My sound combines elements of hiphop and pop r&b. However, this is currently still in development and will continue to improve as I work on my craft.
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the main idea behind it?
The song is about a woman I care about who lives a distance away.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
“When you meet the right person, just at the wrong time.” It’s a relatable lyric that many people have experienced.
What do you enjoy most? Writing music or performing your music live?
Personally, the best part of making music is writing something amazing. It is when your ears are most fresh to the lyrics you created.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
Mental blocks and limits that limit my opportunity and creativity have held me back in the past. But I am now stronger than ever, ready to break through those mental barriers.
In which state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
People with nostalgia for someone they care about are most likely to listen to my recent song.
Your music has an experimental tone. Should music as a form of art always challenge the listener?
Its actually never my intention to challenge the listener, I write from within and its mainly Freestyled so I guess it’s just my complexities becoming exposed. It’s amazing that the consumers of my music allow my creations to influence self-reflection. Art for me should just always be congruent. There is power in brutal honestly and sheer vulnerability.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
Psht, that’s so so hard, do you know how many lyrics I have haha! I guess one of them is at the end of Ohheycide – “No, not this time” after experiencing suicide ideation and coming out of it, it’s not the most intricate but its deep for me, you know.
Artists and people who have influenced and inspired you?
James Blake, FKA Twigs, Sevdaliza, Moses Sumney.
What would you change in the music industry?
I could go into the logistics of streaming rates, more opportunities for smaller artists etc but my heart today tells me to say, more people with honest intentions, more people that do it for the Art and not the rewards.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
Funny enough, writing music is a small part of my day I get about a few hours on an evening or sometimes on a weekend when I have free time which is why most of my music is written whilst I’m in the bath! I work full time in social services, I’m a parent, I like to run and exercise so I’m busy most days!
We just had fun with the creation process and dropped the album. We tried not to think too much about it and worked with our intuition on this one.
Which song off the album reflects you the most?
“No Expectation” is a good example of our sound, but all of our songs are pretty different. It’s difficult to choose one song to represent us. The entire project reflects us the most.
Favourite album of the past decade?
Section 80 by Kendrick Lamar and Currents by Tame Impala
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
It’s getting more people to listen to our music. We will keep making music no matter what, but having more listeners would also be cool.
Favorite film ever?
Spirited Away
Future plans?
No expectations for the future. We’re just gonna to keep doing what we love, and see where it goes from there.
Primal is a project that feels like you’re getting a peak behind the curtain of an unapologetically underground artist fighting for a dream. As a creative parallel to my personal story with music and self-expression, I pour out my thoughts over lo-fi soundscapes that transport you to my universe. I recorded city noises with my iPhone and throughout the album, those familiar surroundings faint into the blurry background. Whether it’s a car alarm that I turned into a riser for a transition or an ambulance siren tucked in the back of the mix to provide ambiance, my city’s fingerprints are all over the production of this album.
Which song of the EP is your favorite?
That question is like asking a parent who their favorite child is! I really pride myself in the fact that I think the project as a whole acts as a cohesive unit, but I will say TOTEM and EMPIRE both really hold special places in my heart. TOTEM’s lyrics poured out of me like bursting of floodgates and the instrumental ties it together into this love letter to hip hop. EMPIRE captures the confidence that I’ve felt myself acquire and grow into due to my relationship with my lady. I also really am proud of the musical switch up that I tried to seamlessly create at the end of EMPIRE in which I put myself out there vulnerably asking my girlfriend via song “Can we build it from the ground up?
Favorite album of the past decade?
I think my favorite album of the past decade is a tie between Kendrick’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” and Tame Impala’s “The Slow Rush”. Kendrick’s prolific gift as a poet shines through so perfectly on TPAB. I think the fact that I can feel the pain, passion, grit, and turmoil of the black experience in America even though I’m white speaks volumes to Kendrick’s ability to communicate personal experiences in a universal way. Kevin Parker of Tame Impala blew me away with “The Slow Rush” because of the production- I mean those drums are so nasty it’s not even funny. Lyrically the album hones in on a simple concept: the passage of time. But the way that he attacks that idea from so many different angles and explores how it impacts different facets of life is genius to me.
Can you share something funny that happened during one of your gigs? And what would be your dream performance venue?
