TRIPPIE REDD x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

With the new wave of genre-bending hip hop comes a lot of questions. Is the art moving in the right direction? Does it still touch base with why the movement began in the first place? Are we teaching the youth and uplifting the culture? Old vs. young energy can be explosive and is a cornerstone of the industry but it’s easy to get lost in the millions of new artists popping up everyday with less-than-original artistry to offer.

 It’s easy to agree though that Trippie Redd is one of those young artists who’s doing it right. His energy, knowledge and most importantly sound are genre-defying, eclectic and real.  For that, he’s respected by those that have paved the way for him beforehand, and the respect is mutual. 

"I grew up listening to J. Cole, he's hard, one of the GOATs. He is a rapper, he gives you nothing but bars and lyrical play. I really appreciate him and f*ck with his music because he's doing something for the culture. I don't just listen to y'all other rappers, I play y'all songs like 3 times, the rest of the time I'm playing rap music, J. Cole.”

Trippie’s music is able to have two feet in different worlds. He knows and is inspired by the past, but is focused on pushing forward towards the future. He did after all grow up during what could arguable be called a golden-age for hip hop. "What made Watch The Throne so special? The king of New York and the king of Arts do a whole project together. Beat-wise, flawless, amazing. Wordplay - The king of New York, and the king of Arts going at it, and it's just crazy bro."

High Klassified x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

One day, High Klassified’s medium-sized afro and precariously placed comb are going to go down a legendary look. For now, the young Montreal producer is making waves that will make him go down a legend for much bigger reasons. His sound is unique, powerful and contains worldly influences that speak to his history and upbringing. 

"I've been working with The Weeknd since 3 years ago (..) I get this phone call from Abel & he tells me, you know the song you sent me - we got Future on it. I'm just in the grocery store, with all my healthy stuff in my basket, and then my phone died! When Future played HNDRXX live on Apple Music, Comin Out Strong was like the 2nd song. Being in the studio with Abel, any beats I play, he's just singing - he finds a melody. I was mind blown, like oh sh*t he's a real artist, there's nobody behind him writing songs for him or whatever.

His work in recent months with some of the worlds biggest artists are leaving his city on edge and excited for what’s to come in the young powerhouse’s career. He’s already defining his name and pushing forward on a new wave of hip hop that’s coming out of Montreal. Undoubtedly, High Klassified is poised to do some major things in this industry for some time to come. 

YBN NAHMIR & ALMIGHTY JAY x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

Anyone who’s been paying attention to the recent waves knows how much potential, and just how powerful the YBN crew may be one day. With a strong collective mindset that mirrors the likes of the A$AP crew, they’ve been slowly but steadily rising over the past few years. 

Alongside others like YBN Cordae, Nahmir is one of the leaders of the group who’s proven his versatility is almost unmatched right now. All that talent and work ethic at such a young age is putting these young trailblazers in a good place for the future. 

"Chief Keef got a big influence on the rap game. He paved the way [for the new wave]. Chief Keef was a big influence on us, I can't even lie to you.” Being influenced by the right people is what allows the new wave to keep on the path to new sounds and creative dispositions. It’s what allows the genre to continue forming. 

"Everybody just put the Mario Kart beat on, with the autotune turned all the up way to 150, and just be in there mumbling harmonies and sh*t, that's weak to us. We some old, young n*ggas - we really listen to rap, we don't do no mumbling sh*t. We can really rap.” 

Undoubtedly they can, with their skillful lyricism and genre-bending sounds theres no telling where the young YBN crew is headed. 

CYPRESS HILL x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

Legends never call themselves legends. They put their heads down and do one simple thing: work. Cypress Hill is easily one of the most iconic duos we’ve been blessed with in the world of hip hop and today they sit casually amongst a black couch to let some of their thoughts loose. 

“I think that’s for everyone else to decide. [Whether we are legends.] We consider ourselves artists.” 

As important as it is to let the younger generations innovate and explore new sounds, it’s as vital to keep our eyes and ears on the history of where this art form came from. Both sides can teach and learn a lot from the other, and without that synergy we don’t move forward. Cypress Hill’s effort in keeping an eye on the youngins’ but always allowing them to do their own thing is the right perspective to have. 

