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EP | SWEET NOTHINGS

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BANDCAMP

FS: So the first question is what’s on “The Otherside”? which is the title of your new album? 

C: The other side is basically everything else than what we’re used to these days. As far as hip-hop because you know nowadays its kind of rare to have substance and real lyricism. So that’s basically what the other side is. I’m trying to get as lyrical and meaningful as possible. So that’s basically what the other side is. 

FS: What made you want to take your poetry and start making music with it? 

C: I really use music and poetry to express myself. If you were to ask me how I felt about something I could tell you but I’d rather put it into poetry or into music. So you could really feel how I felt. It’s kind of like the saying “Where words fail music speaks”. I can get my point across a lot better if I put it into music or if I put it into poetry. That’s really why I make music. I know that my music right now isn’t that deep but it’s about to get deep. I just really needed to get everybody’s attention first. 

FS: You mean like on the next project? 

C: Yes it’s going to be a little mixed. There’s going to be those songs that make you think and then those songs that are just for fun. I’m really about to touch a lot of social aspects. I’m about to really start telling the story that nobody really knew about me and things that I’ve been through. It’s about to get deep. 

FS: What’s your favorite part about the process for making your projects? 

C: For me it probably has to be writing them. That’s really my favorite part. Starting with the melody. Starting with the voice memos in my phone. Me just humming out a melody or a flow and then replacing that with words. That’s like the best part. 

FS: Explain the intro your album and who played the keys. 

C: Stewart played the keys. He killed it. Mercedes was the one who recited the poem. She wrote that poem just for the intro. My projects concept wise usually end up being totally different than what I had in mind starting out with the project. It was really about to be a deep project. That’s why the intro is so deep. But I feel like I wasn’t ready to take it there yet. But I like the intro enough to keep it because that poem was kind of deep. As far as the tracks following the intro they’re not really that deep but I like the intro. It was about to be on some To Pimp A Butterfly stuff but I was like not yet. 

FS: The other day I had the intro on repeat for an hour. 

C: That’s the thing I was worried about. I know the keys are playing and there’s poetry I just didn’t want it to be boring. I know it’s like a minute and some change long. I hope people don’t flip through this because people’s attention spans are super short. But then there would be people like you who really appreciate that because we on the other side. 

FS: How many songs did you write from the project? 

C: I wrote about eleven but a lot. A lot of those songs like “Around” and “Same Songs” are 4yrs old. So low key if you listen to “Same Songs” the hook was recorded 3yrs ago so my voice sounds different from the verses. That’s the thing man. Some of my songs I’ll write them but I’ll sit on them for 4 or 5yrs. I have mixtapes on mixtapes recorded but I don’t put them out because I’ll write them in a place that’s momentary. Then I’m not in that place anymore so I don’t want to put it out. 

FS: When writing a verse where do you start? 

C: I really try to start at the hook. I feel like hooks are the hardest parts of writing a song. Once I get past writing the hook I can write the verse. That’s what I like to do, write the verses off the hook. The hook is usually what the song is going to be about. 

FS: Where’s your head at when you make songs like around? 

C: In the clouds. I wrote that around the time me and my fiancé were getting serious. Honestly I wrote the first verse in high school and then I finished the second verse around the time me and her starting to get serious like 3yrs ago. It’s really in a good place that’s why it sounds so dreamy and nostalgic. 

FS: How did “Habits” come about? 

C: It was really inspired by “Voices in my head” by Big Sean. It was really just self-realization that I have habits, like we all do. But I really got in trouble with mom. I left something on the corner and my mom came home and found it. 

FS: Why did you write “Conversations”? 

C: That was originally Trippin Barry’s song, but he sits on so many of his songs that I just asked him if I could have it. He had a whole song to it but didn’t want to keep his verses on it so I took it and kept his hook. That song’s a couple years old as well. 

FS: Tell me about your relationship with Herb. 

C: This is my 4th project that I’ve worked with him on. I’ve known him since highschool. He’s talented too. He’s worked with Lex Luger, Pee Wee Longway to name a few. 

FS: Favorite song on the album? 

C: It might be “Say Now” because it’s just straight bars. That’s the kind of hip-hop I like. The whole mumble rap is cool but there’s nothing like straight bars. 

FS: Where do you see your music in 5yrs?  

C: I just want music to open up other lanes because yes I make music but I’m into different things that I want to put my hands in. So hopefully music will open doors and opportunities I feel I’m skillful at. 

FS: What album made you want to become a better lyricist? 

C: Man… I’ll say Big Sean’s Finally Famous 3 and Good Kid Maad City. 

FS: Favorite songwriters? 

C: I would have to say Frank ocean because his songs are so vivid. And I would have to go with J Cole. Then Nas. That’s one thing I wanted get better at. I like how they tell stories. 

FS: Why do you think Oklahoma has so much talent? 

C: I feel like we’re in the middle and we’re influenced by so much. We’re influenced by the south, east coast, west coast. It’s kind of like a melting pot. When you come here you hear people making southern music, east coast music. You would hear people making music with a west coast bounce. Then you’d hear some mumble rap. I don’t know I feel like we’re influenced by everything. 

