Little Rock, Arkansas may not be the most noted name in rap history. Placed firmly between the Midwest and South, the state has a unique blend of culture but to say hip-hop has been represented in the fullest wouldn’t be the truest statement. As we all know though all things must change sometimes and rising artist SinClare is one of the many leading that revolution in his city limits.
Equipped with a flow that is as a smooth as butter on a biscuit, SinClare possesses a level of talent that has him set to make some serious headway in the coming months. Already having released successful projects such as Stoned Liberace, Small Town Hero, and more the rapper is mixing it up with his collaborative mixtape which is on the way. Titled DRIVE, the set will feature SinClare’s airy style combined with MXMXC labelmate Flashlight $lim’s own unique flair. Before the project’s release we were able to catch up with the MC to learn more about life in Little Rock, the music to come and much more.
To start let’s get more personal. Tell me about your upbringing and how it was for you growing up in Little Rock?
Growing up in Little Rock was cool. It wasn’t hard for me. I played sports growing up, rode dirt bikes, broke bones. I was a real neighborhood kid. I’m the younges, out of all my friends and siblings, so I’m old school oriented with a lot of things. I grew up in the John Barrow Community of Little Rock. My mother kept me and my sister in church. It was some tough times here and there, but nothing prayer didn’t bring us through. My pops was in my life. He is one of my major influences when it comes to music. I never really got in trouble because I’ve always liked nice clothes, money, girls, and things like that…and you can’t get any of that stuff locked up, so. I went to some rough schools too though. Not a lot of promise, violent, I seen some crazy things in LR, at a young age. That city will really take you under and eat you up if you’re not trying to be better, you know?
What do you think is the thing that makes your hometown unique?
Exactly where we are on the map is unique for Arkansas musicians. We are below the Mason Dixon but still kind of Midwest. You can hear it in some of the music pumped out of Arkansas. It’s not all a “dirty” south sound in comparison to other music in the region. We got that wavy, chill factor going on. Natural high music. You ever ride through North West AR, somewhere around the “FayetCHILL” area as we call it, you’d understand it a little bit more……and we have bomb weed in AR. If I can say that.
How do you feel about the overall rap scene in Little Rock? It’s not necessarily the most noted town in the culture.
I don’t like it. I hated it at one point. I like what its becoming though. When I first got hip to local rappers, when I was just in jr. high school, it seem like AR Dj’s were like “Push whatever artist sounds like they from Texas the most.” I guess since that’s a neighboring state, everybody wanted to sound like Lil Keke, Big Moe, rapping about drank and all that…It just wasn’t an original sound for me. It was stagnant. Nothing major was happening and we were outdated for a long time. When the younger crowds became more independent and started our own waves, that’s when I started enjoying the music scene here. It’s still political, so divided, but I can handle that. I’m just glad the more creative, cultured people are finally getting some recognition from the state.
Take me back to the day you made up in your mind officially that rapping seriously was something you wanted to do. What was that day like for you?
Well firstly, I been writing raps since I was 12. I battled cats at school and I use to rap battle on facebook. I was a kid, just trying to be like Cassidy and Serious Jonez. At age 15 though I was writing and recording songs for a group my sister’s boyfriend started. I wrote a verse, hopped in the booth and killed it my first time. Brought the song home to my big brothers and they went crazy. So I knew then at some point I would actually make a studio mixtape, I just didn’t know what point in life it would be. My friends loved to hear me freestyle and make beats on the table but I blew it off for a long time. I played around in dorm room studios, made some dope tracks, and again people would tell me, “bro you need to take rapping seriously.” I was a full-time student and athlete though and I didn’t want to mix the lifestyles.
One day I was on the bus coming back from Birmingham AL. I had just played in the 2012 SWAC championship football game. I knew I wasn’t going to the league. So my thought process was like, “okay what now..?”. I can’t lie man I love the lights, I love doing things people enjoy watching. I needed something to keep me going, keep me dreaming, aspiring, wanting. I already had some classic verses in my stash, was experienced in studio recording. That’s when I figured it was time. That was 2012. That day changed me because I been on 10 every since.
Since starting what have you found to be the most surprising thing about the music industry?
That it’s not so much about music anymore these days. For me it is but you have so many different creatives that may not rap, but could possibly expose you to the right fans just by collaborating. I’m working with designers and graphic artist now, taking pictures for them, showcasing merch for vendors. Some of them already have a following, and by helping them expand I’m putting myself out there as well. I thought that being a rapper meant locking yourself in the studio all day and night, but in 2016 there are more dynamics to tap into to get things going. I feel like if all you doing is rapping then you really not doing much.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome to date?
