Clusterfunk Collective presents Take Five: Slangston Hughes [Interview]

For the second installment in our series of sit-downs, we speak with the Connoisseur of Fine Rhyme, Slangston Hughes, about his monthly showcase, which snoball flavors reign supreme and his plan for what's next.

"Take Five" to tap into the talent beyond the surface.

1.) You are a man of many monikers (Slangston Hughes and Pookie Malibu, to name two) - how did they come to be?

The monikers are just various pieces of my personality and are also reflective of my Wu-Tang influence. Similarly, much in the same vein GFK was Ghostface, Ghost, Tony Starks, Iron Man, etc. so am I Slangston Hughes, Pookey Malibu, Hip-Hop's Bob Breck, The Black Ari Gold, etc.

2.) Speak a little bit about Uniquity. Who would you like to see on the bill in the future?

Uniquity is a four plus year monthly event that I host and create from top to bottom. It provides a performance platform for Hip-Hop, Spoken Word and R&B artists (both within New Orleans and regional/national acts) to push their musicality further by playing with a four piece band, Fo On the Flo. I'd love to see Allie Baby, Joe Scudda, Kourtney Heart, Sunni Patterson in the near future. Those are a couple of my favorite artists right now that I think would excel with a band backing them.

3.) What do you perceive as the primary challenge(s) to artist growth in New Orleans today?

The main and most pertinent challenge to a New Orleans artist's growth is themselves. We ARE our biggest obstacles in my opinion. Our self doubt, egos, loose thumbs on social media networks, external influences - or lack thereof - among other pitfalls are the only things that can hold us back. As corny as it sounds, the confidence that you have not only for yourself but more importantly for your music has to flow from within and then outward to the listeners.

4.) Can we expect more from you and L'Daialogue? Have you considered producing a joint project with anyone else?

Definitely! L'Dai and I talk weekly and have been writing/recording for two new Dollar$ & Daialogue projects for the past several weeks now. Though we come from two different musical backgrounds, we obviously have a lot in common and that shows in our music. I've certainly considered it and have a couple of producers that I enjoy working with that I look forward to doing some collaborative projects with down the line. My recent release "Fall Back (Sundog Remix)" just might be an indication of some things at work in the near future: http://soundcloud.com/pookey-malibu/slangston-hughes-fall-back

5.) What are the top three sno-ball flavors that you would recommend to someone who has never had one?

My top three snoball flavors depend entirely upon the snoball stand or shop since I have specific flavors or flavor combos tied to those stands. Off the top of my head, I'd go with Pineapple and Ginger from Hansen's, Bananas Foster Cream with condensed milk from Plum Street Snoballs and Blueberry and Cake Batter Cream from Magazine Street Snoballs.