IamA nerdcore rapper named MC Lars, AMA!!

Did John ever clean up his house?

He sure did!! He's a great dude and amazing drummer. He was a good sport about that song but still refuses to play it live.

Hey Lars! Been a big fan since I saw you live in Columbus, Ohio about 10 years ago!

What's your favorite type of pizza? Are you going to come through Ohio anytime soon?

Hey homie! That was probably the Bowling for Soup tour, right? I'll never forget that show. A guy tried to fight me and he got thrown out. Whoops!

My favorite type of pizza is definitely Hawaiian. So fresh. Hope to be back in Ohio next year! Will post the dates when I have them. Thank you!!

I for one liked Lars Attacks and it was great to hear a different side from you, would you ever consider working on another album like Lars Attacks? (preferably with guests spots featuring Weerd Science and Stza doing a verse or two)

Wow! I've never heard that before. Thank you, I'm glad you liked that album, I went back and listened to it while I was driving home from LA one night and it kind of struck me as an album I had to do, even if it confused people. I was so thankful that 2011 ended up being the perfect year to promote a serious album like that, I did Warped for the first time with Weerd Science, then a full US tour with mc chris, and I feel like those songs came together live with the band I was working with at the time (Joe Oliger on sound, Mike Russo on guitar and bass and Jon Longley on drums). I don't regret that era, but I feel happier these days.

Would love to do more stuff with Weerd Science and Stza. I think a Coheed / Leftöver Crack tour would be amazing!!

Hi Lars! Obviously we know you love Edgar Allen Poe. I'm curious if you have a favorite science fiction author or book? I'd love to rock out to a Jules Verne or HG Wells song one day.

Love the new CD, and thanks for always being so awesome to your fans!

Hey homie! Great question! Yes, Poe is the bomb! And thanks for the kind words on the new CD.

My favorite science fiction writer is Ray Bradbury. I was talking to my friend Sole (formerly of anticon) after our Denver show about how science fiction authors predicted a lot of the political change in the world. My favorite Bradbury story is this one, it makes me sad even thinking about it, about the girl locked in the closet, unable to see the sun in its brief visit to Venus.

Wells and Verne would be awesome inspirations too! I should do a science fiction rap CD one day. Much love!

Did mc chris really ask you for $3k for that verse or he'd sue?...True?

The threat to sue was made by mc chris' lawyer and he has since fired him and has never asked for a cent from any nerdcore artist since. Sometimes lawyers don't represent their clients properly and this is one of those cases. If I could take that line out of the song I would, I feel really bad about it to this day and it's one of my biggest regrets releasing this song. We were both new to the industry at the time and this was a learning experience for both of us. The homie mc and I quickly made amends afterwards and we loved performing the song live together last year when we were on tour together.

Hey Lars! What was it like working with the parody genius that is Weird Al? Any plans to work with him again? A joint tour would blow my mind!

Al is such a talented genius and a humble guy. We are hoping to get him in the pilot for our kids' show - he said he's down but it's a matter of locking our schedules. I was so happy that his last album did so well. Would definitely tour with him! He is my biggest inspiration ever and I went back and listened to all of his albums while I was doing the Kickstarter fulfillment. It's a great overview of pop culture of the past 40 years!!

Yo lars. Love the new album. Definitely some of my favorite songs of yours in general.

I got it through kickstarter and totally forgot I even got the physicals and was super excited to get that. 22 concepts was a huge surpise to me(and I love it!). But it leads to my real question, When did Signing dubstep and Bring the 90's back get recorded and were they previously released? I totally missed them until now and absolutely love having a sequel to singing emo. Between that and hipster mom what is it like returning to old songs and writing a sequel?

Also what's next for you?

Hey my friend! Thanks for the support and great questions.

"Bring the 90s Back" is actually from 2004 , I recorded it with John Fields when we were doing demos for "the Graduate", and it kind of made sense to release now since there has been so much 90s nostalgia these days.

"Signing Dubstep" was an idea I had for years, it finally came together this spring. I wrote the lyrics with my friend JJ Italiano, and my homie Tom Gates who had the original concept helped me tweak it for this idea. Run-DMT and Kairo Kingdom worked on the beat.

Working on a kids' literary rap show and an album with Mega Ran! Stay tuned for more info!

Hey, I remember seeing you for the first time back in 2006 when you were touring with the Matches. You were one of the first artists I could remember performing a show off a laptop, and I thought it was so cool, and a definite sign of things to come.

In all your years of touring and producing, what has been your favorite, most reliable, stalwart piece of hardware? What has been there from the beginning? What gear do you think you'll never ever give up?

Hey homie! Awesome question - that Matches tour was so amazing. Hard to believe back then being on stage with a laptop was something people didn't often do. Jon and Justin did some tracks with me on my "22 Concepts" album and I am joining them on stage in Dec at their SF reunion show!

As far as equipment, my Radial ProDI has been reliable and amazing since 2007. I found that sometimes clubs had short circuits in their DI boxes and have a fool proof one is so important. Also, back when I started, everything was mono but now most PAs have stereo capabilities.

In the studio my KSM32 Shure microphone is the best! I use it for pretty much everything. Thanks for your questions!!

My son had the awesome privelage of joining you onstage twice. What advice would you give a ten year old who wants to write his own rhymes? Also would you like to come to MC Lex's birthday party? There will be cake and pizza! Ha! 😆

MC Lex is the man! Would love to come to his birthday party if I'm in town. Thanks so much for the invite. ;)

As for writing his own rhymes, I started doing parodies, it helps with timing and rhymes and is a really good learning tool. Have him practice to a slow beat so he can work on his cadence, but after performing "Ahab" with him in NC, I know he's a boss!

