Interviewing legendary Richmond rapper, Nickelus F, is an unreserved journey into a broad and uncharted artistic wilderness. From the moment you start off conversing — you discuss — about every thing — from lifestyle and politics to theology and key histories to quantum mechanics and the growing universe. The distance you can journey in discussion with Nickelus F is as unpredictable as it is infinite. Yet, the time experienced come to leave the oral traditions of Mali’s Dogon Tribe guiding and emphasis on MMCHT, his lengthy awaited 11th studio challenge which can be additional to a formidable catalog of more than 20 mixtapes.
We caught up with Nickelus F at our studio past week, not only to communicate about the new album but his legacy as 1 of Virginia’s most prolific artists.
Landon Shroder: Congratulations on the new album, we have been listening to it all week, its amazing.
Nickelus F: Thank you. Thank you.
LS: On the intro observe for MMCHT, it seems like there are a ton of items on your head. What is the world seeking like to you suitable now?
NF: Right now, the environment is searching like a major option for me to make and cement my legacy. You know what I’m declaring? I’ve spent a lot of time honing my abilities as an artist and getting ready myself to assault — to assault the environment. Seriously placing myself, and my music out there, and setting a regular of excellence that my admirers can count on, you know?
LS: Are you locating points inspiring or cynical these days? Mainly because there is a selected heaviness to the new album.
NF: For me, it’s finishing the aim. This is what I claimed I was likely to do with my existence from the time I was youthful. I reported, “one working day I’m heading to be a qualified recording artist” and I’ve had the very same vision for my life due to the fact a child. This time about, my tactic is to do it how I want to do it. Looking again on the past, even while I did my ideal, I come to feel like I never ever truly maximized the probable I experienced. But this time about, I will.
LS: I truly feel like your albums have usually been deeply observational, but this album looks pretty much testimonial. To paraphrase the track Just F, “Fuck Petey, Fuck Nickelus, fuck all of that shit… its just F.” There is a good deal to infer from a lyric like that.
NF: I would say that is shut to the mark, it’s undoubtedly testimonial. My last album was Stuck in 2018. At that stage in time, I was in a totally distinctive place and had a completely distinctive outlook on life — I felt conquer down and basically trapped. But I was back in college, and I was hopeful about the chances in the long run.
I’m in a way better house now, and a great deal of the positioning on this album was undoubtedly testimony. I did a whole lot reflecting on life, and what is been going on with me more than these earlier number of yrs.
LS: Do you really feel like you accomplished all the things you required out of this new report?
NF: In conditions of the artwork, yeah, and the big difference is how I approached this album. This time I imagined, what is the information that I wanna get across? What is it that I want people today to sense? What am I communicating to my contemporaries — to other rappers? What am I saying to the sport — to the lifestyle?
LS: So what information are you trying to send out with this album?
NF: My statement is this: “Yo, I’m rapping at a definitely higher degree, and I don’t imagine a large amount of y’all are on par with me.” Ideal? In conditions of acquiring a take care of on the craft, the technological factors of rap, and the range in music style and shipping and delivery.
LS: The way you experience you have mastered the artwork sort?
NF: Mastery of the artwork form, that’s the statement. And I’m continuing to more master all aspects of this, irrespective of the kind of tune — irrespective of the bounce, the defeat, the topic, the issue make a difference.
Yo. I’m slaying shit. So I’m below to force the concentrations, set bars, and shatter anticipations of what a rapper at my age could do.
LS: That’s fucking awesome. Can I request you some queries about staying a rapper in your forties?
NF: Of course.
LS: On Ziplocs, there’s a lyric, “They questioned me about my age and I say I’m eternal.” How’s your imaginative evolution unfolded now that you are in this new life phase?
NF: As a innovative, I truly feel super effective. I sense like I can execute whichever it is I need to complete creatively. As lengthy as I know what I wanna say and what stance I wanna just take, I experience like there’s no roadblocks.
LS: Do you really feel like your priorities have changed as an artist?
NF: For sure, I believe much more so proper now. I’m at the age where I want to show my expansion. I wanna carry on to elevate the stage of my creating, hone my artistry, and go on carving out my lane — I sense like I don’t seem like any other rapper. I developed this whole approach, this is F shit. I have analyzed what it is people like about me as an artist, what I like finest about myself as an artist, and I leaned into that.
LS: What have you found through that course of action of self-assessment?
NF: That’s tremendous intriguing. I have recognized that men and women like me for my composing. There are rappers who have fantastic beats, amazing voices, special seems to be, you know what I suggest? But I really feel like my largest offering level is the actual lyrics. So that’s just one detail I honed in on I also adjusted the way that I generate, document, and supply my music so that I could have a wonderful overall performance with out killing myself on phase.
LS: The rap push is stating you’ve bought a new imprint — Trick Dice. Are there programs on creating out a roster or increasing into audio publishing?
NF: Sooner or later. I’ve been finding that concern a lot. Acquiring a label was under no circumstances actually a matter that I imagined about. But as I’m maturing and finding the parts and men and women all around me that want to assistance. And this is my likelihood to improve on the likely I mentioned previously. So proper now my target is having it off of the ground, off of the again of my music and my catalog. But finally I would like to increase the roster and operate with a pair artists.
LS: A couple yrs in the past you occupied this actually exciting space, performing as a bridge between the rap and punk scenes in Richmond. Do you assume that bridge nevertheless exists or was that a specific time and position mainly because of venues like Unusual Issue?
NF: I would like to assume so. That’s just Richmond lifestyle, appropriate? Our metropolis is exclusive, and that vibe transcends any a single musical genre, and far more so speaks to the essence of the town. But not everybody can wander that line. So, I consider there’s a large amount of popular floor and there’s a lot of opportunity that is however but to be thoroughly explored.
I also want to give a huge shout out to Phil, Mark, and Bobby (ed. notice: earlier proprietors of Unusual Make any difference) for each individual enjoying a big role in setting up a ton of demonstrates and bringing these crowds jointly. We identified mutual contentment in the audio and made terrific activities.
LS: Any programs to tour to assistance the new album?
NF: Unquestionably. We have a ton of reveals coming up, some place dates about the summertime, but we’re setting up a tour for the fall and wintertime time.
LS: Where’s the tour going to consider you?
NF: That I can’t say correct now. There are dates that are booked, but it’s a little something that’s even now being set collectively.
LS: For all the vinyl collectors out there, are you gonna push the new album?
NF: Completely. Absolutely. And you can also assume vinyl releases for some of your preferred jobs in my back again catalog.
LS: You continue to inspire, thanks for having the time to chat with us.
NF: Thank you. Oh and ahead of I go, I want to notify everybody to look at out my web page www.weneedf.com, thanks yet again.
*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Images by Landon Shroder
Electronic illustrations by R. Anthony Harris
The article Attacking the World: An Unique Q&A with Richmond Rap Legend, Nickelus F appeared first on RVA Mag.