One of hip-hop’s downest DJ, producer and label owner of the underground giant Stones Throw, returns to El Paso ready to kill it at the Mother of Pearl block party. Fusion was fortunate to share a few words with the man himself—Peanut Butter Wolf.
People still talk about your first time in El Paso and you told the crowd how you felt like you were at Coachella, what else do you remember about that show at Dominic’s?
I don’t remember which show that one was, but I’ve done a few shows in El Paso where they showed “Coachella level appreciation.” I’m guessing that was the first time I went out there. I lived in El Paso when I was like 4 years old for a couple years, so it was cool to go back to one of the cities I grew up in.
Are you going record hunting while you’re here?
Probably not. I don’t have much time this time around.
Your record collection is crazy, is there still a record out there that you’ve been searching for that is like your holy grail?
There’s a few, but I don’t mention names in interviews cuz then it’ll make it even HARDER for me to find them.
You’re known for having a diverse taste in music, what type of music or artist would be people be surprised to know you like?
Probably a lot of the newer swag/ ratchet/ trap stuff that all the “keep it real” hip-hop fans complain about, and the early 90s Bay Area gangsta-rap stuff—and Gordon Lightfoot.
What do you think of the state of hip-hop today in the mainstream and the underground?
I guess I just answered that.
What’s in store for your set for the Mother of Pearl Block party?
I need to research the event. Depends on what the promoter booked me for. Like you said earlier, I have a wide variety of music appreciation.
What do you think of the music industry as a whole today?
I’m confused by how anybody makes money anymore.
What are your thoughts on the re-interest of vinyl in the market?
I can say with confidence that even though everyone talks about “re-interest” in vinyl, that’s not true as much as people having “less interest” in all the other formats (CD, iTunes, etc) which makes everyone talk with amazement that vinyl is still hanging on. There definitely seems to be more artists and labels PRESSING their record on vinyl than before, but everyone is selling less units than before. Now it’s more people pressing less units.
How was it like being involved in the Tribe Called Quest Movie?
Dream come true. That was cool for sure, and I made some new friends in the process.
Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton was amazing, how do you like how it came out?
There were things I wanted added and things I wanted taken out, but I wasn’t the director of the film, and I was pleased and thankful that he and the editor chose Stones Throw to do a movie on, and I think they did a great job considering they had such a broad subject as a record label with over 100 artists over 20 years to deal with. We all got our share of debates, but we were all passionate about the end result, and I’d rather that happen than work with someone who doesn’t really care about how it turns out in the end.
What’s in store in the future with Stones Throw? Upcoming releases?
I don’t like answering that question!
Photo: Stacy Lucier & Joel Frijhoff
eventbrite.com/e/mother-of-pearl-block-party-tickets
