The North Carolina by way of Queens, NY native Median who is also a part of the Justus League which has given hip hop the likes of Little Brother, Joe Scudda, 9th Wonder, Khyrsis, Legacy and the Away Team is about to release another dope artist into the hip hop arena. Finally dropping Median’s Relief on Halftooth Records, Median which in the mathematical sense represents the midpoint is basically what Median is bringing to this art form. Coming up in society where he has encountered people from all walks of life he has taken those experiences and produced an eclectic album that sheds light on those circumstances and instances.

Scheme: Where did the name Median come from?

Median: It’s a synonym for balance really between the streets and teaching I guess you can say. I consider myself educated at the same time I dabble a bit and hang out. I have connections with different types of people from different walks of life so Median seemed like a no-brainer from my perspective.

Scheme: How do you do to maintain that balance in your music and in your life?

Median: My experiences are a little different than most and they keep me balanced, it basically what I’m in to.

Scheme: I remember the first time I heard you, was when 9th Wonder produced that track Comfortable, but then there was a lapse because I was waiting for the album to drop and it never did. What was that process like getting the album finished?

Median: It’s crazy because making music and putting it out are two different things. I’ve never stopped making music, I don’t feel like I’ve taken a break or anything. The politics behind getting a project right especially when you’re dealing with a label situation and you’re trying to find the right dates and things like that, it’s kind of like a hurry up and wait type game. I’m happy where I’m at right now, the album is coming September 25th, so we have a date and everything looks good.

Scheme: How did you hook up with the Justus League?

Median: We all linked up in North Carolina and I met 9th Wonder first and we basically met through a mutual friend DJ MC who he took me to a dorm room where 9th was making beats with another cat from the league Urel. Basically he was telling me 9th was a dope producer and I was a dope emcee and we should hook up. We kept in touch and when Cesar Comanche hooked up with the Justus League they asked me if I was interested in being down and it’s pretty much history after that.

Median: Being part of the Justus League which was taken from the cartoon series what character would you be out of that group and why?

Median: Probably Superman (laughs) because of the range. I’m in the sky with it, I can go under wanted if I wanted to like Aquaman but I don’t know Superman does have that weakness issue and I can’t really think of what would put me there…

Scheme: Maybe the label situation?

Median: (laughs) Yeah maybe that’s my kryptonite.

Scheme: What was it like coming up for you in North Carolina, how did you meet hip hop?

Median: I was raised in North Carolina, I’ve been there since I was eight years old but I was born in Queens, New York so it’s always been a part of my life. The year I was born which was 1979 that was the year hip hop was technically credited with being born, so it’s like I came up in hip hop and that’s the voice of my generation.

Scheme: What was that transition like for you moving from Queens to North Carolina?

Median: They used to give it to me a lot and I had the accent real strong. I had a slick mouth so I used to get into squabbles a lot. However, I did fall into a group of cool people from my neighborhood and they were very nurturing.

Scheme: What can we expect for the album? What are you speaking about content wise?

Median: This album is really broad I touch on a lot of different issues. I do some story telling and I have a lot of feel good records and a lot of straight up spittin. As far as range you can hear everything from relationships to anything else. There’s 16 tracks so you will hear pretty much anything.

Scheme: Was most of the album produced by 9th? What kind of sounds were you going with?

Median: Out of all the producers on the album, he has the most tracks. Three from Khrysis and Nicolay and couple of other people as well, I was going for a real warm colorful album, it’s not real abrasive boom bap hip hop. It’s more of a laid back riding music type of vibe. I would describe it as you place it in as you make the road trip and you can just ride out to it.

Scheme: Would you say that because you’ve been in North Carolina or you think your sound would be different if you were still in New York?

Median: I think it would be the same due to the internet and everything else, regions aren’t as important anymore because everyone has exposure and I would say that based on what’s out there right now.

Scheme: I’m so much in the opinion that when people labeled this music hip hop it already boxed itself in and now people can define what is or isn’t hip hop. What is your opinion on this expression that they call hip hop?

Median: I have plenty of opinions on it but I guess it depends on whose defining it and where that comes from? Like if some people are talking about rap music they’ll just say hip hop and it’s all inclusive. Some people get real technical about it and when they say hip hop they’re talking about a specific type of rap music and they don’t consider certain parts of rap music hip hop. I’m fan of good music and most good music has a lot of multiple influences in it, so it may be in a certain genre but have other things in the actual product. On my album I have a friend of mine Mark Wells play some piano over a couple of tracks and I had another friend of mine Stan play the trumpet to add some horns to another track so that means I fuse Jazz to my music a little bit.

Scheme: What were you listening to growing up?

Median: I listened to everything from the Temptations, Marvin Gaye to Bob Marley and I love good music. My sister was listening to hip hop and listening to MC Lyte, Monie Love and Special Ed and she chose rappers that she thought were cute like Q-Tip and than I got into my own stuff as well.

Scheme: What is your favorite part about the music? Is it the production, the emceeing?

Median: I never really distinguished the production from the music. A lot of it had to do with the beat so a lot of artists didn’t catch my attention because of that. With me making music now I know that good production is very important. In my opinion you have to have an artist that shapes and molds that to make a marriage. At the end of the day I’m into great production as well as a great chemistry with the artists and when the two work out properly they’re really are no lines.

Scheme: What have you learned from being around the other artists in the Justus League?

Median: I’ve taken away a lot, whenever you’re in a crew like that hip hop is so competitive but when I came to the table I was always known as a dope lyricist. When I first started making songs which was around the time when I met up with these guys I didn’t really have song making as my number one priority, it was more about spitting a hot lyric. Phonte, what he brings to the table is he definitely has that producer type ear, he raps and he sings and he knows structures of songs, so does 9th Wonder. So from those two I definitely took song structure and song making ability and learned that process just by watching some of the things that they were coming up with.

Scheme: What is the ultimate scheme for you?

Median: Well as many people that are in to what I do, I would definitely want to reach them. As an indie artist I know some of my lanes are closed up right now, I probably won’t have a video on 106 & Park this time around (that’s a joke, laughs) I just want to continue to do what I love the way I like to do it and reach as many people as possible. I haven’t mapped out all the details to get there yet but I’m continuously on the grind to pursue that. Thus far it’s working out and more and more people are turned onto it daily and weekly.

Scheme: Would you change or do anything different about the process when you begin work on your next album?

Median: Next time around it’ll be a lot different because I’m already established on this label, this is the first project out of three that I’m going to release on this label and after three we’ll see what happens.