April 2006: OPEN MIC MAGAZINE (by Lisa Friedman)



There’s no question that the music industry needs some revolutionizing. When you consider the way some incredibly talented artists get outshined by some performers who simply don’t cut it and how some of the best music out there goes unheard, it’s time for a change. The almighty dollar has become the main purpose for some artists out there, and it reflects in their work. Fortunately, there is hope, and artists like Abyss are proving it.

Born Mitchell Mccain, he earned the name Abyss because of the depth of his lyrics and music. He grew up in the ghettos of Richmond, CA but chooses to use his experiences to inspire and move people instead of glorifying the ghetto lifestyle. He has been a writer and producer for over 10 years and created a buzz from his involvement in the Bay Area’s indie hip hop scene. Abyss’ debut album “From Now On” shows that he’s here to leave a mark and is just getting started. The album is entirely produced by Abyss and features a variety of talent including Planet Asia, Mikey Mo and DJ Daeta, just to name a few. “From Now On” is an impressive album from start to finish with each song exuding positive vibes and hot beats. Open Mic Magazine had the opportunity to ask Abyss a few questions and to get a little personal with the man behind the music. Here’s what he had to say:

Open Mic Magazine: What would you say makes you stand out amongst the many artists out there?

Abyss: Well, the main thing is that I don’t follow the latest trends like other artists do. It’s like nobody is really doing this for the culture anymore. They’re only doing it for the money. So, whenever they see someone from their hood or their city get on and become successful, they automatically change whatever they’re doing to immolate that style, hoping that they’ll get on too. Me, I do this cuz I love the culture. I love hip-hop. And you can hear that when you listen to my music.

Open Mic Magazine: Who are your musical influences?

Abyss: Man, too many to name all of them. But as far as hip hop is concerned, I’m influenced by the grimey sound of Wu-Tang (the golden years), the style and swagger of folks like vintage EPMD, PE, Gangstarr, Tribe, Xzibit, Dre, the list goes on and on. I’m always checking for what OutKast is doing, ya know, I got a lot of hip-hop influences. As far as music in general, I’m inspired by the creativity and passion of legends like Stevie, James, Bob, Chaka, etc.

Open Mic Magazine: You've been in the music game for some time now. What’s one piece of advice you would you give to someone just entering the industry?

Abyss: Make sure this is something you really want to put all your time and energy into. I think the worst thing people can do is get into this because they think they’re gonna make a record one day and be some big star the next day or somethin. They couldn’t be more wrong! This business is rough, specifically the rap game because cats who are already doin it, or hustlin’ illegal substances don’t have nothing else to do but stay in the studio. As a result, these cats are putting out mixtapes and new material on a weekly basis!!! So if you are just startin out, you gotta be on your grind heavy – I mean real heavy, to compete. A lot of what people are looking for now in the urban market is consistency. They can give a dam if you got a 4 song demo. They wanna know how many units you sold independently!

Open Mic Magazine: Who would you like to work with that you haven't already?

Abyss: Aw man, a lot of people. One person I’d love to work with would have to be Dr. Dre. He’s just so…permanent. I can’t even count how many hot records he’s made. And from what I understand, he’s somewhat of a perfectionist like me. I know people are always saying “he doesn’t do it by his self”, or “he’s got a production team under him”, but so did Quincy Jones, so did Prince. Does that mean that they are any less genius? I think he would really push me creatively and we’d be able to make some really good music together.

Open Mic Magazine: When did you first discover your passion for music?

Abyss: I’ve always had love. My Mom always talks about when I was really little, I used to dance for her and her friends when they would be hanging out at the house. I was always in all kinds of talent shows and contests from elementary all the way thru high school. But I think I discovered my passion for rapping when I heard “electric relaxation” by ATCQ. That song just blew me away, and I remember feelin like… that’s what I wanna do!

Open Mic Magazine: Describe what you remember the most about performing in front of a live audience for the first time.

Abyss: The butterflies… right before you go on stage, you get this indescribable feeling in your stomach. It’s nervousness, sure, but it’s more than that. The adrenaline, the fear, the excitement, all rolled in one is just incredible. But when I walked out there, the feeling just went away! I remember the lights damn near blinding me and people just staring and smiling, cheering… I’m thinking, hey I can get used to this!

Open Mic Magazine: If there's one thing you would like the world to know about Abyss that we may not already know, what would it be?

Abyss: I’m determined to make some much needed changes in this game and I will not stop until I succeed. I’m not hatin' on nobody, but yall know what the current state of hip-hop is right now. We need some serious help… there’s some cats in the game right now that need to throw in the towel and go back to the hood. There’s some that started out on the right path, but lost their way. I want the world to know that I speak for myself. I’m not an ex-drug dealer. I’m not a gangsta. But I’m also not a back-packer or some abstract dude. I’m just a cat that loves this culture and is willing to devote myself to taking back this thing we call hip-hop from the grips of corporate America.

Abyss is committed to creating quality hip hop and to doing what he can to change the music game for the better. His ideologies are poignantly expressed in his song “If I Wasn’t”, where he proclaims, “ If I wasn’t trying to change the game I might be like you, doing whatever everybody else do, making pop hop instead of hip hop...”. Enough said. Bring on the hip hop.

- Lisa Friedman