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1) Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I am a Gemini first of all. So I can be quiet and lowkey observant at times or I could be the life of the party just depends on if I had waked and baked with my coffee in hand that morning.

As many others I too come from a divided household, with mother in one state and father in the next. I grew up knowing my mother and her strict religious regulations.

Never went astray from what I’ve learned though, just became more aware of spirituality and grown more against organized religion. It’s just that they don’t seem to understand that order and chaos is one of the same, just depending how you look at it.

Although this may be true, no one else thought so as I desperately tried to explain to them but ended up writing it all down. As the homie Trademark says “on many occasions quietness is kept.”

2) Who were some of your musical influences coming up?

I’ve had many influences dating all the way back to John Coltrane, to Sade. My grandma had really got me hooked on to jazz and picking up vibes. Taught me to really feel out the situations being that life is just a feeling process anyway.

But as for rap I listened to a lot of DMX, Jay Z, Kayne and Lil Wayne growing up in the late nineties/early two thousands. Uhh J. Cole been a pretty big influence on me going thru tough times he was always there to tell me to love mines.

And Dom Kennedy as we all know is the maker of what is dope, he came to my SCSU for homecoming and shut that down forreal. And as I previously mentioned Nas and The Clan been major influences for me growing up as well.

3) How would you describe yourself as an artist? Has your style changed much over the years?

I am big into art. I like a lot of it and music and it shows by how much I work on. For me to classify my sound as an artist would have to be more Underground than anything because I really don’t hold back. I put it as blunt as I see fit to.

And to answer your question if my style changed or not I am not a close-minded person. If you’re not growing than you’re dying. I make room to taking chances on trying new things in the studio, creating new sounds has always been the goal and I try to shoot for that every sesh.

4) What’s your process like for making music? Do you have a set routine or does it vary track by track?

Well, my process is more within myself really. But when in the makings of a new project I am usually high off of the finest of trees or just simply inspired by some daily occurrence that just happened. I like to see every track a separate world in it’s own way.

5) Can you run me through the making of your latest project? Where were the studio vibes like?

The last project I had worked on was with the homies Vante and 3Ld lol, both met up in college and we just been making it happen whenever we got together forreal. The vibes in the studio were phenomenal like nothing ever before lol.

I mean if you had walked into the room at any given time, you would’ve felt so many sparks of chemistry, I mean I was loving it mang. It was dope. You can see what I’m saying for yourself up on soundcloud by the way.

6) What sort of independent hip-hop promotion and marketing are you doing to differentiate yourself from other artists?

Yaa all the real promo I’ve been getting has just been word of mouth really and like online promotion from datpiff and other music platform sites like Clowdy and RadioAirplay. Not much but I appreciate every little bit of what I get hahaaa.

7) What are you thoughts on the current state of hip-hop music today?

I think hip hop today is in a state of emergency. Meaning real lyricists are in demand, the very essence of hiphop, the roots of it all that is what’s missing, people are wanting something they can relate to. They are thirsty for something remotely new with a radio filled with watered down and stepped on copy cats.

They’re really just trying to make a quick buck by doing what the last person did which is dumb to me. Like what ever happened to originality? What ever happened to creativity? Like Kendrick’s latest album, That was creative. That. Was something to write home about. But I can’t say the same about a lot others today. Smh.

8) What music are you listening to these days? Anyone in hip-hop really blowing your mind?

I am currently bumping that “Since 2009” mixtape on repeat. That shit is retarded! Completely mind blowing every time Wiz and Curren$y combine minds on new projects. I’ve been waiting for them to make a follow up on “How Fly” ever Since 2009 forreal lol so I’m glad they finally did.

It’s everything I expected and more with the touch of the older blending with the new tracks. I love it. Wiz is just that nigha. & Curren$y is a mastermind forreal just razor sharp. Oh and ever since Childish Gambino came out with “Camp” I’ve been a fan of his as well. Two-9 dope too.

9) If you could work with any artist you wanted, what would be your dream collaboration?

If I could work with any artist, I would really like the chance to get to collab with Wiz. I feel like I could learn a lot from him. He was always someone I looked up to, I’m glad he’s finally getting necessary recognition.

10) What has been the best moment in your music career so far?

My best moment in my music career has to be when my dad had called me up after hearing some of my tracks for the first time and exclaiming how dope they were and how he was riding to it and the charleston natives were looking like “what the hell is he listening to over there??” Lol I just thought that been the greatest thing, like a wake up call if you will. A good kind though lol.

11) So what’s next for you?

Well my late project is out today on soundcloud soon to be on datpiff sometime late this month early June, near my birthday, it’s entitled after my acronym GADY; “Gaining Assets Despite Yesterday.” Go check that out today!

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Written by Stop The Breaks
Stop The Breaks is an independent music marketing company focused on showcasing independent hip-hop artists. Our goal is to help motivate, inspire and educate independent artists grinding around the world. We provide branding, content marketing, social media, SEO and music promotion services.