Two great books that have helped me as a rapper are:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Rap-The-Science-Hip-Hop/dp/1556528167

http://www.amazon.com/How-Rap-Advanced-Delivery-Techniques/dp/1613744013/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2/190-4211196-4506228?ie=UTF8&refRID=1B26YX3EC5J2VA5WYZ3A

I recommend them both! Hope to see you guys soon! Thanks!!

Thanks! We'll scoop those up to go under the Christmas tree! Thank you for always being so encouraging when you rap with him. He had SO much fun doing Ahab.

It was a smash hit! Thank you!!

Hey mc lars. Are you a true player for real? Also have you ever thought about writing a book based on your life?

TPFR for life!! Great question!

Have been working on an autobiography for awhile. Trying to decide if it's going to be a graphic novel, or in the form of essays, or what. Definitely going to happen though, stay tuned!

Hey Lars! Are you planning on doing any collaborations with anyone soon? The new LP is so sweet!

Thanks for the kind words! Love your user name by the way. ;) #lithop

Working on an EP / album with Mega Ran and a Calvin and Hobbes album with Koo Koo Kanga Roo! Would love to do more stuff with mc chris one day. Working on music with my girlfriend Ash Wednesday from Hand Job Academy too! Lots of exciting stuff coming out next year. :) Thanks for your question!

Lars, I love seeing your songs and albums grow and change - any idea what you think you'll be doing (artistically) when you're 65?

Haha, thanks for the kind words!

When I'm 65 I'll hopefully be a professor or psychologist and living somewhere quiet with visits from my kids. Will always be doing music and can't believe I've been able to do it for so long. But yes, I'll be still creating stuff when I'm 65, maybe experimental noise mashups!!

Years ago, my brother and I continuously requested you perform 'generic crunk rap' at a show in Chicago (beat kitchen), you said you didn't usually perform it.

Have you done it live since?

Haha, that's amazing. Was that with the Matches? I remember you guys.

I've done that song a lot since then, I think you inspired me to put it in my set. These days, "crunk" seems kind of like an old thing to make fun of, but emo has come back, so you never know. It's a really fun song to do live because it's so ridiculous. I made cue cards with the lyrics that Aaron from Whole Wheat Bread used to hold up during the verses.

A lot of people told me it was denigrating to a culture I know little about, but I was really making fun of hip-hop in general, not just Lil Jon and his homies.

Having never heard your stuff, but loving nerdcore things, what song would you recommend as the first one I should hear of yours?

Oh wow! Welcome man, and thanks for joining the conversation! :)

I think one of my favorite's is "Mr. Raven," I'm sue you'll like it if you like Edgar Allan Poe. If you like punk or ska music, check out "Sublime with Rome (Is Not the Same Thing as Sublime)" from the new album, "This Gigantic Robot Kills" or "Hot Topic is Not Punk Rock".

Thanks for your question!

Hey Lars.

This isn't a fun topic and I understand if you just ignore this question.

"Twenty-Three" made me reconsider suicide. It made me confront the impact killing myself would have on those close to me. So thank you. Seriously thank you.

Have you ever struggled with depression? What did you do to keep going when it seemed like everything would always suck?

On a lighter note, do you ever get tired of TGRK? I know I don't, but I'm not performing it on stage day after day haha.

Oh snap. This is a super serious question, which I appreciate you asking. I gave Pat a shout out on "Zombie T-Rex".

So glad that song inspired you to think about your friends and family. I feel like if Pat and I had talked before, I could have talked him down from hurting himself. I was at my 10 year college reunion and it was kind of heartwarming being on campus and seeing where we used to hang out. I spoke at a panel and talked about how "Twenty-Three" helped me realize there was more to music than just music, the spiritual and comforting components. Working with the AFSP has always been a highlight of my career. So glad the song spoke to you.

I have definitely struggled with depression and dark thoughts. The song "Super Scope" from "Lars Attacks!" is about that. I've gone to professional therapy in my 20s to help with it, but music always helped. Growing up, I was always pushed so hard to achieve so much in high school and college, so I sometimes felt like I had to ignore when I felt depressed, but I confronted this stuff later in life. I feel like I could relate to Pat because we went through similar things and talked about when we felt that black cloud over us. I miss him every day. (Starting to tear up writing this, to be honest.)

I love the "TGRK" song because it's so over-the-top joyful! I love seeing people skank to it. I end every set with it, that was the advice of Frank from Kairo Kingdom! It's a high energy jam and the 90s will never die.

Thanks for your thoughtful questions. Glad you are doing well, homie!

I didn't mean to make you tear up, man. Thanks for the response.

All good! Thanks my friend!

I know you've been super busy the last year or two, congratulations on everything going on! Have you been working on any lit-hop stuff lately? Would love another Lit-hop specific EP or something! I can't get enough of it!

Thanks Justin!! That is super nice of you to say! It's been an awesome year.

I want to do an album of Kerouac songs with my friend Brendan from Wheatus, and more lit-hip stuff with Mega Ran. We are working on a kids' TV show that revolves heavily around books and stuff. But yes, I will definitely be putting out more literary rap songs in the years to go, honestly that might be all that I do from here on out!

Man I couldn't be happier to hear all of that, I love the lit-hop and Mega Ran in amazing, I'd love to have a kids show I can watch with my son! Thanks man!

Oh yeah, you should come play another show in Reno, NV soon!

That would be awesome!! Thanks again buddy, see you there!!

If you could design a MC Lars theme park, what would be some of the themed lands, rides, food, and what would be the theme of the fireworks show?

That is a great question. We'd have Edgar Allan Poe land with a creepy haunted house, Hot Topic land with overpriced Justin Bieber shirts, and sushi. The fireworks show would be set entirely to Rush's "2112"!

no build a bear like Ska Robot build section? Disappointed Lars

That would be awesome!!

Lars! Did Cartel ever respond to that video where you wrote a song in a box?

