StayGoldenSwerve

So tell me a bit about yourself. Where are you from, what was your upbringing like, etc.

I’m from Harrisburg PA which is the capital of Pennsylvania.  I had both parents in my life in they both knew I was talented. When I was home at my mom’s house she used to always have me dance to Baltimore Club Music and all type of songs. When I was over my father’s house I used to always listen to Jay Z , 50 Cent ,Jadakiss, Nas etc I just grew up always listening to music from both sides of my family.

Tell us about your city, how has your city influenced you as an artist? 

My city influence me because it helped me realize the potential I have and taught me  how to survive and stay humble. Also helps me appreciate everything around me more cause I know not a lot of people back home don’t get to see nothing but Harrisburg. So I’m forever grateful for everything that’s in my life.  

This past year you released your EP Midnight Vibes tell us about the process of it, what was your goal in creating the album, and how did that goal affect the overall sound? 

I started realizing I make my best music  at night time I just love the vibe I get when I create around Midnight. The goal was to share my vibes and how I feel at Midnight cause I know I’m not the only one that comes alive at Midnight.  

Walk us through your typical studio session? 

Need Water at every session! I don’t like to have too many people in my sessions. I like to really lock in  so It’s just usually me & my engineer and maybe one friend.  

Your forreal put me onto Alonda Rich. Her verse in “Only Way” gave me goosebumps. How do you know her? 

She’s Amazing! She has a wonderful soul & it was a pleasure working with her.  I found out about her through a magazine both of us was in which was in 2014, We both have been supporting each other ever since.

What artists have influenced your sound? 

Bob Marley , Sade, PartyNextDoor , Kanye West

If you were able to collaborate with any artist alive or dead who would it be? 

 I would want to collab with Sade.

Plug yourself (let people know where they can find you and your music).

Instagram: StayGoldenSwerve ,

Twitter: GoldenSwerve ,

Facebook: Swerve

StayGoldenSwerve - Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud , Youtube, and Tidal

 So 2019 has gone past its halfway mark and as we start the end of summer what are some of your biggest goals you have on your list, and what can we expect from you in 2020? 

To get more visuals and photos out and just keep pushing these vibes & encouraging others to keep pushing  their vision. And in 2020 you could expect more music, bigger fanbase, and me still being humble.

Any people or artists you want to shout out?  

I want to give a shoutout to my supporters because they keep me going & seeing them really adapt to my music and love me for me is a blessing I love you guys forever!!!!

Any Last Words?

I believe StayGolden could help the mindset for people to keep moving forward.

Big shout out to StayGoldenSwerve for coming on and interviewing with Nefarious Supply. If you want to show him some love you can find him on social media including; Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can also find him on all music streaming platforms including; Apple Music, Soundcloud, Youtube, and Tidal.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a comment and share it with a friend and let us know what your favorite Carter songs. If you know any creatives that you feel deserve a spot on Nefarious Supply feel free to send them our way and tp stay up to date with news and content coming from Nefarious Supply you can follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

TheNasa8 - Conviction Arc

Super-groups are such a rarity in this current generation of hip-hop. Groups like Pro Era that seemingly looked to carry the torch, split up to go in their own directions. Nowadays when groups of artists come together it’s more to bounce off the hype of each other in a pursuit of solo success. Not in the case of Baltimore hip-hop group TheNASA8, who have been childhood friends for years. Their activity spans over six years of work and discography stretches over 50 projects. The NASA8 deviates from what we usually see from a group in that they pride themselves on being able to create a myriad of sounds and never sticking to one lane. The group’s evolution over time shines in their new collective album “Conviction Arc”. set for release tomorrow 8/8/19.

TheNasa8 consists of Bito Sureiya, Tislam the Great, Jiro Sama, Opo Ra, Varth Dader & Ale, From Summerclub. A good portion of the production comes from in-house too, HippuHoppuOtaku, God Sense Beats, DK The Punisher, Tek.Lun all provide luscious, atmospheric thumpers on this album. Influences span the entire universe, underground, trap, electronic, grime it’s all here. This may be your introduction to the internationally based super-group, however the minute you press play you’ll immediately hear the chemistry and showmanship the group has built up. They’re no longer young upstarts trying to break into the industry, TheNasa8 is now a group of veterans that have a body of work under them, performance chops and a number of hits. The “Conviction Arc” album is a testament and embodiment of the years of work this group of artists has put in Stream TheNASA8's Conviction Arc Here, and while you listen Check out TheNASA8's #1 spot on Gimmie That Beat's Top 10.

Arhinslim

Dude, what does your name mean?

My name is a combination of my last name and slim which i use to describe myself based off of my physique. Arhin is my last name which originates from Ghana. I take pride in it and my heritage.

Did you always know you were going to be a rapper? Why or why not?

My biggest influences as a child are Kanye West, Michael Jackson and Dmx. They really got me paying attention to music. I remember hearing Kanye’s production on Jay Z’s Izzo and falling in love with music.

I didn’t know when I was a child that I was going to be a rapper, I just loved hip hop a lot. I first wanted to be a professional soccer player as a kid but as i got older i started growing a real love for music and I eventually started creating. My biggest influences as a child are Kanye West, Michael Jackson and DMX. They really got me paying attention to music. I remember hearing Kanye’s production on Jay Z’s Izzo and falling in love with music. Then hearing my parents play Michael Jackson around the house and loving music more. Then seeing DMX on BET and loving artistry. The final piece that really put it together for me was Slow Jamz by Kanye West. I heard it being played in my school gym one day after school and i remember that became my favourite song in the second grade. It inspired me n my sound a lot. I grew up having that inspiration into my teenage years. And now i am here creating music.

What are you like in-person?

In person I am a laid back, fun to be around, charismatic guy. I like to have fun, laugh, dance and kick it with the people close to me. I like to play sports like soccer and basketball and im really competitive. I take competition seriously. I also like to pay attention to details. I am a perfectionist. 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years i see myself as an well established artist and creator. I see my self with a well established brand and being able to perform in front of many people. I believe i can do it.

I love the aesthetic of your instagram. Where do you get your inspiration from?

The current aesthetic of my instagram is a preview into the mood/feeling of my up and coming project “Superfly”. This inspiration comes from my childhood love for superheroes, comics, video games and just stories in general. These are the type of things I imagine while creating music as I also intend to help the listener visualize their experience of my music. So my Instagram is just a preview for the listener to get a feel of what to visualize when they hear the sounds on my forthcoming project. How i look during those songs, and the type of emotion/feeling i will put behind that body of work.

What’s your favorite song by you and why?

Im not sure that I do have one favourite or one that stands out. One day it’ll be “Villa”, another day it’ll be “Tourist II”. For me its really hard to choose. However right now i can say its my most recent drop “Boof / No They Won’t” mainly because i produced the record entirely. I made it out of fun not having a plan or purpose for the song but its my best performing song to date. 

Are you working on anything new?

Im currently working on my new tape which will be called “Superfly”. I hope to release it by the end of 2019. It will be new, and very energetic and very cinematic. 

9Plug yourself (social media and where people can find you music).

Im @Arhinslim on all platforms!

Any last words?

I plan to do great things.

Shoutout to Arhinslim for coming on and Interviewing with Nefarious Supply. if you want to stay up to date with him you can find him on Instagram, Twitter. You can find his music on Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and SoundCloud.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a comment and share it with a friend. If you know any creatives that you feel deserve a spot on Nefarious Supply feel free to send them our way and tp stay up to date with news and content coming from Nefarious Supply you can follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

Carter

What’s up Carter! Right now this very second, how are you feeling?

What’s happening! Sipping my morning coffee right now, feeling blessed and excited to see what today brings. This conversation seems to be the perfect way to start.

The music video for “100-60” looks like it was a fun ass shoot. Who directed the video and what was it like working with such a large cast?

The official music video for Melbourne Hip-Hop artist Carter's new single '100-60' featuring JSPA. Follow Carter https://www.facebook.com/thisisccarter https://www.instagram.com/carter_sounds https://twitter.com/carter_sounds https://soundcloud.com/carter_sounds https://open.spotify.com/artist/7u0qbpWTZnYJ4JtJeRdX7Q © Day Ones Records. All Rights Reserved. For licensing requests please email info@dayoneshq.com

That shoot was amazing. I brought all my homies with me, and just brought bottles to the loft and let them party while we shot in between. We actually had this warehouse party afterwards, so we just treated the shoot as pre-drinks before we went out. Aldwin and Tim from RMR (@rmr.visuals) shot and edited that video for me. As usual, they came through big and im very appreciative of their professionalism. 

I see a few fit pics on your Instagram. How would you describe your style and how does it correlate with your music?

I used to work retail at footlocker for a fair few years while I was studying, so naturally I've been pretty heavy into the sneaker game for as long as I can remember. I used to line up for Js on the regular, and I still got a whole bunch of kicks I haven't got the chance to wear yet haha. While sneakers were the gateway, my style has definitely evolved over the years. I think simplicity in design and quality in materials appeals to me the most these days; so on a normal day, you’ll probably catch me in something black/white with a little splash of colour.

With music, I try to keep everything authentic, and now that I think about it, I've made more than a few references in my lyrics. When the money comes, im copping grails right after i get a property.

What’s Soul’s Collective?

This is something I've been working on behind the scenes with a team of artists/creatives from my city. Although I'm super excited about it, I don’t want to speak too much on it as of now as there’s still a few pieces yet to be in place. The reveal will be before the year ends, and we’re coming through with events, music, visuals, design & products, so watch this space!

Where are you from?

I was born in ShenZhen China, and migrated with my family to Melbourne, Australia when I was 13. Forever appreciative of the position my parents put me in by bringing me to the best city in the world. 

What were you like in high school?

I started High School in China at a boarding school, where I was studying from 7:30am to 10pm everyday focusing entirely on academics. Then i came to Melbourne when i was 13 in year 8, and because I couldn't really speak English at all, I started building a real connection with others through music & sports. I was playing guitar & basketball during all my spare time which helped me a lot with my confidence, and gave me a way of expressing myself when I wasn't able to verbally. I still remember going to basketball practices a bunch of times a week, and jamming in bands on weekends as some of the most memorable times of my life. 

I’ve always felt like the introverted kid giving his best extroverted efforts, and I could have never imagined myself in this position singing on songs if someone told me that 10 years ago. From being in the 8am classrooms in China, to being an up n coming artist in 2019 has been a crazy journey, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Do you think about streams a lot? Or is it just whatever to you?

Streams don’t define me as an artist because I believe it’s about self-expression, and all my listeners are additional privileges. However, music has played a huge part of my life growing up, and I'd love to be the soundtrack of someone else’s life if they’re accepting. I use streams and analytics as a tool to define my audience, so i know who i’m speaking to, and how to reach more like-minded individuals, but I'm not losing sleep over how many clicks i get. With that being said, all the kind messages from fans from all over the world mean the most to me, and I’ll always try to respond to every single one. If you like my music, please shoot me a DM and have a chat! 

Seeing that you’re of Asian decent, how do you feel about the rise of 88Rising?

It’s inevitable, and I absolutely love it. There has always been a huge market for Hip Hop in Asia, with a lot of dope artists working just as hard as anybody. 88Rising just came in and done an amazing job bridging that gap between the East & West and brought a lot of these deserving acts into the spotlight. When I was growing up in Asia, I wasn't aware of any Asian Hip Hop acts, but now I'm just excited to see how this movement inspires the kids in Asia. The talent has always been there, they just needed to be shown a way out. 