FS: Who would you like to work with? 

C: Kendrick. But I really want to work with Stalley because we’ve crossed paths before. Also SZA. 

FS: How has Oklahoma influenced you to make music? 

C: My cousin out of LA really thinks we’re down here still riding horses and cow-tip for fun. So music is a chance to tell your reality and I just want to tell about mines. I know there’s a lot of people who think the same as my cousin does that aren’t from here. 

FS: What would what you want people to take away from this project and the last one? 

C: I just want people to appreciate real genuine hip-hop more. I’m not trying to take away from mumble rap or all the other stuff. I just want people to appreciate real lyricism and musical substance more. 

FS: Favorite album? 

C: It’s a mixtape/album but it’s Friday Night Lights by J Cole. That’s another one that influenced me to become a better lyricist. Everything about that project is perfect to me.

soundcloud.com/calhakeem

PURCHASE: THE OTHERSIDE

FS: Can you tell me some of your influences?

VO: Oh gosh. I’m always bad at answering this question. I don’t even know where to start because I listen to such a broad range of music. Ani DiFranco and Bjork were big influences on me when I was growing up. Sylvan Esso may be my biggest influence right now. I just saw them in concert. They’re a duo, producer and singer, and she’s an incredible songwriter. It’s somewhat dance music but really quality songwriting. Also the rhythms of Tune-Yards. A lot of trip-hop like Portishead. I just got to see Hamilton, so I’m listening to the soundtrack nonstop and I listen to all the artists on the Hamilton mixtape, I definitely have some hip hop influences.

I don’t have a top 3 in terms of influences right now. Kimbra is big influence on me so it was cool to see her speak at Loop. My friends are very influential on me, especially when they’re pushing hard and putting music out, producing. I’m part of 2 groups -Women Beatmakers & Female Frequency- both challenging yet inspiring.

Female Frequency creates albums that are made entirely by women. All the songwriters, the instrumentalists, engineers and singers. Even the studio owners are women. I’m going to work on remixing one of Female Frequency’s recent releases. I’m trying to get involved more with actual releases that women are involved with. I’ll be on the next Female Frequency album, producing a track by myself - maybe my first official solo production?

When it comes to production, I usually co-produce. I’ve produced things for placements or to pitch but I haven’t released anything official under my name that I produced by myself, yet.

FS: At what point did you feel you wanted to become a singer?

VO: Well, I’ve been singing since I was like 4 so I don’t think there was any kind of light bulb that went on where I was like “Oh I should be a singer.” As a toddler, I distinctly remember singing to the painter who was painting my mom’s bathroom. I was on stage by 5, doing plays, then later musicals in high school and college. I did stop music for a while because I worked on grassroots campaigns for environmental and social justice. I missed music, so once I started learning songwriting and guitar I felt like I had come back into my own. I wrote about justice in my songs too in different ways and try to have an impact that way.

FS: What kind of singer do you consider yourself? Folk?

VO: Definitely not anymore. My style as I call it is Electro-alt-pop. That pretty much covers the range of things that I do. I don’t write “shiny” Pop, like Katy Perry. But it’s a pop structure: there’s verses, choruses, usually a bridge. To me that’s Pop. When I go to these electronic shows like in Berlin, it’s different. I wouldn’t call myself “electronic” exactly, even though I use electronic elements and I work in Ableton. When I heard some of the women from Female Pressure perform, I was like ok, I don’t do that kind of electronic music. That’s often way more experimental, too.

After Berlin was when I defined myself as a Pop writer. Took me a while to call myself that - for one, people have this thing about pop. But it’s really such a broad genre and I’m proud to be able to write a concise, catchy song.

I wouldn’t call my music folk, though some of it may be political, and some of my influences are folk, but I rarely play acoustic guitar live, for example. I sometimes write on acoustic guitar but I always go back to my electric guitar and I now always go back to some kind of electronic production.

FS: So you made a transition at some point?

VO: Yes, just within the last couple of years… With my old band, I was doing alternative rock but then I started exploring more electronic production. Sometimes I miss all live instruments for sure, but I think this is the genre that’ll I’ll stick to for a while. “Electro Alt-Pop” covers the Alternative side of me with electronic influences and the Pop song structures with catchy melodies.

FS: What about another musician would make you want to collab?

VO: Thinking about the musicians that I collaborate with now, I have to feel super comfortable around them. So I tend to work with close friends. But the last album I released I didn’t really know the co-producers well, initially. Working with them over the course of a year, I of course got to know them. Now, if I’m starting on a production myself I’ll probably give it to somebody else to work on back and fourth, I’m usually going to pick somebody I’m already comfortable with.

The most important thing for me is that I don’t feel stupid bringing up an idea or doing something that doesn’t sound good. When you’re working on music, its ok if it’s bad at first, so I have to feel comfortable brainstorming or working on stuff that won’t be perfect at first. So I collab with this producer Audible Doctor, who’s more established than I am but I feel comfortable working with him. I know that he’ll appreciate my ideas and where I’m coming from, even if he’s got more production experience.

