Alex Dixon
Thu July 7, 2016 2:59 pm
Just a few week's ago we got to sit down with an artist that's putting some real witchcraft on to the internet, Salem. Check out the single to his upcoming "Yeah Ok" EP below and enjoy the interview.
The-Re-Up: What's the concept for your "Yeah Ok" EP?
Salem: The concept of my "Yeah Ok" EP is just me going through a lot of stuff with time and life and I'm finally just stepping out and being able to do my thing to my full capacity. Based off my network and everything I'm ready to go, I've got big things that I wanna do and I'm just trying to work as much as possible stay focused and get in the studio as much as I can. I write every day I stay up until fucking 3 - 4 in the morning. I've just been ready!
The-Re-Up: If you wanna perfect something you gotta put the time in.
Salem: Exactly, now I'm in a place that I can just devote my time to it, I mean I've been dipping and dabbling in making music for a couple of years now and it's like I'll be into it and then I'll be off the map for a second, I'll be working getting back to real life and all this other shit. Not that I couldn't be putting out music but I'm at the point where I feel like I can completely give all of my self and make the most sacrifices that I can to just make music and put some music out there you know, have people vibe with me and see what I'm fucking with.
The-Re-Up: How would you explain your sound?
Salem: My sound is kinda like melodic, it's kinda like "Witch House" mixed in with a little Trap ya know? I'm very metaphorical, I don't have like an all up in your face delivery, it's not too much but it's not too little at the same time. I'd just have to describe myself as Salem, just Witch Trap, you're gonna hear a lot of that on this EP and then you're gonna hear a bunch of singles that I've been sitting on.
The-Re-Up: Have places you've lived in the past affected your influences in music?
Salem: For sure, I spent some time in California, down in the bay and got some connects down there so that's one thing but I'm originally from Virginia. I'm heavily influenced by the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland Virginia area), Clipse, Pharrell, Pusha T, everyone always forgets that all those people are from the DMV and I'm heavily influenced by that right now. You know with our generation, the DMV is taking that sound and they're progressing, a lot of people are feeding off that energy and I'm feeding off that too. L.A. as far as West Coast rap is the hub for all the Trap, Atlanta is just now discovering that but it's like the roots are still in the DMV in my eyes.
Salem: It's becoming a melting pot because when you think about it, the last time L.A. really had their own sound was like N.W.A. It's just a lot of people discovering the West Coast and moving out towards the sun and the water and bouncing off of that. Originally I just get all my influence from the DMV.
The-Re-Up: What do you think of the state of the new school Rap scene is at the moment?
Salem: It's kind of hard to say but as far as where it's going right now, I'm loving that the internet is being used and fully extorted. I'm glad that people are starting to break free from the stigmas of internet rappers when realistically your interviewing me on a phone you know what I'm saying? so I'm all about it, you can connect with people from around the world that have never heard your music and don't even know you so the direction of music staying online rather than it being on wax or something like that is dope. Having the credential of sharing music online and then following up with shows, I'm really digging that wave. You can go to a city that you've never been too and they've just been fucking with your sound the entire time.