Formed by MC Hammer in 1989, Oaktown’s 3.5.7, made up of members; Sweet L.D., Lil P and Terrible T, unleashed their Bust It / Capitol Records debut, Wild & Loose, later that same year.
The Bay Area based dancing rap trio would go on to drop a second album, Fully Loaded, in ‘91, but unfortunately would quietly disband shortly thereafter.
First things first, last year (August 11th 2023 to be exact) marked the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop — What exactly does that mean to and for you?
There’s a sense of gratitude to be acknowledged and included in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop. When I became a part of MC Hammer and the Posse, I had no idea where we were headed or that the genre of Hip Hop would endure, becoming global. I’m grateful that our work and art are a part of that, giving me a sense of belonging. I am truly grateful. I have grown up with Hip Hop.
To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?
No. I didn’t envision Hip Hop’s longevity. But there is inspiration wrapped up in the art of Hip Hop. It’s the pebble effect. You’re not sure who you are inspiring with your expression. Hip Hop, from the Bronx to Worldwide acceptance.
What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called Hip Hop?
One of my fondest memories is meeting Little Richard and Patti LaBelle, and touring with the different groups we got to tour with like After 7, Heavy D & the Boyz and Jodeci. We had a water gunfight at a hotel in Colorado against the group Jodeci. We had a few days off at the Embassy Suites. We were snowed / iced in and couldn’t venture out too much. But we were coming back to the hotel, I believe from getting food, and the elevator doors opened and they, Jodeci, sprayed us up with water guns. Terrible T and I left and went to a store and bought as many water guns as we could. We had so much fun!
That said, what are your future plans and / or goals throughout the remainder of 2024 and beyond?
Hmmm? Plans, and / or goals, for the remainder of 2024…to enjoy great health, increase my business traffic and activity, and be grateful for the abundance in all areas of my life.
Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
I would love for people to know that in our music we were authentic, creative, sassy, fun and energetic.
If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I would love to have collaborated with Prince. I love him. I’ll add to that Missy Elliott. She has a knack for pulling out the unexpected from artists.
If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
That’s a great question. I think maybe the Apollo. We did it with Hammer, but not ourselves. Now with that being said, there are sooo many historical venues around, I don’t know of all of them. But I would add to that the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, CA. It would be an honor, and a full-circle moment for me, so to speak. Being from the Bay, which was home to me for over 30 years.
On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?
I am not necessarily happy with the current state of Hip Hop. But there’s still the “elders” of Hip Hop to offer reference and some balance.
What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
The key to the longevity of Oaktown’s 3.5.7 is our presence and the love from those that really liked our music, sound, choreography, style, etcetera. The music will always carry us.
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