Haha, yeah, and they weren't happy at all.

I did a college tour with them and Yung Joc in 2008 and I almost got kicked off of it when their agent found the "Band in a Box" parody video. But I got to stay and finish it up.

I apologized to Will one night, he said it was okay, but I can tell they were mad. That video was brutal, right?? :)

(No regrets. I'm sure Sublime with Rome don't like the new video about them either.)

(No regrets. I'm sure Sublime with Rome don't like the new video about them either.)

Hey, it needed to be said.

Haha, thanks homie. :)

What's the most embarrassing album in your personal collection?

Well, I do own pretty much everything ICP has released, so does that count? ;)

I love them and all of the Psychopathic catalog though, even if it's a little embarrassing.

You ever thought about getting on Psychopathic or at least getting distro with them? I know they offered mc chris a deal after playing the Gathering. Oh, and would you play the Gathering?

I got asked to play the Gathering the first year I did Warped, so I couldn't make it.

I don't know if I'd ever sign with Psychopathic but I would love to work with some of their artists!

Hey man, Great seeing you, Steven, and Koo in Fullerton, it was a great show. Any advise for people that are starting their own business? I just decided it was time I went all in. Thanks for keeping the positive energy flowing.

Hey homie! Thanks for coming out to the Fullerton show, that was one of my favorites on this tour!

Great question about starting your own business. It's amazing being my own boss, it's taken awhile to get here sustainably, but it's worth it. I'm so glad I never signed with a major label because things could have worked out very differently.

As for business advice, I always subscribe to the "four legged table" method I came up with for MC Lars LLC. As an independent media artist, I try to make equal time for:

(1) Time creating my core projects, i.e. albums and songs

(2) Time promoting the projects (in my case, being on the road or doing press or making videos)

(3) Time for social media and marketing (i.e. the left-brained business stuff that's not so fun but necessary)

(4) Free time for activities I love, so I don't burn myself out (family time, biking, swimming, reading etc.)

If you can balance all four of these in whatever field you pursue, you will have success!! Good luck my friend and thanks for your question!

The Zombie Dinosaur LP is so cool! Do you plan on doing any projects in the future with the same type of crowd sourced funding/incentives? I thought it was a super interesting way to generate both interest and funds, and the result is really exciting.

Hey homie - thanks for the kind words! Going to definitely do another crowdfunded project, maybe with Patreon. It was awesome working with the fans on the "Jedi" song and "Crowdfund this Song"! Thanks for your support.

How joyful are your smiles would you say?

On a scale of 1 to 100? Probably 10,000! ;)

Was the dragon blood video done in AE? Whose idea was it to use the high heel as a weapon? That was too awesome! Finally will you have my baybay? Jk

That video was filmed in Orange County, but I don't know what programs Max Isaacson and Morgan Faust used! They had the idea to use the high heel as a weapon. I love them! Check out their work:

https://vimeo.com/brosis

I won't be able to have your baybay, as I am already taken and don't have a uterus.

One time you, Chad and I hung out and just talked about life, man before a show you did at the Ottobar. That was one of the most memorable conversations I've ever had. Thanks for that, dude. I'm glad you're doing well. Are you a vegetarian again?

I remember that man - how have you been? So great to be able to have homies across the world to talk about real stuff with.

I've honestly struggled with my weight stuff over the years. I haven't been the best vegetarian this year, but am trying to eat less red meat. My girlfriend is really healthy and has gotten me into jogging. But touring is hard eating well and being in shape. I am going to try to be vegetarian again, yes, you are inspiring me. :)

What music are you currently listening to?

Watsky is one of my recent favorites. I love "Cardboard Castles" and his latest one "All You Can Do" is fantastic. He was such a joy to work with on this new album.

I love Koo Koo Kanga Roo (just finished a tour with them) and a new band I saw this tour, the Smith Street Band. Follow me on Spotify, because I pretty much only use Spotify these days and you can see what I'm listening to!

https://open.spotify.com/artist/05Am7rOfCvNggzIEeAhbiV

Do you liste to Random aka Mega Ran? Well, I just asked cause he's the only nerd hiphop I've listened. Pretty good.

But the real question, do you like Nujabes?

Hey! I love Mega Ran! We are working on a project and have played tons of shows together over the years. He's amazing.

Will check out Nujabes! Have heard of him but don't know a lot of his music. Thank you! Great recommendation. :)

Lars! Where ya been man? I've been a huge fan of yours since the beginning and I think ZDLP is a great step artistically and just as fun as the earlier stuff. I've seen you 2 or 3 times in Vermont, and once in Portland, Maine (I actually couldn't get into that show since I was under 21 at the time, but you and Chris and Bryce all came and hung out with me outside which was beyond awesome). You give off such a great stage presence, you've always been super inclusive with fans before and after shows, and your shows are some of my favorite concert-going memories.

I have a couple questions:

• 1. Any plans to tour in the Northeast again any time soon? ("Party with Lars" live would be awesome, just sayin')
• 2. Other than EAP, which figure from any period of history would you want to contribute vocals to a track?
• 3. I'm trying to get back into some design work and I'd love to work with you on a new shirt/poster/sticker/whatever if you're interested! I've done some work with Jesse Dangerously, Tribe One and Mega Ran if you need any references!

Hey homie - thanks for the post!! And for the super nice words. Thanks for coming to those shows and I hope we can hit New England again soon. I really appreciate it!

1. I want to do more shows with Spose!! Maybe we can do a Northeast run next year! We'll pull it off!

2. Would love to do a song with Kerouac, but thanks to the magic of digital editing, he does a "guest verse" on the new album. ;)

3. I'm down! Hit me up! Would love to see your work. Thanks my friend!! http://contact.mclars.com

One of my favorite things about your music (not that it's a short list, I love you man) is your collaboration tracks, which is why I'm beyond thrilled to see you finally collaborating with Watsky!

