Dag' Yo.

Dagha
"Dé Jà Vu" from Object in Motion (2005, Last Arc)
"Whatever It May Be feat. Cloke" from Object in Motion (Japan Version) (2005, Miclife Recordings)
"No Sheets (Remix)" from unreleased (2005, Miclife Recordings)

Diggin’ Music: Let’s start it off from the beginning. Who were your inspirations musically growing up?

Dagha: Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Stevie Wonder, Del The Funky Homosapien, Run-D.M.C., Rick James, John Coltrane...I think I could go on for a while. The innovators, what I would call pioneers of good music.

DM: At what point in life did you realize Hip Hop was something you wanted to pursue as a career?

D: The first time I rocked a show and the told the crowd to say “ho!” and they did it. I realized that I had a voice and needed to use it to communicate my art.

DM: Your first venture into music was with Cloke as the group Cloke-N-Dagha. How did you end up meeting Cloke?

D: He was my next door neighbor in Mattapan. We actually started off as b-boys for this local group then decided that they were whacked and started writing our own rhymes.

DM: You recently announced on your website that Cloke-N-Dagha is back together. When can we expect a release from you two?

D: The album is done and it's actually in phase two of its production cycle. We shopping it now for the best deal but most likely it'll come out on Last Arc in the U.S. hopefully by the summer of '06. Believe me when I tell you too it's ridiculously hot! There's a bonus track on the Japan release of “Object in Motion” (Dagha’s new solo album) called “Whatever It May Be”. A little appetizer…

DM: Later in the mid 90’s you were part of “The Legendary Knights of the Roundtable”; a group consisting of you, Insight, Mr. Lif, T-Ruckus, and several others. How was the group originally formed?

D: We all lived in one house. I actually lived in the closet...it was crazy man. Insight was like a machine, he would record heads all day and we would just come up with concepts etc.. We came up with The Knights. We actually made a lot of noise with it too. I would love to see that re-released. We actually put together two albums... manufactured and distributed them ourselves and created the ill buzz on the street level…

DM: How about a “Knights of the Roundtable” reunion? That’d be something to hear.

D: Yeah it would! Let me know if you hear anything (laughs).

DM: A few years back you were a part of Electric (Company), which released the highly-praised full length “Life’s a Struggle”. Since then a few of the members have broken off into a new group called Project Move. Is this a product of any bad blood between members, or is it a side project of sorts?

D: Nah, there's no bad blood there at all. I have nothing but love for those cats. I've actually recorded six songs with Anonymous since and I'm still cool with Moe and Raheem. The Electric thing is something that I feel we all grew from and was necessary for us to raise our professionalism to the next level. I'm REALLY looking forward to an Electric reunion. We did not maximize the capabilities of our work for sure.

DM: Can we expect a new Electric album in the future?

D: When you have five cats with five different energies and five different work ethics it's hard to stay on the same page. We're good though, stay tuned...I have a feeling you haven't heard the last of Electric. There's still a bunch of unheard, unreleased tracks that out there!

DM: I remember reading a year or two back that your solo debut “Live by the Dagha, Die by the Dagha” was finished. Is this the album now known as “Object in Motion”, or did you end up reworking the album?

D: It was totally reworked and revamped. Crushed and remolded. I've been sitting on tracks and rhymes for years waiting for this opportunity. “Live by the Dagha, Die by the Dagha” is an album that was done with Ampt Records a few years back. Because of serious business differences I left that album with them. Fuck it, like I said I'm sitting on so many tracks…

DM: “Object in Motion” is due out soon through Last Arc. What can we expect to hear once it drops?

D: “Object in Motion” is the past, the present and future. The path that I have been on while living this Hip Hop culture. I've been through so much personal shit, so many groups and producers and labels and I'm still in motion. So many stop positive movement and become a non-factor.

DM: What’s next for Dagha? Is there anything in the works that you’re willing to speak on?

D: I'm in motion man... On the business tip, I'm co-partner with Insight and Last Arc so we have a lot of plans in store. You can definitely look out for the Cloke and Dagha project, my sophomore LP, Midnight Shipment (Dagha, Insight, and Adad), Soloplexus (Insight as six MC's) and a bunch of raw untapped talent with sick productions. The whole package. I got a lot of thangs I'm sitting on and I'm just waiting for that right door to open at the right time.

DM: As a Boston native, do you think it’s currently being given its due props as a Hip Hop hotbed?

D: Not at all. Not until there are more Hip Hop venues. Not until the true raw talent gets its opportunity to shine. This ain't like NY. Boston is too small and the competition is too big. In addition, the venues are scarce. The scene in Boston will mislead the person looking from the outside. From the outside, you will see Hip Hop nights at bars and pubs but nothing in the urban areas. The same cats always get the same props and there's just so much more here. Fuck it, maybe I'll just do a documentary on wassup!

DM: What music have you been listening to recently, Hip Hop or otherwise?

D: 70's music, John Legend, Michael Jackson, Chris Botti, Insight, Edan, Project Move, Dagha. I try to keep it in the fam. I listen to a bunch of stuff but don't really feel it.

DM: Do you have a favorite Hip Hop album of all time? If you can’t narrow it down, how about a few favorites?

D: Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell, Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick…, NWA - Straight Outta Compton.

DM: When it’s all said and done, how would you like to be remembered in the legacy of Hip Hop music?

D: Someone who LIVED Hip Hop and did it from the heart. Someone who recognized he had a voice and used his voice to create positive energy. Dagha loves the kids… it's all about the seeds, the hereinafter.

DM: Thanks again for your time. Any last comments?

D: Buy the album. I'm hungry and it's good.


You heard the man. The album can currently be purchased at MySoundLab.com, and will be available in stores nationwide in November. For more information on Dagha, visit his website Dagha.com. Until next time...