Picture the Wu-Tang Clan farming kalo (Hawaiian taro) in the valley of Waimanalo, Ghostface’s wallabees covered in mud and the RZA pounding poi in the foreground. That’s how I picture Jonah the Whale harvesting his lyrical skills: like a Hawaiian offshoot from the Clan. Born Makepa Vertido on Prince Kuhio Day, Jonah spent his early youth in Seattle, WA before returning to Hawaii to live with his grandparents on Hawaiian Homestead land in Waimanalo. Coincidentally, Prince Jonah Kuhio, one of the last Hawaiian princes before the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii by the United States Government in1893, was jailed for rebelling against the U.S. Government before becoming a U.S. Congress delegate and initiating the Hawaiian Homes Commission act which leased Native Hawaiians, like Makepa’s grandparents, homestead land. Makepa adopted ‘Jonah’ as his moniker as a tribute to the prince. It’s that kind of weight and depth that smacks you over the head when you hear Jonah’s music on his new release, Friend or Foe (SIQ Records, 2008). The beats are grimy as hell and the lyrical content full of grit, swag and profoundness. Contrast Magazine loves Wu-Tang and anybody in Hawaii who is making an effort, so we reached out to Jonah to discuss his latest album, his inspiration, poke (raw fish) and his tutu (grandma).

Contrast: Friend or Foe has a dark and sinister feel to it, was that a concept you were going for or are you naturally drawn to beats like that and conceptualizing songs with that sound?
Jonah the Whale: Friend or Foe is exactly what I wanted it to be. An album true to my life, my poetry and content over beats from my childhood homie, Silent Sir. He has the strangest way of making his beats, they come out how he feels and I choose them according to how they made me feel. I feel that hip hop music should remain street, not like the way it’s portrayed on MTV. I don’t like to be a follower and I most definitely don’t care about fame like most "rappers.” I still believe in art and honesty in rhyme.

Cool. There is a definite mood conveyed when listening to it. So, it took four years to complete your album. What took so long, Hawaiian? And are we going to have to wait until 2012 to hear your next project?
(Laughs) Yeah I get that a lot, umm well it’s like this: since Friend or Foe was my first project, I wanted it to be perfect. But that took a backseat to problems like, money, beat makers and their egos. Or, lack thereof. I was begging and stealing beats from my guys because they were so picky with what they thought was a dope enough beat for the album. So I just started taking the beats that I liked. Now I’m one album deep, so I’m pretty much a veteran in Hawaii’s Hip Hop scene (laughs). Next project is already on its way, no delays this time. It will be a cornerstone project, I’m going out on a limb and saying best underground album in Hawaii in 2008. I’m not hating, there will be some stiff competition out there, but hey I got to be optimistic.

Hey, let Contrast be the hater– everybody in Hawaii, start doing shit! Speaking of which, an album's worth of lyrics, specifically hip hop, is a lot of material to write, where do you draw inspiration from?
I draw my inspiration from my heart, soul, love and hate that gets tossed back and forth around this mud ball of a home we call Earth! (Laughs) There’s a lot of material if your paying attention to what’s cracking.

Word. Life can be a blur if you don’t sharpen your awareness. Someone told me you're a diehard Seahawks fan. How far the 'Hawks going this year? On a related note, where's the best poke (raw fish) in Waimanalo?
‘Hawks baby!!! All the way!! This is our year! Poke ...hmmm my tutus house, every Saturday! She’s so sweet she’ll probably invite you in to partake for free, But you better take off your shoes, and don’t swear or else you going get chili pepper water (hot sauce) in yo mouf! (Laughs) I’m serious.


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