So, that’s one thing: feeling comfortable. Then there’s their talent and skill. I have to like their beats. And they need to be hard workers because I work really hard and anyone who I work with is most likely going to be working really hard along-side me, so…

FS: How do you come up with most of your song titles?

VO: Most of the songwriters I know come up with their song titles first. That’s a very natural way of writing Pop and Folk. I think it’s a really strong way to write. Still, I tend to do it the other way around. The idea is to keep a journal with you all the time, where you write song titles whenever you think of them - and draw from that list when you have a chance to write a song. Sia, who top lines a lot, does that. It’s a really good way to do it. But right now for the most part I come up with the song titles from the choruses.

“Wake You,” my EP title, and most of my album titles, come from a lyric in the song. My last album was called “Fires and Overturned Cars,” which is a lyric from my song “Incite Riot.”

FS: What instrument do you feel compliments your voice the best?

VO: I would love to have a keyboard player in my band, again. In terms of songwriting, genre and style along with the sounds that I want, they come more from the synth world than the guitar. But, I love guitar and I’m never going to stop playing it. I’ve taken a break from it, though, to work more on my production, but I still play guitar at all my shows. I also really like writing to drum beats. And to other vocals, writing more layers than record over that.

It’s hard to say that any one instrument makes my voice sound better. I think it’s more of the sound or rhythm that I’m writing to. I write to tracks for film and tv, and learned I pretty much can write to anything.

FS: Lets get into performing. How has performing helped your songwriting?

VO: That’s a great question. I tend to be more inspired to write when I’m performing more. I practice more before the performance to get ready and get in the head space of a songwriter and artist. It keeps me in that space so I’m more excited about writing.

I’m in a bit of a transition now because of my new EP, “Wake You.” Translating that to a live performance has been really different than anything else I’ve done in the past. Now, when I’m writing I spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to perform those songs - probably too early in the process to be thinking about that- but I don’t like to use tracks live. So that’s holding me back from writing new material a little bit. It’s going to take time and experience producing more tracks.

The main thing about my music is that I want to keep the live instrumentation in there. I want to sure make my guitar is there. My songs often come from me sitting with my guitar and writing. But when I produce a beat and write over that, I take a really different angle to play it live. I don’t know how much I can translate my fully produced non-guitar based songs onto guitar. Sometimes it just doesn’t sound as good. My song “Call You My Own” was written on guitar and then we manipulated it so much you can’t really tell- but that one I still play the whole song on guitar live.

FS: How has New York influenced your music?

VO: Oh my god, it’s probably the number one influence on my music right now because of the people that I’ve met here. When I first moved here in November 2012, I went to shows every night to meet people. Compared to San Francisco where I lived before, it seemed that the music was edgier, harder-hitting which was what I was going for. Also I got involved in Women Beatmakers and Female Frequency. I met so many different producers and felt really empowered to be able to produce myself because I saw all these other women doing it. That’s a huge part of why I make the music that I do now.

And all my collaborators are here now. The reason I have a side gig now writing for T.V. and film is because of someone I met here who runs a music library. There’s just so much opportunity for musicians. It’s hard to live here, it’s really expensive but the quantity of the music here and the quality of musicians has pushed me to be a better musician. It’s a constant hustle here but that’s my personality anyways. It’s inspiring to see so many other people hustling so hard, too.

FS: What are some other places you want to perform at?

VO: I’m dying to perform in Tokyo, not for any good reason but wanting to go there, and play in a really different place than here. I have a friend there who says I should just come and play. But mostly, I want to have longer and bigger tours around the US. Of course, I would love to perform in Europe. I want to perform everywhere but I think the next steps are getting my show together - so I can put on the best show possible and represent my music in the best light, and so I can also play everything from a house concert to a large venue. That goes for gear, too - What’s the most minimal I can bring and what they can provide in order to put on a really good concert in someone’s house, for example.

I always want my show to be really great.

FS: How was it performing in Europe?

VO: Berlin was awesome. I was definitely still working out the kinks playing Ableton PUSH Live. But it was really cool. I pulled together a night with Female Pressure and Female Frequency. Female Pressure is an international group of female-identified producers. I met them through a friend that lived in Berlin for a while. I put on a showcase of about six producers. I performed with my bass player. I back her up for her songs and she backed me up for my songs. That was a really awesome night.

Then we played another show that was only for headphones. The entire audience only had headphones on. Have you ever heard of this? It’s like a silent disco. But everybody was sitting, watching and listening through headphones only, while we had headphones on too. It was really a great opportunity for sound designers and mix engineers that have a perfect mix. I don’t know its not as great for live instrumentation, but it was a cool experience and it was fun to take your headphones off and just watch. I definitely want to get back to Europe and play more of Berlin, too.

FS: You want to speak on Loop?

