Interview with PEANUTGALLERY NETWORK founder, Anacron.
Anacron is an award-winning and published recording artist, Senior level certified Experiential Educator, and 2018-appointed United States Cultural Ambassador from Los Angeles, California. His group, The PEANUTGALLERY NETWORK(stylised as PNTGLLRYNTWRK) is a collective of creatives from around the world. Created in 1993, it started as a project between friends has grown in size with over 80 collaborators and affiliates from around the world.
"How did you fall in love with music?"
"I don't remember exactly when, honestly. Although my parents are scholars and intellectuals, they kept a very musical household in the sense that there was ALWAYS music playing, and they encouraged and supported musical talent in me and my siblings. I began playing instruments at an extremely young age, and I remember that I loved music even before then, so... "*shrug*
"Who are your biggest inspirations?"
"In general - My immediate family, my GALLERY family, my experiences, and society. In music - Roy Ayers, Serge Gainsbourg, Miles Davis. In hip hop - Kurupt, Aceyalone, The Nonce, Battlecat, DJ Quik, The Neptunes."
"Who are your dream collaborations?"
"Alex Isley, Mocky, De La Soul, Quin, Phoenix, Troyman, Clairo, Galimatias, Jay Electronica, and anyone from the PNTGLLRYNTWRK."
"What made you decide to start the PNG?"
"It wasn't some grand plan of any kind at the beginning, and definitely was not started with any intention for becoming the massive collective it is today. At my high school, we had a community of underground hip hop heads, and there was a constant flux of crews and groups forming, all among the same 15 people or so. I was already in a couple of dance crews, a few graffiti sets, and one of L.A.'s most notoriously known street gangs (whew). As I started getting more seriously into hip hop, I wanted to be part of a rap duo, so I came up with a name and linked with this kid Giovanni. He was good, but wasn't really very serious about rhyming, so my homie and fellow cipher monster Aumnikrises took his place and we became the first official inception of Peanut Gallery."
"How easy was it getting people on board?"
"It didn't take any effort at all, because the gallery has always been about real connections. Even though I'd formed Peanut Gallery as a duo with Aumnikrises, it gradually turned into a crew situation as a bunch of the other hip hop heads who were also good friends organically became a part of the family. It wasn't rushed, desperate, or even intentional - it was a very gradual progression. A handful of my closest friends - Murs, Himself, DJ Jedi, Beyond Bionik, and others, got down with it. From there, it expanded naturally outside of school and across Los Angeles, welcoming and embracing friends of friends who shared the same vision for hip hop specifically, but arts and expression as a whole.
Once I began touring in the mid 90's, both around the country and overseas, it was a wrap. The crew continued to grow in the same organic way, built more on relationships and connections than some money-motivated business venture. By the time we started calling it Peanut Gallery Network, there were already two base chapters in L.A. and Chi-Town, and members in several countries outside the U.S. Today, the squad continues to grow in the same fashion - organically, via relationships. PG always has been, and always will be, a group of cool-ass, down to earth people who do awesome things."
"How much disruption did the pandemic bring to the PNG?"
"Man, the pandemic brought the family together. As people grow, they grow apart. You get old, you get responsibilities, and you get so busy that it's tough to keep up with the folks you used to hang with every week. This is a fact of life. The pandemic put this crushing halt to everything that was devastating to a lot of people's livelihood, routine, and income; simultaneously, it freed people to connect, create, and grow in ways they normally wouldn't have been able to. The Gallery family took advantage of that moment, and really came together to produce some amazing work. Dana Anderson's remix audiobook, Mike Wird's EP package, ElephantBird's album, The Lvxes EP package, Hawt Coco's upcoming record, and SassyAn's upcoming dual EP are incredible projects that could not have happened without the dedication, effort, collaboration, and willingness of the family."
"How do you stay full of ideas for future content?"
"Ha! I have more ideas than I have time. Always making sure that I'm open to inspiration and receptive to opportunity is how I continue to generate ideas, but also get them DONE."
"What is useful pieces of advice for creatives?"
"Find the right balance of "yes" and "no." I feel like my generation of creators said YES to everything, and ended up getting screwed by the industry because of it. I feel like the newer generation says NO to everything, and are screwing themselves because of it.
Recognizing value and looking ahead instead of at what's right in front of you is crucial for artists, and finding an intentional balance helps you to see that lots of small steps often carry you further than a few huge leaps.
Additionally, while many creators are intent on turning their art into a business, I'd encourage them to let their art be art and create a business that supports it.
Finally, don't ever forget the people who supported and loved what you did when you started, because no one else will ever devote the same level of attention, risk, or effort in lifting you up."
"Something that you would consider as a guilty pleasure."
"Guilty pleasure" feels oxymoronic to me. I don't feel guilty about anything that gives me pleasure, that'd ruin the enjoyment of the experience.
"And finally, Any parting words."
"Naaaaah hahaha."
PS: Would like to take this moment to thank Anacron for taking the time out to have this interview. You can find all of his music and more info through this link: https://g.co/kgs/3gu3xB. You can check out the PEANUTGALLERY NETWORK at their website: http://gallery.pntg.net/. (Image credit: Anacron's Instagram account."