Got anything unreleased that you can tell me about?

I’m dropping the sequel to ‘Understand It’ on the 9th Aug titled ‘Cutting Ties’ which still focuses on the narrative of self-discovery and conflict. This single will also be paired with a visual which will premiere the same week. 

After that, I’m shooting more music videos & you can definitely expect more than a few singles & features coming your way before I wrap the year up with a small EP project. I’m beyond excited to share what’s been in the works with the world, just be sure to keep an eye on my IG. Everything will be announced there first! 

Plug yourself (tell us your social media and where people can find your music).

All my music is available on all major streaming services, and my music videos are released under my label DayOnes on Youtube. But you’ll find everything in the link on my bio on IG.

IG/Twitter: @carter_sounds

Facebook: @thisiscarter

Any last words?

Peace, love & thank you.

Big shout out to Cater for coming on an agreeing to Interview with Nefarious Supply. Be sure to stay on the look out for new music by him coming your way including his new EP, and his new single Cutting Ties”. You can find Carter on all streaming platforms and you can find his on social media on Instagram, and Twitter

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a comment and share it with a friend and let us know what your favorite Carter songs. If you know any creatives that you feel deserve a spot on Nefarious Supply feel free to send them our way and tp stay up to date with news and content coming from Nefarious Supply you can follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

Masonn DeForrest

So how long have you been making music and what got you into it? 

I’ve been making music for about a year and a half now! I began recording myself in January of 2018 in my room with a $25 mic bolted to a night light stand, Garageband on a 10 year old Mac book & some horrible desk top speaker set up! it wasn’t much but I created my first single “Answers” on that set up which led to me to fall in love with making music; So I’ll forever be grateful for what I had!

 I’ve always had an ear for music but I never had the intention of becoming an artist, like I didn’t grow up thinking I wanted to make music. A big thing that got me into music was watching music videos. I could watch R&B music videos for hours straight. Nothing’s better then story telling and great music.

Do you have any other passions?

Making sure my daughter is happy and healthy is top of my “things I’m passionate about” list for sure; After father hood comes music. Music takes up a lot my life right now. I don’t know what I’d be doing if I never got into it. Probably some things I shouldn’t be doing. Gotta thank god ya know?

How would you describe yourself to someone who has never met you? Who is Masonn 

DeForrest?

MASONN DEFOREST is a very humble and hard working individual. I’m someone who’s very very easy to vibe with after I get over not talking the first five minutes of meeting new people haha. Positive vibes only when around me! No slacking but a little laughter never hurt while working hard!

I get a PARTYNEXTDOOR vibe from your music. Is he one of your music inspirations? Who are your music inspirations?

Huge shoutout to PARTY! He was definitely one of my biggest inspirations when I just started recording. PARTYNEXTDOOR, Bryson Tiller, & The Weeknd have continuously been the biggest inspirations throughout this music journey. Of course other Oregon talents have had some big impacts on my sound to, like TYuS & Eso.XO.Supreme. But lately I’ve been really listening and studying 90s R&B. mainly Jodeci. 

Based on your social media, you’re a mystery. What made you want to do this interview?

At first the whole mystery thing was because I had no idea what kinda look I was going for, it seemed like whatever I posted wasn’t matching the vibes of my music. Then one day I got a message from a woman working in the music industry saying the whole mystery romantic man thing was a really marketable look, so I just rolled with it.  But now I’m gonna be showing my face more and more on my social media! Got a lot of crazy pictures from shoots stashed in the vault! I wanted to do this interview for my supporters! To Let them hear a little more from & about me and how my mind works, because on social media I’m a man of little words. My captions are mostly emojis.

What songs of yours would you recommend to a new listener? 

Money baby, Go for it, Company, & Turn you on. These are a few of my personal favorites. I have a lil something for everyone ya know?  so to new listeners: just go through my little catalog of music and find what you like! I promise you’ll hear something you vibe with! 

Are you working on anything new that you can tell us about?

I Got  A few Projects I’m working on, some super cinematic music videos, I’m planning some shows in my city, & lots of new music with crazy features! 

Plug yourself (social media handles).

Keep up with me on Instagram & Twitter!  (@MASONNDEFOREST)

Check out my YouTube & Soundcloud for exclusive content & new music!

(MASONN DEFOREST)

Any last words?

Never be afraid to invest in yourself & your dreams! You can get the money back, but you can’t get the time back.Thank you everyone who is rocking with me at this moment! This is only the beginning! Rocket ship mode! Lastly, big shout out to Nefarious Supply & what they got going on! Giving underground artists like me a chance to be heard loud and clear! Keep doing what y’all doing! Beyond Blessed to be a part of this movement! 

Big shout out to Mason DeForrest for agreeing to Interview with Nefarious Supply you can his music on his SoundCloud above and to stay up to date with him and his music you can find him on Instagram, and Twitter.
If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

504 Degrees

Trenity, tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

My name is Trenity Thomas, most people call me Trent as a nickname, and some people know me as 504 Degrees on Instagram. I am a 20 year old black photographer based in New Orleans, La. I grew up in Kenner, La and the 9th Ward. Taking photographs of my surroundings and the people around me is something I love to do. I’ve been capturing photos since 2015 now. Working on making it my hobby.

What do you want your photos to capture/represent? What do you want people to see?

I want my photos to capture the life I’m living in, giving people something to see as if they were in that moment as I hit the shutter button on my camera. Just being around so much culture in New Orleans is like a field day for me as a photographer, you can never run out of things to catch on camera. When people see my photos they tell me it feels like they were there. 

Do you do anything creative besides photography?

Besides photography, I paint and draw. Portraits of people, abstract paintings, and I’ll even paint some photos I’ve taken. I actually attended NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) and left with a few skills and tricks.

What camera(s) do you use and why did you choose them.

The Nikon D3200 is the camera I’m using as of right now. I do tend to upgrade to a new camera soon. I chose the Nikon D3200 because I really wanted a DSLR camera back in like 2015, I was 16 years old at the time. I didn’t have much money, so I went to Best Buy and saw that they had some refurbished cameras for sell. I’ve been using it ever since.

Who gave you your first camera/how did you get your first camera?

When I was a freshman in high school, my mom got me my first camera for Christmas. It was a Canon Powershot digital camera. Nothing major, just to capture a few shots here and there. 

Do you prefer to shoot film or digital photography and why?

I prefer digital photography because that’s what I’m use to at the moment. I do find film photography very beautiful. I recently just bought a Canon AE-1 film camera and a point and shoot camera. It’s a process on learning how to use them and I still haven’t gotten any of my rolls developed yet, so I’m hoping everything comes out right.

What makes your photos different from other photographers?

What makes my photos different from other photographers is the way I have people and subjects angled in my frame. When I was in high school my art teacher told me that I have great composition in my photos and I stuck with that ever since.

What’s a day in the life like for a photographer?

When out at parties and events, I worry if my battery is going to die or if my SD card is going to get full and that can be stressful LOL. But other days being a photographer is cool. Just from taking so many pictures of people, I remember a lot of faces and those faces remember me. Running into people just smiling at me for knowing I do something really cool.

What’s your favorite photo that you’ve taken and why?

My favorite photo is this picture I took of this sweet lady named Ms. Irma in 2017. She’s known for decorating her tree in front of house with Mardi Gras beads and her obsession with having long fingernails. It’s my favorite photo because her presence just seem so real and natural when looking at the picture. One of my best portraits.

What’s your take on the rapidly growing photography industry?

I feel that the photography industry is really taking off. So many good photographs are getting the credit they deserve and are getting noticed just for showing true talent. 

Are you working on any projects that you can tell us about?

I don’t like to spoil too much of my upcoming projects, I like to surprise my audience. But I will say this, I do have some concepts to accomplish before the summer is over.

Any last words?

My last words are that soon I hope to travel, meet new people, take my photography to the next level, and continue learning. 

Big shout out to Trenity for agreeing to Interview with Nefarious Supply. You can find his work on Instagram here, as well as more of his shots on his website here.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

Stephen Jailon - Oak CIty Blues

After a long wait Carolina artist Stephan Jailon dropped his new album Oak City Blues. The 28 track album which is split into a A-side and B-Side has Stephen showing is versatility as an artist, and flexing musical talent in what is just an intro of what is he has to offer. Oak City Blues is 28 crisp tracks that are filled with fun, love, and loss. I know you might see that “28 tracks” part and want to skim through the project, but you would be missing out on what is arguably one of the best underground projects this year.

“A.L.I Freestyle” the opening track chose for this project is sonically phenomenal, and what really ties the opening track together is the beat. Sampling Jasmine from Jai Paul the producer which is Stephen his self shows that he knows what he is doing not only vocally but is also a beast on the production end as well. In our latest interview with him we go on depth about the album to learn more about what inspired the sound for the album, why he chose to do an A - Side, B - Side track list, and many more. Find out more below.

What does the title Oak City Blues mean for you and how does this latest album add value to your discography?

Oak City Blues for me is the alignment of a story fully hitting home and where I am with music right now and the value I think added for me personally was I finally think I made something in the direction I really want to go

Give us a background about Oak City Blues what themes, locations, individuals and experiences have inspired the LP?

Oak City for one is a name for the city, my city Raleigh, North Carolina the blues was added to gesture the themes of pain, hard-work, and dedication that runs deep in the city and state. Not to dive to deep but memory was the main driver for this project I tried to tap into the feelings of when we first had that good summer night party or the first love and the shortcomings in between to the recognition of truth and growth with me as a person and my situations etc..

What gave you the inspiration to do an A side and B side for the album and what type of vibes were you going for each side?

Honestly in my opinion I just noticed the full length albums were starting to come back into play for the masses and at first I originally prepared for two releases Word on Road was originally side A and OCB was originally side B but after countless sessions and listenings we figured we just compile the best of the two and show both sides of me in the booth

Give us walkthrough of Side A

Point Blank Side a for all the hard gritty, we gone get this money sh*t...real raleigh sh*t !

Give us walkthrough of Side B

Side B I wanted a little more intricate I wanted this one to really capture the emotions and subtlety of the city

On production credits your name not only appears as the artist, but you also were executive producer, played a direct role in production of the majority of the songs, and also helped with engineering. How was it playing so many different roles in the making of the album?

That’s really how I make all of my music from ground up but i def have producers and engineers I love truly but most of the time I like to record like “next, next, NEXT” and when I don’t like something I go right back like oh the 808 should be like this or nah imma take this vocal out. You have direct access to it it’s not middle man I think everyone gets where I’m going with it...but I also really loved playing all the roles because I really get to treat and careful for my music like I know no one else will not a perfectionist but I definitely like to be apart of my process I don’t sit back and smoke all day in the Studio I’m really active in the yo, like leave me there by myself type sh*t!


Give us some background on Ali Road Studios, how and what kind of role did the collective play in the making of the album?

The team really kept my spirits high they’ve helped on some the production, promotion, and performance of the album. My favorite part of the team is the perspectives we are all from the same area mostly but very different views but it works so it’s dope ya know?!

On the album you only have two features Noah, and Krew$ can you tell us more about these artist and your decision in only featuring both?

