Interview: Houston Rap Artist Malcolm Gee Discusses His New Single "Skate"
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“Once I got the chance to actually record on a mic and have that studio feeling, that’s when I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my days.”
We're hypnotized by your new song "Skate". Tell us about your creative process for its development and whether we can expect a music video for it.
Thank you and much appreciation, glad you enjoyed the song. With this song, we were going through beats and this one came on. Immediately we felt this vibe of old school music you would hear from your folks, or an episode of Soul Train and the soul train line was happening. It also just gave the vibe of roller skating, how the music makes you bounce and groove with the beat we knew we had to make a skating anthem. We even played some old episodes of Soul Train and roller skating videos to get the full effect of that skating freedom.
Also, yes there will be a music video coming out sometime in the Summer and we're really excited to bring this song to the eyes!!
Following up on the last question, will "Skate" be featured on an upcoming EP or album this year? If so, what can you tell us about it?
‘Skate” will actually be featured on the EP "Fourth and Inches" I've been experimenting this year and decided to release this EP as singles throughout the year and compile it all when all songs have been released as singles. It's a weird approach to how things are normally done, but it wouldn't be me if I didn't do things differently or weirdly.
What are some things/people/places that influence the music that you create?
Great question!! One of my biggest influences and will always be is the city that I was born and raised in, Houston, Texas. There was all types of music in Houston, it's diversity made me not only see Hip-Hop and Rap, but also RnB, EDM, Soul, Blues, Pop, Country, Rock & Roll.
The city helped introduce me to all those fields, and I'm extremely grateful for it because it made me realize that I wanted to tap into all these genres. The people also!!! With so many different ethnicities I got the chance to her different stories, different outlooks on how life is, and different histories of where someone came from. This made me want to make music for everybody, no matter the age or nationality.
My family also are a big influence, I consider friends as family because we all brothers and sisters at the end of the day. Lastly, myself, I used to wanna be only the best rapper, but I saw music as bigger than that. It's a whole force that can start something good, bring great feelings to someone's day, a great therapy when going through a breakup, new love, or a big, drastic change in life. That's when I said I don't want to be the best rapper, I want to be the best artist and lyricist ever.
Tell us about how you got started creating music, and some of the artists that inspired you to pick up the pen and pad.
I started writing when I was a kid, making poems in journals they always rhymed and when I found my rhythm, it was all over!! Then I was jamming to UGK, Z-RO, Chamillionaire, Jay Z, Lil Wayne and so much RnB. They were the ones that helped me learn how to rhyme in time and make it my own as they did.
When I was 13, I was recording for my brother and performing all throughout school thanks to choir. Ya boy can sing too!! When I had went to college in Mayville, North Dakota, that when I met up with H.R.Three, the San Diego native artist featured on this song, he showed me how it could be more than just a fun hobby.
Once I got the chance to actually record on a mic and have that studio feeling, that's when I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my days. By then my music research ran deep, just cause I wanted to put a taste from everywhere in my style. I was listening to Big Sean, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Outkast, Drake, Nelly, Slim Thug, and so many more. I still try to find new artists everyday because I feel like music has so many viewpoints I want to know them all.
Why is it important for you that your music is uplifting and have a positive message for the listener?
The reasoning of why I want my music to be uplifting and positive, is mainly because the world is a crazy, unpredictable, wonderful yet cruel place, it has its ups and mostly downs. With times especially right now, the dark in this world continues to grow and grow. People are trying to bring the light, and a lot of people are just in the dark trying to find their way to the light. Many people are finding their voice to speak up and do more, I want to do my part in helping more people finding the light as well.
Music has always been the best form of communication for me, and I feel like I have some great advice to give. I've been in the dark and I found my way to look at all the beautiful things life has to offer and the change we can make for ourselves and others. I want to spread this knowledge I found to them and fill them with it, then overflow them with it so they can go and give the knowledge to someone else and brighten up their days. Simply saying I just want to put a smile on everyone's face.
Thank you so much Dopecausewesaid; I am grateful and blessed with this opportunity, and appreciate you featuring and interviewing me, much love and Live Life, cuz Life Lives!
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