Inside the Mind of iCON the Mic King: 3rd Renaissance

R.M. London w/ iCON the Mic King

'Inside the Mind' is an artist feature that Rhymehouse will have for you on a weekly basis. The main purpose of this feature is to get deeper down into a mind of an artist and ask them about ONE certain subject that we want to know more about. Whether it be politics, religion, the music industry, current events, or something about an artists career-- we will get down into the catacombs of their thoughts.

For our first installment of 'Inside the Mind' we will go further into the cerebral cortex of Philadelphia MC, iCON the Mic King. Not only is iCON one of the most exciting MCs rockin' a hip hop party today, he is also the spokesperson for an intriguing idea and hip hop renewal dogma-- The 3rd Renaissance.

We wanted to know more about this idea and "revolution" that iCON modulates on a constant basis, and iCON is here to help:

Rhymehouse: Explain to us what the 3rd Renaissance is and what it is all about?

iCON: Hip-hop's Third Renaissance is a people-driven resolution where consumers realize their power in the marketplace to affect change. The garbage in hip-hop on both the underground and mainstream levels has hit a critical mass and the people are realizing that their support or lack of support is not a drop in the bucket, but it makes a huge difference in who we will see next year.

It is also return forward of hiphop music as a whole on the backs of progressive musicians that bring a refreshing flavor to the artform. Everyone is tired of the snap music and tired of the "bring it back" music; the Third Renaissance is the next step. Furthermore it's the rebirth of the hiphop party. People wonder why no one wants to go to hiphop shows anymore. It's because we have "shows" and we have "parties." A show is general some dude walking back and forth and shouting onstage. A party is usually the place you go for fun, and there's girls in attendance, and you have a fun experience.

In the Third Renaissance you will see artists bridging the gap. Ultimately it's about taking control of the music we love and injecting new magic into it.

Rhymehouse: Other than yourself, what current hip hop artists have been making music that is "3rd Renaissance" material. What artists have not?

iCON:Actually, though I try to personify what I believe the Third Renaissance is, it is really up to the people to decide who these artists are. In my experience I believe Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Pharoahe Monch, Tonedeff, Yarah Bravo, PackFM, Supastition, etc are all personifications of this. They all bring something refreshing and new to the table with their own flavor. They don't sound like other people, they create their music with the pure passion of an artist.

Because of this these are the people I mention when people ask me. However it is ultimately decided by who the people will rise up and support. The Third Renaissance isn't about complaining about what rappers aren't taking us forward, it's about sharing light with and supporting those that are.

Rhymehouse: How can hip hop fans become more involved in the 3rd Renaissance and help strengthen it?

iCON:Fans are the most important part of the Third Renaissance. As fans we must recognize what our power is. As the world embraces the internet more and more our voices as fans become much more strong of an influence. If you read ten blogs that say the new PackFM album is amazing that holds more weight than the jaded opinion of a writer who knows nothing about PackFM and skimmed through the record. The blogger's review is more contextual and he writes it because this is how he genuinely feels not because he has to turn in 200 words for his portfolio.

The internet is rapidly leveling the playing field between the indies and majors while simultaneously becoming the legitimized time capsule for word of mouth. We all have the ability to download now, so no one has to suffer from buying an album for one song anymore. Our ability to be educated consumers is a responsibility that we must embrace. As fans we must spread the word about the cream so it does in fact rise to the top and trumps marketing strategies.

Once we have that awareness we must support those who we believe in. As these artists continue to build their respective brands in Third Renaissance fashion, the quality will increase but the fans must match it in their support in order to see it sustained. In other words, more than ever the artists work directly for the fans and the fans directly support the artists.

Rhymehouse: What periods in time were the 1st and 2nd Renaissance? In your eyes, how did those periods affect the genre and you as an artist?

iCON:These hip-hop Renaissances tend to last 3 - 4 years. The First Renaissance was in 1988-1992. This era is marked by people like Public Enemy, EPMD, Tribe, De La, KRS ONE, etc. Everything was classic then. You could turn on the radio and hear amazing music at any time of the day. The culture was thriving. I was just a pure fan in this era, I just watched and learned I was too young to be a real participant.

The 2nd was 1998 - 2001. This was the era dominated by heads like Canibus, Eminem Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Company Flow, Talib Kweli, the Rawkus era, Lyricist Lounge, etc. This era and the time between the first and 2nd Renaissance are what created me as an emcee. It ended with Sept 11th and the release of "The Blueprint" (coincidentally the same day).

The First Renaissance is the foundation of hiphop as far as its full acceptance in the commercial field. The 2nd Renaissance was a return to form and the solidification of the indie scene. The 3rd Renaissance is forward movement.

Rhymehouse: Do you ever think that "real" 3rd Renaissance like hip hop music will ever make it onto mainstream media forms (MTV, Radio, BET, etc.)?

iCON:That's the beauty of it, it can. The same way Soulja Boy got signed from having a song on Myspace, Tonedeff could get signed by overwhelming support from the people. As soon as heads realize they are not a drop in the bucket and they start giving more light to the musicians they love mainstream media has no choice but to recognize them. Look at Immortal Technique a few years ago, dude largely came up off strong word of mouth, next thing you know he's got a full 2-page spread in Playboy. Anything can happen if the people support it.

Rhymehouse: What has iCON the Mic King been working on to feed and fuel the 3rd Renaissance?

iCON:Me, I just try to lead by example. I'm making music that I feel is progressive, trying to update my own style and be more flavorful. I'm working on 3 albums simultaneously right now. One with my man Blastah Beatz called "The Season of Our Discontent" it's very soulful with a lot of twists. I got this new record with Chum that is very musical called "Cool Aide" and I'm also doing a hiphop/electronica hybrid project with my man Animals on Wheels from the UK called "Robots with Hearts."

It's all a lot of fun because I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone and challenging myself. Other than that I'm just spreading the word, working on perfecting my show and make it more of a party. Chum and I are about to start doing a recurring event in CT called the "Cool Aide Soundsystem" that is very much a party with the show aspect melded in perfectly.

If it isn't me that makes the difference I hope to at least inspire whoever it is.

You can catch iCON the Mic King on MySpace.com here.