, has finally returned with his first studio set since 2013’s Mannibalector.
The creator of horror-core rap’s latest body of work, Season Of Da Siccness 2: Kevlar, is the successor to his gold certified ‘95 album of the same name.
First things first, let’s hop into this single / video, “I Can Be A Killa” — Tell me about this particular track; how did it come to fruition?
I wanted to send a message to people that I chose the right route in going into music instead of - I used to be an active gangbanger back in the day - I could have chosen that route, but I chose music. So that's basically what the song is all about.
Of course “I Can Be A Killa” comes courtesy of your new LP, Season of Da Siccness: Kevlar — Conceptually, what does this title represent both to and for you?
I'm trying to spread my style. People say people took off my style for years, so I'm just trying to keep it spreading. So I came with the Season of Da Siccness 2 hoping that it spreads a little more and brings back lyrics. And for the last 10 years, I kind of wasn't listening to rap because people stopped paying attention to lyrics. So I wanted to start spreading the lyric virus. So that's kind of why I decided to name the album Season 2.
How then does Season of Da Siccness: Kevlar either differ and / or compare to previous Brotha Lynch efforts?
It's a little more of a mature side of me. And just showing people that I still got it.
When you sit down to pen your rhymes, where do you draw inspiration from?
Movies, other rappers…some of my top five favorite rappers, I'll see if they got anything out. Or I'll go back to my old school stuff to get amped up to write.
Now last year (August 11th to be exact) also marked the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop — What exactly does that mean to and for you?
Well, it makes it more commercial, I guess you could say. I just hope it ain't the downfall of rap: putting the timestamp on it because people were talking about ages that you shouldn't be rapping no more and all that stuff. So. But I mean, for a genre that we didn't expect to last, I think it's a good thing.
To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?
I never really thought about that. I kind of left it up to the mainstream artists. I knew I was going to be underground and I knew that I would only make it so far staying underground. So I never really worried about how far it got. I kind of left it up to the mainstream.
What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called Hip Hop?
Working with Snoop and working with Ice-T. Ice-T got on my Loaded album in the mid ‘90’s and then about four or five years after that, Snoop gave me a call and invited me to L.A. to go to his studio. And when I did move to L.A., like six years ago, the first thing I did was hit Snoop and he put me on three shows. So those are pretty much my highlights, all surrounded around Snoop. Oh, and Jack the Rapper…and when I met Patti LaBelle and stuff like that, but that was the early ‘90’s.
That said, what are your future plans and / or goals throughout the remainder of 2024 and beyond?
Well, for my rap career, I'm gonna drop four more albums. And then I'm gonna get into writing movies - well, I'm already into writing movies now. I'm gonna write a horror flick and I'm gonna write my biopic - I've been writing my biopic for about six years. And hopefully get into that business.
Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
That I was a real MC that grew up in multiple eras from Hip Hop to gangsta rap to now and lasted throughout all three. Even though I hadn’t released in the ‘80’s, I was a Hip Hop rapper back then. That's what a lot of people don't know. Then I turned gangsta rapper from my gangbanging affiliation to really trying to be a creative type rapper in my latter years. So I just want people to know the years that I've lasted.
If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Obviously, Eminem would be a good one. And as for producers, I would like to mess with Dre at least once. To go off on a Dre beat, it'd be an instant classic.
If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
Madison Square Garden. Because it's in New York, and so many people have played there. But I'll never be big enough to play that, I'm just saying that would be nice. You know, I wouldn't care if it had 500 people in it.
On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?
Well, I like where I kind of see it going now: people are bringing lyrics back. But for the last 10 years, I haven't listened to Hip Hop because of the state it was in. But I kind of see people getting back more into the lyric part and I'm happy about that. Really happy about that.
What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
Paying attention to making a whole album instead of putting a whole bunch of songs together and calling it an album. Always having a concept to my album and a story. It's just like ear candy to people. And I feel like I can still do that for four more albums.
Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?
That's a good question. That's something to think about. I haven't really thought about that. Just the entertainment part…I just wanted to get into acting, but I never thought about anything outside of that. This has always been my plan A, never had a plan B. But I would like to do real estate or at least learn about it.
What’s an average day like for you?
Well, there’s phases in my life. There's phases where I'm always busy. This phase I'm in right now is staying in the house and creating. I don't really get out. I've been in the house for a straight year besides going to Walmart or 7/11. When I’m creating, I try to make it a nine to five so I don't feel guilty about all my other homies that have to go to work. And then plus, having a schedule like that makes it easier for me. But, believe me if something comes at 12 o'clock at night, we have a studio out here in the backyard, I can come do something and that does happen. But I try to keep it on schedule because it makes it easier for my sanity.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans...
I’m really not seeing a lot. But when they do see me, they really trip out like, “Man, you're a legend!” I didn't even know I was a legend until a fan told me. But they treat me with a lot of respect. And I do stuff like…a couple weeks ago, I ran into a girl on Facebook. And we had been talking for a minute and her and her husband wanted an autograph for so long. So one sunny day they hit me up and I met them at a park and signed - he had almost every CD I ever did. So I signed all the CDs and stuff. I really respect my fans, man. I'm one of the only rappers even on IG and all that that replies to their fans. A lot of artists don't. I'm one that does because if it wasn't for my fans, I wouldn't be where I'm at now.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
My favorite part is making my own obligations. I'm not a good obligations person. I hate obligations. So I'm able to make up my own hours. What I don't like about it is that it has turned into a job now. I remember doing it for fun. And now it seems more like a job. Because if I don’t put nothing out, I don’t make any money. That part turns it into a job, but when I was doing it for fun I was able to make up new patterns, not have a release date, and stuff like that. So it kind of made it fun. Now, I got obligations and release dates.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
I would say always write. Take your time and try to catch on to the new algorithms that's blowing people up, like, TikTok, Instagram, and always promote your stuff. Don't just put up stupid stuff on Instagram all day. Really do something: have a plot, have a plan, have a subject. And keep posting, promote yourself. Because back in the ‘90’s, we had to pay for this stuff.
Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
In L.A. on the beach. Lounging at the beach. Making mailbox money. I’ll be in my 60’s, so hopefully that’s the case.
Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?
No, you had great questions.
Any “parting” words for our readers?
That this Season of Da Siccness 2 album is just a warm up. I'm back in the game now.
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