I think it about 6 years ago, I remember performing at this small basement venue with my friends. This particular venue didn’t sell any food or drinks. So maybe 20 minutes before I went on stage, I went to Taco Bell and bought like $50 of stuff off the menu and threw them (fully wrapped) to members of the crowd. By the end I’m not sure if they were cheering for us or for the Taco Bell but either way it felt like a success.
As far as the dream venue goes, I love the Old National Centre in my hometown Indianapolis, IN. There’s a 500 cap basement venue there called the Deluxe that I’ve performed at, but the upstairs venue holds I think a few thousand people and it’s called the Egyptian Room. I’ve seen tons of my favorite artists play there when they were touring nationally so that would be a surreal moment to see my name on the marquee.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
I live with my lady and my cat Archie so I spend a lot of time simply doing life with them. I truly love cooking (my signature dish is sweet and spicy chicken wings). If I’m not at home chefing it up with my lady, we’re out exploring downtown Indianapolis, travelling with our friends, or getting competitive in whatever rec league sport is available during the season.
How many beats do you listen to before you end up using one? Tell us a few things about your creative process.
It doesn’t take me long to find a beat I love. I love exploring sounds and finding new producers. I prefer to acquire beats from lesser known names because talent is endless and vast. I can listen to five beats and immediately know which ones stick.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
I am most proud of the lyric from my song “OUT” “It’s a blessing that I’m here, I thank the Lord you know I shout, love yourself respect yourself you are a star so do not doubt.” The lyric is a tribute to my gratitude and my mission to inspire, empower and uplift others.
What does hip hop symbolize in your opinion?
In my opinion hip hop symbolizes expressionism. It is freedom. The freedom to own you who you are and to narrate your own story.
Favourite album of the past year?
Favourite album – Doja Cat “Planet HER” Doja’s uniqueness is unapralled and her creativity knows no limit. She is truly a chameleon and a powerhouse performer.
What is the most useless talent you have?
Most usueless talent – I can rember the most random and useless information. I couldnt give you directions to my house to save my life but I can remeber the lunch I took to school in second grade.
One last thing we should know about you?
I’d like you to know that your support means the world to me and is truly a light in my life which is refelcted in my music. Thank you!
What comes first? The song or the heaviness? Tell us a few things about your creative process
To be honest its a different process everytime. Im very hip hop fueled so believe it or not, a lot of our songs start with some type of loop or beat idea with a rap. Then I send the idea to our bassist hasma who sets the standard for the songs heaviness and funkyness.
Which band introduced you to this blend of Metal Rap?
The Red hot chili pepper’s are probably the first band that made hip hop and heavy music a possibility in my eyes.
Favourite album of the past year?
Ebk young joc – forever 21
What would you change in the music industry?
Higher streaming payouts
What was the best film you have watched during the quarantine?
The wrong missy. That shit had my dyin.
Should we expect a full album? Future plans
Probably not a FULL album anytime soon since we wanna focus on releasing the best content rather than the most content. I live in Australia while the rest of the band lives in los angeles so our main plans are to keep creating great music and content through this pandemic until the powers that be allow us to come together and start hitting the world with some crazy live performances for everyone!!
Tell us about this collaboration between the UK and US in this new song Sex/Love
I was actually a fan of Kiing before I approached him for the collab. I’d been listening to his music for maybe a year or so and we’d talked a couple times from when I was sharing his music about and commenting on his posts. Eventually I then reached out to him about doing a collab for this song I’d already written and he was happy to help do the singing part of the track, which is a HUGE help because I’m not nearly as good a singer! It’s truly a blessing I got to work with someone who I’m genuinely a fan of.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
“When pulling your panties up you feel like you’re find love But it really don’t work like that” – I think this line really encapsulates what the song is truly about at its core, i.e. the dangers of confusing lust for love. In general I’m proud of the entire singing part because I’ve not had much experience as a songwriter for melodies or for other people so I really had to step outside of my experience as a rapper to take on a different voice as well as lean into an uncharacteristic side of me FOR the rapping part to make it take on a distinct persona from the singing part
Favorite album of the past decade
Tough question! I really can’t decide on just one so I’ll cheat a bit and say Heartbreak On A Full Moon by Chris Brown, The Lost Boy by Cordae, ADHD by Joyner Lucas, Kiing of Spades by Kiing, African Giant by Burna Boy and The Off-Season by J.Cole
What would be your dream performance venue?
