Interview with S-X

5 (1m 27s): Hello. It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to chat with ESX over zoom, video, ESX, born, raised, and still living and Wolverhampton and the UK. We talk about how he grew up there and liked it so much that he really never left. So very huge supporter of the city. He's actually the ambassador for their football team, the wolves, which is really rad. But we talk about how you got into music. Started out deejaying. Actually. First thing he learned how to do was play drums and moved on from that started deejaying moved on from that and started mixing and writing beats, a beat that he wrote when he was 15 years old, ended up on the radio, a major artists cut a song using the beat. 5 (2m 14s): A couple of years later, it was premiered on BBC one, which drew a lot of eyes to him. We talk about that, how he was able to work with some huge artists like Lil Wayne, just hustling, going to the venue, the day that low wines performing, going to the radio station that these artists are doing interviews at and meeting people and just handing them tapes and handing them their, the beats that he's been working on. Just an incredible work ethic. SX talks to all about that. Producing for childish Gambino, getting a DM from him on Twitter. He talks about going from a producer to now he's an artist and how that conversation went with his manager and having to go through all those emotions of, okay, well, everyone knows me as this producer. Now I want to put out songs. 5 (2m 55s): How are people going to react to that? So we hear all about his artist, his most recent song called all night and the record he has coming out as well. You can watch that interview with ESX on our Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. We would love it. If you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Tik TOK at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on apple podcasts or Spotify, if you could hook us up with a five star review, that'd be awesome and follow us there as well. 6 (3m 27s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 5 (3m 33s): We're bringing it backwards with S X. This podcast is about you and your journey and music. And we'll talk about the new record. Cool. Awesome. Awesome. I love your, is that mortal Kombat behind you on like a, 7 (3m 47s): But the machine, it was a bunch of cardboard and polystyrene behind that, but yeah. Yeah. 5 (3m 57s): Crazy man. That's really cool. 7 (3m 59s): It's like a little bachelor pad, you know? 5 (4m 1s): Yeah. That's awesome. And I see big bird up there as well. Very cool. Very cool. Well, first off, talk to me about where were you born and raised? 7 (4m 10s): Born and raised and still live in Wolverhampton, England, UK United Kingdom. 5 (4m 16s): You're still 7 (4m 16s): There. Yeah. Yeah. I still live here. I have two kids, so a lot of people don't know that, but I'm a dad first and foremost before anything, you know, so yeah, like anywhere I need to go, I can just travel too. So I like to be home because also it keeps me very grounded. You know, like it's, it's a small town away from, from like say London or wherever the hype is that, you know, be able to still maneuver through it and still live here as it is. Cool. Yeah. 5 (4m 45s): And it's school, I'm a dad as well. I have two kids as well, and I I'd feel a man being dad life and, and the family thing is definitely takes a lot precedence. And then of course, if yeah, it's just a different lifestyle. 7 (5m 2s): I mean, blending it between being, you know, a musician is crazy anyway. So on top of being an artist, you know, I was a producer first. So, you know, utilizing my time to be a dad around was producing was pretty easier. But since I became an artist, it was like, wow, this is how like, crazy life can be. Not being able to even see them for, you know, a few a month or even longer just to be traveling on the road or, but at the same time, it's like, it's all for them. So I think they know that in the end 5 (5m 33s): For sure. I mean, wow. What a cool. Yeah. But then they could always be like, look at my dad, he's this, you know, huge musician and producer. Like that's pretty, pretty sweet. 7 (5m 46s): They definitely they're proud of me. I think. 5 (5m 50s): Yeah. I would think so. It was well that's rad. Well, so talk to me about your, you obviously like where you live, man, you stayed there, you're born there, raised there. He's still there raising your kids there. When did you get into music? 7 (6m 3s): I was around about, well, it was always kind of appalled me from young. You know, my mom would kind of play music like Amber Fleetwood Mac, and also like old dance hits, like, you know, just EDM type, all old, old, old songs, but I hadn't had that in the house, but then my older brother also, like, was it BJ? So he'd have all the hip hop kind of stuff there. So I kind of grew up just listening to different kinds of types of music, just subconsciously. I also skated too. And at that kind of time when I was maybe like 11, 12, 13, kind of just finding out who I am as a growing team, I was into rock music. 7 (6m 44s): So I started playing the drums first and then I quit that and kind of fell back in love with the hip hop and grime thing. And grime is like, obviously a culture out here, big John around here in the UK. But yeah, that's kind of where I got my start and I never saw myself as a grime producer. I always felt like I made like hip hop beats and rap beats. Cause I was what I listened to and was inspired by, but it was always at one 40 beats per minute, which is what grime is typically around, you know? So 5 (7m 18s): You probably didn't know that at the time, right. Something you learned later. 