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.
“Do Not Follow Them took about 2 hours from start to finish”. That’s Impressive. Tell us a few things about your creative process.
The creative process for ‘do not follow them’ was a bit different from other songs, I was playing around with the Electro Harmonix guitar pedal called Freeze, which basically freezes with input and plays continuously the nanosecond of sound, so while playing around with playing some Bill Evans piano from Miles Davis’ Kind of blue, I basically samples the sound of the piano and made a mini synth with it. That part took the longest, then I found the drum sample from some that I had waiting to be used. I accidentally found the vocal sample in a bunch of other samples and it all just seemed to fit together perfectly. Overall the creative process is similar, I’ll play around on the guitar or bass and a riff with come through or ill play something into Reason and sample it and process it and come up with some really experimental.
Your sound has an experimental vibe. Should music always challenge the listener?
I don’t think music needs to challenge the listener to be good, and it doesn’t need to be complicated tonally or structurally. I love listening to jazz, from the cool period right through to the 80’s and some of that got way to complicated sometimes often sacrificing the tune and the listener from the experience. I do like to experiment with sounds though, trying to create a musical landscape that’s unique and different.
Favourite producer?
If I had to pick just one, it would probably have to be Brian Eno, but Nigel Godrich (Radiohead) comes a very close second
How do you relate to the UK music scene?
During the 90’s I was involved in a few bands that were good enough to be big but just never in the right place at the right time. I took time out from music for a while due to work and life commitments and only got back into it about 3 years ago, so I don’t feel that im part of the scene at the moment. Hopefully once all this covid stuff is behind us I might look at putting together a live show
What would be your dream performance venue?
Ever since I started playing music when I was around 14 and started gigging with bands, my best friend and former band member Chris had a deal that if we ever played Glastonbury we had to do it together, so I would say Glastonbury.
What is the most useless talent you have?
I don’t really have a useless talent to speak of. One thing ive done since I was young, I don’t really celebrate new years eve, I treat my birthday as my new year, and for years now I really deep dive into something and have that as personal gift to myself. So ive studied astronomy, physics and quantum theories, sleight of hand magic, computer science. Some things have stuck others are a bit rusty now, so yeh I don’t really have anything useless, everything has a purpose at some point.
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the main idea behind it?
‘Ripple’ is inspired by movements to promote gender equality in the music industry and the world in general in recent years and my own experiences with sexism and desire for a free, more equal world for all.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
“Sugar Daddy’s got a Pocket full of notions” is a pretty cheeky one 🙂 or “Boys will be boys all the way up to the courtroom”- my friend clapped when she first heard that line, haha!
Do you have an artist that you would describe as a hidden gem that we should know about?
Cholly an Electronic Producer and Singer-Songwriter from the UK is incredible or Krapka,KOMA they are a female duo from the Ukraine making Electronica and Downtempo music and they are incredible too.(sorry I couldn’t choose between them)
Why is sexism, and even outright misogyny, so pervasive in music industry?
It’s a strange game the music industry and lets face it, statistically run disproportionality by white males as is most of the world! Women have been historically objectified and placed as the sexy face/body on the album cover for as long as we have existed in the industry. Now with the models shifting and giving more power in a sense to independent artists, women have been able to take control over their own careers, image and truly express who they are and what they want to say as artists, rather than just “be sexy” but that’s not to say sexism is gone away. The industry is still full of bigoted gatekeepers, shady agendas and young girls with big dreams and no idea how to reach them. That’s where the imbalance lies, but the tides are changing and diversity is slowly improving. I have worked with more female artists and producers this year than ever before and that to me is super encouraging for the future!
What advice would you give to your younger self?
“Your dreams have no expiry date”
You’d give up making music for…
I’ve had to sofa surf my way through music college, living on noodles and 3 years on I’m still fairly poor and I’m still making music so it’s safe to say I won’t be giving up any time soon. It’s clearly an addiction haha!
That’s a tough one because I feel like it’s still changing but maybe I’d say: Intimate, emotive and ever-changing.
What is your creative process like?
I write most of my songs on piano because it’s my favourite instrument (and the only one I can play well enough haha). I usually start playing around with different chord progressions and melodies and a sentence or two I really like will come out and I write the rest of the lyrics following that and mostly draw from my own feelings and experiences. Sometimes lyrics come first but usually the music is what inspires it. I’ve also written a few songs that are inspired by experiences that aren’t from my own life, which is always really fun.
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
I would say out of the songs I’ve released my first single “If I Knew You” is the most personal. My favourite lyric of that song is probably: “I just wish I knew you then, wish I could’ve taken your pain away” I wrote it as a letter to my younger self, wishing I could give her the love she wasn’t giving herself. I’ve written a lot of really personal songs that I haven’t released yet but hopefully I’ll be able to share them soon.
