While at the YC Christian youth conference/festival in Alberta, Canada, I was able to catch a show by one of my favorite acts, Humble Beast rapper/spoken word artist Propaganda.

Prop, who just released his much-anticipated album Crimson Cord (which we gave an astounding 4.5-stars review), took some time to talk with me after his set at YC, chatting about the new album, being an introvert, school policy and coffee.

I've been a huge fan since I first heard Excellent, but I know you have deeper roots than that. How far do you go back in hip-hop?

Man, I wrote my first rap in '93, first official record was on Uprok, called Out Of Nowhere, in 2003.

And you spent some time with Tunnel Rats?

Yup, that's my home crew.

It hasn't been too long since Crimson Cord dropped. How has that album been received?

Man, way better than we expected. It's like, when we set up Humble Beast, the heart was always to give away music. The idea of charting or selling records never crossed our mind until we started charting and selling records. Then it was like, "Great, what are you guys doing? You know it's free right?" We've been blown away by what God's doing. You know, it's like when you obey the Father and do what you know to do.

So, Prop, you're a pretty quiet dude...

(Laughs) Only when I'm losin' my voice.

Is it more difficult in front of 10 or in front of 1,000?

As far as performing, the stage is the stage. I enjoy that. It's getting off the stage, and having to talk to 10 people or 1,000 people--both of which are pretty miserable to me because I'm pretty introverted. 

I heard a side of you I never heard before. The verse you did in "Daywalkers" and the verse you did for Chad Jones on "Problems"--two of the best verses I've heard all year. So do you miss that battle rap, just throwin' down?

Ah, thanks man. Yes, I miss it dearly, I'm not gonna lie. I really do miss it.

Is it that you've built a brand around the poetry side?

Yeah, and the battle scene has changed so it's not what I would have been good at doing anyway, anymore. So since the scene changed, it's like, let it go, leave it for the young bucks.

We're a homeschooling family, so when I heard "Bored of Education" my arms went up in the air, I kind of gave out a little cheer. Where did that come out of?

Well, I was a public school teacher for about 5 or 6 years. I helped start a couple charter high schools, wrote some curriculum and my wife's getting her Ph.D in Educational Policy. So we're public school advocates. I believe in Public School. I believe in homeschooling too. I believe in all of it. I just believe that we need to be able to be malleable and evaluate really if what we're doing is working. It was just over the frustration of that. Graduating a group of kids and seeing that my straight-A students are finishing college, sure, but some of my kids who checked out of school are starting businesses, travelling the world, and it's really... what did they learn? What did this letter grade really mean? 

I know you're a coffee lover so this is a bit of a bonus question: Favorite coffee and favorite brew method?

Coava, up in Portland, an Ethiopian, like a Yirgacheffe. And it's a tie between a V60 or a Clever.

Nice, I am a Ethiopian/Kenyan kind of fan and AeroPress every morning.

Yessir, AeroPress travels really well, so I'll take an AeroPress with me.

Man, it's been a blessing to talk to you, I love your music, love your heart, the heart of Humble Beast in general. Thanks so much for your time.

Appreciate it. Thank you, man.