The video for "Suburb Thuggin" is hilarious. Who directed it? Did you have any say in the video concept?
Cufi: We received a lot of treatments for the video, and didn't like any of them, so we decided to write one ourselves , so the video you see is actually based on our treatment. We basically brought that concept and storyline to the table. The video director, Brad Furman, really pulled it together and added a lot of the comedy elements and vignettes, and we shot it in one day out in LA... A lot of people respond to that video. I wish we had more of a budget so we could've done it bigger, but we're glad that we were able to translate the message of the song into a video. And using comedy helped it not feel too threatening, which helps people accept the message better without being offended, so we're happy about it.
While most of your music is fun and lighthearted (so to speak), you do have messages that you are getting across in many of your songs. Do you consider yourselves political musicians?
Cufi: We're all smart guys with a lot to say, and a lot of opinions about the world and what's going on around us, but sometimes, you don't need impose those opinions on people. Even if you do, sometimes it's just best to do it in a laid back way, instead of getting all Rage Against the Machine with it... So are we political musicians, yeah, probably, but I don't think that El Pus is a political "band". But you never know...we want to be free to do whatever, so you'll never know.
Cosmo: No. Although we may speak on certain topics, we don’t generally use our music as a vehicle for political themes. If the music propels us to a platform that we can speak out on certain issues, we may do so, but we don’t want to preach in songs. But, you know, with Darwinism, you never know what turn the music will take.
Any current plans or projects? Is Hoodlum Rock Vol. 2 in the works?
Cufi: We're just trying to make sure that people get to hear Hoodlum Rock Vol. 1 right now!! We worked really hard on this CD, and unfortunately, it's not being promoted the way we'd like, so we're out on the road and grinding, shaking hands and kissing babies, because we think that this is a great album that deserves to be heard. So that's what we're concentrating on right now. We're always working on new material, but I don't think we'll revisit the Hoodlum Rock concept (for another album) for a long time...
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