Planet Asia wears : denim cape by Cinzia Simone @cinzia_simone_, sweatshirt by XUS @xus__, necklace by Wasteland @shopwasteland
Planet Asia 穿著：Cinzia Simone @cinzia_simone_ 牛仔披風, XUS @xus__ 衛衣, Wasteland @shopwasteland 頸鍊
Special thanks to Planet Asia @planetasiamedallions and the photo crew in LA for the extra mile effort!
特別感謝Planet Asia @planetasiamedallions和洛杉磯的攝影組成員們！
訪問/ Interview : Jordan C. @jordan_commandeur
攝影/ Photographer : Derrick D. Bracks @eyenavigate
造型（外景）/ Fashion Stylist (On Location) : Oretta Corbelli @orettac
造型（影樓）/ Fashion Stylist (Studio) : Landra Dulin @concretechic
化妝/ Makeup Artist : Elena Bracks @elenakhlo
模特/ Model : Bianca Wiles @bianca.wiles
翻譯/ Translate : Jose Chu
Planet Asia should need no introduction…but he certainly deserves one. With 2018 marking the twenty year anniversary of his self-titled debut EP, it’s the perfect time to look back on his body of work and appreciate just how integral he has been in keeping hardcore Hip-Hop alive through the trap years. King Medallions and his Gold Chain Military have managed to carry on tradition, while moving the culture forward at the same time. That’s no easy task!
PA’s 2017 collab with Apollo Brown, Anchovies, is considered a classic by heads worldwide, but only his stalwart supporters know that he dropped a mixtape on his born day last year titled Dirty Planet with DirtyDiggs and it was just as banging. In 2018 the Fresno emcee has already graced ears with two more high grade projects, The Golden Buddha and Mansa Musa. However, the GCM general is never one to rest on his laurels and has more in store before the year is out, including a second helping from the Mansa Musa sessions titled The Lost and Found Treasures of Mansa Musa! We got a chance to politic with one of this generation’s greatest warrior poets, and below is what transpired.
Planet Asia應該不用多介紹了…但當然他得值得被介紹。2018年是他首張EP的二十週年紀念日，這是個回顧他的作品的最佳時機，並欣賞他這麼多年一直在Hip Hop方面不可或缺的努力。 King Medallions和他的Gold Chain Military成功地繼承了傳統，同時推動了文化的發展。 這不是一件容易的事！
2017年PA和Apollo Brown, Anchovies的合作被世界各地的人們認為是經典之作。但只有他最忠實的支持者才知道他去年生日時發放了一個名為Dirty Planet with DirtyDiggs的混音帶吧！2018年的時候，Fresno emcee已經有了兩個更高級的項目 – The Golden Buddha 和 Mansa Musa。然而GCM永遠對自已的成就不滿足，並且將會有更多的「儲貨」在年底推出，包括第二次幫助 Mansa Musa的he Lost and Found Treasures of Mansa Musa！我們有機會訪問這代最偉大的「戰土詩人」，下面是當日發生的事情：
Planet Asia wears : tee and jeans by Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans
Planet Asia 穿著：Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans T-shirt和牛仔褲
Bianca wears : tee and jeans by Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans
Bianca 穿著： Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans T-shirt和牛仔褲
SPITGAN : What’s behind the name?
Planet Asia : It’s an acronym for the Planet All Started In Africa.
SP : This year marks the twentieth anniversary of your self-titled debut EP. Tell us a little about how you came into the game.
PA : I came into the game when the independent culture was on the rise in the Bay Area. My first real notoriety came from Peanut Butter Wolf’s My Vinyl Weighs A Ton album and Rasco’s Time Waits For No Man. That when I think I really made my worldwide debut where everybody paid attention.
SP : I remember that Rasco album well. Speak on your history together.
PA : My history with Rasco goes back to when he was going to Fresno State and I was just entering highschool. I was already rhyming. He was part of a crew. When he left college and went back to The Bay, that when he started working on his stuff. He always told me that he’d put me on a song and said, when people hear you, the world is gonna go crazy. And low and behold, when I got on the album, that’s how it went.
