The knowledge of English and the way words work is obviously a key component to being a great MC. Although times have shifted and melodies do hold clout musically, there still has to be a strong lyrical presence and structural composition to even be considered one of the best. That being said, it would make sense that someone who is an English teacher would be able to excel, right? That is surely the case for MC Bravado.
Hailing from Baltimore by way of New York, Bravado brings sharp lyricism and focus to his music. His sound brings back memories of rap’s golden age, with elements from the boom-bap era of The 90’s. The poignant style of writing he possess has caught on to more and more fans, leading to placement in some of the industry’s top platforms like HipHopDX, ThisIs50 and others.
The next chapter is beginning to unfold for MC Bravado. With a new album, aptly titled Hip-Hop*, on the way March 3rd it seems like the sky is the limit as 2017 pertains to him. Strong releases to date piqued the interest here at 1DF to learn more about what makes MC Bravado tick. Luckily we were granted the chance for an interview which you can read in full below.
For anyone who may be getting an introduction to you tell me who is MC Bravado?
I’m a rapper/English teacher/writer from Baltimore by way of NY. My new AKA is Yung Lithium aka “Nevermind.” I can count on one hand the number of artists with my combination of technical intricacy, dense songwriting, and eclectic versatility in the game today. Most of the shit deconstructed on Genius pales in comparison to what I do, and I mean that in the least humble, most disrespectful way possible.
How did you get your introduction to hip-hop? Was it a culture you were always into when you were younger?
I have to credit “The Score” with really selling me on hip-hop. As a collective, The Fugees embodied all of the things that I hang my hat on, and Lauryn Hill is the Alpha and the Omega of the “best femcee” debate.
I fell in love pretty young as that album came out when I was about ten. (Sidebar: PaceWon was on that album, the Fugees’ second album, and now he’s featured on my upcoming [and second] album, over 20 years later. The Universe MANNN…) It was also the beginning of the Bad Boy golden era so even the biggest hits on radio possessed a level of lyricism, clout, and oftentimes gravitas that you rarely find today. Hip-Hop isn’t dead; it just tends to be harder to find. Back then, the stuff popping in the clubs and on the radio tended to come with a lot more substance and execution. It was my escape and my punk rock as a kid. I got lost in it and I rebelled to it; it very much shaped me as an artist and an individual.
Who are some of the artists you would say helped to shape your own style and what do you like about them?
Aside from the aforementioned, I got really into the whole Def Jux and Eastern Conference movements, respectively (although they did quite a bit of overlapping in terms of artists and collaborations). Guys like Aesop and El-P taught me that it was OK to be a little more abstract. Artists like Cage shaped my subject matter and mood at points and continued to push that punk rock feel. Copywrite taught me how to punch (years later he produced and rhymed on a track of mine).
Rhymesayers has to be included in this conversation as well. You can definitely hear Eyedea in my structure and technicality; you can hear Brother Ali in my passion and delivery, and you can hear Slug in my storytelling sensibility.
Apathy and Lupe Fiasco also influenced me quite a bit and Andre3000 taught me that there really weren’t any rules in this hip-hop shit.
When you first started rapping were you at all apprehensive? I know at times the hip-hop community can be pretty judgemental to different races and backgrounds. Did you ever experience any of that or has it always been love?
I really wasn’t man. It always felt natural. I’ve always been a smartass but an insecure one at that, so it served as my defense mechanism and “Bravado” clad armor from early on. I was never athletic, but now I’m making money doing what started as me drunkenly freestyling and battling at parties to ensure I received the kind of attention the athletes were getting. Nowadays most of them aren’t that athletic anymore and none of them are playing professional sports. I’ve gotten better with age 🙂
Doubling as an English teacher is an interesting path for a rapper. How do you feel it both benefits and hurts you as you try to navigate as an MC?
I think it benefits me because I keep a pulse on the youth and also have to constantly hone my critical thinking by reading, revising, editing, and critiquing the written word. It keeps me exceedingly sharp as I never really have a reprieve from critical thinking and figurative language of any kind. I think it hinders me to an extent because teaching is exceedingly demanding if you’re doing it right, particularly in the inner city. The amount of paperwork I have to grade can be pretty nauseating. Kids may moan and groan when I hand out a 4 page essay assignment, but I like to remind them that they aren’t the ones that have to sort through 400 pages when it’s all said and done. Another worry is that I may put my foot in my mouth and offend someone, but that worry continues to dissipate as I trek further into all of this.
