BackWordz interview done by Mike De Man. Questions answered by Eric (Vocals) and Alex (Bass and Vocals).
BackWordz is a band that has jumped onto the radar just this year with two awe inspiring songs “Grindstone” and “Elitist”. How has 2015 treated the band so far?
The amount of support and coverage we’ve received from people, labels, and managers all around the world has been very encouraging. I would say it exceeded expectations, but we’ve had very high standards and expectations for where this project can and, we feel, will go. – Alex
Recently the band covered the Eminem hit song “Till I Collapse”. Is that song a band favorite or was a decision to cover it on a whim?
We get asked this a lot, and I can’t for the life of me remember what the other song was we were trying to decide between, but it came down to “Till I Collapse” and another Eminem song, we just felt that the one we chose locked in especially well with our new song we are about to drop next week. -Alex
Talk to me about your new song being released next Monday, August 10th, “Utopia’s Don’t Exist”.
So much I want to say, but I think the track will do a lot of speaking for itself when you hear it. Just know that we are diving deeper into politics and society today, and we’ll probably step on a lot of toes. -Alex
You had mentioned on Facebook this line: “Black, White, Gay, Straight.. Need to pipe down/ Nobody’s obligated to accept your lifestyle.” What message does that play into with the song?
These days, it seems as if people are actually going out of their way to get offended; it’s to the point that they want the government to FORCE people to accept them. And as these different lifestyles push each other back and forth, politicians are gaining power and holding office by simply taking sides on these issues and lifestyles. The entire song is about how said politicians, leaders, media organizations do this, along with how the Americans are too deaf, dumb, and blind to even realize they’re playing right into it. We do not have to agree with each other, or even like each other to coexist. But the minute we urge government to take sides, is the minute they use these issues to control us. People need to simply understand that nobody is obligated to accept them.- Eric
Do you think that as a people, the human race has become too sensitive to certain words, or are we exactly where we need to be?
Absolutely. I think the rest of the guys would agree with me when I say that the amount of people out there getting offended at every little thing is absurd. -Alex
A friend of mine had mentioned your lyrics stylistically resemble that of rappers such as Hopsin, where there is a significant meaning to the songs instead of just some trendy BS that will make edgy kids flock to your tunes. Do you think lyrics have the ability to shape an artist’s appearance differently in comparison to other artists who do not have lyrics that can necessarily inspire someone?
I can definitely see the Hopsin comparison. Though I am not influenced by him, I respect the fact that his songs carry messages that are harsh realities. He’s one of few recent rappers that I’ll actually listen to. But lyrics do shape the artist’s appearance. I think in my case it’ll be an uphill battle. Some of my stances are not of the collective ideal of people that listen to this genre. Some of the topics we cover will probably rub somebody the wrong way. But at the end of the day, it’s thought provoking truth and you’ll have to think critically to understand it. This is why I say that it’ll be an uphill battle. There’s a million other bands saying the same ol, and there’s a million other bands that are politically correct song in and song out. Those bands aren’t BackWordz. – Eric
Has there been any negative criticism so far as to the fact that BackWordz is bending genres right now having groovy metalcore with a massive range of sung, rapped, and screamed vocals, or Street Hop, as you call it?
I feel like, largely, our music has been pretty well accepted by the majority of people that have given feedback. We are still a young project, and our reach hasn’t expanded to that of the larger bands of the scene (yet), but I would be disappointed if we didn’t receive some form of criticism as we continue to grow. -Alex
How did the band come up with the name “Street Hop” to describe your music?
Street Hop was a term that my folks and I used to use to describe certain rappers growing up. If a rapper is gritty, yet lyrical with rather complex rhyme schemes… we considered it Street Hop. By default people were going to describe us as Rap-Rock or Rap Metal. But those that know hip hop, know that there’s a big difference between my style of rapping and your standard Rap Rock band; I do not simply rhyme the end of my bars. There’s emotion in my delivery, there’s a legitimate message in my lyrics, and my rhyme schemes aren’t simple. I’m not metal guy that happens to like rap on the side. I’ve been spitting, recording, and participating in rap battles since I was in the 7th grade. Considering my background, as well as the other members in this band, there’s a uniqueness that cannot be mimicked. So rather than lump ourselves in a category, we’d rather make our own lane. -Eric
On the “Grindstone” music video, there was a YouTube comment left by a listener saying they were proud they illegally downloaded the song. Where does the band stand with music piracy?
Right now we aren’t as worried about piracy because we have other sources of income. We love the fact that people are spreading our music. But piracy is a legitimate problem in this genre and others. People don’t understand that many of their favorite artists are in debt or just getting by. Though piracy isn’t the only reason, it’s still reason. If you want to see your favorite artists continue to make the music you love, buy their records. Depending on the deal that artist has with their label, they will get a certain percentage. But pirating their artist is no different from somebody walking in your house and stealing your phone or laptop. If a band doesn’t say “Hey, we don’t care, just take our music,” it is theft at the end of the day. -Eric
As the music industry continues to evolve and go places it has never been before, more artists have started to stand clear of labels and make many more DIY movements. Do you think it’s harder for a band of your size to get on tours and obtain a higher notoriety without the help of a label, or can DIY get anyone anywhere?
Yes and Yes. This game has changed a lot. But one thing that hasn’t changed, are the politics of it. It is very beneficial to get with a label due to their resources. Of course they can pull the strings and get you on tours. But in the same respects, it isn’t completely impossible to do it yourself. It may take longer, it may be more difficult, but it isn’t impossible. We’ve been offered and contacted by labels but we are going to see how far we can take this ourselves. We all for the most part have experience, being in other bands and we don’t want to make the same mistakes we did in those. We actually believe in our craft; so much so, that we can actually go far by keeping it in-house. We aren’t dumb dudes. For example, I went to college, graduated, and accomplished a lot in my field of study. We have a vision and seriously want to be great. It might not happen tomorrow, next week, or next year… but we will be great. -Eric