SP : I get the idea yall have a close friendship outside recording.
PA : Well, he’s a little bit older than me. So, I didn’t never hang around him like that. It’s more that we all come from the same clique of people. You got to understand, I was a freshman in highschool when he was about to graduate college. Two different worlds. The people he was in the group with was already in college when I was in junior high, and I knew them. I was only in eighth grade. The group was called Various Blends. The main emcee of that group, was a DJ as KSSR fm and that’s how I met Rasco, through his rhyme partner EBS.
SP : You always surround yourself with talented folk, so speak on one of your first crews, Skool Yard Massive.
PA : Skool Yard was remnants of people that I grew up [with] and went to highschool with. That I used to run around with. So, when I first came in the game, I brought them with me. But it ran its course and then came to a halt. That’s when I started doing the Gold Chain Military thing. Skool Yard was all individuals and we had our things going on. Gold Chain is like a monastery ‘cause we all have the same beliefs and shit like that…like how we make our music.
SP : How do you see your rhyme style?
PA: : Well, it’s a combination of all the greats I grew up under. The influences that I came up under. For instance, you can consider me a walking Wu-Tang. I’m like a one-man Wu-Tang. Within that group, if you listen to all their styles, they’re styles that I’ve tampered with growing up in this culture. Each style you hear from every era, I’ve tampered with. Whether it’s the ‘80s style when cats was rappin’ real fast with the James Brown joints, or whether you’re talking about the Jazz aspect, or whether you’re talking about the straight up boom bap 808s…I’m all that in one. What you’re hearing is an advance version of what rhymin’ is. It’s like a technology kid that was born before technology but studied technology the whole time. By the time he gets to 2018, he can make the computer do whatever he wants. That’s a computer programmer. A computer programmer is somebody who knows the code and language of the computer, and they can shape and bend the reality of the computer to their will.
Planet Asia wears : jacket and embroidered jeans by Burning Guitars @burningguitars, Pimp C T-Shirt, Sneakers by Radii Footwear @radii_footwear
Planet Asia 穿著：Burning Guitars @burningguitars 外套和刺繡牛仔褲, Pimp C T-Shirt, Radii Footwear @radii_footwear 運動鞋
SP : I like that you bring up Wu because your style has always been more East coast, as well as Far East influenced. The title of your new album The Golden Buddha is a good example. Speak on that.
PA : I was Wu-Tang there was a Wu-Tang. The reason why I say that is because they was just representing what every black dude was into in the ‘90s. Before there was a Wu-Tang, we was all into kung-fu flicks and the philosophy. We was heavy into that. And I grew up in Islam too. So, I think that’s why people get it confused. That’s the beauty of what Wu-Tang is, you get a representation of everything you grew up on, whether it’s Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Kool G. Rap, the Juice Crew, Hit Squad, Onyx, NWA, all wrapped in one. And I’m after them. So, you gotta think, if Wu-Tang was able to incorporate everything that came before them, I’m incorporating everything that came before me. That’s why I’m the Golden Buddha, because I have all the chambers…I mastered the chambers.
SP : Explain a little about what’s behind The Golden Buddha album? I know you and I have talked about it extensively but give the readers an idea.
PA : Since I was a kid, I knew there was some kind of connection between me and that figure that they call the Buddha. It’s really just a concept and a school of thought. I naturally gravitated towards that as a child. Of course, martial arts had something to do with it. But beyond that aspect, the spiritual perseverance philosophy is what I was in tune with. I used to meditate a lot as a kid. When you meditate you’re supposed to clear your mind of all things. You’re not supposed to have no thoughts. [By doing that] I was able to travel into different portals of my mind at 8 or 9 years-old, to come to a self-realization. But that self-realization didn’t take place again until I got older. I had alter my mind a little bit to remember. To approach things as a child. So, I’ve always approached things as a child. I think that has slowed down even my aging process. I’m not trying to brag, but I don’t feel like I look my age. So, I slowed down the process of time, because time is only movement and I understand that. And once you have an understanding of things, you can bend them to your favor. That’s what my whole Buddha thing is. Buddha is about being balanced and I’m a balanced person.