My question is, who is on your ultimate fantasy top three potential collabs list (and why is Tech N9ne on it)?

Thanks for the kind words! It was so awesome to finally work with Watsky!! Glad you liked the track. :)

I would love to work with:

(1) E-40 (2) ICP (3) Tech N9ne

I'm sure I can make it happen! They are all so different amazing. Stay tuned!!

You've said on you're going to try hit Vancouver, BC on your next tour. About when will that be so I can make a point to be in the city around then and actually catch the show? :)

What was it like to get Kool Keith to do a song that about Roger Rabbit that then references Freak Nasty in the hook? How did that come together?

Also, great work on the new LP.

Hey Karl!! Love you buddy! And thanks for your help with this album. I definitely want to use that beat on the next project.

Hoping to hit Vancouver next year for sure. I will shoot you an email when I know when and where.

It was so cool to work with Keith, I saw he was following me on Twitter so I sent him a DM. He was down, I sent him the DVD and he watched it wrote his verse. I thought the Freak Nasty hook was perfect because whenever I heard that song in middle school I thought it could be about Roger Rabbit.

My verse is based on A$AP Ferg's "Shabba".

It still blows my mind that I've gotten to work with Kool Keith and KRS-One, and open for Nas and Snoop. I literally could never have imagined any of those scenarios happening when I first starting rhyming. Life is good, Karl!!

Think you and Dualcore will ever perform together at Defcon?

I would love to! Shout out to int-80 and c64!!

Who books Defcon? Please have them get in touch! http://contact.mclars.com

Hi Lars! Who was your favorite person from that day at Magic Kingdom last year? Perhaps you saw them again last fall. Then at warped in Orlando. Then Orlando AND San Francisco this past month. Just wondering.

A fan.

P.S. I love the album. And I hope the Koo Koo Kangaroo Calvin & Hobbes album pans out.

Obviously Nick and Sarah!!! Love you guys!!

Thanks for being a great homie and stay tuned for the C&H stuff! Thanks for your post. :)

Hi Lars, when you put together an album do you try to make it gel as one experience, or is it entirely driven by the concepts behind the songs you happen to be working on at the time? I am because it seems you put concepts at the centre of your songs and that drives the musical style. Thanks!

Great questions - I really think it's important to have an overall concept or vibe for an album, this time it was joy and appreciation for still being able to do this.

We wrote tons of songs and tried to find the right topical concepts and then narrowed them down to our favorite.

It's important to have a unique concept before you start writing lyrics, just like it's important to have a strong thesis with any essay. You feel me? :)

It's a long process but sometimes, ironically, the songs that come the quickest are the best.

ZDLP FTW. What are your secrets for keeping that fresh PMA?

Much love homie!! Thanks for checking out that new album!

I just wake up every day so grateful to be able to do what I love and follow my passion. I try to surround my self with supportive homies and stay positive and healthy every day.

Positive thoughts bring positive thoughts!

Hi Andrew - I'm not working on my Ph.D. anymore but I'm glad we're still buddies and I love shoutouts. Can I get a shoutout?

Shout out to ReplacementAnus for taking a pause from his Ph.D and staying true to the Reddit hustle! ;)

Thanks for your post man! We are homies for life!

I met you at your last show in Philly with the Aquabats, but they messed up the show times so I missed you. I called you my white whale (I thought that would impress you) since I still haven't seen you play live (been a fan since I heard Space Game on your PureVolume page circa 2006). We hugged and you called me muscles and you sold me a copy of the Zombie Dinosaur LP! It's still in the CD player in my car!

My question is: How do you get these iconic musicians to record with you? It always sounds like friendly collaborations which makes them so fun to listen to. I still like your solo tracks though....

Follow up to a previous response.... Did the MC Bat Commander perform TGRK with you as you closed your set in Philly??? I would be very bummed if I missed that...

Hey homie! Great meeting you and sorry about the messed up set times in Philly! You will catch a set one day, I promise, will be on tour in the spring again.

Thanks again for being a fan so long! And thanks for checking out the new album!

I just ask iconic homies if they'll work with me. I try to find people who will bring out something different in my work, as I will with theirs. I usually just straight-up ask them, you know?

And MCBC did perform with me in Philly! We'll do it again soon though, I promise.

Thanks again homie! See you soon!

Yo Lars, it's Captain Spliff here. Loved your Spliff rhyme and plug at the Denver show. When are the Hans Moleman shirts being reprinted homey? Love the new album, the Ballad of Hans Moleman is the tightest Simpsons song since Bloodhound Gang's Ralph Wiggum track. Keep keeping it real.

Hey man! Great seeing you and Cat Blood in Denver! Thanks for coming out!

Hoping to print new Moleman shirts after the holidays, stay tuned!! And thanks for the comparison to the Bloodhound Gang track, they are one of my all-time favorite bands and that song was actually my main inspiration for "Moleman".

Loving your comics!! See you soon!!

Are you still in the t-shirt business?

That's pretty much how I pay my rent.

http://merch.mclars.com

Hey Lars, just heard the new album and its awesome. I Cant wait for you to come back to Glasgow. I thought id ask your thoughts on streaming services like spotify do you feel like these are good distribution tools that adequately reward artist for their work?

Thank you for your kind words!! I will be back in Glasgow next year for sure!

Spotify is interesting, I think bands that sign bad deals with their labels really get boned by streaming services. For me, I make more form Spotify than I do from iTunes regularly, and I don't quite know how that happened, but it's pretty cool.

The argument FOR Spotify is that every time someone bumps your song, you get a fraction of a cent. On iTunes, you only get paid once, even if someone plays your song 1,000 times.

The argument AGAINST, I think, basically says that Spotify royalties are small, but that's what keeps people coming back to the service.