VO: Loop was amazing. Last year was the first year that I went. It was incredible to meet so many other producers. Its not really a scene that I’ve been in. So it was inspiring being with producers from all around the world. There was some really cool workshops, especially the one where we all got to work on each other’s beats. We would listen to someone’s beat and then work on it in Ableton. It was called “Production Carousel.” So we got to work on five different producer’s beats and five different people worked on my beats. Then at the end we could hear entirely different version of our own beat. Super cool. Also at Loop, I got to meet a bunch of people from Female Pressure. Obviously the shows and the big panels were really inspiring.

Of course it was really weird to be in Germany during the US presidential election, that kind of put a damper on the whole trip. But the Loop Summit was incredible I hope to go again this year.

FS: How has your work as an activist influenced and helped?

VO: Well, in terms of songwriting, especially at the beginning, it influenced my songs a lot. I wrote a lot of political folk songs. At this point I don’t write a lot of political stuff but there’s definitely a theme of empowerment that runs throughout all of my songs and I think that comes from doing social justice work. I was trained as a grassroots organizer. Every independent artist has to promote themselves now, and all my marketing skills come from being trained as an organizer and running political campaigns.

FS: What’s a personal song you wrote describing your life? It could be off the recent EP or the album before that?

VO: “Call You My Own,” the first track off the “Wake You” EP, I wrote when I was doing a couple shows in Cape Cod. I was single living in New York not feeling the dating scene there. I was alone in a room where I finally had some quiet then started thinking about somebody that I reconnected with from high school. Before I didn’t feel much, but after reconnecting, I thought maybe it’s my second chance accepting this person into my life. The line “Did I wait too long?” is wondering if he’ll give me that chance. The verses are rooted in me being on the road thinking about him. Then the second verse is about seeing him in high-school then seeing him recently. There’s this weird (musically) bridge at the end, running through some memories of him. So that’s the personal story behind that song.

FS: I noticed on one of your early albums you got to work with Mystic?

VO: I was a big fan of Mystic and living in San Francisco while she was in LA. I reached out to her about I song I had called “Black and White” which was about white privilege and racism. After she read the lyrics she wrote back “This is a really important song, I would love to be a part of it.” I was friends with Ice Cube’s engineer and ended meeting her at Ice Cube’s studio to record her rapping. It was a really cool experience to meet her and talk to her. It’s still one my favorite songs that I have because of her verse and just the vibe of the whole song, the back and fourth we have at the end. It’s all live instrumentation except for a couple of loops. The producer I was working with at the time was Jon Evans, an incredible bass player.

I don’t perform it much live anymore because it’s different from what I do now. I would love to collaborate with her again. She said at the time that most people ask her to sing and rap. But I always thought of her as a rapper.

FS: What are you listening to right now?

VO: Like I said, Sylvan Esso. Also Empress Of, who producers a lot of her own stuff. Alice Smith who’s R&B and Pop, some of Phantogram. Bishop Briggs is a great artist. Feist, who’s more on the folk side of things now but used to be in a punk band. FKA Twigs. Anna Wise. Frank Ocean. Laura Mvula. Francis and the Lights. Glass Animals…

Live Setup

VO: I’m on Electric guitar with live pedals, and controlling Ableton with the Push 2 and a Softstep. My bass player plays electric bass and she has a midi controller which I think is a MPK small keyboard. She runs Ableton into the synth bass. My drummer as an acoustic drum set then he has SPD FX, which is a drum pad that he has sounds stored in so he doesn’t need Ableton. And then I have 2 to 3 soul back-up singers.

FS: Do you have anything to say to your fans?

VO: Thanks for interviewing me. It helps to talk about my process because it makes me stop and think about it. To my fans: more music will be coming! And I always love to hear from new so I want to know what you think of the new songs. If you want me to come to your town, just let me know!

VALERIEORTH.COM

TWITTER: @VLOMUSIC

INSTAGRAM: VALERIEORTH

PURCHASE/STREAM  WAKE YOU EP | FIRES AND OVERTURNED CARS |

MIX WITH INTERVIEW AUDIO

FS:Why choose to be kind of transparent for your first Ep and self-title it?

GB: Um I self-titled it because I looked at it mainly as a introduction because it’s my first project. I didn’t have any real outline for it. I was kind of making songs and they all just kind of tied in together. So I self-titled it for that reason pretty much just to kind of introduce people to who I am as an artist.

FS:What makes the Ep special to you?

GB: Um special to me just because it is my first one. Like my baby in a sense and like I said I’ve never one done before. I did it all in my bedroom which made it a little more personal too. I just recorded it there. The whole process was exciting, it was very easy. The whole thing just kind of came together on it’s own. So special because it’s my first one. So I’m excited to do another one.

FS: How long did it take you to finish it?

GB: Let’s see the first thing I did for it was “Well Wishes”. I did that in November and then I finished the rest of them probably like March is when I was done. March or April.

FS: How were you feeling before you started recording the project? Nervous or excited?

GB: More so excited because a lot of people had been mentioning that I should put one out so the fact that I was doing it had me more excited than nervous.

FS: These people were at performances, producers or friends ?

