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Vince Staples: FM! [Album Review] by @SageTerrence01

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The radio is home to all of the most popular from your region. It’s not necessarily highlighting the best when it comes to a genre of music but the sure-fire songs. Vince Staples teleports us to a sunny yet realized observation at one man’s world that knows the terrors of the Summer and its fleeting enjoyment brought to you by the radio station with FM!

FM! is right at home within Vince’s discography for discussing the stark reality that he’s never shielded away from with production that gives his lyrics a backdrop of up-tempo pop and bounces when he calls for it. In the back half of the album, the sounds of summer and the electric beat are replaced by more downtempo and G-Funk as Vince digs into what makes a dangerous, but normal life for the young Long Beach rapper. The project is short, clocking in at just twenty-three minutes. Across eleven tracks Vince gives us deadpan raps with a nasal voice that has the West Coast sound with accessibility as it continually loops from the production from Kenny Beats, Hagler, KillaGraham, and Cubeatz. FM! Is an album that brings together the fun and danger of Summertime in unison to biographical stories and what that means in this hectic time that is known to increase violence in the streets.

 

FM! acts as an encapsulated moment reminding listeners us all that there’s more to the Summer than the Radio and highlights the dangers that are behind the music stations when you turn the radio off. “Feels Like Summer” starts the album with Kenny Beats who produces the bulk of the project with an electric energy that Vince immediately capitalizes on with verses about the difficulties of life in Long Beach. “First month still feel like summer Cold weather won’t stop no gunner / Wrong hat, wrong day, I’d kill my brother.” The Ty Dolla $ign feature gives the song the proper air for a Summer song it needs with Vince’s words setting it against his real-life accounts that are bouncing across the production. Vince’s cut and dry voice alongside the bumping sound clashes well with all of the tracks that follow. The sequencing in the album is as we hop from song to song. “Outside!” ups the tempo and gives us an anthem as he runs through the cardinal directions all participants in the chorus in a way as he asks “who ’bout that life?” while holding onto recounting being at his relatives house with guns and running up on others that bring the songs down to earth through the energetic feel that it gives off in the early parts of the album. Going into “Don’t Get Chipped” the bouncing vibe turns dire as Staples and Jay Rock gives us a warning with this song. Trying not to get beat up and/or killed is put plainly by Jay Rock. “Don’t get chipped, don’t get chipped, don’t get chipped Nigga, I ain’t got the patience, yeah My hustle like a mental patient, I’m tryna ball”

The adaptability of Vince’s rapping is showcased through his verses giving us a great display of his ability to be succinct. He’s telling instances of gang violence, the smaller moments that’ll sit with a person as their survival is in question, and what comes after as they’re able to talk about it. Vince while keeping things short and to the point, keeps the production in league with the subject material in the process. With “Relay”, he drives home the harshness behind him with the gangster influences that are ingrained in his music. The transitioning disguised as the radio is a smooth way to tie in previous songs to the interludes and the skits that are on the album. Speaking of interludes, a pleasant surprise was the “New earlsweatshirt (Interlude)” that comes off as a new release on Big Boi’s station. It comes on and by the time it registers that we’re blessed with new Earl Sweatshirt, the twenty-two seconds of knocking drums and an irregular beat are over. “Run The Bands” is an undeniable hit for the album as the infectious chorus maintains the anthem-like sound throughout as Staples raps with a breakneck speed when “Run the bands, run the bands, hey” isn’t right behind him. FUN! is another banger in a different light, it has the DNA of what the album has given us thus far but it’s reminiscent to Staples work during his time on Big Fish Theory. It’s a shoulder-shaking song with enough power to make you want to dance, the case can be made most of the album would cause this reaction because it’s a project made in the vein of what the radio will do to you. Even in the midst of delivering a pop-styled record, Staples highlighting the different ways life is plagued by the violent tendencies of the summer bring it back to its gangster roots, “Don’t be lookin’ funny when we come up in the store My black is beautiful but I’ll still shoot at you, dawg” can perfectly sum up how Staples has balanced the two sides of the material on FM! It’s expressed definitely on FUN! and it’s accompanying video that just shows people wanting to enjoy themselves to “not fuck up nothing.” E-40’s presence on the track strikes the tone for the second half of the song that allows him to ride out the song with a groovy repetition going for him as the song closes.