My biggest challenge thus far has been spreading my brand or wave to other cities. The tough part is that I don’t come from a big market, so I have to make myself appeal to people of Los Angeles or Houston. I have to find the commonalities within people from different areas, and giving people real reasons to want to hear my story. Marketing as well. With my label we take presentation and promotion seriously. That’s just as important as the music inside MXMXC. Finding better, convenient ways to spread the word around.
What did it teach you having to go through that lesson?
I’ve learned 3 things from my journey in music: You cannot be cheap, you can’t be afraid, and you have to give it 100%. Anything less and you’re just wasting time. I been to concerts in other cities, with no music on hand, no contact information, just thinking myself could get it done. Until I noticed guys who had cd’s, merch, something that represented them, were getting feedback from major people. So I really learned to budget effectively and invest in myself. Create avenues for myself.
What is your main purpose for making music? What emotions do you hope to evoke in the listener?
I want the person with all the odds stacked against them, the worst luck in the world, the person with absolutely no support, to hear my music and feel like they can take over the world. Simple. That’s what I represent and where I’m from represents that as well. I always ask people and myself, “what’s the difference between you and a Jay-Z?” The answer is nothing. You can do anything, you can have anything, but its work to be put in. It’s a grind. I love hustling, I love this stage I’m in now because I’m learning myself. I want to strike that fire in people to go out and be something, get your name in the paper, or on a building, something. It’s out here for the taking. Why not you? No matter the circumstances or where you come from. I’m a shark out here. I’m not waiting on acceptance or none of that from nobody. I send 100 emails a day. I write music every day. Because music is what I want to do. I should be able to do whatever it is I want to do and so should everyone else.
You have a really laid back style too is something that I have noticed. Who are some of the people you would say help inspired your current style of rhyme?
My early influences were Raekwon and Jay-Z. I like Raekwon because of how he rode the beat when he spit. So it was like, you can say some meaningful things, but in a jiggy way, and people can still dance or bop to it. It isn’t just all words, it’s a pattern, a rhythm. Feel me? Jay helped me go beyond the norms as far as rhyming. I wanted to use different words like him. I admire how he infused street and business into this whole mafia boss type swagger. That was dope to me. Jay made it cool to be smart and from the hood, so that’s forever big homie. Wiz and Curren$y are heavy influences simply because I love the culture of marijuana and I love older genres of music. Most samples they rap on I knew the real record at age 12 because of my dad. I’m a retrospective type person too. I also like catering to women in my songs too, so the smoothness is utilized for them to understand me better.
You’ve been on a good streak lately having dropped a well put together EP and several loose singles. What is next in terms of an official project from you?
Well I have a joint collaboration with my label mate Flashlight $lim that’s releasing this fall as a matter of fact. Titled ‘DRIVE’, make sure yall go peep that. Very different from the usual stuff we’ve done together. My next official project will be The Stoned Liberace 2, the sequel to my debut project.
Could we have any details on some of the upcoming music?
‘DRIVE’ will be something different if you’ve been following what MXMXC or myself has been doing since 2013. We changed directions a million times but I feel like it’s some of our best work ever. I’m working with some big name producers on Liberace 2. I’m trying to capture the same feeling as I did on the first one, just elevated. People love to hear you advance and branch out more, as well as be a little more freelance. But yeah, Stoned Liberace 2, gone be a nice one.
If you could accomplish one big thing by the end of 2017 what would you want that to be?
There’s a few things I want to do before the end of 2017. I want to go on tour. Or just a string of shows in other cities. I really like performing. I finally have my band together now, but we haven’t had any gigs yet. I just want to bring my vision to life through live performance. I’m ready to take that step. We’re in the process of building our own studio, that’s major for us. We can really tap into that creative space with that. I really want to work with a major artist as well. Somebody that’s on the same wave as me, but already established.
What do you have planned out for the remainder of 2016?
The remainder of 2016 is devoted to ‘DRIVE’. I have some visuals lined up for it. I’m going to push it for the remainder of the year. It’s the first body of work I’ve put out with Flashlight $lim so I’m excited to see how people will feel about it. We have different styles but they seem to mesh well. So that’s the tail end of my year in a nut shell. DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE.
What would you consider to be a little known fact about you?
I sing all my vocals. Well the ones on tracks thus far. I was in band coming up so singing and holding notes is not hard for me. I won’t rap long, hopefully I can fulfill my dreams as a soul singer. People laugh when I say that but I’m serious. I’m a huge Al Green fan, Aretha Franklin.
Is there anything else you would like to share before we wrap it up today?
I want to thank 1stDayFresh and Mr. Beamon for having me first and foremost. Also for all those who are on a mission, never give up. Always keep it pushing. Find whatever it is that motivates you and own it. You ever want to touch basis with me hit up my artist page on facebook (SinClare) – Twitter, Instagram, I don’t snapchat much but, SinClare_A1…… Stay tuned. Don’t sleep on me.
1stDayFresh.com 