[Photos by Tone] Summer 2007. I was at this spot in the Lower East Side, Rewind, where DJ Evil Dee was spinning. Rocking this Ernie [Sesame Street] fitted baseball hat. Mind you, I had been rocking this hat hard. Matter of fact I was overdoing it last summer. That same night this dude I had seen at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival just days before was at the party taking flicks and asked if he could shoot me wearing the hat. I was told it was for his blog. No problem. Little did I know that the kid born Mike Richards spent his days and nights creating delectable sonic hip-hop morsels under the moniker Fresh Daily.

As weeks had passed we would see each other in the streets of NYC, doing what we normally do-keep things thorough. What you are about to read is an AIM chat that was conducted over two weeks-two artisans that have nothing more on their minds but elevating their craft and above all, not living stale.

Scheme: Lay the foundation for me. Fresh Daily is from?
Fresh Daily: Fresh Daily is from Brooklyn, NYC.

Scheme: How did you discover the music that propelled you to want to emcee? Brooklyn is home to a lot of deep, rich culture. What was your direct experience that influenced you to become an emcee?
Fresh Daily: I discovered hip-hop via rebelling against my moms. My moms is a strict Pentecostal woman.

Scheme: So was she heavy into the church. No hip-hop period? Were you kicked out [of the house] over your love of the music?
Fresh Daily: Nah, I wasn’t kicked out, but she couldn’t stop it from being played in cars, on the street. She couldn’t stop it from being played and taped on the radio while she was at work ya dig?

Scheme: Totally. I think kids all go through some sort of phase that forces them to rebel.
Fresh Daily: But the first cd I ever had that made me love hip-hop was… drum roll… Arrested Development.

Scheme: Say word. Back then, you couldn’t catch me supporting A.D. in public, but when I was in the room and it came on the radio or T.V., I was on my “Speech” jawn for sure. (laughs)
Fresh Daily: (laughs) Word. I mean it was clean to sneak under radar.

Scheme: Right, right. What did you take away from Arrested Development? Was it the energy and the simplicity of their music?
Fresh Daily: I took away the element of pro-blackness at some point during my coming of age; I got knowledge of self and became way more self-aware of myself as a Black man. I’m half Black, half Puerto Rican. I was raised by a Puerto Rican mom, so I got a definitive sense of self.

Scheme: You strike me as a very aware young brotha.
Fresh Daily: I try, man. I’m right on the border of a Kweli (Talib) and a Paul Mooney in terms of African awareness/consciousness and inner racism. (laughs)

Scheme: (laughs). I think in order to deal with issues like race and being a man of color in this society, you need to have a sense of humor, but not forget the strength that comes from your level of awareness.
Fresh Daily: I definitely identify with both Kweli and Mooney (who I love to watch!), but another thing I pulled from A.D is the fast fun beats, over 100-bpm-type shit.

Scheme: Right. They definitely pushed the sonic envelope so-to-speak. If there were 3 words that would describe you as an emcee, name them. Of course you know you can’t use “fresh”.
Fresh Daily: Three words that describe Fresh as an emcee? Dope, Fun, Wordplay. I had to choose carefully. This is going on the record. (laughs)

Scheme: What makes an emcee “dope” these days?
Fresh Daily: KRS-One said, “A dope emcee is a dope emcee.” I mean my definition of dope is really the whole package… Dope beats. Dope flows. Dope image. Dope swagger. This is NYC. There’s a rapper on every block, in every building, on every floor. Where does the distinction come in? It comes obviously with honing your craft. But even more so, building a brand and then branding your image, making the distinctive mark as a brand and not just an emcee.

Scheme: In terms of building brand identity, you do a great f’n job for an indie artist. I see you rockin’ the clothes. The Leroy Jenkins threads, the Live Mechanics etc.
Fresh Daily: All great dope emcees had distinct image and style; something signature that made them dope and memorable.

Scheme: Let’s switch gears for a second. Talk about your peers; the people that motivate. Fresh Daily as an artist. Who keeps you on your lyrical P’s and Q’s? Homeboy Sandman is probably my favorite indie rapper to listen to. He’s another unsigned NYC artist with no commercial catalogue. He’s on iTunes pretty heavy. His wordplay (I’m definitely a wordplay emcee more so than a punchline, metaphor emcee) is amazing. 8thW1 is another amazing emcee that is my peer. My boy Mickey Factz is killin’ sh*t right now.

Scheme: I saw Factz drop some gems out at YUME a couple weeks ago. That cat is on some other sh*t. He’s a great example of keeping his package consistent.
Fresh Daily: My boy P.Casso is a real innovative emcee/producer. I was supposed to be in that show [at the YUME loftique Brooklyn, NYC], but I was in the hospital.

