"I think it is up to the artists to really bring it [Hip-Hop] back. I mean, we need to bring concepts back because most artists don't talk about nothing anymore."

Since his introduction to the world in 2001 on D12's single Purple Pills, Detroit rapper Bizarre has always been known in Hip-Hop just as that… a Bizarre individual. His hilarious, psychotic punchlines fit the personality of the sound of D12 with Eminem, Kon Artis, Kuniva, Swift, and Proof. In 2006, D12 lost its heart and soul when group member Proof was tragically killed. Em checked into a rehab center and their label put a hold on their next album until Em released another solo album.

Bizarre speaks with Yo! Raps on the status of D12 and the late Proof, his new solo album Friday At St. Andrews Hall, misconceptions about his city Detroit, and the state of Hip-Hop in general.

Your new album is titled Friday At St. Andrew's Hall. Why did you pick that title and what’s the background about it?

Basically it was where we used to be at every Friday night coming up. St. Andrews is a historical place in Detroit where we would get it down at, and get it cracking at.  Everybody would be there and that was the spot to be. It was where all the rappers went. On Fridays you might come in and walk right into a rap cypher, it might be four or five cyphers going on, it would be break dancing contests going on… I mean, it was just a whole other world from the outside of Detroit and the day to day things we would have to deal with growing up in the city. It really acted as a breath of fresh air.

When I heard your new single Believer, it blew me away because it was so different from the Bizarre we've come to know. It seemed to be a very serious song and I found myself waiting for that silly punchline but it never came. It was a serious tone and pretty good overall but how do you think fans will react to a more mature and serious sound coming from you?

I don't know man, it's definitely something they may have to get used to but that's what music is all about, delivering different styles and different moods and I'm not gonna be put into just one category and that's why I switched it up. Plus, we been through a lot of tragedy in our group and a lot of different shit been happening to us especially the last couple of years so it really ain't nothing to be laughing about, and it's more serious issues needing to be addressed that is going on in our city period.

Speaking of Detroit, there are a lot of misconceptions about Detroit, Michigan. I mean, some people think that it is just the big murder capital and bunch of crazy people running around shooting and robbing each other. In your opinion, what do you feel is by far the biggest misconception about Detroit?

Probably that all we do is kill and murder but it's really not like that. It's a cool city but you gotta be very conscious and be aware a little more than maybe the average city [laughs].

Jumping back to your new album, will there be any special guest appearances on the album?

I got King Gordy, he's all over the album. Most of the producers I got are from Detroit and a lot of them are not heard of and I wanna give them the opportunity to shine because they from the D and where else would they get the opportunity to work with a major artist and I kinda feel like it's my job to bring work to the city and make sure these young producers get heard. You know, they get a joint on my album then they might do a joint on Rick Ross’ album or a T.I. album and then there they go… there goes their careers so that's what we all about.

Detroit has always been sort of overlooked when it came to talent in Hip-Hop from other major cities. We all know about Eminem, J. Dilla, and Royce Da 5'9'' but recently it has been a new crop of talent making noise in Detroit. Artists like Big Sean, Black Milk, Danny Brown, and ILL Uno to name a few, have been creating a major buzz through the underground level of Hip-Hop up to the major levels of the industry. How do you feel about the Hip-Hop scene in Detroit today?

It's growing… the movement is growing man. I'm just proud being one of the elders of it and being one of the cats that's been around for a minute. They doing what they supposed to be doing man, paying homage and when we were coming up we had to pay homage to Detroit most wanted such as K-Nice, Jakk Frost and all them cats we grew up listening to them. So as long as you are adding to the movement and not taking anything away from it then it's all good man.

Also speaking on that, how do you feel about the overall state of Hip-Hop? I feel that one of the biggest problems in Hip-Hop today is the lack of balance in the industry. When you turn on the radio, it is really only one type of sound being showcased when back in the 90's it was a healthy balance of music on the radio, rather it was gangsta, conscious or party music, you could always listen to the radio and discover something new. What is your opinion on the current state of Hip-Hop music?

I think it is up to the artists to really bring it back. I mean, we need to bring concepts back because most artists don't talk about nothing anymore. They talk about the same shit and I know we can use our brains can work more than just talking about jewelry and bling and how much money you got. So that's where I think it's getting redundant at… let's take it back to the Run DMC or Biz Markie days or even Fresh Prince, even he was rapping about summertimes [laughs].

I wanna ask you about D12; now the last album released was D12 World, which dropped in 2004. It has been over a six year absence of a D12 album since then. I know you guys have had a lot of issues come up since then but what is the current status of D12? Will there ever be another album released in the future?

Actually, we are currently on tour right now and we grinding man, we are trying to put it together. You know with Proof, this would be the second group member we done lost so you know that's a lot and you usually don't hear about groups that lost two members to  two tragic and violent deaths so we just trying to get back on our grizzly and get back out here on the road. We been in Canada for the last three weeks and we will be back home in a minute. Kuniva got a mixtape out and doing crazy right now, I got my album, Friday At St. Andrews Hall dropping on May 18. Then soon as we get back off tour we are back in the studio to try to finish up the new D12 album.

I found out that you are a tweeter! Everybody that is important has a Twitter account nowadays. How has Twitter and the whole social networking universe helped you with music far as promotion and word of mouth?

Oh yeah man, it's a good thing for people to politic and talk. I put out my joint Rap's Finest featuring Royce Da 5'9'' and Redman on WorldStarHipHop and I got like 1.5 million views in the first day so somebody's listening [laughs].

What is your name on Twitter?

It’s @bizarresworld.

Well, thanks for taking time out to sit down with Yo! Raps. I appreciate it a lot. Good luck with the album and best wishes while you are out on tour. Any shout outs you got in closing?

Shout out to everybody in Detroit who helped with the album and if you can come down to St. Andrews Hall and no complaints on how much it cost because I made sure the show was free! It's on me this time and I don't care where you stay, Detroit, Chicago, Ohio wherever. Bring ya ass out May 18!

- By Eric Merriweather