I'm very pro Spotify. I did an interview with Newsweek about that:

http://www.newsweek.com/ten-indie-musicians-weigh-music-streaming-debate-355298

About 7-8 years ago...oh man...has it been that long?...I was in my junior of high school and I bonded with someone in my class over "Hurricane Fresh" who I only knew by name prior to us figuring out that we were both fans of MC Lars. And I am still very good friends with her to this day.

Is there any chance for a Hurricane Fresh music video because that song is just amazing?

Also - if you and Watsky could collaborate more - that would be...fantastic.

Hey man! Would love to do more music with Watsky. He's a super talented guy and I'm honored to have him on the new album.

"Hurricane Fresh" is one of those songs that always is fun to play live! I did it every night on this past tour. Maybe I'll do a "Hurricane Fresh" 2016 remix, or when the oceans rise and we're all snorkeling the Golden Gate Bridge, I can do a global warming version and a video. :)

Time flies, right? Thanks again for your great question and kind words!

Lars. Love that new album. You've put in the hours and have really blossomed as an artist. Your raps and flow have definitely evolved and your new stuff is by far the dopest stuff you've put out.

So, if you were to go back to get that masters, what would you get it in? You seem like a dude who could become a great teacher.

Hey homie! Wow, thanks for the super nice words. I really appreciate it, and thanks for following me for so long.

I would love to get my masters - maybe in business, or education, or even get an MFA? Who knows - my friend Ian from the Aquabats! has balanced getting is PhD with touring with them and Gerard Way, so it's possible. I could see myself teaching literature at a prep school one day. Stay tuned. :)

Hey Lars!

You mentioned in one of you RealTalks your conversion from the Episcopal to hardcore atheism, and then the reconversion to another church doctrine and why.

So my question is why did you decided to quit the episcopal church?

Love the new album man!

Hey homie - love your username! And I agree!

I think the Episcopal church has a lot of amazing things about it, I was raised in that religion and I love how it is more tolerant to homosexuality, women can be bishops, etc.

I am a Christian, but trying to figure where I fit in all of that. I love Rob Bell's work, he inspires me a lot how he forges his own path. My rapper friend John Reuben helped me a lot with my faith when I was living in LA. We were neighbors and would have coffee super early and talk about the Bible.

Maybe I'll be a rapping priest one day? :) Who knows - Run from Run-DMC did it. I feel like rapping is spreading the "gospel" in a different way. KRS-One has always been a huge inspiration on that front.

Thanks for your thoughtful question! I forgot about the RealTalks. I should do those again. :)

Are you stoked for Nekocon tonight?! I'll see you there! :) - Sailor Saturn

Haha! Cool! Just soundchecked! Am in my hotel answering these questions. Se you soon!!

MC Lars! I listened to "This Gigantic Robot Kills" back in high school and became a huge fan. I came out to the Bay Area for college (UC Berkeley >>> Stanford) and now I'm listening to your new album at a real person job. It's a fantastic album and really takes me back to the vibe I got when listening to your first album, so thank you so much for putting a new one out!

I love that you collaborated with Watsky on this album-how did the two of you end up coming together? It's very fitting that the two of you made a song together, with both of you being from the Bay and having similar styles. If you ever did a show together....let's just say that would be really, really cool to see and I would buy tickets immediately. Much love!

Hey homie! Hard to believe how long ago my second album came out. But thanks for the props and for following me over the years. Glad the new one takes you back. :)

The Watsky track came about through Twitter - we tweeted at each other that we were mutual fans. He came up with the concept (originally it was something else) and we made it happen. Was really happy that we got to do a video together. Would definitely love to do a show with him one day!

Thanks for your support!

How in the world did you secure the services of American Nerdcore Legend Skip Turner for the track Zombie T-Rex? He is very handsome.

He is very handsome and very hard working! I heard he'll do a take 1,000 times to get it perfect! And that he has great taste in Calvin & Hobbes posts. ;)

Love that man! Thanks for your question! I got him through is agent, but I had to wait 3 hours on hold to talk to him.

What is your favourite album of yours? And what is your all time favourite track to perform live? :)

I would say "the Zombie Dinosaur LP" is my favorite one so far, but I'm not just saying that because it's new, I really love and believe in it!

"Mr. Raven" is still my favorite song to do live. I love bringing up guests and using the puppet. Also, I love how Poe's poetry always sounds good to a rap beat, and that is one of my favorite examples!!

What up, Lars! I've seen you a few times now, with mcchris. He's really flipped around as far as his being an asshole (according to the intarwebz), and I was just wondering how much you've helped him with that? As someone who also changed himself a bit, friends were one of the most important things during my transition.

Also, any plans for a Sacramento show anytime soon?

Well, mc chris is human and he has bad days and good days just like we all do. There are countless fans that have had positive experiences with him and of course there are people that have had bad experiences with him. I think chris is just an honest person who can't pretend to be happy and nice all the time. Touring can be hell and I don't think anyone realizes how hard he works or for how long when he tours. But yeah, chris has made a lot of progress though, he's always trying to be the best rapper and person he can be. He accepts criticism and learns from it and I think he's definitely made a lot of improvements, for instance people don't get thrown out of shows anymore. He tries to avoid it at all costs now and that's different. As for me, all I've done is been a friend to him through hard times. His father died right before everything went downhill and like most people in mourning his pain and anger have subsided a great deal. He's a great artist and friend and I'm just happy he's feeling better.

Also, I'd love to come back to Sacramento one day! The Boardwalk was one of the first venues I ever played outside of the Bay Area, is it still there?

Thanks for your questions!!

LARS!!! It' Samson from the Illbotz How are you? We love you homie!

Miss you guys! Hope to do more shows together soon! Much love!!

Why did Indie Rocket Science vanish from Spotify? I went crazy trying to figure out where I'd heard its version of Annabel Lee R​.​I​.​P. (which is great!)

