Q&A With Rising Underground Hip Hop Star S.T.R.A.P.
What’s up S.T.R.A.P! Much respect on your new album. We are true fans of your Hip Hop and we will continue to follow your career! How long have you been making music? And briefly, tell us how it all started?
It’s a pleasure UHHBLOG, I’ve been making music professionally since 2008. It all began when I left Uganda to come and pursue my college education in the States. At that time, one of my cousins was dibbling and dabbling in music production, and it quickly rubbed off on me and I found myself recording for the very first time. That spark turned into a flame that couldn’t be extinguished.
Your style has to be one of the most original and cutting edge in the game today! Tell us, how long did it take you to really perfect your original sound?
My Ugandan background greatly contributes to my versatility; I grew up heavily influenced by reggae, dance-hall, and sound system styles of music depiction. In 1994 I discovered Hip-Hop and found myself blow away by the word expression of artists like Nas, all the members of the Wu-tang, Biggie Smalls, Red Man, just to mention a few. My current sound is a product of my African background fused with a Hip-Hop cadence, thus the dynamics in the sound. Pretty much, I’ve been working on this sound my whole life.
Your latest music video “Kid From Zion” had to be one of the sickest music videos for 2016 in the underground Hip Hop game! Give us a brief breakdown on the creative process to that video?
I’m very humbled by that statement. With this video I decided to do something a little differently by portraying myself as a small portable TV. “Kid From Zion” is a two-in-one video, with one video portraying time-lapse, and the other depicting my performance footage. The TV takes on an almost baton-like characteristic as it passes from person to person, before finally ending in the hands of its real owner. I held the roles of both story boarder and co-director while working in collaboration with Thad Swift.
Tell us about your new album “Drinks & Conversation” how the creative process to that album came together? It’s about the view on 3 friends with different views of society right?
Yes, “Drinks and Conversation” emulates what we are missing in society today, which is a good sit down environment to create dialogue concerning topics that affect us whether socially, economically or politically. I feel we need to all sit down, have some drinks (beverage of your choice) and engage in good conversation. The album embodies that statement to the fullest. This project consists of 15 tracks that gradually act as lead-ups to succeeding tracks.
What are you looking forward to for 2017? Anything you going to be doing differently compared to past years?
The year 2017 holds big things; I will be putting out a lot more visuals and trying to expand this S.T.R.A.P brand. 2016 was a good year for music at large, and I would like to keep that momentum.
Any pressuring situations before you decided to push your album? Did everything work out according to plan.
No pressure at all. I love-making and sharing my music. I try not to be too strategic, I feel my projects are best received organically. I create the music and let the music do the work. I feel “Drinks and Conversation” did what it was supported to do, and feel encouraged that it’s still growing.
Rappers nowadays think by throwing up a few videos up on social media and pushing quick projects, they can blow up overnight! Give us your view on how over saturated the market is right now with so many MC’s/Producers but not to many quality music.
I feel technology (mainly the Internet) has made not only music, but art in general, more saturated. I tend to call it the microwave generation. The lack of patience has bred this mentality of “I want it right now!” You gotta love the process; I am a craftsman and just like any craft, it takes time and doesn’t happen overnight.
How often do you perform LIVE. Shows lined up in the near future? Any Los Angeles shows planned?
I haven’t performed LIVE in a while, because my team and I were in album mode. However, now that we are done, expect me to be partaking in a lot more shows. I am currently working on getting out and performing in LA.
Where do you see yourself in 5yrs time?
I see myself as a servant for the people and look forward to providing opportunities to the people. To me, success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal and my worthy goal is to help others.
Here it is! Our most popular question! What is your definition of “underground hip hop”?
Underground hip hop is the voice of the people. Raw…unapologetic…truthful sound.
Where can people find you on the web? Drop all the vital links.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Listen2STRAP
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/listen2STRAP
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/listen2strap/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/listen2strap
Website: http://www.listen2strap.com/
Lastly, and shout out?
Shout out to UHHB, Lindsey Smith my manager, Uganda, and Wichita KS. Much love.
