Who is Reubz as a Hip-Hop artist?
I use Hip-Hop as an art of pure expression. Hip-Hop is a gateway where I can freely experiment with sound, lyrics and image and that is why I became hooked on it. I like to see myself as a creator over musician, I find the term ‘musician’ very limiting. Pretty much as an artist, I want to be someone who inspires others. Through Hip-Hop, I want to give something back to the world just like my idols gave to me.
When did you start and what inspired you to make music?
Michael Jackson was the catalyst for my love of music. To me, he is the definition of life. It wasn't really just his music.. it was everything. The dancing, the videos, the messages.. Everything he stood for influenced me and I began to experiment with creating my own sounds. I found a strong passion for writing lyrics, but I sucked at singing, it just didn't feel natural. I caught onto Hip-Hop when I was about 16 and became obsessed. I watched Nas, Kanye and Jay Z and these were just the coolest guys I had ever seen. I realized that rap was all about lyrics and image, so experimented with creating my own and for the first time I felt like I found something I wanted to do in my life. Since then I have been constantly studying the rap greats, their techniques, backgrounds, everything. I have a lot to learn but feel that I have got to a point where I can start to put my stuff out there.
How would you describe your music in one sentence?
Escapism.
What sets you apart from other acts/groups?
When I started out, I have to admit I mimicked a lot of my idols. But as I grew I came to discover my own sounds and beliefs, so I think just the fact that my music is a reflection of who I am is what sets my art apart from other acts.
Which one of your songs are you most proud of, and why?
Hmmm.. Gold was the first rap I ever wrote so I'm proud of that and the message I put behind it, but I have a track I´m working on at the moment which is one I have sampled and produced called Lost Boy and I think this one will be my best yet, so you’ll have to wait and see ;)
Where do you come from or what part of NZ do you represent?
Born and raised in Wellington & currently flatting with two girls (dreams do come true haha) in Newtown ;)
Do you produce your own beats or do you use any particular beat maker?
I am starting to produce my own beats through sampling real old school R&B songs, trying to use traditional methods over the new computer generated beats. There are two really cool producers I've found on Soundcloud named Kev Brown & Lord slick though and I may use some of their instrumentals for future raps.
What's your favourite and least favourite thing about Hip-Hop culture?
My favourite thing about Hip-Hop culture is that it teaches you to be proud of who you are. It give you strength, confidence & drive. My least favourite thing is lack of originality as a lot of rappers rap about the same thing, so it is really nice when you find something fresh and unique.
Tell us about your latest release.
My latest release is the official music video for my track Gold. I'm trying to build up a name so check it out :)
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring rappers/producers?
Turn dreams into reality, take risks, experiment, put your stuff out there and most importantly find your unique sound.
What can we expect to see from you over the next year?
I am currently working on a 5 track mixtape called Class of 94. I'll be publishing it on Datpiff in around 3 weeks time so stay tuned till then. I'm also working on a second music video which should be released within the next month.
Check out Reubz brand new video for his song Gold.