Andrew From Fake Shore Drive Chops It Up With BFochs!!!

BFochs: How's it going Andrew? Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. How's life treatin' ya man? What's going down in Chicago?

Andrew: Man everything is great Mr. Fochs, business as usual.

BFochs: I can dig it, it's a midwest thang folks, keep up! lol. I'm quite confident the e-streets and internet are aware of who you are and your movement, but just in case somebody hasn't strolled down Fake Shore Drive yet why don't you give the kind folks an introduction.

Andrew: Fake Shore Drive is a website that I started almost a year ago (the 1 year anniversary will be on October 10th) to showcase the talent that the Windy City has to offer. I felt like the world needed to know that there as more to Chicago than just Lupe, Common, Kanye and Twista; there is so much talent here that needed to be heard, and what I did was create a place for these people to be heard..and the world seems to be catching on to some extent.

BFochs: I would definitely agree that people are catching on, I think it's safe to say you and your fellow Windy City blog amigos Boogz & Tibs have shined a great amount of light on your cities talent. Speaking of talent, Chicago and the Midwest in general is jammed pack with great artists. Why do you think A&R's and label executives took so long to catch to Chicago having such a deep talent pool?

Andrew: Well, that's an interesting question that really doesn't have a definite answer. I think a lot of industry people tend to think of Chicago and the midwest in general (or the flyover states as they might call them) is just a consumer market. And there really isn't much of a industry here; I mean, the labels have execs and offices here, but they're more focused on getting radio play and what not. Plus Chicago's long been labeled Haterville, but that's all starting to change

BFochs: The executives need to drink a 12 pack of actright and start messing with the midwest, there is a lot of money to be made here! You mentioned Chicago being labeled as 'Haterville,' but that there is change on the way, how would you describe the climate with the hating from now to say 5 years ago?

Andrew: Well, I'm really not at liberty to speak on certain things that have happened here in Chicago in the past, but I can tell you that I'm doing everything in my power to get the city to work together as one unified front. I know it's hard for people to put aside there differences or how they rep their various sides of town, but there's power in numbers and we could learn a lot from the South.

BFochs: Indeed, I believe the key reason to the South's success is the willingness to unify. When do you think the midwest will get the attention it deserves? Every other region has had it's rise to power in hip hop so far, do you think there is a long road to that happening or that it is right around the corner?

Andrew: I'm hoping it's right around the corner! But in this day and age, in the climate of today's industry, you really never know what's going to happen. I'd really like to see Chicago get more viable indie labels. We have a few, but we could always use more. We need to take control, and stop waiting on people from other cities to come get us.

BFochs: If you build it they will come (Word To Field Of Dreams.) You made note that the industry as a whole is messed up. Let's say you had to speak on he behave of the whole industry and give a state of the industry address. What are the main points you would make in that address?

Andrew: -Stop blaming everyone else for your record flopping (laughs)
-Take control of your own product
-Stop being lazy. You know, stuff like that.

BFochs: All viable points, one thing I must comment on is people's inabilities to work hard to get to the top, there are no free handouts anymore people, especially in the music industry, get on your grind! Anywho, Chicago has more than just a budding music scene, but it is also known worldwide for it's food. Let's say I hit up the Windy City and I wanted to get some premium eats. Where would be the top 3 places I would want to hit up while in the city of the 'Go.

Andrew: Now that's the hardest question you've asked!...because it really depends on what you're looking for

BFochs: Let's say I'm on a pizza and hot dog spree Who has the best 'za and franks?

Andrew: Like I guarantee you everyone would tell you to go to Harold's Chicken or the Weiner Circle. I'd tell you to go to Twin Anchors, a hole-in-the-wall barbeque place on the Northside, but I'm not so much into the Chicago-style pizza, but if I had to pick I'd tell you go to Gino's East.

BFochs: I can dig that, when I invade the Chi I will keep those places in mind. Sidebar question, why do they call Chicago the Windy City? I've heard a few answers, but I need to get one straight from a Chicagoan, can you shine any light on the origins of that?

Andrew: Politics my friend, Politricks that is, but yeah, people claim it's because of the weather, because of the crooked politics and I've even heard the world's fair mentioned.

BFochs: I smell what your steppin' in, one of the answers I received dealt with politics, so I know the person wasn't all full of bullshit lol. Speaking of politics, we have perhaps the most important election in the last few decades just around the corner. Who are you going to vote for? What's the deal with the government bailing out these big companies when they go bankrupt but not hardworking people who lost their homes?

Andrew: Well, you know, there are times that the government has to step in. I hate banks. Banks are evil, but they are kind of a necessary evil , you know, so that's why the government had to step in. If not, thousands of people could have gone under. You know these banks, like Lehman Bros. were borrowing out of their ass. Let me ask you this, do you know how much they would borrow off every $1 dollar they made?

BFochs: I'll take a shot at this and say...a dollar and half...is that a proper assumption?

Andrew: Try $50, so that's how they were living.

BFochs: Holy shitballs, That almost makes me sick to my stomach how they toy with money like that.

Andrew: Jerking people to fatten their pockets. You see how investment bankers and traders are the cockiest people in the world, right? Even more so than rappers, not only toying with money, but toying with peoples lives, because a lot of times, they are dealing with SO MUCH MONEY, and not physically touching it, that it almost doesn't exist to them. Like monopoly money that me, you, our parents, families and friends work hard for.

BFochs: Ab-fucking-surd my friend, ab-fucking-surd. This opened my eyes a lot to the way things work in the banking/loaning world, thanks for the enlightenment. Moral of the story folks, banks are not the bizness. Back on track to the normal stuff. You just held an event with Mikkey Halsted. Why don't you tell the folks a little about that. How did it go? Do you plan on doing anymore Fake Shore Drive sponsored events in the near future?

