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Candice Johnson of #BINACT on Her Inspiratons, The Grammys & Multitasking #BlackWomenInHipHop [Interview]

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I apologize for the late start but in honor of Black History Month, I’ll be highlighting Black Women in the industry, writers, publicists, event managers and everything in between. Today’s interview is with South Carolina standout Candice Johnson who runs BINACT. Through her “BINACT: Brings The Beats” Candice is introducing the area to more independent hip-hop artists. I had the chance to sit down with her to talk about her journey, BINACT, The Grammys and much more.

Dead End Hip Hop: This honestly is a long time coming and it’s an honor to be able to interview you, for those who don’t know who is Candice Johnson?

Candice Johnson: I’m honored! You’re one of my favorite influencers. I’m happy to be able to do this.

I’m an accountant by day and a civil servant by night. I’m a loving daughter and a caring friend to my tribe. I’m a lighthearted soul that adores cats and playing The Sims. I’ve earned a few nicknames: Candiiboo, Faerie Tigress, Young Pikachu, the list goes on. But, most of all, I’m a creative and I’m still getting used to that title and what comes with it.

DEHH: Before we get into the nitty gritty, tell me how got into writing about music?

Candice Johnson: Honestly, I’m not one of those people with a pretty story about their journey to writing. I got a “C” in my 6th grade English class that still burns me up to this day thinking about it, considering I was a straight “A” student until then. I loved reading, but at the time, I didn’t think writing was a skill I possessed. Fast forward a few grades and English classes later, I’m writing heartfelt love letters to crushes and Shakespearian play parodies. By my senior year of high school, I completed a short story that would later transform into a novel idea. (I’m getting to the music, I promise.) I went to college and for my first two years, I was dedicated to working towards my Finance degree. I told myself I wanted to be a stockbroker. I finished up the degree, but those last two years showed me that while my career dreams were important, my writing dreams were just as significant and valid. My co-worker at the time (now my graphic designer) and I would converse about our favorite artists during our shifts. Once we re-connected after graduation, she inspired me to organize my thoughts about music and start a blog to keep regularly writing.

DEHH: What’s #BINACT?

Candice Johnson: First things first: BINACT stands for But I’m Not A Critic Though. BINACT is an multi-genre music blog dedicated to providing positive perspectives to an evolving music society. BINACT prides itself on highlighting talented mainstream and independent artists. A one-stop shop for young music consumers, ranging from casual listener to crate digging connoisseur, it also serves as a safe space for independent artists to openly ask questions, learn, and grow from someone who genuinely cares about their trajectory.

DEHH: I think one of my bigger frustrations of being a writer is some people refuse to see me as anything other than a writer, however with you, you’re wearing numerous hats, how are you able to balance everything without losing your mind?

Candice Johnson: It’s frustrating, to say the least, especially since I’m learning to accept my writer hat. I am just now arriving at a place where people are starting to respect my voice and platform. Most people don’t realize that I’m working 40 hours a week while keeping my blog updated. I am the Editor-in-Chief, the Content Coordinator, the Social Media Manager, the Accountant, all of that. Outside of these things, I volunteer my time, keep my friends and family happy, and sometimes (when I’m lucky) I take self-care moments to rest and sleep.

DEHH: Now when people think hip-hop South Carolina isn’t usually the first state that comes to mind, tell me about SC culture and how has #BINACT and the events that you’ve hosted over the years helped give more shine to SC music?

Candice Johnson: This is a heavy question. SC culture is currently in its defining stages, as far as accepting hip-hop culture is concerned. In the last decade or so, Columbia, the capital city and the city that raised me, has made some big additions to the downtown area. These changes accommodate the growing number of students that attend the public universities housed in the heart of the city and the professionals that are pouring in from new businesses. There are a number of establishments that allow music acts to perform, but they tend to look for only a certain type of sound. The prerequisite “live bands only” and similar phrasing is placed to deter hip-hop acts from getting a shot. A bar will play The Migos, Future, and 2 Chainz, but if you ask for an independent artist with a similar sound to book a show, your emails go unanswered and calls unreturned. This isn’t true of every bar or establishment in South Carolina, but there are very few that are immediately willing to allow hip-hop acts in their spaces.

My event series “BINACT Brings The Beats” (or #BINACTBTB) was created to do two things: 1) provide a comfortable space to enjoy music (functioning as an alternative to the club, if you will) and 2) give independent artists in my city a chance to shine. I generally serve as a liaison between indie artists and venue owners to help bridge the gap. In the past year, I’ve used 4 different venues to host my events. I make sure to plan and execute everything to leave the owners with a positive view of BINACT and the artists that I believe in. The more positive & beneficial we can interactions involving hip-hop culture, the more inclined they are to bring more of us into their establishment.

DEHH: I’ma stray for just a second, but be honest with me, what did you think of the Grammys last month?

Candice Johnson: *sigh* I have so many feelings about the Grammys. But, I’m tired. Donald Glover’s performance was everything I needed, but I will say that I’m sick of the Grammys pretending to reward artists for pushing the envelope and being innovative when they actually don’t.

DEHH: As someone who writes about music, promotes other artists, I’m sure you’re bombarded daily with people approaching you, what’s something artists can do to refine their approach when inquiring about their art?

Candice Johnson: Be genuine and follow instructions. Show or tell me why you love your music. That’s it. I’d like to think I’m easy to contact and get along with. I am accessible and I give all music a shot. I listen to every submission that comes in my inbox; I may take a little while to get to it but I listen. I know this is said all the time but please don’t spam. DO NOT SPAM. It’s rude and the interaction has no effort or thought behind it whatsoever. Most of the time I will forget about the tag on Twitter or Facebook and your song will get lost.

DEHH: Who are some people that have inspired you on your journey?

Candice Johnson: My parents, my friends, and my readers are people who inspire me. They’re the ones that remind me that I’m not just a number cruncher. Many of them are working on their own hustles and that’s inspiring as hell.

This may sound corny but Donald Glover has inspired me to be my truest self. I’ve been listening to his music and following his other talents since 2011. Watching his journey from a fan point of view has been nothing short of amazing. The way that he approaches everything with signature DG flavor is something I adopted into my philosophy in the past few years. I’m the only Candice Johnson that has a BINACT. No one can take that away from me.

Also Angie Martinez and Erin Ashley Simon because…duh.

DEHH: 2018 is sounding like a huge year for a lot of people, what can we expect from you and BINACT this year?

Candice Johnson: Video content is coming. I’m not fully pivoting to video but expect videos and more visuals in the upcoming months.

