Hip Hop Vinyl

Catching up with Jacksonville-based hip-hop artist Paten Locke

After some unanswered knocks on Paten Locke’s front door, and a peek in a window, it seemed there was a good chance he and his manager, Doug Murdock, could only hear the music cranked inside.

A quick phone call, though, drew them out of Locke's Jacksonville house. In high spirits, they were ready to talk about Locke’s latest hip-hop endeavors, including a beats collection and a video documentary to be released digitally this week.

Settled into a room walled with vinyl records, the quirky Locke aka DJ Therapy, formerly of The ABs, explained that they were listening to a record he’d just bought by the 1970s band Cactus. He said he buys records almost every day. This one, he declared, was letting him down.

So it’s unlikely any cuts from it will make it into his future work, whether a full-blown album such as “Super Ramen Rocketship” from 2009 or a beats project such as “Knock 'Em Out the Box, Beats Combination 1,” which will be released this week for download on iTunes, AmazonMP3, Napster and other major outlets.

His latest offering of rap-free, funky beats is the first of what may become many projects. Making beats, he said, is what he enjoys the most.

“I like beats first,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love lyricism, but if the beat is wack, I won’t listen.”

“I’m heavy on the beats,” he added. “The beats have a longer life — at some point, I’ll be old too old to rap on stage, but I could still work as a producer.”

Locke didn’t disclose his age, but it seems he’s thinking ahead to days when he won’t be touring around the world with the likes of underground giants Mr. Lif  and Edan. 

The video compilation “Super Ramen Rocketfilm,” also to be released digitally this week, gives watchers a glimpse into Locke’s travels and live performances. It’s a hodge-podge of the past few years he spent on the road and collaborating with fellow hip-hop artists and friends such as Berlin-based Lady Daisey and Batsauce.

As the video description admits, the recordings aren’t all of the highest quality, and they are simply pieced together. Don’t expect glossy, smooth production. It’s clear that it’s a video intended for some laid-back kicks; it’s also a good reminder to not take yourself too seriously, which Locke tries not to do.

Locke is scheduled to open for Das EFX at the Lomax Lodge in Five Points on Saturday, July 2. Doors open at 10 p.m.; entry is $10 for those 21 and older, and $12 for those 18 to 20.