Academy – Q&A Interview

Tell us a little about the group. Where are you guys from? How long have you been making Hip Hop together?

It’s funny how we all got started making music together. We had a rhyme book that we would pass around in our Spanish class that we would all leave our bars in.  We didn’t learn anything in that class whatsoever but if it wasn’t for that book Academy probably wouldn’t have been formed. One of our teachers actually found the book, someone had left it in her class and she looked through it to see who’s it was and there were all of our initials so that book went through a lot, in a way it bonded us. Seven years later we’re still making music together.

As a Hip Hop group who are your influences?

We pretty much listen to all facades of music and are somewhat influenced by them. All genres of rap, pop, rock, r&b all music. That would be negligent on our end, especially in an industry where our constantly changing trends, we have to stay influenced and motivated and part of that is listening to other music. The thing with being an artist though, especially being a rap artist is that everything has been done before we try to advance what other artists have done and make it are own. The Grow Up Plan doesn’t sound like a Drake or J.Cole album it sounds like Academy with influences by those artists. So we look at artists and say we like these aspects of what they do, how we can make it our own. It’s a continuous building cycle. Nothing in music is original anymore it’s just modified.

Describe your music, and what separates you from other MCs?

The artistry of storytelling really is what separates us. We feel like our stories are different from most MC’s because we are telling our real life stories. We aren’t famous, we are from Trenton but we went to college, we have degrees, we work, we have gone through so many experiences because of our backgrounds that other artists haven’t been through or choose not to talk about. We feel like we have a group of fans who story isn’t being told and we feel obligated to tell their story.

Who have you guys collaborated with? Who would you like to collab with in the near future?

We have collaborated with a few artists. Kassan ”Solo” from the College Kids, S.M.H. a few other artists but we wanted to build our brand awareness so when we collaborate with artists our name adds just as much stain as theirs. But there will be an added focus on our end now that we feel like we have a growing fan base and are becoming established in area that we feel to collaborate with other artists. There is a lot of talent in the tri-state area, we all have to support each other, I think we can, so you will definitely see more partnerships beings formed over the next year.

Your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?

Well you know with commercial rap, it’s a collection of artists that you here on the radio, they have record deals, they have some money to make it short it’s a different lifestyle all together, whereas underground it’s a struggle, it’s a struggle to get plays, you’re coming out of your pocket a lot, you’re doing all the work to get your career started. It’s a grind and our music tends be darker and more aggressive because we are all fighting to get to the next level.

Who does your production? And who would you like to work with?

Right now we don’t have one producer who makes all our beats.  We feel like we have found our sound this latest project, we just need that one guy who is consistent, knows what we are looking for and can deliver. Having said that, all the production on Grow Up Plan is on point we are really proud of how everything sounds sonically.

Any current or future projects you are promoting?

Our main focus is promoting our Grow Up Plan. We’re working on booking some more shows, we got a few more music videos on the way, a short film in the works, vlogs there is just a lot of effort going into this project we haven’t really had time to think of our next project. We’ll look at some collaborations and maybe look at an Adderall sequel sometime next spring that’s not set in stone though.

Can you give us a brief description of the creative process of The Grow Up Plan Also/ what was the idea or concept description about your Album Art Cover?

Yea, I think for the first time in our lives we have encountered challenges that we haven’t had the face and this is our learning experience. Yea we graduated college, but what’s next. We have bills, we have car notes, we have loans, we have relations with different women and how do you balance all of those things. We’re growing up and trying to be men about everything and its tough because no class taught prepared and our cover only further enhances these notions of a kid coming back home and trying to navigate life.

Where can we find your music and info?

You can find our music online at academyone4th.bandcamp.com . You can find all of our other links on the website as well.

Any shout outs?

First and foremost God for blessing us with the abilities to do what we do. Most people don’t look at rap as a form of artistry but not everyone can rhyme and make good songs and we feel like we do both. Everyone who had a hand in making this project what is we greatly appreciate SMH, C-Live Entertainment, AishaZamm (Thinkblot.com), all of our fans supporting and sharing downloading and staying with us, all you guys for all the support we appreciate greatly and won’t let you guys down. Last but not least Diane Sherrod McCallum, Rest in Peace, she was the mother of K.C. Slater ( Member of AcademY), who passed in 2013, she was one of our first supporters who actually paid for our first studio recording, so God Bless.