by SCOTT C

After chipping away at the cement block that's been weighing down Montreal's hip hop scene, local mega-outfit Atach Tatuq has finally caught the attention of FrancoFolies organizers. This extended crew, made up of DJ Naes, Egypto, 1-2 d'Piq, L'Intrus, Virus, Dee, Khyro, R.U., Casco, Arnak and Haikai, have two LPs under their belt - Suce mon index (as Traumaturges) and La guerre des Tuqs - while continuing to out-work and out-last a lot of local groups and staying true to the music they love. The Mirror rang up DJ Naes.

Mirror: What has made it possible for a group as large as yours to stay together and continue to put out music as long as you have?

DJ Naes: I guess we're very strong willed. AT Musique is the company, and there are a lot of people making music around that, but there's really five of us who take care of everything outside of the music. Egypto, 1-2 d'Piq, L'Intrus, Virus and myself are the centre of the Atach Tatuq family, and we work to set things up for the other members of the group. Sometimes it's difficult because we are 11 people, and we often do shows with just me, Dee and Egypto, or with five or seven people. The FrancoFolies is one show where we're bringing the whole crew - well, almost the whole crew.

M: It must be great to be doing a show at the Spectrum, after playing around the city for such a long time.

DJN: It's very cool for all of us. After our five-minute set at the Mimi Gala, the FrancoFolies called us on the Monday morning to tell us about a show they had planned for the Spectrum. After all those years we were sending them our bio, they finally decided to call us back. It feels really good to know that you at least accomplish your goals. We wanted to do an album, and we did it. We wanted to do a second album, and we did that too. We wanted to do a big show in Montreal, and now the baby boomers who run the festival are giving us our chance. It's accomplishing your goals that gives you the power to continue.

M: So are you ready for the big show?

DJN: Yes, but it's very hard to put it all together with everybody working 40 hours a week. Me and one of the other guys have jobs that allow us to get things done for AT Musique during the day, but it's hard for everyone else.

M: Where do you work?

DJN: I work with kids on a graffiti project in Plateau Mont-Royal. It's pretty cool, but last year when we released the album, Egypto was on unemployment because he quit his job at Customs and Immigration just to work on the record. He had a good job and he quit for music!

M: It's all about the love, man.

DJN: Now, me, Egypto and Khyro all work with kids in the street.

M: Are these kids who know who you guys are?

DJN: Yeah. Kids are much easier to talk to once they know that you make hip hop or DJ, or do graffiti, because they identify with that. They're much easier to reach when you have that in common.

With Diam's at the Spectrum on Saturday, July 31, 11PM, $9.50

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