No Bleedin is the peak of the album when it comes to the hard-hitting production, Staples and feature Kamaiyah are in unison for the entire song. The production from Kenny Beats on this song specifically pushes you to get up and dance or fight the closest person to you while yelling the chorus. Kamaiyah verse on the album perfectly illustrates the violence that comes with talking to someone that’s 100% ready for war. The verse is practically a call to arms and verse to be used with anyone you have a problem with, it comes off cool and nonchalant with an air of eagerness from Kamaiyah. Both Brand New Tyga (Interlude) and (562) 453-9382 (Skit) both maintain the radio station personality that the album has kept up throughout with Tyga’s interlude acting as a teaser for new material that sounds like a very nice Summer Hit. The skit is a hilarious short break with Big Boy that features a challenge I recommend everyone tries at home to see if you do better than the unlucky caller. The final song Tweakin’ is a somber finale to the album. It’s a midnight stroll made into a song with the feeling and tone of the entire album shifting with the song. Tweakin’ can be described as the darkness setting in after the long day in the summer sun goes down. Buddy and Kehlani assist Staples as he puts his emotions and feelings about his life and the commonality of losing people on the track with the sinister, dream-like production behind him. “When Jabari died, was off the porch for homicides Then when Half had died, I bought some things to pass the guys But when Johnny died, all I had was shows booked” Kehlani’s hauntingly good chorus covers the song in a melancholy feeling about an emotional subject that many have said their peace on, “Just got a call ’bout my tweets (Tweets, yeah) Told me to watch what I’m sayin’ (Sayin’, yeah) Just got a call ’bout the streets (Streets, yeah) Told me to watch for a Jeep (Jeep, yeah)” The lyrics on Tweakin’ hit differently with Staples illustrating what life has been and what it is with stardom now another thing he has to worry about. He’s spoken about the instances he’s rapping about before and with Tweakin’ the Summer days come to an end, as we know them too.

Ending the album comprised of songs meant to mimic the happy-go-lucky, fun in the sun mood that one might think is Cali’s specialty on a note of reflection and remembrance about what Summer means to black people when tensions grow and the weather gets too hot is the only place Vince and company could take FM! Perfectly mimicking a Summer Day in Long Beach, Vince brings it home with a project that encapsulates his world that we’ve seen time and again (with Prima Donna and Summertime ’06 coming to mind) FM! is a short project with lots of reasons to revisit it in the future. A concept that’s used so sharply it’s ingrained in the way you approach the album, making you want to take it from the top and give it a spin for a car ride. Vince Staples has another winner with this album, keeping the songs consistent, the features playing to their strengths, and the production across the board from all involved being top notch. Now go turn on your local radio station!

Grade: A

 

A Short Guide to Westside Gunn’s “Hitler Wears Hermes” Series (1-5)

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Prominent Buffalo MC and Griselda Records chief, Westside Gunn, decided to give us all a treat on Halloween by releasing the 6th installment in his Hitler Wears Hermes series. Gunn is fresh off his release of Supreme Blientele, an album that will most certainly be in the “album of the year” talks at the end of 2018. Hitler Wears Hermes is a series of projects that ranges all the way back to the beginning of Westside Gunn’s career. He’s dropped a new installment in the series almost every year since 2012 (aside from the year 2013).

The running controversial title of the series was intentional, according to Gunn, and served as a metaphor for the grimy, yet luxurious, feel of the music he makes. Here is Gunn’s reasoning behind the title, pulled from a mini documentary:

“The whole Hitler Wears Hermes, you know the title, man, was just, I wanted to come with, you know, some of the grimiest but flyest shit I could come up with, cuz like, that’s basically my whole style, you know. Just the grimiest, flyest shit I could think of, so. You know, everybody was already used that Devil Wears Prada, and I’m just like, you know I want to flip that right there. Like that was something, I just wanted to come with somebody that soon as you hear it, you be like, ‘Yo that shit’s crazy, but fly at the same time.’ So that’s how I really came up with it.”

