KWT Exclusive: KWT x Pac Div (Interview)

With a newly released mixtape that is sweeping the nation, seemingly non-stop tour dates in cities across the nation, and a hugely anticipated debut album on the way, Pac Div is bigger than ever and continuing to grow. Doing their part for the "New West," Like, Mibbs, and BeYoung continue to release quality music as they always have, solidifying their presence as one of the best, new, young hip hop groups to not only come out of California, but the nation.

The Kids Wasting Time were honored to take part in a Q&A phone call session with the Cali trio today, picking their brains regarding subjects ranging from Grown Kid Syndrome, basketball, and their versatility as artists. You can read and listen to some of the Q&A sesh below, and hit the jump to see the interview in its entirety. We would like to give a HUGE thanks to Pac Div for giving us an opportunity to interview them. And a special thanks to Ms. Bianca for setting everything up!

The Kids: "You guys just finished up the Grind N Hustle Tour, now straight into the Search For The Coldest Tour with NERD. Tell us a little about that."

Pac Div: "It's a good experience. Atlanta was dope man. That was the first show. We did that a few days ago. Packed houses. Coors Light just got it doing big. LED screens. It's just a fun time on stage man. They got bread. They got ice bars. And all type of stuff. They got that "people all over the worldddd [singing]." The Coors Light train's flowing inside the show. Haha."

The Kids: "This isn't the first time working with Pharrell. They're confirmed to have production on Grown Kid Syndrome. What's it like to work with a legend like Pharrell?"

Pac Div: "We're not going to completely confirm the production on the album. But we do have some songs that we can put on there from Pharrell. But you know we got tons of new music so you never know what's going to come out on the album. We got the chance to go out there and work with him you know in Miami before this tour."

The Kids: "You've explained the album's concept as you three being stuck in that grey area between kid and adult, can you expand on that and how it influenced your album?"

Pac Div: "We just remember them days when we would be in the house and parents mad at us for not doing what they think we should be doing in our lives. We still hanging around the house at 22/23 years old trying to figure it all out. And it's about THAT. It's about everything you go through in that period in time. And all the aspirations and dreams you have but you still stuck in that stage."

The Kids: "Coming out of California, artists like yourself, Dom Kennedy, Casey Veggies, Blu, etc are affiliated with "The New West"movement. Do you feel like your style and music defines you as "West Coast" or are you more universal than that?"

Pac Div: "I think the West Coast is defined in the lifestyle. It's definitely the lifestyle. You see it's all across the industry right now. The West Coast lifestyle is bleeding across the East and its sweeping the nation. It's everywhere. I think it's definitely the lifestyle that you live and it just comes through in the music."

The Kids: "Any words on features for the upcoming album? And who's one artist you'd like to collaborate with one day?"

Pac Div: "On the album the collaborations really just with the producers. We got Jim Jonsin on a couple records. Got No I.D. Like did some beats. Got our boy TiRon too. The collaborations will be with the producers... ain't too much on the artist features."

The Kids: "You are a very versatile and well rounded group, cause you can come hard on a song like "Anti-Freeze" or "Pac Div" but then turn around, take it down, and drop "Fallin'" or "Let Loose." Talk about the differences in writing and preparing such different type of songs."

Pac Div: "It's different moods. Somedays you wanna hear something smooth, somedays you wanna go out and you know pour your heart. We're those type of guys. We just regular dudes who listen to music who have a real good understanding of like what type of genres and we just bring it up on a certain songs and then we can level it out and talk to you too. I believe that's an advantage point on our end cause we're diverse. And we're performers by nature."

The Kids: "Now that you've toured all over the country, what's the one city that sets itself apart as the best  place to put on a show?"

Pac Div: "Man I'm just gonna say Pittsburgh cause we had the most fun. That crowd was wild man. That Pittsburgh, we show love. Arizona was wild too though. The Bay. New York show love. CHICAGO. Miami was fresh last year. Everywhere shows love."

The Kids: "Quality over quantity has always been a staple for Pac Div. But other dudes are dropping mixtape after mixtape after mixtape. Do you feel that your "less is more" approach is more effective?"

Pac Div: "I think you just gotta find your niche. It's different strokes for different folks. You gotta find your niche and get comfortable with what works for you. Cause for some people a more on slaughter of the game with material might be the way for them. You gotta find what's good for you and the messages your putting out and how your trying to promote your brand."

The Kids: "Speaking of quantity, can we expect any new material before Grown Kid Syndrome releases this summer?"

Pac Div: "Yeah, we already got a lot of material out before Grown Kid Syndrome [Laughs]. We gonna put out some joints man. We got a lot of artists that we work with. Just be expecting to hear a lot and see a lot. We got videos and all that stuff in the works. Everything is a surprise when we come out with it man. So just be ready to hear a lot of shit and see a lot of shit."

The Kids: "How does the sound of Grown Kid Syndrome compare to that of your previous mixtapes and projects?"

Pac Div: "I wouldn't really say uhhh... It's an album. It's automatically set apart from the mixtapes. Your just gonna get that feeling. But we just really doing what we doing on the Grown Kid Syndrome album. It sounds similar."

The Kids: "You guys met in high school through basketball. Which of you had the most game then? And who's got it now?"

Pac Div: (Mibbs): "Well I'm still doing drop steps. Hahaha. Everybody tryna to copy, ain't no such thing as one man no more. You see LeBron and Wade and Bosh had to team-up, everybody tryna get like us and get in three. Haha. That's all I got to say about that."

The Kids: "Being a young, fairly small blog, we're grinding everyday to get our numbers up. What advice do you have for up and coming artists/bloggers?"

Pac Div: "Don't stop. No matter what. Don't doubt. Don't let doubt be in your head. Don't let anything get in your head. Just keep going man you never know what it's going to come out to. Be yourself."
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