Shalom Dubas - Deep Blue

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? 

ItsShalom · Mint, Green.

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.

Currently rising. I'm dropping my best single EVER, this month. Come over to my website - shalomdubas.com

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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!

Savvy - Nashville's Finest

Hey Savvy thank you for reaching out and submitting your music you Nefarious Supply! To get this interview started introduce yourself, who is Savvy and what got you started as a musician. 

Yo , I am Savvy from Nashville Tennessee. Originally from Riverside California, by way of Huntsville Alabama I’m a 20 year old new artist. The thing that really got me started with music was moving to Nashville and just seeing the budding music scene and seeing opportunity. After that the spark was lit in me and I just started doing it honestly.

Where are you from and how has this area had an influence on your, as well as your music?

I was born in Riverside , California but spent most of my years in Huntsville also, so in both cities there isn't really a major music scene or creative scene honestly. So I kinda found my identity in other artists who were rising around that time I started listening to rap music. But I feel like being in Huntsville for sure played a major role in me wanting to come to Nashville and chase my dreams. It fueled me to kind of bring something back to the city in a sense.

In addition to influencing you, how is the area for underground talent? Is it a creative hub or is it still emerging?

Nashville is a hub for anything creative right now. Whether you want to do music, art, fashion, dance, there's pretty much a scene for that and to be a part of all that is just so beautiful. It's honestly like a gold mine right now .

What artists would you say have had the biggest influence on you and your music, what artists and albums are currently in your rotation, and who is your favorite artist right now? 

The artist that has had the most impact on me and my music would probably have to be Tyler the Creator. It was through his music that I was able to kind of find myself and what I identified with creatively. Artists that are in my rotation right now are probably Emmavie, Sade, Bari , Smino just to name a few. As for albums i don't usually listen to albums in full although recently i've been playing Solange’s “When i get Home” alot. I love that album. And my favorite artist would probably have to be either Smino , Tyler or Drake for obvious reasons.

Describe your experience so far as an underground artist. What are some things you have learned since you started, and for a new artist that is just starting their career what advice would you give?

Honestly one of the biggest things I’ve learned is being an artist is all a science , it's all a formula. Everything’s gotta be balanced. The advice I'd give to someone who's just starting out or who wants to start out is to be consistent. If you handle your business and continue to do what you know you're good at then the opportunities will present themselves and you'll be so used to doing what you do that seizing this opportunity will be a piece of cake. Always apply pressure.

Walk us through you creative process, and how do you know when a song is ready and you want to share it with your fans?

I'll say that my creative process is always different . It kind of goes back to that science i was talking about , there's always more than one way to get a solution so it's kind of the same when it comes to songwriting. I'll try different methods and i'll always know when it's right or when it's time to work on it a little more. As far as knowing when to release , there's like a core five people whose opinions and thoughts I actually take into account when creating so usually I'll play the track or whatever it is for them and if they all give the approval then I'll go ahead and release it.

$avvy · teenage fever

So let’s talk about your discography right now you have two projects out “trash-soul” which came out in 2017, and ‘teenage fever” which came out 2018. Tell us about both projects, what inspired them, and what team did you work with to put the projects together?

So for those projects I normally don't shine a lot of light to them because I made both of those in highschool before I had an honest passion for being an artist and making music. Around that time I only did it because i was able to make music and make my own beats, so for both of those projects I produced and wrote all those songs myself. Trash Soul i recorded on a crappy mic/software in my parents dining room and for teenage fever i recorded in one of my big homies studios and Erik Cain did all the mixing and engineering for that one.

In addition to your projects, this year alone you’ve released three songs including; “Snl”, “Bag/Purse” with Mike Floss, and your newest release Zoom. Tell us about each of these song?

I like to look at all of these releases as like a foreword to the whole story. So each of these songs means alot to me and that is because I'm able to see the growth in time between each release. I’ve had a lot of fun making these records and am in pure joy that people love and enjoy these early looks at who “$avvy” is.

2020 has been a wild year for everyone so what are some goals you’ve accomplished this past year, and going into 2021 what do you hope to accomplish next year?

So some goals that I accomplished this year are performing back in Huntsville , modeling for brands outside of Tennessee and even the US, collaborating more, and cracking 35,000 streams on a song. For the next year I have a lot of crazy ideas and things that are in the works right now that I cannot wait to show you guys. The big announcement is that i am currently working on an album that is set to release February of 2021.

Who should we interview next for Nefarious Supply? 

I think you guys should interview @hipsterscantswim next!

Any last words?

Boys Wear Pearls. Thank you.

create a world you want to live in✨

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Big shout to Savvy for coming on and interview with Nefarious Supply be sure to follow the talented artist on Instagram, and to hear more of his music you can find his discography on SoundCloud above. If you want to stay up to date with news and content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, and Twitter, as well as our email list below! We also just dropped out newest line of merch NSW Season 2 which is avaluble here! Use discoue code NEFARIOUSSUPPLY2 to get freeshipping on your first order!