Scheme: Can you talk about what happened?
Fresh Daily: We’ll get to that.

Scheme: That’s all I need to hear.
Fresh Daily: But back to the peers. 2 Hungry Bros, Naturel, Nola Darling… these are like the artists that are in my immediate circle that I really enjoy listening to.

Scheme: I can see how you stay sharp.
Fresh Daily: As far as signed artists with commercial catalogue, I’m diggin’ Black Milk, Elzhi, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Jay-Z, MF DOOM, [and] and Andre 3000.

Scheme: Is being independent as an artist where it’s at for you or do you aspire to get picked up by a major?
Fresh Daily: Well, I have no qualms about being on a major label, but I have a certain level of quality control I have to maintain. Like for real, I have no problem moving music product. Live shows we practically sell out, so being on an indie label might even be better for me. Even major emcees are doing projects on indies.

Scheme: Exactly. The marketplace has changed and artists seek more equity in the brands they build!
Fresh Daily: They know there’s a certain amount of freedom and more money on the return. They already have the buzz to sell. What do you need a major label for? To rape that ass? The job of A&R has been replaced by Myspace. The Internet in general.

Scheme: That’s funny you say that… A&R’s sit in the office and scour Myspace and wind up signing talent based on friend numbers and total plays! They’re losing the vision of what a “total package” is and the “live show” will let you know who’s ready to elevate their game. It keeps my niche real tight, I mean that can hurt me in the long run, but my fans are like, real hardcore.
Fresh Daily: I’m relatively happy with my status right now, I kinda feel I’m like an exclusive expensive clothing brand. Like you gotta be in the know to cop.

Scheme: It’s like a Tier zero dunk versus a Quickstrike…Only so many shops in the world have a Nike Tier zero account so you gotta hunt them down. Like you said, you have to know what’s good in order to be up on the freshest sh*t.
Fresh Daily: Right, right. The sneaker fiends will have the finer taste. I want those with the discerning taste to want in, but still make shit for the kids to bump.

Scheme: When I started to listen to [your] music that was available to me, it all made sense. The fact that you’re hyper-aware of how to market what you do and who you are speaks volumes to your attention to detail and that comes through in the wordplay/lyricism.
Fresh Daily: Word. Attention to detail makes for nice denim, no? (laughs)

Scheme: Word to the Leroy Jenkins logo on my left pant leg.
Fresh Daily: Mine too! I’m a big believer in fly, young black men taking back streetwear fashion. We are the influencers of all u see so its imperative for us to be the forerunners and designers of this shit… shouts to my dude Quan over at A.L.I.E.N, my dude Mil$ over at O.P.M, and my dude Ken at Five Finger Discounters. Attention to detail, originality, freshness makes for a great clothing line and is the motif for Fresh Daily music and for my collective A.O.K

Scheme: What are you working on now?
Fresh Daily: Two things. I got two things popping off post haste. The album is droppin’ in the fall. Fresh Daily is the Gorgeous Killa in Crimes of Passion. Kinda like a blaxploitation album.

Scheme: Now fam you gotta hip me to where you got the inspiration for the title!
Fresh Daily: I honestly got the title from a line in that song with Baby and the Clipse “What Happened To That Boy?” It was an inside joke between me and my boy J. I’d always have some new shit on and we both being big Clipse fans, he’d jokingly call me the Gorgeous Killa.

Scheme: So the album is a concept record that plays out like a blaxploitation film?
Fresh Daily: No. Just the title is a blaxploitation derivative. I leave the blaxploitation concepts to Camp Lo.

Scheme: So where is this album going to take Fresh Daily fans?
Fresh Daily: Well, that is the album I’ve been waiting to drop for a while since like ‘05. It’s a really heavy hip-hop album. Beats by DJ Spinna, Oh-No, Illmind, 2 Hungry Bros, Analogic, DJ Evil Dee and more.

Scheme: My ears are open already. So that’s the first project. What’s the second joint you want to drop?
Fresh Daily: Right now, I wanna drop this EP for the people that can’t wait ‘til fall. No samples. Spacey synths, hard drums, party fly sh*t. It’s called Tomorrow is Today.

Scheme: I’m looking to get a sample of that. Who’s on production?
Fresh Daily: Mostly new jacks and up-and-comers. Apple Juice Kid, The Milkman, Frequency (who’s done work for Snoop, Lil’ Kim, Cameron)
Fresh Daily: I don’t know u as “Bliz.” You know that right? I know you as Blair. Blair…with the Ernie fitted… I think Mel [of Villageslum.com] was like, “This is my cuz, man.”

