Hi! Can you share the inspiration behind your song “Williamsburg”? What personal experiences or stories led to its creation?
A: Hey, happy to be here with you guys!. Williamsburg was created out of Ric808 and my love for that late night lofi lounge vibe. Ric808 DJ’d around New York City at various clubs and lounges so he was always around that environment. I got hooked to the sound due to the smoothness of that type of genre and the way it made me feel as far as putting me in a good place mentally. There’s something calming about lofi lounge music and Williamsburg was birthed from our love of the lofi genre.
The song “Williamsburg” has a unique sound and style. How would you describe your musical influences and how they have shaped this track?
A: Williamsburg definitely had a different sound to what we were hearing on radio and on streaming platforms and we knew that when we in the middle of making the song. We have many influences when it comes to us making the music we did. With Williamsburg we wanted to keep to our way of writing and sound which is rooted in R&B and hip hop but also include our love of the artists that we’ve fell in love with as we grew more mature in our writing and production process. You can hear a little Drake in our sound, Kanye West in a few other tracks we made. As far as production, you can hear some Mark Ronson, which my cousin introduced me to as far as sound and style. You can probably also hear a little Daft Punk and Diplo in our production as well. Since RIC was the main producer on these tracks, you can hear a little influence from those particular artists and others because he was the producer and those were those were the artists he would listen to. Of course, RIC was DJing so he was around that type of music and that’s what led to the idea of Williamsburg. We wanted to create a feel good, moment in time type of track that we’ve experienced on multiple occasions, RIC more than me, but yea that was the ultimate goal.
The lyrics of “Williamsburg” are quite evocative. Could you delve into the songwriting process for this track? How do you usually approach lyric writing?
A: Well, like I stated before, Williamsburg was created all off of our experience being at certain lounges but one in particular was Kinfolk 90, which was in Williamsburg Brooklyn NY. I think the location might be closed, but being at that location at certain events is what added to the writing process. I saw people just having a good time, dancing, laughing just dancing the night away without a care in the world. That’s mainly how I approach my writing process. It would either be an experience that I’ve had or someone close to me and I’ll try to put myself in that environment or situation and feed off of that. Of course it was always good to have my cousing there and my uncle E.I. to give their critique on how it sounded.
Many artists have a specific message or feeling they wish to convey through their music. What message or emotion were you hoping to evoke in your audience with “Williamsburg”?
A: Our main goal with our music is just to share enjoyment and positivity. As we all know, there’s a lot going on in the world, both positive and negative. We just want to add positivity but also add our real life experiences through the music as well. With Williamsburg, we wanted to share the idea of enjoying the moment and time you spend with people. Williamsburg is specifically about that moment you have with your significant other and enjoying their company but the overall message of the song is to enjoy that moment you have with them and make memories with that person and cherish them.
Your song “Williamsburg” has been receiving a lot of attention. How has the response from your audience and critics influenced your perspective on your music?
A: Yes, the song has been doing well. It’s always good to get feedback and critique on your projects. As far as our audience receiving the music and accepting it, I feel they are enjoying it and want more. I’m a parent as well so it’s a matter of balancing everything but also staying consistent with the music. I would love to get the opportunity to do live gigs so I can see how people react to the music real time. Get a more personal, intimate response to the music. Praying that opportunity will happen soon.
Can you tell us about your background as an artist? How did you get started in music, and what has your journey been like up to this point?
A: Well my background as an artist began when I was in my late teens. I remember starting a rap group with a few of my boys in California when I was in high school, my boys Dante and Dominique. I forgot what the group name was but we were just chilling, rapping to different instrumentals. Singing wasn’t even a thought but prior to that my mother had me in the church choir at 9 years old so I guess singing found it’s way back to me in my early 20’s. It was honestly a steady grind with music. Just learning what my range was, how to stay in my lane to a certain degree and not be afraid to try new things whether it be vocally or production wise. The only thing I wish I would’ve taken advantage of is having people view my growth as I got older. I feel the connection would have been much different than it is now but hopefully true fans who love the music will hear that through the songs I put out a few years ago and going forward. It’s been a beautiful journey, I’ve met individuals that I’ve learned from that have been in the industry for years. I’ve took some hits along the way but have managed to still be here, alive and healthy. I wouldn’t want it to be any other way and I know I have way more to go.
How do you think your music, specifically songs like “Williamsburg,” reflects your personal identity or the communities you are part of?
A: Williamsburg reflects my personal identity in a lot of ways. The whole vibe of the song is me. I have a laid back, toned down type of personality to a certain degree and Williamsburg, to me is all about that. To me, Williamsburg is a very intimate track and you can hear it in the song. The smoothness and mellowness of the song could also reflect my age due to the fact that I’m older now so, yea, the song is a pure reflection of how I identify with myself.
Looking beyond “Williamsburg,” what future projects are you currently working on? Can we expect a continuation of the themes and styles present in this song?
A: Currently the team and I are tossing around the idea of either doing an EP or an album. The tracks you are hearing now and the next few that come out were a project my cousin and myself were working on but unfortunately he passed away in February. We are working to release these songs in memory of him because we feel these songs are great and needed to be heard. So that’s our current priority but we do have some things in motion as far as an EP or album.
Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring artists who are inspired by your work and wish to create their own unique sound and songs?
A: I would say, if you feel you have something to say with your music, than say it. You never want to be in a situation where your asking yourself, should I have done this or should I have done that. Drop the music man, we are not guaranteed tomorrow so we need to move with that type of mentality. Stay consistent as best as you can. We all know life can throw obstacles in your way but I feel those obstacles are there to teach us something and to help us grow. Never let someone else dictate how you want to move and how you want your music to be heard. Learn to be patient, and understand that growth will come with that patience as an artist. And lastly, for those who believe, keep God first!