So, in honor of the release of Hitler Wears Hermes 6, (which you can purchase here) here is a short guide of installments one through five in the Hitler Wears Hermes series!

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Hitler Wears Hermes 

Released: 2012

The original (OG) installment of the Hitler Wears Hermes series. It is also the shortest out of all the installments, only including six tracks. It also features only two tracks containing original production. However, Westside Gunn does a hell of job making those tracks his own, one track in particular being “Rayful’s Plug”, which includes the beat from Wiz Khalifa and 50 Cent’s, “Telescope”, produced by Harry Fraud. If you’ve never heard any of the Hitler projects, feel free to start with this one and work your way up.

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Hitler Wears Hermes 2

Released: 2014

This installment is my personal favorite of the Hitler Wears Hermes series. It includes several memorable songs, including the first track representing the iconic duo, Hall & Nash (Westside Gunn and Conway). The production from Gunn’s in-house producer and right hand man, Daringer, is stellar. The way he flipped “Sleepy People” on “City, Sos & Me” will forever be ingrained into my eardrums…it’s quite beautiful. Do not let this one slip by your ears. Don’t believe me? Take KA’s word for it.

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Hitler Wears Hermes 3

Released: 2015

This is easily the longest of all the installments (17 tracks), and also includes some of the most potent features of the bunch (Sean Price, Benny, Skyzoo, Durag Dynasty and Vast Aire). The Vast Aire (member of Cannibal Ox) feature on “Rixh Lord Poor Lord” in particular is quite a standout. Aside from Daringer handling business as usual on the boards, fellow Buffalo producer, Camoflauge Monk, takes the opportunity to shine on this project, producing tracks such as “Dear Winter Bloody Fiegs” and “Oil Base”.

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Hitler Wears Hermes 4

Released: 2016

Around the time this project was released, Westside Gunn (and Griselda Records in general) began to get a lot more attention (shown through the “Combat Jack Speaks” sketch on the project…R.I.P.). He was fresh off his release of FLYGOD, which had dropped earlier that year (check it out here). Like usual, this is yet another solid installment in the series that not only showcases Gunn’s talents, but his label mates as well. Conway’s verse on “The Cow” is easily one of his most emotional and memorable verses he’s ever done…and it’s the VERY FIRST verse you hear on the album. Conway also appears on the track “Nitro” alongside fellow Griselda representative, Benny. The chemistry between all the emcees of Griselda Records is undeniable.

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Hitler Wears Hermes 5

Released: 2017

You could argue that Hitler Wears Hermes 5 may in fact be the grimiest installment of the series. The first two tracks, “Hebru” and “MAC 15’s”, strongly support this statement. Also…shoutout to Buffalo poet, Keisha Plum, who has appeared on every installment of Hitler Wears Hermes (as well as FLYGOD and Supreme Blientele). On HWH5, she appears on “Hebru”. Her dark, chilling vocabulary is extremely fitting with the aesthetic of Westside Gunn’s music. In fact, a Westside Gunn project without her presence wouldn’t feel quite right. Conway and Benny once again make appearances. Conway in particular makes an appearance on “R.I.P. Bobby” and glides with Gunn over a beat produced by The Alchemist. The beat includes a gorgeously flipped sample of “I Can’t Stay Away From You”.

Hitler Wears Hermes 6 is available exclusively on Westside Gunn’s website. It will be available on other streaming platforms on November 9th.

 

Jake Milgate (@MILFENCE) is a staff writer for DeadEndHipHop. He resides in Rochester, NY.

“I wanted to be an outcast”: On The Unique Sounds of Rico Nasty

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The evolution of hip-hop in the Internet Age has given birth to a myriad of different sounds and trends over the past several years. The music birthed in the “SoundCloud era” of rap has become part of a larger movement that embraces some of the tenets of the ‘70s punk movement: loud music, transgressive fashion, and undermining traditions.