Elyssa Plaza - Is it Really Love

Elyssa Plaza first things first thank you for interviewing with Nefarious Supply, to get the interview started tell us about yourself and what made you choose the career path of music? 

I am an R&B/Alternative singer/songwriter from Scarborough, Ontario and I’m currently in school at the University of Toronto. Growing up I would always be singing. Throughout elementary school, I would see so many artists being discovered on Youtube, and seeing that inspired me to keep going with singing and getting myself out there. By high school, I would be performing at coffee shops, school talent shows, and school choirs, it was always something I enjoyed doing. By then I knew singing was something I wanted to continue in the future, however, I was too scared to solely focus on music after I graduated high school. After I graduated high school, I went to the University of Toronto to study Math, Religion, and Statistics. Throughout my time in university, I realized pursuing music is something I would want to continue in the future. So during my time in university, I would be writing songs and working towards releasing new music. Growing up, singing was something I enjoyed doing, and by the time I got into high school and university I knew it was something I was very passionate about and something I wanted to focus on in the long-term.

Elyssa Plaza · Getting over you

How long have you been making and since your start what are some things you have learned?

I started making music probably back in 2018. 2018 was when I started writing songs and by 2019 I released my first single “Getting Over You”. Something I learned that stood out to me the most is being patient. There were times I was frustrated with myself that I wasn’t able to reach specific dates of when I wanted to get things done musically, but at the end of the day, I realized there’s so much time and there's no need to feel pressured. I learned that taking your time can get things done properly and carefully instead of it being rushed.

Where are you from and how would you say this area has influenced you, and your sound?

I’m from Scarborough, Ontario, and being able to see the Toronto local music scene is very inspiring. So many unique voices and amazing talent! It is inspiring to see Toronto artists grow and making it bigger into the music scene because it is something I strive to do as well. The Toronto music scene has inspired me to be myself and experiment with my sound.

In addition to you influencing your sound, how is the area for creatives would you say it is still an emerging area or a hub, and have you worked with any artists from the area?

I feel like Toronto is still an emerging hub. There are so many amazing talents I have to see that go unnoticed and I feel like there should be more recognition for the talented artists in Toronto. I haven’t worked with other singers yet but I have worked with many great producers in Toronto.

Who are some of your favorite artists that you grew up listening to and as of right now what are the 5 albums and artists you currently have in your rotation?

My favorite artists I grew up listening to would be Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, and Beyonce. As of right now, the artists I have on rotation would be Snoh Alegra, Giveon, Frank Ocean, Lee Fields & The Expressions, and The Beegees.

So right now you’re currently with the startup Tomboy Records which is pretty cool, how did you  meet them and what led to you formally signing to them?

I met Tomboy Records through social media. Casandra reached out to me on Instagram and told me about Tomboy Records. I was busy with school at the time so by the summer I gave it some thought and decided to sign with them. It was the greatest decision made! I decided to sign with them because I knew we both had similar end goals. With our similar ambitions, I knew that we would both work hard to achieve them.

 So let’s get into your music. You just recently released your new song “Is It Really Love” tell us about this new song,  and what inspired it?

I started working on the production on "Is It Really Love" back in March/April. This song has been something I had for probably about 2 years and was never released. When I first wrote it, I wrote it based on my family experiences and the misinterpretations of love language. From my experiences, this song questions if these actions are supposed to express love or if it's toxic. It took me some time to release it because it was something pretty personal. I also wanted the production to do the song justice and I never really knew what I wanted. I’ve only played this song live twice and it’s been with a live band. This year I finally decided to work on the production of the song and I’m very happy with how it turned out.

Elyssa Plaza · EP by EP

Last year you also released a Small EP titled EP, tell us about this project, what inspired it, and who are some of the people that helped you put it together in production?

This project was very fun to make. This was inspired by my personal experiences, specifically my experience with relationships, how I felt in the moment, and the way I dealt with things. "Forever", is probably one of my favorites from the album. High Rize Beatz helped put the production together along with mixing/mastering.

So going into 2021 what are some things you want to accomplish before the end of 2020, and what are some of your biggest goals in 2021?

Releasing “Is it Really Love” was a big accomplishment for 2020. By 2021, I plan on releasing more music and hopefully perform (whether it be in person or online)!

Any last words? 

Thanks so much for having me!

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Thank you to Elyssa Plaza, and Tom-Boy Records for giving us a chance to feature them on Nefarious Supply. Be sure to check out TomBoy Records as well as Elyssa Plaza on Instagram and check out the full labels music available on all streaming platforms!

If you want to stay up to date with news and content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, and Twitter. We also just dropped out newest line of merch NSW Season 2 which is avaluble here! Use discoue code NEFARIOUSSUPPLY2 to get freeshipping on your first order!