Noah is Amazing, I consider him a brother first before the music shit he’s not only an artist but one of the best A&R’s in the city he gets every one from every crowd and can respond to each and get people that wouldn’t be in a room together on a stage or in a studio and that’s specials admire him and the The Lo$t Generation family’s work entirely.

I actually met Krew$ via Soundcloud long story short we chopped shit in dm’s and got to working Money Counter was the first song we ever made I remember I made the beat and laid my sh*t in the same session and I sent it to him and like the next day or so he sent his verse back and I just knew from then ok we make hits and Losing Faith was the second record and everything happened the same way exactly all over again so my brother Krew$ is a no brainer when you need the hits man

What was the timeline with the album, about how long did it take before you knew it was ready for release?

Really this album was a living process more than a musical one it’s some songs where I felt things that were pure to me fours years ago and some four months and for me it finally came together July and I decided the date like the first

What are some of your favorite tracks on the album and why?

Carolina Cruiser just cause it’s one of the oldest songs on there and I made that when I first started making music like one of my first few songs so to sit on that one for a while and just now release it feels super good, Weekdayz my second just because that whole song is really a conversation with myself and my demons

What can we expect in the future from Stephen Jailon, and Ali Road Studios

I’ve got a tape promised to my supporters locked tight at the moment but that’s for later this year but there will be new merch + videos in the following months.

Any last words?

I’m just super humbled and thankful for the reception. When you know it’s whipped from scratched it just feels different but all in all we just working

You can stream Oak City Blues now on Apple Music and SoundCloud and to keep up with Stephen Jailon and Ali Road for new releases you can find Stephen on Instagram and Twitter and find Ali Road on Instagram here. Also if you want to support him snd his collective studio be sure to check out there merch store right here. Big shout out to Stephen Jailon for coming on Nefarious Supply, he really did his city proud with this body of work.

If you have listened to Oak City Blues let us know your favorite song below and If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment. To keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook.

J.Willy

Do you have a particular ritual that brings out your creativity?

Yes, I do have a few haha. The number one thing I do to set the climate is cut the lights. I usually have them off. I’m sane and super concentrated, most of the times I’m very inspired in the dark for some reason. I usually have hoodie on top of my head and if I have shades, I’ll wear them. My phone is on vibration and that goes for everyone in the room. I love carrying snacks and a bottle of water. (Essential to a Jay Willy Studio Session). I usually play the instrumentals ahead of my sessions to keep my mind open. I observe every reality life brings within the day or night along with everything outside. Sometimes it helps with the building of my creation. Once I walk inside, it’s a wrap. My mind starts turning and creating around what I’ve just witnessed or reflexions from the past, and ideals from the future incorporated with my present. I hate having more than 2 - 3 people max in the room and even at that I feel uncomfortable so it always comes down to only me and the engineer or producer together in the room for the most.

Is there a person in your life who helped shape your taste in music from an early age.

There’s more than one actually. But if we’re talking about the entire picture of my taste or who inspires me to get it like that in music, it’s Drake for sure. Growing up I always knew I had a calling for music. I just needed someone or something to spark that fire inside and I remember till this day it was Carter 3 by Lil Wayne for me. After showing so much interest in music, I started researching and surfacing around some greats like Biggie, Hov and Nas. Curtis Jackson was another heavy influence. He just ran everything he touched from music to outfits. By the way, that goes for Kanye West as well. At some point, growing up in my early days of not so serious music, my stage name was “lil50” in honour of both Weezy and 50 hahaha. Soulja Boy had wave that I really liked as well. But I’ve came to realize I had a softer sound, that’s how I slowly turned towards RnB and Pop. Michael Jackson was definitely it!

But it was just so hard and still is trying to imitate his artistry. When it came to RnB, I was all over man, from Usher, Chris Brown, to R-Kelly and many more. I had this one female cousin he constantly played Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Ashanti, Brandy, Christina Aguilera... it was pretty much everything and everyone that was popping in their prime.

What emotion do you feel like your music embodies more than any other?

Authenticity! That would be the perfect word that englobes it all. Me being able to truly feel honest or transparent but most importantly transmitting that same energy to the listeners. In this world of Music, the industry as a whole and even more specifically the Christian Music scene, I find that they’re all portrayed to be perfect.

Besides having that freedom of expression through your art form, It’s like you have to be qualified with fascinating characteristics in which you have no room for flaws and all. I’m not afraid to show my imperfections and who I truly am. However me being imperfect does not mean I purposely chose to live like so or not put in any effort working on myself. Then again I would never change how I feel within the creation of my music because “so and so” told me what it takes or what isn’t needed simply to get the record played...  A lot of them want to see you to portray a certain lifestyle in which eventually you begin to develop emotions you know your not suppose to feel cause that ain’t really you.

What is the inspiration and backstory behind your latest EP, ‘7400’?

The backstory behind 7400 was pretty much Jay Willy sharing his every experience of what it was like growing up at home. I tried my best to highlight and incorporate moments involving my family, friends and loved ones who became people who no longer take part of my journey. Although I’ve been living outside my parents house for the past 7 years, eighty percent of the songs were written in house basement. A lot of the sounds, influences and inspirations caught me in my parents basement. In my 22 years or life, I’ve experienced both, good and bad sides of “love” to the extremest in that basement. So I know what it’s like to laugh, cry, get in heated arguments and all because I’ve most likely witnessed it myself in that basement. My two younger brothers and I each have a room downstairs and we’re always down there hanging out, playing video games, blasting music or doing whatever down there. If we had visitors, friends, or lovers, that’s where our spot in the house would be. That’s pretty much where and how it developed

As an artist, when do you know a project of yours has reached completion?

That’s a super tricky question because there’s never such thing as completion when it comes to art. At least in my opinion. It’s like a drawing, you never stop adding details to your “completed” art. It’s funny because I really recorded 7400 EP 4-5 times and sometimes I still ask myself if the message and music could’ve been any better even though to some it seems perfect. Another reason why this question is tricky it’s because you can base perfection on sale units just like you can’t say it’s perfect when there’s so much more you could’ve improve to whatever it is cause some people really don’t even look at quality anymore.

So it’s like the quality good be A-1 but the message isn’t clear or good enough just like you can have right message and best intent with the record but the quality isn’t just popping. So to really answer this I would say as long as you hold good standard of quality in which you know you invested your all as in time and money from writing to production, engineering and all, if the message is out the way you envisioned it with the sound that pleases you at its best, it’s a hit.

Has there been a live performance of yours that has left a special impact on you?

Yes, there’s been one actually, it was in the capital city of Canada, Ottawa Ontario. It’s a pretty quite city but the music scene is somewhat more growing down there. A big shout out to Night Lovell cause he really has it on lock but besides all, they can hang as in turn the shit up! I performed at Mavericks last year around August and the show was pretty packed. I had the place shook but was more shook at myself for being an entertaining artist. Seeing people round up and enjoy themselves by through dancing and yelling to my music was definitely a moment not to forget especially in Ottawa now that I’ve been living there for the past 5 years. 

Can you describe the fan that you’d most like to reach and inspire through you music?

Yes because I myself have been reached out through music in many levels and through different ways. The perfect fan would be the one that’s doubtful, somewhat lost or he, she feels defeated by other people’s criticism. More importantly the one that can’t express themselves the way the truly want to or feel like they have no other option but to go through life in the ugliest and toughest ways in all kinds of circumstances.

If you were to parley your music career into another business or charity venture, what would you be interested in doing?

Uhmm that’s a good question, but I’ve always envisioned myself contributing or starting an art academy... something in that sort or even begin a charity in which revives and restores broken hearts with good care, stability and freedom of expression. I wanna be able to show the world that there’s talent in everyone and that involves the unfortunate ones. The ones that can’t chase their dream because they have to go sell either water or hit the mine fields in order to bring change home for food. I really have this as a goal for kids especially back in my parents homeland in Kinshasa, Congo.

You debuted in 2016 with your high-energy, hip hop, single Victorious and since then you’ve shown your skill in the R&B genre with tracks like Options. What led to this versatility?

Its crazy because in 2016 and even around the time I recorded one of my biggest hits “Victorious” , I always wanted to showcase a skill in RnB genre but I just didn’t have it.. or yet. To me it’s important as an artist to express yourself through different forms, some say genre..anyways point is people really admire skill or artistry when it’s divers cause then you become more of an overall element. It’s pretty much like in basketball, your more of a threat when you can play all-around and trust me there will be games where you feel the need to play 2 or 5. All this is talent and the way you manipulate it to express yourself in other forms on different occasions can never be boxed or should never be boxed. We all carry and show different emotions, some find comfort in one but when the other emotions kick-in, it gets harder to express yourself because your limited to that one that you only know. Therefore I always told myself, one who can express themselves very well is one who can speak in different languages and that’s the same thing with music. Rap is a language and RnB is another. Yes, at times hey can also go well together. Although I had friends that were way ahead of their game when it came to RnB genre, I was just held back by fear out of criticism. I was scared people were going to stop rocking with me because of the switched and was going to try to express myself in a different language of music.

On your Instagram, you’ve mentioned there being a process to building confidence in your craft. What has that journey been for you?

That journey is an ongoing journey that can never reach an end goal but continue to evolve. You never have enough confidence but you can have more confidence in yourself today then you had yesterday... It definitely isn’t easy especially if your places in a surrounding that beats you down daily. I always wanted to express myself through RnB or slow jam but was told to never sing because I just don’t have it. But instead what they should’ve said was try expressing yourself through a form in which you more comfortable in, practice and develop it more so you can master it. But yes, this was also around the period I started 7400.

In addition, judging from your Instagram you seem to be something of a jetsetter. What cultures have you’ve experienced and how have they impacted you both personally and in terms of your sound?

A jetsetter huh, I like that word haha. I mean I’ve been blessed enough to visit multiple countries. I’ve traveled across America, obviously growing up in the U.S., one time for North Carolina, Charlotte that’s home.. and now living out here in Canada which has been a second home to me as well.. I actually just got back from a visit tour trip. I started off in Europe, I’ve been to Germany in the past but not this time.. seen France then Belgium and finally touched back in the motherland, Congo Kinshasa in Africa ! YO, THE COUNTRY IS A WHOLE VIBE!

Everything about it is so different. My perspective on life has completely changed after the visit. It’s like at this point I’ve seen the best and the worst this world has to offer. I’ve seen people go from having everything or what we most take for granted to having, to having below the minimum of survival. It’s like I didn’t even have a glimpse of what being less fortunate looked like. It’s crazy because at times for people down there it could get life threatening and trust me things really do get worse.

The experience reminded me how blessed I am. Me saying I never took anything for granted would be a big lie but the trip opened my eyes to an everyday reality on the other of this world. One I could’ve never possibly imagine. I grew up American for most of my life, my parents worked stupid hard for my family, my two younger brothers including myself. That alone is one of the best gifts I could ever ask for. I didn’t know for sure where my perspective was going to completely change but one thing that stuck with me for sure coming back was that I would never take anything for granted nor be ungrateful for the God’s blessing.

Do you have any special projects in the works that you’re excited for?