Thanks my friend! I don't think Indie Rocket was ever on Spotify? That album has a lot of uncleared samples so it's pretty much only on Bandcamp:

http://music.mclars.com

Thanks for the support!!

Can you send me a t-shirt? Mc Lars in da house.

I surely can! There are many to choose from, all super affordable. ;)

http://merch.mclars.com

Are you crying right now?

Also did you ever listen to that Ghost Mice album?

Crying constantly! With joy!

That Ghost Mice album is so good! Thanks for coming out and for representing and for reminding me about it. Great hanging out!!

Ever consider coming to Wichita Ks? It would be awesome to see you.

I would love to! Do you know any venues that are booking artists like me? Please have them get in touch! Thanks!!

http://contact.mclars.com

I last saw you at that Drug Users Union Benefit show in Oakland with Leftover Crack. I know you've said that you're a huge fan and I was wondering what your favorite CV/LoC/SFH song is? Also how did you wind up getting Stza to be on your new LP?

I love Leftöver Crack so much! My favorite song by them is either "Gang Control", "One Dead Cop" or "Born to Die"! Those are awesome.

Stza and I actually got connected through Atom of Atom & His Package like 12 years ago! Stza was working on a rap project (Mad Cowz) and asked me to be part of it, but our schedules never lined up.

I hit him up and asked him to sing the chorus for "Zombie T-Rex" and he was down! We did part of his vocals in England while he was on tour there and the rest in San Francisco.

Great question! Thanks!!

What are your aspirations for the MC Lars brand? Will you always focus on rap, merch, and music videos, or do you want to branch out into other stuff?

Great question! I mean, the basic typical "band business model" has worked for the past ten years, but it requires me to be on the road a lot of the year.

I love touring, but don't know if I will be as excited to play small clubs when I'm 43. I want to do more kids' entertainment and education stuff. Stay tuned! It's going to be interesting to see where everything goes in the next few years. The music industry is definitely changing in a very cool way!

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I've been all over the US, homie! :) Twice this year!

Back to Brooklyn for Nov then Cali for Dec. More shows next year for sure! Stay tuned!! Thanks for your post!

Hey Lars! You've done some amazing collabs over the years. Any plans to do more work with Mega Ran?

Hey homie! Thanks for the props!! I would love to do more stuff with Mega Ran for sure. We are planning an EP or album for next year, stay tuned!!

Hey MC Lars, I'm a long time UK fan of yours, wanted to say thank for as I received the Zombie Dinosaur LP in the post today and I'm really excited to listen to it.

Who would you most like to collaborate with in the future (that you haven't already? Who has been your favourite person to collaborate with so far?

and one more cheeky one: Have any of the GoT cast heard Dragon Blood?

Hey my friend! Thanks for pre-ordering the album!

I would love to work with Eminem, that would be hilarious. He's really branching out these days, so who knows, it could happen! :)

My favorite collab was "Weird Al", just because he's such a personal hero of mine.

I don't know if anyone on the Thrones cast has heard "Dragon Blood"! That would be awesome if so. I know my publicist works with Hodor on his EDM stuff. I asked him to play it for him, but I never heard back.

Hey Lars! Is there any artist that you've toured with that you would like to do another tour with?

Bowling for Soup! Which is why I'm excited to announce that I'll be back in the UK with them this Feb! 😎

I know that for the longest time you kinda shunned the "nerdcore" label. Now, I've seen you use it a lot. What caused your shift in perspective?

Realizing it won't go away. :) And seeing that the people who are still doing it are all pretty awesome these days.

Yeah, I've made peace with it. The title of the thread must have given it away, right? :)

Aren't you that rapper with the song about hott topic? And "you'll see me clubbing with baby seals" is my favorite line out of any music ever.

Haha, thanks my friend. :)

Yes, I am that rapper, and with EDM's resurgence, the baby seals and I have had quite a memorable few years.

Would you say that hot topic is punk rock?

I'm not sure, I'm pretty sure I saw this guy at the Atilla show last week.

http://www.colormegoth.com/2012/02/full-separation-from-hot-topic.html

Hey Lars. Been listening to your stuff since early 2000s and met you at X&Y in Brisbane a few years ago (and you introduced me to your parents) any plans on touring Australia soon? I saw you on Twitter chatting to AJ about Soundwave..

Keep up the awesome work dude. Always a supporter and listener.

Thanks homie! I appreciate it, and thanks for coming to the Brisbane show! I have always had a special place in my heart for Australia, being half-Aussie myself.

Doing a short run of Aussie shows this April. See you then homie!

Hey Lars! Wish I had seen this earlier. If you do more shows with Spose, try to get back out to Seattle. You guys killed it at El Corazon! Your freestyle game was on point. Do you do anything in particular to keep your freestyle sharp? Special diet and exercise or something?

Also, do you still keep in touch with K Flay? Any collaborations planned there?

Thank you my friend! And thanks for coming out to the El Corazón show! I hope to be back soon.

I think freestyling is a muscle memory thing, I do it when I'm driving and trying to fall asleep.

Still friends with Flay! We probably won't ever work together again but I'll always be proud of the "Single and Famous EP"! Thanks for your support! See you next time in Seattle, homie!!

How stoked are you about The Force Awakens?

Beyond stoked! I recently watched Episodes I - VI to get ready!! It's going to be amazing.

Any blowback from Sublime fans? If so how severe/hilarious is it?

Well, it's been pretty divided. Some of them agree with my sentiment and some furiously did not.

Their agent wasn't too happy!

MC Lars. Can you say hi to Tim Thompson for me? Miss that guy!

I love and miss that bad boy!!! :)

I will say hi for sure! He recently directed a new "Weird Al" video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yazr8JkazmE

Saw you in Chicago on the Joyful Smiles Tour! Had a fantastic time! Thanks for bringing me back the life that grad school has slowly been sucking away.

