What hip-hop albums did you grow up listening to?
I’m not so sure on the album’s as such but cats like Big Pun, Big L, Rakim, Biz Mark, Tribe Called Quest and Big Daddy Kane where the people I used to spin in my headphones heavy.
What would be your dream collaboration with any rapper or producer?
J villa would have to be the producer I know he’s now deceased rest in peace to him. Artist’s wise thats not fair guys I can’t just say one rapper but I would love to work with Big Daddy Kane, Sevin, Bizzle, Andy Mineo, Gospel Gangsta'z and Big L if he was still around. Where I sing as well I think it would be kool to collab with Mali Music, John Legend, Adele and Uncle Reece.
Who of your contemporaries do you listen to the most?
A lot of the people around me bump most of the artists I mentioned that I would like to work with, with the additions being Lil Yaughty, Migo’s and Lecrae.
What is your favorite song from you? Is there any song you look back and regret making it
My favourite song of my own would have to be Ring. It just reminds me of a place where I was like tryna build a city with my music but because there was nothing like the sound I wanted to make I just felt like it was impossible like what could I do? like me? what impact can I make? which is something I’m sure is relative in every aspect of life not just music. In terms of regretting any songs I don’t have any just yet, more time if something doesn’t sit right with me I don’t go through with it.
In what ways has your newest music changed from when you first started?
When I first started I thought I had to come with that obvious UK grime sound, which is something I can do and I enjoy both listening and performing within but if you refer back to the cats I grew up listening to. The sound is much different but growing in my confidence and dexterity in what I do has allowed me to reach the point where I can kick the flows that I want regardless of popular culture or the status quo per say. With the singing, like thats completely different to when I started out because I was too shook to put that out there and to be honest I still get shook when someone tell’s me they were bumping it or how much they like it but you know I kinda just had to get comfortable outside of my comfort zone.
What are the main inspirations for the lyrics you write?
My experience’s ultimately but more so the new driving force that’s at work in my life you know since meeting God my life has changed drastically like stuff is almost unrecognisable. It’s mad I know the contents of my being and it just don’t match up with the music that I put out like Jesus is that potent ingredient for me. So in one essence my relationship with God is a great source, but then the second source would be my relationship with people, its mad were often not far from a reflection of ourselves in a crowd like my experience with other human beings goes from great to terrible which just add’s more depth to the bars and lyrics that I write.
I'd be interested to learn about influences outside of hip hop that have helped form your style. Favorite poets, performers, singers, musician
I grew up watching a lot of stand up comedy, which I should never of been watching!! but through that I got a lot of my stage presence techniques etc from. Comedians like Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Billy Connoly and even Kenan & Kel I was ADDICTED to that show!. I was also addicted to def poetry jam at one point and again I studied how they engaged with the crowd and how they utilised there stage space. I would just watch how these talented people would do what they did and see how I could transfer to what I did, which interestingly enough wasn’t music at those times but just being the loud dude in the party the joker and all that.
What are your goals in music
I want to see the world through my music I literally want to land in every country in the world and perform. I want to liberate, inspire and encourage people from all over. I also wanna be a role model for my community growing up as an indian kid I remember feeling like there aint no faces that look like mines on the tv etc etc and I know I’m not the only indian kid that felt like they were condemned to some lame ass stereotypes. I’ve said I want to a lot, but really I meant to say I WILL, I will go on to do all these things with my music.
If he could compare himself to an already established artist, who would that be and why?
To be honest I’m not even tryna cop out here but I don’t really see myself being similar to anyone out there I really feel like I am just me. I know the readers may feel thats a bogus answer but it is how I really feel. People have made comparisons to other artists and in some cases I can see where there coming from but I wouldn’t go out there and say Yeah I’m like him or her. I’m like me.
Who is his hero?
I got two hero’s first one being Jesus like He gave His life for me and His love is tough and deep I just aint ever experienced a love like that before. The closest love I’ve experienced to that leads me to my second hero which is my moms like she makes things happen, period! she is the first miracle I received in my life, for sure.
What do you think your listeners will get out of your music?
That’s a question you would have to ask them. I pour out whatever I’m full off onto an audible canvas its the people that make whatever they make of it.
What were you thinking about when this song was developed (I Am Not - the singing one)?
I was just remembering all the times I had been called stupid and ugly in particular amongst other negative things said to me and it was just crazy because no one had said those things to me in years (least to my face anyway) on the contrary people had been saying some great stuff like your going places, keep going, I’m blessed by your music etc etc. I just had to deep the situation, what people said to me in 2005 can’t be louder than what people is saying to me in 2016 like if you were running a marathon and people were handing out either water or heavy rocks which one would you choose? WATER RIGHT?! but what we all end up choosing the heavy rocks and they weigh us down along our journey, they distract us from our destiny, our purpose and we fall by the way side a fraction of our potential.
What is the most difficult thing he's had to endure in life?
Being at odd’s with my dad that was a heavy burden for quite a while. It literally ate away at me and we as men you know were taught not to show no feelings and all that jazz so everyday you gotta just roll on kinda thing. That part of my life seeped into every other aspect of my life man it was heavy and destructive. To be honest this is a long one so I just leave it there. Theres a good ending to this story though, me and my pops recently reconciled it was pretty dope.
What is the most difficult thing he's had to endure in the music industry?
The whole industry is just difficult period and I aint even seen that much of it. A lot of fakeness you know the same person bigging you up today could be the same person cussing you out tomorrow or even the same day haha. Just a lot of un genuine cats about quick to associate themselves to your success or income revenues and with no false modesty at all or anything like that but it really just has me thinking fam I’m just starting out b like there aint much for you to attach yourself too. Theres also an internal battle sometimes with what’s good music and what’s good business you know do you keep it 100 straight authentic or do you keep it 89 and do whatever is popular. People tryna block you from making moves, that one aint really a issue because promotion don’t come from north,south,east or west but from GOD!, but those blockers are just annoying like that random fly that finds it’s way into your room and you just have to keep swatting it. Its all mad really, but theres one saying I love. Don’t go no where you aint been sent and never, never forget who sent you so with all thats been said I know I been sent so I just gotta carry on, feel me.
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