The world wide web is larger than any city in the world. Given, it’s virtual reality but it’s easily navigated and at times questionable. I can go on and on about it but I won’t. Instead, surfing the internet everyone is constantly bombarded with flashes of light and code, sometimes it makes sense and at others, it doesn’t. But that’s when I usually make a discovery finding things I should already be familiar with. This time it’s Taiyamo Denku, a rapper, emcee, producer, lyricist: everything that encapsulates the thought and idea of what Hip-Hop is. The music he’s created has me disoriented with the catchy vibes embedded throughout. Like many others, he’s found the source code but is waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. I caught up with Denku and asked questions I so often find myself addressing others. This time around though, Taiyamo Denku is one of the Internet Secrets others need to know of.
Who are you really?
Like Really Really ….?? Or just Really?? Ha Ha, well I’m just a Person who Loves Hip-Hop and the Culture, who grew up in an urban area in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I started out Freestyling before I started writing … I’ve been rhyming for about 25 years now …. damn I just made myself feel old as fuck… I love boom bap beats and the Golden Era of Hip-Hop sound and I strive to keep it alive or start my own Golden Era of Hip-Hop with the music I create. Beyond that, some people know me as Jason Miller, others know me as Taiyamo Denku or just Denku for short.
What are your aspirations?
I just want to be able to make the music I want to make and if people love it, then much love to them. I’ve been given the titles: Collab King and Freestyle King, and I guess I will just continue on fulfilling those titles till I can’t do so anymore. I don’t do this for fame, however, it would be a blessing to be able to do what I love as a full-time gig. I’m not quite there yet.

 
Where do you currently live and how’s that affected your energy, creative output, etc.?
I’m currently and have always been a native to the Northside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I think being where I am from, I mean you always strive to get out of the urban hood you live in as overtime if kinda breaks down from being a “nice ” place to live. I can remember getting off tour recently and sitting in my studio ready to pen a new verse and randomly hearing “pop, pop, pop, pop ” I don’t duck, I don’t flinch or get scared I just think well that’s a few blocks away… Being a white emcee from a highly segregated city, where most people who know me or see me think I’m Latin is hard at time to break through to the crowds around here. Cause I talk street shit mixed with abstract lyricism and witty punchlines. If it is too street and I am in a predominately black crowd I hear the “what’s this cracker talking about” or they waiting for me to drop the “N” word so they can have an excuse to look at me sideways and stomp my ass after the set. I just talk about where I grew up, what I’ve seen, what I’ve been around and mix in creative lyrics and bars with punchlines. Little do they know I wasn’t raised to be anti anyone I love my city , I love where I grew up and I love my friends or all races and colors that I have met over the years and it hurts and saddens me to see they think some of them deal with and go through just because of how segregated our city can be, but being from Milwaukee has definitely molded me to be the hard lyric hip-hop artist I am today.
When did you first begin recording and playing live?
I think the first time I did a show was for the high school talent shows or history programs I was the kid that could rap so they always wanted me to do something so from 14-15 till now I been rocking stages , but in the last two years I am probably rocked over 150 shows combined by doing multiple tours and such. I think the first time I recorded something was on a dual cassette boombox, you know those ones that allowed you to record in the speakers….. what were those called again.??? I forget, but first professional studio I recorded in was probably 2000 with my group W.a.s.t.e.l.a.n.ds. a few years after that I had my own recording set up and home studio set up to where I started recording and teaching myself to mix and master myself.

 
Why isn’t anyone in the States more familiar with your music?
Man, you tell me ….. I push this music hard to people … Maybe its cause I don’t color my hair, have random face tattoos and mumble gibberish over some catchy bouncy trap beats. I’m still confused cause the people that really follow what me and the whole cyphaden movement do, tell me they love the music I do and that I put out , I’ve heard ” I’ve never had a wack song” to people saying ” You never have wack verses” to people giving me the ” Your a breath of fresh air in Hip hop ” and all those statements I am humbled to hear but it doesn’t generate more of a viral push of my music… so maybe you have some pointers…?? Hahahaha
You’ve worked with a lot of like-minded heads from Psycho Les, Block Mcloud to Conway? Real recognize real?
Yes, My dude Carnage the Executioner, the Hecatomb general, gave me the title “Collab King” and after hearing all the people I have been blessed to work with and hold my own on tracks with has made me believe that title is true. Especially coming from a Legendary artist like Carnage the Executioner.

 
How would you describe your sound and/or the genre it exists in/out of?
Well, I would say I have my own style and voice and delivery which makes me stand out distinctively from other artists. ‘Cause when I started out it was frowned upon if you didn’t have your own style. Nowadays it’s hard to even tell these rappers apart from one another. But growing up and listening to hip-hop during that golden era between 88-96 I’d say that definitely has a heavy influence in what I do and my sound as a whole and in general.
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram