DX: Do you feel that you’re underrated as a producer?
D: I just don’t…You know what? Mmmmmm. I wouldn’t say “underrated” because I think that just now people are starting to see that this is something that I do. And since I’ve already blabbed my mouth off about learning music theory, I know there’s gonna be people out there saying, “Okay, let me see what music theory did for you, let me see your music theory.” Basically, all ready to hate on me. It’s a work in progress though. I do listen to constructive criticism; if you don’t like it, you don’t like it; if you do, you do. There’s nothing I can really do about it. But I’ll say that I’m constantly working on my craft. The stuff you hear on 11th Hour, I’ve already surpassed.

DX: “Bubble Pop.” Is it directed at anyone specifically or just at Hip Hop’s general braggadocios?
D: The concept of the song is basically somebody who gets too big for their bridges or their head gets too inflated; somebody just too souped up, you just burst their bubble basically. My raps are usually not directed at anybody specifically - of course I’ve dealt with specific people in my life that I can draw inspiration from but I try to keep it generalized so that anybody that’s been through those types of situations can feel me.

DX: Do you have a general beef with females? There were some nasty attacks on women on the album?
D: Nah, of course not; and anybody that knows me knows that I respect women to the fullest. That’s one thing. On the other hand, I’ve dealt with particular types of women – and men – who are opportunists. I’ll diss anybody. But I’ve dealt with certain types of women you can’t talk to.

DX: So why bother?
D: ‘Cause sometimes you’re caught in a situation when you’re forced to talk to somebody. You have no choice.

DX: You wanted to simplify things with this album. What does that mean and how did you go about doing so?
D: I just wanted to get back to the fundamentals of things. For one, I felt like a lot of people just don’t know what Hip Hop is about. I wanted to go back to the raw essence, beats and rhymes. Part of it was that; another part was that I felt I was going way too out on my Del projects. I got to a point where I figured that basically, I have other avenues I can express these things [with]. With Del the Funky Homosapian, I wanted that to be more about me. I wanted it to be more funkier, more on thee Hip Hop tip, less about anything [else].

DX: Your father, who is a visual artist, designed the cover for the 11th Hour. Did you pick up some of his talents?
D: I grew up drawing. I consider myself a pretty cool cartoonist. I can still draw, I just found that music was easier. It was easier for me to get a finished product that I liked versus sitting hours and hours drawing something. Now, I might spend days working on a song so I guess it’s kind of the same now, but it’s more fluent for me; it’s more natural for me.

DX: What’s your favorite piece that you’ve done?
D: Oh man. I guess the Hieroglyphics logo probably is the greatest thing to the public that I’ve done. A lot of people respect that logo, they think it’s dope…

DX: It’s been reported that your health is suffering from drug use; comments?
D: Who’s telling you that? [laughing]

DX: Can’t reveal my sources.
D: Hell nah. You know what my health was suffering from? Touring all the time and filthy ventilation. Basically, if you’re anywhere in the public, you’ll be exposed to filthy ventilation. I have a complication since a kid of dust and stuff like that. I used to have bad asthma. I’m cool now, but on the road I’ve been around so much ventilation, dirty air ducts, people always want to turn air conditioning on, and after years and years of just breathing it in, I just started getting hella sick.

DX: Ah. What trends, if any, influence Hip Hop’s underground scene right now?
D: Man, what underground scene? [Laughing] Nah, right now, one major trend I see is J Dilla’s production. That’s a pretty big trend; a lot of people are getting up on that swing that he got. It always happens. Somebody is a great beat-maker or a great producer for a moment, on the underground scene, and everybody kind of learns from them…but J Dilla is that dude right now.

DX: What’s in your plans?
D: I’m trying to do more production; I’m trying to get into producing music for soundtracks and commercials – outside of just producing records. I got various projects I’m working on, I got instrumental albums, I make dance stuff – stuff you can boogie to. But I’m also working on rap projects with other dudes too.

DX: Wanna drop names?
D: A+ is one dude I’m working with. We’re working on an album called Hypnotize. I started working on some stuff with Pumpkinhead a while ago – I need to holla back at him, I didn’t holla at him in a minute. Tame One, I’m fooling with, I’m still fooling with Tame pretty tough. Hollering at Planet Asia about some stuff; start working on some stuff with Destroy…Ladybug Mecca. Dave from De La Soul, I’m working on some stuff with him… Continued on page 3 »