My monthly independent artist listening event series, BINACT Brings The Beats #BINACTBTB, is in full effect all 2018. Right now it’s only available to South Carolina artists but I’m working on going to Charlotte, NC very soon. If you want to support my cause from your city, check the merch page!

There are a few more things I’m rolling out this year pertaining to assisting artists. You can subscribe to my email list to get the deets.

DEHH: Thank you so much for stopping by, where can we find you?

Candice Johnson: Thank you for having me!

#BINACT on most social media platforms

@candiiboo on Twitter and Instagram

@BINACTCJ on Facebook

Soundcloud: BINACT
Spotify

Apple Music

 

Ricky Havana On New York Hip-Hop, The Meaning Behind “Ricky Season” & More

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We hear a lot about the struggle artists endure, however I think some of us can admit that some of these artists, exaggerate or just straight up lie about their come up. Not the case with New York’s Ricky Havana, who’s honesty shines on his debut EP “Ricky Season”. I had a chance to sit down with Havana, who doesn’t mince any words in our interview. Make sure you stick around til the end of the interview as we premiere his new video for “11p.m in NYC”.

Dead End Hip Hop: For those who don’t know who is Ricky Havana?

Ricky Havana: Young Ricky Havi! Man, I don’t know where to even start. I’m just a young kid from the South Bronx by way of Havana, Cuba trying to make my way in this world. My pops is a political refugee who was fleeing incarceration in the 1980s and my momma a victim of the 80’s. I love music, I love women, I love my family and I love my bros who in this thing with me.

DEHH: Tell me about how you got into hip-hop and what made you decide to pursue being an artist

RH: Growing up in the South Bronx EVERYBODY do something related to music. It’s almost second nature for you to either rap or make beats. Starting in elementary school we were making beats on the lunch table and freestyling. I personally began writing poetry and as I got older and hung out on my block more, that naturally transitioned into rapping. Rapping became a way for me to tell our story in a more versatile, relatable way. Where I’m from we all got stories, it’s just not the safest place to be vulnerable and let people know you got emotions so I always wanted to bridge that gap and let my brothers know I understood and I was going through the same shit so we didn’t have to do it alone.

I always knew I would be an artist, I guess I was just waiting for the right time. One day me and my business partner Rell Barnes decided it was time for us to decide what we were going to do in life. We were either going to keep going through the motions and decide to watch this life pass us by or seize the moment and go get this s*it cuz we know we can and we know its out there for us. And we decided on the latter, launched our company Offshore Groupe and we been shinin’ ever since! Offshore cuz it cost more, ya heard..

DEHH: How did the idea of Ricky Season come about, what is your definition of Ricky Season?

RH: I remember randomly flicking through the tv one day and stopping on a channel where a pastor was talking about how we have seasons in our lives. Life is seasonal and that’s the reason why we transition so often. As Relly and I launched our company I realized that this is my season in life to make everything I want come to fruition and to manifest all my dreams. This the season where I reap all the fruits of my past – All the shit I went through coming up, overcoming what I overcame, was all leading to this season in life where I finally see all my dreams come true. So when I say its Ricky Season I really believe God is telling me its my time. It’s Rickys time. Its Ricky Season and nobody can stop that.

DEHH: Now I could be making too much of this, but I felt the EP was a record of two stories, the first half felt it was more focused on your story coming up, the second half, kind of felt like the next chapter, can you fill me in on your thought process during this EP?

RH: Yeah man this EP was definitely a record of where we were at the time or creation. We actually started the EP sitting on the record ‘Don’t Know’. Relly heard that shit and was like “Yo Ricky, this the one” and we started building from there. As we started working on the album I tried capturing exactly where we were at the time of each song. I put a call from my brother when he was doing in time cuz that was one of the most impactful times in my life. On “Ours” where I say “its Havana n*gga and I’m back just landed” I deada*s had just landed from a trip to Cuba. The song went on to talk about a realization I had where I aint tryna be friendly with all these n*ggas. Im here with the people I’m here with and I’m only going to be with my day 1s and the genuine people I meet along the way.

Cost us is the story of how we launched offshore and started pursuing this music s*it and how many sacrifices we had to make. Real s*it – while making this project Relly left his job, i found out my pops had cancer, I got kicked out the crib I was living in, I broke up with my girl…s*it was really coming with alot of sacrifices…and then 11PM in NyC was just a summary of my thought process and things thats were going on in my life and in my mind during those months and a realization that my pops was the most important thing to me and even though I’m damaged and figuring my way through this life, I want him to see me make it because he deserves it.

Then, we wanted to show people a softer side and a darker more secretive side of my life which is that part revolving women and my sentiments towards relationships and engagement with women. I find my songs about women come from a reflective place so those songs were dwelling on states of mind I was in prior to beginning the project.

I ended the tape with For You because it was a culmination of how we felt. We spent so long trying to be what the world wanted us to be – working these 9-5s, going to school, trying to do things the way they told us we had to and it wasn’t true to who we were. We were just doing it for them and so that song was basically me shaking loose from that and making it clear it was our time to do what we wanted to do.

DEHH: When people are done listening to “Ricky Season” what do you want them to take away from it?

RH: I want them to feel invincible honestly. I want them to feel like if they believe in themselves and claim this moment in their lives, they can make anything happen. And I want them to see that they don’t have to lie or pretend to be anyone but themselves to be able to make things happen in this life. No gimmicks, no pretend. Just be yourself, focus on a goal you set and go get that shit because whether you realize it or not, alot of the people you love probably counting on you to be the best version of yourself. And I want them to see Ricky the prettiest n*gga out the Bronx so shout out all the ladies and MUAs listening to Ricky Season, follow me on IG and hit the DMs hannn lol

DEHH: I actually went to New York last month and it completely blew me away, tell me about the NY hip-hop scene and how you fit into it?

RH: Man, the New York hip-hop scene is an intricate market. Of course you got all types of different artists – people doing classic hiphop sounding s*it, people doing trap, people doing electro-hiphop type s*it…everything, all coming together in the same place. But they don’t call it the jungle for no reason. They don’t say “make it here you can make it anywhere” for no reason. New York the place where artists and all they supporters leave right after they set. But at the same time its beautiful to see the people who genuinely support music stay. And, like any industry, you got a lot of people hyping themselves up and trying to make themselves seem like they got all the juice in the city. I try not to get caught in the politics and the schoolyard talk though and just do my music and enjoy my performances.

I personally feel like I’m an artist in New York with a story to tell, like every other artist in New York. What differentiates me is that I ain’t lying about it, I ain’t pretending to be anything I’m not and who I am as an artist is exactly who I am as a person and you’ll get that soon as you meet me. My music will always speak for itself – I genuinely put myself into everything that I do and I always want people to walk away from my projects or my performances like damn, I felt that.