One of my bucket list items is to perform a sold out show at Wembley Stadium. I worked at the Eminem and One Direction concerts when they performed at Wembley Stadium and the electricity in the air never left my memory. I want to be the source of that electricity one day
What does the future hold for hip hop in general?
The future of Hip Hop is extremely unpredictable so nobody knows, including myself. I wish I could tell you what it holds but, if I knew, I’d be at the forefront of the next wave! All I can say is that Hip Hop will continue to evolve in such imaginative ways and, although I have a huge fondness for Hip Hop in the 00s, it’ll be interesting to see how Hip Hop develops. What I WILL say, though, is that Hip Hop in the future will be more inclusive than it’s ever been before. Race, sexuality, gender, background, class…it won’t matter, anybody will be welcome in Hip Hop in the years to come.
What was the best film you have watched during the quarantine?
I barely watched movies in quarantine to be honest since I’m not much of a movie watcher, but I THINK that’s when I had the chance to catch up on a whole bunch of black movies I’d neglected to watch! Out of all those I’d say I really enjoyed Training Day or Paid in Full the most
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
To be honest the overwhelming majority of my time is spent either working, writing music or doing things that feed into my music somehow like my YouTube vlog Road to Moderate Fame. At the moment I’m in the process of bringing back my podcast The Forbidden Juice Podcast but I’m also trying to relax more with things like working out in the gym, playing basketball, watching anime/Netflix/YouTube vids and playing some PS5
I would describe my sound as the following: universal, impactful, driven. Each word has a specific reasoning of course. Universal for all moods, impactful to the soul, and driven to make sure it’s timeless.
The production in “Foreign” has a Metro Boomin vibe. How many beats do you listen to before you end up using one? Tell us a few things about your creative process.
Thank you I would agree. Shoutout to David Sinclair-Black for that. Honestly everyone that was a part of the process I’d like to thank. When it comes to writing I will listen to every beat and give myself 24 hours to create a hook. I find the hook to be the most important aspect for a song. It is the make or break for playability. You can create the most complex, head-bobbing verse, but if the hook is subpar that song will not make it far. Writing in general though I’m inspired by any and everything around me. That’s primarily why I chose to live downtown where I reside. I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana by the way, and this city is constantly growing. Hell of a place to invest in for the long run. My team also plays a huge role in my writing process. Adam Eazy is the mixing engineer and primary producer for my sound, Amir Hussain is the videographer, and Bobby Balow is the mastering engineer. All of these guys play a huge role in my sound audio and visually. Honestly it isn’t my sound, but our sound.
What is the story behind your name?
My name was inspired by a power outlet. Long story short, I’m inspired to write based on daily life. That ideology will always give off a certain vibe, otherwise a certain energy. Looking at the power outlet I thought “I love writing about everything. Everything has energy. Everything gives off a certain type of energy. A Certain Energy.” Thus that’s when the name was born. Hopefully I explained it well [laughs].
Favorite rapper, lyricist and producer?
Favorite rapper would be Joyner Lucas at the moment. Lyricist would be Mickey Factz, and the producer would be.. Well, of course Adam Eazy. Shoutout to the goats right there!
What does Hip Hop symbolize in your opinion?
Hip Hop symbolizes empowerment to me. Music as a whole symbolizes empowerment to me honestly. Music gives someone the power to express themselves with any emotion that they’re feeling. That’s a powerful tool in any industry. Music can effectively change anyone’s mood as well. I, for one, have gone through so many times. For example, recently I was driving to pick up my girlfriend from work listening to some more upbeat tempo music. Out of the blue a good friend of mine Tyler Reese’s song “Not Sorry” came on. I immediately wanted to turn the car around and lock myself in the studio and just get all in my feelings [laughs]. I don’t think my girl would’ve liked to hear that, so I kept moving along [laughs]. But in all seriousness though music is a powerful expression to symbolize empowerment. I love every moment of being able to experience such beautiful artistry everyday. End of story.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
“Everyone says they put in the work, but the results will always show. These results will show who really put in the late nights, thought of the marketing, consistently put their all in, etc. Who are you going to be?” Honestly the best advice ever given to me, because it really dug into my soul. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your whole wellbeing to make progress. I’m not saying your health must deteriorate, but from an economical standpoint this is called opportunity cost. What do you deem more important? A night of “turn up” or a night of actually pursuing and making progress in what you really want to do with your life. Most people say “there’s not enough time for me to do any of this!” well I believe you’ll have to make the sacrifice to make that time available. Maybe that’s what makes me different from most. I’m not afraid to sacrifice, and I’m not afraid to be uncomfortable mentally or financially. At the end of the day you’re the one that dictates your future. No one else. For the ones that say they can’t, well I’m from a third world country. At least when I lived there it was. So, I know anyone can do it. They just don’t want to.
