Bay Area psychedelic/alt-rapper Underdog Rising explores the interaction between the ideals of freedom and the use of technology on his new record, The New Future Shock. It’s a dystopian revelation that fuses everything from record-scratching old-school hip-hop to funk inspired by George Clinton, a godfather of psychedelic sounds.
Coming from Vallejo, California, Underdog Rising has been around the underground for almost two decades. I spoke to him about his number-one psych rap album, the concepts behind the music, and its inspirations. I hope you enjoy hearing the story behind the album.
Interview With Underdog Rising
Bryan (Third Eye): How was your show?
Underdog Rising: Perfect. The show was great. I posted some of it on my Instagram.
Bryan: Cool, glad it went well. I just want to get into the concepts behind the album. Where did you draw inspiration from?
Underdog Rising: I began this project after being inspired by a show called Scavengers Reign and my passion for cyberpunk as a genre. Eventually, I added influences from George Clinton and Psychedelic Funk.
Bryan: I love the psychedelic funk. How does that play into the cyberpunk? I love George Clinton. I grew up listening to him.
Underdog Rising: There is a principle in P-Funk that I highly relate to. It’s about feeling alienated from society and embracing a counter-culture. There’s a sense of oneness in P-Funk, which eventually led me to discover the folk religion of the Yoruba Tribe in Nigeria. They believe in something called the Supreme Force. In my concept tape, the AI represents this concept. I also explored the genre of Afrofuturism, which has a brighter and more positive reflection of life than Cyberpunk dystopia. I didn’t want it to be all negative.
Bryan: I love the concept. I love how technology, AI, is used to create the feeling of alienation.
Underdog Rising: In this case, Future Shock is really about how we approach new technologies. We can wallow in sadness or create something positive. There are always multiple paths we can take. I wanted to embrace both the good and bad.
Bryan: I see that in your album. What led you to draw the contrast?
Underdog Rising: We see so much depressing music, and no one ever comes up with a positive solution. I also didn’t want it to be a stereotypical dystopia. I wanted little pieces of genres like Afrofuturism and Solarpunk.
The album is truly in two parts. The first half explores dystopia and the technology used to steal from artists and harm human beings. However, I also wanted to delve into the positive aspects. As a type 1 diabetic, I owe my life to technology, but it is also used to discriminate against us. Technology is a reflection of humans. Both are positive and negative.
Bryan: Cool, I like the message behind it, too. I noticed this when listening to the track “Wrath Incorporated.” But then you have the track “Page Up,” which was all funk.
Underdog Rising: Yep. That was all intentional. I wanted to leave on that Mothership-type vibe at the end.
Bryan: Yeah, cool. So, would you say you expect good things from technology and the industry?
Underdog Rising: I also wrote a whole plot for it. The story is about a hacker “artist” who gathers an underground group to infiltrate an AI controlled by the record companies. It’s a metaphor for industry gatekeeping, a message to make the music you love making instead of what the industry wants.
Bryan: I see that in your work, too. It’s very original.
Underdog Rising: I think tech reflects humans. We are capable of so much greatness. I see so much beauty in human beings. And I love it. But I also see the dumb mistakes we make constantly. It really is a dichotomy in a way.
Bryan: And it’s one of the coolest albums I’ve heard. I also heard a lot of old-school hip-hop in the album. What artist did you draw inspiration from regarding old-school hip-hop? Have you heard of DJ Shadow?
Underdog Rising: My top five emcees are KRS-One, Big-Daddy Kane, Kendrick Lamar, Planet Asia, and Lord Finesse. DJ Shadow is a legend. I love what he does.
Bryan: That’s awesome. I’m a big fan of KRS-One. The record scratching and the beats were really well done in this album.
Underdog Rising: I’ve been involved in hip-hop underground culture for two decades. KRS-One taught me how to approach a subject. Make sure a song says something.
Bryan: Yeah, definitely. How did you implement technology into the production of your album?
Underdog Rising: Two years ago, I dived into the new tech in music production and went crazy with it. The tools available are excellent. The wide array of reverbs and delays alone makes it easier to execute your vision.
I love the tech in that case. I didn’t use any AI at all. I hired musicians and artists to jump in. I think focusing on the human element is also so important. Let the tech humanize us in a way.
Bryan: It’s interesting to see people interact with technology in new ways. I’ve been thinking quite a bit about how this is done, and your album spoke to me about it. It’s like it all runs in the same stream.
Exploring psychedelics and technology piqued my interest when I listened to your album. I think it’s the freedom that technology gives you that causes us to latch onto it.
Underdog Rising: Psychedelics are an ancient medicine, something humans have used for thousands of years. Using technology to enhance this experience allows us to reach deeper levels of understanding.
I live in a legal area for mushrooms, and micro-dosing has been a revelation for me. The first time I sat down and listened to something I was proud of making while tripping was an unbelievable experience. When taken responsibly, psychedelics have the potential to help us deal with some of our more negative aspects. The Bay Area has always been a leader in this field.
Bryan: I see that. Your album is very psychedelic. So, do you typically micro-dose with psilocybin, or do you use alternative means to draw that creativity out?
Underdog Rising: I grew up exploring my mind with psilocybin, but I haven’t done it in 10 years. I didn’t write this music based on its being psychedelic. My mother mainly influenced that; I was raised by hippies who grew up in San Francisco.
My first trip in 10 years was listening to my album. That’s when I realized how psychedelic it was. A lot of this project was me trying out my sound. That’s what makes me so excited about my next project. I know what my sound is now. It’s developed to a point where I enjoy it a lot. Loving what you make is the most important. I made something I wanted to hear. Something that I felt was missing.
Bryan: I love when an artist can appreciate his work. And as far as finding the sound you want to work with, you’re producing something that works.
Underdog Rising: That means a lot to me. I went from not knowing if it would work to having the #1 psych rap album on Bandcamp. It’s been wild. It has renewed my spirit. I never imagined I would be speaking with you today.
Bryan: That’s amazing. You’ve totally won me over as a fan. I can’t wait to see where this exploration into psychedelics, music, and technology takes you. How long would you say your fans have to wait for the next album?
Underdog Rising: I’ve finalized the concept and beats for my next project. I’ll be exploring the Jungle/Funk genre, and the theme will revolve around the Jungle with a lot of ambient records. I’m incorporating various animal sounds and connecting it all to the roots of hip-hop culture. It should be done in five months. If I get it down pat, I think I could release it twice a year. That’s the goal.
Bryan: That’s awesome. I can’t wait to hear it.
Underdog Rising: The new album will also incorporate folk instruments from South America and Africa. I’ve always loved Andean music.
Check out The New Future Shock by Underdog Rising on Bandcamp here.
Underdog Rising: Bandcamp | Instagram
This interview was conducted by Bryan Montijo, a writer who primarily focuses on music, spirituality, and psychedelics. Bryan has written a few novels which can be found at wattpad@CraftedTales. He also has his own blog where he discusses everything he loves from music to nature and writing. You can find it here at medium@bmontijo555.
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