GB: They’re just friends. Like my first performance I did after the Ep was released so I hadn’t been  performing prior to. But people that supported me in general said I should  look into putting one out.

FS: How many songs did you write for the project?

GB: I wrote all five.

FS: There were none left over?

GB: Well yea I’ve always been writing but out of those I picked just certain ones to be apart of the project.

FS: How were your conversations with your producers before making these records?

GB: Um the producers I actually didn’t meet them personally. They were producers that I found online. But the engineer who did put the project together said that he really liked it.

FS: What made you write “Undercover Lovers”?

GB: That was just a personal experience really and um the story kind of just came together in a song so I just felt like speaking it from my point of view and tell my side of the story.

FS: My idea was that the guitar gave you the idea.

GB: Oh yea totally when I first listened to it the guitar was the first thing that I was like “I have to use this beat.” That was what caught my attention too.

FS: What instruments do you think compliment your voice the best?

GB: I play the piano but I think it’s probably the guitar, like a acoustic guitar .

FS: You said you play right?

GB: Yea my mom taught me when I was like five and I just kind of kept up with it.

FS: How does it help with your songwriting?

GB: Um it helps because it’s easy to just you know sit at my keyboard and then play a few notes just  to get like a melody down. So it definitely inspires me for sure.

FS: How would you describe a fictional love story that describes your Ep?

GB: I don’t know I guess two people who are kind of finding their way and… I don’t know that’s a tough question. Two people that are just kind of finding their way through life and through love and figuring it out that way. And ultimately end up together.

FS: Not saying that your not capable of both but at times what do you show more attention to arrangement or lyrics?

GB: Um definitely lyrics. And with my next project I actually want to get deeper into like writing and stuff so I would say I pay more attention to the lyrics.

FS: How has where you lived influenced your music?

GB: Well I’m from Oklahoma I lived in Houston for a minute but when I moved back is when I really started working on the project. So being back home influenced me a lot because I am back around  people I’m familiar with and people who also create and stuff so their energy was also good to have around just to like inspire me to do the project and finish it.

FS: Best place to write for you?

GB: I’ve honestly came up with like a few of my ideas just like being in the bathroom. Like out of the shower or getting ready if I’m like listening to a beat I just kind of come up with at least a concept that way to where I’m not really over thinking it. It just kind of comes up naturally that way.

FS: What studio that you currently or have used helps you make the best decision creatively?

GB: I actually record myself in my room but there has been a couple of studio sessions that I’ve had where I’ve done features. So just being in the studio session alone really inspires me. I like to record in the comfort of my own room because thats where I’m most comfortable but studio sessions definitely help.

FS: Where in Oklahoma would you like to perform?

GB: Well they just opened a new space called the Criterion, it’s a bit bigger than the live music spots that they have so that would be really cool there.

FS: Who would like to work with?

GB: Currently some one like Jhene Aiko or The Internet are really cool too. Lauryn Hill has like always been a favorite of mine so that would be cool too as well.

FS: Could you give a few songs you wouldn’t mind sampling?

GB: Anything from The Internet. I wouldn’t mind because all of their instrumentation is amazing. I like a lot of SZA’s music. Probably Jhene Aiko. Also Anderson Paak.

FS: Favorite artist?

GB: The Internet, Anderson Paak, Jhene Aiko, Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse.

FS: Favorite album?

GB: Hands down probably “The Miseducation…”

FS: Knowing and understanding your musical talents how has that helped you at times?

GB: Well knowing that I’m capable of writing and creating music it helps if I’m going through something or when I’m like stressed out about something I can always go to back to music and release things that way. So it makes me feel better about whatever situation I may be going through knowing that can release it that way doing something that I love.

FS: I forgot to ask you about the Outro …How did that come about?

GB: Actually the lyrics for it I wrote a while ago. I always just make little notes in my phone randomly but I took that and just expanded on that really.

FS: That brings us to the end of the interview. Do you have anything  you want to say to your fans or people that listen to your music?

GB: Just that I appreciate the support and I’m definitely working on putting out another one soon so be on the lookout for that.

iamgabrielleb.com

@iamgabrielleb​_

PURCHASE/STREAM EP:

PURCHASE/STREAM EP:

FS: What do you do when you can’t create or you have a block?

IC: A block… well um for me I think my writer’s block stems from being in the same environment and having things trigger like you know, a mental stagnation. You know what I’m saying. Like I can’t be in one place for too long during a writer’s block period because it doesn’t motivate me or there’s no place for me to draw inspiration from. There is but it’s just difficult. For me I like long drives. I’m very much a beach person. Being from here (LA) I think the beach is a place where I’m able to reflect on everything but it’s so calm that it kind of has me thinking about things from a different perspective. Where, as in my own environment I probably would of felt some kind of way. Got in my feelings and never wrote about it. So the beach has been a very helpful place for me in terms of getting through writer’s block. Also leaving for the weekend. Sometimes I feel like vacations. Go to San Diego. Malibu is a good place for me. I’ll fake it.

