Today I had the pleasure of attending Red Bull Sound Select in Dallas featuring the upcoming artist Blue, The Misfit. For those of you who don't know, Red Bull Sound Select is an initiative that is "part artist development program, part event series, part digital product, part partner network, all working together to bring artists and fans closer together to break music." Basically, it works to connect the dopest new artists with the people who are going to push their careers forward.
Tonight's Sound Select featured Blue, The Misfit, a Dallas-based producer and rapper. Ten years ago, Blue began his music career as a producer, and since then has composed tracks for top artists such as Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, and Mac Miller. Over the years, Blue also began channeling some of his creative energy into songwriting, eventually leading him to produce an EP and his first album, Child In The Wild, which will be released next week on May 7, via RedBull.com.
Sound Select held an exclusive preview of Child In The Wild which features artists like Ab-Soul and Paris from A.Dd+. The beats have a very West-Coast sound, similar to members of Black Hippy, while Blue's flow is on par with artists like Big K.R.I.T and even A$AP Ferg. The production, mostly done by Blue himself, is incredible, and, in my opinion, distinguishes Blue from other rappers in the game.
The album features Ab-Soul, Paris and Slim from A.Dd+, Tony Williams, Sam Loud, Xavier, J.T. and Snow Tha Product. His entire concept focuses on living life how you want to as an individual, being reckless, and being a rebel, all while keeping childhood within yourself.
Currently, Blue is not touring, but is hoping to work on an album-release party with Red Bull. He will do his first post-release show at Gumbofest in Denton, Texas, on May 11, and will also be featured on Child In The Wild takeover on "Life from the Underground" with Jay Wil.
Q: Who are your primary influences as a producer and a rapper?
A: I've always been influenced by a lot of producers. Timbaland is the producer that made me want to make beats in the first place, and of course, Kanye West. Kanye West has dropped two albums that have changed my life completely, the first being 808s and Heartbreaks and the second being Yeezus. Dangermouse, who did the Gnarls Barkley albums, also changed my life. As an artist, currently Childish Gambino has been a real influence, as well as Kid Cudi. I would love to at least co-produce an album with Kid Cudi--that's a dream of mine.
Q: What do you think about Kid Cudi's new music compared to his older work?
A: I'm not the biggest fan of Indicud...I mean, I love Kid Cudi and I always will, but Indicud is the first album he produced himself and it didn't really come off the way he wanted it to, I think. His newest album [Satellite Flight] is better. There are a lot of instrumentals that I could do without, but the songs themselves are really great. Kid Cudi is unique and original, so I will always admire him regardless of what he does.
Q: Any other influences?
A: I listen to a lot of different music, so people like Crystal Castles are an influence, and Portugal, The Man. I listen to a lot of different music.
Q: Do you get any inspiration from rock & roll?
A: Definitely. Another band that changed my life is System of a Down. They are probably the best hard rock band I have ever heard in my life. Lincoln Park changed my life early on, but not as much now. I liked them when they first came out.
Q: In the future, who are some artists you would like to work with?
A: I want to work with the people that influence me: Kid Cudi; Gambino; Kanye would be a dream, [not only as a collaboration] but also as a mentor. I'm doing my own thing now and finding my own sound, but anything Kanye does, for me, is perfect. He's always changing his sound and knows how to be versatile--he knows how to switch it up and be fresh at the same time, and I would like to do that long-term as well. I would also love to work with Danger Mouse, Cee-Lo Green, The Gorrillaz, even though they're done, because Demon Days changed my life. There are a lot of artists, but those are the main people I can think of off of the top of my head that I think I need to work with. Oh, and also Travis $cott, because I feel like he is to Houston what I am to Dallas--he's unique and different for Houston and I'm unique and different for Dallas and I would love for us, as the new age in Hip-Hop, to collaborate.
Q: You worked on your album for two years. What all went into creating the album?
A: It was producing and writing, but mainly producing. Producing starts everything; as I produce I come up with ideas and think, "oh, this concept would fit perfectly with this beat," and, "this line could fit here." I have full control over everything once I start producing. Over the two years, I had a lot of different concepts for the album, some that worked and some that didn't work. It was a whole progression between then and now, and it was a lot of hard work. I put all of my energy into it and I'm really proud of how it came out. I almost shed a tear tonight because this is my baby. I don't want to do anything in life but make music and tour, and for me to go from where I started, making crappy songs, to progressing and becoming a better rapper and producer, has shaped who I am today. This album reflects the growth that I've had since my first EP. It has been a hell of a ride, but it's been amazing and I'm happy with the album and where I am as a person. It's been fun.
Q: The concept of the album is about being rebellious, but I noticed your mom is also here and is clearly a big supporter. Typically, rebellious children don't have a good relationship with their parents, so what has your relationship been like with your parents and how has that influenced your work?
A: My mom listened to a lot of slow jams. She used to listen to Anita Baker, Sade, Tony Braxton, Tony! Toni! Toné!--all these R&B, soulful acts--and I think because she liked those acts so much, I kind of rebelled against those. My dad always played hard rap--Dr. Dre's The Chronic and Snoop Dogg--and I always wanted to hear something hard. My dad was born and raised in L.A., so he knows L.A. My mom was born in New Orleans, so she knows soul. But I found a way to embrace my dad's hard side and my mom's soft side.
Q: I definitely hear that in your music because it's not necessarily hard, but it's not mushy either. You can hear the emotion in your music.
A: Exactly, and I wanted to make sure that came across in my music. My music is really reckless and wild, but if you listen to it deeply, you realize there's a lot of heart-felt aspects that go into it. I was willing to put myself out there. I have a track called "Another Day" with Ab-Soul and Paris from A.Dd+ that talks about how my mom thought I was a failure for not finishing college and my dad thought I was a failure for not finishing sports. I'm letting myself out there emotionally, but at the same time I'm having fun. I'm not hard, but I'm not soft.
Q: I think staying true to yourself is important in being successful. Would you agree?
A: Yeah, definitely. I'm having fun, I'm embracing myself, and I'm comfortable with myself. I'm letting everybody know that I'm comfortable with myself and there's nothing they can tell me to do differently. I don't care what people think about my sound, it's me. Lyrics, too. I don't care what people think about my lyrics, they're me. You should stick to what you're comfortable with and what makes you, you. Whatever your influences are, make that a part of who you are and then promote what you like. That's what makes you special, and that's basically what the album is about.
Q: You worked with Ab-Soul and Kendrick Lamar. What have you learned from them?
A: The first thing I learned from them was if you have a hot song, release it. Never hold anything back because a lot of artists think, "This is a great song, I'm going to hold onto it and release it when I'm great." If you ever have anything great, release it so that the world can know. Then you can build your buzz. Second, if there is anything I ever learned from TDE [Top Dawg Entertainment], it is consistency. Be comfortable with yourself and show the world whatever you feel like you're great at on a consistent level because people will respect that. If I show that I'm original and dope on a consistent basis, people will respect that. If I do one sound one day and another sound another day, everyone will be confused. I feel like consistency is the key to any success story.
Blue was one of the most humble artists and people I have ever talked to. His music in combination with his character are going to bring him to the top. Listen to some of his music below and be sure to look out for his album on RedBull.com, dropping May 7!
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