Anti Citizens' "Effortlessly"

Anti Citizens are Mr. Ridley (rhymes and beats), Bazerkowitz (rhymes), and DJ Artistry (turntablism). Their song “Effortlessly” (featuring Ras Kass and Apathy) was the most-downloaded local MP3 from SDReader.com during February. Ridley provided some background.

If you could sum up the message of the song with one line, which lyric would that be?

“Don’t try too hard to do what should come naturally.” If you find yourself putting tedious amounts of time and labor into making shitty music, then you should find a new career.

So, what’s effortless?

Making music is effortless for us. Where the real work comes in for any independent artist is the grind of getting the music out to the people.

What does take a lot of effort?

Everything in our lives besides making music.

You rap about something called Operation Wake the Fuck Up.

That’s to bring consciousness back to the general population of listeners. Especially the ones who don’t even realize yet that hip-hop is in fact music, and there’s more to us than what 93.3 FM and MTV shows you.

What’s up with demanding that rival emcees “take an Ambien” sedative? Should hip-hop make you sleepy?

It just means certain artists across the globe don’t need to be artists. It’s like everyone woke up and decided to start rhyming or making beats, with no real talent whatsoever, and they need to go back to sleep. The line is more a suggestion, not a command...just stay the fuck outta the way of people who do this full time.

Tell us something about you guys that few would know or guess?

I’m a time traveler from the year 2029. Bazerkowitz is in the movie Dodgeball and did various stunt work in major motion pictures. Ras Kass is currently working on an album with DJ Rhettmatic from the Beat Junkies. Apathy works with Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park. And DJ Artistry was born in a test tube.