MarQ Spekt, aka Marcus Respekt, aka Grilchyface Bastard.

I’m a world citizen: Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but raised all over the East Coast. I live in Atlanta, Georgia, now, although I may not by the time this interview comes out. I’m wherever I rest my head, honestly. Could be NYC, could be L.A., could be the NOLA.

I’m a professional thinker; I write and/or recite my ideas on paper for pay. Sometimes I do it for fun, but it’s not often. I try to do a lot with life, fam. There’s an art to living. I travel a lot and build with a lot of folks. As far as what I do: I could be selling a car, a house, a t-shirt, an idea, some music or something… I just be selling my time. [laughs]

I’ve always written my ideas, whether it’s a story or a poem. My moms was real creative—I get it from her. I was real young, though: 4 or 5 years old. Something like that…

My first performance was probably good… I don’t know if I recall it exactly, but I had to gain acceptance for my stuff in the house first, then in the neighborhood, and then other neighborhoods, schools and house parties. I’m from that era—real people shit. No online persona… [laughs] You had to go where the culture was dangerous and claim your props. When it was hard to earn and not everyone was able to do this. A world ago.

It’s all expression. I gain a sense of freedom. There’s an energy you emit; it’s powerful, sorta like a vortex. It can suck people in. Gotta be careful, though, because it can swallow you as well.

I can’t answer that. It’s art. People gonna get whatever they get from it. Can’t paint a picture and then expect people to appreciate the same things that you do. I learned that. You may want people to notice how you shaded certain colors, but they’re just gonna notice the image as a whole and appreciate it. As long as someone out there appreciates what I’m doing, I’m good.

Traveling. I’ve been to Europe and Asia, as well as all over the States and South America. I mean, my interests vary… Right now, I’m listening to a lot of Stan Getz and João Gilberto. I love samba and Brazilian jazz—really, all jazz and classical music. I don’t really listen to a lot of hip-hop in the crib anymore. Hip-hop influences, I’d say: Ice Cube, Chuck D, Nas, Redman, Kool Keith and Pharoahe Monch with a touch of Too Short—put that together and you’d have me. [laughs] My favorite emcee was Gil Scott Heron.

Wifey, usually. [laughs]

I have an album coming out called JustPlayWitit produced entirely by my friend Blockhead. I also have some other full-length projects coming. That’s how I’m doing things now… Just doing LPs or EPs and putting them out: Giving people art to enjoy. I just did a project called Broken Mazes with Gary Wilson on some “people gonna appreciate this in 10 years” type of art. They gonna have to dig and find it. We’re in a time where everything is over-hyped and over-promoted. I think people want to find things on their own. They appreciate it more. Whether it’s 2 months or 10 years from now: Give people real art. Not just: “Hey! Here’s my album. Enjoy it for a day, then forget about it.” I don’t wanna be a part of any fakeness, man. Let me just do my art and move on. All that synthetic promo and PR for what—so people like it for 2 weeks and then totally shelve me!? Nah, I fux w/ the people who truly appreciate and put value on my art—so I’m painting new pieces for them. JustPlayWitIt was a fun project; I think folks will enjoy it.