Pick Axe & Shovel Club: Mine for Something, vol. 1 (w/ HeavyCrownz

“Bigger Than Rap” – Shovel Talk w/ The Diryte Farmer Himself

MINER: HeavyCrownz (Englewood, Chicago)

PASC Journalist: DMD

PASC: I’m going to sit this right here, then we can get started….. So who do we have here with us, man?

HeavyCrownz: It’s the farmer, man. Mr. Alkaline, Heavy with the Z, Farmer Crownz, Heavy Crownz, Englewood, baby. You know, here just planting some seeds with my family at Gold Regency.

PASC: What is this? (Looks down)… Oh, its Basil!

*(It was Basil, one of the farm cats. We are currently located in front of the greenhouse at Sistas in The Village Urban Farm, in Englewood, Chicago. Farm Cat Basil, obviously wanted to be a part of the conversation too.)

PASC: So, let me ask you Heavy, when you hear the phrase “Never Fold, Forever Gold”, does that bring anything to mind? Just the saying itself, does that represent anything to you?

HeavyCrownz: Yeah man, when I hear the term “Never Fold, Forever Gold”, it makes me think about the perspective that is gold and never losing the perspective that serves you. Thoughts that serve you, habits and ways of living life that serve you forever. Things, you know, that can be flexible through any season you may be going through. Not just the ones when things are pleasant, but when things are like a little up and down. Keeping that gold mindset and never folding in that way.

PASC: I love that! So, I met you as the artist but we’re here at Sistas In The Village Urban Farm, in Englewood, Chicago. Can you tell me why we’re here and how this represents Heavy Crownz the person?

HeavyCrownz: Absolutely. So, I tell people all the time; “I’m not a rapper, who farms. I’m a farmer, who raps” and for me, I think that leading my people to gardens and healthy eating is first and foremost. That’s one of the most important things to me, BIGGER THAN RAP, man.

I need our people to find better habits and form better, healthy eating habits more than anything. So, I use music to kind of plant the seeds of a new subconscious in our people about eating health, eating better.

PASC: Ah, see what I like about that, its just like what we were talking about in the car on the way here. If we don’t live long, we won’t be able to do any of the things we enjoy doing sustainably. So, we must start on the inside. If you aren’t treating the inside right, you can like whatever you want to, let’s see how much you’re able to enjoy that when the body isn’t running like it’s supposed to.

HeavyCrownz: haha, come on, come on. One thousand percent.

PASC: So, our final question to you is regarding the idea of being a miner. Here at Gold Regency, we’re continuously aiming to build a community of individuals like yourself. Educating our community on the power of being able to “Mine Responsibly”.

Miners seek to empower their communities through creation, information, and exploration in responsible ways that ensure longevity and the ability to sustain quality lifestyles over time.

When you hear “Mine Responsibly”, what does that mean to you?

HeavyCrownz: Man, I feel like for me, that resonates in doing the diryte work. Always being ready to check yourself again. Go within, again. Ask yourself the hard questions, again.

You might have a season were everything is going pleasant and that doesn’t mean it’s time to be comfortable and just not check in with self.

So, check your ego, check your thoughts and the processes and perspectives you hold, but like go again. Do the diryte work, again. Go within, again! Always check in with yourself, like a system.

PASC: Mine Responsibly! I’m going to leave you with this Heavy, over here we say “Some call em’ trenches, we call them gold mines” and with that being said, I appreciate you my brotha.

*(As were shutting down mics, I let Heavy know we were going to be taking a few more pictures before leaving. At this moment, Basil lets it be known she isn’t receiving enough love by pulling on my pants leg)

PASC: Really Basil?! I know you love me but come on now.

HeavyCrownz: Damn man, the cat is really catting right now. How much you be over here?! Ha

*Make sure to stream HeavyCrownz latest EP “MR. ALKALINE” and one of our favorite offerings from the Diryte Farmer, “Can U Dig It?”. – Available everywhere you listen to music.