Shalom first things first thank you for coming on Nefarious Supply, to get the interview started introduce yourself to the audience who is Shalom Dubas and what made you choose the career as a musician?
Hey Nefarious! Very glad to be here. My name’s Shalom Dubas. I’m a contemporary RnB (rap and afro-fusion influenced) musician who’s based in the D.M.V (D.C. Metro) area. I’ve been listening to music since I was a kid. Started out writing songs and rapping in middle school, by college I was playing guitar and singing at open mics, and now I’m a musician who writes, records, and mixes tracks from my bedroom and shares them to the world.
How long have you been making music, what artists are some of your biggest influences, and what five artists do you currently have in rotation?
I’ve been making music for about 10 years now, but I released my first commercial song 4 years ago in 2016. Rap was my first outlet, and then after that I started writing dub songs - adding new lyrics to old melodies - in middle school. Some of my biggest influences are 2Face, Ed Sheeran, Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, Drake, and Sade. I’ve been listening to a lot of Afro-fusion and music from African (Nigerian) artists recently. So 5 artists I currently have in rotation are - Asa (pronounced - Ah-sha), Toyin Ores, Dami Oniru, Tems, and Shalom Dubas lol
Where are you from, how has this area influenced you and your music, and how is the area for underground and emerging musicians?
I’m from a number of places to be honest, but for the short trip: I grew up in Florida and Lagos, Nigeria. Lagos influenced/influences my music heavily because I would listen to radio a lot and that’s when I got hooked on Nigerian artists like 2Face, Timaya, Wande Coal, Asa, and US Top 40 artists like Kanye, Lil Wayne, Beyonce, etc.
Florida’s influence on my music was more so Jazz from NPR, slang, voicings, and increasing my confidence as a live performer - that was where I played my first open mics.
In Lagos, artists are very talented, but they have to break through a lot of noise - social and political - to create and share their art freely. In D.C where I live there’s a myriad of artists so you can find almost anything - Afrofusion, Hip Hop, Rap, Jazz, Gogo, - you name it. So I believe that both places are influential for emerging musicians because emerging musicians are very talented at making the best of their surroundings and situations.
Since your start as a musician what are some things that you have learned and if you could give your younger self some advice what would it be?
To be honest I’m actually pretty grateful for the trajectory I’ve had so far. When I was younger, I thought I wanted to just “pop off” and be famous for making music. But when you’re younger, it’s easy to think that “blowing up” is your key to everything you want in life. But it’s far from it and I’m grateful to God that I can be of that mindset now. So if I was to say anything to my younger self it would be “ sup little Lomie, trust the process, and trust God. He’s working for your good. “
So let’s get into your music. Walk us through your creative process from start to finish and is there a certain environment you have to create before you get started?
My creative process can vary, but the constant is that I’m a bedroom studio rat. I live life or I assess myself from the life I’ve lived, and then I get into a period where I’m making the music and that’s all I’m doing for that period of time. Once I get into the mindset that I’m working on a project it becomes a very immersive thing. I almost always know what I’m going for before I get to the end, but I never know all the things that will get added until it’s final. So I know the foundation, but the actual building and rooms in the house are like a big reveal to me on the opening day. Oh - and then when I can listen to the EP in full while playing FIFA or NBA, then I know it’s at a solid point. *laughs*
A couple of months back you released your project EP. Tell us more about what inspired it?
I released ~ Mint, Green. ~ in May 2020, after about 2 months of being in lock down. For me it was a way to start describing feelings as colors. So with ~ Mint, Green. ~ I was exploring the idea of being aware of youth, the greenness and freshness of it, and contrasting it with how fleeting said youth can be. The main inspiration was to make something of the lockdown time. To make something concrete from all the uncertainty that was whirling around in the air at that time. What came forth was Mint, Green.
What are some of your favorite tracks off of ~ Mint, Green. ~ ?
My favorite track is See Me Now, that’s literally me in song form - Bouncy Afro Infused beat, witty & rhythmic lyrics, and a slightly misunderstood vocal layer on the track (gifted from an artist named July Drama) - and it’s a major jam that usually gets overlooked lol. So yeah, See Me Now and then One (For the $) are my favorite tracks.
Your new project Deep Blue just dropped yesterday which is pretty exciting so tell us more about this project and what it means to you, and what your favorite tracks are?
Yeah! Very exciting. The best part has been seeing how my fans have received it. It’s crazy because when I had it in the vault I knew it was a special one. But to have it out there and see other people respond affirmatively is a special kind of feeling.
“Deep, Blue” to me means growth and receiving the gift of self-awareness. I can be very self-aware but this year has afforded me the time to be self-assessing. Which, I believe, is the “gift receiving” part of self-awareness; looking at yourself and your actions over periods of time and then rating your present, accepting your past (granting kindness to the truth of where you’ve come from), and then making moves that will guide you to a better future. So yeah, my favorite tracks are Mind Over Matter (You’re Telling Me) and What We Said. (feat. Tim Lyre) and then the EP as a whole to be honest lol - no cap.
So with 2020 about to be over, what’s next for you? What are some of your big goals in 2021?
I’m grateful to be wrapping 2020 and to be doing it by dropping this EP. I’m grateful for my health and sound mind, and for the health and sound mind of my family and friends. I’m very grateful to be able to say these words in a time like this and I’m grateful to God for the future that’s ahead.
In 2021, I want to perform on colorsxstudios, I want to see my music take off in a healthy way. I want to become fully financially independent from my music but have a job that allows me to be an asset to the music/entertainment industry, and I want to have values that enable me to bring value to the lives that God has placed/places in my path and circle.
Aka I’m tryna pop off, rack up, stay blessed, and coastttt.
Any last words?
Listen to Deep, Blue!
Share my music with your friends & fam, MERCH COMING SOON! (shalomdubas.com is THE plug)
Oh and - God blesssss.
Big shout out to Shalom Dubas for coming and interviewing with Nefarious Supply, if you want to stay up to date with her and her music you can follow her on Instagram, Twitter, SoundCloud, and to get a deeper dive on her check out her website. If you want to stay up to date with news and content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, and for our weekly news letter you can sign up below and be sure to check out Nefarious Supply Season 2, use discount code NEFSUPPLY2 to get free-shipping on your first order!
