Who is Jake Lefco?

I'm a stand up dude. Jake Lefco is my real name, and I use it whether I'm on stage or off. I just dropped my debut album "And You Are?" which is 14 tracks of heat for only $5.99! When it comes to emceeing, I'm as driven as they come. I love this artform, and I really think it's what keeps my head on straight. I'm optimistic but not blind, even to my own flaws, and I don't have any problem letting the world know it. What you see is what you get.

After making appearances on 40th Dimension's "The Crop Report" and The Hogan Fam compilation, which were released a few years back, what made you hold off on releasing a full length? Shit, you already got "Missing Trooth" dropping only a mere 4 months later? Did you record an assload of tracks over that 3 year span?

I guess I was just too busy gettin busy! Happ G and Snuff were throwing beats at me constantly, and I kept asking for more. With so much writing and recording going on, our plans for a single became a full length, then eventually that became two albums. We recorded well over 70 joints all together.

How did you hone your skills as an emcee and how long did it take until you were satisfied with what you were laying down?

I just spit every chance I got, and if I ever had free time on my hands, I would break out the pen and pad. Since my first recordings with 40D, I've felt at home in the booth, but I'm always looking to improve. I don't think I'll ever be fully satisfied!

You're originally from Consohocken, PA right? How was it growing up there up as a young boy? Where's your domicile located now?

Actually, I was born in Philadelphia, and spent my early years in Mt. Airy, a neighborhood in the Northwest region of the city. Later my family moved out to Conshohocken where I lived through my high school years. Mt. Airy was and still is my shit! It was a great place to grow up. It was mad diverse, safe, liberal minded, and had a tight knit community. Conshohocken was more suburban, birds chirpin, deer in the back yard, the whole nine. I liked it out there too, but my social life never really left Philly. For the last two years I've been living in New York.

Karma Response Unit and Happ G have worked with Philly's finest emcee's, how did you and Happ hook up?

We went to the same high school. Happ was a couple grades ahead of me and was cool with my older brother. Then our interest in music brought us together in the summer of 2000, around the time when Karma Response Unit Records was just getting on its feet.

You have the uncanny ability to flip the script on the listener, one moment cracking jokes and the next being serious and talking politics. Who and what would you cite as your main influences, not only an emcee but as an artist?

Thank you. Anybody who knows me could tell you I'm always joking around. I do have my deeper side, but I try not to take myself too seriously. As for influences, I would say groups like the Roots, Black Star, Pharcyde, De La Soul, Biggie, Nas, Gangstarr, my man Reef the Lost Cauze, and singers like Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and Bob Marley. I'm a HUGE fan of the HBO series "The Wire", and when it comes to comedy, there is nothing funnier to me than Dave Chappelle's stand up. That dude is a genius!

What was your best and worst live show moment?

That's easy. My worst show moment was my first solo set ever, back in 2002, down in the basement of La Tazza in Philly. I got really nervous before the show, and had the classic on-stage freeze-up! It was a rough night, to say the least. My best show moment came only a month or two later at the same spot. It was by no means the best venue, the livest crowd, or the highest pay, but given the previous show, getting back up there and rockin that set successfully was a feeling I'll never forget.

You're a breath fresh of air in the hip hop community, rather than trying to put on a facade you welcome your listeners into your world rather than trying to scare them away with gangster bravado. You let them know in "Wonder Years" that you come from a good stable, middle class up bringing. On tracks like "Get Pleasant" where you talk about puffing herb, do you worry about what your parents think when they hear that?

Ahhhh !!!! You just blew my cover man! Damn, its not true Mom and Dad! I didn't inhale! Nah, my parents are cool. I mean, THEY don't get down like that, but they know I'm not stupid and that I'm old enough to make those kinds of decisions for myself.

For Adam 12 it was a slimjim, some combos, and a pack of Newports; you on the other hand like a little more substance, a Wawa Turkey Classic hoagie, arizona iced tea and bag of Doritos. Do you have a change up every now and then, or are you steady with the turkey goodness?

Hahaha! Not really man, Wawa is my go-to supplier, and the Turkey Classic hoagie is my go-to sandwich.

"And You Are?" had some nice guest spots on there (Reef The Lost Cauze, DJ Kwestion, Snuff, Panek, and Scandal). Who can we expect to hear on "Missing Trooth"?

"Missing Trooth" will include many of the same guests, like Reef the Lost Cauze, DJ Kwestion, Panek, and saint B. Then, in addition, we got Ohsha Kai, Keisha Hutchins, and David Cope on there, all three ridiculously talented singers. Tracks I did with Briz and with Side Effect are also in the running.

Karma Response Unit knows how to promote their releases, whether it's the KRU sticker that comes with every CD or the dental floss for "Missing Trooth". Is that all Happ or do you both talk about promotions?

We definitely both talk about promotion ideas, but Happ G makes the decisions for the label, and in the case of the floss, I gotta give him full credit.

How have the ladies been responding to the classic "Headphones" joint?

At first listen, some love it and some hate it. After going back and actually paying attention to the verses, most of them get a real kick out of it, and have to admit that there is a lot of truth to it! Every once in a while, a girl will get offended, and get all fired up about it. While some of the lyrics, when taken literally, can touch on some sensitive issues, I think these particular girls just don't get my sense of humor.

What's been spinning in your stereo lately?

Lately I've been playing Busta's "The Big Bang", Devin the Dude's "Just Tryin to Live", Reef the Lost Cauze's "Feast or Famine", Jay Z's "Kingdom Come", and Mary J. Blige's "The Breakthrough". I've also been listening to some Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, RadioHead, and tons of Too Short.

You hear people left and right talking about hip hop being dead, what's your take on everything?

Hip Hop is not dead. I think much of what dominates radio and video play has become boring and recycled, but the passion for Hip Hop is still alive and well, especially on the independent level. There is still a lot of talent out there, and there is no shortage of love for this art and culture. Yes, Hip Hop has become a huge part of mainstream, pop culture. And yes, sometimes the outcome of this can be ugly, uninspiring, and disconnected from true Hip Hop roots. But that doesn't mean it's dead, it just means we have to work a little harder to sort through all that excess garbage!

Which holds more weight, money or artistic integrity? Obviously every artist would love to make a living off of what they do, but would you compromise yourself to do so? And if you don't break it big, what's plan B?

Artistic integrity. I'll never compromise myself or my art for money. Yeah, I have to work to pay the bills, and some of these bullshit jobs outside of music are not exactly my pride and joy, but as long as I can get by and continue to make music, I'm good. I'll deal with plan B if and when the time comes.

Thanks for taking time to do this, really appreciate it Jake. If you have any shout-outs or plugs, please feel free to go off on a rant.

No doubt, thank YOU for the interview!!! I won't go too crazy, but I want to at least shout out my man Happ G, Snuffy, Reef the Lost Cauze, Side Effect, Scandal (of 40D), Greg Smith, King Cut, Shaka the K.I.N.G, all my fellow mentors at Urban Art Beat, and all the young, up and coming emcees at South Bronx Prep. Keep doin what you do!
Most importantly:
"And You Are?" in stores and available online now! "Missing Trooth" coming in 2007!
Check us out at:
www.krurecords.com
www.myspace.com/JakeLefco
www.myspace.com/KarmaResponse