What was the most memorable shot or moment you guys remember while documenting for this book?
Lance: There are plenty, but one that comes to mind was interviewing K-Rino in his apartment while he watched a Rockets game on television. He never took his eyes off the TV, but answered every question I asked him slowly and thoroughly for an hour and a half. He only made one comment about the basketball game, and it was to illustrate a story he was telling me.
Peter: We’ve had countless adventures during this process, and even a few scary moments. Back in 2005, there was an incident with Ganxsta N-I-P and a gun, and the same year we were at Screwed up Records & Tapes for the filming of Bun B’s “Draped Up” video when I was photographing Scarface while a random guy in the crowd kept trying to get in front of the camera. He was offended when I wasn’t interested in taking his picture, so he came at me. Fortunately, Mr. Scarface had my back, and gave the guy a chest bump and put him in his place without it getting too out of hand.
If you guys could pick an album for a soundtrack while someone goes through the book, what would you suggest?
Peter: Dead End Alliance (DEA) — Screwed for Life or UGK’s Ridin’ Dirty are probably my favorite Southern Rap albums of all time.
Lance: I couldn’t pick just one, but I did compile a four hour mixtape for Houston Rap, and Peter and I are working on one to accompany Houston Rap Tapes for when that comes out early next year. Hopefully those help complete the picture even more than the books could. There are only so many people in the books, and they’re just a cross section of Houston. I’m not sure there’s a soundtrack that would even cover one neighborhood!
What lessons, if any, have you come away with? How much of Houston lives in you today (as it does a great deal for Mike Moe)?
Lance: A lot. I lived in Houston for 14 years, so it’s still a place that feels like home when I go there. Learning about the rap scene taught me more about the city than I ever knew about it before. When you think about the changes that technology has brought about to nearly every American culture over the last decade, it’s almost like we grew up with these guys in a way. We grew through the Houston explosion of 2005 and saw them adapting to the new technologies as artists as we adapted ourselves. It taught us a lot about their character as it taught us about our own. It showed the adaptability that has kept so many of these artists alive as artists all these years through the toughest of circumstances — even MySpace.
Peter: This project definitely touched me on a personal level more than I can describe. I developed friendships with many of these guys, none of which would I have met otherwise, and I believe the experience as a whole helped further expand my world view and make me a more well rounded person.
You guys covered a lot of parts of Houston life, from the drugs to prison to music to cars to jewelry. But if you had to sum up Houston in a few sentences, how would you do it?
Peter: An underdog community developed a fresh and compelling art form on their own terms without input or much support from the industry. This resulted in a fresh take on rap that turned out to be very influential in the rap world that ignored it for so long.
Lance: Hot, slow, wide, flat. Battle rap, gangsta rap, chopped and screwed. Underground superstars say f*ck your mainstream. They’re eating good in H-Town and they did it with their own sound.
Pre-order your copy at Sinecure Books’ website.
Bryan Hahn (@notupstate)
