The Majic Show Blog: Sir James Elliott aka Final Outlaw: When The Streets Are Paved Into Skin

Final Outlaw is a captivating figure, you can't really label him as an MC. He thinks beyond labels and descriptions. In fact, he converses with beats and his growing fandom in ways that rebel against them. He comes off as one that is very attuned to who he is in the present; he also seems to know about who he is about to transform into. If this holds true, I think we are going to see someone evolve into something special. If not, we have another artist in the underground who will always keep things interesting as a poet and artist.

WHOOOO! His newest effort put out for the Funk Volume Freestyle...

It isn't very often that we've seen someone this powerful punch out of beats like a mob of charging activists. His resume is quiet extensive for someone so young in the game (and his collection of expressions has only just begun). Hip Hop is a stage that he campaigns on...his ferocious attempts to show his relevance as an artist, can be described as inspiring. He joins in with his New York community when it falls, to help hold it back up. He's on facebook speaking his mind on a day to day basis, seeming to want to stay in touch with his admiring ears. Some can call it aggressive, some can call it uplifting; either way you can't deny his work ethic and his courage to show you his own self realized code of ethics and morals.

Final Outlaw's "Theory" video

He is also first to tell you that he doesn't always do and say the right thing, but regardless, his light that he shines upon the persona that surrounds him is filled with sincere honesty (so it appears). As long as he stays on this transparent path, I think he'll give the world a brand that is worth paying attention to. Most people like artists that give us a piece of a persona that is entertaining, Final Outlaw definitely has this trait to his music and during his off the mic interactions. His rhymes are sprinkled with his observations, his reality (past, present, and future), and his own take on our current socio-conditioning.

Final Outlaw's "Theory II" video

The Interview

TMSB: What drew you into Hip Hop? Why did you devote so much time into perfecting your craft?

FO: It was an outlet to express myself. It was an avenue to potentially arrive at success. It was fun to freestyle and battle. There was simply too many appealing aspects to Hip Hop to remain idle. It was happening around me so I wouldn't say I was drawn into it; it was just there. For many of us, it was like a scholarship program or something of that sort toward higher society. More than a gamble, a calculated risk that could bare fruit.

TMSB: What drives your lyrical content? You speak on a wide range of topics; like on your newest release for the Funk Volume Freestley, you said "My socioeconomic condition turn me to a villain". What are you trying to shine a light on from spittin' this lyric?

FO: Nina Simone once attempted explaining something like this. She described love and how it was relative to freedom. She described how love is a feeling and upon explaining it to someone they may understand what you mean, but they won't truly know unless they feel it or have felt it themselves. I guess I was born with this desire for more out of life, and I've tried describing whatever that "more" is. Sometimes I've called it freedom, and lately I've been calling it sovereignty, but the truth is that there is this deeply existential force pushing me, and you won't fully understand it unless you feel it yourself. In the lyric you mentioned, I'm describing a common phenomenon of being transformed by your environment - in this case the conditions were such that transformation is less ethical and perhaps more survivalist based.

TMSB: You have been a big advocate towards the Black Lives Matter movement, what does that mean to you and why do you think it is such a significant issue?

FO: I grew up under horrendous circumstances as an American. Poverty, violence, racism, you name it. It wasn't until I was well beyond puberty that I began realizing that my circumstancs were very urgent. Before I had come to that realization, I saw myself as just a kid, and all fucked up shit happening to me and around me was just normal childhood as far as I was concerned. When I began understanding things as they were as opposed to how they were told to me, I couldn't believe that such horrible things were so isolated away from other sectors of society and media attention. At its most basic level, Black Lives Matter has pulled these horros out of the darkness and into a mainstream discussion. This is like an unbelievable plot twist to many of us, something we never thought we'd see: everyone talking about us and our issues. In many ways I'm still finding it hard to adjust to that fact - people are talking about us, Black Lives Matter has obviously been involved in a lot more than simply discussing issues, but if you took everything else away, and it operated at that basic function - it would still be something remarkable, an anomaly in many ways. We need this, and we need it to continue developing and evolving as our emergency stems far deeper than police brutality alone.

TMSB: You talk about many social conditions, where do get your information, where do you get your knowledge spread?

FO: It has to be a combination of my life experiences (which have been plentiful) and studying. Could I have become so inquisitive had I not been so very deprived as a child? Who knows, but that definitely stands as an important variable to the cocktail that makes me. I consider myself a fair-minded, critical thinker with some accelerated life experiences. I suppose that those experiences have lead to a strong capacity for empathy. Whatever I set my eyes upon, or whatever I set my foot upon, I'd like to believe that I filter all my experiences and information through that process. Basically study, a lot, then contrast your findings with your own reality, and always consider the realities of others. The Universe doesn't scare me because of studying.

TMSB: With all these epidemics popping up on our earth, it is safe to say that Hip Hop needs you. There isn't many people out there in the game today talking with such depth and clarity. There is so much power and confidence behind what you say, what makes you play in the realm of consious Hip Hop versus trap or any other style?

