In the last few years mainstream hip hop has adopted a simpler and more electronic sound. How does the sound of Antipop Consortium differ from this new trend?

High Priest: It’s a reflection of the time. As far as it goes for incorporating electronic instrumentations in specific hip hop it has been the testing ground for the introduction of most new synth piece music. Within that we just found our own approach and stuck with it and developed a fan base within that and then had the opportunity to watch it grow.

Though if a person who hasn't listened to hip hop before was to compare your most recent album and listen to it side by side with a mainstream hip hop album, they would find a lot of similarities in terms of the use of electronic production. How do you try and distinguish between the two, for you are not a mainstream group, you are an anti pop group.

M. Sayyid: It’s not necessarily a conscious effort that we make to sound different. The basis of hip hop music is the drums. That is the underlying driving pulse of any hip hop record for the most part. So we just make sure that the beats and drums are tight, that the lyrics are on point, that they stay in the pocket of the rhythm of the music and then we add ourselves to the music.  It’s never been an attempt to try to copy or purposely sound different. We just do what we do and make the music that we want to hear.

In recent years there have been a number of instances where record labels have hindered artist  creativity and independence. For example, in 2010, Jive Records hindered the release of Big Boi's solo debut album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.  Did you essentially become an anti pop consortium to challenge this form of corporate manipulation and influence?

High Priest:  Fully! The impetus for Antipop Consortium was to steer clear of that and to develop a platform to be viable within the commercial market, to do something that is left of centre as we do. So when you hear somebody like Big Boi who has probably sold tens of millions of records and still having to deal with corporate politics, it’s disappointing. With his resume his decisions shouldn't be questioned that much at this stage. That’s definitely something we've worked hard to avoid. 

Your group has toured and worked with a number of prominent artists, such as Radiohead, Massive Attack and DJ Shadow. Are you ever tempted to employ the sounds that they utilize?

High Priest: Not so much. Well, we do listen to a little bit of everything and let it inspire us to bring the best out of ourselves. So we just look for whatever that is pushing the envelope and it could come from any genre.

When creating your music do you focus on impressing yourselves or do you try and impress the people around you, such as family or the fans?

Earl Blaize: We try and impress each other first and foremost.

M. Sayyid: That’s the deal. We all have the same raw pulse on what we feel and what is hot on the streets. So it’s a question of like saying ‘okay, I’m gonna go ahead and make this joint and rap to this joint and when I’m writing to it, I think, alright, who is gonna feel it'. What I’m doing is I’m making joints. I'm writing for myself to be able to say it. Ultimately that’s what its about. It’s a blessing to have a community of cats who you can really work on it to get better. I’m blessed with the ability to come up with an idea, spit it out, try it out, and then have somebody to bounce off the wall to.

You mentioned that all four of you share the same pulse, a collective anti pop goal, though your group did disband in 2002 as a result of creative differences. How is it different this time around?

High Priest: It’s not different. We have just matured as people, so we deal with issues differently. Just like in a workplace; there is a dynamic that makes things work so we just do what we  have to do to find that middle ground and maintain the environment for growth. 

All four members of Antipop Consortium have released solo records. How does a solo career differ from a collective career? 

M. Sayyid: Well, it depends on how you flip it. At the time when I was touring off Twilight Zone:  The Mixtape I had various people on the back end doing the DJ and I always had the MP on stage. It was cool. It was a good experience. However it wasn't home. I had to find a place in myself where I could just be totally centred and bring out the best in me, which was a great experience. If I do anything in the future that is solo it's going to be with my people no matter what ‘cause that’s where I am and that’s where we are with what it is that we do. So as I said it was a great experience and I learnt a lot.

High Priest: It’s good ‘cause as individuals we proved to ourselves that we have the strength to create something and build something individually, so then it makes it stronger as a collective ‘cause to really build within a group you should be complete as an individual and if these individuals get together you will get a much bigger monster.