SynTek Ardent Agenda Interview
To start with. Who are you? What do you do?
SynTek: Im SynTek One from Ardent Agenda born n raised in Los Angeles Killafornia & I make that music that gets ya high baby!
Explain Argent Agenda? What does it mean to you?
SynTek: AA consists of myself and Fokalist. What AA means to us is a couple youngins trying to preserve the purity of Hip Hop.
Is there any significance in the name, SynTek?
SynTek: SynTek Imma sin technician or a technician of sin 
nah but on the real SynTek stems from my original MC name of Synanomus but it was a little to long go out painting with, by the time Id be done with a bomb I figured cops would be right behind me ready to kick my ass, so I had to shorten it down a bit.
How long have you been creating hip-hop music?
SynTek: Hmmm that’s a tricky question, well I guess I officially started recording verses on some of the homeys mix tapes since like 96″. Man it was some ol’cheesy ass set up’s, I mean like we couldn’t even afford an official mic so we would be flowing into a pair of headphones HAHAHA damn we was some, broke ass, goons HAHA but yo we did it for the love of the music we didn’t care how elaborate or cheesy the set up was I just wanted to make music.
How did you and Fokalist first hook up?
SynTek: I met Fokal through one of my oldest and truest homeboys JaeWest. Fok is Jae’s youngest brother and at the time I was looking for producers. Jae told me “yo my brother’s been putting together some really sick beats lately you may wanna go & listen to some of his stuff”. So I took that trip to Fokal’s laboratory & the rest is history.
What got you started?
SynTek: It aaaaaaaall started when I was 8 years old when the lil homey brought down a Slick Rick tape and I was like woooooah this shit is heavy I think Imma like this rap shit for real, even if it was just gonna be a flash in the pan I didn’t care I still wanted to see where it would go. I guess Slick is who actually got me started in the game, his creative style made me start freestyling some corny little kid flows.
Some time later Hip Hop started evolving then I came across this cat by the name of Nas and yooo the verbals straight blew me away! Nasty Nas made me wanna start recording tracks and fine tuning my craft, but it was all still a hobby for me at that point..
It wasn’t till I heard this small time unknown underground rapper on some mixtapes & on the wake up show who really got me pumped. That unknown was Eminem and I was like man this guy just took it to another level and it was at this exact point where I was like….ok now its my turn!
What influences you to create new music?
SynTek: As cliché as it may sound…LIFE. All my surroundings, the people I interact with, all my experiences, things I see, things I breathe, things I eat, the fans, the haters, the movers, the shakers, its all good and I use it as fuel for my inspiration. I grew up in the slum area of Down Town Los Angeles so I saw and experienced a lot coming up which impacted my music.
Ardent Agenda has just released its new album, ?Algorhythm?. Do you have a favorite track?
SynTek: I LOVE EM ALLLLL!!!! Haha but yeah if I had to choose one hmmm that’s hard well I like “Shes Gone” cause the beat is hot & I like the way our flows go with it. Also “Wheres Los Angeles At” is a good track when we do it live, it gets the crowd hyped and we get some good crowd participation on that joint.”Foundation” is a little shout out to all the graff writers so that’s becoming an internet banger.
How would you describe your music?
SynTek: Hmm also a tough question, well I think our music is a true art form so its hard to describe at times. We’ll be on some grimy underground joints then the next day we’re rapping a hard rock ballad like “Brace Yourself”, so its hard to describe our music and say this is pretty much how it is….in the end its just good music.
How would you describe the LA Hip Hop scene?
SynTek: Its actually really live, there’s alotta acts and alotta good competition out here. Out of town musicians I’ve met say the same thing they love it, there are so many resources and so many available venues out here they cant believe it. I know folks in the mid west who say there’s no real place where they can get a hold of good underground Hip Hop to buy or no clubs that cater to underground acts so their straight chomping at the bit for some real music & to connect with other good Hip Hop acts.
Who are influences for Ardent Agenda?
SynTek: MCing, DJing, Breaking and Graffiti
Do you guys have any upcoming live shows or events?
SynTek: Fo Sho reference ardentagenda.com every now and then for show updates. We regular spots in LA like the “Airliner” & the “Hip Hop Café” but we’re always doing miscellaneous shows here and there because we usually get a gig last minute with no time to rehears or no pay or no chance to check the venues but I’m like hey that’s Hip Hop it’s the life we chose.
Over the years you’ve done graffiti in LA. What are your thoughts on the LA graffiti scene?
SynTek: The West Coast has an ecliptic variety of graff. I really dig how many are coming with new and original designs & have found a way to make a pretty decent living off of it and still stay true to the street level element that comes with it.I got luv for all the real graff artists who go out in the middle of the night & are actually doing full multi color, intricate designs while risking their lives from crops, gangsters whose hood they’re trespassing and also other rival graff crews.
Has graffiti helped push your music career in anyway?
SynTek: Oh yeah no doubt about it. Its one of the 4 elements in Hip Hop. Where I found graff heads I found MC’s and vice versa. They go hand in hand and can to can. Being good at graff got me respect amongst my peers and I felt like it gave me a level up when I would MC, they look at it as a double threat I suppose.
Do you still get out and paint?
SynTek: Not as much as Id like to, laws are getting stricter and stricter out here for graff. I think its unjust to put some kid whose out there just spreading theyre art in the same category as common criminals. But yeah when I know a good spot & got some spare time Im on it, its like a drug I feed off the adrenalin, the risk, the fame hmm I guess that why I like being onstage its sorta the same feel.
What can we expect to see from Ardent Agenda in the future?
SynTek: MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC, alotta good stuff in the works. Some mix tapes we got coming out, already working on the next album entitled “AA Meetings” and Im even dabbling with a solo album project so please stay tuned for those joints, your gonna dig it word to allah!
Any last words for the Senses Lost readers?
SynTek: Much love n respect to “Senses Lost” readers & staff
Kids doing bids for catchin some graff
Hoods on the corners who slingin that grass
And thick chicks with big tits and plenty of ass
Syn_One
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