Do your students listen to any of your music? If so how do they feel about the dynamic of you being a rapper?
More and more of my students are picking up my music. I think it enhances my cool and my authenticity in their eyes. I’m also exposing them to QUALITY hip-hop. The more thinking they’re doing when sifting through lyrics and the more they’re reciting lyrics from their chest as opposed to mumbling nonsensical garbage, the happier I am. I’m trying to reinvigorate this artform from the ground up. It starts with the kids and MC Bravado is for the children.
Switching gears to this new project you have coming up. What can you tell us about your overall goal going into its creation?
I wanted to make the album of my life, and I did. This showcases everything that I’m capable of. An asterisk is indicative of an omission and what must be explained further. All of my lyrics require keen listening and unpacking, and I’ve yet to receive my just due and place among the greats. Maybe we can scratch out the asterisk and the bravado when that happens. I also want this to smash anything I’ve ever done in terms of outreach and really bolster my journey towards that next tier; that “level up” that will allow me to be a full time musician. So far we’ve only released a teaser and the single. The main course comes 3/3 (courtesy of Soulspazm), and the rollout of all kinds of content will continue into the summer. As far as the trajectory of the goal goes, so far so good.
How do you feel it compares to your previous work?
It’s the best thing I’ve done in terms of overall execution. There’s not really anything that I can point out on there and say “I could’ve done better.” That’s a first for me. I’m documented OCD and am beyond meticulous: I’m obsessive. I wrote and rewrote, I drafted and redrafted; I recorded and re-recorded; we mixed and remixed. We planned, and planned and planned in terms of this release, and now: we’re here.
What’s your favorite song from the project and why?
I would have to say “Dead Man’s Dream.” It’s a song about my Dad and my Grandfather (who passed many years ago). It’s all live instrumentation (including my Dad on the guitar) and was not only exceedingly well-written and executed but is truly as meaningful and important a song as I have ever done. My Dad has been as instrumental as anyone in my life and probably more influential than anyone in terms of my relationship with music. To have him on the song means more than I can even articulate.
How do you feel it will be received by the people when they hear it for the first time?
I think there’s something for everyone. Even those who don’t necessarily rock with my approach will find a handful of undeniable joints. Those that “get it” will consider it a classic and in the “best album” conversation of 2017. This is where the storyteller, the bard, the intellectual, and the visceral go to meet…and to fuck this contemporary and golden era playlist on shuffle, somehow producing a beautiful accident that reeks of deliberate intent. That ganbang was the process and the tracklist and that baby’s name is Hip-Hop*.
Do you have any plans of touring after the release?
Absolutely. I’m doing an East coast run this summer. I’m planning a fantastic voyage from New England to Florida, and it’ll be in July and/or August.
What else do you have planned for the remainder of 2017?
The album rollout and tour will take me through most of summer. At the end of summer, I’m going to release another EP where my intent is “today’s sound done right, through my lens”. I’ll follow that with another LP, this time entirely produced by a member of my Cypher Junkies crew: Militant Marxman. The rollout for that will take us through 2017. There are already 4-5 more projects planned after that, some of which I’m already writing for. There will be videos, there will be ragers of shows, there will be a smorgasbord of face-melting content and collaborations, and there will be blood.
Any last words you would like to share before we conclude?
SALUTE EVERYONE that contributed to my album (including but not limited to: J57, OnCue, Teddy Roxpin, Nitty Scott, EP of The Doppelgangaz, KONCEPT, DeeJay Element, Real Deal, Tenacity, Brandon Lackey of the Lineup Room, DJ MooseJaw, Von Stacks, We Are The Stars, Kelly Louise Barton, MY POPS, Andrew Bryan, Soulspazm…EVERYONE on the credits). My Mom and girlfriend and all of the friends, fam, and FANS that make me.
Everyone made a big deal about Breezy and Soulja but what they really should be talking about is my open challenge to Yachty or Lil Uzi Vert for a rendezvous in the Octagon. Make it happen Dana White.
I am @MCBravado on all things social, get to know me there and on MCBravado.com .
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