Scheme: Exactly.
Fresh Daily: So when you were like “Bliz”. I’m like, “Huh?” I just figured out who I was talkin’ when you were mentioning LJ.

Scheme: What is your creative process like?
Fresh Daily: Now, I definitely prefer to write to the music and make full songs. I try to make memorable music that’s lyrical, but catchy still.

Scheme: That’s a lost art! Cats are shootin’ for that ringtone check these days. There is a fine line there. Mastery of that is crucial to keep your hardcore fans satisfied and still be able to attract heads as well.
Fresh Daily: My writing process is usually sparked by something visual or an experience.

Scheme: So you’re hobbling around the crib these days deep into the creative process of evolving the brand that is Fresh Daily.

Scheme: Why are you hobbling?
Fresh Daily: Well, on Feb. 7th I was in a pretty bad accident. I got struck down by an SUV. I was on a bike.

Scheme: Damn. I’m sorry, my dude. So the extent of your injuries are what exactly?
Fresh Daily: My leg is smashed up. The tibia and fibula are fractured and there wasn’t enough skin to cover the injury. So I have a metal rod from my knee to my ankle and a soliarus wrap muscle and skin graft to cover the bone. Part of my calf muscle (soliarus) was taken to cover the bone

Scheme: I peeped your new blog with the photos of your leg. That took me by surprise for real. How has the support from your fans been?
Fresh Daily: Yeeeah man, I’m kind of a private person when it comes to being “Mike.” Fresh Daily loves to be seen, so the invasion of privacy in the hospital was a bit much. The fans have been fantastic, yo. I must’ve gotten over a hundred get wells from people online and in person. Not to mention my friends and fellow emcees threw a benefit concert for me to help raise some dough while I was laid up.

Scheme: That’s dope. A fundraiser! A couple of bucks never hurts. How did it go?
Fresh Daily: Tanya Morgan performed, John Robinson (aka Lil Sci), Illmind, Naturel, 8thW1, P.Casso, Homeboy Sandman. We raised a nice bit of money for me. Helped a nigga pay some bills and it was love.

Scheme: Aight, aight! That helps ease the pain, relatively speaking. Has it [injury] spurred your creativity?
Fresh Daily: Oddly enough, it hasn’t made me more creative per se. It’s definitely made me hungrier to make up for lost time. I was in the hospital for a month and a week. You, real talk. That sh*t was hella painful. I refused any pain meds by the second week. If it don’t make me stronger, this whole experience was a waste

Scheme: How do u see life now?
Fresh Daily: I can take some pain now. So I’m goin’ in bars pickin’ fights and shit. Swingin’ crutches. Wild n*gga sh*t. (laughs)
Fresh Daily: I can’t front though. I’ma have the only super-gnarly, nasty scar, but my gorgeous face wasn’t touched. Hallelujah! So, it’s back to the grind. Just dropped a verse for 88-Keys mixtape.

Scheme: I rocks wit’ 88…
Fresh Daily: Not even 5 days home from the hospital, 88 hit me like, “Can you record?” He had hit me while I was in the hospital. I was kinda gassed, but he ain’t know about the accident. So I thought I missed the opportunity. I hit him like, “Yo, I’m out son!” He was like, “Well, I was supposed to have it done by Friday, but I got an extension ‘til Tuesday. Can you swing through? We’ll make something from scratch. Kanye is swinging through, so you might gotta chill on the couch for a bit and watch TV.” “Um, I’m not comfortable with that.” SIKE! Word, [I] had to make up for lost time. Mickey Factz and I had like this ill’ mini NYC tour on Feb. 14th, 21st, 23rd and 29th, but I had to take an L on that too. Five weeks, laid up.

Scheme: Dammit man. “The Fresh Factz Tour.”
Fresh Daily: Ha!

Scheme: What’s the 88-Keys project about?
Fresh Daily: He has this album called The Death of Adam where he’s got this character called Adam that basically represents all dudes and then he falls in love, gets played, gets burned, has a kid, and the chick eventually kills him. I mean those are real n*gga scenarios, individually. So this tale is told through instrumentals and a few songs w/ vocals.

Scheme: Now this is set to drop asap?
Fresh Daily: There’s more but I don’t wanna give it all away. So there’s “the Death of Adam” with Kanye, Bilal, Redman… mad dope heads on there. Thennnnn, there’s this mixtape that he’s got that’s like an Epilogue that comes before the story called “Adams Case Files” where all the songs are situational to shit Adam (i.e most n*ggas) can relate to dealing w/ women.
Fresh Daily: Obviously, 88-Keys has had some women issues. (laughs)

Scheme: Obviously.
Fresh Daily: We all have at one point or another …but Guilty Simpson is on that, Tanya Morgan, Grafth, Q-Tip, myself, Kid Cudi, etc.

