*Chupacabra vs. The Alamo premieres this Saturday at 9/8c on the SyFy Channel. While searching for interesting cast members to interview in promotion of the film, I stumbled across the profile of Bishop Brigante. Bishop is a groundbreaking rapper hailing from Ontario, Canada whose accomplishments in music and film are bleeding across borders. In my interview with Mr. Brigante you’ll read about his career in rapping, about his roles in horror films Chupacabra vs. The Alamo and Evil Feed, and what is in store for him in 2013. You can find it all below, along with two exclusive behind-the-scenes shots of Bishop and Erik Estrada.
How does it feel to be the first Canadian rapper to appear on BET’s Freestyle Friday?
To be the first at anything is always a great feeling, especially if what you’re doing has a big impact on a culture or for your own personal accomplishments. I’ve always had a go getter attitude in my career, so when I set out to be the champ on a huge scale like 106 and Park, there was no stopping me. The response that came from both sides of the border was tremendous though. I was being stopped everywhere for my performances on the show. To this day, I still get people who meet me, and they always talk about my 106 and Park battles. It’s a legacy I’m really proud of.
Tell us about your hit singles “About 2 Change,” and “It’s Fo’ Twenty.” Were you surprised by the success these tracks had?
With About 2 Change I was surprised because I was doing something musically different than the songs I was releasing prior to that. I was actually more worried that maybe I went too left field with it, but it’s what I wanted to do. After my first single, I started noticing how people were affected by my words. I wanted something that the kids in my community could use as a tool to chase their dreams. I’m really proud to have a song that can stand the test of time so far.. lol With Fo’ Twenty I was able to collaborate with the Nate Dogg and kinda let loose. He’s a hit all on his own, but I had to do my thing on it as well. To be honest, I’m always surprised when any of my music does well. As long as it evokes a feeling in someone, then I’m happy enough from that.
Where can readers preview and purchase your music?
You can find everything on www.bishopbrigante.com or on any other social media network under Bishop Brigante.
Aside from Narc, the television series Platinum was your first big opportunity in front of the camera. What was it like juggling rapping and acting at the same time?
I don’t really think of it as juggling really. Both of these careers are things I’m really passionate about, so I spend a lot of my time doing both. I can literally work a 12 hour day on set for a film or tv show, then go straight to my studio for another 12 if I have something specific project I’m working on. I think for me, the two go hand in hand so I will always have both of them as a part of my day to day routines.
Now for Chupacabra vs. The Alamo… How did you go about landing this role and what made you pursue this opportunity in the first place?
I was in Vancouver shooting another move called “Evil Feed” and my agent had gotten me an audition for Chupacabras vs. The Alamo. I love the city of Vancouver and wanted to stay longer, so here was my opportunity Once I learned that I would be in the same movie with the legendary Erik Estrada, I was locked in. lol. I used to have a “Chips” big wheel with this guys face on it. I used to hear stories about these chupacabras and so the whole idea of psycho, alien, blood sucking dogs attacking a city seemed like it would be a fun movie to do. It didn’t take much convincing. lol
Can you tell readers a little bit about your character in the film?
I play Gordo and I’m one of Spiders right hand men in his gang that he leads. Brent Mclaren and myself are his go to guys as far as advice and anything else gang related. I’m a bit of a trouble maker but when it’s time to fight, I’m ready to go. There’s a bit of comic relief between my character and Brents as well.
Did you get to work with Erik Estrada or run from invisible, computer generated chupacabras?
Oh absolutely! We were on set working with Erik almost every day. Everytime we ran from the chupacabras, it seemed like he was in the lead! lol. Working with Erik was amazing though. He’s actually a very kind guy and really fun to work with. There wasn’t a dull moment on set with Erik at all.. Quite the opposite really.
What is your favorite memory from filming this movie?
I would say the friendships developed on the film and the comedy amongst all of us and the director Terry. It was a really relaxed set and the whole cast and crew were just great people altogether. If I had to pinpoint any specific memory, it would have to be the day Erik discovered his name being dropped in a P Diddy song from 2002. He was basically on fire that day and no one could touch him lol. He truly was an honor to work with.. no joke.
You mentioned Evil Feed and it also looks like an interesting film concept. Can you tell readers a little about this flick and your role in the production?
Without giving away too much, this film is a super grind house styled flick about a restaurant that only serves humans on their menu. The thing is, they prepare the meals by making two fighters fight in a match to the death. Loser gets eaten. I play a street tough boxer named Carlos, who joined a dojo to learn kung fu with some friends. Our sensei gets kidnapped by this restaurant, and we set out on a mission to get him back. But what we find is beyond anything we could ever have imagined.
What does the rest of 2013 hold for Bishop Brigante?
I have actually been working on my new album and it looks like I may be releasing it this summer. So there will be a lot of touring all over. You can stay up to date with me on my twitter which is @bishopbrigante to find out my day to day activities for announcements regarding this album. Also with the release of Evil Feed and CvA coming up, I’ve had a couple more roles being offered to me. So thats what it will be again, music and movies like it always is.
*Thank you for taking the time to chat with me, Mr. Brigante.
Bishop Brigante on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brigantefanpage
Bishop Brigante on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BishopBrigante
Official Website: https://bishopbrigante.com
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1068700/