Artists and people who have influenced and inspired you?
I think one of my main inspirations is probably Adele. I absolutely love her songwriting, her voice and her melodies. I think I could sing every word to all of her songs. Some of my current favourite artists are Billie Eilish, Olivia Dean, Joy Crookes, Jorja Smith, Dodie and I could go on and on. I also have a big background in Musical Theatre so I’m sure that influences me in more ways than I even realise.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
One of the main challenges right now is that I don’t know that many people in the industry yet. So it’s difficult to find the right people to work with but since I started I have met meeting some lovely musicians which is has been incredible. So little by little, I guess. I’m still at the very beginning of my journey as artist but I am excited for what is to come.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
I still absolutely love theatre and I love going to dance classes. I’ve been going to a lot of open mics in London and I’d never been to one until like 2 months ago. This past year I’ve been working in hospitality, which can be exhausting and time-consuming, so a lot of my time is spent applying for other jobs! Hopefully one day I will be able to make a living from music, that would be incredible.
Should we expect an album in the near future?
Not an album. I would love to release an EP relatively soon, but there are many moving parts and it takes longer than one might think but it’s definitely coming at some point!
Tell us a few things about your new song “I dream Of A World”. What is the main idea behind it?
‘I Dream Of A World’ is the second single of my upcoming debutalbum ‘Why Don’t We Give It A Try?’, which was inspired by conversations I had with changemakers. This song was born after speaking to Zaïre Krieger; a powerhouse of a woman who is a spoken word artist, law graduate, activist for anti-racism, feminism and intersectionality, and the recently announced translator of Amanda Gorman’s speech and book in the Netherlands. We spoke about activism, faith, intersectionality, and perseverance.
The clarinet part was a very interesting surprise. Tell us a few things about your creative process.
My creative process for this album was totally new to me. I started by having conversations with changemakers; people who commit themselves to a societal goal. Later, I would listen back to the conversation and write down every sentence or idea that I thought was essential to their story. From there, I started improvising with melodies and harmonies. After I had a full structure musically (based on the essense of the conversation), I would start writing the lyrics. In the demo process I would make arrangements and record multiple instruments, but in a later stadium I also invited guest musicians. The clarinet you hear is played by Ghaeth Almaghoot, who improvised his whole part! It was such a perfect addition to the song and I am so happy to have him apart of it.
The vocal delivery in this one is very expressive, well done! Which is your favorite vocalist and your main influences in general?
Thanks a lot! That’s actually quite a difficult question to me, because I mostly feel inspired musically/songwriting wise by people. Singers that I really admire are Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling, Linda Perhacs, Victoria Legrand, Fairuz and Thom Yorke. I think I carry a little bit of each one of them with me when singing.
What would you change in the music industry?
Sometimes I feel like all people care about nowadays are numbers, and I do think that is a pity. There are insanely beautiful songs and albums that have not been heard by many people, and that doesn’t say anything about the quality of the music itself. I actually really love Spotify, because it’s such a strong tool to discover new music and also to have your music heard all over the world. But in my opinion the focus on Spotify playlists and streams is not sustainable; I’d rather have a 1000 real fans than a million streams on one of my songs, just because it got into a few huge playlists which people listen to in the background. A combination would be highly appreciated as well of course 🙂
What was the best film you have watched during the quarantine?
I saw my first Wes Anderson movies; Moonrise Kingdom and The Budapest Hotel, which I both really enjoyed. His style is so particular and the cast in both movies is magnificent. Furtermore, I have always felt like I would adore Éric Rohmer movies, and I finally dove into that world. The one that I watches most recently was ‘La Femme de l’aviateur’, which I can really recommend (if you’re into nouvelle vague). To me, it is such a refreshment from modern cinema, where everything needs to be fast and thrilling all the time. Rohmer really focusses on dialogue, and sincere human interaction, which I find very inspiring.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
I’ve always felt really connected to human rights issues, so I would probably be doing something in that area. I love working with people so something social would fit me very well. Writing is something that has also been a big part of me since I can remember, so being a writer would be something I aspire as well.
Tell us a few things about your new song. What is the main idea behind it.
It’s all about the vibes, interned to make every listener dance and move!
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
I wrote a song called #greenlight — the lyric: I’m Peter piper picking peppers tongue game heavyweight. I mean every girl I’ve met probably has quoted that lyric.
Favourite album of the past decade?
Ctrl by Sza
What would you change in the music industry?
Make it more talent driven. I feel nowadays any and everything is acceptable but I miss when it was all about the complete package. Song, sound, and visual.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
I’m a fashion stylist and spiritual leader of the first cannabis based temple in Los Angeles- the Agora Temple.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
Probably trying to find ways to make the world a better place. My goal is to bring heaven to earth.
HipHop Paranoia 