My question is: Who are your main musical influences outside of rap?

Haha! Thanks for coming to that show! It was a fun night. I love the Beat Kitchen!!

Some of my favorite musical influences outside of rap are Rush, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Primus, the Dead Kennedys, Frank Zappa and of course Ween. My taste is very eclectic!

What's it like to have a song with spizzyspose?

Spose is amazing! I remember when I first heard his stuff I was super impressed. We met in 2010 and started working on a track, but we never finished it.

Anyway, he kills it on our collab and I hope to tour more with him soon. Check out his "Why Am I So Happy?" album, it's fantastic!!

Hey Lars. Zombie Dinosaur is great!! I had the chance to see you at the Aardvark in Ft. Worth with mc chris and YTCracker. Such a great show!! Do you have any plans of working with YTC again?

Wow! That Aardvark show was so long ago. I loved that tour with chris and YT.

"The Digital Gangster LP" was recorded at a very interesting time in both Bryce (YTCracker) and my lives. We had both been doing stuff on our own and we met when we were ready to try something new. It was the first project I'd ever done since high school without the support of any sort of label. We did an earlier version of Kickstarter (inspired by Jill Sobule) where people could order the new album at different levels.

Anyway, making that album was a cathartic release because "This Gigantic Robot Kills" had literally taken years and we did "the Digital Gangster LP" in like a week. I finished it after "TGRK" but it came out before "TGRK".

I would definitely work with YTCracker again! There are a bunch of other projects in the pipeline, but a "DGLP 2" would be amazing.

Hey man! I saw you at warped in Shakopee and was stoked to see you working your own merch booth. any plans on going again?

That was a fun day! Thanks again for coming out to Warped. I love that tour and the Minnesota date is always one of the best. See you next time for sure!! Much love!

Hi Lars!

At your Dallas show, who was that kid who rapped and did freestyle with you? Was he a friend of yours?

Haha, thanks for coming! That was one of my students from Warped. He rocked it! Thanks for coming out to see us. :)

Hey Andrew. What would now MC Lars tell still in college MC Lars Horris?

Haha, hey Paul! Miss you buddy! Did you see Mike had a baby??

I would tell MC Lars, "Don't quit! It's going to be an interesting ride but everything will be worth it."

Hope to see you soon!

I saw you in Gainesville a a few years back and gave you some books. You gave me Greatest Hits on vinyl as a thank you. Did you ever consider that this was a bad value trade for you, as those books don't have a high market value?

PS Thanks for the gift in return! That was a great show too!

Haha, I love the bartering system! And thanks for those books. I appreciate it. :)

I had like a 1000 vinyls, and little books that night I remember, so you re-upped my literary value 1000%. Thanks. (Not sure if the math is right, but you feel me!)

Hey Lars - long time no see! This time I'm asking the questions, not hiding in a corner while /u/sassy-andy asks them!

I've got a few books of Poe kicking it on my bookshelf - what story/poem should I read next?

Woah! Hey my friend! Thanks for following my music.

Check out Berenice, Poe's creepiest story by far!! It's very autobiographical and very twisted.

I wrote a song about it for the Edgar Allan Poe EP, but took it off because it was too messed up. You'll see!

Netherlands show any time show? Or even Germany or Belgium perhaps?

I am totally down to return to all three countries! I haven't played in mainland Europe since I went out with Zebrahead a few years ago. Would definitely love to return.

Do you know any promoters who'd like to bring me back? :)

Please have them get in touch. Thank you!!

http://contact.mclars.com

Hey Lars new album is excellent! Really appreciated all my gifts from the Kickstarter. Any plans on visiting the UK soon? If so bring the nerdcore! We sadly don't get enough touring here and it would be great to see some collabs live =)

Thanks my friend!

I will be back in the UK with Bowling for Soup February! See you then! Can't wait!

Hey MC Lars! I love your music. Who would you consider to be your biggest musical influence? That and then would you ever like to do more work with Bowling for Soup? Thanks so much for dropping by!

Thanks my friend! I appreciate it!

I think some of my biggest influences are "Weird Al" Yankovic, KRS-One and Rush. Diverse, I know, but they all really inspire me a lot in different ways.

Would definitely love to do more stuff with Bowling for Soup. Stay tuned!! Will be touring the UK with them in Feb!

Lars! huge fan, was sad you didn't do a NYC show this tour but I'll catch you next time you come through! Loving ZDLP and was wondering what determines what makes the album and what ends up on the Concepts album? Some of those tracks go just as hard as the album!

Hey Nick! Thanks so much man! We tried to do an NYC show around Comic-Con but it fell through at the last minute. Hoping to do a Jan show with my friends Hand Job Academy.

Great question - I did about 50 songs for this new project. I wanted "the Zombie Dinosaur LP" to sound cohesive, songs like "Signing Dubstep" didn't make the cut because I didn't want to have two tracks referencing the last albums ("Where Ya Been Lars?" and "Hipster Girl"). It usually comes down to cohesiveness, which is definitelty arbitrary in an era where the album format is going away.

Thanks for your support! See you soon!

Lars! Big fan! Love the new album, especially "The Dip". I know you said something about doing a Roger Rabbit themed ep a little while ago. Are you still going to do that? Are you still friends with Ill Bill? Thank you!

Hey homie! I would love to do a Roger Rabbit EP, maybe one day. :) So much material in that movie!

ILL BILL and I are still homies. I don't see him as much these days, but I always love hearing what he's doing and thought the Non-Phixion reunion / new boxed set was amazing.

Much love! Thanks for your questions!!

You've toured a lot with MC Chris. What do you think of this? https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/wrm3v/so_i_was_kicked_out_of_mc_chriss_concert_last

He did a similar thing at a show in Glasgow while I was there, singling a guy out for 'disrespecting' his support.