Yes, I’m currently working on something special titled “A LOVE LETTER 2 U”. I really was on vibe after my second EP and pushed the bar for myself even higher with this one. It’s going to be a full RnB joint, my tone and way of expression is completely new and different. The language is literally loud and clear. As slowly try to find my sound or wave, I’m also excited to see reactions from those that mostly heard of me but only through a rap form. I introduced some super talented artists and guests who slowly ate all catching a buzz and have been their bag in this RnB wave for quite sometime now. So I highly recommend you to stay tuned and aware, this might blow your minds!

Be on the look out for Jay Willys new album coming soon titled “A LOVE LETTER 2 U”, and be sure to show him some love on his Soundcloud which can be found above and as well as on his instagram which can be found here, and his twitter here.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

Hrtbrkfever

I have to ask this. What inspired the name HRTBRKFEVER? 

So if you have listened to my music once, you will know I'm a loverboy, hopeless romantic. I was making music under a different moniker & was recommended to rebrand myself by someone that I look up to & think very highly of. Back in the day I had made a song titled ‘FEVER’ & i started thinking that would be such a dope name. But knowing that could possibly be in use or drown out to all the searches of ‘fever’, I knew I needed to add something else to it. I had come up with a bunch of different words but being the heartbroken soul that I am, it was only right to go by HRTBRK with the vowels missing in the spelling just because that looks cool, right? So the meaning behind my name goes hand in hand with the reference ‘Baby Fever’. “HRTBRKFEVER” refererring to me wanting to be heartbroken to turn my experiences into musical content for the HRTBRKN people of the world.

What makes your music stand out from other people’s music.

I personally believe that it all comes down to passion. I have put my heart & soul into my music & that is the main force behind my success (as it is anyone else). I always feel that I have a ton of growth left to my name but I have always tried to make music that makes me feel some type of way. I like to connect to other people through music. I always try to tell some type of story in a song, but in such a way that the vibe & bounce is never broken, even if you aren’t listening to or relating to what im saying you can appreciate the sound. I’m just like everyone else though, I just try harder than some people.

I notice that you focus on posting your music on Soundcloud. Why do you choose that platform over others such as Spotify and Apple Music?

Honestly at first it wasn't on purpose lol, but at this point in time I am just working on focusing on certain fan bases and creating leverage. I have music on all streaming sites but I usually get the most reaction out of Soundcloud, I like being a Soundcloud singer haha. I believe it is important to create traction on one site & once the timing is right, everything else will overflow. But now that you remind me I might go drop a hit strictly not on SoundCloud.

What has your experience been like in the music industry?

I have been making music for 10 years, I honestly didn't make any revenue from it until this year. So that has been super exciting, I have had my ups & downs in the music industry but at the end of the day I only focus on creating with other people that influence me & inspire me to be better. I have had great experiences traveling to different states strictly for music business. My best memories to date have been working with Bizness Boi at his home studio, performing at Chasing Sound’s event in LA & working on music with one of my favorite artists FRVRFRIDAY. Any of my bad experiences aren't worth mentioning.

Do you want to venture out into any other careers? If so, which one(s) and why? 

Honestly I do not care to, I will always be a creative soul & have found ways to create revenue through my passion. If i were to do anything else besides music I would become a Professional Golfer or Professional Poker player. (I am better off sticking to Plan A.

What’s a normal day like for you? 

Usually I wake up and meditate a few minutes, then I like to go get a Cold Brew & make a song. If I get stuck in the process I will go play a round of golf or just find a different beat. I try and make a couple songs a day. Usually i will knock out a few features & by that time I either have to go serve table *no me gusta* or make more music. 

What kind of music did you listen to growing up? 

Back in the day John Mayer is the sole reason I loved music. I always listened to country music at an early age being a small town dude, but I fell in love with writing love songs. I listened to John Mayer, Frank Ocean, Brian McKnight & Drake. I was always covering those artists with my band.

What kind of music do you listen to now? 
Now I listen to a lot of underground R&B trap type music. I listen to FRVRFRIDAY, Mikey100k, Servvvone, HIDDENHILLS, DAZEONEAST, LNLYBOY, NO1 NOAH, B1uan, YE ALI. Mainstream wise I love Blackbear, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Chris Brown, Tory Lanez, Drake, Bryson Tiller, TY$.

Describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before.I would say my sound has a lot of influence in R&B & POP with trap style beats. Its hard to say though because I like to make all kinds of music, I have songs with rock influences, punk influences, EDM influences. 

Are you working on anything that you can tell us about?

I'm actually working with my little sister on creating an artist duo group under the moniker ‘PRETTYDREAMS.’ We live together & have created some hits in my home studio. I am really looking forward to shaping that brand with her. We are filming a music video for one of our releases next month. Personally, I am in the works of releasing my first official music video as well which is something to look forward to. My next single features FRVRFRIDAY, produced by Bizness Boi, going to be timeless. Other than that, I have hundreds of songs I don't know what to do with lol. But I have been creating a lot of dope vibes with my brother HIDDENHILLS, we have set ourselves up to drop some really special sounds. 

Any last words?

i still love you.

Be sure to check out more of Hrtbrkfever music which can be found on his SoundCloud above and listen to his new single Never Numb Again featuring Lonely Boy, and HIDDEN HILLS. To stay up to date with new music he puts out you can find him on Instagram here, and Twitter here.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

HRTBRKFEVER - Low X3 (ft. WAVUP)

“gotta keep this on the low low low”

HRTBRKFEVER debuts on Nefarious Supply with his single Low x3, with accompanying trap artist, WAVUP. The track plays around with the theme behind HRTBRKFEVER’s sound, love and lost. Being a hopeless romantic, himself, Low x3 rebrands the concept of being “lowkey”.

The vocalist serenades a third party, expressing how his partner thinks he’s unnecessary for wanting to keep his relationship private, especially considering how he’s soon to blow up in the music industry, something he disagrees with.

HRTBRK is known to dwell within the realm of love, surrounding his tracks’ themes and concepts. This manifests itself in different ways, but the message within is usually clear to see, all without breaking the vibe and mood the dreamy instrumental creates.

Low x3 is a foundational and confident introduction to the world of HRTBRKFEVER, one filled with love and yes, heartbreak.

Freddy Leone

Q:

What cultures and experiences cultivate this persona or identity of yours? 

A:

I was born and raised in New Jersey, so I find myself getting involved with a lot of street culture and aesthetics. Cities like Toronto and New York have definitely molded me into the person I am now.

Experiencing the music scene, primarily in those two cities, has influenced me into serving my purpose in the music industry and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Q:

What keeps your current audience listening and why should people start listening? What platform can people reach your content on the most conveniently? 

A:

I believe the reason why people listen to my music is because it’s something they’re not hearing everyday.

No disrespect to the genres but I believe Trap and EDM are becoming a little over saturated in today’s society to where it’s a bit repetitive. So when people give my music a chance, they realize it’s something their ears aren’t used to.

My plan is to show people versatility in my music from all music genres in which I hope more people will start listening. As a producer, I do not want a signature sound, I want to remain exclusive.

I want to be known as a creator.

When people think about producers, they look at them as a minority to the game. My purpose is to bring recognition to the minority and show you do not have to be a vocalist to be an artist. People who have an open mind about music always love finding new music and artists that are evolving on a daily basis which should secure the correct fan base.

I strive to make sure my audience has access to everything they have interest in whether it’s my music, merchandise, or information about me or my team. That being said, my music can be found on all platforms available for purchase and streaming.

Q:

What albums and songs do you already have out that people should listen to? 

A:

I do not have an album out yet. It will be a while before I have an official album out but I have 4 singles that are out on all platforms and there is an EP in the works at this time.

I should hopefully have the project ready by the end of this year or beginning of next.

Q;

How has your experience in the industry been thus far? 

A:

I’m not by far that much experienced into the industry but I can definitely say it’s been a great one.

It’s been a short, yet lengthy journey so far and I’ve made new friends and met new individuals who are interested in my team and I, and who are willing to help people know about us. It’s definitely an experience when you have quite a few people genuinely like the content that my team and I have made. You start realizing you serve a purpose to their entertainment and it makes you wanna go even harder than before each time.

It’s also crazy to see the people who come out and support.

These are important times where you start separating the real from the fake. You definitely learn some wisdom getting involved in this atmosphere.

Q:

Do you have an outstanding moment since you got into the music industry that makes you realize how important it is to make music like this? If so what would that be ?

A:

Definitely receiving recognition from real fans, music promoting pages, and being recognized by key individuals in the industry has supplied me with outstanding moments, in my opinion.

It has showed me my imprint on music and has given me a reason to continue to experiment and create.

One person specifically, an artist by the name of K. Forest, has given me his time and recognized my value to industry. He is a staple to the game, especially in Toronto music right now and deserves more recognition. He is truly underrated.

Q:

Is there any one song that you’ve made that stands out from the rest? Any songs that people should listen to that will get people hooked? 

A:

My second single titled “Safe” is probably my favorite produced track.

It is my most played track at the moment. With that track, I had a specific message and image I hoped to execute and it did perfectly. Having Apollo1027 surround his vocals on that track is one thing I know the audience felt and is probably the reason why people want to keep playing it.

It started strong and ended strong in my opinion.

Q:

Walk us through the steps you take to create a track. What is your creative process? Do you happen to just walk into the studio and throw some beats on until one sticks? Or is there a more delicate process involved? 

A:

I listen to a lot of different music everyday so I always have inspiration and sometimes reference tracks to help my creative drive. I make sure to work almost everyday because I’ll have days where I make something really good off the top or days if I want to focus on a project and deliver it in a specific way.

I believe you should never let a day go by without a piece of creativity distributed.

You never know if you’ll make a hit that day.

That’s what happened to the track “Safe”. I had a lot of other alternative beats but I felt the one I chose now was the best.

Q:

Where do you think you would be at this very moment if you weren't pursuing your career in music? 

A:

Honestly probably in school with more student loan debt. Not saying that’s a bad thing but I’m more free in the position I have now. After high school I almost considered military but I knew in my heart and soul I’m on this world to serve a different purpose. And I’m glad I’ve made that decision.

No regrets honestly. I’m very thankful.

Q:

Lastly, what advice or experiences would you like to share with your peers or anyone else who is up and coming in this industry? 

A:

Do not be afraid to be social.

You need to be comfortable with making relationships with the people in this industry because they’re all useful tools help you grow as an artist. Being social helps you recognize who to stay away from and who you NEED to work with because there are a lot of fakes.

A lot more than usual.

You start realizing they’re doing this for the wrong reason. But you making the image to stand out will serve your purpose as an important individual to look out for.

Remember to be yourself as people will notice that and don’t be afraid to experiment. You need that to grow as an artist. Keep up with the evolution of music and go back and listen to some classics.

All pieces of music are just as important, no matter how old or new.

Q:

Also, is there anything you'd like for us to promote?

A:

Any of my singles will do ! Primarily my singles “Can’t Get Enough” or “Safe”. Be sure to check the rest of my team out. David Sulky, Apollo1027, and C3.

This is RX.

People will know about us sooner or later.

℞ Freddy Leone Producer, Manager, Photographer & DJ + C3 | David Sulky | Apollo1027

Shout out to Freddy Leone for agreeing to interview and featured on Nefarious Supply. If you wanna keep up with Freddy you can follow him on his Instagram . You can also check out his new releases above via his Soundcloud above, and be sure to look out for more content from Freddy Leone!

