The Looptroop Rockers started a hip hop movement in Sweden that dates all the way back to the early 90’s. They have progressed to European sensation status. Their powerful music has been compared to the likes of Public Enemy and Rage Against the Machine.

The Looptroop gang has come off a few year hiatus to release its most progressive album yet called Good Things. The album is 13 tracks of grit, power, hilarity, and an all out party. Tracks like The Building, the initial single from Good Things, breathe like an old school Outkast joint. The group touches on the political issues in powerful tracks like Rome and Blood and Urine.

Looptroop’s own Supreme took the time off the group’s current tour of Europe to answer a few questions for Above the Fold:

 

ABOVE THE FOLD: The new album is dope…how would you describe it as a whole?
SUPREME: Thanks! We’re really happy with the album and I think it sounds a little different from
our earlier stuff. I think people who have heard us before will recognize the
“LTR”-sound, but I think we make progress with every album. This one is a little more
up-tempo and I feel like we got some really hard tracks on there, like Rome, Blood &
Urine and Trance Fat with Rakaa from Dilated. But we captured more of what we
usually do live, with the Bon Jovi cover and more humor. It’s always hard to describe a
whole album.. I just feel like it’s the best thing we’ve put out so far!

ATF: Describe what the release of this album means for Looptroop.
S: It means touring! Haha.. Back on the road. It also means that we are back together
after doing some other stuff over the last years, like solo albums and so on.

ATF: Describe the feeling you get when you are happy with a new song.
S: Well, I think we all get that feeling sometimes. When you’re really happy with whatever
you’re doing. It’s like a natural high I guess, and it great to share a passion for music
with your friends. I get the same feeling on stage after a really good set. That’s stuff
to live for!

ATF: You guys pretty much made hip hop what it is today in Sweden. What do you think of the
music coming out that scene now?
S: It’s nice to see the young cats really hustlin with their music, and not taking no for
an answer. That inspires me the most, to see people who we hopefully inspired in a good
way, just go for it. Starting up their own labels, doing their own protion and stuff like
that. And I like the “new” sound of Sweden, with a lot of electro influence and positive
attitude.

ATF: Who do you think has the best scene right now on a world-wide scale?
S: Well, I don’t feel like I’m the one to judge that. Haha. There’s so much stuff going
on and I’ve just seen bits and pieces. I like the way Hip Hop is blowing up in Eastern europe. Hiphop Kemp is a nice festival out there.. I’d love to go to Brazil and see the scene over there. My friends
tell me it’s super dope! With the internet music travels so fast. People in Germany do Baltimore-inspired stuff, kids in Japan do dance hall.

ATF: You recorded video blogs to explain every track on the new album…how important is it
for people to understand where an artist is coming from when listening to their music?
S: Not at all really.. If some people listen just cause they like the melodies or the beat,
that’s cool too. But if people want to listen a little closer, I’m happy to talk to them
via our guestbook or at the shows. We also put some stories about every song in the
booklets.

ATF: In one of those videos you said good and bad feelings marinate inside of you and come
out as a tasty dish…if all the good feelings inside of you came out right now…what dish
would it make?
S: Well, yesterday it came out as a big BBQ! We had a day off in Switzerland so we invited
the locals for a BBQ party.. Vegan food, vegetarian food, all kinds of german sausages
and local beer!

ATF: You are clearly down with graffiti artists. What intrigues you most about the connection
between visual art and music?
S: I do all the cover art with my man DJ Dainja from Inkgraphix, so for me it’s very
important of course. As a kid, I think I fell in love with Hip Hop, the whole vibe to
it. The attitude, both in the graf-letters and the way it sounded. To me it goes
hand-in-hand. I will always be inspired by graf – both the visual style and the DIY
attitude.

ATF: Looptroop has been known for their political voice. Being from Scandinavia…what issues
do you see in America that are most odd/ridiculous/intriguing to you?
S: First of all the war. And right now I just hope that Obama will win the election. That’s
my personal opinion, but I think we will all be happy to see Bush step down. To me it
just seems like Obama is a breath of fresh air. He has family all over the world, and he
knows what it’s like to be an outsider.

ATF: In the track /Rome/, you talk about empires crumbling…do you think the U.S. could be the next “empire” to fall?
S: Maybe. Or more the “Western” world you know? Not just the U.S. Things will always
change.

ATF: What has been the best thing to happen to you in the past month?

S: It’s kinda boring to say that putting out “Good Things” is the best thing! Put I’m
really happy with it and how people react to it! On a personal level I got to hang out
with my mom and my brother when we had the release-party in Västerås, that was cool. And
my dad came out to see me, stuff like that is what’s most important to me. We’re all
healthy. I had some days with my girl at home. My voice is good. The shows are really
good! The bus driver is cool. It’s sunny outside. I could go on forever..

ATF: If Looptroop could make one statement to the world…what would it be?
S: Take care of each other! Don’t be so quick to judge.

ATF: Anything else you want to talk about?
S: I’m sweaty, in a tourbus. Haha.

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The Looptroop Rockers new album Good Things is available for purchase on iTunes

Check out a few tracks from the group’s new album:

MP3: Looptroop Rockers – The Building

Looptroop Rockers – Livin’ on a Prayer (Bon Jovi cover)