Thank you for taking some time to be interviewed, can you please introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about what you do?
Thank you! My name is Spectre. Other than float around and shit I engineer, produce and rap/sing.
What do you mean by float around?
When I called myself Spectre I meant it in all senses of the word. I always felt like a ghost at all times. kinda there, kinda not. By float around I mean I’ve been in all types of places and worked with all types of people trying to uplift myself and others along the way.
Which place has been your favorite?
I don’t think I have a favorite. I can’t move on with attachments.
That’s fair. How long have you been making music?
I‘ve been making music since 2014
What inspired you to be a musician?
You know it just came to me lol. I’ve always sung/hummed as a kid, and as corny as it sounds, teachers tried to diagnose me with ADHD. But one day my dad gave me my first laptop for my 16th birthday and when it was given to me it had a bunch of music software in it. Never seen em before that. But what really inspired me was seeing old videos of metro and southside making beats. It made me want to go so hard and dedicate more and more time to it.
I see, kinda seems like it came about naturally for you. Who gets bragging rights for getting you to where you are now?
Yeah. I know I was meant to do this because I feel at home in it. I would say everyone who’s been in my life has bragging rights. However, no one can say they made me. You feel me? It’s kinda like the butterfly effect but no one person can say they did all of it for me.
Yeah, I feel that 100%. Who are your major influences? Sound wise?
It’s all weird lol. I came from from a Muslim Ethiopian family so spirituality is so important to me and my sound. Regardless of how turnt my music is, it has spirituality in it. I would also say I listened to a lot of angsty music like pop punk/punk and rock growing up. But one thing that got me started on that wave is tony hawks underground 2. I’m convinced that’s part of what influenced this generation of rap. I’m also influenced by my identity. I feel like being a child of African immigrants and being first generation never allowed me to feel home anywhere. Earl had this line that stuck with me. It went sum like “to black for the white kids and too white for the black.”
That’s interesting. i remember that game lol. with 2020 just starting, what are your plans for this year?
My plan is I just gotta do better than I did in 2019. I’ve always wanted to change the world in a positive way so I think imma start looking for more ways than just music to do it.
I can relate. my dad is an immigrant. i think that naturally establishes a very strong drive to succeed. let’s talk about the album you just dropped, “Totality” what’s the message behind it?
I was going through some tough shit earlier in the year and I made a pact with myself to make music through it and get closer to the center of all my feelings history and trauma. I had this album just laying around for a couple months without a concept so I decided to call it totality. Which literally means the whole of something. But you’re 100% right. I always felt like I have no room for mistakes and that success is the only choice. I was trying to shed light on who I was in the moments I was going through shit on this album. I won’t be able to do that ever again because you’re literally a different person every day.
That’s some real shit. you got plans for an upcoming project?
Thank you! It’s already done! My progression really shows on this one as well.
What’s it called?
I don’t know yet! I have a couple working names for it currently but I’m calling it revenant for now.
Nice, keep me updated on that one. what’s the pros and cons of the music scene in your state?
Without discrediting the unity and community that’s there, I would say right now as a scene we lack unity. Colorado is coming up for sure. But I would say if we really worked together and put all of our egos backseat, we could create something monumental.
I agree. What else would you like our readers to know as we wrap this up?
Don’t let your perception of yourself get in your way; float freely.
Listen to Spectre’s Album Totality: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/spectre4/totality?fbclid=IwAR1S1kvIDEUf7tRZ4zyEs98A1bMdvK5CfylyfX9zq8Rl3zUorpiLWLbYBoU
Social Media:
Instagram: @shady.stacy
Twitter: @Stacy_shady
Facebook: “Spectre”