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

8BALLKAINE

8BALLKAINE is a Charlotte native and rising hip-hop artist dedicated to motivating and uplifting his listeners. An alumnus of Harding University High School and East Charlotte resident, 8BALLKAINE uses his music as a tool for therapy and to express his appreciation for life situations that have molded him as a young Black man. 

“Movin” is one of 8’s most popular singles, gaining over 250,000 plays on Soundcloud. The release of “Movin” helped identify 8 as a progressive and growing artist in the Charlotte area who has a different message. He ends the single with a special dedication that proves to be extremely relevant to the people of Charlotte and across the United States.

Q:What’s the story behind your stage name?

A: Not much of a Story behind the name, I was inspired by the meaning of the number '8'. 8BALLKAINE is the name but I resonated heavily with the Symbolism behind the Number itself

Q:What’s your aesthetic as an artist?

A:My Aesthetic as an Artist would be something like Euphoria. Once you experienced it for the 1st time, you must have it again and again

Q:An album that made you want to make music? 

A:Never had an album that got me into making music. It was more so finding an outlet for myself where I would be Liberated thru Self-Expression.

Q:How could you describe the type of music you make?

A:I would describe my sound as Positive/Experimental.

Q:Who knows you better than anyone?

A:I know MYSELF better than anyone

Q:A place you’d love to live one day 

A: place I'd LOVE to live one day would be LIBERIA

Q:On your Instagram you have a picture of a stack of books you’ve read. One includes the “The 48 Laws Of Power”. What is power to you? How would you define the power you have over your music?

A: Power to me is the ability to Master The Self. Being in control over oneself. The Power I have over my Music can be described as Fierce, Fiery, and Free.

Q:Are there any places that inspire you musically? 

A: Definitely. I go within. Nature and The Beach are also my Top places to go.

Q:What’s your favorite kind of music to make 

A; My favorite kind of music to make is the Music that makes me feel something Real inside.

Q:What song hypes you up and why?

A: I have a song called "This Summer" that gets me hype. It's different from anything I've made before. I love the conviction in it.

Q:What’s the first song that comes to mind when you hear the word “fire”?

A :Fire by The Ohio Players.

Q:What does success look like for you? At what point will you feel like you’ve achieved it in your career?

A: Peace and Happiness are what success looks like to Me. I felt like I already have achieved this in my Career simply by starting. Music makes me Happy and making Music is Therapeutic for me which as a result, comes the Peace.

Q:How involved are you In the production process of your music?

A: I'm 100% all in on the production process. Every inch of sound you hear in my songs are curated by myself.

Q:Any future projects we should look out for?

 A: Yes; I have new music that will be arriving very soon. Stay tune and lock in with Me and Neighborhood on Twitter: @8BALLKAINE and Instagram: @NightsLikeApril9th thank you.

Big shoutout to 8BALLKAINE for agreeing to interview with Nefarious Supply be sure to check out his music which can be sound on his SoundCloud above and to stay up to date with new music from him be sure to follow him on Twitter as well as Instagram.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

Zach Taylor - The Calm EP

Zach Taylor is an up and coming artist from Calgary, AB. We have interviewed Zach before and have really enjoyed his content. Zach raps in a unique fashion and continues to keep his audience on their toes. The Calm takes a new direction from Zach’s previous sound and creates a more chill vibe, with warmer tones in it. We look forward to hearing Zach live on July 10th at his album release in Calgary, which Nefarious Supply will be covering.

Q: What is the main goal with this album?

EP! The Calm is an EP, haha. I had several goals for The Calm.

1. Making our beat production more diverse, as well as thinner, working off less is more.

·       With these 4 projects we’re trying to build the Alternative Trap (Alt-Trap) sound right. Coming from strictly producing hip-hop into this alternative world I had to learn what sounds mix with what sounds. How far I can take certain areas. How many different subgenres and elements from those cultures can we involve in a singular record. Coming off a full year of that mindset we’re really break it down and thin out our production. There’s a beauty in making it work together for sure.

2.              Summer tunes

·       Since I rebranded (Jan. 2017) I’ve always tired to get a summer release following Up to 11 (Sept. 2017). The Backgrounder Tape (Mar. 2017) came out in the early spring but there was nothing that screamed summer about the project itself. Being an executive, marketing value is super important to me. 

3.              Reaching a different audience

·       With how we’ve made music so far, it’s been great. The reaction of the Rock and Trap is awesome. There’s definitely a demographic for it but what's so great about it, is also our biggest down fall. It’s so loud and energetic and up in your face. It’s a very big scale act having Slade (Guitarist) and Ewok (Drummer). Makes it great for us to do big shows like Bliss N Eso and the Release Party for The Calm. We needed to make it digestible for a more timid and initame audience, a side of the indie demographic we’re moving more into.

4.              Easter Eggs

·       Anyone who knows me or Slade knows we love Marvel. Easter eggs are in literally every project and you can follow the trail from The Backgrounder Tape all the way to The Calm. There’s something really cool within Trust, There’s Always an Alternative & The Calm that may need a little closer examination, it’s not impossible to detect but if you’re just bumping the singles you won’t be able to play this 4 year game we’ve been in for the past 2 years and even earlier releases.

Q: The Calm is a part of a series so when can we expect to see it had a very unique sound to it and is a step in a different from your last project. Why did it take this step?

So each of the 4 audio projects in Project EndGame (4 Avengers Movies, 4 Projects) will be different in sound than the last. The Alt-Trap sound is still yet to be officially defined in my mind right we’re on the hunt out there for it. Trust is The Trap mixed with Rock, Indie, & Jazz. We touch on EDM and Boom Bap but stick very Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Leon Bridges. The Calm is the Trap with a big LA, Miami, Caribbean, pop vibe. The next will be the Trap mixed with genres we’ve picked to work on, mostly ones we’ve never touched on. I can officially announce we’re in album mode! Working on the debut album! I’m really excited to see how it turns out.

Q: This is a big release for this album as you’ve been teasing it slowly, what would you say your favourite track is before we dive into it?

I love each record in a different way and could literally go into depth why but for max replay-ability, if i had to show someone ONLY one song. Late Nite Crew. It’s the simplest beat we made, it was the first record we created for The Calm in Nov/Dec, wrote it thinking about the summer I just came off of. The vibes with my girlfriend. The late night longboards. The Denny's trips. I feel like no matter where you’re at in your relationship even if you’re dealing with each other and growing as anyone will tell you should happen (considering it happens in a healthy degree for both parties involved) you’ll be able to relate to the song if you both skate and smoke.

From here Zach and I break down the songs and individually unwrap them, giving them their own personal backstories.

Q: Switch the Addy is the first song that gives this idea of massive change in your music style. What is the inspiration behind this song?

Production wise I love Hobo Johnson, the choppy inconsistent flow on the most empty beats. His “tiny desk” was amazing. I discovered him off that as many probably did. I knew I had to make something like it. I finished producing and wrote this song in The Den in the middle of January during the -40 dip in the weather and I just wanted to be elsewhere. Daydreaming I was elsewhere.

Q: You put the sound bit of waves in the beginnings and give a very tropical feel to it, what ideas are you trying to convey with this?

The Calm start to finish is actually a sunrise to late night narration of this one Characters day, the adult version of the youngin you see in the artwork, who we will actually come to meet soon. In this story he wakes up and goes back to sleep but when you’re asleep you’re (hopefully) not going to go into a deep sleep you just daydream a bit, and that’s his Daydream. The waves really induce that hypnotic feeling of being on the Santa Monica Pier even if you’ve never been there. I’ve been lucky to have been down multiple times. Not recently but it takes me down there for sure.

Q: The song is very light hearted and reflects ideas we haven’t seen from you before, where did they come from?

We’ve been making some banger music, high intensity. It was time to chill out a bit. I listen to every kind of music and i need to make music I listen to right. Can’t always make heavy trap music. I think it was mostly tapping into a whole other realm of storytelling and wordsmithing, painting a picture. Eminem and Joyner paint very good lyrical pictures, sometimes with very commercial records and that’s the dream. It’s really cool to have been able to grow in both.

Q: Drip forever is a bit of a beckoning back to your older music, with more of a trap feeling. What caused this slight shift?

In every record we make there's always a Trap element for Switch the Addy the element was only the hi hats on top of the Indie Pop. Listening to a lot of Aminé around the time of making this record. My good friend and someone who I consider a Calgary OG The Blue is coming out of his 2-3 year hiatus and he blessed me with a verse, his first verse in years! He killed it, he’s working on new stuff and I can’t wait to see what he decides to do in the future.

Q: Need to know you released earlier this year on Valentine's Day, as a single. What was the motivation for this?

Need to Know was the only record we saved from the creation of Trust (August 2017 - Sept. 2018) that went on The Calm. I started production on it Sept. 2017 and couldn’t relate at all. Wrote the first verse completely and left it for at least 4 months without a second thought. Even though the beat was so infectious and the hook was so catchy, I wasn’t dating, I wasn’t seeing anyone, I didn’t even have a crush on a girl for that matter. I’m being assessed for High-functioning autism, and that certain disconnect in my head makes it really hard for me to listen to and especially create music I don’t relate to. It does happen, but it's rare. Long story short, February/March this girl who I had extreme history with just walked right back into my life after dipping 100% out of it for 13-14 months. Her friend brings her to a show I was headlining at (S/O Jess) and she’s been by my side since. I finished writing the second verse and the bridge in a matter of minutes like 6 weeks after. I don’t jump into relationships and I had that “I never said it but I love you” at the end of the second and the bridge asks her out, so I wanted to make sure I was actually gonna ask her out, I saved it cause we have to naturally vault records and we were producing so many records I could fill her need for new music. May 19th, i'm like 3 days away from perfection the record and she deadass tries to tell me she loves me. So I had to shush her before she could and play her the song with half the chant vocals that are in it now. Makes for a great story.

Q: As a tribute to your relationship and girlfriend, what lines would you say stand out in the song that are direct tributes.

100% the whole thing. Every line, inside jokes, movies we like. Need to Know is her tribute.

FUN FACT & proof that I'm the king of easter eggs! Peep game! 

 First verse, completely written Nov/Dec. We linked back up in Feb/Mar.

Her name is Yoshelle. We call her Yoshi for short.

I say “Yo She” at least 3 times in the first verse but the craziest part is the way that they sound like “Even when we cut the lights yo she (yoshi) still shine. UNBELIEVABLE BRUV!

Q: We Aint Going Home Tonight has a very interesting vibe to it, almost like a club on a tropical vacation. What was the motivation for that?

Collaboration is a very big thing for me, with doing what we’re doing too right. I got A LOT of loops I’ll sif through, I got some great plug sites and producers that I get prime, not 100% exclusive, but very rare loops. I’ve seen it happen twice in my career where I've heard someone have a loop I've used, 1 song wasn’t my song, just one I produced. The records aren’t identical right they both have the loop. The xylophone you hear is one of the loops I found, I never went on a vacation or even been out of the Province in a long time! (a Province is like a State in Canada for all the American readers). I found it 20 minutes before a booked session with Maddie. I made the whole beat drinking my breakfast smoothie waiting for her to get to The Den. I played her the beat and she instantly started singing “Sun is going down” and I was shook. We recording it all there and that alone just carried the whole turn over. It was great!

Q: Obviously this song is about a party and is set in a warmer place than Calgary, so where do you envision this song taking place?