A member of this new wave, DMV rapper Maria Kelly, widely known by her stage name Rico Nasty, is quickly emerging as one of the most distinct voices of this recent “punk rap” movement, thanks to her eccentric music, subversive fashion sense, and raw authenticity.

A quintessential oddball, the Maryland native presents a surprisingly interesting and refreshing take on melodic trap music. Filed under a subgenre she refers to as “sugar trap,” Nasty effortlessly combines the cartoonish, youthful nature of bubblegum trap with the angst and grit of genres like punk, nu metal, and drill. It’s a sound she began developing in 2016 — with the release of her second and third mixtapes, The Rico Story and the appropriately-titled Sugar Trap, respectively — and which reached its lyrical, sonic, and artistic peak on her most recent project, Nasty.

In an interview with Complex in 2017, Rico Nasty described sugar trap as a mixture of “that good, that bad, that dark, and that light,” referencing the way that her sound has evolved since its beginnings to reflect the onset of darker emotions — a product of a shrinking circle of friends and increased exposure to critics and trolls. It helps to explain why the nature of her song titles differ so drastically, from playful and lighthearted (e.g. “Hey Arnold,” “iCarly,” and “La La Land”) to bold and abrasive (e.g. “AR-15,” “Smack a Bitch,” and “Rage”).

Similar to the way Nicki Minaj utilizes various alter egos to explore different identities and play around with different accents, Nasty channels her “light” and “dark” emotions into her music through distinct characters — namely, the chirpy, ultra-feminine, sing-songy Tacobella, which she turns to for glittery songs about self-love and stunting on haters; and the boisterous rager Trap Lavigne, who can be found threatening violence towards her enemies over much darker, grittier production soaked in sub-bass. Rico’s artistic fluidity enables her to float almost effortlessly between the musical extremes.

It’s not easy to compare Rico Nasty even to her rap contemporaries; very few (if any) up-and-coming artists sound quite like her — it’s part of what makes her such a special artist. Rico’s verses are craftier than those of some of her SoundCloud rap counterparts; her cadences and flows are charismatic, and vary more widely than most other trap rappers; her dynamic microphone presence, unlike that of most emcees across the board, rapidly fluctuates between the opposing ends of the emotional spectrum.

And much like her music, Rico Nasty herself is one-of-a-kind. Her authenticity shines brightly in an industry that is often plagued by notions of insincerity. It’s a resolve she developed way back in grade school when she refused to follow the conventions of cliques at a boarding school she attended in Baltimore. In an interview with The FADER, she stated, “I was, like, weird on purpose. I wanted to be an outcast.”

Nasty’s moxie has given her the confidence to embrace the very fact that she purposely doesn’t fit the stereotype of a pop star — her voice is raspy, her musical and stylistic inspirations come from outside the genre, and she rarely raps or sings explicitly about sex.

“I’d rather not compromise who I am for the rap image,” she commented in an interview she did with Highsnobiety. This uncompromising attitude reminds me of the way that Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert were both unwilling to concede to the expectations of the hip-hop masses (even if they came across as disrespectful and sacrilegious).

Rico Nasty’s refusal to accept that age-old adage that “Sex sells” has also inspired her to combat what she calls the industry’s “cookie-cutter” image with her own idiosyncratic sense of fashion, inspired by her punk aesthetic. Her style is adventurous and fresh, reminiscent of the sort of way Kelis pushed boundaries through her unconventional fashion sense. From platform boots and lace tights to flamboyant makeup and spiked collars to outlandish hairdos and colorful wigs — Nasty’s wardrobe often speaks louder than her words.

And on that topic, the only words Rico Nasty seems concerned with are her own, and not those of her naysayers. On the hook of the song “Won’t Change,” Nasty sings “People false claim, people gon’ hate / But you can’t worry about them ‘cause they won’t change.” In her short career, she’s received her share of hate — just as Yachty and Uzi were lambasted for their viewpoints. Yet Nasty seems to have grown comfortable with the direction of her artistry and her public image.

