via Last.fm
By: Gus Navarro
I still remember the first time I heard Gas Mask by The Left. Apollo Brown’s beats hit hard as per usual and that’s what first drew me in. As I played the album over and over I couldn’t get enough of the lead MC, Journalist 103. To put it bluntly, the man has a way with words that few in hip-hop have today. His rhymes are laced with social, economic and political anecdotes, and are an example of why hip-hop is educative. The passion he has for music is evident in every track he’s done and is a main reason why we wanted to talk with him. Last week, I drove down to Detroit and met him at the Al-Aqabah Islamic Community Center right off Joseph Campau Street. Once I was there, we just sat down and talked hip-hop. There are many things that we touch on in this interview. We talk about his childhood, Islam, Eminem, Detroit, what hip-hop is and much more. I walked away from this interview realizing the power of hip-hop. For Journalist 103, hip-hop is something that is much more than a way to make money. For him, hip-hop is a way of life and the love he has for it shines through more than anything else. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who has the same amount of passion for hip-hop as Journalist 103 and I am honored that he was willing to share his thoughts with me.
Bonus Cut 