DEHH: I know 2018 just started but what can we expect from you this year? Will we see you on tour, will there be any videos for “Ricky Season” ?

RH: Definitely! We got the video to 11PM in NYC on the way, we shooting the video to “Don’t Know” as well so stay on the lookout for those. We also working on a follow up project, won’t say much about that yet but definitely lining up shows and hopefully get on a solid tour by end of 2018. Shoutout OG, Offshore Groupe, Havana Gang shit! Its Ricky Season!

 

OMARtheGroove on “Before It Gets Better”, Virginia Hip-Hop & The Creative Process [Interview]

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Virginia OmarTheGroove put out one of the more diverse projects last year in “Before It Gets Better”. The seven track project features a gang of features in Bri, Young Baby Tate, Koi Kurama & Falen. I had a chance to speak with OmarTheGroove on the creative process of “Before It Gets Better”, Virginia hip-hop and what’s coming next for the artist.

Dead End Hip Hop: For those who don’t know who is OmarTheGroove?

OMARtheGroove: OMARtheGroove is simply a young MC from VA trying to a legacy that will withstand the test of time based on the merits of the music I give the world. Always aspiring to find that perfect balance between emotion and thoughtfulness; lyricism and melody; experimentation and structure.

DEHH: I’ve been blessed enough to talk to a couple other artists from Virginia, tell me about the scene out there and how you fit into it?

OTG: Virginia is a super diverse place when we’re talking about what it offers musically. For those who aren’t from the Commonwealth, its easy to assume that the state as a whole can all be lumped together and has one overarching culture but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. You have the 757, which is the most established area that has spawned legends like the Neptunes, Missy, Timbaland, the list goes on. You have Richmond, which has given us artists like Divine Council, Skillz, Nickelus F, and D’Angelo. Finally, you have the Northern Virginia area which is where I’m from.

I personally feel like we have the most to prove since we don’t yet have that identifiable star that has broken through waving the NoVA flag. The only person I know of from the area that has really made strides is Kali Uchis, but most people just assume she’s from LA. We also often get lumped in with the larger DMV area, while our more southern counterparts shun that label so it puts us in a really weird position identity-wise. I will say over the past couple years we’ve started to see more artists and movements start to gain traction and I’m just doing my part to contribute to the scene as much as I possibly can.

DEHH: Let’s jump into the music, how did the idea for “Before It Gets Better” come about? What were some of things that influenced this project?

OTG: The project I release before this one in 2016 was darker content and sonic-wise, so I decided I wanted to go the complete opposite route for the next one. So with that in mind I just started writing songs and gathering beats that matched the feeling I was going for and ideas started coming to me. I picked up pretty early on the recording process that a lot of my best records were about women and my past experiences with them. I simply decided to continue down that path, and it ultimately led me to the idea of crafting the entire project around that.

DEHH: Despite being an EP, if feel you like you really tapped into your potential on this, giving us an array of sounds & flows, what did you want to show people on this?

OTG: When it comes to how I present my art, I basically like to reverse-engineer the process. I thought about how I consume music, the type of music I like to hear, and how I could best replicate that process for anyone who came across my music. I personally love projects that are concise, meaningful, sonically diverse, and have a high replayability factor. I wanted to demonstrate to any listener that came across this project that I’m a multi-faceted artist that can present a story in a unique way that will have you constantly revisiting it while also wanting more.

DEHH: The collaborations on this I felt added to the diversity of the EP, you naturally held your own but you also meshed well with everyone on the record. What was it like creating this record and working with all these artists?

OTG: When I decided to make the album about women, I knew I needed to incorporate the feminine touch in order for it to feel authentic. Time and time again it’s been proven that women are the largest consumers of music, and I feel like too often in hip hop men are talking about women and not to them. I made the conscious decision to involve women in the creative process because it just felt like it was necessary in order to effectively tell the story. I did a lot of research and as I started coming up with these songs I reached out to female artists that I felt would best compliment the song. They were all super helpful and when I broke down the overall theme of the project that usually found it to be refreshing and were open to contribute in any way they could. Big shoutout to Bri, Koi Kurama, Yung Baby Tate, and Falen; without these women there’s no way I would’ve been able to bring my vision to life.

DEHH: When people are done with “Before It Gets Better” what do you want them to walk away with?

OTG: I honestly just want the listener to walk away with a satisfied feeling of “Wow that was dope as hell, I gotta run that back.” If I didn’t present you with something you’ve never come across before then I feel like I didn’t do my job properly.

DEHH: This may too early to ask but what can we expect from you in 2018? Will we see you on stage and on tour?

OTG: This year I plan to keep the momentum going. More songs, more visuals and ultimately more shows, plain and simple.

Pete Sayke talks Growing Up In Ohio, “Heaven Can Wait” & Working With One Producer [Interview]

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Chicago by way of Ohio emcee Pete Sayke teamed up with Indianapolis Lonegevity to create “Heaven Can Wait” a rare full-length project. Featuring heavyweights like Blueprint, Stik Figa and others. More importantly though Sayke tells a story of struggle, while making sure to relay the idea that we have to push on through these dark times. I had a chance to sit down with Sayke and talk his new album “Heaven Can Wait” his choice of leaving production to Lonegevity and more.

Dead End Hip Hop: For those who don’t know who is Pete Sayke?

Pete Sayke: Hmmm. That’s always a tough question. But a good one. Pete Sayke is an emcee born and raised in Cincinnati, but I’ve lived in Chicago for about ten years. As far as music goes, I love and respect lyricism and I value vulnerability in artists. In that way, I try to follow in the footsteps of some of my all-time favorites. When someone can be impressive lyrically, while still making it digestible, while somehow being able to bring the listener into his or her world/thoughts/emotions…that s*it is special! That’s what I try to do.

Beyond music, though, I’m mad normal. I have an amazing wife and we have a super cool dog and we live in a condo in a cool neighborhood. All that first world shit. It’s pretty great. I love my family and friends. I grew up playing basketball and baseball…then somehow ended up playing D1 volleyball in college. I’d say I’m semi-introverted, so it’s interesting that my passion is to create art and present it to the public for their enjoyment or displeasure haha. I guess there’s so much to say that I don’t really know what to say. Sorry for rambling.

DEHH: As someone who grew up in Cleveland, I’m always curious to others upbringing in Ohio, tell me about that

PS: Honestly, I kinda feel like Kendrick must have felt as a kid in Compton. Clearly, nowhere near as dangerous, though haha. But what I mean is, I had plenty of opportunities to get into some really fucked up situations, but I always chose the better path. So many kids I grew up with had gotten knocked up, locked up and/or killed before we had even reached 10th grade! I thank my parents for guiding me away from that shit, but also I give myself some credit for actually listening and learning from others’ mistakes.

