Interview: Rich Writer Talks About His Debut EP "Mongo Slade"
How would you say that your hometown The Bronx has influenced the music that you create?
It influenced me a whole lot; it's the Mecca right? My pops was in a group called Ultimate Force with Diamond D; their first album has some of Fat Joe's earliest recordings.
I'm from 1010, which is considered the true birthplace of hip hop. I feel no one really checks for Bronx MCs. Brooklyn, Harlem, and Queens got it; no hate, I love New York, but I'm a Bronx dude and I wanna help bring some attention to our borough. We full of untapped power and creativity.
Congratulations on the completion and release of your debut EP "Mongo Slade"; tell us about your creative process for the project and where the title originates.
First, thank you! My creative process for this project was introducing myself as an MC as a person, and putting some of it out there in the beginning. No one knows me now but they will, and in my head it would always start as who is Rich Writer so each track i looked at it as a piece of that puzzle.
The title comes from my love of pop culture, in this case, a movie with Sydney Poitier and Bill Cosby. In the movie they were attempting come up of some gangsters in the betting game; Bill Cosby’s character went undercover as Mongo Slade to trick Kansas City Mack and I loved that part him fidgeting with the gun and it felt right.
Were there songs that you recorded that did not make the final tracklist? If so, why didn't they make the cut?
There was one track “Better Days” and it just didn't work for the EP. That track became “I Remember”, that I released earlier this year.
Tell us why you decided to release the "Mongo Slade" EP on your birthday (March 7th).
So I've been working in this EP since I was 20; I kept putting it off because of depression and just finding my footing in the world as a young adult. I felt at one point when I had my second son that I shouldn't be pursuing this dream and just be the best husband and dad I could be. My wife helped me realize that I couldn't if I didn't pursue my dreams and work on my craft.
I was born on the 7th; they say that's God's number and 30 they say symbolizes you dedicating yourself to your "calling".
It just made sense; it was cemented in me. I’ma do this.
With the EP now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2022?
I want to get more music done; another EP maybe. I’m working on the AAVEs first tape with Nivlac Lemaj. It’s gonna be ill.
I want to get some music videos done for “Mongo Slade”; really get it out there, and just work on myself to get better musically.
What can you tell us about The AAVE and your multimedia company, Inner Child Network?
The AAVE is the idea that you’re not alone in your journey to wherever your art takes you, whether you are a dancer, rapper, singer, painter, fashion designer or whatever. You have a network of people that support you.
Inner Child Network is a black owned and operated multimedia company that encourages black creatives to embrace their inner child because it is the basis of your creativity. It's the community that you came from that you want to give back to. It’s where you get your sense of family; it's you turning on the game after a long day at work; it's what helps you connect with your children watching cartoons or playing outside and we have so much in store.
Music, skits, podcasts and video game streaming; definitely check us out. Look up innerchildnetwork on all social media platforms.