The “Intelligent, Elegant, Elephant” is what Inland Empire (I.E.) emcee Noa James is known as.  As one of the six members from the Black Cloud Music family, James sat down to talk to Rawe.  He elaborated on his ever growing role in the underground hip hop game, breaks down his “Intelligent, Elegant, Elephant” alias, and his love for East Coast music.

Keturah: You recently shot a video for “Disrespectful”, how did that go?

Noa James: Wonderful. It was a great video, and I got to direct the video too. I got a lot of love from the people in the city.  It looked like an Onyx video.  People were crowd surfing. It was a real good shoot.  It was my first video I put together. Usually I just put a couple of the homies in my videos, but this time people came out from the city and supported me.  People played characters, it was a good time.

Keturah: That was funny…love Onyx and that “Shiftee” video was crazy.

Noa James: I am all about that grimey movement. M.O.P., Sean Price, Boot Camp Clik, I was born in Queens, NY, so definitely.

Keturah: We heard a rumor that you were the king of hip hop as far as the I.E. is concerned?

Noa James: Definitely not a King, as Kings get assassinated . The homie, El Prez says his number one rule is,  “to stay humble”.  Naw, I’m good, I’m gonna be humble. People make moves and I’m not about self. I’m about everyone making it. I try to make it work with Curtis King, Black Cloud. We all are collective. We are just one big scene.

Keturah:  Some of your musical influences are Rakim, Nas, Big Pun, B.B. King, Maxwell and Jill Scott just to name a few.  Would you agree that these musical influences and artists have shaped your musical taste as far as your writing and delivery?

Noa James: Yes, Corinne Bailey Rae, Sade.  My grandpa introduced me to Blues and Jazz and Rakim made me want to speak out about my religion in my music. My heart is music.

Keturah: Speaking of Artist, who are you feeling right now?

Noa James: Nas and Damion Marley, Absol, Stevie Crooks. A lot of people from the city. A lot of locals. I listen to, Strong Arm Steady, Jake One, Freeway, Ramon Jones in the I.E., El Prez’s ‘Animal Style’. I listen to a lot of camps, Top Dog, Absol, Hawdwerk’s ‘Off the Clock’.  Music is very dope now. I love it.

Keturah:  I agree.  Definitely feelin’ that Jake One and Freeway, ‘White Van Music’. So, Give me your top 5 emcees of all time!

Noa James:  Top 5: Rakim, Dirty Bird, Nas, Beanie Sigel, and Big Pun.

Keturah: We have heard that you label yourself as the “Intelligent, Elegant, Elephant”.  Please elaborate.

Noa James: I’m very intelligent, beyond smart, I am technical. I analyze everything. I play chess a lot.  That’s the intelligent part. Elegance. I can be soft at times. I have a girlfriend, so that’s where the loving and gentleness come from. Then I go to the physical part.  The Elephant.  I move a lot for my size.  My stage presence.  I can move real smooth. I take pride being a big dude. I’m not going to go under 350 pounds. As an Elephant, they are the most dangerous by killing 3500 people a year. Elephants are dominant and my whole rap thing is dominant. I use that to my advantage and get my point across. That’s the whole intelligent…elegant…elephant.

Keturah: We haven’t heard too many emcee’s out in the I.E., as this definitely sets you apart from a lot of West Coast emcee’s.  Are you trying to make I.E. a movement like LA’s movement?

Noa James: We try to make I.E. a movement.  It’s the 909 and 626 movement. Hawdwerk and Jansport J…trying to make the I.E. a movement too.  We want to become a player in this game.  The homie El Prez said, “Just do You” and I enjoy it. We have dope emcee’s in the I.E. and some emcees don’t like represent.  Audio Push is from I.E., New Boyz are from I.E..  A lot of people get signed and then they don’t represent.  With me doing the Common Ground, we have a scene and there is easy access to clubs where we can make it a movement.  I want the I.E. to be a traveling stop when people come to vacation in California.

Keturah: Tell us more about your recent released “Beautiful Darkness”. How did the concept arise?

Noa James: First it was going to be a mixtape, then I decided to do it as an album.  It was going to be called ‘The Hockey Mask Haitian’, but then the earthquake happened, so I couldn’t do that. I didn’t want to do anything negative and I was loving life at the time.  There was a lot of darkness too. Having diabetes and my grandma being sick, but it was beautiful living life.  I wanted my music to be beautiful and dark at the same time.  It was the first time having two love songs on the album as well.  I am not a club type person, but I had to have something for the radio. The whole project is really me.  I have a song called, “Beautiful Darkness”  which is the title track and I am talking to the devil.  Then I have a song called “Blissful”, where I talk about loving life. It’s a balance.

Keturah:  Most Definitely.  You do a lot of performances in LA and the I.E.. As you know, the Bay also has a big movement with underground hip hop, any possibilities to tour in the bay?

Noa James: Oh yeah…we have been trying to do stuff in the bay. San Diego, the border, El Centro, Portland and Washington.  I would love to do a show in the Bay.  I am trying to get more shows in Orange County, CA too.  I want to get more in the scene.  I definitely want to go to the bay.  I am down!

Keturah: What’s next for Mr. James?  What projects are you working on?

Noa James: I am trying to do a Common Ground Tour.  Los Angeles,  Orange County, Fresno, San Diego.  I am trying to do that.  Next project, ‘Hockey Mask Haitian’  maybe dropping around Halloween. People that love underground hip hop, will love it.  Also, get some more tattoos and lose some weight.

Keturah: Dope! Any last thoughts.

Noa James: I.E. all day!