Conspiracy inspires lyrics

by Maria DeBlassie

Daily Lobo

Skull Control is into conspiracy theories and Stephen King.

The underground hip-hop duo is made up of Jeremy "Sarif" Wilson and Zach "Ridicule" Case.

Wilson said their lyrics touch on political issues because they want to educate people about what's going on around them. They also rhyme in traditional party style, he said.

The two have been together since January, and they got their name from the idea of mind control and government conspiracies, Wilson said.

Skull Control will perform at the Moonlight Lounge on July 26. Also performing are national acts 2MEX and Shape Shifters with local act Garbage Pail Kidz.

Wilson said his brother got him into hip-hop at a young age, and he grew up listening to groups like A Tribe Called Quest. Other favorite hip-hoppers include Rakim and Madlib, he said. He started rhyming off and on eight or nine years ago with friends and eventually learned the technicalities of the trade.

"I think you should at least know your format," he said. "Then stretch your boundaries."

Case got his start when his guitar broke and he had to make music with a lousy drum set, a keyboard and a four-track tape recorder. He said he got into rhyming and started Mental Case Productions before working with Wilson.

"It's very easy to develop your skill when you've got five or six other MC's that you're working with on a constant basis," he said.

While politics influence Wilson's art form, it's literature that influences Case's.

Case said his favorite writer is Stephen King and he wrote a song based on the book "The Dead Zone." In terms of favorite musicians, Case said he likes Company Flow and Aesop Rock.

"It's something different than what the industry tries to portray hip-hop as," Case said.

The group has an album in the works, tentatively titled The White Sands Project, which should be out in another six months, Wilson said. Case said the album will include performances by Mantis Fist and other local underground hip-hop artists. The CD will be rooted in New Mexican desert themes, Wilson said.

Wilson said he went to Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts in Orlando, Fla., for audio engineering. He said while living in Florida, he wanted to die because he missed New Mexico.

"It was weird because I had the beach right next to me," he said. "But you start to miss the desert so much."

The guys said they're constantly developing their craft and looking for ways to be as original as possible. Case said it's all about taking something old and making it brand new.

"When you stop learning, it gets boring," Case said.

Wilson said they love the people in Albuquerque because they're down-to-earth, politically aware, intelligent and cultured. Be it rhythm or conspiracy theory themes, they said there's something for everybody in their lyrics.

"We are just your everyday, average people," Case said. "Hopefully, everyday average people can relate to us."