Rico Nasty’s dedication to being true to herself has turned her into a role model for young fans looking for down-to-earth, honest inspiration from their music idols. And having already been co-signed by various artists, featuring on the cover of the Summer 2018 issue of The FADER magazine, and appearing on the soundtrack of HBO’s hit show Insecure, Rico Nasty is well on her way to becoming an icon in the world of mainstream hip-hop.

 

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Bryan Okani is a Contributing Writer for Dead End Hip-Hop. You can tweet at him here

Dead End Hip Hop Presents | The Vibe: Volume 2

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by I.S. Jones & Jake Milgate

Editor’s Note: I couldn’t tell you exactly when I slipped into this depression and subsequent fear of writing and reporting–quitting a job amidst family turmoil, making ends meet in such an expensive city, and on and on–I retreated from things I love, things that remind me why I fight for what I love. Art is a source of my power, as I imagine is the same for the women in this playlist. If I can be frank, there were not nearly enough women to choose from–for every rapper that sent music, maybe eight male rappers mailed in music as well. I began writing about music because I saw many talented emerging rappers not getting the recognition, I felt, they deserved. [Read more…] about Dead End Hip Hop Presents | The Vibe: Volume 2

Roc Marciano & DJ Muggs: Kaos [Album Review]

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I’m not going to mince words with you here my friends, Roc Marciano in my humble opinion has beyond proven that he’s the best emcee to exist this year. Before you get your Twitter fingers ready let me explain. Roc has released two other albums this year in “Rosebudd’s Revenge 2: The Bitter Dose” and “Behold A Dark Horse”. Both albums incredible in their own right (and I’ll be reviewing those too, because I will NOT let you sleep on this history being made here) however when Roc & DJ Muggs (of Soul Assassin & Cypress Hill fame) announced their team up that immediately jumped to my most anticipated release of the year. Despite this being Roc Marciano’s third project of the year, this could be his best.

“Kaos” comes in at 10 tracks, a little under 40 miuntes and it’s all in the words of Dart Adams “unadulterated fire” and I couldn’t agree more. Before we jump into Roc’s vocal contribution, let’s talk about Muggs. Hot damn, it feels like every single vibe is covered with precision on “Kaos”. “Dolph Lundren” has a chill feel to it with a jazzy guitar in the background laid out for Roc to begin this 10 track journey on.

My favorite on “Kaos” is “The E Train” Muggs lulls us in with a beautiful flute sample that you can’t help but be whisked away by. Meanwhile Roc Marciano does what Roc does. Now I can’t pretend that I understand every single reference that Roc Marciano makes, however lines like “Life’s a b*tch, but I’m not the type to marry” when delivered by Roc is just perfect. I truly believe Roc Marciano can make any beat sound fantastic, when paired with top notch production like this from Muggs, it must be appreciated.

Back to the different sounds and vibes Muggs provides on “Kaos” the next track after “The E Train” is “Aunt Bonnie” and good Lord it’s guaranteed to back your back (both my phone & my bluetooth speaker melted due to too much heat). Just in time for Halloween, Muggs provides a haunting backdrop fit with organ and choir. Who better than the god Roc Marciano to come through and slay the beat to shreds. I could be imagining this but there are points in the track where Muggs will muffle the beat to really emphasize what Roc is saying. Specifically I think of the [2:06] minute mark “They gentrified the game, that’s when the God came in Cartier frames/I sprayed your frame, you changed body weight”. Like come on fam, who’s doing it like Roc Marci? Further the track “Caught A Lick” is a trap joint that crushes in the whip. The brother Fly Anakin told me there was a trap track on here and I can’t front I was worried, but I’ll be damned if I don’t see this track performed live.

Listen, Roc Marciano is the emcee of 2018, I think he’s one of the best of all time. “Kaos” is dark, it’s relaxing, Roc Marciano makes it look too easy, when in fact there isn’t an emcee touching him. Seeing two legends in Muggs & Roc Marci come together and create something even more legendary is what I live for when it comes to hip-hop. No guest verses, no BS, just two artists collaborating together to make something that will be etched in time forever. If you haven’t listened to “RR2: The Bitter Dose” do it. If you haven’t listened to “Behold A Dark Horse” do it. “Kaos” is a classic that I’ll be listening to forever.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to order vinyl editions of all three of these records.

