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Character
Webster's defines the word elixir as a remedy that is
believed to cure any illness. When an MC decides to adopt
that word as their moniker, he or she has a heavy responsibility
tailing them. Not only do they have to live up to the
name, they have to be ready to deal with whatever comes
their way. Such is the case with the Philadelphia bred
emcee Elixir. Lix's introduction into Hip Hop began around
age of ten. He explains, "Rhyming was the thing
to do to impress the ladies, so I took my poetry and turned
them into raps."
When he was entering high school in Scotland, PA, Lix
began recording his music on cassette tapes. That was
obviously before he had the money, connections and time
to record in a professional studio. In 1995, he graduated
from high school and had aspirations of going on to college
at Howard University in Washington, DC. Finances stopped
him from that expectation; therefore he had to find another
direction. He wasn't going back to the streets, and failure
wasn't an option. Surprisingly, his next move was the
one that catapulted his future as an MC. "I decided
to join the United States Air Force, because at the time
I figured that was the only way to survive,"
Lix said. While in Virginia Beach in 1996 at a Fourth
Of July gathering, Lix realized where he wanted to go
in life. The answer was making Hip Hopmusic. Although
he always had a love for the culture, that summer gave
him determination and strength to become serious about
pursuing a career. He explains, "A bunch of MC's
were freestyling, and I joined in. The reaction of the
crowd and the feeling of rockin' a stage solidified my
confidence." From there, it seems everything
fell into place. Literally! After suffering an injury,
Lix was discharged from the military. Using that motivation
that he gained from the summer of 1996 (referred to as
the "summer of revelation"), Lix made connections
with the producers of the Terror Squad. "I learned
a lot through my experiences with them, but in the end
it didn't work out," Lix said. The relationships
with them resulted in more connections, as well as a few
unmastered tracks; so it wasn't a complete waste. Regardless,
he wasn't going to get down or quit; his love to rhyme
was greater than his fear to fail.
Destiny
Although Elixir has been rapping for a number of years,
he is in the infancy of making a name for himself, and
finding the "musical support" that many artists
search to find. He further discusses this topic, "I
don't have representation at the present time, because
I haven't found a relationship or bond with anyone on
the level that I am trying to go." And what
exact level is that? "My target is to be heard
on urban stations," Lix answers. At a time
where mainstream radio is being branded the number one
enemy of Hip Hop culture by many of the self proclaimed
Hip Hoppurists, that is a bold statement to make. After
I point this out to Lix, he breaks down what he means,
"I am better at being the same, because I provide
a different outlook on certain issues. Furthermore,
people want to make money!" Lix is at the point
where he doesn't have to follow a "me too"
trend to fit in with the current crop of hip hop entertainers.
"I give examples and alternatives to negativity,"
he says, "I've learned how to trick the game."
He sees music as the greatest means to change the mentality
of the mass population. Whether it is hosting at various
clubs such as Filo's, opening for national acts like
New Edition, or just casually rhyming with Black Thought
of The Roots, Lix wants to influence people the way
that they have influenced him. "I want to be
the people's vocal piece," he says "The
people around me and those that didn't make it is what
inspires me to keep on going." He admits that
while he may not rap forever, he wants to make sure
his torch is bright enough to be passed to someone that
will. True indeed, every journey begins with a single
step.
Success
Since coming home from the military, Lix has also decided
to continue his education by enrolling in the business
program at The Community College of Philadelphia. "I
want to be prepared for the business side of entertainment,"
he says. That's a smart man right there! The number
of artists who have failed due to their lack of knowledge
about the business side of hip hop is far higher than
the numbers that have succeeded because they educated
themselves. Not wanting to be typecast as a battle MC,
Lix has put away the days where he lived and breathed
for battles. This doesn't mean that he still won't bust
a freestyle out to any beat at anytime. Remind me to
tell you the story of when we went bowling, 80's music
was on, and this boy was straight freestyling to some
new wave beat! Okay, guess you had to be there! Instead
of participating at competitions, he is working on a
sampler that is set to be released this Summer. In the
meantime, he continues to record songs that will eventually
make up his album. He hopes to have his debut album
released by February 2004. From Brand Nubians to Nas,
Lix gives respect to the crews and individuals that
have paved the way for up coming artists such as himself.
Article by Deesha Dyer
PhillyHipHop.com
June, 2003
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