Because of that, my childhood was pretty much consumed by sports and music. I grew up in a neighborhood called Silverton, which was a mixed bag of rich-poor-black-white kids. We would make our rounds to all the hoop courts and just hoop all day. Then when I wasn’t hooping, I was listening to or writing raps. I remember riding my bike to Everybody’s Records in Pleasant Ridge and buying maxi-singles so I could rap over the instrumentals. My first show ever, which I discuss on the title track for Heaven Can Wait, I rapped over OutKast’s Players Ball and that shit was tight!

DEHH: I’ve heard a lot of projects this year and I feel like a lot of them were EPs tell me about your choice to create a full-fledged LP

PS: You know what? I don’t think that’s ever really crossed my mind, honestly. I’ve just never made an EP before. But I’m open to it! I guess I just feel less restricted when I have more tracks to work with. It allows me to go to more places on a project and fully express myself. I’ve had some droughts in my career where I’d go a couple years before feeling inspired again. So when it comes, I guess I just want to let it all out before I lose it again. But I won’t lose it again! (knocks on wood).

DEHH: How did the idea of “Heaven Can Wait” come about?

PS: After having not written anything since my last album, Forever, my life had changed quite a bit. I got married and we bought a place. Some people who were in my life were no longer there. I was just a completely different man. Life was good. And I wanted to create a project that reflected that. “Life is so good that I can’t die anytime soon. Let me soak this in.” However, as I started the writing process, current events shifted my thinking. Yes, my personal life is good, but at the same time we are struggling and suffering as a society. We’re broken. A hateful portion of the country elected a clown. Cops are still killing us. Schools are being shut down. Religious fanatics are steering the wheel of politics. As someone whose art always reflects his own life and the ongoings surrounding him, I was compelled to touch on these things. So, it became more of a “There’s so much work to do…Heaven Can Wait…I have so much to accomplish on this planet…Heaven Can Wait…My life is good but there has to be a way for us to all live good lives together…Heaven Can Wait.”

DEHH: How did you and Lonegevity link up? Why did you choose to stick to one producer in crafting “Heaven Can Wait”?

PS: I met Lonegevity through one of my best friends, Maja 7th, back at Ball State. Over the years we became closer and closer and I always wanted to work with him. He’s a brilliant producer. I’ve told him that for years! I think he and I see music the same. I want to work with a producer who is rooted in soul, because soul is the most important element to me. But they also have to be daring and willing to push the envelope at times. He’s exactly that. He’s someone I will force to work with me for the rest of our lives haha. As for sticking with one producer, I just really like that approach. My whole college career I was in a group called KM2 and Maja 7th was the producer. Forever was a project I worked on with a producer named ThatKidMyself. I think I prefer it because we can be more connected and create something truly cohesive that way.

DEHH: You had a mixture of tracks, topics and vibes on this album, what was the process of making this like? What was your intention with this project?

PS: Like I touched on before, my music is guided by my life and OUR life as a people. And I don’t mean just black people. But humanity. We should all be connected. We’re in this mess because we’ve been disconnected for-fucking-ever! So like all of my projects, what I want people to get from Heaven Can Wait is what I want them to get from The Welfare, and The New Black, and our Grumpy Old Men albums and Forever. I want people to feel like they know me. You’ll get personal stories of triumph and failure. You’ll hear about my feelings on certain aspects our American culture. I want to cover all of these things but do it over dope beats and with dope bars! I mean, I don’t have all the answers, Sway! But I’ll always speak my mind and share my feelings.

DEHH: What do you want people who listen to “Heaven Can Wait” to walk away with?

PS: Man! I don’t know if there is a sole takeaway from the project other than the fact that this, like all of my albums, is a time capsule of sorts. It’s me sharing with you what I’m going through and you may be experiencing something similar. Aside from that, I guess I would like people to understand that I’m not a political emcee! I have always touched on society’s ills in previous projects, but only to a degree. Mostly, I just try to make dope, cohesive albums that reflect how I’m feeling at the time. I only say this because I don’t want people to box me in as the Political Rapper Guy and then be disappointed when I don’t run for mayor. But you can always trust and expect that I will speak my mind, share my life and do so with quality music. 

DEHH: Now I know I’m probably jumping the gun but what can we expect from you in 2018? Will we see you on the road?

Well, I am in the beat selection process right now, so we just might see a new project in 2018! As for the road, I will be playing a festival but I’m not allowed to say until they’ve announced the lineup. I would love to play a few festivals, though! As a Cincinnati native, I obviously hit up Scribble Jam a few times and those were some of my favorite memories. I remember going up to Brother Ali after his performance in like 2000-2001 and buying his Rites of Passage CASSETTE because he was out of CDs! So festivals have always been a dream of mine. But also, anything I can play in Minneapolis/St.Paul would be amazing because I’ve been a Rhymesayers fan for years and Minnesotans are the shit! Shout out to Anne and Ben! Haha. But I promise, as more shows book and more songs are made, you will be the first to know! Well, after my wife and Mike Schpitz and Lonegevity and Roy Kinsey…you’ll be the fifth to know! Haha.

Senseless talks “Yeah, Whatever” EP & Ohio Hip-Hop [Interview]

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I had the opportunity to see Columbus emcee Senseless a couple years back at the inaugural 2×2 Hip-Hop Festival in Ohio. Senseless controls the mic with ease weaving in and out of tempos while carrying melodies and flowing over beats. Let me not get it twisted though Senseless is a veteran in hip-hop working with a slew of artists to get his point across. I got a chance to talk to Senseless about his latest EP, Columbus hip-hop and more.

Dead End Hip Hop: For those who still don’t know who is Senseless?

Senseless: Senseless is an emcee from Columbus, Ohio.

DEHH: How did you get into hip-hop and what inspired you to pick up the mic?

Senseless: Really started getting into hip-hop at age 10, by 13 I wanted to emcee myself, & by 17 I really realized I could do it & not be half bad.

Being introduced to the Rhymesayers/Def Jux era early on too, I was as KRS-ONE would say, “able to express joy & anger at the same time.” Always looks at Rhymesayers, for example, in a way where Rhymesayers might look at something like Boogie Down Productions.

Hearing records like Shadows On The Sun, Labor Days, The Cold Vein, The Many Faces Of Oliver Hart & so many more, & going back & checking out Eyedea & so many others at Scribble Jam, I was just like “I gotta do this too.”

DEHH: Tell me a bit about coming up in hip-hop in Ohio?