Miami hands down! Never been, but i’ve been to Fort Lauderdale on several occasions. Would love to go tho!

Q: Slide Thru is a very vintage sounding song, with the distorted guitar and a live crowd doing artist call backs. Why did you go with this idea?

Environment and/or narration is so important when you’re creating concept projects or albums. The Calm is day to night story but there’s no actually narration to it. We had to bring in the feel with the environment. You'll notice we do it with every record. The live 80’s guitar & bass has a nice evening feel to it after the whole pick up of Drip, Need to Know, & We Ain't Goin Home. Switch the Addy with the Beach/People FX. This drops a tranquilizer in the rhythm and melody but leaves the life in the drums. It leaves you your night music, it creates that image with that environment but you still have the energy to keep partying through the night and you'll feel the same texture in Late Nite Crew. The vocal chats are always done speratley, some time months apart but really cool to do. We use them as the characters "peanut gallery" a mostly biased, hopeless romantic, extra opinion. The mini cartoon characters in musicals for meant encouragement haha.

Q: When doing the group recordings for the callback, who did you end up getting for it?

It's all people who are in circle or artists and friends that'll come to the studio.

Fun Fact 2: The other 5 Underdogs (Aypayne, Selly Cisco, Niyi, Vars, & Yung Cazzy) were on Need to Know as well as a homie of ours Colin Martin. They all were involved in asking a girl out in a way.

Slide Thru only has a 2 of the Dogs and a lot more (artist) friends. Everyone's name is on the tracklist credits! You can see everyone there!

 Q: The song has a bit of a different vibe in terms of lyrics than Need to Know, where it seems to be like a call out to get a girl into you. Was this the intention with it?

The 2 songs for sure sound like they’re different. Personally I would still say these lyrics to my girl. I see how people will interpret it that way, that’s the plan, but it’s a (phone) call to link up, nothing more. You could easily call your girlfriend and play it smooth like that you feel.

 Q: How would you describe the style of this song?

80’s Pop Alt-Trap

 Q: Finally there is Late Nite Crew. This whole EP has been a roller coaster of different styles and makes it a very interesting listen, and Late Nite Crew doesn’t disappoint. The song beckons to a darker, even sexier tone to it. What is your intended feeling with it?

It’s the closure, the end of the day. The end of The Calm. The 1am, 2am banger you listen to skating lit as fuck downtown (Calgary) booling with your girl or a girl your becoming to know. Like I said at the beginning, you can listen to it at any point in your relationship and bond over skating, smoking, & conversation under moonlight. 

Q: There is lots about escape, being apart from everybody and just enjoying life with one person, is this the right idea with it? What would you be escaping from?

 100%, escape is a huge thing for the record. Me personally, I’m trying to escape from my head, sometimes my immediate family, escaping from all the expectations of life. You’re supposed to do this, you’re supposed to do that, you’re supposed to feel like this, and it’s these 2 kids (falling) in love thinking to themselves “well like what if I don’t want to.” That was one of the foundations of my relationship, honest rebellion from outside expectation. Being taught and brought up one way your whole life and just having felt so outside of everything cause the norm didn’t end up working. 

 Q: To end this off, would you like to say anything about the EP, the event that you are doing, and also your future projects?

S/O my team and the other teams/communities that helped us sell out Junction (Calgary, Canada) in under 3 weeks! Catch ya July 10th! Put The Calm on repeat and dig, dig, dig into the projects and look for those easter eggs. There’s something crazy coming and I can’t wait for the story to continue and hopefully we’ll be able to tell the full story visually very soon!

The Calm is out on all platforms to listen to, please give it a listen!

Jay Glavany

Q: Tell me something about your self?

Can’t really tell you who I am on paper, it’s somewhat hard to put into words, but I’m a cool guy and I like to have fun in whatever I do.

Q:When did music become a part of your life?

Music’s been a part of life ever since I can remember, my love for it started building up with time and I decided to pursue it as a career around 2012. That’s when I really started to take it seriously and take it up a notch, from there it’s just been a learning process as I go.

Q; Which artists current or past have the most influence on your artists style?

I’d say Kanye, Daft Punk, Missy Elliott, Timbo, Pharrell..pretty much the most creative artists that we’ve had in this music. I admire them for their creativity and “outside the box” thinking, it inspires me to do the same and come with my own ideas. I’m also highly inspired by my music friends such as Devontée, K.Forest, dF, Jaiden...their drive is crazy as well when it comes to music.

Q:What title would you give the current era you’re in?

Hmm, I think everything is hip-hop based anyway and there are way too many sub-genres these days..one genre can be more popping than another and over time, although I’ll put myself on the alternative side of R&B...It’s the perfect genre of what my music sounds like..Smooth, soulful and I still put groovy drums.

Q: What method of operation best helps you lock into the serious creative space?

I have wild creativity, it doesn’t take much for me to be in the mode, I might be thinking of an idea I want to try for the first time but when I set my mind on something Iwant to do, I’ll anything to get that sound. Set a goal, and get a going.

Q: How do you want your music to impact the culture around you.

I want to keep providing for the creative community around me. My goal with my music is to make my fans & new listeners feel good with my sonic diversity to enjoy in any setting they may be at; whether it’s social or alone.

Q: Who would your dream collab be with?

If I could make a song with Daft Punk that would be amazing, they had a big impact on how I hear music throughout the years. We’ll make the craziest dance record, it’ll sound like “One More Time” with a hint of psychedelic sounds...I get goosebumps thinking about it!

Q; Where’s the one place you feel most comfortable, a place you can really be your self?

Usually at my home studio or my boy dF’s Studio Lab, but it could be anywhere as long as the vibe is right and I’m surrounded by the right energy.

Q; If you win enough money to handle your every want and need would you continue to make music?

Definitely will keep going with the music, I’ll probably make a bigger studio and invest in a couple of artists I believe in and other things. Heck, I’d travel or even rent a studio in the Swiss Alps and make an album there, that’s a goal on the bucket list!

Q: Where do your see your music taking years to come?

I hope I’m able to reach a platform where I can speak for the creatives in my city, be able to express my ideas and expand towards fashion, movies and other things to open doors for other great artists around me. But most importantly I want to be a living example of accomplishing your goal when you put your mind into it.

Big shout out to Jay Glavany for agreeing to interview with us and sharing his experiences so far. You can find his music on Soundcloud as well as Apple Music and Spotify. To stay up to date with new music from his you can follow him on Instagram as well as Twitter and you can find exclusive music and merch on his site here.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

KILLALLPAIN (Clothing Line)

Taking the Motto of “We go to war w different pain daily, w each pain we overcome, we learn from and build on. Some battles harder than others, mission stays the same.” Entrepreneurs Cardo & Risto founded the clothing line KILLALLPAIN. It’s one of the hottest underground clothing lines making their come up based out of Chicago. In our first interview with a clothing line we take a deep dive into background information about the brand, how It stands out from other brands, and many more. Read our latest interview with them below.

Hey KILLALLPAIN, give us some background information about your brand. 

Our brand is something no matter who or wherever you are any individual can relate. We all go through different struggles and pains through out our life and the goal is always to over come them as they arrive through out our life and then become stronger/better/more equipped as an individual.

What makes KILLALLPAIN stand out from other upcoming clothing brands?

 I would say this is more-so something for other individuals to decide rather than us otherwise it may come off as a “Boast”

What’s the fashion scene like where you’re based?

It’s very cool but cause we’re blessed to live in a place with so many different types of individuals. Like anywhere you’ll find similarities and groups but there’s people we run accross all the time simply in their own world in terms of fashion.

What moments in your brand’s life brought it to where it is today? In other words, what did you do/are you doing now to keep the brand successful?

We’d say having the mental strength to keep going. That’s really a gift, so many things can happen in between you going after something you want that make someone want to give up at that point there are some choices to be made.

Do other mediums of creativity (music, art, sports, etc) inspire your looks?

 Everything can inspire us at any given point in time our focus more-so what our brand means to us and coordinating so we stay true to that.

What do you think of vintage clothes making a comeback?

We think it never really went away, there’s just certain times when media focuses in on certain things for whatever reason at different points in time.

What do you think the next fashion trend will be?

 We’re not really sure if we have to be honest. We try not to put too much focus on trends.

Any last words?

Thank you all and your platform for giving us this interview and thank you to anybody out there who supports us in anyway, shape or form. We do not take any of it for granted.

Big Shout out to Kill All Pain for interviewing with Nefarious Supply, you can find there instagram here, and if you want to purchase some clothing from them you can do so on their site here. If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

HIDDEN HILLS

I just finished listening to all your songs. I loved every single one. Can you tell us the story behind your latest single “Pretty Girls Die Too”? 

        Thank you foreal thats love, and it’s crazy cause i just was in my feelings one day, not necessarily recent feelings but one of those days when you think of your past relationships and get pissed off. The single “Pretty Girls Die Too” is about the heartless females that are manipulative towards the few “good men” we have out here and just act as if they are immortle or invincible, and often dismiss the fact that men have feelings too. Also, Shout out to my bro DazeonEast for blessing the track, he is crazy talented everyone should check him out.

How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before?

I would say cinematic for sure. I treat every song like a movie, once you hear it you can imagine it in your head and most likely relate to it, if not the listener will revisit the song later in life and be like “damn i feel that”. I just feel that my music is what how you feel if you just keep living, it's all about trial and error honestly.

Why do you go by the name “HiddenHills?”

I'm a very private person and fans love it and some people are like bro post more we wanna see you ya know? That's where the Hidden comes from, and Hills comes from my view of where im from, in which represents Seattle, and the state of Washington. Seattle is mad when it comes to views, hills, mountains and not to mention the city itself. If you haven't been you have to go one day for sure.

Where are you from and what was life like growing up?

I’m from Seattle,Wa, known as the 206. Growing up was tough the area was mostly of the white race I definitely experienced a lot of racism at a young age and it ”turnt me to a savage”. Other than the tough times the city gave me hope, also there is so much talent out there. Shout out to Lil Mosey for putting on for the city. Had good times and bad times living there but it played a big part in who I am today as a person, and artist you could say.

If you weren’t doing music, what would you be doing?

I honestly don’t know I am a man of many talents, and have always been good at so many things but never great at something, so focusing on my craft is what i tend to be great at. So, to answer your question, I do not know but i will say whatever it is I will be successful because God built me for anything.

What are your plans for the rest of 2019 (in life and in music)?

Big singles that do numbers, my EP self titled “Ghetto Flowers”, and visuals for sure. I’m just living my life and getting better every day, I’m not afraid to fail at things i just know if i keep trying i’ll make less and less mistakes until it may seem to others that im simply perfection even though nobody’s perfect, and that’s my self motivation. My goal of 2019 is to network and be vulnerable i just wanna put myself out there.

How do you feel about the XXL Freshman list?

It's one of the best in my opinion in a while, I'm all about longevity and everyone on the list of 2019 has potential to last in the game for a while or be one of the greatest at what they do. Shout out to XXL i want to be on there one day. Scratch that i will be on there one day i have to speak it into existence.

Have you ever thought about being on a magazine cover? If so, then which one and why? If not, then why?

