10th Wonder: Cynicus

A native Lorain, Ohio rapper Cynicus talks with 216thetakeover, about the his recently released project, the 10th wonder mixtape. Hosted by Mick Boogie, with Cynicus rapping over 9th Wonder beats, this is Cynicus second release. Following his debut LP in 2005, Cynicus is looking to stray away from cappin’, and sticking to hip-hop. The words of Cynicus “Put it like this, ‘Shell Toe Adidas, Beat Street, and a Michael Jackson Jacket’, Straight Up!”

216thetakeover: So, explain the name Cynicus, give me some background on how you got it?

Cynicus: My High School English teacher called me Cynical one day. I was always the type to question authority, and ask her what, how, when, where, and most of time doubted her. I had a Mr. know it all attitude. So, I let it marinate in my head until I came up with Cynicus. Cause prior to that I was already rappin’ but had no name. I wasn’t the type to just throw a label on myself with out it having a meaning. Cynicus is the name but you can call me, Cynnie!!!

216thetakeover: How long have you been perusing a career in music?

Cynicus:: I been doing this music thing since 03′. That’s when I recorded my first track. Got a good reaction so I kept pursuing it.

216thetakeover: What led up to that first track?

Cynicus: This dude I grew up with was a DJ so he was already into music.  He knew I was always writing but, not recording. I was always writing flows but, not with the intentions of being a rapper or, trying to drop them on a track. So one day he just popped up with a Boss 4-Track recorder, and asked me to lay the verse down I was always spitting to a beat. We dropped it, and got good feedback. I haven’t look back since.

216thetakeover: So, have you released any projects before the Mick Boogie, 10th Wonder mixtape?

Cynicus: Yeah, I dropped my debut LP in 05′.  I called it Cyncere and you can google it, and it’ll pop up. That’s all original production, copyrighted, ascap registered and bar coded. So its an official product in the system. I got people still coming up to me till this day saying they love that album and they just heard it for their first time.

216thetakeover: Nice, I will need an autographed copy of that! How is that albums numbers doing?

Cynicus: Wow! lol. I’ll keep it real with you. Not too great. I gave out more than I sold. We just started our company at the time and busted that album out. So we didn’t have no marketing plan, and promotion was done only by me, and my business partner.  Our knowledge in the game was still infant.

216thetakeover: I admire the honesty! Everyone has to go through the learning process, as I am just starting to do. Can you compare the feed back from your first project, to your second?

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Cynicus: You are right and I agree, mistakes are a very good teacher.  The album reaction was good because of, how I packaged my product. From the cover, to the quality in productions with 16 good songs. Unlike what a lot artist are bringing to the table out here in Cleveland at that time. All Independent, and out of my pocket. Things like that takes a record label for some. But not Cynnie! Now on my mixtape the feedback is great. I’ve got over 1,000 downloads, and not including the 50+ blogs that it’s posted on, and still growing. I haven’t had a chance to press them up physically but when I do, that’s 10,000 off rip!

216thetakeover: Great, sounds like your reaching out to people. Elaborate on the experience with working with Mick Boogie?

Cynicus: First thing, with all the things he’s accomplished and is doing, him and Terry are very down to earth. Straight up! Shout outs to Mick and Terry! But. I remember Mick since my days passing out the Cyncere album. I told him I was coming, and I meant it. Working with Mick was great, I had to go to Anatomy’s to meet up with him, and Terry to talk about the project. Once I told him that it was me on all 9th Wonder beats, Mick loved it. That’s his lane so he was more than willing to push it. This tape is getting around cause his name is on it, and I’m loving it.

216thetakeover: Is 9th Wonder one of your musical influences?

Cynicus: Nah, I came across a bunch of his beats, and just started dropping to them. Don’t know what it was but, the outcome was great. Cause I made a product that was perfect to put Mick Boogie on. It just happened.

216thetakeover: That’s cool, so who can you credit for influencing you musically?

Cynicus: Wow. Where should I start? Let me summarize it like this. The 90’s era in Hip-Hop. Anything from 1993-to-2000. That was the last golden era in hip-hop. You know like Wu-Tang, Nas, B.I.G(r.i.p) Big Pun(r.i.p), the Death Row Era, Mobb Deep, Jay-Z, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Tupac(r.i.p), Cam’ron, Big L, and Capone-N-Noreaga. Man, let me stop cause I can keep going! lol! Quality music with lyrical skills. Not like this diluted bullshit now. Ha!!!

216thetakeover: Ha, I feel you. As my boy Jus Mic says, “we need balance”! On the serious side, what are you contributing to hip-hop, that the game needs today?

Cynicus: I’m bringing to the table a passion for this, love for the game, and real talent. Call me the knife that carves the fat off the bone when you’re preparing the meat. Cause there’s too much bullshit in the game that’s over saturated.

216thetakeover: Are your currently signed or Independent?

Cynicus: Unsigned, but you can also call me independent cause I’m the founder and owner of Funklah Entertainment, LLC. That’s a brand in its own right and that’s what I’m making it to be. I push everything under that.

216thetakeover: Explain to me what ‘Funklah Entertainment, LCC’ is?

Cynicus: Its an Entertainment and Production company. That’s the service we provide beside being a label. We throw shows, and have a professional studio where we do our productions at.

216thetakeover: So what’s next, do you have any goals planned to achieve in 2009?

Cynicus: Of course… To keep branding my name, and get it out as far as I can. I’m really trying to reach out over sea’s. Other than that I’m unloading a lot of mixtapes, yet to be released. I have, “Out On Bail” already done, and that is Hosted by Big Mike. I have an untitled mixtape already done also, and I’m already starting on “Out On Bail Pt. 2″. The “Out On Bail” series, is a trilogy. Not to mention “The 10th Wonder Pt. 2″, and “Out On Bail: The Prequel”. So I’m bringing them, consistency is the key.

216thetakeover: Any shout out’s you’d like to give before you go?

Cynicus: Shout outs to everybody and anybody down with the movement. Thanks for the support. And be on the look out for Out On Bail The Mixtape. There’s a lot more to come.                       -Cynnie!!!