Senseless: Coming up in hip-hop in Ohio, in Columbus specifically, has been an experience to say the least. The artists we have here that have long been established are very understanding of the grind that is entertainment in the Midwest, so we are lucky to have them. You definitely gotta search out the opportunity, as you do anywhere else, and there isn’t as much money for shows here as there are in busier markets from what I understand, but we love what we do here, and while that is a clichés cliché, we rap our ass off & do our best to represent hip-hop. You really gotta cut your teeth here because that is more/less all we got.

DEHH: How did the idea for the “Yeah, Whatvever” EP come about?

Senseless: I was with Beardo one night after a show, we were driving to get food or something, and he said to me something along the lines of, “you listen but will still do your own thing, like you’re not afraid to fail whether it’s for better or worse. You take it & be like, ‘yeah, whatever.'” So that was me showing him I was listening, but still doing my own thing haha.

DEHH: How did you link up with Bombeardo, Beats Rockwell and J.Rawls for the project?

Senseless: Bom & I have been doing work together for a few years now, he has definitely been a big help – he’s the one that introduced me to Rawls too. & Rawls did a beat on my last record, which actually is a long story… He did a Beat-A-Week series a few years ago where he, put out a beat a week, & was going to make an EP out of his favorite submissions with each beat. While that EP never came out, it was my first chance to introduce my writing to his jazzy style of production, which I love. Finally, with Beats Rockwell, I have just been seeing him out for the past few years at different events, rapping together & talking about music, and one day he sent me a beat & said, “I made this with you in mind man, definitely need you to have this,” & I was just on it, thus creating what would later be known to us as “Be Like This.”

DEHH: Your flow on “Yeah, Whatever” is more than just spitting bars, more than just trying to rip a beat, you’re carrying melodies, singing a bit and everything in between, how do you approach a beat and how do you determine where you’re emceeing versus singing?

Senseless: Always been a “beats writes the raps” kind of guy, and coming from freestyling & just trying to rap on whatever is spinning for you at the moment, I apply that to my writing in that I just try to come up with whatever I can in that specific instant – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but just write the crap out of it & hope it works out lol. Plus, hip-hop has always had emcees that sing, so that puts me back in my bag when it comes to my less than stellar singing – to me soul & conviction can beat out technical ability & makes the listener commiserate with ya on a level that is like, “this guy isn’t Marvin Gaye or anyone like that by any means, but he’s trying & I like that.” It is fun, vocally, to just try to change it up throughout a song though, keep it fresh, but I can’t ever call it when it’s comes to when & where, it’s just a feeling & I go with my gut.

DEHH: What do you want people to walk away from “Yeah, Whatever” with?

Senseless: “Yeah, Whatever” is about prioritizing, about saying “Yeah, Whatever” to any outside noise, saying you are what you are & not another person’s perception of you. Putting yourself out there regardless of what people think because your time & energy is much better spent on things that are constructive & positive. It is easy to be flustered when it feels like life is coming at you all at once, but just breathe, say “Yeah, Whatever,” & keep it moving.

DEHH: I got a chance to see you at the 2×2 Festival a couple years back, what was that experience like? And how important do you feel the festival was to Ohio and Ohio Hip-Hop?

Senseless: I feel like, especially this last year, that 2×2 is a staple for us here in Ohio, and, hopefully something that permeates throughout the Midwest & maybe even further… Who knows. Definitely like Christmas though when it’s time that festival rolls around.

DEHH: Now I’ve told some other people, but I’m gonna tell you too I’m lightweight expecting a full-length from you here in 2018. What’s on your schedule for this upcoming year?

Senseless: I have a couple things I’d like to accomplish this year, completing a full-length is definitely one of them, going on tour is definitely one of them, and getting in the studio to do live versions with a band of some of my favorite songs I’ve done & rereleasing some stuff that way. Those are just the top of the list, but the list goes on & on & on for sure. Just wanna stay creative & do some more collaborating with different people, & ultimately just be consistent in anything that I do.

Thanks for the time Sto, this has been a pleasure.

Honcho Supreme: When Negro Spirituals and Hip Hop Collide

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Often I think about the legacy of Black people across the diaspora and it seems to be the case we have a remarkable ability to spin gold out of table scraps or tragedy. From Negro Spirituals, to the Blues, Rock, and Hip-Hop, Black people have found salvation in music. When there wasn’t a way, time and time again we made one. We made our tragedies so extraordinary with music and the written word, the world had no choice but to listen. Sometimes I wonder if we’ve done all we can with this genre, if hip-hop has reached a plateau, but then a newcomer reminds us this just can’t ever die.  Honcho Supreme (or Honcho Pop, as he is called on his mixtape), a rapper hailing from Marrero, Louisiana, reminds me hip-hop still has so much to show the world.

In a stripped down version of his song “Dedicated”, which opens his project DEDICATED, Honcho Supreme‘s deep, scratchy voice is reminiscent of what I imagine a gathering around the fire on the plantation would have been like–the knee-slapping, snapping, chest-beating to conjure the beat, that ancient, guttural, howling pain only music can soothe–except now the Spiritual has left the plantation, surviving centuries of iterations to come alive for this moment.  But there is hope here that better times will come. I’m officially, unofficially coining this–what I would boldly call a new sub-genre of hip-hop–Hood Spiritual.

“Baby momma kicked me out for the last time so it’s back to the trap for me” is the bar that opens DEDICATED. From there, the rapper walks us through a tour of the broken sidewalks, boarded-up windows, and destitute image of his situation. While many, many rappers before Honcho Supreme have doled out bars about having a harsh life, it feels as though the rapper is pulling from the past while blending elements of trap. Maybe these are Trap Spirituals? Hood Spirituals? Who is to say just yet. Maybe this was complete happenstance that Honcho and his homies Zacquiri King (@ZacquiriKing_318 on IG) and Poka Bantana (@PokaBoi on IG) were just high, playing around and stumbled on gold. And isn’t that how many brilliant musicians find their genius?

Being frank, this stripped down version is much, much better than the original. I say this with all love: I believe Honcho Supreme more in this version compared to the original. Before this, he was hiding behind beats which are not in service to him and his lyrical caliber. At. All. This version shows a rapper who knows his voice, who knows who he is, and isn’t fazed by what competition may come his way. I melted when I heard this Honcho Supreme. I want more of this and I hope he delivers.

You don’t have to take my word for it. Again, here’s the link for the project. Video of the stripped version is below. Enjoy y’all.

