LISTEN UP: COUNT MACK DROPS NEW ALBUM AND WANTS YOU TO PLEASE BELIEVE
Detroit Emcee Count Mack [Vaughn Taormina], recently released his album entitled Please Believe at in Detroit at the TV Lounge on a rowdy winter night. The album has what you could call “Detroit Swag;” it’s full of feel good party tracks that can play straight through.
In addition to his hip-hop career, he is a fine artist, whose work is featured in Emergency Nothing, a group artist show of all Detroit-based artists in the Lower East Side which opens Thursday as well. Count Mack performs live on February 20th at Sutra Lounge, at 16 First Ave in Manhattan along with La’fem Ladosha; and again at PLAYGROUND DETROIT’S Emergency Nothing Showcase at The Flat on February 27th.
We sat down in NYC with the Count to hear more about the new album and talk about his upcoming show.
Who worked on the album with you?
I was lucky to work with Scoop Deville in LA who produced four songs off the tape, and my long-time homie Rude Jude hosts it with Lord Sear from Shade 45 All Out Show. To finish the project, I gave it to Dusty Fingers in New York and he mixed it.
What is The Air Up There AKA #TAUT?
The Air Up There has been a [Detroit-based] monthly party for the past four years thrown by Sheefy McFly. But its also a crew of us who all make art, [click-through for Taormina’s work] and music. We just dropped our first mix tape together. Check our album out on Bandcamp, TheAirUpThere.
Tell us about the album title, Please Believe.
Bosses. . . boss up hoe.
In 2012, you released a single with LA-based Brooke Candy, “Theme Music,” how did that collab happen?
She saw the Thirsty Boy tattoo I gave Freak Deak [Taormina moonlights as a tattoo artist] and she asked who did it. So he pointed me out at the party, and she wanted a tattoo of a Hebrew symbol on her neck. We kicked it after that, and did the Theme Music video with Alex 2 Tone. She didn’t have any videos that were poppin at that time so that’s really the first time people got to see her. Grimes saw her on Worldstar and she got hype, then put her in the Oblivion video, and then her shit just went bananas. Shout out to Brooke and Seth Pratt who does her clothes, he’s amazing.
What’s your favorite track on the album?
Probably ‘LOOK at my FEET’ ’cause it was so fun working on it wit Scoop. We were in this studio that was sponsoring him– owned by some X-treme sports company. They were paying this engineer to stay as late as we needed him, and his girlfriend was out in the hallway acting all mad waiting for him. We were like “You better let her know that we gonna be here for a minute.” They had a skate ramp, some pizza on deck and a jacuzzi in that bitch.
Who are your biggest musical inspirations?
All I listen to is hits: Prince, 2Pac, Phil…. Probably just all these dusty-ass hoes; That’s where I been pulling from lately for inspiration. And these rich hoes.
Who do you want to do a collab with in the future?
Shiiit, I’m messing wit all them Bruiser Brigade boys…Would be live to do something wit Vezzo, but I’m with whatever. If your reading this: Send me your shit.
What’s the Detroit hip hop scene like for those not from there?
It’s like 3 different sects, or more: you got the real ‘hood cats that only play at like strip clubs and Summer Jam; then u got the crowd that’s still kinda in the 90’s– bunch a dudes rappin’ and no girls in sight; and then you got the based Bruiser-Sheefy crowd- all the weirdos and artist types. If you come to one of our shows you might just hear booty and dance music the whole night.
What is it about Detroit that keeps you coming back? You’ve lived in a lot of other major cities like LA and NYC?
I’m about real shit , and Detroit is real to me.”
If I was from LA or whatever, I’m sure it would be real but I’m not. So I just look at it the only way I know how. When I’m outta town I just play it like an extended vacation, walk around that bitch wit’ a margarita and a sun burn.
Catch Count Mack on Thursday February 27th at The Flat.
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