Ackumen
July 2015
Who are you?
Ackumen.
Where do you live?
Nowhere in particular. I’ve been floating around Babylon since I’ve been old enough to float without sinking. I’ve spent plenty of time underwater, but this old hermit has to come up for air every now and then.
What do you do?
I transfer the pseudo-philosophical rantings of my discursive mind onto beats and call it hip-hop for lack of a better term. I try and stay in a constant state of creation in one form or another. It seems that when I’m not creating, I’m destroying. I suppose there isn’t much of a difference when the polarities are examined, but I’d rather be building and using the destruction of destruction to make space for more innovation than just burning shit down for my own selfish amusement. I’ve also been a graf artist for 19 years, but I’m not as active as I’d like to be these days. Now I work in the tattoo industry and enjoy marking humans with sacred symbols…and the occasional butterfly.
When did you start?
I started actively painting back in 1996. I ran with a crew of vandals and degenerates back then, and when we were out on missions, some of the homies started spitting freestyles. I thought it was cool, and when my headphones weren’t blaring government-bashing punk rock songs, I listened to hip-hop. So I tried writing; then started jumping in the cypher. Eventually that led to recording and going to local battles. I loved it. I couldn’t stop doing it if I wanted to. Believe me, I’ve tried…
How was your first show/performance?
My first experiences with performing were at house parties back in the late 90s. We had a huge crew of graf artists, DJs and emcees, and shit would just pop-off spontaneously when we all got together. After Metacaum and I managed to put a little project together on an analog Tascam 4-track in 1999, we actually got some spots opening for bigger names who came through town. It felt good at the time but, honestly, I’ve never really enjoyed it that much. I’d rather be at home, cooking dinner for my Queen.
What would you like to gain from your work?
I have no illusion about what this is, and I have no expectations regarding this craft. I’ve been putting out records under an old name for nearly 15 years. I do what I do because it’s a choice-less action. It’s an extension of my meditation practices and my studies into the nature of reality. The work itself is what I gain.
What would you like your audience to gain from your work?
I don’t want them to gain anything. I want people who listen to my music to lose things. I want them to lose their hopes and fears. I want them to lose their cravings and fixations on the past and future. I want them to lose their paradigms and their indoctrinations. I want them to lose their minds in order to rediscover their hearts and souls. I want them to lose their religion, their politics and their judgments, so they might endeavor to take that first single step out of the invisible prisons we’ve allowed external forces to build up around us.
Who or what are your biggest influences?
Music-wise, I love the golden era classics from both coasts. I don’t listen to much hip-hop these days, but every once in while I’ll find something new that inspires me. There are a lot of interesting and unique sounds coming out of the U.K. right now. Dope beats inspire me to write more than anything else. If I turn on a beat and it doesn’t make me want to freestyle right away: then I won’t fuck with it.
Beyond that, seeing my people grinding, making moves and doing something positive for themselves and their communities always gets me fired up. All the Guerrilla Republik warriors and my Universal Zulu Nation fam are a constant source of inspiration. People doing genuine shit in a selfless manner…
What keeps you up at night?
My mind when I’m not meditating enough.
What’s next?
I’ll be starting work on the follow-up to my debut EP, Mystery School Dropout, in the next month or so. The new one will be a full-length with multiple producers and more features. I have a few legends on board for this one as well: Myka 9, Sabac Red and K-Rino have all signed on for the project, to name a few. I haven’t put a specific deadline on the project yet, but it’ll likely reach completion in the early months of 2016. I’m also working on a project with Metacuam, produced entirely by Panik of The Molemen, called The 8-Fold Tao which should be wrapped up by the end of the year. We plan to do some small tours; mostly performing at Buddhist temples and ashrams. Keep a few eyes out…
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