FS: I remember you speaking about you ordering something from “My Two Cents”.

IC: Yes, “My Two Cents”. That’s like one of my favorite spots. And it’s really honestly beyond the food it’s the environment. Chef (Alisa) she just happens to cook incredible. So it’s just my favorite eating spot. I like this place called (Ackee Bamboo) in Leimert Park. So I’ll go there sit outside chill and write. I’ll end up writing a lot too. Food will trigger that.

FS: Let’s get on to the next one. Who are some of your influences producer wise?

IC: Production wise, it’s a range with everybody from Dj Battlecat, like he’s just a master of sound. Madlib, J Dilla. Dre, he’s another architect of sound. I like Dj Toomp. I like Organize Noize. I’m very much an Outkast, Dungeon Family fan. Like I felt like I grew up on that, you know. That whole southern soulful sound “that’s my shit”.

FS: I know that Big Krit is one of your favorites.

IC: Yes and he has that whole “Organized Noize” sound. You know, his production is bass heavy. I love Krit more so for style of rap. He’s a real MC but southern though and he don’t let you forget it. But he can go bar for bar with you and I think sometimes we count southern rappers out as good lyrical MC’s and he’s that. Like Krit is perfect to me.

FS: Ok I’m gonna bring him up later on in another question. Who are some your influences as far as female artists go?

IC: Georgia Anne Muldrow even before we started working together she was always a huge influence. Patrice Rushen, Phylliss Hyman, Tiffany Gouche. I love KING the collective, they’re just great all of them together Paris, Anita, Amber I love them. They’re my favorite group right now. Lauryn Hill’s production work and MC wise. Also Yoyo.

FS: What are some things that you’ve seen progress from early in your career to now?

IC: Shoot I’m older. It’s been 5 yrs since my first project. So in that amount of time I’ve worked with a lot of great people who I learned from. Every session I take something away from it. You got to think I’ve had hundreds of sessions with people who know more than I do. How to tap into my si  nging voice, rap in different cadences. How to choose different beats that will complement my voice. All those things I’ve taken into account on this next project. Including content and subject matter, shit happens, life is up and down. So you know I’m incorporating more of that into my music and you’ll hear that on this next project for sure. I’m not afraid to talk about who I am, what I’ve been through or what I’ve seen. The first project was definitely a good first try. But I graduated and you’ll hear that.

FS: Well let’s get into your projects. How’s  the process for putting one together for you?

IC: Each song has it’s own separate process. I’ve been working on this for 2 years. Some of this stuff has been there from the beginning. I slept on it and came back to it.  Some things were additions at the tail end because they just organically matched and fit the theme of the project. But for the most part I just took each song and attached it the way it felt natural to do. Whatever song evoked a whole conversation about love I made sure that I did the song right then while I was in that zone and that feeling. Because it wasn’t going to come out properly if I had aggressive or assertive energy trying to do a song that I know is supposed to be about love and good feeling. So I try to like do one thing at a time, that way it comes out the way I think it should be. I don’t have no specific process. Everything with me is based on feeling. Everything. My whole life is based on feeling. So if it feels like I should be doing something I probably should be doing it…

FS: About recording, how often do you get to record yourself?

IC: I used to record a lot but studio costs being independent while wanting to record as much as I like to record. I’m the type that likes to record 8 to 10 hours a day. Because I can do a lot in that amount of time. It just costs. Until I’m in a position to where I have that luxury I have to cut the recording down. Last year I was recording at least 5 times a week. Even if it was to do a scratch or hook.

FS: When do you decide to change your voice to fit the beat your writing to?

IC: Often because the beat will just call for it. A beat that’s not so low bottom heavy but it has a lot of wind instruments and things like that I’m not going to keep it low. If the melodies are up I’m going to have my voice mirror it and match it a little. If it’s not heavy, warm and soulful then I keep my voice where it’s at. Meaning I don’t have to do as much animation and vocal inflection.

FS: How important is to capture and idea as soon as you get it?

IC: Oh, it’s so important. I got a million things going through my mind at all times. So when an idea comes quickly to me that means it’s probably the idea I need to run with. We can fine tune it along the way. I’m always fine tuning and going back and editing. When certain shit just comes so quickly and organically I make sure that I have my voice notes ready in my Iphone. Have that going. Probably hum something right then and there. No matter where I’m at I’m not afraid to write and stop what I’m doing to write down a phrase or even a line. It’s been times where it’s been one word somebody else said that has triggered an entire song. Those moments are real important. You definitely have to stop what you’re doing because God is trying to say something.

FS: Do you have a favorite studio?

IC: No. I like big studios, small studios. I want to get to a place where I have my own. Like a home recording studio, that will probably be my favorite place. But all studios I’ve been to so far have a good quality to them I like, they all bring something different.

FS: Ok moving on to songs and the Illustrated project. “Circles” with Terrace. Can you talk about how that came about and how the drums complemented your delivery.

