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| FEATURES | |
| Chief Presents: Bodega! | You Know: Failed Interviews |
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| A Thousand Stevies | Movie Reviews |
| Pen Pals! | |
Telli Gramz is hitting on your girlfriend while you read this... and she's blushing like crazy.
Chief Magazine: So, what's your name and where are you from?
Telli Gramz: Telli "Bathroomsex" Gramz and I'm from Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights! Brooklyn! Basically, Brooklyn in general, I've covered a shit load of ground.
Oh shit, Brooklyn born and raised? What kind of kid were you back then?
I was a cornball! Naw! I wasn't a big time bad ass, but always stayed in some bullshit, you know? Class clown type. I was actually a church boy, I was the drummer. As far back as I can remember I was fucked with music, rappin' in kindergarten! I got a Walkman for Christmas and my Moms bought me a couple singles. They were LL Cool J's, "Around the Way Girl" and N.W.A.'s, "Straight Outta Compton" She took that N.W.A. shit away when she overheard me spittin' rhymes from it! I remember stealin' my uncle's Slick Rick children story tape so I could memorize it.
How long did that church business last?
Well, I was born in it. My Grandpops is a preacher. I've loved music forever, went to drum classes and everything, which sucked 'cause after a month or so felt I was better than my teacher! But anyhow, thank God for everything, the good and bad. Ever since I became responsible for me, I haven’t been a regular churchgoer. Guess after my Moms stopped making me go, I didn’t feel that need. God knows my heart!
So when you get hooked up with Ninjasonik? How’d all that shit come together?
Lil' less than a year ago, I was drumming in my uncle's band, we were rehearsing at this lounge
(Michelines, shout-out to Dametri) and I met Kev (Teenwolf). He played me "Tight Pants" and I fell in love instantly! I came up with a bridge, he sent me the track, I wrote the verse, came to crib and laid it down! Before I came to the crib, he was like you gotta meet Jah! So, I come to the crib to lay the joint, I meet Jah and I'm like, "I know this nigga! Who don’t know this nigga!" It's been on since then! I've been acquired, now it's Ninjasonik 'til I retire!
So you’ve been touring with them right? How’s the road treat you? Walk me through the first time you guys left the city and who you played with, and any times since then that stick out in your head.
Awwwwww mannnnnnnnnnn! A dream come true! We destroyed SXSW!
Alright Jah Jah, Kev, Liz and Andy started without me, shout-out to Andy Savage 'cause we couldn’t have made it without you, bro ("on a bag on tha floor on tha ground", inside joke) So, anyway, they did a couple dates with The DeathSet and I caught up with them in Austin and it was on and poppin'! Tried to book a flight, but it was too late, had to take the fuckin' bus! Didn’t even get to shower or change, straight to the venue.
It was dope 'cause we headlined, it was Best Fwends, Team Robespierre and some other band. The cops shut us down, like at our last joint, they shut the music off, so, we went acappella. Kids were clapping for the beat, it was epic!
The next night we did another gig, a "Bikes in the Kitchen" show, shout-out to C-lo! It was awesome. It was us, The DeathSet, then Matt and Kim and Best Fwends and we did a round robin, so like each one of us did two songs a piece. It was crazy! We did an acoustic set for a Todd P show, which was wild. Dan Deacon, DeathSet, Best Fwends and a shit load of other kids. SXSW was crazy! Those were like underground shows. We had an official gig, the venue was trash, but we had fun. Mikey from The Cool Kids came to that gig too, show love, that was rad. Shout-out to The Cool Kids.
We did a secret 4 am for Todd P and guess who comes around the corner? Diplo, Blaqstar and Spankrock! Epic! We did Pittsburgh with The Hoodgang and my nigga Pfunkt, supa dupa shout-out to Sneaky Mike. If you're ever in Pittsburgh, look him up. The kid has a rollerskating rink in his crib. We did both my niggas from Spank's birthday parties in B'more and Philly! First off, shout-out to Emily Rabbit, the raddest chick ever born. Second, Philly, I fuckin' love you! Showed me nothin' but good times!
Pretty sure by next time we speak I'll have twice as more adventures!
