SCS: Tell us how Thoughtless Poetz started as a band.

Dro: Back in 2000 Barlow And I met through mutual friends talking about Hip-Hop and our names came up in the conversation about who they knew that rhymes, so our homeboys linked us up and we clicked instantly and we've kicked it ever since. We both were only in our Freestyling and Battling stage at that point when we met so we just vibed all the time and stewed about what we wanted to do as far as our lives and involvement in Hip-Hop. We did our thing on the Underground tip for a while and then began writing and constructing song after song until the point we had enough for an album. We dropped a couple albums and ventured through a couple of labels before finding ourselves creating and belonging to a community of Emcees, DJs, B-Boys & Graffiti Artists from both Lincoln and Omaha representing the original nature of Hip-Hop. We hooked up with Jamazz in 2003 up in Omaha at a show we all were performing at and we clicked just as Barlow and I did in the beginning. We started playing a lot of shows together and remained playing shows together as separate artists until this last fall when we decided after writing an collaborating on so many projects, it made sense to bring Jamazz on board for 5th LP.

SCS: How would you define your band or your sound to someone who’s never heard or seen you

Dro: Completely Original. Motivated by the early influences of Hip-Hip, backed by a theatrical sound and insane DJ’s.

SCS: What about one of your shows? -- If people come to see you live, what can they expect?

Dro: People can expect to see a high energy driven performance with a lot of crowd participation involved. We try to make the crowd feel as comfortable as possible and at the same time we try to provide an environment for kats to break away from their nine to five and just let loose.

SCS: What types of music and which musicians/groups influenced the band members?

Dro: We are across the board when it comes to musical influences. Anything from Afrika Bambaataa, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Common, Rakim to Eric Clapton, Lenny Kravitz, James Brown, Isley Brothers, Rolling Stones etc.

SCS: What are your goals for Thoughless Poetz, touring, just playing around town?

Dro: I intend on taking this as far as it’s going to go and then some. This is all I have to call my own. I’ve been doing music on the scene and underground for so long I would not know what else to do. I love music and I won’t ever stop being involved with it.

SCS: I hear that! So how have you grown, musically and creatively, since the band first started?

Dro Since the group first started, I myself have grown in numerous ways. From the way that I handle business to the way I prepare for a Show or a long trip. Coming up with ideas has became more of an agenda as of late due to the fact of growing up and certain priorities change. I’ve had a lot of things thrown at me over the years, but music has always kind of shown me the narrow line to walk and I’ve stuck with it.

SCS: Who writes the songs and how do you work them from the idea stage to finished product?

Dro: I just let them roll out. Some day’s I’ll be thinking about my life so I’ll write about that, while other days I might be mad at the world or our President so I sometimes take aim at that. Our songs write themselves cause none of us write about things or topics that we don’t eat, sleep and breathe. Everything you hear is all us.

SCS: When and where was your first local show, and how did it go?

Dro: To tell you the truth I can’t even remember our first show together. We’ve done so many shows over the last 7 years its hard to remember some of the first ones cause we used to play a lot of house parties. We never really considered them a show cause the settings were different. We got a ton of good reception when we first started playing at parties so that kind of harpooned us into the idea of taking this to another level.

SCS: What was your most memorable live performance and what made it that?

Dro: As of late, I would have to say one of the best shows we’ve had in the last couple months is a show we played in either Madison, WI or Minneapolis, MN. Those shows along with a handful of others on our promotional Tour for “5TH Element” were off the chain. The places were packed at every show and everyone was getting down like no other. People were showing us mad love and we sold out of all our merchandise every show. I think we pushed like 200 CD’s in 5 shows out of state. It’s just been a way different vibe since we went on the road the last few months leading up to the CD Release in May.

SCS: What do you like and dislike about the music scene in Lincoln?

Dro : The music scene around here is dope, but at the same time it’s too inconsistent to keep up with the bigger cities, especially in Hip-Hop. There isn’t enough kats with the drive to take things the distance. A lot of Emcees just do it for fun, which is cool that’s how I first started. There just needs to be more of a community working together within the music scene here in general .

SCS: Have you learned anything in your experiences in a band that you feel newer local bands could learn from, or made any mistakes they should avoid?

Dro: Don’t settle for less, and never sell yourself or your band short. You will go as far as your skills and drive will take you, and that’s unlimited.

SCS: Who are some local bands or musicians that you admire or feel should be recognized?

Dro: Most definitely Tha Awkwords, Nick Hardt, Electric Soul Method, Lucas Kellison, Nick Semrad, John Fairchild, Foundayshun, FunkNastees, Kris Lager Band, Eagle*Seagull, Jah, Section Eight, DJ Flaco, DJ E. Babbs, DJ JVC, DJ Nost, Chief. I could go on for a hot minute!

SCS: Who’s your favorite local band to play with?

Dro: Awkwords, Foundayshun, Section Eight, Electric Soul Method, Kris Lager Band.

SCS: Do you think growing up/living in Lincoln influences your music in any way?

Dro: Of course it does in some ways. Obviously Lincoln is a little more comfortable compared to other places in the country I’ve stayed. But the fact is I only write about what I know no matter where I am or what I’m doing. If I don’t live it, I won't say it or portray it in any manner.

SCS: I know 5th Element is pretty recent, but are you already working on a new album now, and if so when do you expect it to come out?

Dro: Yeah, we just dropped our 5th LP titled “The 5th Element” on May 05th this year. It was our dedication to the 5 Elements of Hip-Hop. We take it back on some of the tracks and we take it forward into the future with others. We are also each working on solo projects. Barlow and myself are working on our first solo projects while Jamazz is working on his 3rd. Jamazz album “Social Butta-Fly” will drop first on August 18th in Omaha and August 25th in Lincoln. We are having a double release since Jamazz is from Omaha, but is very well known in Lincoln. My (Dro) album titled “Another Day In The Life Of…” will come out in December, and Barlow’s album “No Title Yet” will drop in January 2007. After that we will come back wit the Thoughtless Poetz 6th LP. We try to keep busy and keep people and fans on their toes.






- Tery Daly