7 (7m 21s): Hello. Cause it was a part of our culture growing up in the schools in, you know, in high school and things. And I did know about it. So it was subconscious, I suppose I was doing it at that, but it was always like the pop time in beats. So yeah, like one of these beats that I made at 15 years old just blew up when I was 17. So I had completely forgot about it. And it became like one of the biggest grime beats in the country back when there was no Spotify or YouTube, you know, it was, it got big from one play on radio one, which is the biggest radio station in UK. So that was back when, like if a DJ played it on the radio, it was like people were locked in, you know, I was 17 years old, man. 7 (8m 1s): So I was just like, wow, this was 2009, the end of 2009. So it was just like, my life went from just trying to make beats and just do what I'm doing to being like, bam, everyone's now looking at me and trying to work with me. So that just opened up the door. So fortunately I feel like I've never had to leave all the Hampton as well, not to be ahead of myself, but I just follow that. They're coming to me anyway and I'm writing the Bible with me. So I know that will always get you there. You know, wherever you are. 5 (8m 34s): Oh, wow. Well I want to back up just a little bit. Well, first of all, I wouldn't treat me as that. You said you used to skate 7 (8m 39s): Skateboard. 5 (8m 42s): Oh wow. Okay. Were you like, okay, that was a big thing here. I mean I'm from San Diego and skateboarding. Skateboarding is huge. So it's so is a inline skating. That was massive. I mean there's big companies out here, like Senate and some ones. Is that what you did? Like that 7 (8m 57s): Style? Yeah. Yeah. Training on rails and stuff. I was doing all that. Like I wasn't the greatest, but I was definitely good. And yeah, I dunno, man. I kinda can't remember that much about it, but Everybody in the area that I lived in was just skate and that was the Bible. 7 (13m 27s): We'd just go to the skate park and just vibe like, you know, and just, you know, I was doing like macchiatos and top souls, all kinds of like little skate tricks and stuff. 5 (13m 38s): Well, it's like a, there's a culture there in itself, right? I mean, there's a music culture within that, like skating and skateboarding. 7 (13m 47s): It's all linked together. And I think that was it like growing up and being around the older kids that were listening to hip hop and really getting to know certain artists, like, remember when I was like 11 listening to like a multiple technique and stuff and really being on to like, you know, deeper, deeper kind of rock. So it was really instilled into me, but my love was always like, so then that is healthy, but like UGK and you know, three, six months. Yeah, that was always what appealed to me. Just, you know, the bounce on those beats was insane. So 5 (14m 19s): Sure. When you, when you were playing drums, are you trying to play like rock music or were you re are you trying to play more like hip hop beats, 7 (14m 26s): To be honest with you? I learned to play in high school, so I'd just be jamming with my boy who played guitar and my friend on the keys. So it was really just whatever we just kind of freestyle, but I just learned how to play by ear. But then I started actually taking lessons and I think I've got to like grade four. So yeah. Then I was just like, no, the same for me. I started skating. I was like, no, this ain't for me started drumming, learn to do it. I was like, yeah, the same for me. Then I started producing, no, sorry. I started deejaying. And I don't like playing other people's songs, but I know how to do it or not to mix songs properly. 7 (15m 8s): Then I'll then I was like, look, I want to make my own beats instead of playing other people's. And then that just turned into me producing let's get into that later. But then, but then I was, I've had enough of this now I want to be an artist and just start trying to do that. So I don't even know what's going to be next for me when I'm like, oh, I don't want to be an artists no more. You know, I know me enough to be like, I get bored of things after time. So who knows, like what will, I'm not finished? I'm not quitting yet. Not quitting. I'm not putting it to rest. Yeah, sure. I'll go goals. I want to hit and dreams, you know, like I always get hard on myself, you know, I'm like, yo, I want to do this. 7 (15m 49s): I want to do that. But man, five years ago I had a normal job, you know? So it's like, I've done a lot in my career and 5 (15m 57s): Yeah. I mean, that's wild. I mean to think five years back and I want to get into that, like going from working a normal job. And then it's like, my life is producing records and now it's, you know, writing songs and, and, and being an artist. But you, you mentioned deejaying where you deejaying, what like, like parties when you're in high school or was this, and you said your brother DJ as well. 7 (16m 18s): Yeah, my brother was he's a little bit. He's like 10 years older than me. So he was obviously a different generation. So he was deejaying in night clubs, I think. But mostly just as a hobby when he was just, he had little bookings, but nothing crazy. Well just being around him and doing that, definitely inspired me to want to do that. Cause you know, it's my older brother I look up to. So yeah, I, I learned to do that, but it was actually in like, we have youth clubs in the UK where like after school, if you're going out on the streets with your friends as these little like sentences where you can go in every different neighborhood and everyone was kind of chose there and it's like, there's like, there's a little DJ set up there with the microphone. 