Last week we posted PEACECRAFT – “L.R.G” (PRODUCED BY KID DUKE) and promised an interview with the RVA native was coming soon and here it is below the artwork.. Also if you haven’t yet check out his $Ociety project.
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Q. Where are you from? How does that influence your music or style?
A. I’m from Virginia, I’ve lived in high class Northern VA, Middle Class VA Beach, and now I’m in Richmond. I have a lot of different experiences with people and you can hear it in my music. There’s straight hip hop, stoner music, trap, and rock throughout this mixtape because I’m able to represent all of those and show them through my eyes, or someone I’ve encountered.
Q. What’s the music scene like there?
A. VA has a very limited music scene in my opinion. When you do shows they want hard hitting club tracks or smokers music. They respect lyricist but sometimes you have to adapt for this area.
Q. What inspires you as an artist?
A. What inspires me is first is movies. Music is the soundtrack to life and it has to vary in emotion, evolve, and be personal. Also get a lot of my inspiration from artist that strive to be different. Even if it doesn’t works i love to hear a different sound that’s hard to categorize. Like Kanye, Kid Cudi, Empire of the Sun, Kings Crimson.
Q. Where were you at musically before entering the rap game?
A. I never really listened to rap till i was in like 7th or 8th grade, whenever Nelly came out lol, so i had no real interest in music. I was always a writer though. I’ve been writing literally since i was about five years old. A lot of poetry and short stories.
Q. How many mixtapes have you put out?
A. I’ve released 2 mixtape’s with a group named Digital Vinyl called “Dilemma” and “At A Standstill”. Both were really good and more hip hop oriented. This is my first big solo where I took the time and created the sound I wanted to make.
Q. Do you see your musical direction as a natural progression for you as an
artist or the start of a new era for Georgego?
A. I think of my musical direction as a place hip hop should be moving. When need to blend genres, reach more audiences, and become more accepted as an art form. We have a lot of rappers making music for the streets but I want to be all over the spectrum, so ill continue to grow and explore all place my music can go.
Q. What were your musical influences growing up?
A. Growing up I was a big RnB Fan. Tp-2.com by R Kelly is my favorite album of all time. Also Confessions by Usher. Rap wise Id have to say Shyne, Twista, and Slick Rick were all I would listen to.
Q. When did you know you wanted to be a rapper?
A.I really started rapping when I heard “Comeback Season” by Drake. He broke boundaries from RnB to Hip Hop and I remember thinking “Rappers can do this?”
Q. Tell us about your early rapping experiences?
A. When I started it was great. Me and my group made old school type hip hop like Joey Bada$$, and a lot of people in my area respected it. Unfortunately we weren’t ready mentally at that age to put in the effort we needed. Definitely a learning experience though.
Q.What elements signify a great track to you?
A.Bass a great story and being able to get that story out fluently.
Q. What is your current favorite track?
A. On my album “IceTLovesCoCo!” but between Fallen by “D”, and Heaven by Jay Z from others.
Q. What influences your rapping style?
A. The people i’m around influence my rapping style. I’m making beat for a group called Showgunrz, they rap fast so I’m kinda picking up there flow. And my boy D is one of the greatest lyricist I know so I try to compete lyrically with that.
Q. Do you think any of current trends in music have long lasting potential?
A. I hope so. I love trap music and the sophistication that people like Kanye and Jay Z are adding is a great sound.
Q. Talk about your local music scene?
A. I’m trying to get the Richmond/NOVA scene buzzing. I’m slowly gaining a crew to make that happen but were in the startup stages now so keep checking and I can guarantee something amazing is going to emerge.
Q. What advice do you have for a beginning producer/rapper?
A. People starting out have to be patient, grow and take criticism. Too many people only wanna hear the good side of criticism, you cant get better that way and there are way too many lame rappers that keep moving the same path because they think its great.