Q&A With Rising Seattle Based Hip Hop Artist Syncope Bane
Hey Syncope Bane, we would like to thank you for your contribution to underground Hip Hop and keeping the culture alive as a young up and coming MC! Please tell us what exact area code you represent? How long have you been making music?
First of all I’d like to thank you all at UGHH for allowing me this Q&A, much appreciated! My area code is the 206, hopefully the state doesn’t change it anytime soon and I’ve been doing music since about 2011. I mean, I been writing since middle school, but actually seriously getting behind a microphone and making beats was probably around 2011-2012ish.
What influenced you to become a Hip Hop artist? What were the main factors that got you into, quote on quote, “Underground Hip Hop”?!
I think like most people, I got into writing because I was just a fan of hip hop, the type of fan that would always debate with people at school about their top 5 for rappers or producers and all that. I’ve always kind’ve freestyled to myself though, like if I’m playing videogames, shit like Fight Night or somethin, I would kinda just rap some ignorant shit over those beats when I was younger and of course as time went on I’d hear new music and judge whether it was whack or not. I think at some point I stopped being so judgmental, especially the moment I decided trying to write for the first time myself. But the 2 albums that made me feel like I could really give it a shot was Eardrum by Kweli and The Cool by Lupe, if it wasn’t for those 2 albums I prolly would’ve never turned my science class notepad into a rhyme book.
Your style and rhyme scheme is super raw, hard-hitting and ORIGINAL. Yet we do feel you have a lot of work to do as well. How often do you work on your craft as an MC? How important is ORIGINALITY to you?
I do agree, there’s alot more I still need to learn and I have yet to really perfect my craft, so I appreciate the feedback. Most of my time perfecting my craft for my lyrics is spent during the recording process, for example, recording the same verse multiple times, trying it in different tones and especially trying to record the whole track in one take. As for my beats, I think I spend too much time listening to whether or not my chops are clean enough or if the sample/note goes over 4 or 5 seconds. Realistically, I do need to work on mixing and mastering alot more if anything. Originality is very important to me, only because I feel that people who choose not to be original and wanna bite other styles or whatever, those people don’t even wanna give their influences credit when it’s all said and done.
Tell us about the creative process for your new album “Root Of Attraction“! Any interesting features on it?
Honestly every track on this album was meant to be different from each other and as experimental as possible. Like I can’t sing for shit, but I decided I’d give it a go on tracks like Donkilluminati and tracks like Forgive Me is straight freestyle takes, something I seldom do or even release. The purpose of each track is to highlight the ills of being attracted to sex, drugs and money. For better or for worse I believe there are pros and cons to each of them. The only feature on this album is my guy Zen Seizure, one of my favorite rappers still to this day. Back to originality, I met this dude a couple of years ago, heard him spit and he’s never compromised himself for anyone, a true lyricist for sure.
In 2017, who is on your own personal music rotation playlist!? Any new artists you are listening to?
Lowkey I still listen to hella throwback R&B, still listening to shit like Jodeci and R. Kelly. But in terms of new music this year, I fuck with that new Migos album, I think that Kodak Black is raw, that new Kendrick album is fire, and my homie just put me onto Smino’s Blkswn which I think is the new wave that’s ahead of its time. But man, that new DJ Quik and Problem album has been my shit this year. Really, if the music isn’t funky or there isn’t no singing or melody on there, then I don’t usually gravitate that easily towards it. I can honestly say that the music I listen to and the music I make are completely different, haha.
Any new projects and videos you are working on? Planning on a tour anytime soon?
Honestly, I only got one show under my belt, and that show helped me realize how much I would rather do more upbeat music that gets people groovin a lil more. I mean, bars are one thing, but helping people forget how stressful their 9 to 5 was the night they come out to hear some music, I think that’s the essence of Hip Hop that I’ve been missing. Now I’d rather have them feel the music rather than be forced to listen, so in terms of future projects, I got more upbeat albums coming out that’re untitled at the moment, and got another album that I think is gonna change everyone’s perception on metaphors and storytelling titled “Swimming”.
Out the box type question, If it came down to 1 ALBUM only, what underground Hip Hop album would you consider THE BEST OF ALL TIME!!!???……One 1 album you can choose.
This is a really tough question to be honest, and I don’t know how underground this album really is but I’m gonna have to say “Party Music” by The Coup. I didn’t hear it when it was released, I got it late of course, but that shit right there stayed in my CD Player the summer before I started High School so it’s got a special place in my heart and memory.
Your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”
My definition of underground Hip Hop is anything that’s still developing itself. If anything it’s the root of it all and that’s why it’s underground, it’s where most shit starts. Alot of jams where people freestyle for the first time are underground. Alot of throwaway tracks in the beginning of someone’s career that’ll never see the light of the day, that shit’s underground. Matter fact, there’s still alot of underground being unearthed right now and it’s crazy.
Drop all your music and social media links!
IG: syncopebane
https://syncopebane.bandcamp.com/album/crowndysfunction-uncut
https://syncopebane.bandcamp.com/album/blue-version-uncut
https://syncopebane.bandcamp.com/album/red-version-uncut
https://soundcloud.com/syncopebane
Also you can find some of my material on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon and iHeartRadio! Everything that I’ve produced and/or rapped over.
Any Shout outs??
Already. Shoutouts to Zen Seizure, my guy Gibsun Gold, Shuad The God, Da-Bu, and my guy Tremane.