SP : Clarify who’s in the Gold Chain Military and which groups are in it.
PA : Gold Chain Military is me, Tristate, Killer Ben, Killa Kali, SavKills, Møntage One, Turbin, Rogue Venom, and Lyric Jones. We have groups within that circumference of people. Me, Killer Ben and Tristate, we had Durag Dynasty. That was with Alchemist. That’s never going to happen again though. That was just a concept. Me and Tristate are General Monks. Now, that’s gonna happen again. Me and Killa Kali is Border Brothers. Me and Turbin are Ice Mouth Murderers. Everybody in the crew got different things going on.
Planet Asia wears : denim jacket and jeans by Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans, sweatshirt by XUS @xus__, sneakers by Radii Footwear @radii_footwear
Planet Asia 穿著：Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans 牛仔外套和牛仔褲, XUS @xus__ 衛衣, Radii Footwear @radii_footwear 運動鞋
Bianca wears – leather jacket and jeans by Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans, Sweatshirt by XUS @xus__, Shoes from Wasteland @shopwasteland
Bianca 穿著： Parasuco Jeans @parasucojeans 皮褸和牛仔褲, XUS @xus__衛衣, Wasteland @shopwasteland 皮靴
SP : Tell us what you have coming up next.
PA : The Masa Musa mixtape is dropping on Cleopatra Records after The Golden Buddha.
SP : What about the project with Pete Rock, Planet Rock?
PA : Me and Pete are trying to put it together, but that’s all on Pete Rock, man.
SP : How did the AZ collab on The Golden Buddha come about?
PA : Me and AZ been building every now and then. I been planning to work with bro, and the track that I had was perfect. So, I was like, let me see if I can get him on it before we close out the album. I sent it early so that it gave him enough time to get it done. He finally did it and yo, that shit came out crazy!
SP : Is there ever verses you do for other people, that later you wished you would have saved for your own project?
PA : Oh, all the time. But I know that comes from being loose…being loose with it.
SP : Can you think of a verse on someone else’s project that’s one of your favorites.
PA : Probably like the verse I did on Blu’s record.
SP : I remember reading you saying something after Black Thought’s epic freestyle about how you and Rozewood can do it like that off-the-top.
PA : Yeah, his shit was written, but me and Roze, we freestyle like that. That’sal is my world.eom that. You would rap your heart out every single day. That’s second nature. Thought talks about memory muscle, that’s what it is.
SP : That’s high praise for Rozewood.
PA : Yeah, cuz he nice like that. We a certain type of species. I’m gonna always big up my species. It’s an elite thing. This ain’t no rappity rap shit either. It’s wizardry. So, in order to do that, you have to have done that growing up. Once you got it in you, you just got it in you. Dudes can just go. I know dudes that you will swear that shit is written, but it’s not. They been rhymin’ so long that, there’s no slip ups.
Black Thought is still the best out there though, I will say that. But I’m saying, I come from that.
