The Pedestrian is walkin’ it like he talks it on this hookladen, jeep
ready album released by Blak Ice Records. Third Degree, who hails from
South Central Los Angeles, grew up living right around the corner from
Dub C of Westside Connection. “I went to Hiphop High,” says Third.
”Washington High School was where I came up. A lot of hiphop people have
gone there, like Dub C, Crazy Tunes from The Maad Circle, YoYo, DJ
Alladin, and Sir Jinx, who DJ’s for Xzibit, and more. Crenshaw High may
have had the sports people locked up, but Washington has had the music
people.” Third Degree is destined to be the next hiphop alumni to speak
with authority.
With rhymes constantly flowing out of every pore of his being, Third is
definitely at no loss for words. The album, which is largely produced by
the musically eloquent Yabie, is tightly packed with 21 serious tracks,
including the runaway single “Do My Thang.” This quotable album is
consistent all the way through, with no fillers or throwaway tracks. “I
like real writers who have subjects and topics,” he professes. “I’m a
purist kind of guy.” Third points out that Yabie’s work “sounded like
music, it didn’t just sound like beats. He had a whole band of people
available to play guitar, bass, all that. He thinks in a very musical
way.” In this manner, he compares Yabie to DJ Quik. “He’s got a unique
style. I can’t quite figure out his formula.”
The battle-ready rapper’s name came his basketball days. “We called
ourselves the Burn Unit,” he says. “We had names like Thermostat, Third
Degree and Lava Rock.” Third’s government name is Wayne Guillory. “Like
guillotine. It’s French,” he explains. “All my people come from
Louisiana.” Either way, the world is his. It’s Wayne’s world, as he’s
young, gifted and black, and prolific to an extreme.
His father was a coach, who lost his life to cancer. “My mom was real
concerned about me after he died. That year, she asked me what I wanted
for Christmas, and I told her. Had my father lived, I would have
definitely not gotten those turntables!” he reminisces, shaking his head
with a smile. Third became obsessed with hiphop with gospel-like
devotion, and he began interpreting the world through the mind of a
rhymesman. It seemed that every event in life was suddenly transformed
into a searing rhyme by the verbal prodigy.
The prolific Third notes, “The single “Do My Thang” is a way to
introduce me to people. I felt it was representative of where I was
coming from. It lets people know a couple things about me, and I feel it
describes me,” explains Third.
”My raps give people another view of Los Angeles. People who don’t live
here think it’s all either gangbanging or Hollywood. L.A. is not all
about being a gangsta. I just wanted to make this record about the
regular person in L.A,” he concedes. Third believes there’s a lot of
pressure to rap about banging, because some of the earlier great L.A.
rappers before them. “People who don’t even gangbang,” he points out. “I
think rappers should talk about what they do. If you gangbang and you
rap, talk about gangbangin’ in your rap. If you sell crack all day, talk
about selling crack all day. Whatever it is that is you. That’s what “Do
My Thang” is all about. Just be yourself. If it’s you, do it. If not,
don’t do it.” He adds, “Some of my best friends bang. But that’s them.
It just never occurred to me to do that.”
As far as

Options	Email  |  Save
<< Prev	Next >>