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Gain more insight into significant hip-hop figures by checking out their revealing answers to our questionnaire.

Irreverent and maybe even a little wild, Animal Nation is a two-piece from Whistler, B.C., that makes self-conscious hip-hop, incorporating elements of pop, rock and whatever else grabs the duo's attention for more than a few minutes. Their latest album is Every Day in the Life, which came out last September. Animal Nation has a number of tour dates this summer, but you can catch them at the Layback Lounge in Harrison Hot Springs on Friday, May 18. Here are Tall Man and Armadillo Slim tackling our questionnaire.

What was the first hip-hop record you ever bought and where'd you get it?

Tall Man: The first hip-hop record I ever tried to buy was Biggie's Ready to Die, but my pops wasn't down with the "explicit content" sticker on the front (didn't he realize that flashing your "explicit content" albums around school was the best way to meet girls?). So I ended up with Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise, which also had an "explicit content" sticker on the front, but had the wholesome-looking Michelle Pfeiffer in the music video.

Armadillo Slim: My first hip-hop album was MC Hammer's Hammer Time. It was a cassette tape and the hoarder in me probably still has it stashed away somewhere. My first hip-hop CD was Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle. My mom wasn't down with the "explicit lyrics" label either, so I used to put the price tag sticker over the top of them before I talked her into buying them for me. Doggystyle was a hard one to convince her of however, given the content of the album cover.

Where did the name that you perform under come from exactly?

TM: Animal Nation spelt backwards is Noitan Lamina, which is Latin for "Ultimate Gods of Rock." Tall Man came from our very observant friend Reid, who one day noticed that I was indeed a tall man.

AS: People in high school used to call me Armadillo because my last name is Armitage. And I'm hard as f--k!

What was the last book you read and how was it?

TM: I'm gonna lie and say it was Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions 'cause that's my favourite book. I mean, how many other books in the "adult" section have pictures in them? Let alone pictures that break the fourth wall while talking metaphysics.

AS: The insert from the first CD I bought, Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle.

Where is your favourite place to eat on planet Earth and what are we having?

TM: We're probably headed to Sushi Village. It's such a Whistler staple. We're gonna have a dragon roll, some chicken karaage and some sashimi. All of it will arrive between serious bouts of sake shots until we can't remember the bill showing up. If you can't remember paying it's essentially free.

AS: The Bearfoot Bistro, where I have worked on and off for almost the last decade. It is a world-class restaurant which has left me with expensive tastes which I can't afford. We will be starting with a trip to the Belvedere Ice Room for a vodka tasting, followed by sabering a 1959 Dom Perignon. We would then head up to the dining room to enjoy the five-course tasting menu (with wine pairing) that will then be prepared by Melissa Craig and served by Andre St. Jacques. Before desert, Michael Robinson will select an array of cheeses from all over the world, which will be shared amongst the table with a nice port. Now for desert ... table side liquid nitrogen ice cream mixed with Bailey's, will conclude the dining experience, followed by five more trips to the vodka room. I don't remember the rest.

Which artist, living or dead, would you most like to collaborate with and why?

TM: I would love to work with Emily Haines. Or even just hang out with Emily Haines. I'd love to hang out with Emily Haines, Joni Mitchell 40 years ago and Raphaelle Standell-Preston with the thought that having the three of them in a room together would highly increase the chance of seeing them all kiss. Honestly, Prince Paul or Eyedea because they are the best.

AS: Justin Bieber! After recently watching Never Say Never, I have been inspired to hunt down Usher and sing one of his own songs to him.