Q&A With Rising London Based Hip Hop Artist abnormal norman
Yo abnormal norman!! We are blessed to be able to expose quality UK Hip Hop!! Especially from a true up and coming producer such as yourself!! One of our main contributors KEVIN really loves your EP and is almost don’t with his review!! Please tell us a bit about yourself? What part of UK are you from? And how long have you been making Hip Hop!
Thanks! I moved around London a lot growing up, but at the moment I’m living in abnormal norman. I started producing about a year ago. I’ve always messed around with Ableton and Logic since I was a kid, but last summer was when I decided to start taking it more seriously.
Please let us know when was the first time you ever laid hands on production equipment? What motivated you to become a producer/Beat Maker? Are you a software or hardware producer?
I think the first DAW I ever tried to use was FL Studio when I was about 14. At the time it was so overwhelming and I had no idea what I was doing so those first few beats were almost certainly some hot trash. I’ve always been a big fan of hip-hop anyway, especially Dre’s production, so I was always going to gravitate towards producing at some point or another, even if it was just for fun. At the moment I’m a software producer but I’m desperate to get my hands on an mpk or sp404 or something like that.
Tell us about the underground Hip Hop scene out there in UK? Seems to me that you are a true underground Hip Hop fan! Mixing in some MF DOOM def sets the vibe for sure!
Yeah, we’ve got a great rising hip-hop scene here. “Grime” has been on the rise since the early 2000’s and more recently artists like Dave, Skepta and Wiley have managed to cause a buzz across the pond in the US which is a great look for the UK hip-hop scene in general. And yeah, DOOM brings the best out of any beat. That dude can flow over anything.
Out there in UK, do people use social media as much as people out here in the US do! Instagram seems like the place to be be nowadays! Give us you take on how important or non-important social media is out there!
Instagram, and social media in general are just as big over here for sure. In a sense it’s free promotion, as well as a way of interacting with fans and other artists. It’s a great platform that just wasn’t available 10-15 years ago, so it’s a great time to be an underground producer or artist. Having said that, from my point of view I need to work on the social media side of things. I don’t have a huge following right now. But I’m not going to worry too much about it. If I concentrate on making the best music I can, then with any luck people will listen and find me. I’m intent on doing things organically.
Please breakdown the creative process of your new “Overture“ EP?
To be honest I just wanted to see if I could put my own spin on some of my favourite rappers verses. There wasn’t necessarily a set process for every track, some of them I started with the acapella and built the beat around it, and others I made the beat and then went searching for the perfect rapper to fit the track.
How often do you perform out in UK!? Are there any dope downtown hotspots out there in UK that are known for Hip Hop shows/events!?
I’ve yet to go on stage but I’m not adverse to the idea either, although the thought of it is terrifying to me. Ideally I’d like to build a body of work that I feel confident enough playing live before anything else. Then maybe I’ll think about going on stage, but until then it’s one step at a time.
Please tell us about your mission statement regarding your music and movement. What do you want fans to walk away with after listening to your projects? Also, please describe your sound in the simplest way possible?
As far as my sound so far I’d describe it as boom-bap, maybe lofi occasionally. I guess I just want to make a style of music that is unique to me and that people can instantly recognize as my sound. I’m not sure if I’ve necessarily found what that “sound” is just yet, but if I keep experimenting and making the music that I actually want to make, then with any luck I will develop a style over time.
What you got cooking next? Anything special for Summer 2018!!??
First and foremost I’m just trying to focus on improving as a beatmaker and producer, it’s still early days for me so I’m still learning. I’ve been working with a few underground artists recently both from the UK and over in the US and Canada, so hopefully those collabs will be dropping within the next few months. As far as a project goes, I’m working on another remix beat-tape but it’s still very early days. I hope to have it out within the next month or two.
Our most popular question, what is your definition of “Underground Hip Hop”?
For me, underground hip-hop is where the true creativity is. There’s no rules or boundaries on what you can make. There’s no major labels or creative execs breathing down your neck telling you what you can and can’t do. You can make whatever you want, however you want and as long as people can find it, and fuck with it, then you’ve got an audience.
Where can fans find your music? Drop all links!!
I drop everything on Soundcloud mainly which can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/theabnormalnorman
My bandcamp: https://abnormalnorman.bandcamp.com/releases
Twitter: https://twitter.com/abnormal_norman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlie_saks/
Any Shout Outs??
My parents and Thierry Henry.
