Q&A With Rising LA Based Hip Hop Artist Brody Merlot
Yo Brody Merlot!! We are blessed to be able to get exposed to your great Hip Hop music, especially being from Los Angeles, CA!! Please tell us a bit about yourself? How long have you been making Hip Hop!
I’m originally from Ohio. I made a name for myself in Cincinnati as Da 3rd Element, but I rebranded myself as the Brody Merlot when I moved to Leimert Park five years ago. I’ve been rapping since 2000 but really started taking it serious in 2010. A lot of people don’t know I started out as a drummer though.
We noticed you are 100% in tune with the real underground/conscious style of Hip Hop. Being WOKE as we say is he best way to create raw music from the inside! We love what the Album is all about! Please let us know the influence behind your style and mission statement behind your music…
I’m heavily influenced by DJ Hi Tek, Camron, and Kid Cudi. Coming from Ohio you get a little flavor from each coast, but those are the major artist that have repped hard for the state post-Bone Thugs n Harmony. My mission is to make honest, feel good music people can relate too. I can incorporate the old with the new without losing my integrity. I listen to a lot of Dom Kennedy and Nipsey these days.
How has LA treated you so far!!?? So many out-of-town Hip Hop artists tend to move out to LA hoping to scale their music and BLOW UP as they say!!! Yet all of us locals tend to want to leave LA and expand our brand nationwide!! Give us your take on this!
LA has been inspirational. There’s opportunity left and right here. People take you a lot more serious when you tell them you’re a hip hop artist too. There’s a lot of serious business being handled, even international business. You still have a chance to expand nationwide here with that and a strong social media campaign.
Let’s face it, social media since 2015 has grown tremendously, especially IG!!! Tell us how is your IG grind looking, and how have you been able to keep up with the high demand on social media?
IG is a beautiful tool when used correctly but one slip up can be very harmful to your brand. I’m being a lot more mindful of making every thing I post count. I’m old school too so I’m in love with making full length albums but nowadays it’s about singles and getting content out there. I’m adjusting.
Please breakdown the creative process of your new Album? Any music videos in the works?
CinciCali basically was written during my transition from Cincinnati to La. I had a history of working with LA native, Epik the Dawn. We linked up on MySpace way back. I thought it would be dope to do a whole project with him. Kinda just zoned out in the living room or drove around LA coming up with verses or concepts. Very organic. Just having fun. Junior Garcia and Nunzio flew in from Miami to bless me with the visuals. We knocked out two over Labor Day weekend 2017. Check out “Next Level” and “Feeling Great!”
How often do you perform live?? Any indie DIY tours in the works?
Got a couple of shows lined up at the Lexington and Airliner. Had the release at Viper Room. Definitely headed back to the Nati for some this Fall.
How do you feel about the whole XAN & LEAN trend these kids nowadays are on!!!..LOL??? Be honest, do you use some of that stuff??..LOL
It’s really nothing new. We give the new generation a hard time but we was all bumping Swisha House back in the day.
What you got cooking next? Anything special for late 2018!!??
I just completed a nostalgic project with one of my original producers, Mysterious. It’s called “Gladys.” Look out for that this Fall.
Our most popular question, what is your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?
Underground Hip Hop is overstanding the culture.
Where can fans find your music? Drop all links!!
Album available on all streaming sites.
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/25PZNHXPXjcHCTsJ10jroF
Youtube:
https://youtu.be/PtGC2UrjLNY
IG:
https://www.instagram.com/brody_merlot/