7 (17m 1s): So everyone will kind of freestyle and the mic and I'll be that DJ and the beats together. But because they're all at one 40 BPM, I call the same beats per minute, you know, that's it like that we were just mixing like grime beats together and everyone will kind of freestyle. So that was, that's how I got into that. But then I was just like, I don't want to DJ in the guy that makes the beats. I don't want to be that like piano. I think I'm just finding out what it is I want to do the whole time. I'm definitely music oriented, but who knows? I've gone from drama to full artist and I produce all my own music. I've got all the knowledge behind me, 5 (17m 39s): A lot of hats for sure. With, with the beets be making, I mean, you said you made the beat at 15 years old that ended up getting on the radio at 17 years old. And what were you, were you just messing around with a program at your L your house trying to teach yourself and then it became, you put something out? Like how does that even, do you even know how that happened? 7 (17m 60s): Like I remember for that one specifically, I made it for somebody. I may then use it. So it kind of just got left in the bowl, you know, like I was just like, whatever, I'm making like three to five, maybe even 10 beats a day at that point. Cause I'm just a kid in my room, like a geek, just trying to learn more about it every day. You know, 5 (18m 17s): Where are you putting those? Like where are you pitching them to other artists like on online or people that live in your neighborhood? 7 (18m 22s): It was like only my space, so I don't load my light beats, the mindspace and try and network. But at that time it was like, it was hard. You know, I was very proactive though. I'd help so many people. And that was what got me to produce for certain artists that I have produced for just being persistent and very proactive, you know, kind of like stalker-ish, I'm not like that anymore, which I kind of wish I still have that home though, because, you know, as a point where I've had success as a producer, I don't so much have the same thing as an artist. So I'm really trying to, I wish that I had that same kind of like proactiveness where I've just stole people, but I'm like 29 years old, man. 7 (19m 2s): So I'm not trying to be creeping people, but it's cute and cool when you're like 14, 15 years old. Yeah. But now I feel like I just left forgot about the beat and then me and a collective of friends and we had a little group called stay fresh, which is the group, the collective that we put that be out. You know, that was our little like crew and we, and we would, they're not together anymore, but at the time that we was really getting some, some, some action Sean on us, cause especially being from Wolverhampton and Birmingham, which is a really small city, not from him, it was like 20 minutes away. 7 (19m 43s): But that's the second biggest city in the UK. And all of the, all of the light on that grind kind of culture was in, in London, you know, that it was a London scene, it was a London. So to be really like bubbling out out of London was a big thing back then. And I genuinely believe that that beat changed the way that grime and somewhat UK music production to what it is in today. You know, how it's now American kind of sound, but it's drew that. I feel like that is all inspired by, you know, the sound and the influence, the art contributes to that, the first to do it. 7 (20m 23s): And it's fun. So yeah, man, that's, that's a mad thing to self-proclaimed, but you know, that's how I feel, 5 (20m 30s): But still, I mean, obviously everything that came after that, I mean, that's crazy to think when you put that out and then you did you know that it was going to make BBC one, like at the time or was this like something so random that you're like, wait, what I made that be why 7 (20m 46s): I forgot about, and then when I joined that collective of friends, I gave them every single beat that I had to take them. If it takes 400 beats, we need to go through and you find one we're good. You know, that was my mentality. So I gave him every beat. They ended up using them every week. You know, one of them was that track and we kind of, it just stumbled upon us when we were like, wow, this is special because they could all freestyle to it. I mean, it was just a loop, you know? So that was it. I think it was just an MCs favorite kind of beat to just let off steam, you know, and, and that's kind of the culture, how, how that song blew up. 7 (21m 27s): And because I had that kind of impact with every artist based on that beat one beat, they all wanted their own beat from me. So it really did open up every single door to any artists that I wanted to work with pretty much in the UK. And that's how I did it. I've got to work with, you know, tiny tempo who was huge at the time, you know, Skepta, I worked with him many times, so many people that are big in the UK, but then also stateside as well. You know, for example, I don't want to go too far ahead, but 5 (22m 2s): That'd be 7 (22m 3s): Awesome. That'd be blowing up and being a part of the UK culture is the reason why I've got to work with childish Gambino, you know, like, 5 (22m 10s): So that you were on is you're on the Grammy record, right? The Grammy nominated. 