Describe your sound in 3 words
Off the top of my head? Sonic soul analysis.
Can you tell us more about the process of writing “head//heart”?
head//heart happened really quickly. I remember I found the beat first, & instantly fell in love with it, the oaky vocal sample repeating those lyrics did it for me. I came up with the chorus on the spot, and liked the inflictions on my voice. It felt right, with what I was going through at the time, me choosing those words. I had to sit down for the verse though. It was like, 11pm when I started and maybe 1am/2am when I finished the verse. I was realllll careful when I selected certain words as well, not in a safety net sort of context but because I wanted to properly convey my very conflicted thought process.
How has your experiences with mental health influenced your music and creative process?
I draw most, if not all of my creativity on how I’m feeling in real time whenever making music. I don’t know if other artist can relate but I very rarely make something happy when I’m the opposite. Unless a certain sound can pull me in that direction. But on the topic of influences, some of my favourite musicians (Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar) have used their platform to speak on topics such as mental health, and I can admit, I’ve been depressed & hit brick walls, figuratively. I want to help people with my music the same way other people have helped me with theirs.
Can you share more about the upcoming EP “photodump//exit left”?
The best way for me to describe it would be a snapshot of scattered memories of this one relationship I had that taught me a lot about myself. On the spectrum of toxic masculinity, & vulnerability, I go over that on the project.
Can you talk about the line “dead, I wish I was dead & gone” and what it means to you?
That line is really dark, when I first heard it I think I was so gripped & sold because yeah I talk about mental health a lot but to actually state that you don’t want to be here anymore for your entire audience to hear is a scary thing, but I see it as hopeful, because if you look behind the words you’ll find someone who’s looking & pleading for a reason to hold on, even if it’s just for a little while longer.
How do you see “head//heart” as a step towards bettering yourself and purging old demons?
I actually wrote this song about 3 years ago now! I had to write these songs to understand myself, & to come to terms with my thoughts & actions. So to me, this is me symbolically writing a letter to myself detailing all the things that bother me, everything that is wrong about myself & burning it before it plays on my mind. Old demons have no place in new beginnings.
One last thing we should know about you?
Erm, I can swim but I can’t float. Haha.
Thank you!
Follow mase J
Instagram
Photo by Iyisha Rose
Instagram
HipHop Paranoia 