 

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I.S. Jones is a writer living in New York by way of California. Please send her pizza, not nudes. Her inbox (on Twitter) is always open, so send her a track or a hello. She’s still catching up to her 2017 to do list. Tweet at her here

DEHH Staff Writer Picks: Top 10 Albums Of 2017

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Terrence Sage (@SageTerrence)

1. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
2. PRETTY GIRLS LIKE TRAP MUSIC – 2 Chainz
3. AT WHAT COST – GoldLink
4. BIG FISH THEORY – Vince Staples
5. SATURATION 2 – Brockhampton
6. ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADASS – Joey Bada$$
7. 7 DAYS – Krept & Konan
8. CTRL – SZA
9. THE NEVER STORY – J.I.D
10. 4 EVA IS A MIGHTY LONG TIME – Big Krit

This year sucked but we had music to fall back on, so that counts for something right? 2017 was
filled with solid projects across the board and allowed me to get outside of my comfort zone
thanks to the projects I’m listing and beyond that. Whether you played DAMN backwards or
forwards Kendrick Lamar delivered on another solid project with visuals steadily dropping as
the year went on with all of them touching on their respective subjects profoundly. 2 Chainz,
Big Krit, and J.I.D all receptively put on for the South this year in major ways across the board.
2 Chainz made us all understand Pretty Girls Like Trap Music and with his pink trap house we
got an album that goes all around Atlanta with an energy that only Chainz can call upon. Big
Krit’s album 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time was indeed a long time coming but both volumes to
the project let it be known that Krit had a lot left to say. I was actually very late to the J.I.D hype
train but better late than never because his debut The Never Story was one of the most
promising and best debuts of the year. The rest of my entries for Albums of the Year got creative
and personal as far as the artists go, Vince Staples with Big Fish Theory challenged listeners
with his distinct take and beat that paid off well in my opinion. Saturation 2 from the Boy Band
Brockhampton was the greatest part in their trilogy of albums and with At What Cost people FINALLY started paying attention to GoldLink!

Ashley Clayton (@onlyashleecee)

1. 4:44 – Jay-Z
2. Trip – Jhene Aiko
3. DAMN – Kendrick Lamar
4. SweetSexySavage – Kehlani
5. Pretty Girls Like Trap Music -2 Chainz
6. At What Cost – Goldlink
7. 4eva is a Mighty Long Time -Big Krit
8. Queen Elizabitch – CupcakKe
9. Ctrl – SZA
10. Captain California -Murs

Honorable Mention:

More Life – Drake
Flower Boy- Tyler The Creator
Rap Album Two – Jonwayne
Rapsody Laila’s Wisdom

Let’s call 2017 what it was. The year for women in music. Yes, men were making bangers but women were the true game changers here. Not only were we given an amazing gem of a track in Bodak Yellow by Cardi B but there were amazing albums released by quite a few talented women. Cupcakke gave us Queen Elizabitch this year an album that was as sexually explicit as it was feminist. Kehlani and Jhene Aiko both gave us albums that allowed us to walk through their hurt and experience recovery from heartbreaks. Jhene’s album in particular came out when no one expected but is definitely worth every bit of attention it garnered. Furthermore, SZA gave us some of the most popular R&B tracks of the year off of her debut album Ctrl like Doves in the Wind and The Weekend.

While women were the big hitters in music last year men were still making waves with music just as emotionally stimulating and vulnerable. Jay-Z gave us the gift of 4:44 an album that allowed us to see a more emotionally mature and grown man. He allowed us to see more Shawn Carter and less Jigga. Then we have Murs and Goldlink who both released albums that I honestly didn’t expect to love but have now been played more times in my household than anything else. We definitely can’t forget about Kendrick Lamar with his critically acclaimed album DAMN. Once again K.Dot showed us why he is one of the greatest storytellers of our generation.

Hip hop in 2017 reminded us that through every dark hour there is a bit of light. Each album on my list gives an insight into the artists mind and allowed us a deeper look at who they are. As we proceed with 2018 I’m hoping that artists continue this trend of letting us into who they are and not just club bangers. Turning up is great but providing mentally stimulating music is even better.

Jake Milgate (@milfence)

1. 4:44 – JAY-Z
2. IWASVERYBAD – IDK
3. ROME – Armand Hammer
4. Rap Album Two – Jonwayne
5. Atychiphobia: The Higher High – Gracy Hopkins
6. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
7. 4eva is a Mighty Long Time – Big K.R.I.T.
8. Who Told You To Think??!!?!?!?! – Milo
9. Rosebudd’s Revenge – Roc Marciano
10. or more: the anxious – Mick Jenkins

Overall, this was another excellent year for hip-hop. Making my list was insanely difficult. But, somehow, I managed to trim down the insane amount of music I listened to into 10 projects. Mick Jenkins showed flashes of his vintage self and manifested it into a very eerie and moving EP/mixtape. Roc Marciano continues to provide his unique low-key, yet lavish, rhymes over relaxed pimptastic production. Milo is so goddamn poetic I could literally just listen to his voice on repeat. Fortunately there was so gorgeous production to go along with his words. Big K.R.I.T. dropped his greatest album yet. Period. Kendrick Lamar continues to surprise and bewilder me…and even with a trendier sounding album, he still absolutely kills it and provides his own unique take on it. Gracy Hopkins was the biggest surprise for me this year. Never heard of him prior to this album. This French-Canadian rapper provides unique insight into his personal self through 7 tracks all named after phobias. Very creative, and very focused. Excellent. Rap Album Two was easily the most emotional album I listened to this year. Absolutely heart-wrenching…a lot of the tracks hit home for me. He’s just as talented an MC as he is a producer. ROME is a dark, apocalyptic take on the current state of our society…and it absolutely floored me. ELUCID and Billy Woods are sharp-tongued as ever, and provide excellent, well-crafted lyrics over some very diabolical beats. IDK just keeps improving and improving every year and it’s been a thrill watching him rise to the top. This is his best work yet, lyrically and sonically. All types of sounds on this. Everyone can enjoy at least one track on here. Finally we have 4:44 by JAY-Z. I thoroughly enjoyed and replayed this album more than any hip-hop project this year…and this is coming from a guy who’s never been fond of JAY-Z. No I.D. knocked it out of the f*cking park with the production on this. But what was even more impressive was JAY-Z himself. He was much more personal than usual, and lyrically sharper than he’s been in years. He and No I.D. meshed perfectly and made a masterpiece.

