Carnage the Executioner (Terrell Woods) has an awesome show (Carnage the Executioner presents the Plant Based Poets) at the Hook and Ladder on July 10 and to slightly misquote him from our chat today, “expect an increase in positivity and greatness from here.”
We spoke to Terrell about music, the show and the meaning and growth behind both. The show features organic, improv performers including some dancers. Terrell told us that each performance of his own material is unique by design. He creates the beat on the fly. He reacts to the audience, the world around him and his own head space. The Plant Based Poets are the same. Who knows what will happen? It will be a once in a lifetime performance.
It was inspiring to hear Terrell talk about his transformation from young rapper striving to be the best in the most competitive sense. Following the “rules” of what rappers like, don’t like and how they act. He enjoyed success but he was confined by an idea of rap until a friend said, “we know how good you are, now we want to know who you are.” That is when he stopped talking about keeping in real and starting keeping it real. He became truer to himself and who he wanted to be. Some of that really comes out in the Ravenous album where he sings about a plant based life and living to eat. It’s not just a song; it’s him.
He has a new album out AntiFaux. It’s powerful, political and it calls out some harsh realities of our world. It reminded me immediately of the Dead Kennedys in a more Hip Hop sense. It speaks to what is happening in the world today, from pandemic to civil unrest in Minneapolis but from a historical lens. It looks at the history of fascism and implores us to start learning from history. It’s important music. Terrell is a natural teacher and performer. The show on July 10 will be a culmination of both sides. (I hope it becomes a regular series!)
Mostly Minnesota 