Emmanuel Kinoshi – Q&A Interview

When did you decide to start making Hip Hop? Who influenced you?  Is Emmanuel Kinoshi your real name or stage name?

Well… I started writing raps around the age of 11 or 12, around the time Nelly’s Sweatsuit album/ albums came out. Those CD’s were my official introduction to rap lol. At that time I remember thinking to myself “hmm this seems like a pretty cool way to make a living”. I didn’t really start understanding hip-hop and it’s depths until the age of 13. After going through family trials, I began to use hip-hop as more as an outlet to express my self and feelings in ways I would not be able to had it been in my life. I started producing beats about three years ago and finally started recording songs September of last year. When it comes to influences, I’ve been heavily influenced by Nas, that’s my favorite rapper. I’m also influenced 2pac and Eminem. Kanye West is another person.who influenced me not only to rap but to start producing too. Charles Hamilton is a rapper who has also heavily influenced me. not only have I been influenced by his lyrical style but also his production as well. Yea Emmanuel Kinoshi is my real name.

What specific area in the U.S do you rep?  How has the local Hip Hop community accepted your music and movement?

603, stand up just joking. I’m from a small town of a small state, Goffstown, New Hampshire, however my writing style and a lot of my hip-hop experiences were well refined when I moved to Tucson, Arizona as a teen. Soo I guess I kinda rep Both Arizona and New Hampshire… I don’t know.

My local community doesn’t know I rap, or care for that matter lol at least I don’t think. So far, since I’ve started recording music in 2015, the majority of the people who have been supportive are my local church family, they have been pretty supportive and then some close friends. The state of New Hampshire doesn’t really have a big rap seen so that a weird question for me. actually Misery Loves Company / The Idiosyncratic which holds local show-casings of artist, has been pretty chill in allowing artist to perform and stuff. they’re a good look.

Congrats on the success of your EP, “808’s, Samples, & Woes”.  Feel free to break down the creative process of the project. (features, production, etc).

Thanks guys, I would love to, so this project is pretty much a sonic experiment/ lyrical blow-hole for me lol. what I mean by that is… okay so I released a recording prior to this one in January, called “This is Me”, “This is Me” Was my first and so far favorite body of work I put together . I’d considered it to be a true introduction as to who I am and who I stand for. To my “surprise”however, It was dismissed by sites and stuff due to its lack of recording quality. I realized If I wanted to get any recognition for the things that I was talking about I would have to quote-un-quote bait em first. (better production & vocals) Going into this project I wanted to start things off on a production basis. I incorporated some 808 bass lines and snares and stuff to give my beats for a more tender sound. The lyrics kinda of came second on this project. In writing, I gave myself a lot more slack, this time around. I don’t really care about whether what i wrote was digestible, I just wrote down what I wanted to write down and expressed how I really felt, I was hoping that in putting more emphasis on the production it would sort of seduce the listener into hearing to the bigger message behind the beats, This Project is a little darker than what I anticipated but hey, It’s honesty nothing more than Gospel Rap at It’s core…

Planning on releasing any videos to complement your EP

No, currently I don’t have any such thing in the works however if I have the resources later in the future I would like to make a video for “This is What Fun Sounds Like” I think that would be cool.

What are your plans for getting your music out of your local city and let it circulate throughout the nation?

umm, I’m not sure haha I guess just shows and more cool websites like your guy’s, just having faith that thing will work out. this blog is one foot set in the right direction that for sure.

Are you looking forward to working with other artists near you? Or do you try to keep collabs at a minimum.

mmmm… yeah I wouldn’t mind stepping aside from the production side of things. I met a local hip-hop artist through a person. This artist was pretty popular he produced for and toured with the likes of Atmosphere. he said if I ever need a beat or anything I could just holler so who knows maybe something could work out with that.

What is your definition of “underground hip hop”?

Underground Hip-Hop to me, when I think of underground hip-hop I think of hip hop in general because hip-hop in essences started from the underground. so I guess underground hip hop to me = original hip-hop

Where can people find you on the web?  Drop all the vital links.

https://soundcloud.com/emmanuel-kinoshi
http://www.datpiff.com/Emmanuel-Kinoshi-This-Is-Me-mixtape.757469.html
https://twitter.com/EKinoshk

Lastly, and shout out?

I would like to give a shout out to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, life in him is amazing and I’d have it not other way, I’d also like to give a shout out to my church family, shout outs to FL Studio’s 12 lol,- what I produce this project with, Shout outs to Busy Works Beats those 808 tutorials tho, shout out to my college for providing the so-called sound proof rooms and last but not least I’d like to give a shout out to The Guy’s Group Chat, and all the hommies from around the way… oh and shout outs to undergroundhiphopblog for giving me a platform to express myself.