"Kendrick helped bring the coast back, he definitely has the side that Pac had to him, that one dynamic that translated to both worlds, where he could be in the pop world and right here on the street level. He's a very special emcee.”

As always, they leave you with one simple piece of advice: “if you could see yourself doin’ it, and believe you can do it, then somebody’s gotta do it, it’s gotta be you. Keep the head up and stay positive minded.”

BOONK GANG x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

A first look at Boonk and one might hold the preconception that he’s an eccentric and wild young man, which he really is. Though beneath the maze of tattoos that are found across his exterior is an intelligent artist currently on the rise. Much like his heroes growing up: Boonk prides himself on being real with people, saying what he wants to say and acting the way he wants to act. 

"Growing up I listened to a lot of Slim Shady, when I watched his videos, I just felt his demeanor, he meant everything he said. I could just see that realness in his eyes, and he sounded good too. I listened to a lot of Eminem.”

Like Eminem, Boonk has also had his fair share of trials which are the most important form of growth. It’s how one learns from these experiences that defines how far they can go.  "The high felt good, but I was losing track of my motherf*cking life, drugs are not where it's at,” he says. “I have way more fun being sober than being on drugs, I see that now. I don't wanna smoke, I don't want no xans, no percs, no molly, no coke, no nothing!”

METRO BOOMIN x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

As always, his signature bandana wrapped tightly across his brow, Metro Boomin is relaxed, his demeanour calm. He is the archetype young legend and one of the most innovative producers to ever grace the earth. At just 24 years old Young Metro has garnered hits with the best of the best including Migos, 21 Savage, Big Sean and of course Gucci Mane.  

"Starting trap music, you always gotta mention Gucci Mane, Jeezy, T.I. You gotta mention the producers, Zaytoven, Shawty Redd, Drumma Boy, Fatboi, they really pioneered the sound. Even before all the trap now, you gotta remember the whole Memphis sound, that's really what influenced my sound. I grew up, loved Three 6 Mafia. To me, they just had better flows, better beats than everybody.“

However despite all the A-list artists that have managed to work with the young phenom, there’s one artist that is carving out his own lane entirely.

"Musically, Future is on a whole other level. He's a legend for sure, when it's all said and done, definitely a legend. It's just taking time for more people to understand. You know OutKast came out initially everyone was like this sh*t is wack, Russell Simmons said them n*ggas was wack. It was just so new that they couldn't digest it as well. Just now people are going back and listening to "Honest", but they didn't appreciate it then.”

When it’s all said and done, Young Metro will undoubtedly be up there with some of the greatest producers ever. Thankfully he’s barely entering his prime and there’s no ceiling for a talent like him. 

SONNY DIGITAL x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

Sonny Digital is kicking back against the mirror, his ‘fro shyly poking out of his headband and bandana get up. As one of today’s elite producers Sonny has an untainted view into the industry and all of its inner workings. For most music listeners, they’re quite unaware of how the systems actually work and which artists tend to get promoted. As Sonny explains, even radio play is something that is controlled by money in this industry. 

"It's payola, people paying for the radio every day. I didn't believe it until somebody was like next week this song right here is gonna be number 1 because they just cut the bag on this, and then boom next week it was number one. It's payola.”

Regardless, he keeps his head down and on his grind, pushing his envelope to get even bigger and bigger each year. Moreover, to keep that innovation he craves at the forefront of his art form he remembers where his first inspirations always came from. 

"I feel like Young Jeezy really did that sh*t (originated Trap music), Shawty Redd beats kinda fit the setting too. When you talking trap music it can't be all uptempo, that sh*t gotta sound grimey and nasty. That's what Jeezy and Shawty Redd was doing at the time, that's where trap music came from for me."

6IX9INE x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

Lying comfortably atop his bed in his Austin, Texas hotel room, his rainbow-coloured hair flowing lusciously across his pillow, 6IX9INE seems relaxed and at home. His face (and entire body for that matter) is strewn with ink detailing an entire galaxy of secrets that only the artist himself truly knows the meaning of. Many who might cross his path likely fear him, based on his looks alone. However at the heart of it all is a truly genuine and humble young hustler currently taking over one of the most magnanimous cities on the planet, New York. 