Future plans?
In the near future I will be releasing my follow up single “Fake Love” which will be released September 24th, 2021. After that be on the lookout for a new independent label that will take the world by storm. This label will be run by Adam Eazy, Amir Hussain, and I. Can’t wait to officially announce it!
The album “Filodia – A musical journey to jazzality” is an exploration of the contemporary jazz world and consists of original compositions where the vibraphone prevails. Five virtuoso musicians disclose their influences and inspirations, thus creating a unique soundscape.
Which song of the album reflects you the most?
The track “Naida” stands out, due to the combination of the mystic vibraphone with contemporary rock elements. The canun that also appears in this track, further reinforces the track’s “haunting” atmosphere, while progressive fusion sounds lead to a redeeming finale.
Favourite album of the past decade?
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – The Centennial Trilogy. A true masterpiece!
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
The recording of my first album was undoubtedly a challenging process. Every single step, from the groundwork and rehearsals to the arrangement, recording, distribution and production, is a valuable experience.
Favorite film ever?
“Cidade de Deus” directed by Fernando Meirelles Swiftly increasing pace, outstanding soundtrack.
You’d give up making music for…
There is not really anything that would make me stop making music. To me music means pulse, emotions, creativity. Music equals to life
Your new song “New York song” has a very positive vibe. Tell us a few things about your creative process
I wrote this song on the piano in my apartment in Brooklyn during some of the darkest days of lockdown in 2020, when a lot of people were leaving NYC and it seemed like even more people were kicking us while we were down, so it really is like a love letter to the city as cliche as that sounds. I started writing the tune with the blues changes on the piano and then came up with the ‘Man I love New York’ chorus and built it from there. NYC isn’t an easy place to live sometimes but that is part of the charm of the city so I really wanted to convey some of those realities of living here while hopefully spreading some optimism to New Yorkers about why I love it and why our future is always bright.
What do you love/hate about NYC
I love most all things – the people, the food, the music, the culture, the hustle. I hate the Subway in the summer. lol
Which city is the world’s music capital? NYC? LDN? Or..?
I’m not sure there is a correct answer to this one b/c there are so many inspiring places in the world to both discover new music and thrive as a musician but I’m a bit partial to NYC. I’ve also had formative musical experiences in New Orleans and Detroit so I highly recommend both.
Favourite album of the past decade?
Tied between To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar and Black Messiah by D’Angelo. Both records are works of art that will no doubt be looked back upon as classics. I was lucky enough to catch D’Angelo on the Black Messiah tour in NYC and it was INCREDIBLE.
Do you prefer writing music in the studio or performing live? And what would be your dream performance venue?
I’m comfortable in both settings although the approach is different for each. On stage it’s about performing and making sure I’m playing my best so the audience appreciates what’s happening. In the studio there is more creative space to try different things and see what works so you don’t have to prepare the same way, although trying things in the moment on stage is fun too. They are 2 very unique things that are special in their own ways and I love both.
Favorite music related film?
The Blues Brothers.
There is a great scene in that movie where the band is playing this like honky tonk barn club in the country and the owner of the club comes out after the show and says something like, ‘Well I owe you $300 for the job and you boyz drank $400 worth of beer so the way I see it is you give me $100 and we’re square!’ and Jake and Elwood immediately pack up and drive out of town. I’ve played a lot of gigs with club owners like that where driving out of town as fast as possible after the gig seems like the best option so it cracks me up every time.
HipHop Paranoia 