PM Dawn - Beyond the Struggle
PM Dawn - Beyond The Struggle
PM Dawn
Interviewed 29/03/2007
Written by Maxine Cohen
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"PM Dawn is an abbreviation of the idea that 'In the Darkest Hour Comes the Light', says Prince Be in explanation of their name. A name that may have seemed unconventional at the time but would indeed become synonymous with redefining and challenging of hip hops musical boundaries in years to come. After 17 years in the musical spotlight PM Dawn have still managed to obtain a humbleness and clarity that belies the turbulent ride these two cousins from New Jersey have had to face throughout their career. Price Be and Doc are no strangers to the pitfalls that the music industry lay out like bear traps, if you don't play the game, snap! Too many hits and misses for PM Dawn to not come out on top and wave the flag triumphantly for their mission -- to just make good music sans definition. At a time where definition for almost everything is paramount, the journey has been a bittersweet one for this pioneering duo, who are heading down under for the first time in their career. "I know ya'll have got a lot of Kangaroos down there", laughs Doc, when asked of PM Dawns Australian knowledge. "Oh and Wolf Creek, now that was a scary weird ass movie", adds Prince, "what is going on down there", they both chuckle. The comfort you feel in their conversation is almost immediate as they regale memories of the movie that made them look at Australia differently, however still eager to visit our land and perform a series of club shows in both Sydney and Melbourne. As Prince says, "We don't know what to expect from your crowds being this our first visit, but we do know that we will make our show an experience you never forget". Performing at the Basement on April 1st in an intimate showcase any die hard PM Dawn fan shouldn't miss, they set to engage the crowd in a collection of classic and new material, including global hit Set Adrift on Memory Bliss of You.
With the release of their new album PM Dawn Loves You through their record label, Karmis Music, the original plan was to go into early retirement, but the call of their fans and the need to make the music they love beckoned, heralding the new album and its title, says Prince, "We wanted to do something different for our fans as they have been there through it all. So we came up with an album that is half covers, which includes the Red Hot Chilli Peppers hit Under The Bridge, and the other half original tracks. It's worked our real well", he adds, chuckling.
Laughter is always present in a conversation between the pair as they reflect on all the controversy that has filtered their career from day dot. From backlash of the hip hop community accusing the duo of lacing their music with too much white pop culture, to being incorrectly reported by press for stating that PM Dawn are not even black, to the ongoing battle of defining a sound that simply cant be pigeonholed, PM Dawn have braved it all. Working with the likes of Elton John, George Michael and White Zombie, to the most confusing hip hop beef, still yet unresolved with legendary rapper KRS 1, PM Dawn scratch their heads questioning What The?.
"We still don't know how that beef started or even why it happened", says Doc. "All we knew was KRS-1 believed we said something about him and his music and all of a sudden it turns out into some verbal gangster war, but with no real substance you know. We never said anything negative about him and his music and before we know it we are part of something that just ran a course of no return"! So has there been a kiss and make up session? "Not really cause we have always been cool with KRS, but there is a weird vibe in the air no and we aren't sure what we need to be apologising for you know?" chuckles Prince. "We just need a group hug and to all sing Set Adrift, that ought a do it", laughs Doc.
There journey has been filtered with the good, bad and the downright nasty, when it came to critics and even fans of hip hop having there say on the how's and why's of PM Dawn existence. Resistance no doubt never broke the duo's spirit, but instead enforcing their message that they will make their music there way, no definition required, as Prince concludes, "We just got tired of fighting. We stopped listening to the drama going on about us and went on about making the music we knew people wanted to hear, regardless of race, colour, creed or genre. Music is music and we knew we had to break through the ebonic barrier that was hip hop at that time. We didn't ask to be accepted, we just asked to be heard!
PM Dawn will be playing in Melbourne at Playground Saturdays on March 31 and in Sydney at The Basement on April 1 . Don't miss it.