< < Chinese continued below >>
Planet Asia wears : vintage kimono provided by @knowstylegia, rib knit track suit by The Incorporated @theinc0rp0rated, bracelet by Zhbankoff Jewelry @zhbankoff
Planet Asia 穿著：@knowstylegia 提供的復古Kimono, The Incorporated @theinc0rp0rated 羅紋針織套裝, Zhbankoff Jewelry @zhbankoff手鐲
SPITGAN : 你名字的意思是什麼？
Planet Asia : 名字是來自Planet All Started In Africa的開首字母縮寫而成的。
SP : 今年是你首張同名EP的二十週年，講一下你是如何進入這個遊戲的吧。
PA : 剛剛進入這個文化圈時正正是獨立文化在Bay Area興起的時期，第一個藝名是來自Peanut Butter Wolf的My Vinyl Weighs A Ton專輯和Rasco的Time Waits For No Man，也就是我們紅起來的時候。
SP : 我還記得Rasco這張專輯，說一下這個的歷史吧。
PA : 我與Rasco的故事可以追溯到他去Fresno State的時候，我才剛剛進入高中，當時我已經在玩音樂，而他是其中一位隊員，直至他離開了高中回到The Bay，他才開始發展他的音樂事業。他總是說會為我寫一首歌，一首會令我一炮而紅的歌，當世人聽到的時候，他們會為你瘋狂，而事實上的確如此！
Planet Asia wears : Jacket by Burning Guitars @burningguitars, Pimp C T-Shirt
Planet Asia 穿著：Burning Guitars @burningguitars外套, Pimp C T-Shirt
SP : 我知道除了錄音之外你們還有很好的友誼。
PA : 的確，他是比我大一點點，所以我並沒有經常跟他走在一起，更重要的是，我們都來自同一類的人。你要知道的是，當他正準備大學畢業時，我才是剛剛入高中的菜鳥，是兩個世界的人，他認識的老死也已經上了大學，而我卻只是初中。他們這個小組叫做Various Blends。主持人是由DJ KSSR fm，他的合作顆伴EBS介絕了我給Rasco，這就是我認識Rasco的方法。
SP : 你身邊總是圍繞著有才華的人，講一下你第一批船員Kool Yard Massive吧。
PA : Stool Yard是與我由小長大的友伴，亦是我高中的老死，他是我岀入的好基友，所以，當我初加入這個圈時便帶上了他們，經過了時間的洗禮，Skool Yard已成為獨當一面的每一位，在製作Gold Chain Military的同時，這裡就像是一間修行院，因為大家都帶有同一個對製作音樂的信念。
SP : 你如何看待你的說唱風格?
PA : 這絕對是一個對我成長時期的偉人的致敬，他們對我的音有著深遠的影響，你可以當我是一個單人的Wu-Tang，如果你有聽過他們所有的音樂風格都是陪隨我成長及學習的格調，從每個時期的每種風格都有被我參改過，無論是八十年代的風格，James Brown的影響，或是在爵士方面，還是在談論808s的熱潮……我就是這樣吸收了全部的，成為今天的我。你聽到的是高一等的押韻曲目，就像是一個早比技術岀現更早學識技術的小孩，在一直的研究下，到了2018年，他便可以讓電腦做他想做的任何事情。那是一個計算機程序員。程序員精通代碼和語言，他們可以根據自己的意願塑造和彎曲算術的展現。
我喜歡你帶來吳，因為你的風格一直在東海岸，以及遠東影響。 你的新專輯金佛的標題就是一個很好的例子。 說說而已。
SP : 我喜歡你帶出來Ng，你的風格一直受東岸以及遠東影響，這從你新專輯The Golden Buddha 可以看得出，說說這個吧。
PA : “I was Wu-Tang there was a Wu-Tang”。我之所以這麼說，是因為他們只代表了90年代每個黑人的所作所為。在有一個Wu-Tang之前，我們都迷上功夫電影和哲學。那簡直是沉迷。我同樣也在伊斯蘭長大。所以，我認為這就是人們為什麼感到困惑的原因。這就是Wu-Tang的鬼力，你可以看到你長大的一切全部結合在一起，無論是Big Daddy Kane，Rakim，Kool G. Rap，Juice Crew，Hit Squad，Onyx，NWA，都是一體的。而我在這些偉人之後，因此我製作了The Golden Buddha，意思是經已我掌握了他們留下的黃金寶庫及所有的知識之泉，再創立新的紀元。
Left : vintage kimono provided by @knowstylegia, rib knit track suit by The Incorporated @theinc0rp0rated, sneakers by Radii Footwear @radii_footwear, bracelet by Zhbankoff Jewelry @zhbankoff
