Interview: Submit
The other day, we caught up with Marietta, Georgia rapper Submit for a quick Q&A on his style and upcoming projects…
RS: So who is on your IPod right now?
Submit: uh. Charles Hamilton, Wale, Drake, Lupe, D.Julien. & J.Nolan…and myself [I have]a bunch of unfinished songs
RS: Nice!
Submit: and Cudi!
RS: You and everybody else!
Submit: ha-ha. [I] almost forgot about Cudder
RS: So, are those guys influences for you, or do you see them as your peers in the game?
Submit: Hamilton and Wale are huge influences. Drake’s more of a casual listen for me. And d.julien and Nolan are peers
RS: Gotcha
Submit: and Cudi’s an influence
RS: what do you feel that you get from Wale and Chuck? Or how do they influence you?
Submit: Charles on production and songwriting and melodies. He’s CRAZY with the samples and he has an amazing ability to incorporate and flip the meaning of the vocals in a sample. What’s odd is that I know he can’t sing but I enjoy listening to it
RS: Do you sing?
Submit: yeah.
RS: Do your own hooks?
Submit: I led singing in my church for years but only recently did I start recording it. Only on the songs on The Ruby in the Rough have I done some singing
RS: Ruby in the rough. That’s the project you’re working on now, right?
Submit: Yeah it’s actually REALLY close to being done. I’m working more so on The Mineshaft, [which is] dropping this Wednesday
RS: That’s the 3rd mixtape?
Submit: yeah.
RS: What is the focus of Mineshaft?
Submit: To lead to the gem (rubies). That’s the real focus of any mineshaft.
RS: I like that
Submit: It’s to understand the album more
RS: Ok, why ruby? Why not diamond?
Submit: Little known fact: rubies are more valuable than diamonds. I feel like in the world values certain traits in people and others are overlooked. Like diamonds vs. rubies
RS: Yeah. That’s good stuff
Submit: It goes a bit deeper but that’s the spark-noted version
RS: Is being overlooked despite your value part of your story?
Submit: Definitely. And even moreso on the college vs. music thing. It’s like it’s viewed as fleeing if you don’t follow the “American dream”…I’m still going to college though
RS: are you going part time?
Submit: Nah, Full-time.
RS: oh ok, then what’s the problem?
Submit: It’s just that if you’re a “rapper” you get looked at as taking the easy way out, [which is] not the case. I’m just following a dream.
RS: Well, college is not just about getting career training. There is a huge experiential part, but I’m not gonna lecture…you seem to have had enough of that
Submit: Ha-ha. I have. But that’s another part of why I’m going
RS: So what made you so passionate about the game?
Submit: Hmm, There are few things as pure as hip-hop
RS: in what way?
Submit It’s literally timeless. I was in American Eagle the other day and watched an old common video. I felt like I was watching one of my friends’ old home videos. It was one of the coolest experiences
RS: The concept that a person’s individual story can touch people with similar experiences is a big idea
RS: So, let’s talk about your story: Where are you from? How’d you get to where you are? And where do you want to go?
Submit: Grew up in Marietta. [I was a] regular kid. I have always been here, but I’ve been raised from Nigeria. My parents are from Nigeria so I’ve been raised with Nigerian culture, customs and whatnot
RS: Where do you live now?
Submit: fast forward: I’m still in Marietta. A bit more around though
RS: What does it take to be successful coming from Marietta?
Submit: Hmm…being twice as good as any lyrical rapper, and half as good as any dance rapper
RS: Can you break that down?
Submit Everyone’s a rapper! EVERYONE! So, it’s like being from where I’m from, to stick out, being the type of rapper that I am, I have to be WAY better than everyone else.
RS: Ok, we’ve got to hit this point: You have a lot of what we might call swag….Some might even say you’re a bit “prideful” or overly confident in your abilities
Submit: Hmm, I put it like this: God does nothing halfway. I KNOW that this is what I’m [supposed to be] doing. God wouldn’t make me just OKAY at this. Is that cocky?
RS: so your confidence is an act of submission?
Submit: EXACTLY
RS: What’s the origin of that name?
Submit: My life (My music, School, My family, everything I do): I WANT to be a submission to God and his will for me. I WANT it to, I don’t always succeed at it, though.
RS: I’m feeling the Cold War Kids sample on “Won’t take me alive”. How’d you land on that?
Submit: Actually, a guy who I used to be in a group with, (but we’re now on “bad” terms) came across them a while back. He sampled a song by them and I went through their library and found that track to chop up. I love that song! It is to me what “Stronger” is to Kanye
RS: How is that?
Submit: When I perform it I feel like I literally KNOW that this is my calling. It’s this weird feeling
RS: Ok, 2 more…What do you want people to know about you?
Submit: That I can perform at a elementary school, a high school, and a stadium with the same set list and get positive feedback from all three venues. I love that people don’t have to be afraid of my music. That’s what I want people to know
RS: Ok, and last one: If you had a choice, would you be the lyrics or the beat
Submit: Definitely, the lyrics
RS: Yeah? Why?
Submit: Because there are SO many ways to portray emotions as far as vocabulary goes. It really puts out the emotions of the artist. 100 guys could write about the same topic and it sound completely different.
Submit: Although, I could say the same about a sample…
RS: That’s fair. I thought it would be tougher for you since you do some of your own production
Submit: It is. I guess I flip flop on that topic. Probably because I’m doing more writing than production right now
Look out for Submit’s newest mixtape, Mineshaft Vol. 3, to be released on Wednesday, April 1st
For more information on Submit, visit: http://www.myspace.com/submitmovement
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