I.S Jones (@isjonespoetry)

1. CTRL – SZA
2. Saturation II: Brockhampton
3. PALOMA BEACH: KOTA the friend
4. TEEN NIGHT AT THE EMPIRE: Latasha Alcindor
5. At what cost: GoldLink
6. scumfuck flower boy: Tyler, The Creator
7. Intimacy: Floreyyyyy
8. Pretty Girls Like Trap – 2 Chainz
9. DAMN: Kendrick Lamar
10. Big Fish Theory – Vince Staples


Tyler, The Creator has been banned from two different countries for his lyrics inciting violence. Feminist groups have mobilized against him, and yet I loved this album. Scum Fuck Flower boy is tender, sincere, and even a bit apologetic. It doesn’t negate the violence he’s incited between his fan base, but for a moment his actions are granted clarity. He incites violence because of his internal struggle with missed connections and unrequited love. He built a career on homophobic lyrics, perhaps, because he’s been trying to come out for years no one will believe in. This stunning, honest rebirth into Tyler’s interior landscape.

The soundtrack to my sordid love life, moments of doubt, insecurity, nostalgia, the audacity of youth is complemented with lonely electric riffs, synth beats, melancholic cymbals (in Drew Barrymore), SZA’s brilliant collection of sounds translates the story of a girl coming into her own, owning her sexual autonomy, remarking on how convoluted dating has become in the era of social media (a nod to the cover of broken electronics SZA sits in the foreground of).

My brother brought Brockampton into my life just when Saturation I dropped. After that I was hooked and tickled by their presentation: a collective of artists, which seemed to be pushing against toxic masculinity by just being themselves. How one’s music comes into the spotlight sets the tone for the rest of their career, and the All-American Boy Band from L.A. is it. Brockhampton’s confidence, irreverence, hyper beats, complimented with audacious lyrics (Why you always rap about bein’ gay? / ‘Cause not enough niggas rappin’ be gay). As a queer women, it felt good to see Kevin Abstract become accepted so quickly in a space that is dominated by the hetero-male narrative. Long life Brockhampton

 Not-so-newcomer to the rap game KOTA the Friend returns from “Palm Tree Liquor” with his sophomore album “Paloma Beach”. The Brooklyn-based, California-hearted rapper made me nostalgic for those long drives down the 405. KOTA effortlessly creates a dreamy landscape against the backdrop of isolation, depression, reflection on his career thus far. What I love about KOTA the Friend is his fans and how dedicated to seeing him succeed. I hope for a long and fruitful career for this rising star.

 In 2017, it was hard to have a conversation about emerging women rappers without talking about Latasha Alcindor or L.A. There is a self-assurance in effortless ability to bob and weave between whole genres of music between the tracks. Sampling darling hits like “Flava In Ya Ear”, “Heads High” and other party classics, L.A.’s lyrical dexterity is simply unmatched. Sometimes I get discouraged that as time progresses the door for women to succeed in hip-hop is getting narrow every year, but miracles in the making happen. A hard-worker such as herself is the future of this genre. Don’t sleep or you’ll miss her. She’s a comet and we should be lucky to catch her on her flight.

I think I may speak for some when I said I didn’t expect an album of this caliber from a rapper who once named himself Tity Boi. “Pretty Girls Like Trap” is a culmination of 2 Chainz’s patience and learning. From casual club bangers, music suited for yacht and velvet-roped off lounges, 2 Chainz finally grew into a rapper even non-believers want to root for. I never thought I would care about a 2 Chainz album much less have it on repeat impressed by his growth.

Undoubtedly, GoldLink is a child of the game. Originating from D.C., a region not exactly known for its impact on hip hop, the rapper doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but created his own. “Future bounce” as the emerging rapper has coined it, is like “redefining music”. Staying true to his D.C. roots of go-go music and funk, I enjoyed “At What Cost” because every track was rich and firm in its delivery. “Crew” has become my theme song if I owned a red fur coat. I’m so delighted to welcome this new rapper to the fold.

While I’m not the first person to dub the name “Sunshine Rap”, I think it’s important that joy for the sake of joy can be appreciated in hip-hop. Yes, this genre is for those who struggled and sacrifice and overcame remarkable adversity to stand on the mountaintop, but sometimes I want that bubbly tenderness of summertime when I was a teenager going to the park with my friends. Sometimes I want good vibes and a light head. Sometimes I want that from hip-hop. Anthony Floreyyyy, or just Floreyyyy, is a 18 year old living Nevada, and while I’m excited to hear more about him, I’m enjoying the music.

Vince Staples’ Big Fish Theory is what happens when a kid grew up on a diet of funk, punk rock, disco, and finally got past the so-called “Golden Age of Rap”. His music makes me nostalgic for the roller-rink nights I never experienced as a child.

Finally, what is there left to say for the giant who walks among mortals? Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN allowed us a passport into a mind at war with itself. A palindrome album (a word, poem or body of work which make sense forwards and backwards) is the style Kendrick uses to give us a glimmer into the rap’s turmoil. Despite the conflict, rage, disillusion, there are moments of love and true self-discovery. Overeager fans dub this his “worst album”, but people don’t give Kendrick space to be a deeply flawed human, which is what he is. We love Kendrick because an exceptional story-teller. He has a vision only he can see and we should be honored that he let’s us along for the ride.

 

Ricky Havana: “Ricky Season” [Album Review]

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I’ve said it a million times 2017 was the year of EPs for a independent artists and honestly, it’s a a solid way to introduce yourself to your audience and new potential fans. This is the case for New York emcee Ricky Havana who released his debut EP “Ricky Season” last year.

Truthfully I think “Ricky Season” is the tale of two EPs, the tone in the beginning of the EP is that of an underdog coming up and obtaining the success others questioned. “Ours” the opener on the EP has our hero speaking on the struggles he had growing up. Talks of growing up poor and dreams of making it, not for the glitz or the glamour but to help those he came up with. The production throughout the project packs a punch, with heavy distorted basslines to create that hazy feel we all know so well.

After the revealing and focused “11pm In NYC” the tone and theme of the EP changes. To finish off the project, the last three tracks seem to be more focused on women. The latter half of the EP was a bit jarring after I felt we were really getting to know Ricky on “11pm in NYC” but it’s important to note that it seems this EP was meant for the whip or the weekend party. It works here because Havana is being honest with us, he lets us in on his flaws and his journey. He isn’t pump faking, he’s giving us the entire journey, being poor, realizing your worth, glowing up, the attention that comes with it and adjust to it.

“Ricky Season” to me is an energetic project, throw it on for your friend’s birthday party and you’re guaranteed to get some heaters. That said slow it down and play it on your lonesome too, Ricky Havana’s story is in there and it’s one that needs to be told. “Ricky Season” still comes off as a fresh sampler though, I’m curious to see what a full-length from the NYC native would sound like.

