Lyrical Skill, Lofty Aspirations: The Monastery
Paco, 23 (left), and Carlos Charm, 22, make up the rap duo "The Monastery." The Pleasant Grove natives say they're trying to change the game from the inside out.
Their inspirations include modern rappers but also go all the way back to A Tribe Called Quest, Jimi Hendrix, and actual monks. They’re The Monastery, a duo making their mark on Alabama’s growing rap scene with intricate lyrics they hope will entertain and enlighten.
Kieron Hylton, aka Carlos Charm, and Michael Banks, aka Paco, stopped by the station to talk — and rap — with WBHM’s Dan Carsen. Carlos and Paco perform Friday night at Birmingham’s Das Haus for the Secret Stages music festival. But Paco says some of his own family still don’t know much about his music career … yet.
Listen to the five-minute on-air interview above. Excerpts, a freestyle rap performance (featuring a WBHM staffer), and a 32-minute web-exclusive interview are below.
Conventional Expectations
“A lot of people expected me to be a doctor, something that requires a lot of intellect … I still feel like I chose a profession that does.” — Carlos Charm
Perceived Success, Actual Success
“Perception is everything. We got a bigger following, just off changing how we marketed … Our first time going to New York, we got a lot more fans, a lot more people paying attention to us, just because we did that — not even based off our skill or content or anything. And I don’t know if that’s a problem with the game now, but if you market yourself the right way … people tend to pay attention.” — Paco
J-School?
“I went to school for journalism and I couldn’t do it … Media is in a weird place, just like rap. If I would do it, I’d rather be a freelance writer or something. I couldn’t ‘have a boss’ in the media.” — Paco
Changes In Hip-hop
“We’re in a time where everything isn’t as deep or profound as it was in the 90s, or early 2000s for some people. But I had to learn to stop being a pessimist about the music because I was hating everything … [the simpler music] has its place. The problem is that it isn’t balanced. The game is like that in every field. It’s not balanced in the media, it’s not balanced in sports … but if you want that balance, you can go and find it, because it’s out there.” — Paco
“Hip-hop is expanding so much, so rapidly … And [our Secret Stages performance] is gonna be our best concert ever — we’re gonna make sure of it.” — Carlos Charm
The whole freestyle rap & beatbox session:
The 32-minute web-exclusive interview:
What is happening at Newark Airport? This and other questions answered
Hundreds of flight delays and cancellations at Newark's airport over the past several days are giving passengers headaches and spurring promises to improve the nation's air traffic control system.
Former housekeepers accuse Smokey Robinson of rape, sexual battery
A lawsuit filed on behalf of four women accuses R&B legend Smokey Robinson of sexual misconduct.
Why oil prices are falling, and what it means for the economy
Between tariffs roiling the global economy and OPEC putting more barrels on the market, prices have dropped significantly since January. That's good for consumers, and bad for oil companies.
Hegseth says he’s a change agent at DoD. But details are scarce
The most detailed plan to reshape the Army began taking shape long before Pete Hegseth's arrival as secretary of defense.
India launches missile attacks on Pakistan
India has launched strikes in several parts of Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled territory, in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals.
States win a legal injunction against President Trump, pausing library funding cuts
A federal judge Tuesday wrote that President Trump's executive order dismantling the IMLS "disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government."