7 (22m 16s): Yeah, man, because the internet I produced on the track, liver chance, the rapper, I did the drums on there and I'm just, just being, you know, like he just DMD me on Twitter one day. This was like around the time when his debut album came out camp and I was already a fan of him from community and, you know, just knowing about him. So I was like, yo, that's childish Gambino, Donald Glover. Like this was so we made it up in like 2000, maybe 11 or 2012. And yeah, that was early. I went to his first ever show in the UK, which was like when, less than a hundred people with her. 5 (22m 56s): Oh, wow. It's insane to see the, what he's achieved. Right. I mean, not only is he an amazing after, but like childish Gambino is so it's so, I mean, it's like headlining major festivals and everything else, 7 (23m 9s): Honestly. Like just, it's just crazy to think that that was like something contribute to, you know, or just been a part of. And, and he even did a verse for me. Like I was doing this thing where I was like trying to work with artists where release them was my songs featuring them, but I just met them and yeah. You know, Gambino gave me a whole song. There's a song out there called XX free at last featuring childish Gambino. And it's not on VSPs or anything anymore due to, you know, label issues, but it's out there. 5 (23m 44s): Yeah. That's really cool. Well, real quick on the song, you said set your 17 when the song it's the air and then people are on you. You must've been what, and still in high school at this point 7 (23m 57s): I just left. So it just began, you know, in the UK, we have it where you finished high school at 16 and then you go to college. 5 (24m 8s): Oh, okay. Okay. 7 (24m 9s): So yeah, I was in college or my second year I did one year and then that was all good. But then in that second year was when things started to really, really take off. And I remember, you know, Dizzee, rascal, 5 (24m 23s): I know the name, I know the name. So 7 (24m 25s): He, he had a show in Wolverhampton and I got the opportunity to meet up with him earlier in the day at this, the venue and play him some beats and things. And I remember I have my college called me to see like, come on, coming in. Cause I was never going in and they will. And I was like, look, I can't because I have to, I'm going to this thing. You know, I didn't tell them what I was doing, but I was like, I can't make it, like, I've got this going on. And I was all paid on by the comment back, literally on that day. But then once dizzy walked into the dressing room, ready for me to play him some beats, my laptop was open and the laptop crashed one. 7 (25m 5s): So I didn't even get to play in an OBT. This walked right out. I never saw him again. 5 (25m 10s): Oh, wow. How did that, that must've been devastating first of all. Right. And it was just like, 7 (25m 18s): Because like, oh, sorry, you 5 (25m 20s): Can cut. Say whatever you want. 7 (25m 23s): 'cause like, yeah, just getting kicked out of college and then get in the open because of trying to play this guy beat. And then my laptop failed me and he walked out. It was like, but it was a swift reminder of like, yo, you are on the right path. It's a catch 22 right there. But what do you want to do? Like, I'm not going to go back to college. That's not for me. You know? So, and then next thing I know I'm, I'm like, it's all just happened in any way. So, 5 (25m 48s): So yeah. So after that happened where you, like, I mean, it sounds like you were like, you weren't even, I mean, you've just been down on yourself, right? Like, oh my God, the computer did this. And then I kicked out of school and like, what do I do? 7 (26m 1s): I looked at the light of it and just was like, whatever, you know, I can't change it. So I just, I just kept it moving and literally like, I dunno, it just, everyone just kept coming to me. So I wasn't that mad about it. Anyway. I was just like, whatever, this one opportunity missed out of however many blessings I'm about to receive. So yeah. Is what happened, you know, many more came. So 5 (26m 28s): What was the next, I mean, obviously the childish Gambino thing was probably was that the first real aside from the song we can, the radio. Is that like the next real big victory for you? Or do you have something bigger happened between that? 7 (26m 39s): And a lot of like underground sort of, but still mainstream, you know, like a work with, like I said, tying temper, I had placements on their albums. So it was producing on a few big artists albums in between that time, but I never had like a hits or anything, you know, it was just thinking tracks were artists, which were still big, you know, in their own way. But, but yeah, I never have like the song that was like, oh my God, I'll produce this number one song and I'm going crazy, but I've always just let it happen to, to fate. I've never tried to force things. I've always just let it like, do what it needs to do. The universe work its way, you know, but I also know that you have to kind of bring them to you. 7 (27m 21s): So that's just kinda what I did. I just stayed in the right rooms, just kept doing what I was doing. And next thing I know the people that just come in to me, like I can't make it up. It's what was happening. So yeah, it was just what was happening. So