First off, what's good?

Money Mike:
Basically, our album "The Rhyme Monopoly" is what's good. We're just trying to get that shit out there. Other than that, there really ain't nothin' sweet. It's too much bullshit on the radio and on TV for shit to be good with me right now as far as music goes.

Can you give everyone a brief 101 as to who Watch City is?

Money Mike:
Watch City consists of two MCs: Man O' War and Money Mike. Man O' War's my brother and we both love hip-hop and started fuckin' around writing lyrics one day and then BOOM! we got nice and made an album. We're from the "Watch City" aka Waltham, MA, which is right outside of Boston. Bottom line with us is that you won't get no fuckin' nursery rhymes in our lyrics on some old "My name is Money Mike and I like to fuck dikes" shit.

How would you describe your style?

Money Mike:
Straight Grade A steak packed with protein. No power bar shit with fake nutrition in it. Our music ain't for chicks eatin' salads, it's for fat fucks that can handle the whole cow. For real though, our style is intellectually rugged similar to the quality hip-hop of the mid 90's era. To be perfectly exact, we have lyrical cynicism overlaying theatrical orchestral production creating a unique sound contrary to the tedious, commercial formula of modern hip-hop (for all the grammatically correct mutha fuckas out there).

How do you think being brothers affects the group chemistry?

Money Mike:
I think it has a real positive effect on our chemistry because of the fact that we're so close and so similar, especially in our tastes of hip-hop. It's like if Man O' War thinks a verse of mine is wack, he'll tell me straight up that the shit sucked and I'll fix it. (Not that I'm writing any bullshit, that was some strictly hypothetical shit right there.) It's good though because we're able to really build on concepts together and speak freely about everything. If we get in fights about shit, I'll knock him out and then we'll be cool the next day 'cause we're brothers.

What music did you grow up listening to?

Money Mike:
We've been listening to hip-hop since 4 and 7 years old. I'm the older brother so I got Man O' War listening at a really young age. As far as artists, we started off listening to a lot of Kool G Rap, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, Das EFX, and Run DMC. Then in the 90's we really got into a lot of Queens Bridge hip-hop like Nas, Cormega, Nature, and Mobb Deep. We listened to a lot of Big Pun, Terror Squad and AZ too. Our biggest influence by far though was the Wu-Tang Clan. When they came on the scene, hip-hop changed for us as listeners. They raised the bar with production and lyrics. They actually talked about shit worth listening to. A lot of our inspiration came from their albums throughout the 90's.

What projects have you put out on your own?

Man O' War:
We've put out our debut album "The Rhyme Monopoly" and a DVD "Watch City - The Music Videos Vol. 1" this year. We're also featured on Clear Vision Entertainment's "Industry Heat Vol. 2" mixtape, which was just released on April 29. You can peep it at www.clearvision-ent.com/mixtape/music_vol2_listen.htm.

Can you talk about the "The Rhyme Monopoly?"

Man O' War:
The Rhyme Monopoly boasts 20 tracks with a total of 74 minutes worth of quality hip-hop. We got production from Matteo Getz (CEO of Get A Life Ent.), Golden Child, Young Prophet, and the Jerm aka Ronnie Rey-Gun from Anger Bangers (who produces for Thirstin Howl III). It ain't one of those underground albums with wannabe commercial club songs on it. It's strictly rugged and we push the envelope of social and religious norms by constantly questioning societal standards. The Rhyme Monopoly showcases a variety of rhyming talents, from battle rap to story telling or social commentary to humor. We got a variety of topics on there with the highest quality of sound. Ronnie Rey-Gun is a genius behind the boards and Cyber Sound Studios in Boston is top notch. If anybody wants to listen to the album check www.watchcityhiphop.com to stream some tracks and if you like it, hit our store to make a perfectly legal purchase.

What was your recording process like for that?

