Vancouver based rapper Moka Only is not only a prolific musician with over 40 albums to his credit, but he is also a real character

“Oh yeah, I guess that is Canada Day,” he laughed over the phone from Vancouver while spaking about his Canada Day gig at Henotic with the Scalebreakers and

 special guests the City Prophets, Absent Minds and DJ’s Booda Daemon

“I’m not much of partier to tell you the truth, I’d rather just hang out with a few good people and do quiet things,” he said, after joking he shoots himself out of a cannon buck naked singing the American national anthem to celebrate Canada Day.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to Lethbridge — it’s been a good two months almost,” he laughed.

 He has just released his 40-something album, “Lowdown Suite 2— The Box” — a continuation of the Lowdown Suite, which was released in 2003.

“ It’s hard to keep track of how many I’ve done. I’ve recorded three other projects since then. It was originally done in 2002 Lowdown Suite 2 is the same sort of theme— musical textures and lots of jazz,” he said adding he wrote and played all of the instruments on the CD except for reed instruments.

“I have some samples, but I like to take everything and blend them together. If you use samples with diligence, it’s like you’re composing brand new melodies by taking existing things and fusing them together,” he said.

“A lot of people are very lazy and are just content to use one, but I’m not  content to do that. I play everything I can get my hands on,” he said 

“I ’m always writing. I always carry a notepad. That reminds me, I need to pick up a new notepad,” he mused.

“How do I do it? There‘s nothing else to do. I don’t have a huge social life. I’m a hermit when I’m not touring,” he said adding he always brings instruments to perform with though they are different  every time. 

He said touring is a continuous cycle.

“ This is the first leg of a two week tour, then there‘s a break, then it begins again. I always look at it as one big tour. It just doesn’t end. I’ll keep doing it until I’m too old to do it, ” he continued.

“I’m always touring because I always have something to showcase to people,” he added, noting choosing a set list is difficult considering he has over 40 CDs to choose material to perform, so sets are often designed an hour before the show.

He has some lactate based surprises planned  for the show.

“Milk and music make the world go round,” he laughed.

 

“You’ll see a lot of improvisation, experimentation and borderline stand-up comedy,” he laughed.

Tickets for the show cost $10 in advance from 

Infamous, Boarderline, Blueprint Music and Henotic. Doors open at 9 p.m. with the music starting at 10 p.m.