The Black Canvas (or BLCKCNVS) is a collective hailing from Raleigh, NC that comprises of three strong solo artists: theDeeepEnd, P.A.T. Junior, and Sonyae. We connected with the theDEEEPEnd, P.A.T. Junior and Sonyae to find out how they came up with their group name, their thoughts on Raleigh prospectively being the next city to blow, what we can expect from them musically in 2016 and more.

Carlton Boyd

How did you guys come up with the name The BLCKCNVS? 

After sifting through various ideas such as, "the art club," "prime example", etc., we agreed that the incorporation of "canvas" was fitting. With a hint of genius, it was suggested by Yae that we add black to the name. It was a viola moment. An appropriate definition of our ethnicity, but also a testament to our originality. A group of unique artists dedicated to illustrating their stories and style. 

Some people in the music industry say that Raleigh is the next city to blow in regards to rap. Do you agree? 

The entire state of North Carolina should be considered next up. Naturally, of course, we love seeing eyes on Raleigh. Our city has churned out some major talent over the years, and still has really only scratched the surface. It's no secret that many big name artists, and even executives call Raleigh home. That's not by coincidence either. They're here to scope/scout the vast talent in the area. And we plan to take full advantage.

Will we see/hear a full album or EP from The BLCKCNVS in 2016?

Initially when we formed, we wanted to do a short EP real quick just to sort of have content out there. The more we worked together and built our art, we realized The Black Canvas needed a more organic and well thought out approach. Rushing it, or forcing it is the last thing we want to do. That being said, yes!! We plan to get an actual project out there this year. If it doesn't happen, just know we're still working on it. 

How did you guys come together to form the group? 

We all knew each other from shows we did together/attended or just keeping up with the scene here. The concept of "strength in numbers" is really what pushed P.A.T. Junior to reach out and pitch everyone else on the move. Initially he just wanted to establish a relationship with several artists, no labels or commitments immediately. A few prospects didn't pan out, but from the jump theDeeepEnd and Sonyae were just as willing as to build and push one another creatively. That instant chemistry is really what birthed The Black Canvas. We put our egos aside to form a strong collective of artists who could/can hopefully represent North Carolina well.

What are your goals musically this year?

As individual artists, we all are working on new projects slated for a release this year. Doing so really works well for us as a whole because everyone's creative juices are flowing (no pun intended). Thus, when we meet up its not hard to spawn ideas/concepts and convert them into art. 

As a collective, we plan on releasing singles throughout the year, just so listeners can get accustomed to our sound/style and to establish the presence needed for an EP or full length project. Right now, we remain focused on discovering our sound and strengthening our chemistry. Ultimately, we want to set a standard for music everywhere, and prove that unity is always a good way to go. 

Connect with The BLCKCNVS: Twitter (Collective)   Twitter (theDeeepEnd)   Twitter (P.A.T. Junior)   Twitter (Sonyae)