Washington DC emcee 431 is doing his thing. We cornered the young emcee to pick his brains for a few mins.
How long have you been making music and who were some of your earlier influences?
Just for fun proably around the time I was ten years old. On serious level about two years ago around age eighteen. Influences for me are people like John Lennon, Miles Davis, Anita Baker,John Coltrane, Oasis, Jay-Z, Raekwon, UGK and Nas. Although most of the people I named are not MC’s. They had a certain quality and aesthetic to their their art that I highly respect.
What is the significance of 431?
The name came from the apartment building I spent most of my life in. I did everything in that building from rhyming,to fighting,hustled, first girlfriend, lost my virginity,learned valuable life lessons such as loyalty. 431 one for me is a sense of home and humble beginnings. There was older lady name Rudy who lived on the 6th floor who had the illest vinyl collection I would go to her home and listen to everything from Al Green to the Afghan Whigs.
How would describe your sound?
My body of sound is vast its where ambient meets the underground. I sing on a lot of my own songs. It’s random in a sense I don’t want to sound cliché but its just whatever I’m feeling at the time honestly. Beat selection plays a big part in it as well but I like to incorperate all genres of music and fuse it into my sound
Would you describe yourself as a hipster? What do you think of the whole hipster movement?
A hipster not at all love. I’ve never been one for trends growing up moms couldnt afford them she taught us to be fresh on the bare minimum were were regulars at the salvation army. So a lot of this “vintage” look that the youth go for nowadays its something I’ve been doing style wise. I applaud the hipster movement in a way it makes the youth ambitious and deep thinkers a lot of my friends have their own clothing lines, blogs, video production teams, they’re focusing their energy into something positive.
What is your favourite track of your own and why?
“Million Miles” would have to be that song for me although I love them all, that song means a lot to me I came up with the idea for the song a year after my older brother kevin passed away he was the inspiration behind the record. He always encouraged me to do whatever I had to do to see my dreams come to fruition.
Who is in your ipod right now?
Um.. lets see yo… Afghan Whigs, Oasis, the new King Krule Ep their music is amazing, my bro AnkhTrinity, Biggie, Frank Sinatra, Jamie XX, Slum Village, Washed Out, James Blake, A Tribe Called Quest, that new Pabst & Jazz by Asher Roth, and Nina Simone.
Last book you read?
Skippy Jon Jones and the Doghouse by Judith Byron Schachner . It’s this funny childrens book.
Favourite flavour ice cream?
Double Chocolate Brownie. (I sound fat) *laughs*
Person you’d LEAST like to collab with?
Silkk The Shocker
Dream collab?
Alexi Murdoch
What can we expect in 2012 from 431?
New Singles , more videos, a lot of shows. SXSW God willing, and a follow LP up to my latest release “Euphoria Abstract” and the new website WWW.CDXXXI.COM
Washington DC emcee 431 is doing his thing. We cornered the young emcee to pick his brains for a few mins.
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