yeah, I'm super blessed to be able to work with some of the artists that have worked with, you know. 5 (27m 42s): Yeah. I mean the list of people that you've worked with is insane. I did read a quote of yours and who knows if it's a misquote, you know how that happens. And of course, Wikipedia screwed me in the past, but you, you, you said something about working with little Wayne and how that was like, if you got to work with little Wayne, like, you know, I made it it's over and then you did. And then it's like, well now what, like, 7 (28m 5s): Yeah. I found like, well, speaking about that recently, I've realized that like after you obtain another goal or one of your dreams or whatever it is that you're trying to do more will come because you're still living your life. You know, life happens after your goal. So I've got new goals now, but everything I've ever put on my goal list or set, I'm going to do, I've done it. You know, I've never overachieved, but I'll believe like extremely. So that's like being from Wolverhampton and post, you know, pre even Instagram where it's easy to just DM people, you know, you have to really be in the streets. And I was like 17 years old traveling to London on the train and waiting outside radio one and, and waiting to give beats to artists. 7 (28m 54s): If I knew that they were doing a press run in the UK, I know they're going to be at that station at some time. Cause they'd say like, yo, we've got Drake on this show. So I'll go outside. That's the first time Drake ever came to the UK and I waited outside radio one and I met his people. I met Nico. They don't even know this, but you know, I've got their emails and I sent them beats, nothing came from it, but you know, like nothing came from me that way. But then I did it for, I think Lil Wayne came over and I met one of his dudes from customer money. And that is how I got in there. That's how I did it. You know, I've got the email I sent beats and bam, I did it. And then there was other avenues where I had friends like in America that will also kind of close to the artists, like my boy DJ folk, he's close to Jeezy and collects beats with. 7 (29m 42s): So that's how I got the GZ placement. You know, we got a number one album in America on that billboard 200. So that's crazy as well. And he's a legendary, you know, young Jeezy is a huge piece of especially Southern hip hop too. So for me to achieve that as well as mad. Yeah, 5 (30m 1s): That is wow. I mean, it's, it's, it's wild to think now. I mean, hearing your hustle and going down to radio one and just waiting outside, trying to, you know, give somebody your beats. Like, I remember hearing other stories doing this podcast about artists in like early two thousands, doing that as well. Like going, like if you're in a band, like, okay, I know so-and-so is playing tonight at this club, I'm going to show up there and I'm going to just give them my demo and hope that they listened to it. And to hear those little victories and little success stories is so cool. 7 (30m 36s): That's how it is. Like, that was my logic of thinking. I remember watching like MTV something on MTV and they were like, look, they were scared about it was, I think it might've been 50 cent or somebody, but they were like, they get scared doing certain shows. It wasn't 50 cents. It might've been, I don't know who it was, but they were like, we get scared going into certain concerts because people know we're pulling up to the city. They know we're about to be in this exact spot. You don't know who's got beef with us. You don't know who's pulling up. And I was like, that makes so much sense. I know they're going to be right there. Why don't I go to exactly where they're going to be at and be like, I never even tried to go for the artists. I'd always go for the man. I'd assess the situation and see who is close to who he's talking to before he, and then I'd be like, look, because I'm this like 16, 17 year old white kid. 7 (31m 25s): They're just like, all right, let's check it out. And like, they always hit me back. It's crazy. You know? So blessed, blessed. That's all the energy I was given them, but it always, it always seemed to come back. So 5 (31m 42s): Sure. I mean, in, in the, in the, in the industry now, I mean, obviously it's changed a whole lot, especially like you said, with Instagram and everything else that's happening. Would you, is there any like tool that you would, you know, use or like if you were, you know, 17, 18 now, and you're trying to reach out to these people. I feel like if you're shooting DMS to these artists that have millions of followers, like I, is it going to get lost? Like you're even going to hear something back 7 (32m 9s): Facebook, like Facebook was the one cause even like Mike, Karen, this is 2009. I knew about him. I messaged him on Facebook and he replied to me, you know? Yeah. So I met him like years later in real life. And I told him about that and he was like, well, that's how you do it. You know, you hunt people down and you'd be a stalker. And that was it. But through it, he didn't give me his contact. He gave me the new assistant that he just employed, who then went on. I built an attraction with him and you know, he went on to introduce me to Lupe fiasco, Ty Dolla sign, I lot to what were these artists from? From that? So Mike, Karen doesn't even know that, but just be in the person he is or the person that everyone else is when I'm asking them it all everyone's linked somehow. 