XXL, Complex, The Fader, Forbes, and Billboard just to name a few. Out of all of these magazines I would like to be on i would choose Forbes cause it is a huge accomplishment for my people and would make me a great example for others to look up to in terms of planning and executing on making my dreams a reality. Honestly, I wouldn't mind being on all magazines, everything is good exposure because i just want to be heard so that one day my platform and brand speaks for itself.

Do you consider yourself as a rapper or a singer? Why?

I am just a melodic rapper, it sounds like singing but i'm just rapping really, really slow *laughs. I can actually sing but i wouldn't box myself in a category i can be very versatile but i mostly just consider myself a musician and my voice is my instrument.

Is there anything you’re working on that you can tell us about?

My self entitled EP “Ghetto Flowers” which will be released this year and a joint EP with my brother and very talented artist Hrtbrkfever and many more artists that will be announced as a surprise.

Any last words?

For any artist that wants to do music and wants to make it your life, please invest in yourself by getting your own equipment because a lot of walk in studios are money hungry and aren't about the love for the music because at the end of the day it's just business and everyone has a family to feed.

Find your love in music and keep working at it and learning things don't just record, experiment with engineering and producing also the more you know the more dangerous you are in the game.

Build yourself up, it’s gonna be hard but there's beauty in the struggle. Like my pops always told me “when times get really hard that means you’re almost there you’re just being tested”. 

Hiddenhills is an 21-year-old artist and songwriter from Seattle, Wa that is growing at a rapid rate. Having developed many relationships in the underground music scene he is pioneering his own sound with some influences from many popular artists today, such as Partynextdoor, Tory Lanez and more. His sound is driven by his love and passion for dark R&B and 808s. In 2019, Hiddenhills is set to self-release his first EP Ghetto Flowers which features rising star Hrtbrkfever and other to be announced artists. Pretty Girls Die Too is one of his most popular singles catching buzz around the world constantly increasing in listeners everyday. Hills has been working hard on his new sound that will be show cased in his up and coming releases and a full length album is foreseeable in the future.

Big shout out to Hidden Hills for agreeing to interview with Nefarious Supply. You can find more of his work on his SoundCloud above and be sure to check out his latest single “Static” featuring Moflo Music, you can also find his Instagram here.

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

01 Visuals

Let us know about yourself, as an artist and person. What cultures and experiences cultivate the vision and craft that you have taken mantle of in your field?

My full name is Alonso Soto but most people call me by my nickname Alo, or my Instagram @ which is 01.Visuals. That’s usually just when my friends and I are joking around or when someone recognizes me off Instagram/social media. I’m 17 years old. I’m a photographer based out of northwest Indiana/Chicago. I grew up about 30 mins out of downtown Chicago in Indiana, Hammond to be exact. I started taking pictures about 6 months ago. I love music which is why I think concert photography is my favorite kind to shoot. I really enjoy taking pictures that’s all. I take a lot of inspiration from music photographers such as Gunner Stahl, Matt Marzahl, Frankie Vergara, and also someone who I believe goes by the name of Tony. His Instagram is @twu9916. I’m not too sure what his full name is but he’s raw! 

What specific reason do you believe is behind why your followers come back to your content time and time again? What platform can people reach your content on the most conveniently? 

I love my supporters, especially my biggest one, Allison. All my followers are amazing though. I think they come back to my content and show support so much because they genuinely like and enjoy my content. It feels amazing when people tell me they think my pictures are good and all that. It feels like I’m actually here for a reason and i’m meant to do this. People can reach my content at my instagram (@01.visuals). I post all my content on there, whether it’s my stories or actually postings. 

How has your experience in this business been so far?

This business is something that I’ve grown to strongly love. It had showed me a lot of love. Like I said I’ve only been doing it for about 6 months so I’m super excited to see what’s next for me. It’s crazy that i’ve went on tour and already done so much more in 6 months than the rest of my life as a whole. 

Do you have an outstanding moment since you got into this that makes you realize how important it is to continue to pursue your craft? If so what would that be?

I think a moment that made me feel really accomplished was the Nav show. That was the biggest show I’ve shot. I was in the pit in front of the stage and I just saw nav come out and I was just overjoyed, you know? I felt really good about myself at that moment. I felt great. After I edited the pictures for that show that night I just kept looking at them and felt even greater than I did at the show. I can’t wait to do someone even bigger than Nav, but his show was an amazing experience. 

What are your the top five favorite shots you've ever taken? Why are they?

I get this question asked a lot but here’s my top 5 as of right now. Not in any order. 

These are from the Nav concert I shot a couple of weeks back. 

This one is from Montana of 300 mid west tour. I appreciate him a lot because he has helped me a lot by taking me under his wing. Going on tour with him a couple of months ago was probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. He’s def put me on! Him and all of FGE. 

Took this at a NLE show in joliet IL. 

This one is of Polo G, at a show I did with my brother Dj Drip, he’s helped me out a lot and definitely been putting me on to work. We are the dynamic duo from NW Indiana! You guys need to interview him next def! @theonlydjdrip

Walk us through the steps you take to take, edit, and upload content? What is your creative process? Does it feed off the photo itself and you simply go with the vibe of the shot taken? Or do you have your own regimen and process for every photo you take?

So every night after the show or event I shoot I like to go straight home and get to work on the pictures. People love when they get their pictures fast so I try to keep that in my routine. I just go through every pictures and delete what I think isn’t good to even try to edit. Then after that I go through and edit every picture to my liking. After that I send them all to my phone from my laptop then go through them and pick the ones I think are good enough to post on my Instagram and save a lot just to have something to drop randomly. 

Where do you think you would be at this very moment if you weren't pursuing your career in photography?

Honestly I have no clue at all. I’d probably be trying to find something else creative to do. I’m always looking for something creative wise to get involved in. I’m not too sure where I would be right now if I didn’t do photography.

Lastly, what advice or experiences would you like to share with your peers or anyone else who is up and coming in this industry? 

Be nice! Just be cool with everyone, network every second you can, and get those contacts and connections. Sometimes you have to do free shows to get paid, you know what I mean? Just do your thing and put the time and work in frfr! 

Also, is there anything you'd like for us to promote?

I’m really focused on putting my first photo book together and I’d liked my Instagram promoted but nothing other than that at this moment. Thank you! 

Ness Julius

Let’s get down to business

I go by the name Ness Julius. I’m an artist from California. I grew up in a small town two hours outside of LA called Bakersfield. I’ve always had a passion for music — it just became stronger as I got older. It started off with me writing poems and short stories, Then as I got older I wanted to sing so I practiced writing raps in my free time. I began recording my freshman year of high school. I’m 20 now and haven’t looked back.

Chatting with Ness was an absolute pleasure. It’s evident through both his music and his words that he’s a very inspiring man with the passion and hunger of a true artist. Working with music as long as he has it’s amazing that he has the same vigor as a newbie; in reading this interview I know it’ll become as clear to you as it did me that Ness is a true star. Links to his social media and current projects will be provided throughout the article so please feel free to check him out!

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Q: What album inspired your (creative) style?

A: Definitely has to be PARTYNEXTDOOR3. That album changed a lot of things for me. It led me to working with Bizness Boi in LA. That was back when I was strictly a rapper but that album allowed me to understand what it was to get creative with a sound and create a unique vibe.

Q: Where’s the one place you’d love to preform?
A: I would love to preform in London.

One of the biggest accomplishments for an artist is gaining support overseas. It shows that their music transcends local boundaries. So naturally, like any other artist would, Ness admits his desire is fo travel abroad.

Q: Do you believe competition helps or hurts an artist?

A: I believe it both helps and hurts an artist I would say I am my biggest critic. I go so hard on myself that by the time a critic comes around to judge me I just got done judging myself for making that same mistake over and over. But competition helps because you see what’s going on around you and you can join in for the fun or you can duke it out and show your worth. It can also hurt you if you’re too caught up in trying to outdo others and less focused on making good music.

Q: What do you love most about your music?
A: What I love most about my music is that it’s real. Ecerything I’ve gone through I’ve put into my latest body of work. It’s the start of the best music of my life!

Despite having a range of music from party songs to romantic ballads Ness certainly maintains the same core sound. It benefits an artist to stay true to themselves because it makes all their work cohesive and Ness nails that from song to song.

Q: What was your first live performance like?

A:

My first perfromance was nerve wracking. The people that worked the venue made us close the show and there were no people left to watch us. There were only about 4-6 people. Including my parents so we just performed and put on a show like regular. It was a good practice though. I feel like my stage presence can definitely be worked on. some more. If I could loosen up more and be genuine I think that would hopefully strengthen it.

Q: Who is your musical soul brother/sister?

A: My musical soul brother is Drake. I just feel like I can relate to almost all of his music. It’s gotten to a point where now that I’m older I go back and listen to some of his older music and I’m like “damn he understands”. Drake is the voice of a generation. Plenty of people have gone to him when they going through rough patches

Q: Who’s your favorite current female rapper?

A: My favorite female rapper currently is probably Meg or Rico Nasty. I would still love to work with Rico in the near future

This question was important to add mainly because in a field ran by predominantly men it’s important to give props to the women who’re doing just as good (if not twenty times better) than the men. Ness did a beautiful job selecting two of the women currently dominating rap. We’d love to hear a collaboration someday!

Q: Are you a perfectionist or do you permit yourself to make creative mistakes?

A: I am definitely a perfectionist. Especially now that there’s so much pressure on me.

As any artist knows art in all of it’s forms is subjective. Creators have flexibility to express themselves in an organized and cohesive matter or as a complete stream of consciousness. Art is malleable, non-tangible but most importantly a reflection of the artist so there can be leeway for hiccups in the name of creativity. However certain artists may feel the need to work their fingers to the bone to create the “perfect” piece. Ness details how rising platform now pressures him to be more meticulous about nailing all the details on his craft.

I have to go into the studio each time with the idea that I need to top my last work. There’s no sense in putting anything out if it isn’t better than the last. I absolutely need to be better. Find a way to up the ante.

Q: What would you say your defining moment as an artist has been so far?

A: My defining moment has come yet.

No matter how big an artist gets there’s always gonna be a defining moment for an era/particular span of time within their career. However Ness explains he hasn’t felt it’s come yet and that’s a valid response. He explains what he’s been through so far are “sings and tests” preparing him for what is to come next. Whenever that moment comes we sure hope we’re able to witness Ness claim his victory!

Q: What was the last song you listened to?

A: It was a leak; No Guidance by Chris Brown feat. Drake. It threw me off because they sampled Che Ecru. A couple years ago I worked on a record that he produced for me because he was feeling one of my singles. That record is still in my files on my computer. I’ve just grown so much in the past few years that I get embarrassed to listen to my old music. That song means so much to me and my journey as an artist

Q: Where would you like to end up in 30 years?

A:

In thirty years I want to be one of the best songwriters in the game. I also would like to leave my stamp on the game similar to what Nipsey did with his time here, I know this sounds cliche but I want to be one of the more well regarded artists in the game. I also would love to dip into fashion and modeling as well as design, I would love to see my clothing company take off and have my own stores in multiple cities. But even if this music shit dosen’t take off for me I have a back up plan. I’d go back to school and become a nurse like my mother.

Shout out to Ness Julius for agreeing to interview and featured on Nefarious Supply. If you wanna keep up with Ness you can follow him on his Instagram . You can also check out his new releases above via his Soundcloud above, and be sure to look out for more content from Ness Julius!

