Interview with Guerrilla Ghost's Bad Graphics Ghost (BGG)




By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello, BGG! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

CV: Following trends can be an easy road to success; it’s done in the world
of business all the time and many people and companies have done well for
themselves doing such. But is this a valid model and route for musical artists
to follow in your opinion?
Bad Graphics Ghost: I believe it depends on the route you want to explore with your music career and what genre you're performing in. Many mainstream artists in the genres of Pop, R&B and Contemporary Country follow a standard outline of song composition and marketing based on what's commercially popular at the time and what the public has been told is the current trend. They're providing material based on those factors in the hopes of achieving commercial success and critical acclaim. On the other side, artists typically deemed as "underground", such as Hip-Hop or Extreme Metal, may pay attention to what's popular and what the trend may be at the time and choose to distance themselves from that, with the purpose of establishing their own individual identity. They're not concerned with commercial success or critical acclaim. They may also take what's popular and what's trendy and use it to their advantage to create something that's accessible yet remain true to their specific brand. I think it depends on the artist's goals and how much commercial success they're trying to achieve.

CV: What do you believe an artist can do to remain current in an ever
changing industry? Is there a way an artist can stay on the cutting edge of
their craft without losing too much of themselves in the process?
BGG: In order to maintain some sense of relevancy, an artist should always be aware of current events taking place throughout the world. They should be educated on all aspects of the music business and be able to distinguish what's going to help them progress and what could ultimately hurt them in the long run. To stay on the cutting edge, you should not be afraid to experiment and change. Keeping yourself in a box or bubble could have disastrous consequences on the art and cause you to lose sight of why you're a creative in the first place. Follow your heart.

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows
trends and one who sets them? Would trying to set trends ultimately cause
the artist to lose sight of their original mission to make meaningful music?
BGG: An artist following trends is out to increase marketing and exposure to elevate themselves financially, which will help open doors not available to struggling independent artists. Setting trends, in my opinion, is usually done by the powers that control the industry to satisfy what they deem are the wants of the public. Otherwise, it is done unknowingly by the artist who happens to strike the market at the right time. Focusing all your energy trying to be "the next big thing" can definitely have negative effects on your creative output. Stay true to yourself and let the music speak for you. It's more about taking advantage of any opportunity presented to you, be the leader and not the follower.

CV: Hip Hop around the world has grown into a genre with legions and
legions of fans. Why do you think Hip Hop music is so alluring? Is it more of
a way of living or attitude than just a musical expression? What do you think
that choice to listen says about the person who enjoys Hip Hop?
BGG: It started as a voice of the black youth, those who didn't have a voice. The people who felt disenfranchised by the racist capitalist empire that runs this country. To create something that was beneficial to the culture and shine a light on the injustices that people of color have been enduring for hundreds of years. It was also a vehicle to help keep mental distance from those troubling issues, a vehicle to bring communities closer together and have a positive source of entertainment made by the people and for the people. For those reasons it has definitely become more of a lifestyle, something that an occasional listener may not completely understand. There is no doubt however, that it has influenced other genres of music…including the way those artists present themselves in their speech, mannerisms and dress. Businesses and corporations thought it was going to be a passing fad and didn't want to expel their resources to support something created by minorities, but didn't expect the subject matter and collective attitude to strike a nerve in so many people, no matter their race or background. For those reasons, it will always have a special allure and be a voice for those who feel they have none. The evolution of Hip Hop has been remarkable to watch and definitely an honor to be a part of. 

CV: How would you define or describe Guerrilla Ghost’s “Experimental Hip Hop” sound and style? What sets the duo’s music apart from more
traditional Hip Hop in your opinion?
BGG: I've always had trouble explaining this to people. My best description would be a mash up of Rage Against The Machine and Nine Inch Nails, both of which were very influential in our musical upbringing. People have often compared us to Death Grips or Ministry. Recently, we've drawn comparisons to Godflesh, Ho99o9, Run The Jewels and JPEGMAFIA. Having backgrounds in Noise Rock, Death Metal and Grindcore, our particular style of Hip Hop is most certainly more abrasive than our peers. I feel that we may touch on many topics that other artists in our area might be either scared or unwilling to speak on or are naive to the seriousness of what's going on in our community and the world as a whole. From a production standpoint, our music without a doubt caters to the more aggressive side. The intensity of the instrumentation helps to drive home the urgency of the message we're attempting to get across. While it's not for everyone, especially faint of heart, you can't deny the gravity of what we're accomplishing as a group.

CV: Do you feel Hip Hop music is viewed differently by fans in Europe, Asia
and elsewhere compared to fans in America, and if so why?
BGG: Music is perceived differently in other countries based on their culture. While the underlying message remains the same, all the other nuances are derived from people's particular situation and specific events that occur where they're from. In the end, it should all be about the love and the passion and using your talents as a platform to foster positive change.

CV: Guerrilla Ghost is preparing to release their second album, “We Get
What We Deserve,” which was completed during the COVID stay-in-place
order. Does the album’s title reflect a level of personal sentiment revolving
around the current state of the world and how some feel we may have
brought this all upon ourselves?
BGG: The album title is a acknowledgement to the fact that every action has a reaction, a consequence. If you put positive energy into this world then that's what you deserve to have reciprocated. If you put negativity into this world then you receive the same. Every song on the record is in some fashion tied to this concept. With content about drug abuse, police brutality, human trafficking, racial inequality and other hot topics in today's volatile society, we need to understand how our predecessors actions put us in this current consequence and how our actions today will affect the generation after us. "We get what we deserve" has been a lyric we've explored ever since our debut EP and we are now exploring the full weight of what that means. 

CV: Does “We Get What We Deserve” hold any message specifically
directed to the global world community amidst the pandemic?
BGG: Absolutely. I think it's obvious that Mother Nature is not pleased with the human race right now. We have manipulated the environment with no regard for life or long term effects and now we are paying the price for our selfish conquering with death sentences we've created in laboratories. 

CV: Do you see working in such a specific songwriting style or genre such as
experimental Hip Hop, possibly presenting any future challenges? Are there
concerns that as an artist you could run the risk of painting yourself into a
corner so to speak, with creativity? Or does the term “experimental” give a
license to explore and create as you see fit not as the genre, mainstream or
fan base see or set it?
BGG: We have certainly created a brand for ourselves where people who are familiar with the music expect a certain stance from us when it comes to social and political issues. We've been very outspoken and active in our community compared to some of our contemporaries and that has added to the mystique and allure of who Guerrilla Ghost is and what we stand for. There are no signs of that slowing down and in fact we plan on broadening our reach in regards to those matters. Being able to work with a wide range of artists from multiple genres has helped us to maintain a "floater" status, so being experimental not only lets us create the music we want without fear of ridicule or repercussion but allows us to not be pigeonholed, even though our roots lay in Hip Hop. The beauty of the technology we work with is that it's always evolving, so our music will continue to evolve with it.


CV: What's next for Guerrilla Ghost? What can fans expect to see coming
post COVID-19?
BGG: We will be working on live streaming exclusive content and performances until we are able to return to performing live. Once we are able to do that, we look forward to planning visiting and performing for fans in other states and hopefully one day travel abroad. We are planning music videos for the singles off the album as well as new merchandise that coincides with it. We are also working on finishing material that didn't make the cut for the album, possibly released as an EP or as singles. Plenty of new content in the vault we look forward to sharing.

CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with our
readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
BGG: Thank you for the opportunity and the support. We appreciate you taking the time out to speak with us.

CV: Thank you again BGG for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word.  Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.




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