Street: Why did you start rapping?
Afroman: I think I rap for the pissed off and frustrated, and my goal is to make them smile. I believe I'm giving them a tool to get through hard times, to get to the end in a good direction.
I go to restaurants a lot, and there's nothing I like more than a good waitress. So when I go to my show I'm trying to be a good waiter. I try to satisfy. But sometimes I'm like, "Man, get the fuck off of me." Time waits for no man. That's why I'm still in the work force. I'm working for drunks that need entertainment.
I got this song about Pennsylvania. It's like "Colt 45." Hopefully people find it funny. East Coast people are more smarter and historical. They have the historically rich part of America, and there's an arrogance that comes with it in certain people. I'm from the West Coast, and we had arrogance from the Lakers and Celtic games. But the whole East Coast mentality is all about superiority, so I was singing it from a West Coast point of view. People see me as some dude holding a beer, talking shit. But some dude that takes me real literal is gonna get offended. ["Pimpin' Pennsylvania"] is my favorite song off this album. I love the beat and the melody's tight. If they don't like it [in Philadelphia], I'm gonna never sing it again.
Street: Did you pick up drugs in the industry?
Afroman: I tried to figure out what kinda rapper I wanted to be, and I looked at Tupac and he was hangin' around more gangsters than rappers. And I didn't want to portray something I was not. So I tried to keep it real because I was just drinkin' beer and smoking weed, and I was like, "Hey, she won't let me fuck because I got high." And these cats like what I'm talking about.
Street: Do you think smoking interferes with your music or helps?
Afroman: I'd like to say interferes, but when I fuck up, the crowd gets hype. They're musical gladiator fans. The funny part is when I don't give a damn. And this is the attitude people need to have. So I would have to say the latter. I do better when I'm sober, I've realized. Some people have told me - and I've been doing tours drunk and messed up for years - but people say I have a good show and show me pictures I don't remember. I try to balance, so I don't do some Joplin or Hendrix shit.
Street: What's your favorite song that you've written?
Afroman: I love all my kids. I think I'm a master on each song. I'm like, "Oohhh, I was so great on that page." I love all my kids; forget me. I look at the money and use that to gauge. I love my songs and I'm rappin' for me, but I need to sell them. In that sense, my best song is "Crazy Rap (Colt 45)" because it surpassed "Because I Got High." ["Because I Got High"] was my Spice Girls hit. I went all over the world to Austria. Do you know where that is? I'm the only person; I didn't even know where that was. I know Australia. Hitler was from Austria - he wasn't even German.
Street: What inspired you to write a non-traditional Christmas album?
Afroman: I hate to admit it, but everyone's had a fucked up holiday. So I can cheer up the people at Denny's who have to work. And they're like "Deck My Balls." I'm trying to help out the people who are having a hard time laughing. I'm still in the work force right now. Our life is evaporating, so we need to be enjoying it. Happiness is a middle place. I remember some guy telling me a whole bunch of jokes in jail and that got me reading, working out - kept me motivated. I'll do anything for a laugh even if it pisses people off.
Street: You said you were going to be the best alcohol-drinking, marijuana-smoking, woman-chasing Christian there is.
Afroman: You like that? Tell the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Catch Afroman tonight at 10 p.m. at Solo Lounge (520 N. Delaware Ave.). $10 on the Walk, $12 at the door.
