Q+A with Beefy, nerdcore superhero

By Chris Mikesell

Staff Writer

He’s a rapper, a nerd, a geek, and now with his new album, “With Sprinkles,” he’s also older and wiser. 
He is Beefy, a.k.a. Beef Thompson, a nerdcore rapper who, outside his concerts, assumes the identity of mild-mannered Kennewick, Washington resident and geek Keith Moore. 
I interviewed Beefy via e-mail to talk to him about his brand-new album, “With Sprinkles,” how things have changed for him since his last album, and how it feels to be a more mature version of the Beefy nerdcore rap fans know and love. 

CM: First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself, Beefy, who you are, what you do, and how long you've been doing it.

BT: Well my name is Beefy, and since middle school I've been writing rap songs. Only recently have they been any good though. Right after I graduated in '04 I recorded my first two songs, "Whitesican" and "David's Sister" and since then I've been known as a nerdcore rapper. And very recently I put out my latest album, “With Sprinkles.” 

CM: Any special meaning behind naming the album "With Sprinkles?"

BT: The theory is that everything is better with sprinkles. My girlfriend gave me the idea when we were making chocolate covered pretzels and I was foolish enough to ask why she wanted to add sprinkles to each one. I wanted to make an album that would make people feel good, even if the entire week sucked. 

CM: Which is your favorite track on the album?

BT: I'm a big fan of every track on the album, to be honest. We put a good two years worth of work into it, and I think it shows. 

CM: Listening to “With Sprinkles,” it sounds like almost a totally different sound and attitude compared to your last album, “Rolling Doubles.” What would you say your overall message is with “With Sprinkles” (WS) compared to “Rolling Doubles” (RD)?

BT: Rolling Doubles was like a party album. It was very rock influenced thanks to tanner4105, and Doc Pop gave it a great circuit bent sound. I think RD told people to get rowdy, and WS tells people to chill out.

CM: Part of the attitude shift going into WS from RD is that, both lyrically and musically, WS is a much more upbeat album. (The first track? All about that uplifting attitude.) Is this the first sign of a kinder, gentler Beef Thompson or is it because other things in your life have changed your outlook? Have things changed a lot for you since you finished Rolling Doubles?

BT: With Sprinkles is definitely a showcase of how much my life has changed. Got a lady, she has an adorable kid I call Nugget, and I've pretty much become a grown up. Sometimes it gets overwhelming. I'm not exactly living a stress-free life, but I feel like WS highlights some life goals. There are a lot of uplifting tracks, but there's also tracks like "One of These Nights" that keep it balanced. No one wants to hear about the perfect life. Without some conflict the story would be boring as hell.

CM: How much of WS was drawn from/inspired by the real Beefy? (Hopefully not Feature Creep!)

BT: One of the things about the raps I make is that they're all as personal as I can make them. "Beefy" is a character with limitless confidence and love, but it is all based on IRL Beefy. Songs like Game Store Girl, Different Language, Smiles Times, One of These Nights, and Uncanny are just stories I was able to make rhyme. There's a lot of me in my album, and I like to think that's why people dig it. And no, Feature Creep isn't about me. It's more of a plea to those who seek to ruin my theater experience. Cell phones suck.

CM: How do you come up with your references? You just seem to pack so many into some tracks, I lose count, though you seem to have a thing for Veronica Mars these days.

BT: I love VMars. For reals. To be honest, when I'm writing I don't usually plan out specific references (except for Sidekick). Sometimes I'll think lines while in class and find a way to incorporate into a track. Most of the time, though, I just draw from what I know. Maybe a comic I recently read or a movie I just saw. A website I just checked out. Something my buddy said. It's very organic. Just gotta let it flow.

CM: Musically, your beats are reaching for inspiration from a lot of places. Who would you say inspires you musically? Who's on the team responsible for the beats on WS?

BT: With Sprinkles was made possible by the amazing work of Mustin (of the The OneUps), c64 (of Dual Core), and tanner4105 (of Rolling Doubles fame). I think Mustin's beats are really hyped up and have a commerical feel to them. That Duh-Nuh(3) beat is so hot! Uncanny? Lupe Fiasco wish he had it lol. And from c64 the album gets a real hip-hop feel. Press Start is one of the dopest rap tracks on the album and Smiles Times has that 90's chill out feel I listened to growing up. And Tanner is my boy. He's able to come up with inventive, creative tracks that I just naturally flow to. None of Your Business is the craziest beat on the album and it's my most wild verse I think I've ever spit. It's also Shael Riley's favorite track, so that equals baller status. Obviously we're pulling from a lot of musical background, but what they all have in common is that they're amazingly dope.

CM: You've got a lot of collabs on this album, between YTCracker, Schaffer the Darklord, Dual Core, Epic-1, and MC Lars...how'd you wrangle that?

BT: Those guys are my friends. I have a million stories about rolling around with YT. I hung out with him and Lars in Amsterdam, and things like that make for good friends. I also met a lot of these guys at Nerdapalooza and they're just awesome people to spend time with. So when the album was being planned I just asked and they all gladly accepted. The only people I wish I was able to get on the album that I didn't were Kabuto Tha Python and K.Flay Kabuto was slated to be on Give Me My Gun but wasn't able to be, and K.Flay is a super-mega-star and I'm not quite that level yet lol. But these guys on the album did an amazing job and they all have amazing albums themselves (Just listened to Schaffer in the car) that people should for sure check out! 

CM: You've come a long way since asking people to "please please please buy this cd" on your debut Whitesican EP. What would you say is the most important thing you've learned from your nerdcore hip-hop career so far?

BT: Keep your mouth shut. This community is 100% connected. You can't get away with being a dick online without paying for it. When I put out Whitesican and nerd my ego exploded. I was like 18 and I spent all of high school talking shit online. I had to learn to put myself in check and I think that came with growing up. I learned to give up the attitude and just get along with everyone. I'm happy to say that there are no rap beefs between me and anyone else (that I know of anyway.)

CM: Is it true that you usually don't like listening to your own stuff?

BT: I can't listen to any of my stuff in front of other people. No way. I'm a shy nerd and can't handle people judging my work right in front of me. They could be my biggest fan, but in my head they all think I suck. It's just insecurity. But don't get me wrong, I do listen to my music all the time, but only when I'm alone in my car. It's the only way I can memorize the lyrics for shows. Gotta be on point when rocking a mic.

CM: Besides Beef Thompson nerdcore albums, what/who do you think the rest of us should be listening to more of?

BT: I could make a giant list (and I should) but I'll hit you up with what's in my car right now. MC Frontalot's Zero Day, mc chris Goes to Hell, Schaffer The Darklord's Manslaughterer, Dual Core's Next Level, Kirby Krackle's E For Everyone, and The Rondo Brother's The Foreign Globester. All of these albums = Hot. Plus I'm on 3 of those lol. 

CM: Any chance you wanna give us a heads-up on what your future projects look like?

BT: Two words. Grammar. Club. Boosh!

Beefy’s third studio album, “With Sprinkles” is available in both digital and physical formats at http://beefy.bandcamp.com/, on Amazon mp3 and soon on iTunes. Catch Chris Mikesell’s full review of “With Sprinkles” over at our sister publication, Ka Leo o Hawaii at www.kaleo.org