How did you meet, and since when you as a group are together?

One met at the beginning of 1994, at that time each one among us worked in a fast food which was called Meatshake in our town of origin, Long Beach, in California.

Why were you called Ugly Duckling?

At the time when we formed the group, G-Funk (Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Warren G, Dogg Pound and other Doggs...) reigned with Beach Length. It was found that one did not make to part of the scene "gangster" and that one could not play with other rappeurs.

Can you say some to us more on your first album "Fresh Mode"? Is it always available?

We recorded " Fresh Mode " in 1998 and left we it the following year on the label Wall Of Sound. It is him which made it possible the public to buy our discs and a musical safety with the hip hop with which we have grandi.L' album is available on the site of Wall Of Sound , or in the record dealers.

How would you describe your style of hip hop?

I would say that it is about a hip hop funky, traditional and funny.

Did the life change for you since the success of "Journey To Anywhere"?

Eh well, I never defined our group as a group having success! Thus I would say that one continues to work hard and to meet more and more people who appreciate the music that one creates.

Who A creates the iconography for the small pocket of "Journey To Anywhere"?

It is Overton Loyd which carried out this small pocket, it also worked for Parliament and Funkadelic, it is for that which one wanted that it is him. It in particular created the small pockets of albums like " Motor Booty Affair " and " Pine The Tail One The Funky ".

Is you made rounds everywhere in the world, how the public in the various countries?

One liked much the public in the United Kingdom and in America. We always have the trac before playing in a country where English is not the official language and that for obvious reasons. But one visited Germany, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, and all seemed well to occur.

Did you have awkward experiences on scene?

We were in Cardiff in Wales a few weeks ago, and in the medium in the concert a type came behind Einstein and asked him to play of the drum' bass. It was not done.

Which "record player line" you would like that a chick balances you?

I have a girlfriend and thus I try not to sympathize with other women. Even if I were unmarried, I would not want to speak with a girl who would be too aggressive.

DMX sends an email to you, requiring of you to realize a piece gangsta with him percent thousand dollars each one. What do you answer him?

The money is not all!

Did you start to think of your next album?

Yes, one is about to start to work on the next album.

Do you think that you will have featurings on some of the pieces of your next album?

It is possible that one collaborates with someone else, but it is not a trick on which one counts. Our goal is to become known without the assistance of the others. Perhaps but if somebody came and were a good complement of our music, it would be done. But in the absolute, one seeks nobody.

Were you fans of station-wagon and graffiti at the time?

Yes, one was all insides, but one was all null!

How much is the gold chain of Einstein worth? Did somebody already try to fly to him?

I do not have the right to speak about the value of the chain nor about his origins, if not that would decrease the mystery of sound "dookie-ism". Our team of safety made a superb job by thwarting the attempts at robbers of chains!

Which jobs did you have before investing you in Ugly Duckling full-time?

I was employed in a Christian bookshop, Einstein worked in a store of discs and Dizzy does not like to have a principal work.

How did you sign with label XL Recordings?

One came into contact with XL by the means of our old label to the United States, 1500 Records. They laid off our album with XL and we did not have a say. Fortunately, our relationship with XL occurs well until now.

Are there other groups of hip hop to Beach Length or in the surroundings on which should throw an eye to us?

I like much People Under The Stairs of Los Angeles. They are funky and they have their clean feeling.

You write, produce and arrange all your pieces yourselves. Do you take part all in a way equal to these three parts of the creative process, or each one it concentrates on a particular aspect?

One contributes all to the production in a different way. Einstein is the principal man behind the beats, but one collaborates when it is necessary to combine the music with the voices. Dizzy and me let us work often together on the words, then one brings them to Einstein to finish the piece. One makes alley-and-arrivals until one obtains something which goes.

Finally, that "Hip Hop Flow" for you means?

I you will say it if you say to me what "hip-hoppa-loppa-doppa-poo" for you means!

Remarks collected by Rach' - December 2001