Anthony Shears: Hooked on phonetic

Chaim Eliyah

Staff Writer

Local and national hip hop artist Anthony Shears was at Shoreline Community College Thursday for an interview. Shears has been working to promote his latest CD, “Welcome to Seattle,” which was completed two years ago. The CD, Shears said, was completed in a fragmented fashion, song by song – as if each song were its own project.

Originally from Brooklyn, Shears is personable and down-to-earth with a great sense of humor. He is well dressed and has an amazing passion for life and his work through music. He showed up to the interview looking clean cut yet casual, and he showed me his Star of David after seeing the one that I always wear, indicating a part of his diverse cultural background.

Shears’ music is reminiscent of his influences – Jay Z, LL Cool J, Tupac, Biggie, Jada Kiss, T.I., Little Wayne, Ray Charles, and Michael Jackson, as well as old Motown influences. They can all be heard on the album. Shears and long-time friend and high-school companion D.J. Phonetic take an eclectic approach to their music, often inserting diverse quotes where you might not expect them and ending flows abruptly as soon as a point has been made. Phonetic makes his own beats. Shears described Phonetic as a multi-talented character who plays guitar, violin, bass, piano, and possibly a couple of other instruments. He’s not like your average, run-of-the-mill D.J said Shears. Phonetic will sit for hours to perfect a beat, with an ear to the melody and harmony, and really knows how to cater beats to feeling. “If he’s depressed, the beats will sound depressing. When he’s happy, the music is uplifting,” said Shears. Phonetic also produces the albums.

Shears wanted a distinct sound for his music that would rival the genius of other Seattle artists in the past such as Quincy Jones, Kenny G, the distinctive grunge-movement artists, and others. With that idea in mind, Shears recorded “Welcome to Seattle” and then went to the east coast to demonstrate the CD. The response from Atlanta was, “like, wow, hot,” said Shears, and he had a chance to play with Jada Kiss and Fabolous at Homecoming. Shears also quickly procured radio-play status in New Hampshire, Boston, and New York and performed live at a variety of venues.

“It’s real music,” said Shears, indicating the quality of his music in comparison to what he believes is a very emotionally lacking hip-hop scene. “The songs are a glimpse into my diary. People that aren’t feeling [the music] can hurt [me] for that reason, but that’s the yin and the yang of producing great music,” he said. “When you’re writing a song you’re trying to capture an emotion. I make music I feel and it markets itself. There’s no question of credibility. That’s what makes a two-year-old project still relevant today – everybody’s dealt with being hungry and alone, and [they’ve also felt] the sun shining. I don’t just want all the little thugs at the shows. I want to see everybody there, I think there’s something for everyone.”

Shears’ lyrics are indeed diverse and hard-hitting. Not only does he have a mind for what music fans might identify with, such as infectious clauses and pop-musical references, but he has an eye for what is going on socially within major urban areas. “Even Harlem is gentrified now,” he said of New York, showing a sociological prowess many youth don’t possess. “I grew up when Jane’s addiction wasn’t no rock band,” says Shears lyrically in a song, “but who’s to blame Jane for putting that needle in her vein, when she herself came out the womb addicted to cocaine?”

Look for posters of Anthony Shears’ upcoming show on campus in mid-November. He will also be playing locally Dec. 3 at the Recreational Center in Shoreline.