Money Mike:
Man O' War and I started writing mad lyrics in our notebooks just on some battling shit. We kinda competed with each other every day to see who had the illest verses. Next thing you know we had enough verses for a fuckin' Watch City anthology. That's when we decided to get serious and mold these verses into fluid songs and then into a thorough album. Most of the shit we had got cut when we really started molding the album into form 'cause we were really shooting for a solid album, not just freestyle verses like most other shit. We ended up linking with Matteo Getz from Get A Life Ent. 'cause he had the most blazing production we heard in all of Boston. We'd be in the studio every day snatchin' new beats and just writing rhymes to them. What we came up with was The Rhyme Monopoly 'cause we feel that there ain't too many cats that have lyrical flow anymore. It's like we got a fuckin' monopoly on quality lyrics in the market with embedded double rhyming in every line.

What's your favorite track off that album?

Money Mike:
My favorite track off the album is "Where's Your Mind At" cause the beat is sick and lyrically we really let heads know where the fuck we're coming from. It's a good track for the listener to know what type of shit we're on.

Man O' War:
Yeah, I like that track too, but I also think Closer To God, Watch City by the Sea, and Tears into Rhymes are right up there with that shit. Our solo songs, Point of View and World in a Track, are also some crazy tracks that have to be heard.

What's the biggest obstacles you've faced being independent?

Money Mike:
Definitely marketing our music and being able to reach mad people is difficult. Without a major marketing budget, it's tough to get our name out there. We really appreciate an opportunity like the one you're giving us now for more heads to become aware of the fact that there's a Watch City on their navigation systems.

What labels would you consider signing with?

Money Mike:
That's a tough question right there 'cause we're always hearing traumatic stories from the industry. I'd really have to be presented with a contract first to know what it is I'm looking for or not looking for. Right now all I know about these labels is the bullshit that the media prints about them. I tell you right now I wouldn't fuck with no Bad Boy or G-Unit shit the way they've been exploiting artists and making bands and shit. I mean, ain't a band gotta have a fuckin' guitar player and drummer that's fuckin' a porno star?

What would a perfect label have to have for you?

Money Mike:
A perfect label would have to be one that was owned by me. Other wise, no matter what way you look at it, the label would be out for themselves and their bottom line. Honestly, they'd have to be able to offer me a steady form of payment and most importantly some health benefits. Shit is real out there. I don't want to get an ill advance and then get hit by a car or shot the fuck up like all these other "artists" nowadays and have to spend every last dime I have on hospital bills. Maybe not shot up, it seems like these "artists" are just drawing their guns in their album cover artwork.

Man O' War:
To me, the perfect label would let us have control over the songs that make it on the album. I would need to have creative control over a large part of the album without the label telling me that I need a Neptunes or Scott Storch beat.

What DJ's have supported you so far?

Money Mike:
DJ Golden Child and DJ Matteo Getz of Get A Life Entertainment and DJ 1-N-Only of Clear Vision Entertainment.

What producers have you worked with so far?

Man O' War:
We've worked with Matteo Getz, Golden Child, Young Prophet, and the Jerm from Anger Bangers.

What producers would you like to work with?

Money Mike:
Definitely the RZA. He's a genius on the boards. Also, Alchemist, DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, Tru Master, 4th Desciple, Stoupe, Kanye West, and Just Blaze.

What do you look for in a beat?

Money Mike:
We're really into beats that use samples of classical music or soul music. I can't stand those 1985 Casio keyboard beats that got 2 kicks and 2 snares every bar with some bullshit organ melody that my grandmother could have made. I like my drums to be thickly laced and up-tempo with an ill vocal sample that's chopped and looped throughout the song. A good example of a drum line I like would be from the song "Mighty Healthy" off of Ghostface's Supreme Clientele album.

How do you know when you've made a good song?

Money Mike:
That's easy. The shit is hot when I would bump it in my own ride and not be embarrassed. The real litmus test is when all of my boys sweat the track and all the chicks I know hate it. That's when I know I made a quality track.

There's a lot of biting in Hip Hop, as a new artist, how do you make sure that you don't sound like anyone else?