If you enjoyed this interview be sure to leave a like and comment, and to keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Apple News and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube and SoundCloud for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.

JAYY REALL

Q: How did you end up using “Jayy Reall” as your stage name?

A:

My dad was the first person to call me “Jayy Reall” when I was way younger, like a little kid. The name didn’t come back into my life until high school. Shout out to my friends Hunter and Ciara; they were the first people in my school to call me Jayy Reall. That was my nickname. So then I started making music and I’m like, “man what am I gonna call myself?” My friend was like, “why don’t you just call yourself Jayy Reall?”. I went with it for a minute and I guess it’s stuck since.

Q: What’s a misconception about creatives that bothers you the most?

A:

That we don’t really be busy. A lot of girls used to piss me off like “Oh you don’t really be busy, you don’t be doing stuff all the time!” Not only do I rap; I produce, make videos and do photography. I’m even working on some fashion right now. There’s a lot of stuff people don’t know. I try to spend a lot of my time locked in. I learned that from [a friend]. People really think we don’t put in work nut I really be focused.

Q: When did you realize a typical 9-5 job wasn’t your path?

A:

I wanna say my freshman year of college. I always felt pressure because my mom has a PhD in Psychology. So my whole family’s like, “Oh you gotta follow your mom”. So I always focused on school and getting a degree. Then my first year of college a lot of things didn’t go as planned. It just kinda opened my eyes to the real world and see how things are. Plus a lot of people were supporting my musical crafts more so to treat it like a professional. I was always making music in high school, but I never thought my life could change off of it.

Q: Who was the first person/people you shared your talent with?

A:

Music wise I wanna say my two friends Jared and Justin. Back then in high school we had a Kik message and we used to rap in them. But my friends noticed I was for real about it. So they introduced me to these other people that I’m friends with to this day. Basically they kinda just threw me in this group and said, “Rap!” That was one of my first times when I would say somebody looked at me in a more serious artist note. Jared and Justin are the two people that encouraged me to take myself serious as an artist. Without them I would have never stepped into the studio.

Q: What do you want people to know and understand about both you and your craft?

A:

It’s as real as it gets. I’m pretty genuine. Everything about me is just pure. It’s just me. I can’t really make anything artificial for people. I can’t make anything that I feel like is not me. I feel like words mean a lot more when I can listen to an artist and know that they mean their words. That’s what I want people to take away when they listen to my music — it’s an experience. Most of my music from when I first started is still up; you can hear that I’m progressing. Not at the rate I wish I was, but still.

Q: Would you like to plug any new content we should be looking out for?

A:

Oh most definitely! You can expect some more music soon. June is gonna be like an overload of music I can’t even tell you how much. I’ve just been waiting for the right time and it’s starting to seem like the right time. Photography, I’m trying to get this website popping soon but if you wanna check out my work you can go to my Instagram [@jarelamari]. Videography you can follow me on YouTube [Jayy Reall].

Big shout out to JAYY REALL for interviewing with Nefarious Supply you should definitely check out his music which can be found on SoundCloud and to stay up to date you can find him on Instagram here. To stay up to date with content coming out of Nefarious Supply you can follow us on Instagram, Apple News, as well as Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and to hear new music constantly from underground and emerging artists be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

WAN

A Wan Story Short

My name is Wan. I’m from Sykesville, Maryland; its a small town outside of Baltimore County. I’ve been working on music since I was about five years old. I went to school in Baltimore County as far as high school and played basketball. I’m a 23 year old graduate of Frostburg State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. I sang in church choirs my entire life and played instruments such as the piano and trumpet

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I had the opportunity to interview Wan and I can say without a doubt he’s certainly one of the chillest people I’ve had the pleasure of talking to. Links to his social media and current content will be all throughout the page so please check out some of his work. Now prepare yourselves to delve deep into the Wanderland.

Q: What would you say is your aesthetic?

A: I would say my aesthetic would be hipster-like.

If you’re not familiar with Wan or his music you may not be entirely sure of this answer but after listening to his music I got a feel for his energy and I can confirm that is absolutely what his aesthetic is. If his music is any bit indicative of his personality (and I’m sure it is) he’s definitely got that hipster-esque way about him.

. “Most people would say I dress like a skateboarder. I skateboard as well and I’m in tune with the universe.” Maybe you’ve never experienced hipster culture at it’s epitome (think Tumblr circa 2012) but certainly you could recognize it here. Think Frank Ocean and Khalid wrapped up into an alternative and an almost edgy cocoon and that’s pretty much his vibe. That’s also a super huge compliment in case that’s not clear.

Q: How do you set yourself apart from others?

A: I honestly just do as I want

Both the mainstream and underground music scene can be egregiously competitive. Not that the Rap/R&B scene has been docile before millennials and gen. z’ers started hitting the scene, but in this digital age we live in anybody has the potential to be the next fly by night sensation. It’s lead to some pretty baseless arguments and beefs among artists who would do so much better working together. That’s why I was so pleased that this was Wan’s response. Typically when newer artists are asked this question they make some grandiose statements about how they’re the best out and that none of the other artists could come close to competing with them. That seems like the exact opposite of Wan’s m.o. “The main thing is not focusing on others and just working on my craft. Also I don’t think to much. I never write I mostly just freestyle my songs. I just walk up to the mic and record.” Being able to improv music is an impressive skill to say the least, proving that staying in your own lane can be a huge benefit to one’s creative abilities.

Q: What element (air, earth, fire, water) do you feel your music represents?

A: I feel like my music represents earth

I know this sounds like a ridiculous question but I had a hunch that he would understand what I meant by it. Music can manifest itself in several ways and as a person who seems very in touch with the elements I figured he could appreciate this question — and my suspicion was correct

In my video [Spend My Dayz] I wore roses covering my eyes to represent I’m focused on my craft and I’m blind to everything else around me. I also like nature and enjoy nature and being outdoors. Being outside, listening to music in the sun — it’s like euphoria.

Q: We’re halfway through 2019; If January - June was an EP what would it be titled and what would be the song title of each month?

A: It [the ep] would be called On The Rise due to everyone getting hip to my music

It’s another left of center question but again, after listening to his music and getting a sense of what he’s about I felt it would be something he’d have an interesting response to, and you know he did.

January: Nervous - Due to finishing up a project I was working on

February: Finally - At the end of February I put out my project Love Me Forever

March: Okay, we got it - People were liking my project and my work as a whole

April: Forreal Forreal - Went to LA to shoot a music video for Spend My Dayz and stayed with my friends in South Central LA

May: Waiting… - Just waiting for the [music] video to be done

June: Sheesh! - Everyone is loving my new video and its growing with my following

It certainly seems like the past six months have been a roller coaster for Wan. From putting out a project to getting a new wave of followers after releasing it and flying to the other side of the country to shoot a music video he’s been living the life of a musician alright. I’m sure it’ll only go up from here.

Q: What’s your favorite song of yours?

A: It would probably be “Kissed U”

Kissed U, a song by Wan on Spotify

So what we know so far is that Wan is a hard working and gentle soul. But what you don’t know is he’s also quite the romantic. “Kissed U” is a song off of his recent album Love Me Forever which dropped February of this year. The entire album is certainly a feel good playlist of songs you can ease back and unwind while listening to. However he explains that this particular song is his favorite for the intimate elements. “I would say it’s my favorite song because it’s just a great feeling up next to someone you that you care about and show exponential feelings toward them.” Cue the aw’s. “Not to mention I like the sounds in the song as well, referring to the instruments.”

Q: Do you allow yourself to become vulnerable for the sake of artistic creativity?

A: Absolutely.

It seems like it’s a common thing among artists today to put on a facade or create a persona to put a barrier between their work and themselves. Depending on how you look at it there’s both a negative and a positive to this. The positive is nobody can weaponize your sensitivities against you. The negative — there’s a disconnect between the artist and their creation. Sure nobody can exploit your pain but in the same vein nobody can truly say they relate to their work. So it’s pretty bold of Wan to so earnestly commit to being vulnerable. “I fell as if you can’t hold anything back that you want to get off your chest/ I get questions all the time about certain songs and I may feel iffy about talking about it but for the most part I have to.”

Q: Do you indulge in other types of art? (besides music)

A: I indulge in photography as much as I can.

Wan’s music video for his song Spend My Dayz off his new album Love Me Forever

You got to hand it to this wave of artists, they really go the extra mile to cover all their bases. It takes a lot of discipline and commitment to participate in two types of art especially when it’s not just for a job. One of the most important things for an artist is being able to create without the intent of hitting a deadline or pleasing the masses. What better form of art is their to enjoy than one that allows yourself and others to see the world in a different perspective. “I like the feeling of taking pictures on film as opposed to digital. The sleek look of film is amazing. My photographer Sarah is responsible for probably every picture on my Instagram.”

Q: What’s the last song you listened to?

A: Me Against The World - Tupac

I felt like I was back in college trying to make it through classes and such. Also it made me feel like I wasn’t the only one in the world. It made me feel like not only I go through the everyday struggles. There’s others that feel what I feel sometimes

Like it was mentioned earlier, it’s an incredible feeling as a lover of music when you can fully immerse yourself into the work of an artist (especially one as profound as Pac) and really get what they’re saying. It’s not always about poppin’ bottles and flexing on somebody. Sometime’s all a person needs to hear is that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and that there’s a brighter day around the corner. Cheesy, yes, but in this case it’s obviously got some truth to it. Bonus points for Wan having Tupac on his phone.

Q: You use a rose emoji across all your social media platforms — is that your favorite flower?

A: I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite flower.

As you can see from his Instagram page all the way to his Twitter page he’s got a pattern of using that popular emoji. I was genuinely curious because as someone who abuses every flower emoji my phone has to offer I totally get the desire to use it frequently. I mean he’s even holding it on the cover of his album! “I felt as if it was perfect for my album cover. Love Me Forever was about love lost and gained. I would say my favorite flower would be a sunflower.” Double bonus points for that absolutely correct answer. “I like the sunflower because it represents making others happy and that’s what I try to represent through my music.” Again, such a pure soul!

Q: Which artist(s) have the most influence on your style?

A:

I would say the artists that have the most influence on me would be Wiz Khalifa. Frank Ocean, U2, Colplay, John Mayer and J. Cole to name a few.

Those aren’t bad people to say you draw your inspiration from. The crazy part is you can definitely hear all the individual elements each of those artists bring and contribute to Wan’s work. A little bit of rock and roll, some rap here and there but of course a very mellow and all around relaxing beat to accompany the melodies. If I had to describe his music I would most likely mention those names as well. “All of these artists have influenced me in some way and have blended to shape me into the artist I am today.”

Q: Is there anything in the works right now that we should look out for?

A: I’m currently working on an EP

The every so busy artist mentions a new project in the works. We don’t know what it’ll be called yet, but maybe that little bit of mystery is good to keep people watching and waiting. “Some amazing music is being made everyday. I just have to be in the mood to make music. More updates, and maybe a single, will be released very soon!”

I want to thank Wan for being so wanderful and sitting down for this interview. You can check him out on his instagram linked here and above in the article and you can find his latest album Love Me Forever on apple music. There’s also some great stuff to listen to on his Soundcloud as linked above. Please make sure to give him some love and check out some of his work! If you enjoyed this interview please give us a big like and comment. To keep up with content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Youtube for hot music from underground and emerging artists daily.