7 (32m 54s): So it all ends up somehow being, you know, when you 5 (32m 59s): Weird how small the world is. Right. 7 (33m 1s): And it is so 5 (33m 3s): It's wild to think. And I've had that situation happened recently where like my son, my youngest son, he's five and he's in kindergarten and a guy I, I recently moved to Nashville and a guy that I met, like the one person I'm kind of befriended here, he's in the music industry and this, my son's really good friend from school. We finally had him over our house with his mom and sure enough, his mom like grew up with this guy. Like, it was just like, wait, what? And we're all in the same area. It was just like, just these little things that you kind of weave in and connect is so crazy. And 7 (33m 38s): I play about the universe, man. Like the path that we're on is written out for, for us, you know, we just got to keep walking on it, keep going and, and that's it. You're supposed, those things are amazing when you're supposed to, people are meant to be in your life for a reason, you know? And the fact that there's those things that people might call coincidences. I don't call them that those are like your support, you vibe with that person and come together for a reason, a size a lot, you know? So yeah. That's, 5 (34m 6s): It's so cool to hear that. I mean, I love that you, the story of you just going out there and engineer. Okay. Well, I might not be able to talk to Drake, but I could talk to this guy. That's talking to Drake who obviously has some sort of relationship with him. So maybe if I give him my record or give him my beats, he might hear them. He might get back to me. And 7 (34m 22s): You just never know, man. Like I've learned so much about being an artist from being an, sorry. I've learned so much about artists from being an artist now where, you know, we in produce a first, I've got that kind of like the nerd in me where I'm trying to always stay in tune with what's the latest sounds, the latest, you know, production things to have. But then there's also the artist part of me where it needs to focus on being an artist. There's always that grind in me that it's like, yo, you know, if I could just get in the studio with this person, if they're in my city, like I can pull up with my laptop with my mic. We can make the song tonight. 7 (35m 3s): You know, like that's always going to be in me. So, you know, even if artists come to Birmingham and, you know, have a show there, I'm, I might link up with them and just take myself and you know, you never know. I'm always, I'm always ready. That grind is still there. It's just, let's do it. And that's how I'm feeling now. 5 (35m 22s): That's awesome. I love that. On the artist project. When did you decide, like, you know what I love producing, I love what I'm doing, but I want to kind of take this to a different 7 (35m 33s): Honestly, like it's always something I've wanted to do. I never had the confidence to do it. I never really felt like people would take me serious. They might laugh at me or I dunno, I was embarrassed about what roses would feel. I, you know, I broke up with my kid's mom in 2016 and moved out and kind of just had like my own time again. And obviously was going through the heartbreak and the real life situation of kind of separating from your family. Now, it was like, you don't want like to produce it for me anyway, right now, because I had already put it on the back burner, but due to life happening and work for like a three year period where life wasn't all amazing. 7 (36m 18s): And I was producing for these people. I actually stopped producing, went for real serious personal issues and had to get a normal job. You know, where I started, I actually started working at Wolverhampton Lindros, the football club, the wall, but I'm now an ambassador for them. And you know, I'm an off of that record label. So the full circle mess of it all, but I don't want to jump the gun. I want to go back to that real quick, breaking up with, with my family in a sense, you know, and leaving them and having my own space and being able to be in an environment where I don't know, it's so alien to me, you know, it's like I met with her when I was 18 and then left when I was, I mean, I can't do the max on, you know, 2006 later. 7 (37m 8s): Yeah. I was felt like I was 18 again, in a sense of what was being able to be chilling in my room with just me in there and not actually, you know, knowing that, you know, my partner's coming in, all the kids are there even. So I was just like, you know, what do I do? I started pouring out all my heartbreak into the microphone because I'd always wanted to do it because I'm alone. And I was listening to Phil Collins around that time so heavily. And obviously he's, some of his albums are very heartbreak written. And so it hit me man. And I was just like, know, fuck this I'm this I'm going to just do it, man. And the first song I ever wrote was the first song I ever put out. 7 (37m 49s): Funnily enough, it got premiered on radio one. Wow. Yeah. I mean 5 (37m 55s): That's full circle in itself, right? 7 (37m 58s): Geez. Yeah. But just to think like I did it and I just put it out and I didn't care what people thought. I was like, fuck it. I'm going out on radio. One, people are going to hear it. First song I've ever wrote. They know about what my success is, a producer, then you know what, this is me now. I'm just doing this. I'm going to do it. I don't remember. Like I have to say that to family. I was so scared and embarrassed about like, I'm singing now. I feel like it's not me. I'm not the most confident person, you know? So that's something that was big thing for me, but I just did it like that same thing that I'm about the universe or just that belief in yourself. 