Man O' War:
Right now, it's easy to not sound like anyone else that is out there. All you gotta do is get some good beats and write some good lyrics. Don't fuck around with some keyboard sounding shit and talk about clubs and bitches in every track. As for us, when I hear that our shit reminds someone of rap from the 90's, I take that as a compliment. If I hear that I sound like Eminem, just cause I'm white, or that I sound like some other asshole that is on the radio these days, then I'll get pissed.

What do you think is the best thing in Hip Hop today?

Money Mike:
That's tough 'cause there's a lot of terrible shit in hip-hop right now. I'd have to say J-Love mixtapes right now. Almost everything coming out commercially is wack and most of the mixtape DJs are pumping songs on the strength of an artists name or label or marketing campaign as opposed to the strength of a quality song. J-Love is the only mutha fucka out right now that actually screens the fuckin' songs and puts quality music out. I mean you don't see no fuckin J-Kwon on a J-Love mixtape. My deck is full of J-Love mixtapes right now and it's the only thing that keeps me inspired.

Man O' War:
Yeah, I listen to a lot of mixtapes too. This is where rappers can do the shit they actually want to do and not worry about a label. I've also been listening to a lot of the newcomers out there like Saigon, Stimuli and Cory Gunz.

What about the worst?

Money Mike:
The worst thing is that mutha fuckas can say "Big Mac" in a song and get paid for it. Heads get shot in a radio station and can sell millions 'cause they're fuckin' thugged out. DJs play the same fuckin' song all day. I was in New York in the beginning of March when the 50 and Game beef was at its peek. Hot 97 literally played 50 and Game songs all day every day the whole week I was there. Then he pushes over a mil the first week when the fuckin' radio plays his whole album for free every day. Who the fuck pays for free shit? Honestly, I can't even blame the labels or artists at this point. It's the fuckin' fans that create the demand for wack shit. There's kids out there that have never heard Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and think they know about hip-hop.

What's coming up for you?

Money Mike:
We were just selected to be featured on "Industry Heat Mixtape Vol. 2" hosted by Major League Hustlaz and mixed by DJ 1-N-Only from Clear Vision Entertainment. That shit is out right now. We're currently recording an exclusive Watch City Mixtape with all brand new songs from Watch City on industry beats. It's scheduled to be released this summer. We're also currently recording our sophomore album "The Last Rhyme Slingers" which will have all brand new original tracks from Watch City. This album will be out by the end of 2005 and will have production from Matteo Getz, Golden Child, and the Jerm. We're also gonna be performing in the summer, but check our web site for details www.watchcityhiphop.com. We're still grindin' and promoting our brand new album "The Rhyme Monopoly" and heads can check our site to listen to tracks and purchase the album.

Finally, when people hear Watch City, what do you want them to think?

Money Mike:
I want them to think of struggle 'cause it hasn't been this tough in years for quality music to get played to the masses. In the 90's mutha fuckas sold millions of records with no commercial airplay. Loud records was pumpin' groups like Mobb Deep, Big Pun, and Wu-Tang with no "hit singles" with singers on the hooks. I want people to associate us with hip-hop from the golden era of the mid 90's when hip-hop actually said something to its listeners. I want them to think of us as the needle in the haystack that's hard to find but once it's found the shit is definitely still on point.

Shout Outs:

Watch City:
First off, we'd like to especially thank 730 for giving us this ill opportunity for an interview 'cause we really appreciate it. Good looks. Big up to our whole production crew, Matteo Getz and Golden Child at Get A Life Ent. Big up to our engineer and producer the Jerm for Anger Bangers over at Cyber Sound Studio on Newbury Street in Boston (www.cybersoundmusic.com). Big up to Dirty Skillz and Jaxn from Havoc House for featuring on The Rhyme Monopoly. And of course we wanna holla at our man Ronzilla from The Boar's Head Mafia for keeping shit tighter than a fuckin' Chinese finger trap! Be sure to check our web site for all our frequently updated Watch City news and new material at www.watchcityhiphop.com and be sure to cop The Rhyme Monopoly at www.cdbaby.com/watchcity. Contact us at: watchcity@comcast.net.