IC: Well those are the drums from that Bill Withers song “Use Me Up” and I’m a Bill Withers fan. I don’t know if Terrace knew that. He just felt that that was the vibe to run with. Cause he’s really good with that. That collaboration came from me just going to Terrace’s home recording studio. One of the first few times I got to work with him for my own stuff. I just told him I needed a song. It didn’t take much planning. Terrace is very good about knowing peoples sounds. And that’s how he differs from other people, he knows people sounds right off the whip. So he knew that that pace and that drum pattern would be good for me. And then at that time I had a cold actually and I was like kind of recovering. He was like let’s take advantage of the sound of your voice right then. He went ahead and made the beat. That’s why you hear me a little bit raspier than normal. I wasn’t sleep I wasn’t none of that I was sick. And he said it sounded like I was in a state of reflection and he wanted to capture that right then.

FS: Next question. What was it like recording “Lopsided” with Tay Walker?

IC: That’s another one of those that just happened. When was that 2012?

FS: I remember you saying that you guys had spent a while in the studio and it came about right at the end.

IC: We had been there all day Tay was in the middle of working on his album. I went over, was there working actually making beats with Midtown Pat from The Internet. And we were just playing around then I told Tay I had some beats. Because people always throw me beats and I hate not using them. I’m like yo “You guys spent time”. I got this one that sounds like it needs some definite singing on here. We was like alright we’ll get to it right after we eat. People get food get sleepy.  Then I’m like alright we gotta wake up its like 2-3 o’clock in the morning. So I play the beat it was perfect. We left the lights off and everything. My voice has the tendency to get raspier and a little deeper in the night time. That happened then he was like “Yo let’s record right now”. I said “Let’s do it”. He came up with a hook so fast. I just told him what was happening at the time. Cause that song was based on a relationship I was in. Tay did it, he works fast so that’s how that happened.

FS: I know that the title of your project included your name but was there any other meaning behind it at the time?

IC: It’s a play off my name. To illustrate something means to bring something to forefront and to light. To give clarity to. So illustrated and Heirloom. That’s what they’re about. Bringing something to the forefront. Magnifying my life.

FS: How many versions of songs did you have before you came to the versions that ended up on your project?

IC: 2 or 3.

FS: Is there anything that you need to have a good performance?

IC: Good sound and good energy. I don’t care about how many people are there that’s never been a worry of mine. Because it’s hit or miss. I’ve performed in front of like 5,000 people before then I’ve performed in front of 5 people. So my energy has to be the same regardless. But what always helps me is if the people in the room are paying attention. If the sound is decent then I’m going to do my thing regardless. Because why cheat 5 people because it’s not 450 more people there. You still have to treat it the same and perform the same regardless of how many people in the building. If you’re a real artist. If you’re not then you care about that other stuff. I don’t.

IC: If there was a classic album and you can make something similar to recreate it in some way, what would that be?

IC: It’s not just one. It would be a combination of The Chronic 2, probably Stankonia and any Stevie Wonder album.

FS: If Big Krit was producing something for how would you describe what kind of sounds he should use?

IC: I’ll  just tell him give me the bounce and give me soul. Make sure the bass is right, he’ll know what to do. Because I feel like I can rap on anything Big Krit has rapped on. Especially his more mellow stuff. Stuff with Devin the Dude, songs like “Red Eye”. “Moon and stars” is a great beat, I feel like I could’ve murdered that because it was just right up my alley. But I don’t feel like I would have to give Big Krit too much direction.

FS: How do you feel about Anderson Paak?

IC: That’s the homeboy. I know him as Breezy Lovejoy. He’s incredible and he’s always been that. He’s been that for more than a decade and a half. I feel like the world is just catching up to him.  Dope mc, dope producer and dope drummer period. And the homies of Free Nationals.

FS: I guess that brings us to the end of the interview. Do you have anything to say to the people that follow you?

IC: So it’s 2016 I have an album coming out called Heirloom that’s near completion. Just thank you to everybody that supported. God, family, music for sure.

PURCHASE : ILLUSTRATED

FS: Why call it American Muscle?

P: I called it American Muscle for a couple of reasons. One, I’m into muscle cars. I’m part of car club Serious Business Car Club. Another reason why I called it American Muscle is because I wanted to give it a title that was strong and that meant something. Also I wanted to show people that there’s many definitions for American Muscle. A lot of people always think the word American only associates with (a certain race) white and I’m black. I’m American my grandma was born here her grandmother was born here and so on and so on. I feel like were defining what American is. We, no longer have to be like “I’m a black American, I’m this American. I’m American.” When I go overseas I’m American. They don’t go “Oh you’re a black American coming over here.” They’re just like “Oh there’s an American guy.” I kind of wanted to show that.

FS: What was it like picking the samples for this album?

P: For the beats that have samples, I didn’t produce them. For me I’m not really a sample producer. I’ve sampled before but I rarely sample. When I heard the beats that have samples in them it was more so just for the feeling.

FS: What has changed for you musically since the last project?

P: I’ve honed in on who I’m speaking to a lot more. I’m just better period. It’s been two years since I’ve made another Polyester The Saint album. “This is For The Player in You” came out in 2014. American Muscle in 2016. I’m just better older, wiser. Better looking all that.