左：@knowstylegia 提供的復古Kimono, The Incorporated @theinc0rp0rated 羅紋針織套裝, Zhbankoff Jewelry @zhbankoff手鐲
Right : tee by Tommy Hilfiger, jacket by The Incorporated @theinc0rp0rated, jeans provided by The Walk In Closet, Los Angeles, CA, sneakers by Armani Exchange
右：Tommy Hilfiger T-shirts, The Incorporated @theinc0rp0rated 外套, 由The Walk In Closet, Los Angeles提供的牛仔褲, Armani Exchange運動鞋
SP : 不如解釋一下The Golden Buddha這專輯的背後意思吧。我知道我和你已經談論很多次了但請跟讀者們解釋一下吧。
PA : 從我還是個孩子以來，我知道我和人們稱之為佛陀的那位有著某種聯繫。這真的只是一個概念性和思想流派的說法。因此從小便對這方面有了傾向，當然在靈感
上少不了與武術有關的，除此之外，精神上的毅力哲學正是我所想調配的元素。我小時候經常冥想。當你冥想時，你應該清除對所有事物的想念。不應該有任何想法。在8，9歲的時候我便能夠在意識層上穿越，來實現對自我的認知，但是，直到我長大，這種自我體現才再次發生在我身上。我曾經改變過自己的思想方法，以孩子的身份接近事物。所以，我小時候總是在接觸這些東西。我認為即使是老化過程中也會有慢鏡速度，我並非想吹噓什麼，但我並不覺得我看起來像我的實際年齡。所以，我放慢了時間的流程，因為時間只是一個流動，我明白了當中的奧意。一旦你對事物有所了解，你就可以令它們對你有所幫助。這就是我整個佛系。佛學是關於平衡的，我就是一個平衡的人。
SP : 闡明誰是Gold Chain Military和有什麼組合在內吧。
PS : Gold Chain Military是我，Tristate，Killer Ben，Killa Kali，SavKills，MøntageOne，Turbin，Rogue Venom和Lyric Jones。我們之間都有著獨立的團體。我，Killer Ben和Tristate，我們有Durag Dynasty和Alchemist。這個組合應該不會再重現，那個是一個概念。我和三位是主軍。現在，這將再次發生。我和Killa Kali是邊境兄弟。我和Turbin是冷血兇手。隊員中的每個人都有不同的事情進行中。
SP : 告訴我們你接下來的計劃吧。
PA : 在Golden Buddha之後，Masa Musa混音帶正在克利奧帕特拉唱片上播出。
SP : 那跟Pete Rock ,Planet Rock的項目如何了？
PA : 我和Pete都試圖將它組合在一起，但這一切都在Pete Rock身上。
Planet Asia wears : denim cape by Cinzia Simone @cinzia_simone_, sweatshirt by XUS @xus__, jeans by Parasuco @parasucojeans, necklace by Wasteland @shopwasteland
Planet Asia 穿著：Cinzia Simone @cinzia_simone_ 牛仔披風, XUS @xus__ 衛衣, Parasuco @parasucojeans牛仔褲, Wasteland @shopwasteland 頸鍊
SP : AZ和The Golden Buddha的合作是怎樣發生的？
PA : 我和AZ一直在建立中。 我一直計劃和兄弟一起工作，而我的賽道非常完善。 所以，我想，在我們完成專輯之前，讓我看看能否讓他參與其中。 我提前便交岀了專輯，這樣就給了他足夠的時間來完成它。 而他終於做到了！真的他媽的瘋了！
SP : 有沒有給別人寫過一首詞之後你後悔了，想留給自已用？
PA : 哦，一直都是。 但是我知道這是隨意的……隨意的。
SP : 可以說一個你給別人的詞中自已最喜歡的一個嗎？
PA : 可能就是我為Blu的唱片中所做的那樣。
SP : 我記得你曾經有過一段Black Thought 談及你和Roze很厲害的Freestyle的文章？
PA : 對的，的確是事實，但我和Roze是十分FreeStyle的，這是十分正常的，每天都只會為Rapping而生活，這是一個第二天性。
SP : 這是對Rozewood的高度讚揚吧？
PA : 是的，因為他很喜歡這樣。 我們是某種相同類型的物種。 我會永遠把我這類的物種變大。 這是一個精明的做法。 這也不是沒有rappity rap。這是魔術。 所以，為了做到這一點，你必須做到成長。 一旦你得到它，你就得到了它。 只需放膽去做。 我知道你會發誓那些狗屎是亂寫的，但事實並非如此。 他們已經很長久了，所以並沒有任何失誤。
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