Q&A With Underground Hip Hop Artist 1Up
Hey 1Up! We really appreciate and love new cutting edge Hip Hop, truly being the definition of Underground! Please tell us how many years have you been making music? How did you come up with the MC name 1Up? And what part of U.S are you from?
I appreciate the love. I’ve been messing around with flows for a few years but I decided to take it more seriously about two years ago and started making records.
I came up with the name 1Up for three reasons, one being because it fit my personality of always trying to be better and better than the next MC. Secondly I am a big advocate of psychedelics and more specifically psilocybin, hence the eaten blue mushroom as my logo. Lastly I thoroughly enjoy playing video games whenever I get the chance which fits into the reference of the Mario version of 1Up. I have lived a few different places along the east coast but I am originally from southern Maine.
How do you describe your sound?
I would describe my sound as “underground” but also old school new school as well. I try to keep it light for easy listening because I’m not trying to box myself in and exclude any audiences. My hope is that people don’t only listen to my music in a hip hop setting but also when their at their home mowing the lawn or cleaning dishes or maybe even playing video games.
Tell us who are your Hip Hop and/or music influences? Any local city influences?
Obviously the legends play a part into my style of music like Guru or Eminem but that aside I feel like I always keep it fresh and new with my own flavor. Life’s problems has been probably the biggest influencer so far into my creations.
Please breakdown the creative process of your new album “Jokes On Me” . Also, tell us about the simple yet eye-catching album cover!
Well I originally was linked up with a squad before I broke off to do my own thing about a year ago and life has been playing what seems to be jokes on me for a while now. Things from just being mistreated or misunderstood all the way to my mother getting diagnosed with cancer. Life seems to be playing some serious jokes on me the past year so the title seemed fitting. So going into the creation of my first solo project I had a lot of things to get off my chest and talk about based on all the crazy stuff that had been going on in my life. With the covers I just wanted something clean so thats what it came to be.
Seems like being independent is the way to go nowadays in the over-saturated underground Hip Hop game! How has your perspective changed when it comes to maintaining being indie, or is your goal to get signed one day!?
Yes Hip-Hop is very over saturated at the moment and it is making it slightly more challenging to be seen overall because everyone and their cousin is a “rapper” now congesting the scene. Being Indie at the moment is super shitty but I haven’t really hit the point where it could be potentially better than a major.
How often do you perform LIVE! Any chance you will be performing out in the West Coast?! Any tours on the way?!
I just was in Brooklyn at BK music week for Labor day weekend and I’ll be in SXSW in March 2018 along with shows here and there throughout the year. Hopefully a tour will be in the midst soon.
Any new projects/videos you are working on!?
I am planning on dropping two more videos for this project as of now. I am also conjuring up a cypher soon. My next project should be coming out summer 2018. That might be the second most least anticipated mixtape/album of all time.
Here it is! Our most popular question! What is your definition of “underground hip hop”?
It’s hard to give it a definition. What makes Hip Hop so special in general is that it’s so hard to classify what it is outside of the art of flowing because all the artists are so unique and have so much wisdom to share.
Where can people find you on the web? Drop all the vital links.
IG: @1upwhatup
All my social platforms are on my website which is:
https://www.1upwhatupmusic.com
Lastly, and shout out?
My Parents and friends but also Kay the Kreator, John Smith and Ashley the Vegan.
