Image from http://skinnyblunts.com
“Don’t call me a rapper cause that just don’t sound right, see rapper want plays and want to get paid not even make an impact just want to get round type, but me I’m bout hip hop” -Myke Bogan.
He is unlike anything you have heard before and has brought the 90s hip-hop sound back. Myke first started rapping during college while he was on a football scholarship. He really started to get busy in his artistic style after college, and was influenced by mainly 90s rappers; The Fugees, Lauren Hill, and Biggie. While he was growing up he felt that rap and hip-hop were the most powerful kinds of music but as he got older he thought rap and hip-hop were losing what made it powerful and he believed that if these guys are doing it then so could he. Mainly though, he had ideas and thoughts that he wanted to be heard. It began as a hobby, but then after scrapping, it just turned into something great. People would approach him and either tell him he was decent or really good. After getting feedback, he began rapping to YouTube beats. After that, he began putting out CDs and people loved them. In my interview with Myke Bogan he answered a few questions and told me about his life:
Q: I understand that there is a lot of difficulty that comes along with the studio and everything that goes into making an album. Can you tell me some of the difficulties that you had.
A: Yes, first and foremost was finding an engineer that had good quality and had stuff for hip-hop. There are plenty of studios and engineers to go to, but its like do they have your sound and do they like you? Or do they like new age rap? Unfortunately, there is a lot of auto tune and club base music. After that it was really financially. A good student cost $40 to $60 bucks an hour and being a college student it was hard to budget it.
Q: Speaking of auto tune, would you ever put that into your music?
A: I want to say never because it is so cliché and overdone. It seems like any time they can sneak it in they do, or they use a pitch enhancer to help them. I try to go left when everybody goes right.
Q: Artist like Pitbull and Flo Rida use some short of Indie or Pop and then they will go back to rap. Do you like that idea or is it cliché?
A: I think Flo Rida has good club base music, but you know, it seems fake to me when he crosses back over. I don’t usually listen to new music. I like The Fugees and Biggie.
Q: Who would you say in your regular life and in your artist life most influences you?
A: My regular life is my mom and the way she supports me through everything. It’s kind of hard when your kid says he is going to be a senior in college and he is going to dropout to become a rapper. In my rapper life, Kendrick Lamar. He is so different from other rappers. Then there is Biggie and The Fugees.
Q: The Fugees were a very influential band and I hear some of your style like theirs. Do you think you will head in that direction?
A: Yes, once I get in the game and get establish I will head that way because I want to pull people back to real hip hop.
Q: Where do you think hip-hop will go in the next few years?
A: It’s hard to say. I feel like it’s trying to come back. Drake is trying to bring it back. The game is still swamped with lame rappers. The guys that are making a big influence are the ones that can bring hip-hop back.
Q: Was it hard for you because there are a lot of upcoming rappers? Would you change to become mainstream?
A: Never! I would never cross over or switch up just to be known.
Q: The first time you walked on stage were you nervous?
A: I was super nervous. Its different from chilling with 6 of your friends compared to performing in front of 300 people. I’ve done so many shows now that I don’t get as nervous. I just countdown till the show starts.
Q: Do you take constructive criticism well?
A:Yes, there will always be haters but you have to keep it positive.
Q: Will you ever have orchestra instruments in your songs?
A: Definitely, I love to be different and I believe that is it. I love to hear Jay-Z in concert because he always has orchestra in the background.
Q: Lastly, what is the best advice you could give to an upcoming rapper?
A: Put everything into your music. Speak true. Never give up and push push push. Always be yourself and don’t ever change. Follow your dream, that’s all you can do.
You can find Myke Bogan on:
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/myke-bogan
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh51NETgjVe154Y1YX
http://www.thesoundlapse.com/post/22205888696/myke-bogan-shot-caller
http://allhiphop.com/tag/myke-bogan/
http://www.facebook.com/Mykebogan