Augxst - Moonboy

Augsxt thank you for reaching out to be interviewed on Nefarious Supply, let’s start this interview by having you introduce your self to the audience, who is Augxst and what got you into making music?

Augxst is everything that I would say I’m not really in reality. I’m really a quiet person kind of reserved but I built this kind of altar ego for myself. Someone that’s confident and isn’t afraid to say what other people are thinking. 

Where are you from and how has this area played an influence on you and your music, and how is the music scene for up and coming musicians?

I’m from Boston, Massachusetts to be specific. I can’t really say my music is based off an area that I’m from. It’s more based on who I am as a person and how I feel or what I’m going through at the time. I kind of feed off of the energy of myself and it tends to come out in a variety of different forms.

It’s safe to say that 2020 has been a wild time for pretty much everybody, so how have you kept yourself grounded, and what are some goals you were able to accomplish for the year?

2020 has been one of the craziest years by far but as far as I’ve been concerned with life in general it’s always crazy on I’m always constantly under pressure so it’s really no change to me the only thing that is helped me do is stay locked up in the studio even further and create more music

What artists and albums have you had in your rotation and what is your favorite album as of right now?

I listen to a lot of early logic talk in the 2015 stuff. I also listen to a lot of NF he’s very lyrical and inspires me to rap about more pressing issues in my life. I also love Blackbear, and I would say Tenoh. Tenoh is one of my best friends and a collaborative artist in Se7en Collective. I tend to always have his projects on rotation.

What artists would you say has the biggest impact on you and your overall sound, and if you could work with any one artist right now who would you choose?

An artist that has had a huge impact on me is Tenoh for sure. He really took my vocals to the next level and showed me how to really work with my voice. I owe a lot of my newer projects to him to be completely honest. As far as my earlier stuff, I grew up listening to a lot of rock and early 90s hip-hop so 2Pac you know Nas, Wu-Tang Clan - all of that. I always love that kind of stuff.

If I could work with any artist right now it would either be 88Glam, FRVRFRIDAY or NAV. I’ve been having a lot of NAV in my playlist lately. His new album is really hard. Its just been inspiring me to do more with my music.

So getting into your music last year you release your album Se7en Season tell us about this album, what inspired it, and what your goal was it it?

Se7en Season actually came together in a span of 12 hours. I kind of locked myself in the studio with my producer Deuce and it was my first time ever making an album or a collective project for that matter at all. Really what I was aiming for was to make a cohesive body of work that didn’t sound too similar but has that very well cleaned up overall sound. I think I achieved that. Seven Season Two is on the way and I’m very very excited to see what comes with it.

On Seven Se7en you worked with some amazing underground talent Huehef, Szn, Nationaal Jeugd Orkest. How did you meet with each of these artists and what producers did you work with to put this project together.

Se7en Season is entirely produced by “Deuce” and coproduced by me. It originally came up kind of randomly we were just in the studio vibing. We made a few songs back to back and then kind of kept going. I ended up linking up with Huehef, he was in the studio and he heard my song “Trying” and asked me if he could hop on it and you know I said of course, and the rest was history.

Let’s talk about your newest project Moonboy - EP which you just released this past year, what inspired this album and how did you pair up with Iriasona for a feature.

Moon Boy was inspired by one of my tracks I created earlier in 2019 called Phases. It’s just such a special track to me. I spent so much time and countless hours mixing and mastering it and getting it perfect in my eyes. Its honestly one of my favorite tracks I’ve ever created. I was trying to bring in the 2017 vibe with this project and I think I really hit that correctly. Pairing up with Irisona was a great thing I actually found her through one of my producers. As far as that goes I had messaged her on Instagram and you know from there it was a wrap.

What producers helped you put the project together and what would you say are your favorite tracks on the project?

The two main producers I had used for Moonboy was Paryo and Caps. They’re both really really good at catching specific vibes and giving a full body of work that speaks for itself. To be honest I’d say my personal favorite song on the project has to be either Phases or Don’t Leave. They’re just really hard hitting and when you listen to them you kind of hear a specific message underneath all the metaphors.

So what’s next for you where do you see your self going from here?

Where do I see myself going… without being cocky, straight to the top.

Who should we interview next for Nefarious Supply?

I believe the next person you should interview is Tenoh. I mean there’s not a person I know that works harder than him. Definitely one of the hardest out in Canada for sure. He’s next up on Se7en.

Any last words?

I would say if you’re looking to start your music career or you’re starting your music career just remember that this is the endless floor for creativity and there’s really no ceiling. I would advise everybody to step outside themselves and away from what they consider to be comfortable and really just do the best you can at breaking all your barriers and finding out who you are as a musician. There’s nothing more freeing than that. It’s honestly addicting. I truly appreciate Nefarious Supply for this interview, and I hope that everyone stays safe and has a great rest of the year.