Scheme: Aight! Tanya Morgan in the house.
Fresh Daily: Word. So that’s gonna be available dumb soon before The Death of Adam drops. Death of Adam… D.O.A. Dude is clever

Scheme: The vision is wicked.
Fresh Daily: And the beats are bonkers. My song is about a chick who’s coming over for a booty call and is drunk and… Well, you’ll hear it soon enough. This is a lot to whittle down, thankfully I’m a feature and not a side column. (laughs)

Scheme: Lmao. So did 88-Keys give you the concept or did u deliver some ideas based on the sonics he provided you?
Fresh Daily: Well, he set me up with the concept of “a chick who can’t ever come back to your crib.” Redman had already done a joint about getting burned and I’ve never been burned.

Scheme: I dig it. You got in where you fit in.
Fresh Daily: I’ve never had a chick be “fall down drunk” in my house either. I guess I’m pretty lucky in that aspect.

Scheme: Oh man. Be thankful. Nothing worse than a sloppy drunk chick…
Fresh Daily: Ha, I think you and I know a few personally.

Scheme: What’s worse is the next day she’s falling all over herself to apologize to you.
Fresh Daily: Yeeah. These drunk-n-hot girls… I just recorded a song called “Break a Leg” produced by Madlib’s brother, Oh-No.

Scheme: DOPE!
Fresh Daily: Stupid dope
Fresh Daily: I mean, shit is going aight man…I can’t really bitch and moan. I’m alive and kickin’. [I] just got a text from Black Milk last night too. [He’s] sending me the new batch.

Scheme: Is “Break A Leg” about the accident or is it a deep metaphor for something else?
Fresh Daily: “Break a leg” is what they say to u when you’re about to go and do ya thing.

Scheme: When you’re finna go kill your performance, they say, “break a leg.” I guess I took that sh*t a lil’ too literal. (laughs)
Fresh Daily: But for real (grumbles at this comparison), this is my “Through The Wire” type joint *rolls eyes at the Kanye comparisons*

Scheme: I was thinking that. I didn’t wanna take it there, but I feel you. So basically you have caught the ears of 88-Keys, Black Milk, Oh-No. I mean damn, son…
Fresh Daily: Let’s not forget the homie, Illmind.

Scheme: You are really aligning yourself up with some avant garde talents. Illmid! How could I miss that? Did you foresee [all of] this happening two years ago?
Fresh Daily: [Illmind’s] the first producer who was making big records with established artists that kinda was like, “Yo, you gets busy. Let’s work.”

Scheme: Respect.
Fresh Daily: That opened the door for a lot of other collaborations. It’s like a co-sign.

Scheme: That’s the shit I like about the indie movement. It’s less about politics and [more] about GENUINE mutual respect for one’s art.
Fresh Daily: I mean, yo, it’s like I said. I have a definitive vision for myself in terms of music and image and style and sound. This, that you see and hear is a careful cultivation of my ideas + ideals over the last five years really.

Scheme: That’s a package well prepared. Don’t come outta the kitchen with ya shit undercooked.
Fresh Daily: It’s so funny, because all of the things I was championing for back when are now open and accepted. Streetwear, skateboarding, nerdy sh*t, non-violent music, a retro attitude… to the point its so ingrained in our current pop culture that I dont even champion and rep half those maxims anymore.

Scheme: …and that’s what is special about those with a liberal mindset. It’s about not just being ahead of the curve. Like Will.I.Am said, it’s about “being the curve.”
Fresh Daily: In an ironic twist, the counter-culture has become hip and mainstream so its only right as someone who tends to swim upstream in terms of individuality that those not be what I’m about anymore even. To a certain degree, that’s me. Otherwise you can lay the mantle of poser on me right now. I won’t disown the things that I loved coming up and repped die hard like streetwear, sneakers, non-violent rap, and a retro attitude, BUT I don’t necessarily use my music as a platform for things that I personally like….

Scheme: Right. That makes you a “human shameless plug” entity.
Fresh Daily: Perhaps “Fresh Daily” is the most befitting name I could’ve possibly chosen for myself in the sense that new things inspire me constantly and I rep THAT over what the mainstream is saying what’s “FRESH.”

Scheme: On that note, if the listeners can’t grasp that, then they are living quite stale.
Fresh Daily: Word up. Are the kids still saying that? “Word up.” Lol

Scheme: Yeah.
Fresh Daily: Shout out to my AOK fam, to everyone who visited me when the kid was down and stay tuned. If everybody is cool, then nobody is FRESH! Quote me on that.
Fresh Daily: Thanks.