Illsamar On Her Debut EP, Mental Health & Creating Content As An Indie Artist [Interview]

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California emcee Illsamar dropped her debut project “Foreign” at the end of last month. Eight tracks of covering everything from mental health and the “Voices” that come with it, to a beautiful acoustic remix at the end. On the day of the EP release, Illsamar hosted a listening party for the project. While I wasn’t able to attend the album release party I was able to ask her some questions about the album, creating video content of her journey and more.

Dead End Hip Hop: For those who still don’t know. Who is Illsamar?

Illsamar: I am Iliana Isamar Pardo by birth. Born in Michoacan, Mexico but raised in La Puente, California. I was brought to the states at 2 so I don’t have any relocation of Mexico. I am a proud Mexican but the country I know is America. I am based out of Covina, CA. Just 20 min outside of Los Angeles.

DEHH: Now I’ve only been to California once, but through storytellers like Jurny, Prop, Earl and more you quickly learn California while a beautiful place isn’t one to be completely romanticized. Can you talk about growing up in Cali for a bit?

Illsamar: California is such a long state that every region is very different. I am from the Los Angeles county. A small city east of the city called La Puente. I am currently living in Covina. What I love most about southern california is the diversity. You get to learn and experiences many cultures through art, music and food. La Puente is majorly a town with Latino folks so growing up that’s really all I knew. As I grew older I started to travel out and see new places. It’s also really awesome knowing that Southern California birthed so many great artists. It’s like you feel that you are a part of the musical history. What locals know about California is not what you see on a broadcast. It’s not all Hollywood and bright lights. As a matter of fact, Hollywood might be one of my least favorite towns. You don’t run into celebrities, those great “LA Parties” that you hear are secluded and the city continues to grow in tourists and people who move out here to hopefully break through. It’s more than that. It’s visiting the smaller towns that show you culture. It’s taco stands on every corner, street vendors and BBQ’s every weekend. It’s not perfect but the weather is great!

DEHH: When did you make that turn from a fan of hip-hop to “I need to be creating hip-hop”?

Illsamar: It all happened indirectly. I was hanging out with a few friends who were talking about starting up a band and they were still looking for a co-front man. One of the guys asked if I would join. I joked and told him that I don’t sing. He said, “But you can rap!” I mean I dabbled with freestyles but I never wrote a song. I agreed to it. We dismantled within 6 months, too many creative differences. From then on I knew i wanted to continue making music. The love I use to have for writing re-kindled and I really loved being on stage. I started making Hip-Hop music and haven’t stopped since.

DEHH: Who are some of your influences in music?

Illsamar: They vary. And when you say influences I don’t know how to answer that because I feel like I need to directly be influenced by them or sound like them. But I do have artists that inspire me and I got back to for a quick lift. Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Logic, J Cole, Atmosphere, Common, Kings of Convenience, Jack Johnson and Asaiah Ziv.

DEHH: Ok, let’s talk about “Foreign” where did the idea come from? You had been releasing music before that, why a project at this point in your career?

Illsamar: I knew that I was long overdue to release a project. I had a couple mixtapes and some singles but nothing that was cohesive. I wanted to give my fans and supporters a project. Aside from that I felt like I was ready to create something cohesive. A short project that can prepare me to create a nice full length. Originally the project was going to have a different concept and a different name. But in the time of writing and recording a couple unexpected events occurred with the people in my life. A very close friend attempted suicide and over dosed a couple times. Three times we thought we lost him. Then another friend was admitted into a mental institution and doctors till this day could not figure out what was wrong with him. I myself battle with depression, used to have had suicidal thoughts and I am a recovered substance abuser.. Mental health has ALWAYS been around. It’s not made up like some twitter posts like to mention. It’s just now we have the internet and people are using their socials as diaries. With Foreign I wanted to bring awareness to mental health and those who battle with it daily. I called it Foreign because I feel that someone who is going through it feels foreign to society. We don’t feel like we belong. Foreign is also how I feel as a Christian in society and as a person in the Church. I’m not your typical Sunday Christian so I always feel alienated.

