Boom Bap rapper from Baltimore gives us a glimpse into his life, music and the state of the industry. Check out the bonus interview below:

Where are you from? 
Baltimore, MD

How would you classify your sound?
That’s an interesting question. I’d like to think my sound is based in Hip Hop but isn’t one that can be confined to any area. I like to have that freedom; I use elements of everything from Funk & Soul to classic Japanese library music as long as it conveys the emotion that I’m going for. I like to define my music is hard hitting, dusty percussion with sick 808s.

What’s the most important thing that’s happened to you lately? 
Releasing my project GodSound with the major Hip Hop blogs 2dopeboyz and illRoots. That has opened a lot of doors for me and I am extremely grateful to them for allowing me that chance to let my voice be heard.

When you’re not making music what do you listen to? 
I like everything from Reggae, Soul, R&B and Rock but Hip Hop is and will always be my main love. My rotation right now is Method Man – Tical 2000, GZA – Liquid Swords, and Wu Tang Forever so I think you get where I’m going.

When did you know you wanted to make music for a living? 
I’ve always known that I wanted to make music, since I was little. As far as it being my living, I didn’t think in that direction until I got kicked out of high school my senior year. It forced me to put into perspective what I enjoy doing and what I really wanted to do with my life. I still went and got back into school to get a diploma but my mind was on music. Just recently I withdrew from college to get my career on its feet, with no interruptions. 

Are your family and friends supportive?
 In the beginning they didn’t think I was serious but now they understand that this is my passion and something that I put my energy into 100%. My mother in particular just wants me to succeed, so they do support me even if at times they don’t agree with what I do.

Where do you find inspiration? 
From life, my relationships with people, my interactions with my environment, movies, books…just anything that gives me that spark. 

Would you rather DIY or sign with a major label? 
To be honest, any situation that allows me to retain full creative control and also allows me to reach the largest audience is who I want to sign with. I have no preference beyond major or indie, they just have to allow me to make what I want, reach the masses and not jerk me out of my money. I’ll leave it at that.

What do you think about the current state of the music industry?
It’s interesting because we’ve reached a new crossroad. The industry realizes that the internet has put the power back into the musician’s hands and they have started to figure out how to get a piece of that pie back. This is a very exciting time and only the smart ones will survive it and flourish.

Who would you love to work with that you haven’t already?
I like to keep my circle small so that people will cherish my music, but as far as dream collaborations I would say, Mos Def, NaS, or GZA from the Wu.

What is the hardest part of what you do? 
Finding the money to fund studio time and live at the same time. It’s hard, but I know if I keep putting my all into my music I’ll be able to live off it comfortably one day. 

How do you define success? 
I’d say a large, dedicated fan base…plenty of tours and comfortable income from music. Everyone wants fame to a degree but as long as I have what I said, all that is secondary.

What can we expect in the future from you? 
A collaboration project with fellow Baltimore emcee 810 and a full length studio album.

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