Real8 INNERview conversation

1.Who are you? What do you do?

Whats good!? My name is REAL8 and I am a messenger of GREEDY City. I just happen to use rap and poetry as tools right now as The City walls are being built. :: GREEDY – G.eneration R.ighteously E.nduring to E.radicate D.ying Y.oung!

2.What are your Inspirations?

Life. Love. Family. Being a father is by far is my biggest inspiration! My angel is the best thing to happen to my life. I can remember when I wasn’t in tune with the lessons that were being taught in life and how naive a brother was…damn! All bad. Anyway, now I am fully present and I pull inspiration from EVERYTHING.......

around me. From the sound of the breeze hitting a wind chime, the elder woman on the train who is reading a Spanish Bible, the smell of the city while I ride my road bike down Central Avenue, man to the laughter of my seed. There is an endless well of inspiration around us all the time! I also get inspired from other artist that are following their passions. Man I really respect the new wave of emcees coming out now! Peace to the Melo.X’s, Kendrick Lamar’s, Skipp Coon’s and Open Mike Eagle’s of the world!

3. What’s your favorite song that you have dropped?

I was able to work with the homie Always Prolific on a song that was sampled from Miles Davis called Miles Zap…are you KIDDING ME?! This record is so damn smooth. I felt like I was in a jam session with the boys back in the 50’s. This tune is one of the dopest records that I have ever heard. And not on some ego-trip at all! Dig, if you were to make the record I would have it on repeat too. It is the vibration of the song that I appreciate and that is something that comes from the Divine.

I also like the record Be Sure. It is a very emotional song that speaks to the growing issue of domestic violence in our communities. It was painful to write because I had never seen a man put his hands on a woman in that way until the day that I wrote the song. You hear about it. And you may even see a movie with violence, but to see this dude put his hands on her and me not being in a position to help her hurt! So the only thing I could do was write her a letter and hope one day she can hear it.

Both of those songs can be heard on The REALese : Vol. 1 : a freetape @ http://iamreal8.bandcamp.com

4.would you say your different from other artist? If so what makes you?

I would most definitely say that I am different from other artist just as we all are very different individuals. I have been in my own process of fine tuning my brand and not trying to emulate anyone. My mom was always preaching that my siblings and I were uniquely created and didn’t need to follow the trends or fads of the times, but rather to change them! So I think the fearlessness to be different in a industry that is full of carbon copies is what makes me myself. I mean, I ride a bike around LA. I roll my jeans up and rock Argyle socks. I do me. No matter where I am. No matter who I am with. I can be in a house party full of hipsters spit a 16 and then head to the block and spit the same 16 and it translate. Not bragging or anything like that, I am just saying that when you are genuinely you, you’re spitting a message of love and dreams of everybody coming up, it doesn’t matter where you are that message will relate.

5. Do you have any fears going into the industry?

Nah. I don’t fear anything in this life. I believe that God has not made me to fear anything. I was made to walk in Power, Love and a sound mind. I have a strong family around me that hold me accountable to that. I mean, I have survived living in the slums of Scottdale GA you know? We survived living in the racist county of Gwinnett you know?! I watched my mom sacrifice for her kids and do what she needed to do so that we had the best opportunities in this life…fearlessly! She raised 3 kids alone! I know she had to have been afraid at times, but that was never an excuse to throw her off her game. So do I have fears going into the industry…NOPE! This movement is bigger than the industry! There are people dying in this life because of the lack of access to the resources needed to have decent lifestyles. I want to do what I can to change that.

6. Top 5 clothing companies

Goodwill

Levi

Mighty Healthy

Reckless Behavior

Mile High International Clothing

7. What’s your new res?

Is this my new years resolution? If so I don’t have one! I live life everyday. I don’t wait til Jan. 1 to begin living the life I want. It happens every moment! 

8. Any Shout Outs

Peace to the GREEDY City! And all the creators out there! In the words of my sister &!, follow the ABC’s :: Always Be Creating.

9. What’s the best blog out there?

Now that isn’t fair! There are so many out there! I have to shout out my family over at Afrolicious.com for holding me down since day one but 99vsdope is the absolute shit and I am honored for the opportunity to have this INNERview!