You have only started putting up music a year ago and already achieved a sound similar to that of the greatest rappers of our time. Could you tell us more about who inspires you and some of your favorite rappers? What first drew you into Hip-hop/Rap
I have always been a fan of writing from as early as I can remember, and I became a fan of hip-hop music around the 5th grade, but I didn’t start making songs until high-school. As young kid I experienced a lot of traumatic events, such as my parents getting divorced at age 8, and my step-brother dying at age 10. I never liked to talk about the things that were bothering me and soon turned to drugs during the early years of high-school. During my sophomore year of high-school I experienced a head injury that spiraled me down into a deep depression. The drugs were helping less and less and I began to experience thoughts of suicide. As a way to combat these feeling I began writing poems and songs to express these dark emotions within me. Around the same time as the injury, I became good friends with a hip-hop producer from my high school. I would often hang out at his house while he made beats and introduced me to the music of hip-hop artists that I was unaware of such as, Danny Brown, Madlib, J Dilla, and Sean Price. After being exposed to these artist, I fell in love with the craft of rapping and the way it made me feel. As time went on, this began to heal me, and I realized what the power of music could do for somebody in a time of need. I’ve been creating music more and more ever since, and it just feels so natural and freeing when I write and create. That’s when I knew rapping was the only thing for me.
Your latest track “Front Flip” is one of the best Modern/Old School Rap fusions we have ever heard! Care to share more about your creative process?
The creative process for me is almost entirely different for each song that I create. Lyrics are always popping into my head at the most random times. Whether it be while I’m driving in the car, or taking a shower, they are always coming to me. I always make sure to have a pen and pad or my phone handy in case I need to jot down what’s coming to me in the moment. I have hundreds of notes in my phone and notebooks full of ideas and songs. I usually start by going through the things that I’ve written down in the past week or so and piece together what flows and ideas match together the best. After that I usually decided what emotions I’m trying to evoke within the listener and find a beat usually via youtube that is suitable with the mood I’m trying to convey. After this I will fill in the pieces by writing a hook for the song, and editing/ rewriting the verses that I have planned out for the track. I never start recording until I have the framework for the song fully thought out and all of the lyrics written in their appropriate order. I think the fusion of old school and modern sound that I create comes from the fact that I listen to almost everything within the hip-hop community. Although I tend to lean toward lyricism and old school, boom bap type beats, I like to add my own twist to it as a means of providing something that sounds familiar but fresh at the same time.
You have only started putting up music a year ago and already achieved a sound similar to that of the greatest rappers of our time. Could you tell us more about who inspires you and some of your favorite rappers?
I love to create music and be in the studio, so I rarely take an off day. I usually write at least a verse a day, Which means I am in constant need of beats. Although I’m lucky enough to know a lot of amazingly talented producers, I write a lot more verses than they have beats to give. Due to this, a majority of my production comes from producers offering beats on youtube. It can be frustrating to spend hours shuffling through different beats on youtube, but it usually pays off in the end. You can find a lot of talented producers on youtube, if you take the time to filter through the stuff you don’t want. It all pays off when you find that perfect beat that you’ve been looking for, for weeks and you can finally make a finished product. Most of these producers offer a standard lease which varies in price, that will allow you to use the beat for online streaming and sales. Half the time I am able to get in contact with the producer and make a new connection.
I think the reason I’ve achieved such a distinct and unique sound over the past few years is because I am obsessed with creating music and the passion I have for it is unlike anything else in my life. If I’m not creating music, than I’m most likely listening to it and absorbing what I can learn from each artist that’s achieved success before me. My biggest fear is being content with my sound. I am always striving to improve my craft, and I hope that my music will continue to improve and grow for the rest of my life. I don’t ever wanna settle with a certain sound that I achieve. I believe that there is always room for improvement for every artist, and I will never stop trying to achieve that. As far as inspirations go, I could fill an entire page with names, but I’ll just give a few of the artists that are most important to me. My top 3 biggest inspirations are Capital Steez of Pro Era, Mac Miller, and BROCKHAMPTON. All of these people have one thing in common that attracts me to them. Their content and messages are all very unorthodox compared to the majority of hip-hop artists. They spread a message of self love and acceptance for all people, no matter what your race, gender, social status, or sexual orientation is. They all spread a positive message that makes you look past are current social constructs that allows for abstract out of the box thinking. That’s what I strive to do with my music.
What are your musical goals for the future?
My short term goals are to keep improving my sound and building my brand, until the right label is willing to add me on to their roster. I mainly focus on the musical side of things, so having a label’s funding and management would be ideal for promoting my sound to a larger audience. My top 4 labels would be fool’s gold, GOOD music, stones throw records, or red bull records. My long term goals are to reach a level of success where I am able to work with some of my heroes in the music industry and eventually start my own successful label that encourages creativity over money, and provides an outlet for talented young artists. I understand how hard it is to make it in this industry, so when I finally reach a higher level of success, I want to be able to give back as much as possible to the one’s who are still struggling to find their way. I would also like to setup centers for those struggling with drug addiction and mental health issues, for I am a recovering addict who understands what it feels like for some of these kids struggling with these type of issues. My biggest goals are to make a positive change within the community, once I have a large enough voice and the funding to do so.
What are your goals for 2019? Any projects we can get excited about?
I have three main goals for 2019. Number one is to release my debut Album, “Extraordinary Stories” which is the first of a three part series. I recently released the first single from the project, “Front Flip” which will soon be on all streaming platforms. Number two is to get my clothing line fully operational which will be available at maxxthemuffinman.com. Number 3 is to attract the attention of a major label by the end of 2019. With my work ethic, and faith in God, I have no doubt that all three of these things will happen.
