Interview Series
Part 1
From Atlanta, USA, to Lagos, Nigeria, and now to Northampton, England. The interview series is back showcasing grassroot talents and their community state. This time reporting live from NN, we meet three underground artists from Northampton, eachone with plans to join the next generation of sound from out the East Midlands. The following voices have been tape recorded and transcribed into writing for your reading pleasure.
Name: REMIEWORLD
Base: Area of Northampton
Age: 20
#The scene { It is 11:25 AM. Reporting live from the back Garden of the Wetherspoon pub. Months of messaging back and forth. We finally set a date for the interview. In 2 hours Remie is leaving Northampton for Watford. In the meantime, two pints of Stella Artois sit on the Table glimmering gold. Frosty cold under a perfect morning Sun. Remie insists on covering the tab, he settles and takes a sip. }
Q: Do you feel pressure to relocate to the big city in search of opportunities you would not otherwise find here in Northampton?
[Smile] I've had this conversation before. Obviously, In London there are a lot more opportunities, in terms of exposure and more connections. London is where it's at. Compared to Northampton, no one cares about Northampton!.. If anything this pushes me even more. I know I'm not from that 'big city', so I accept I'll have to work twice as hard. Artists like Slowthai are a big inspiration. He literally grew up around the corner - I've seen it can be done. And obviously, you've got to embrace where you're from. Cus’ really and truly, the 'small town' is where all the heart is. Plus I've got to write about what I know, I've got to put Northampton in there. It's where I'm from.
Q: When did you start making music?
In 2015.
Q: What's been the biggest challenge since then?
I feel nowadays people want to be Independent anyways. We hear the stories of artists locked in 360 deals. I definitely feel with social media you don't need a record deal. The biggest example is happen for a reason, It's like I needed to go through that to be a bit more consistent with my music. But then again it goes both ways, for me being stuck at home meant there wasn't a lot to pull from and write about.
Q: Social Media has provided artists with tools to promote their music, create a personal brand and find audiences. Would you say having a record deal is as appealing as it once was?
I feel nowadays people want to be Independent anyway. We hear the stories of artists locked in 360 deals. I definitely feel with social media you don't need a record deal. The biggest example is D-Block Europe, they did that whole sh!t independently. Obviously there is the flip-side. Not all record deals go bad. But again, if you are signed to a record deal and you happen to be the little artist - naturally the record labels pay more attention to the bigger artist. I don't want my sh!t to get left in the background. I want to be a part of my own journey.
Q: From your first EP, North Faced, to your latest, Born Six Feet. There has been a shift in your sound. Would you agree? , and would you say you have found your own unique sound?
Definitely there's been a shift. Although at the moment I wouldn't say I have found my sound. I'm not at the top - - yet. I don't know what my sound is gonna' be in five years time. But, at present I feel like I have found a sound that I want to pursue. The North Faced EP was a lot more experimental, I freestyled most of the tracks on there. With Born Six feet it was all hand written, I wanted more lyrical stuff on there. Artists today tend to release the same stuff over and over again, with my music I wanna stay evolving.
Q: Hypothetical ~ you are a Castaway on an Island and you can only bring 3 albums with you. What 3 albums would you bring?
[He Laughs, followed by a brief pause.] The first album would be Infinite by Eminem. I know it sounds generic, being a white guy and liking Eminem. But I like the way he never gave a sh!t, and you could tell he grew up around what he rapped about, It wasn't forced. That's how I wanna be. The second album would probably be Original Pirate Material, by The Streets. The Third, Nirvana, throw a bit of Rock-n-roll in there.
Q: Suppose, out of the 3 albums, you had to leave one behind. Which of the 3 albums would you leave for posterity sake?
[Long pause] Nirvana by Nirvana.
Q: How would you define Success?
Success?! [Brief pause] Happy, success is being happy. Nowadays, especially with social media people can easily fake success, everything you see online isn't life. I know it sounds generic, but truly I don't f!ck with material sh!t, I never have. Success means different things to different people. For me when I make it, not if but when I make it, I'm not gonna buy things I don't need. A normal life being able to live happily doing what I love to do, is success to me.
The End.
A GREASEDELBOW INTERVIEW
Instagram : @Remieword
Support and Checkout Remie’s latest Track on ~ Spotify ~Youtube ~Apple Music
Published: 17/09/2021.
Written by Dan O. Eboka.
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