7 (38m 38s): That's what did it for me. I think that's what, you know, I'm still not all the way there, but I've done so much during this artist thing that I know what my path is, is written. You know, I've just got some more steps to go and I'm going to start hitting personal goals. You know, 5 (38m 54s): I love that. I love that, that mindset I'm going to I'm stealing that from me. As far as my own life goes, like the path is already written. It goes, just keep going. Because a lot of times, I mean any in any industry or art form, people run into these, you know, stops or these moments where you're like, I should just give up, right? I'm this isn't working. Like you said, I'm going back to a job. I'm going to go do this. Like I need to do something else. And then obviously it always, it came back. You're like, okay, actually I should be doing this artist project, you know, fast forward. And now you've been doing it for a while. You've had major successes and 7 (39m 35s): It's crazy. It's mad. Like I just, I dunno, it's life is real, you know, to go back to what you were saying about going through personal things and that's how real it is because it can come full circle and flip right back around and just like, I've been quite quiet. My phone is not all this. I've been quite quiet over the last time a year and a half. Not just COVID Wyndham. The whole thing affecting us mentally from being Denver. I've had some other personal issues happen and actually made me be a little bit stepped away from, you know, how much I was playing out there. So life is real and it's all about growing and adapting and finding out who you are. 7 (40m 17s): You're a new person down there every day, you know? So that's it like, I just believe in what's going to happen, will happen. And what's meant to be, will Bema, you know? But yeah, I'm excited to see what is next for me in terms of where I had. I love fashion. So we never know. I might just be a fashion designer in 10 years. 5 (40m 39s): That's awesome. 7 (40m 42s): Hopefully it, hopefully that's, that's always been my dream though. And to be an actor as well. Yeah. I would love to act. I love, I love expressing myself in a different way. So yeah. 5 (40m 53s): I mean, going back to what you were saying, like, you know, now you get to tell your family, like I'm a singer now and then going, you already had kind of like, you already have eyes on you in the industry and, and fans that know you and they know you're a producer. It might even be kind of even more dif I want to say difficult that you're going to be like, okay, now I'm going to put this out here. And then is anyone going to just start trashing me? Are they going to be like, 7 (41m 20s): I laugh about it all the time with my manager because he's one of my biggest fans and supporters, you know, he's like my brother, but I remember when I said to him like, yo, I'm gonna put, produce it on the back burner and focus on just being a full on artist now. And legit said to me, and we talk about this. It's like, we're all like, I hear you. And you know, I support you, but I don't know if this is, you know, one of the best decisions to make at this time. And for me, I needed to hear that because that was the fuel that I needed to be like, nah, watch I'm going to make it happen. You know? So I did. And I say, man, it started happening and approved myself. Right. You know? 5 (41m 59s): Yeah. Kind of, yeah. It's like, oh, I can't do this. Well now I'm definitely going to do it. 7 (42m 5s): I'm like close to me. So he's like, yo, that might not be doable. It definitely like, maybe I'm very stubborn, but it definitely contributes to some of the, some of the success of hat is being doubted. Man. You know, the fact like being from Wolverhampton is like such a cool thing. And it's still living here despite still doing what I'm doing. It's a little bit of flex, man. It's not easy work, you know? 5 (42m 29s): Yeah. I've got huge flex, right. I mean, you didn't, and that's the thing is like you weren't, you're in a, in a smaller city, you weren't like living in New York or LA and you had these connections and grew up with little Wayne's son. You know, it's just like these things that like to break out of a small town and to achieve what you've done. Not only, I mean, not only to achieve what you've done, no matter where you live, but like you said, to kind of do it out of your hometown and still live there and have that hometown pride. I love that. 7 (42m 59s): Yeah, man, like I said, like, I really love my city and upon for, and I'm an ambassador for the football team foundation, you know? Yeah, man, I really, really won't move to be, it got voted like one of the worst cities in the world. Like maybe the third city in the world, it's a thing you can Google it. But it definitely, 5 (43m 21s): In what regard, 7 (43m 24s): It's not running down city, but it's just like, not it only people from Wolverhampton will know, like, it's just like, it's Wolverhampton, it's weird, but it's home. And it's like, that's what I love about it. It reminds me of where I grew up and to be still there, like I'll never leave Washington. I mean, I don't live directly in more of a Hampton. Well, I'm very close by. So I'm always in Wolverhampton. And even when I do move away into my big, big, big country house, one day, that's not going to be fun. You know, it's not going to, even if I move to America or whatever I ended up doing, I still will have home home a hundred percent. 