Counting With Afrikan Sciences

Eric Porter Douglas, aka Afrikan Sciences, is responsible for some of the most exciting Afro-futurist productions in recent memory, blending the broken beats of West Coast funk with classic house, and a dash of Sun Ra sci-fi. His new LP, Circuitous, is out now on Berlin imprint PAN. It goes hard.
1 memorable line in a song:
“Even if it’s jazz or the quiet storm, I hook a beat up, convert it into hip-hop form.” -Rakim, “I Ain’t No Joke” off Eric B. and Rakim’s Paid in Full.
2 decisions I regret:
First would be selling my comic book collection which I had amassed from childhood to make rent as a struggling college student. I never recovered from that, and it kind of killed the spark I had for collecting. Second, around that same time, Whodini were in town to do a show, and their DJ was calling around trying to find turntables for the gig. They contacted me, but I held out because they wouldn’t have compensated. My childhood heroes—and I ended up trying to extort them. Oh, the shame.
3 people that should collaborate:
Doctor Who, Doctor Strange, Doctor Ice. The result? Time traveling rap with a twist of mysticism.
4 things I haven’t done yet:
- Traveled to my namesake.
- Performed in Japan.
- Committed to daily practice on my upright.
- Found inner peace.
5 things I used to believe:
- That my parents were robots.
- New sneakers made me run faster.
- If I spun around fast enough counter-clockwise I could go back in time.
- I could never throw away my childhood toys.
- Children are the future.
6 hours ago…
I was preparing my child for school.
7 albums everyone should own:
- Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, The Very Best of Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band
- Sun Ra & His Arkestra, Jazz in Silhouette
- Ultramagnetic MCs, Critical Beat Down
- Frank Zappa, Apostrophe (‘)
- Two Banks of Four, Three Street Worlds
- John Lee Hooker, Get Back Home in the U.S.A.
- Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
After 8 p.m.
Daddy goes off duty, LEGOLAND is dismantled, Avengers are disassembled, and I clear out of my studio.
My 9 lives…
I keep resetting on the fifth.
I would touch it with a 10-foot pole:
Man-made drugs. Blessed be the herb.
This article originally appeared in the Winter 2014/2015 edition of Electronic Beats Magazine. To read more from this issue, click here, and to read Counting With columns from Helena Hauff, Jackmaster, and more, click here.