Pete Sayke & Lonegevity: “Heaven Can Wait” [Album Review]

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Last year was a polarizing year in hip-hop, I feel certain divisions in the community were severed deeper at least in terms of the mainstream vs. underground argument. At the same time though, we had a lot of serious hip-hop music last year given the social and political climate. However Chicago emcee Pete Sayke takes a unique approach to his music while also paying homage to those who came before him.

In his album “Heaven Can Wait” Sayke gives me a hip-hop album I haven’t heard in a while. Off top Sayke’s style is fun, energetic, full of passion, he strings flows and rhymes together with ease. Before we go any further, Sayke stuck with one producer on “Heaven Can Wait” in Indianapolis producer Lonegevity and together they do a pitch-perfect job at keeping the pace while giving the listener a diverse and well-rounded album.

The underlying sounds provide the entertaining and upbeat feel, don’t get it twisted Sayke covers a myriad of issues surrounding racism, classism, romance and so much more. Sayke & Lonegevity remind me of The Pharcyde with how they’re able to talk about such serious issues while keeping the record upbeat and lively. Tracks like “What It Is” has Sayke speaking on the struggles he’s endured in coming up not only in hip-hop but in life, bringing Ohio artist Blueprint & DreDai. One of my favorites was “Hole In My Pocket” featuring Selina Carrera where the two exchange lines on being broke. Carrera comes in with a beautiful hook that ends with “life is good for me”.

Pete Sayke knows the hurt and struggles you’re going through and made this album for you. To explain his experiences in this life so far and giving the listener some hope in these dark times. “Heaven Can Wait” is as colorful, vibrant and powerful as the album art is. Sayke and Longevity have something special here, I don’t want to undercut the importance of Lonegevity and the duo these two have created. “Heaven Can Wait” brought me back to my high school days of listening to full-length albums with tracks longer than three minutes, full of all types of content and sounds. This was affirmed even more in the bonus tracks, the last of which is a fire cypher with four guests. Check out “Heaven Can Wait” below and let me know what you think.

Ichokas On Hip-Hop In UK, His Production & “Dreams In Darkness” [Interview]

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Ichokas has been in the hip-hop game for a minute in the background honing his skills, both on the mic as an emcee and on the boards as a producer. Late last year the UK native decided to step out of the shadows and put out his debut EP. It’s one of the more vulnerable projects of last year and even more so when you consider this being his first project where he handled both the songwriting and production. I got a chance to sit down with the UK upstart to learn where his love for hip-hop started and the motivation behind his first project “Dreams In Darkness”.

Dead End Hip Hop: Tell the world who Ichokas is.

Ichokas: I’m a rapper and producer based over in the UK, born in South West London into a Greek-Cypriot family. I’ve just turned 22 – about to finish my degree but I’ve been slowly learning how to make music since I was 18.

DEHH: I’ma just jump right into, hailing from the U.K I have to ask what is hip-hop culture like out there, who are some of the hip-hop artists that are popular over there?

Ichokas: Hip-hop over here…well obviously there is a huge Grime scene with artists like Stormzy and Skepta leading the way but I’ve never been a part of the scene. I grew up with my family constantly playing Greek music and only when I was about 11 years old did I start playing rap music – which was from the likes of Kanye, Jay Z, 50 Cent, and Eminem.

DEHH: How exactly did you get into hip-hop and what inspired you to grab the mic and starting rapping yourself?

Ichokas: My man Ale from SummerClub. We met at 16 when he came to my school and it turned out we had very similar tastes in music, he’d be bumping Lupe or Joey Bada$$ (this was 2012) at lunch time and we’d be vibing out. After a couple months he showed me his own music and over time he really put me onto it, taught me the basics of how to produce, to rap better, what kind of set up I’d need and just really pushed me to be better.

The first time I rapped my own bars in public I was actually extremely drunk and found myself in a cypher, in a parking lot outside of my friend’s building. These guys were coming through with some corny a** punchlines and I couldn’t stand by and let em ruin the good name of hip hop! So naturally I had to step in, thinking back it was some freestyle I wouldn’t be caught dead rapping these days!

I’ve never been very good at expressing my emotions and talking about how I feel but as soon as I put it into raps I felt like a weight had been lifted, it became my therapy and I probably would’ve exploded without it!

DEHH: Now I feel you’ve been toying with the idea of releasing a project for a while, what made you finally take that extra push and what inspired you to go the route you did on “Dreams In Darkness?”

Ichokas: So I actually have made hundreds of songs and created an alternative EP about two years ago that never saw the light of day because I was honing my skills, not just in terms of rapping but production and engineering too – admittedly the latter still needs a lot of work.

It felt like the right time to release “Dreams in Darkness” because I was getting those “man, when you finally gonna let us hear your music?” questions from friends and family and I had something that I thought reflected my current ability and I was proud of.

DEHH: What lightweight caught me off guard is that you went and not only handled the entirety of the lyrics, but all of the production as well. What drove you to produce your first solo effort and what equipment do you use, who or what inspires the beats you make?

Ichokas: For my production I use FL Studio 11 and an MPK Mini midi keyboard and the reason I decided to handle the production myself is that I wanted the sound design to be fluent, I love listening to albums where the soundscape is constant throughout.

The beats on this project weren’t really inspired by anyone in particular; it was more me just trying to create a dark yet hopeful vibe. The beats I’ve been working on more recently draw a lot of boom bap inspiration from the likes of Apollo Brown and the dusty, old school East Coast sample-driven era.

DEHH: Talk to me a bit about “Don’t Die On Me” throughout the album, it’s clear you’ve felt a lot of pain and you can hear the pain and passion in your voice, that said I feel like in the closer you took it up a notch. Enlighten me.

The song opens with me apologizing to an amalgamation of friends and family (including myself) that I feel as though I’ve let down, I’ve seen them pushed to the edge and I didn’t do enough to pull them back. I looked into the abyss and I blinked.

The drums drop and I scream out “I can’t die like this. I can’t die like Chris.” Chris was my uncle and he died in a car crash when I was ten, I still remember the pain my mother felt to lose her younger brother and that is where the anguish in this song came from, that is what you can hear in my voice.

As the song goes on I describe battles with hopelessness before proclaiming that we can all move forward and that we are not defined by our pain.

DEHH: What do you want people to take away from “Dreams In Darkness”?

Ichokas: All I want for people to take away from Dreams in Darkness is that you are not alone when facing the trials and tribulations of the world, you have a voice and there are people willing to listen.

DEHH: What’s next for Ichokas what are we gonna get from you in 2018?

Ichokas: In 2018 I’ll be releasing an EP with Drew T (@drewt513) handling the production with beautiful soul samples and classic boom bap drums as well as another project towards in Autumn that I’m very excited about and will be sharing more details about later in the year.