DEHH: “Voices” hit me like a bag of bricks. I feel some are just now becoming comfortable talking about their mental health. Can you talk a bit about the importance of discussing your struggles on the record?

Illsamar: If you are going through it and you can voice your thoughts. Just do It. Is what I say. I know some cannot talk about it and I don’t blame them. Its really hard, feelings of being rejected or not understood. I make sure to be a voice for those who are silent. So people don’t feel like they are in this alone. That there are many people like them and that there are people who truly want to help.

DEHH: Nowadays I feel like it’s rare for emcees to take musical risks in their music. If you aren’t ripping every verse you’re doing it according to the majority. But I absolutely love what you did with “Gold In The Sky” how did that joint come about?

Illsamar: Gold In the Sky is actually an acoustic remake of a song produced by Germmanii called Sunrays. I released it a few years a go on a mixtape. We use to always perform the acoustic version and I thought it would be a great idea to include it. If i’m not listening to Hip-Hop I am usually listening to folk, acoustic and singer/songwriters. It’s my first love. I don’t want to be limited to one genre and I love that Germmanii is an artist with many tastes. We came together and recorded out live acoustic version of Sunrays.

DEHH: When people are done listening to “Foreign” what do you want them to walk away with?

Illsamar: Truth and clarity. I want people to be completely honest with themselves and not be afraid to be vulnerable. I want those who are battling with mental health to know that they are not alone and that there are people out there who can help or at least be a friend that is just willing to listen. I also hope that it stumbled the ears of those who don’t quite understand what it is to battle with mental health. And I hope that they listened with open ears and be more receptive and understanding to others.

DEHH: Now you had an album release party last month for “Foreign” can you tell me about the work that goes into planning an event like that and how did it go?

Illsamar: The turn out was great. A nice crowd with people chanting and rapping along. It was a bit surreal to know that people sincerely came to see you perform. The planning was stressful. A lot of investing into a show with no cover charge. I didn’t want to have it at a bar/venue where the age limit would be restricted so with a help of a couple friends, we came together and leased a private loft for the night. It was not cheap but well worth knowing you didn’t have age restrictions. I also didn’t want to charge at the door because I didn’t want to give anyone an excuse to not come. I know I wasnt going to make a profit from attendees but what really matters is people coming and see what I can do. I budgeted and created a sheet on how to save for a couple months and I made it happen. I was super broke for the month of September but it all came together. One thing I also learned is to not be afraid to ask for help. God put someone in my path that made the event happen. This dude I connected with provided sound, a DJ and even brought a stage to the event. You just never know how many people are willing to help until you start asking around.

DEHH: You’ve been doing a vlog series tracking the progress of the project and just your life journey in general. What is the importance of creating content like that and what has it been like recording your journey thus far?

Illsamar: As an indie artist it’s super important to have consistent content. Fans become invested in the music and want to learn about the artist personally. I love to show people what goes on in the back scenes and allow them to be a part of the journey with me. People tell me that they feel like they know us for a really long time just off the vlogs. I love that the director Amalia Sepulveda can really grab the eyes and ears of those watching make them feel like they are there with us. It’s important to make it as personal as possible. It also helps when there isn’t any new music coming soon. Keeps the fans around while you work on something new. Recording behind the scenes is not always fun. Some times I am having days where I don’t want the camera in front of me specially when I am feeling depressed. But I always push through it or do my best to show what I am currently feeling.

DEHH: 2018 is almost over but what can we expect from you in 2019?

Illsamar: More new music. I expect to release a couple more music videos for foreign and then after I have some collabs I am already in the works on. I also have some singles that I want to release I am also going to be putting on this bi monthly pop show around Southern California called Back Around. Going to hit as many cities as possible. Hopefully gear up and start writing for my first full length.