"I f*ck with Pac heavy bro, Pac is a big inspiration to me, Biggie's a huge inspiration to me,” he says, discussing his education on hip hop. “Pac's Troublesome '96, bro, that's my life.” Too many people are counting out Tekashi for his odd-ball approach to the game, however it’s that specific approach that has brought him so many followers, and with it, enough naysayers to put someone down for good. Not enough for an artist like 6IX9INE though, he’s stronger than that. He’s come from a city where blood and sweat is the only ticket out. 

"DMX, he's a huge inspiration to me, I dont think he f*ck with me though, but I always pay homage. DMX is my inspiration from New York, and 50 - I love 50 blood, but we never spoke. I think that's the thing with New York, nobody ever reaches out. You see Atlanta always sticks together, Gucci Mane always does a song with the upcoming artists, like I co-sign this. New York don't work like that, and that sh*t is wack.”

Hopefully, things begin to change soon and we find New York artists banding together to create the dream-team we’ve all been waiting for. 

ROY WOODS x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

In the past decade Toronto has risen to become one of the worlds top destinations for music and arts. As hip hop takes on the new mantle as the ‘most listened to’ music in the industry, the city and the artists that call it home will be the ones leading the charge into new and uncharted territories. 

Roy Woods is one of those artists. Patiently taking his time to develop his craft in recent years among some of the cities (and even the world’s) top talents, Woods has been cautiously making his way paying meticulous attention to the details that will propel him to the most revered stages, and in the echelons that house the magnates who’ve inspired him to make it this far. 

"Michael Jackson was that guy, had the girls crying, people going to the hospital fainting and sh*t. The songs he made, and how he just made me feel is forever, timeless. I was Michael Jackson for Halloween, for four years in a row, back then I could moonwalk. He was a huge inspiration to me, people refer to me like ‘you're the next Michael’, I never expected that, I never thought about that, I just love his music.”

Even so, Roy Woods has been able to gain notable mentors currently dominating the industry and learn from the absolute best as a part of the OVO squad. "Drake's still running sh*t, I was 12 years old, I was in grade 7 bro, I'm 20 now. This guy's on top of the world and he just keeps going, he doesn't stop, he doesn't slow down, he's consistent as f*ck. Drake opened that gateway for Toronto, a city that never had music.”

As Woods and other artists from his hometown continue pushing the wave for great new music and artistic excellence, they all hope to bring up other artists like themselves along the way. 

“There’s so much talent that's out there and people are scared to be able to use em because ‘there’s so many people in this field, it’s really hard, it’s like a one in a million’- no, why the f*** are you gonna put your mind in that state when you have the talent already… I wanna help people find a way [to accomplish their dreams.]”

N.O.R.E. x MONTREALITY ⌁ Interview

The white lamp with small red decals that almost resemble little sharks flickers on, and N.O.R.E. settles into his seat upon the black leather couch. He’s wearing an all-black tee that has “TRAPXGOD” strewn across the chest in yellow print (except the X is actually replaced by a pair of scissors.)

N.O.R.E. has been around the block more than once and through those twists of fate, has picked up enough wisdom for more than a couple lifetimes. Fortunately he’s still an active member in the industry and is consistently doing his part to educate the younger artists entering the scene today. 

"We do not stay 21 forever, I tried. Doing a history lesson on rap is actually fun as f*ck. Me and DJ Drama had a conversation he said Lil Uzi Vert doesn't know who DJ Premier is, he's only 20 years old it's not his fault - I told him, you're right, it's your fault. (..) When old dudes aren't able to hang around and relate, the easiest thing to do is hate, the easiest thing to do is say ‘in my days…’ If you ignore what's going on right now, that's the definition of what makes you old. There shouldn't be kids who don't know who DJ Premier, Biggie, Nas, Big L, Big Pun are.”

Thankfully, artists like N.O.R.E. are the ones who are going to keep that history alive. Any up and comer that doesn’t have respect for the pioneers that built the craft before them has no place in hip hop. Fortunately for us, we have gatekeepers like N.O.R.E. to educate, not only on the history of the craft, but life in general. 

“I don’t think we should know why we’re here,” he says as a final thought. “I think life isn’t meant to be understood… the minute you understand life, you die. That’s life.”