Andrew: Man, I'm glad you had a chance to check out the pics and video from the event, it was really a night to remember. There were a lot of people that came out to support and show unity for the city's hip hop scene. I absolutely want to have events like this in the future; I've been talking to 'Fest about doing one here in the future, but you're not going to get them every month or even every few months, gotta keep them to a minimum. Various companies approached me about putting on a Fake Shore Drive event and I was with it. They gave me everything I needed and basically told me to fill the venue and do a showcase. I knew that Mikkey was looking to do something similar for the INCREDIBLE video he put together for "Liquor Store". Like, really, this is Mikkey's first video, so we had to make it an event, so it was really a no brainer and the city embraced us and showed us so much love. I was really surprised. His manager Javin helped out a lot too, and we had some sponsors jump on board that really brought everything together

BFochs: It doesn't get much better than that people, an event happening for all the right reasons with a strong outcome. A lot of people from your city showed support to that event which is good to see, but on the 'e-streets' it's a different story sometimes. We have to deal with the new phenomena of the 21st century which is the 'internet gangsta' or 'e-thug.' What is your policy on these characters? Why would want to waste their life acting hardcore on the internet?

Andrew: Ah man, well you must really be checking out the comments section on FSD, because that's definitely the hater/e-thug olympics in there! I mean for the most part, it's harmless, and some constructive criticism is left...but other times people really get after each other. I find it hilarious, but if stuff starts to get to out of line I try to regulate. Are you familiar with the T-shirt incident?

BFochs: I can't say that I am. Enlighten me please

Andrew: http://fakeshoredrive.com/2008/07/enstrumental-eschmittes-new-chicago-tee.html Well, a local clothing company put together a shirt that featured some of the city's budding hip hoppers like Mic Terror, Hollywood Holt, Mano, The Cool Kids, Ivy League, Boardroom, Kidz in the Hall and Timbuck2, like I know all those guys personally and thought the shirt was pretty dope, but the PEOPLE did not, they thought the city was being misrepresented and shit got crazy. Just about everyone on the shirt chimed in in the comments section, Naledge (KITH) wrote a blog about it,No ID commented on it, I mean it was crazy

BFochs: Damn, you know it's serious business when the people on the shirt, Naledge and NO I.D. make comments. I think your site just won the 'iGotMadInternetGangstaTrafffic' award. lol.

Andrew: You need the haters though, they keep things interesting.

BFochs: Indeed, the real use their negative energy to create more positive energy, it's a great process, you haters need to figure out how to do it, ya dig? Ok, we've kept it simple and normal for the most part up to this point, but now it's time to get my hypothetical question swag up. Question number one. Let's say some Hollywood fat cats were so inspired by the Fake Shore Drive movement that they wanted to make a movie. They make you writer, producer, director. Who would be in the movie, what category would the movie fall into, and give the folks a brief outline of the storyline.

Andrew: Well I'd tell you one thing, it would most definitely be a comedy. I'd probably have Boogz and GLC help me write it, because those are two really funny dudes, I'd have to get Rhymefest involved, because he's really creative and witty. It would probably just be satirical look at the life of a budding Chicago emcee and it would obviously have to be called Haterville.

BFochs: I'm hittin' what your pitchin'. Well thought answer. Next question you wouldn't find in a Time Magazine interview. Macy's is all up on their celebrity designer steez. They realize that Fake Shore Drive is what's poppin' and they want you to design a cologne for their stores. What would it be called, what would it smell like, and what would the slogan for the cologne be?

Andrew: It would actually be a pint of vodka wth the slogan "Cologne is stupid." I'd tell Macys to kick rocks and to hook me up with one of those girls that does makeup by the entrance.

BFochs: Preach! lol. Now that you mention the boozski wooski, what is the official drink of Fake Shore Drive?

Andrew: Vodka soda always, unless I'm on beer, in which case I'll pretty miuch drink whatever

BFochs: Word to big bird. Last wacky question and we can get this real talk session wrapped up. You rep Fake Shore Drive, which is actually close to a real street named Lake Shore Drive. The Mayor of Chicago is so impressed with your support of Chicago that he decides to name a street anything you want it to be named, only catch is...it's a one way street and you can't put normal stop signs at the intersections, you have to create a new term to notify folks that they have to stop...what would you name it and what term would you create to avoid fender benders and accidents?

Andrew: Treated, because if you run that sign, you're more than likely going to get treated in one way or another.

BFochs: That is a very good point, chances are your insurance will raise if you don't pay attention. What would it be named?

Andrew: Well I'd really want to call it Fake Shore Insurance, because insurance companies are bogus as hell!

BFochs: Insurance companies, I believe, would fit in the same category as banks which is "We Make Being Fugazi Look Easy!" Well thought answers to my array of questions sir. Any shoutouts or comments before we end this thing?

Andrew: Well, obviously thanks to everyone who supports the site and the movement as a whole and hopefully I've been able to expose people to some music that they may not have heard otherwise this is only the beginning, so stay tuned we have a lot of big things coming up in the near future. I also would like to thank the people outside of the city and the midwest who check the site and have helped me make it a small success, thanks to you too Mr. Fochs.

BFochs: No doubt mane, midwest or bust ya dig? You heard it from the grandmaster of FSD himself! STAY TUNED DANGNAMIT! Thank you once again Andrew for blessing BBB and the e-streets with your real talk, I wish you continued success in your journey of puttin on for the Chi! Take it easy homie.

Andrew: You too my man!


Big ups to Andrew for doing this interview! Thanx for the opportunity man! IF YOU ARE LIVING UNDER A ROCK AND HAVEN'T MESSED WITH FAKE SHORE DRIVE GET OVER THERE NOW!!!! CLICK HERE! BOOKMARK IT!!!