7 (44m 10s): That's incredible. 5 (44m 11s): All let's hear. Let's talk about your new song all 7 (44m 14s): Night. Yeah. Me and trippy red. It's produced by myself and digital farm animals who produces both KSI alone and like Jonas brothers. And he makes hits, man. We've got some more work as well coming together. But yeah, me and Rico love wrote the song back in 2019. Like maybe March, 2000, 19, February, very early 2019. And again, one of those songs, I was just like, it's cool. I love it. But I don't feel like it's me. So I just left it and just forgot about it. And then two years later after Cola, we were like, oh, this is a song like we should, you know, rework on this. 7 (44m 56s): So we never touched the vocals. We kept those, but we made a new beat around it. And then my beat wasn't quite all the way it, so then we sent it to digital farm animals and he just, she kissed it. So yeah. And then we ended up getting trippy on it. My manager is cool with his manager and they made it happen and yeah, money is on it. That's so cool. Yeah. It's a blessing. It's the first thing. Well from my debut album as well. So I'm very well the first official single, I dropped a song just before court, who we are. Yeah. 5 (45m 30s): For the record, you have a full record, right? Ready to go. 7 (45m 33s): Yeah. Yeah. Almost man, still working on it, still working on it every single night that I'm available. Sometimes I'm having my kids overnight. I can't work on it, but every single night then I'm free. I'm in the studio, tweaking it, finishing it. I'm going there straight after this. So honestly it's common, man. I'm really excited for it because not only is it my debut album, but I've dropped four mix tapes as an artist since, and I can hear the growth from my first one to this one, but I know it's album time. Now. I really feel like I can say this is my album. You know, I've found that like starting, I was just doing whatever I wanted to do and just making wipes. 7 (46m 15s): And now I've learned over the years about songwriting properly and rather than just making where I want to make, I'm actually making songs and I'm enjoying that. So there's, there's a blend of what pop songs on there. I love making like POCs on Mexican move. Electronic sounds, you know, all night to me is a, is a pop song, you know? Well, who is STX as an artist that isn't XX, you know? So there's a whole besides of the album, which is not pop it's my original sound I was doing, which is like trappy experimental kind of song. But me at the same time, like an elevated graduated version of me. So I'm excited for the funds there and everyone to hear that, man. 7 (46m 57s): Well, you know, I know the funds have been waiting for me to drop some kind of my original type of music, you know, so they won't be disciplined. 5 (47m 6s): That's awesome. Do you have features on all the songs are only a few or? 7 (47m 10s): Well, I don't even really do features, you know, songs like my last mix tape was 18 tracks with no feature. 5 (47m 21s): I was just curious. Cause he had trivia read on our trivia out on this one. 7 (47m 26s): That's why I wanted to just say though, like, and then I'm a previous tape was only one feature. And then so when we deal with this, you know, but we, my album, I'm going to be collaborating a lot more. I'm going to be doing a lot more collaborations, you know? So trippy red is the first that you're seeing, but you can expect more, you know, have got some good friends in the industry. So I've got some interest in Instagram, DMS that I've done, you know, I've been going to the house and waiting for them. I've been DM-ing so, 5 (47m 55s): Oh, right on. Yeah. Did you leak one of them on your Instagram recently 7 (48m 1s): A 5 (48m 1s): Song? Oh no. I was going to say, I saw a picture of you with an artist and a massive artist right now. And I was wondering if he was going to be on the record, 7 (48m 9s): Which so would 5 (48m 11s): Lose quality. 7 (48m 13s): Ah, okay. Okay. Well, we'll see you With so many, like 5 (48m 24s): This is like, like two days ago. I think it's not two days ago, but it was like your second to most recent posts. I was like, oh, whoa, that's rad. 7 (48m 34s): We met at, I was playing at, I don't remember what, first of all it was, it was one in Glasgow anyway, but he was there and we met and we just started kicking it, man. Like we just gravitate it. So yeah. Who knows what's coming. 5 (48m 49s): Yeah. You guys look like you've been old friends or something. It's it's it was a great some great photos, 7 (48m 53s): Man. 5 (48m 55s): Wow. Wow. Well, I appreciate your time at sex. This has been so awesome. I loved hearing your story and I have one more quick question. I know you've been dropping advice throughout this whole entire thing, but I was wondering if you have any to aspiring artists 7 (49m 10s): As far and I smoke, I'd still consider myself an aspiring artist, honestly. So, you know, just keep going, man. Keep elevating, keep experimenting with new sounds and don't try to do the same old thing just because you've heard it happen and just try different shit because that is what people are excited to hear. They don't want to hear the same thing, you know? So yeah, we've done. That's the motto for my album. Try different shit. You know The new album try different shit.