FO: Sometimes people be saying that Hip Hop needs me. I don't see how. In what sense? If I were gone now, Hip Hop wouldn't be affected. I do think that I have an ability to dive deeper into writing than many others. I don't do conscious Hip Hop, I think that would suggest that I've chosen a moral side of something to that effect. I haven't. I'm not really binary, I appear to be sometimes, but isn't that the nature of artists? Sometimes we're introverts, other times extraverts. My music is existential, spiritual in relation to my quest to understand myself and my surroundings. I don't think that gives me authority as a judge of morality, especially since I'm fucked up in my own ways. I care though, I care a lot, about things, and that matters. Trap beats are mad dope.

TMSB: Is there anything you feel Hip Hop is missing that you try to help empower?

FO: Yes, educated people. Most of the educated people I meet in Hop Hop are behind the scenes. That's disgusting. I'm not talking about a piece of paper saying that you're educated, I mean people who take any deliberate effort to educate themselves. Conjecture Rules Everything Around Me.

TMSB: You are on Teambackpack, that is a big internet boost to eyes landing upon your brand, how did you get that opportunity?

FO: If you visit Teambackpack.net and search my name, I believe they once told the tale about how we met. It was pretty random. I first met Armani, Dev, and a few others. I was pretty hyper that day, but they were on deck with a camera to capture it. It turned out that we even had some mutual friends in certain places and we just clicked. They're all mad cool. They really care about talent and make their love for Hip Hop pretty obvious through their posts and ideals. A lot can be learned from Team Backpack, even from an entrepreneurial aspect. I'm really curious about how they will evolve in coming years, I'm certain they will, and I'm grateful to be part of it.

TMSB: Where do you see your music going and how would you like to be seen?

FO: I've been spending more time in the studio lately and experimenting a lot. My friends Rich, Jim, and Devon have been really helping me a lot with this. I've also been sharing ideas with other musicians a lot, just talking about life and music theory, I guess. My friend Parker and I do this from time to time... It's helping to make the music sound so much bigger. The focus has shifted a whole lot from my world views toward the nature of my upbringing. After my next project it's highly likely that Final Outlaw will never sound the same again. I've always wanted to make music about life, not bars. I've always wanted to speak about things that people can relate to as opposed to creating stuff that can easily be seen as moralistic or political. My music is starting to sound a whole lot more like music. But having said that, I care, I wanted to empower little james. I'd like to be seen as someone who met the listener at some juncture in life and triggered their minds to think, and to take their futures directly into their own hands and to depend on no one.

TMSB: When can we expect "Theory III"? This being a major movement behind your music, how did you come up with the original concept?

FO: I just came up with the idea as a way to help promote my previous album, Unstoppable Love. It was simple, just spit; give people a reason to go beyond first base with you. It worked. Theory III is done, and will probably be packaged as part of the campaign for my next project which is also almost done. The next project is called "It Bares Black Fruit." It's produced by one guy, but for a super important reason I can't mention him until after the project is released. He'll likely reveal himself eventually.

TMSB: Do you have any shows coming up? And who are you trying to be associated with as far as doing shows, which artists are you trying to work with?

FO: Right now I'm just focusing on writing and recording. I'm working on two projects: It Bares Black Fruit, and the mixtape after that. It Bares Black Fruit sort of marks a milestone for me, the end of Final Outlaw in many ways. But the beginning of Sir James Elliott, and the tale of what made me.

TMSB: Is there going to be any features on your newest album or are you perhaps jumping on anything as a feature in the future?

FO: No features on my next project. I'll likely be featured on some other folks projects though - too early to talk about.

TMSB: Who are your favorite artists in the game now and what makes you appreciate their music?

FO: I dislike the whole "favorite" thing...but I'm feeling some of Saba and Mick Jenkins' stuff. "Oh my goodness" I'm feelin Boogie too, I saw him live in NY recently also. John Givenz is starting to look crazy promising. I'd say Raz Simone is someone who commands respect from me as a listener. He puts himself in a vulnerable place by speaking on things us artists are often told to stay away from - and I respect that shit. Too many more people to mention honestly.

TMSB: What do you think about beefs of today, like Drake vs. Meek Mill and how would you compare them with the ones that came before it?

FO: lol Drake vs. Meek Mill was really entertaining to watch, I had a lot of fun, and obviously Drake won, but he did so in such an entertaining way. I'm not mad at none of these people, I think it was good for the so called culture. I'm pretty done with everyone who complains about Drake to me. Nobody studies, everyone is so visceral and reactionary. Drake is talented, intelligent, and tactful. People sound primitive to me when they go on about "real Hip Hop" and whatever romanticism they've pent up over time. Son! "Trigger finger turn to twitter fingers" What?! This dude got meeked! Heads needed to relax and learn how to have some fun. The battles of the past are legendary, no one will ever threaten those legacies. Drake wants a bigger threat, he knows Meek lost this one, and he wants something legendary - this wasn't it.

WHOOOO! That was a fun one, Sir James Elliott. Thanks for taking the time out to do this interview. The Majic Show and The Majic Show Blog hope the best towards you and your movement. As for now, I can't wait to hear his newest efforts. I'll leave you with this video...