THUGGIN' IT OUT IN THE LOWER WITH STEVE

Where were you born and raised?
Born to be wild and still raising hell
What are some of your favorite NYC haunts?
Dirtballer Studios in the Lower East Side and the members only club, Club Stevie Steve – give a call and we’ll throw you the key.

How was it growing up in NYC and how has it influenced your work?
The streets were wild then and I roamed them. I was able to meet a lot of different people thru doing my art. I got down with different graffiti writers and crews but never really did graf but for sure ran around with them being a derilict and filled pages of black books as they were passed around. I also got down with NYHC, the burners, rockers and metal heads of outer bouroughs and got to do flyers for shows and paint the backs of jean jackets for Black Sabbath fans in Forest Park. It influenced my artwork because I knew I always wanted to create artwork for people not just for the ruling class who can afford to buy a paintings to match their sofa.
How much has NY changed over the years?
Everything changes and I try to live in the present and the bright future and not a better past but if I was mayor it would have all be different.

How did the Red Hot Chili Peppers project?
I had been involved with a crew from new Zealand and one of the fellas from that crew had been the one of the main production guys for the chili peppers and when they said they wanted to do a projection screen – my man called me and we did the animated video for “Californication” - it was used for the the entire Californication tour and was shown on the MTV music awards at Radio City Music Hall. My animation partner at the time, and we’re planning some new joints together in 2008, Cory Shaw at buildestroy stayed up in shifts for 2 and half weeks straight and held it down. It won the Adobe After Effects Competition that year and was in the Adobe Sampler reel that was given with every Mac sold.
What are some other commercial projects that you have worked on?
Too many to list – got started doing porno cartoons in ‘89 and never looked back, created original art for magazines, the fashion industry, ad agencies, TV and Film, you put up the paper we’ll put it down on paper.
What spawned your Ghetto Disney animated tale "Three Thug Mice"?
Three Thug Mice all started with some animation experiments at the DTV lab in Times Square, which at the time was founded and operated by Myles Tanaka, who is now a professor at C.A.D.A, the Center for Advanced Digital Arts. One of the Three Thug Mice, Vic, the one in the wife beater, was originally named Lou Nutzo Ratzetti and his voice over was done by Vinnie Vella, who was in Casino by Martin Scorsasee and numerous other tv and film productions. It was an animated short where Lou Nutzo Ratzetti was chilling on his block with his buddy who was an ant named, Antiny, for those who know and were there, that’s the seed. You can check the OG original on my website www.smarcus.com
What prompted you to do the project independently?
It had to go that way
What are the pros ad cons of doing the project independently?
Independent marketing is difficult but the creative freedom is worth it
Who are some of the people that you have doing voiceovers for some of the
characters?
Kool G Rap – RA the Rugged Man – Min One – M1 of Dead Prez – John Joseph - Tek – Don Chezina – Rohan Marley – Ma Barker – DJ Absolut – Rephstar – Patty Dukes – Frame – Ghost Ris _ Ket – Kit 17 – Fuzz One – PJ Soles – James Duval – Pistol Pete K.A.R. - Ma Barker – Team Go – Tillamook Cheddar – Stak the Ripper – Ashley Blue – Spanky Hayes – Nipsey Hussle – Sam Sever – Ricky Powell and about more 30 or so more heads.

What about old NYC do you miss and what do you hope will never come back?
I miss Forty Duece and the subway tokens and I hope the former mayor, Rudy Guiliani never comes back.
How long have you been growing your locks?
Since the 80’s. . .
Where do you go for a mental retreat?
I have 30 acres off the grid in the mountains, no cell service, no road, no electricity, no running water, my favorite undisclosed location
What does your in house workout regiment consist of?
Thanks to 2 friends of mine, John Joseph and Scott Nelson who have helped awaken me to the power of exercise and health. I’ve been a healthy eater and haven’t consumed alcohol for years but my work out was slack. They both gave me a few basic things to do which I have quietly tried to adhere to. I basically hit the pull up bar which is in the kitchen and I don’t walk thru it with out hitting it. I run up and down my 5 story walk up 10 times and then hit the floor to do some push ups and a humble amount of crunches. This summer I’m adding running thru the mountain trails.
If you weren't living in NY state where would be your next residents?
Mexico
Name three songs that are in constant rotation on your playlist for the past
year?
Presently “Revolution” by Bloodclot – “Lessons of my Life” by Peter Tosh - “Everybody knows this is Nowhere” by Neil Young - “Mark of the Beast” By Peter Tosh and the Wailers “Life’s too Short” by Too $hort
What are in your pockets right now?
I’m Pleading the 5th.

What would be the very first thing that you would do if you won the lottery?
Give it to my folks and support rebel causes
Who do you admire the most and why?
Muhammad Ali because he not only was the greatest at what he did and was a master of his art form but also was a voice for social justice and was a celebrity that used his celebrity staus to be a champion of the people and promote a more compassionate world
Name three people that you would like to meet, dead of alive?
Karl Marx – David Henry Thoreau – John Luddite
What super villain would you be?
Destroy all super villains

How long have you been shooting bows and arrows and what is your preference in
bows?
I’ve been into archery since I was 13 but got back into it about 8 years ago – It’s a meditative activity, check “zen and the art of archery” but also has possesses the warrior spirit in man. This season hoping to master the recurve bow that I acquired this year, can’t wait til I can split the arrow in the bull’s eye on horseback.
What was the most life altering book that you have read?
I love to read so couldn’t just give one but here’s a list out the frontal lobe in a stream of conscious, “Native New Yorkers The legacy of the Algonquin People of New York” by E Pritchard, “Tibetan Buddhist Medicine and Psychiatry” by T Clifford, “Spiritual Materialism”, “Fields Factories and Workshops” & The “Quest for Bread” by P Kropotkin, “Brave New World” by A Huxley, “Malcom X Speaks”, “Shelter”, The I- Ching, The Quran, The Torah, The New Testament, Anarchist Portraits, Edward Abbey’s work, the naked Soul of Iceberg Slim. . . . . . . . .

Drop a jewel with the people about doing an independent project?
Believe in yourself
tell a friend to tell a friend so we can BUILD!!!

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