Think of your favorite openly gay, Ivy League-educated, RPG-addicted (and openly so), Jewish white math nerd (again, openly) rapper MC. OK, brain pencils down. You came up with SoCe, the Elemental Wizard and Level 27 Hip-Hop Spellcaster, didn’t you? I thought so. You kinda had to.
SoCe (pronounced So-SAY) has worked steadily as a performer/producer in the alternative hip-hop scene for the heavier part of two decades. As a rapper and musician, he has four albums under his belt with a fifth, “Life Lessons,” dropping next year. He also produces for both gay and straight acts, and his music has been featured on Showtime’s “The L Word” and Comedy Central.
You’ll have the chance to experience SoCe’s (real name Andrew Singer) elemental wizardry during the Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival, now in its 10th year. His video for “Not Ready” is fronting the romcom “BearCity.” The song is emblematic of the SoCe touch: Slick production, easy flow and an infectious chorus playfully wrapped around a theme universal to any artist — pursuing fame at the cost of being true to one’s self.
That playfulness and highly positive comedic bravado is more Fresh Prince/De La Soul than Nas or Eminem. It also explains SoCe’s recent foray into the comedy world: In the past year, he’s been doing stand-up in NYC and beyond as well as producing a quirky YouTube series called “Math Problems,” wherein the wizard and comic friends equate arithmetic with fun.
Given that he took a moment to answer a few questions must mean, among other accomplishments, the Spellcaster has solved the problem of not enough time in a day.
Which came first and what comes easiest — comedy, hip-hop or math?
As a performer, hip-hop performance and production are my bread and butter. The comedy and math are a few of the additional dimensions I bring.
How was it that you and Indy native Abbi Crutchfield came together to do a weekly comedy show in New York called “Positively Awesome?”
We first met as fellow comedians on Facebook and then started getting booked on the same shows. She’s a joy to work with and a wonderful friend. Our show is in one of the nicest comedy venues around — a wine cellar!
Do Midwest gigs present any challenges or rewards?
I love performing in Indianapolis. Kweering Up NapTown has always looked out for me and treated me well. It’s nice to get a break from NYC. I’ve been acting in a roaming music documentary. ... We filmed in Kansas and have a shoot in New Orleans.
You run Socetew.com and GreatHipHop.com. Your jams are on iTunes, CD Baby, All Music, Amazon and others. And you’re parked on MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, Blogspot, Wikipedia and Tumblr. Are you trying to break the Internet?
I join most major websites in order to be accessible. ... I’m really pleased with how my latest music video, “Not Ready,” turned out. I play live violin, bass and electric guitar on it, as well as rapping, singing and acting out both characters during the dialogue. I have two upcoming music videos coming out soon as well.
Have you encountered any backlash along the lines of, “He’s not (fill in the blank) enough” from fans or colleagues? How do you deal with it?
You need to be confident with your product, yet you also need to create music that will increase your fan base. My intensely gay music definitely garnered plenty of attention. As of late, I prefer to make all clean music so that it’s easier to play it on the radio, and people of all ages can enjoy it.
What sets “Life Lessons” apart from your previous music? What are a few lessons you have learned?
“Life Lessons” will be my first all-clean album since “Dream de la Dream.” It may include some of the most important and necessary messages to help people persevere.
Some of the lessons I’ve learned include to keep it short and leave them wanting more, always place your best foot forward, work smarter not harder, and make sure you’re having fun!
Going?
The Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival is Nov. 12-14 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and IUPUI Campus Center. Tickets range from $8 per screening to a $60 full-festival pass. Info: www.indylgbtfilmfest.com.