You’re giving a lot of shout-outs! It’s all about the love isn’t it…
Isn't it? Yo', our friends show us so much love it's ridiculous. And that’s the reason we are what we are. The least I can do is give some back. I mean we sit there and write songs and you go out and kids come out and know joints word for word. Shit's crazy!
It's all about the love, we say what you think, we are the voice of the youth!
What’s the future? What’s up with Telli Gramz and Ninjasonik this summer?
What's not in the future? This summer is our summer! First off, July 11th, the ep drops! And Jah Jah's birthday is that day! The show is going to be rad, we're talking The So So Glos, DJ Dirty Fingers, Juiceboxxx, Japanther, and special guests! We have a load of shit lined up, kind of don’t want to let that cat out the bag. Just going to take it one gig at a time, check us out! We on that internet, bitch!
Alright, we’re gonna keep this short and sweet, so I’ll just ask one last question. Tell me a story about a time when you thought you were going to die and your adrenaline was pumping like crazy or a time that you got away with something insane that you want at least one more person to know about.
Alright one time, in my drug dealing days, I was going to pick something up. But I wasn’t going back to my block to hustle, just was making a pit stop then going crosstown to chill. Figured I pick up what I needed to so when I got back to my side I could get right to work. So here I am, fresh pocket full of money, just copped on my way out that spot when this dickhead cop rolls up. Vest on top off his uniform, looking like a real dick! Anyhow, he rounds all of us up, digs in my pocket sees all the money I have and goes, "Oh, you're not going anywhere!" My heart was beating a hundred miles an hour! So this guy checks my mouth and, here's the thing, he makes me drop my pants! And uses my shirt to like go down the crack of my ass (no homo) to make sure I have no drugs there! And I'm like, "Oh shit, he's gonna find them!" Luckily, he wasn’t hip to the "long john stash". You know that lil' pouch in the front of your long john pants? So, he's like, "Here, take your money and get the fuck away from my side and don’t let me catch you over here again!" So, there's that. And every single time I've cheated, I got caught. Red handed! And still tried to lie my way out.
Website
Ninjasonik's Myspace
Interview by: Ed Zipco
Photos by: Xavier Veal
Chief Magazine: So, what's your name and where are you from?
Telli Gramz: Telli "Bathroomsex" Gramz and I'm from Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights! Brooklyn! Basically, Brooklyn in general, I've covered a shit load of ground.
Oh shit, Brooklyn born and raised? What kind of kid were you back then?
I was a cornball! Naw! I wasn't a big time bad ass, but always stayed in some bullshit, you know? Class clown type. I was actually a church boy, I was the drummer. As far back as I can remember I was fucked with music, rappin' in kindergarten! I got a Walkman for Christmas and my Moms bought me a couple singles. They were LL Cool J's, "Around the Way Girl" and N.W.A.'s, "Straight Outta Compton" She took that N.W.A. shit away when she overheard me spittin' rhymes from it! I remember stealin' my uncle's Slick Rick children story tape so I could memorize it.
How long did that church business last?
Well, I was born in it. My Grandpops is a preacher. I've loved music forever, went to drum classes and everything, which sucked 'cause after a month or so felt I was better than my teacher! But anyhow, thank God for everything, the good and bad. Ever since I became responsible for me, I haven’t been a regular churchgoer. Guess after my Moms stopped making me go, I didn’t feel that need. God knows my heart!
So when you get hooked up with Ninjasonik? How’d all that shit come together?
Lil' less than a year ago, I was drumming in my uncle's band, we were rehearsing at this lounge
(Michelines, shout-out to Dametri) and I met Kev (Teenwolf). He played me "Tight Pants" and I fell in love instantly! I came up with a bridge, he sent me the track, I wrote the verse, came to crib and laid it down! Before I came to the crib, he was like you gotta meet Jah! So, I come to the crib to lay the joint, I meet Jah and I'm like, "I know this nigga! Who don’t know this nigga!" It's been on since then! I've been acquired, now it's Ninjasonik 'til I retire!
So you’ve been touring with them right? How’s the road treat you? Walk me through the first time you guys left the city and who you played with, and any times since then that stick out in your head.