FS: How long have you been working on these songs and have any been intended for recent projects or other people?

P: No all these songs I’ve been working on within the two years. One of them got added a week before I turned the album in which was two weeks before it came out. So one of them got added when I put one of the singles out. A producer named Doc Uno sent me a beat and I was just like “Man this beat is so hard this gotta go on the album”. I cut another song that I had on there off. I thought “It’s not up to par“. And that’s kind of how I worked on this album. I wasn’t just making the first thirteen songs and saying here’s a album. I did a lot of songs and some didn’t get on there. The one’s that did were some of the ones that were the best to me.

FS: Any special synths used on this album?

P: No special synths. My go to synth is a Roland Phantom. That’s like my pride and joy. I take it on the road with me. I use it pretty much on every song. That’s the same synth I’ve been using for the past five years.

FS: What influenced the sound on this album and how does LA fit in the sound?

P: That’s who influences it. The city, the food, the palm trees, the beach, the women. All of that it influences the sound of the album, you know. Every day I wake up I’m in a beautiful city. So when I go to the studio I just take that energy right to the studio and make songs with it.

FS: How was the mixing process?

P: The mixing process was stressful. Because I do a lot of the recording myself, the producing myself and then the mixing. Me and a partner Nick Bretton at Truth Studios, he comes in and helps wherever I need him but I handled a lot of the mixing. Honestly it was stressful I can’t even lie.

FS: Was it the program you were using?

P: No it was just allocating brain space. It was like I gotta think of a bunch of things at one time or make sure a lot of things happen.

FS: What DAW did you use to record on?

P: Protools, I use Protools to record in for forever and I use Reason for the drums. I like Reason.

FS: Was this recorded all at Truth?

P: Every song was recorded at Truth studios.

FS: What is your favorite mic to use?

P: I like a Sony C800 but that’s not what we use. We have a modified mic that somebody made for us. Actually it just kind of went out as I was finishing American Muscle so I’m a little bit hot about that because I been using that same mic for the last four years.

FS: Do you prefer to use presets in Reason and Protools or you make your own?

P: I use presets but a lot of times I tweak them once I get in there.  Or I’ll find something that sound similar to what I’m looking for then I just go in and make it sound like what I want. Presets are cool. I think they get you in a general area and then you just tweak from there.

FS: What was your favorite studio session?

P: Probably my favorite one was one night Dom, Jay 305, and Niko G4 came through. We just worked on like three of the songs on my album. That was a good night because we all were talking about for the last two years we all been doing our thing. And it’s been a long time since we all got in the studio at the same time. It just felt good. It felt like home. It’s been a long time since we all got together and worked on something. So that was probably one of my favorite nights.

FS: Ok that goes with my next question. It seemed like Dom helped out a lot with the narrative on the album.

P: Yeah he did. He was coming when I was working on my album. When I played it for him I was a little more than halfway through. He was realizing “Ok my boy has some real good songs. How can I contribute… Whether I say something. Whether I’m here vibing with you” or “Hey why don’t you put that piece right here.” So that felt good. That’s what I always did with him on his projects.

FS: If you could’ve had a musician play on this album who would be?

P: Probably Steve “Thundercat” just because that’s my homie for almost ten years now. And a lot stuff that I made way back in the day he played on. And through life and everybody  becoming who we’ve been. It’s kind of like everybody scattered off doing their own thing and that’s my good good friend that I feel like I would like to get back in and make some stuff with. Now that we’re who we are til this day and bigger and better also smarter.

FS: Favorite place to write.

P: I do most of my writing in the studio but, sometimes I’ll go pull up at a park and I’ll listen to a beat that I made. I’ll just get the vibe. I might not write the song but I’ll get a couple lines and say “Ok that’s where I want to go with it.” I pretty much do my writing actually in the studio. I don’t really write at home or anything like that.

FS: Who are some people that you still want to work with?

P: I’d like to work with Ab-Soul again. We did a song me, him and Freddie Gibbs but it was just so separate. I did my part. They did their part. It wasn’t like all at the same time. I’d like to work with probably Currensy because a lot of people say that we would sound good together. Anybody really.

FS: I know that you’re influenced by the Bay a lot. So what current artist from the Bay would you like to work with?

P: Well there’s a group that I’m working with right now they’re called Trill Youngn’s. It’s like 19, 20yr olds. They have a good following out there. We’re currently working on some music right now. You should check them out. And then recently I’ve been working with P-Lo from HBK Gang. Everybody I would like to work with in the Bay it’s about to happen or it’s happening.

FS: What’s the best speakers you’ve heard the album come out of?

P: The best speakers was the strip club speakers I heard them on last night when they played a couple songs at the strip club I was at. “I was like ok this sounds good in here”. Those are probably the best speakers I’ve heard them on.

FS: That brings us to the end. Anything you want to say to your fans or those that listen to you?

P: Keep listening and don’t ever think I’m sleep because I don’t sleep and thank you.