I heard about that - chris is one of my best homies and I know he was going through a lot that year.

I heard he made peace with the dude who posted that. I know chris felt really bad and regrets kicking that kid out. He's done so much for me and his other support artists over the past ten years and he's done so much for the scene, taking so many smaller artists on tour and helping them start their careers. We all make mistakes and I feel like the indie rap community has forgiven him for that night.

... but really, chris was standing up for Richie, which was admirable. It's true, chris has always gone above and beyond for his openers, which he doesn't need to do because he has always been big enough to headline without any support, and people forget that. He was standing up to someone being mean on the internet and I admire him for that.

Hey man! Just wanted to say I love the new album. I'm a very amateur producer, would you listen to one of my tracks and hit me with some advice or knowledge? No big deal it would just be like, amazing to hear from you. https://soundcloud.com/daymonfabbo/trip

Peeping "Trip"! Love the chill vibe. Super-well produced from what I hear so far.

I would say keep reaching out to people, keep hustling, keep making video content and keep enjoying your work. I have a producer friend named Samarei who does a lot of "beat competitions".

Also, mashups are good, I get a lot of SoundCloud remixes with people who have made new beats under my acapellas. I often end up working with them.

Keep hustling and thanks for the question!

Hey Lars! Shaggy haired dude from Southern NM, here! I really loved your haiku videos you did back on warped, is there any chance you would ever make a haiku filled track?

Hey my friend! Thanks for the props! :) Will keep doing haikus!

I have a few songs with haiku bridges, "It's Not Easy (Being Green)" and "Flow Like Poe", but an all haiku song would be interesting! The challenge would be making them rhyme and fit the 4/4 iambic tetrameter format of common hip-hop. It could happen! Stay tuned!!

Hey Lars, loving the new record and looking forward to you coming back to Glasgow. Care to share about you and yelawolf on warped tour, I heard he was a dick to you but not sure what the story is?

Hey homie! Thanks for checking out the new album!

Yelawolf wasn't a dick, per se, he just wasn't that friendly, considering that we were on the same stage together all summer and did autograph lines in adjacent tents etc. When I first introduced myself he shook my hand but wouldn't look me in the eye, even when I told him that I'd worked with Rittz, his friend of his who later signed to Strange Music.

Anyway! It's all good. In the years of doing Warped Tour I've learned that you don't make friends with everyone. I don't think I said one thing to Riff Raff this summer. That doesn't make him a dick, we were just rolling in different circles.

Hey Lars, love the new album, especially triforce and sublime with rome. I got the chance to see you once opening for wheatus, still one of favourite shows I've been to. Thanks for all the music over the years, it's helped me through a lot, and TGRK introduced me to ska, so thanks for that, I owe you man.

Anyway, I was wondering if you have any plans for another christmas EP? I loved frosty the flow man, I always play it constantly at christmas.

Also, what is you're album of the year so far?

Once again, thanks for all the music, love you man!

EDIT: And are there any plans of releasing the instrumental album as a download on bandcamp?

Woah! Thanks for coming to the Wheatus show! They are so fun to tour with and I love the whole band and crew as people.

Thanks for the props on my music man, and for your support! I definitely hope to do another holiday EP. Stay tuned!!

My favorite album to come out this year was probably Dre's "Compton: a Soundtrack"! Everyone compared it to his other work, which I don't think you can. I think the beats are awesome and I love his story telling.

Instrumental album will definitely be on Bandcamp! In the meantime, you can find it here: http://hellomerch.com/collections/mc-lars/products/the-zombie-dinosaur-lp-instrumentals-cd

Thanks homie!!

MC Lars, that's my fav-o-rite MC!

I've seen you twice in Rochester, NY (Big props, of course, to the ONLY station that Matters, 90.5 FM WBER for being the only real supporters of you) and you were very well received both times just about selling out the place. Sadly I missed the last show, gotta make money, yo!

Anyways, I'm also a huge fan of "Weird" Al Yankovic. What was it like collaborating with him on TPFR, and would you ever want to have one of the following happen:

Drop a verse with you on a song of yours

OR

Have him parody a track of yours/your stylings on one of his tracks?

Hey my friend! Thanks for coming out to those Rochester shows!! Hope you can come next tour.

I love "Weird Al" too! It was so awesome doing "True Player for Real" with him because he kind of put his own unique twist on the accordion part and gave me mixing advice.

Would love to do more work with him for sure! And I would be honored if he ever parodied me in any way.

Thanks for your questions! Hope to see you next tour!!

MC Lars! Dude the albums is great. When I saw you in Denver, you rocked it as per usual!

My wife is disabled and we can only make it out to 3 or 4 shows a year and yours is one we try not to miss (we had to miss Weird Al this year, ugh). the reason why is because you consistently bring it!

Are you still fighting with your girlfriend in London? Don't make me sad. Make up or break up man!

Does Amazon Music treat you right?

I don't know which album you are calling introspective. I love all your albums. You really do put yourself into your albums, so they are all introspective in my mind. Which one were you talking about?

Hey homie! Thanks so much for the kind words, and for coming out to the Denver show! That was such a fun show.

So glad you could both make it! Your wife is a baller!! :) That's awesome. And hopefully you won't miss Weird Al next time.

The love of my life lives in NY and we have an amazing relationship. I love her with all of my heart and am so happy and fortunate that music brought us together.

Amazon Music has been good! I get a nice, small check from them every month.

The introspective album is "Lars Attacks!" - that got the most divided reaction from anyone so far. But I'm proud of that album am glad I released it! I just won't to do another album quite like that one, as with any other release.

Thanks for your great questions! Awesome seeing you guys in Denver!

wtf is nerdcore?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerdcore_hip_hop