Coming from Oxnard, CA, Pure Order is a hip-hop duo consisting of God’s Gift and Nemesis who create strikingly unique music and visuals. Blood Makes Noise recently interviewed Pure Order about their new “Sons of Belial” music video, which can be read below.
When and where did each of your musical journeys begin, and what made you want to pursue it professionally?
NEMESIS: Although I had stacks of rhymes in my school binder, I was so timid I was hesitant to do even an adlib on Gift’s project when he asked me to in late 2013. I took up recording music in 2014 featuring on God’s Gift’s project with DJ Shag called The Valkyrie. My first verse ever recorded is on “Lighthouse” by De Bergerac (God’s Gift & DJ Shag).
I got motivated by the thrill of pure expression, love of my hip hop culture, and the encouragement from God’s Gift. The first few to hear me rap professionally were impressed to my surprise, and that helped me lean into enough self-confidence to pursue the fun and love of hip hop art further.
GOD’S GIFT: Started rapping in the early 90s and began making songs in high school with my friends Kankick, Madlib and my cousin’s group Mystery’s Exstinction. Featured on the Loot Pack’s Soundpieces, Lost Tapes albums and Kankick’s From Artz Unknown album.
How did God’s Gift and Nemesis meet to join such a dynamic hip-hop duo? What is the ultimate goal you share in every musical production Pure Order releases?
We met around 1997 when God’s Gift moved into the neighborhood of San Bernardino, CA that Nemesis lived and went to school in. We had similar positive values and mutual friends. Eventually we learned about each other’s love of writing poetry, lyrics and true hip hop. Once we shared our lyrical ideas with each other, creative sparks flew…
Our ultimate goal with every song is cultivating love for the true original purpose of hip hop which was to uplift and empower people with fun, innovative music, as well as lyrics presented with skill and full of meaning.
What ignited your creative sparks to create “Sons of Belial”? What is the message this song is looking to get across, and what is your personal perspective on what the song is addressing?
Saddened by the pain caused by guns in the hands of people who are public about their hate of others, we went to the thought of “time to expose them.” Without fomenting hate we wanted to lay the facts out about the root causes of hateful violence worldwide and combat that hate with truth, and victims’ fear with empowerment. We had just received a batch of beats from our producer Oh No the Disrupt that were some of the most creative and inspiring we have heard so the scene was thus set to use the eerie notes to shock people awake.
The message is: put down physical weapons and use the power of your mind to think for yourself and make choices congruent to universal truths, such as the necessity of peace and love in order for all humans to live happily.
“Sons of Belial” are sons of mindless hatred. They are mental, spiritual zombies bent on destruction without valid basis. Our personal perspective is that the bravery it takes to call out those who pretend to be powerful will embolden the people who are equally as fed up to, instead of follow them, think for themselves and choose peace for themselves, taking a stand that will inevitably save countless lives as it spreads throughout our global community.
How does “Sons of Belial” differ from listeners’ usual hip-hop track? In what ways does the single push the envelope while still remaining neutral in the musically-induced discussion for anyone who finds it?
Our aim for “Sons” is an unapologetic, fun, creative, danceable song about something of social importance. That alone causes it to differ from about 90% of popular hip hop music. But then adding what we hope is poignant hook singing and a dynamic arrangement distinguishes the song as art, as opposed to being another rap song trying to fit in with many that sound similar in the genre of rap today.
What is going on in the music video for “Sons of Belial”? What was it like working with the video director, and what do the clips effectively show and represent?
The music video treatment was set after collaborative ideas were gathered from Nemesis, God’s Gift, and director Jayson Vaughn of JVM Films. Jayson was a pleasure to work with especially because of his creative clear vision, positivity, and ability to execute quickly. The video features scenes of being hypnotized into a zombie-like state by the television. The TV shows images of the corruption and petty greed that leads to violent behavior. God’s Gift holds up a skull while he pleads with us to not end up like the victim in his possession. Nemesis analyzes truth like a mad scientist in a lab coat and boldly reveals her findings. The words Truth and Choice are spray-painted in neon, glowing under black light to highlight the call to action that will free the masses from this zombie invasion: We must use our endowment of choices in accord with known truths in order to be an original person who thinks for herself which can save many lives.
What comes next in the Pure Order sphere? Are there any other projects you want your fans to lookout for in the near or distant future?
Nemesis has just released vinyl for her first two singles “Nefertiti the First” and “Tigress” available at https://pureorder.bandcamp.com/merch. She is also working on a mixed tape style 10-song LP, a 10-song album produced by Oh No the Disrupt, and another 10-song album produced by the legendary DJ Evil Dee of the Beatminers & Black Moon, simultaneously! God’s Gift is currently working on a 7-song solo album as well. Pure Order will be releasing new videos from our Sword of Elan Vital EP as well as release a 10-song album called Desert Sands, both projects produced by Oh No the Disrupt.
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