Awwwwww mannnnnnnnnnn! A dream come true! We destroyed SXSW!
Alright Jah Jah, Kev, Liz and Andy started without me, shout-out to Andy Savage 'cause we couldn’t have made it without you, bro ("on a bag on tha floor on tha ground", inside joke) So, anyway, they did a couple dates with The DeathSet and I caught up with them in Austin and it was on and poppin'! Tried to book a flight, but it was too late, had to take the fuckin' bus! Didn’t even get to shower or change, straight to the venue.
It was dope 'cause we headlined, it was Best Fwends, Team Robespierre and some other band. The cops shut us down, like at our last joint, they shut the music off, so, we went acappella. Kids were clapping for the beat, it was epic!
The next night we did another gig, a "Bikes in the Kitchen" show, shout-out to C-lo! It was awesome. It was us, The DeathSet, then Matt and Kim and Best Fwends and we did a round robin, so like each one of us did two songs a piece. It was crazy! We did an acoustic set for a Todd P show, which was wild. Dan Deacon, DeathSet, Best Fwends and a shit load of other kids. SXSW was crazy! Those were like underground shows. We had an official gig, the venue was trash, but we had fun. Mikey from The Cool Kids came to that gig too, show love, that was rad. Shout-out to The Cool Kids.
We did a secret 4 am for Todd P and guess who comes around the corner? Diplo, Blaqstar and Spankrock! Epic! We did Pittsburgh with The Hoodgang and my nigga Pfunkt, supa dupa shout-out to Sneaky Mike. If you're ever in Pittsburgh, look him up. The kid has a rollerskating rink in his crib. We did both my niggas from Spank's birthday parties in B'more and Philly! First off, shout-out to Emily Rabbit, the raddest chick ever born. Second, Philly, I fuckin' love you! Showed me nothin' but good times!
Pretty sure by next time we speak I'll have twice as more adventures!
You’re giving a lot of shout-outs! It’s all about the love isn’t it…
Isn't it? Yo', our friends show us so much love it's ridiculous. And that’s the reason we are what we are. The least I can do is give some back. I mean we sit there and write songs and you go out and kids come out and know joints word for word. Shit's crazy!
It's all about the love, we say what you think, we are the voice of the youth!
What’s the future? What’s up with Telli Gramz and Ninjasonik this summer?
What's not in the future? This summer is our summer! First off, July 11th, the ep drops! And Jah Jah's birthday is that day! The show is going to be rad, we're talking The So So Glos, DJ Dirty Fingers, Juiceboxxx, Japanther, and special guests! We have a load of shit lined up, kind of don’t want to let that cat out the bag. Just going to take it one gig at a time, check us out! We on that internet, bitch!
Alright, we’re gonna keep this short and sweet, so I’ll just ask one last question. Tell me a story about a time when you thought you were going to die and your adrenaline was pumping like crazy or a time that you got away with something insane that you want at least one more person to know about.
Alright one time, in my drug dealing days, I was going to pick something up. But I wasn’t going back to my block to hustle, just was making a pit stop then going crosstown to chill. Figured I pick up what I needed to so when I got back to my side I could get right to work. So here I am, fresh pocket full of money, just copped on my way out that spot when this dickhead cop rolls up. Vest on top off his uniform, looking like a real dick! Anyhow, he rounds all of us up, digs in my pocket sees all the money I have and goes, "Oh, you're not going anywhere!" My heart was beating a hundred miles an hour! So this guy checks my mouth and, here's the thing, he makes me drop my pants! And uses my shirt to like go down the crack of my ass (no homo) to make sure I have no drugs there! And I'm like, "Oh shit, he's gonna find them!" Luckily, he wasn’t hip to the "long john stash". You know that lil' pouch in the front of your long john pants? So, he's like, "Here, take your money and get the fuck away from my side and don’t let me catch you over here again!" So, there's that. And every single time I've cheated, I got caught. Red handed! And still tried to lie my way out.
Website
Ninjasonik's Myspace
Interview by: Ed Zipco
Photos by: Xavier Veal
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