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| Photo by Shane McCauley |
I first met Warner Bros. recording artist XV at the Austin, TX festival known as South by Southwest in March of 2012. He had just finished an electrifying performance and was making his way through the crowd when I was able to stop him for a moment in order to inquire about the possibility of taking a picture with me. You see, a friend of mine put me onto his music not more than two months earlier, when he played me XV's most recent mixtape release (at the time) titled, Zero Heroes. I was absolutely impressed by his creativity, lyrics, hooks, concepts, and ear for selecting exceptional beats for this project, so I felt compelled to stop him to inform him of my appreciation of his work. I have since caught up with most of his catalog and have only become an even bigger fan of his music through doing so.
Two years later, XV was in town to perform for the students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus when I was fortunate to be able to catch up with him beforehand.
For those who don't
know you, who are you?
XV: I am XV, rapper from
Wichita, Kansas; created on the planet Squaria and I've been making music since the age of 15.
What is the origin of
your alias?
XV: When I was turning 15, I
realized that I wanted to do music for a living. When I realized this, I took into account how young I was because of how many people laughed in my face when I did this. I wanted to make sure that I made it a moment for myself so I named myself the age I was when I started rapping. I had the idea that when I got older, I would always be able to say, "I got my rap name from the age I started rapping." For instance, let's say when I'm thirty years old, and I'm huge, people will be able to say, "Oh yeah, 'cuz he's been going at it for 15 years now." I knew this wasn't going to be easy once I heard my first laugh. [laughs]
Which song of yours are
you most proud of?
XV: Due to the fact that I was
scared to release it too early, I would say "Pictures on my Wall." I
wrote that song so fast that it was beyond my lyrics. I felt like I actually
had something to say and that's a very powerful feeling for a rapper,
especially when you've been writing songs your whole life. I wrote it so fast. It wasn't a hard thing to tackle, and I love what I related to with that song.
I wasn't about to put it out on Zero Heroes (ZH), you know, I was saving that
record for so many different reasons. Now that it's out, I'm glad that I
did put it out. I don't regret putting it out because it was a part of
that entire ZH project and it was a
part of me relating to the world that I have now. I'm still holding
onto The Kid with the Green Backpack (TKWTGB), which is filled with songs that I
love, but that was the main song that I was willing to let go
because I knew it was already completed. I'd say that it was my favorite
because it was a complete song and I was holding on to it. I had a really big
idea for a feature on it, and I'm still doing that for the album, so you'll be
able to hear the rest of the story through this other version when the time comes.
Which project or
mixtape are you're most proud of?
XV: I would say The Square in the Circle. I went through a lot in my life during that time and for me
to have tackled that album… people don't even understand, when I made
that album I had lost one of my kids
and me and my chick (we've have been together for ten years) were going through
some crazy shit. It's a lot of that. You don't notice the metaphors of it, but
the escapism that that album is about, is me escaping from that reality.
It wasn't the reality of my childhood. It was a reality of the "right
now." A lot of my other projects are "moving forward" projects,
and that was a very "in the now" project that I made without anybody
telling me to make a new project. I wasn't XV yet. I was still trying to get on
and that project could've been a project where I would've been like, "I'm
trying to get on with this project," and I wasn't. I was like, "I'm
going to do something different with this project." Square in the
Circle is the reason why we have "Squarians" right now. So
without that, we're just calling ourselves the "Everybody's
Nobodies."
Speaking of, what is a
Squarian?
XV: I look at it as somebody
who knows and accepts that they don't fit into that circle that life tries to
throw you in. After becoming aware, they accept the fact that
they're supposed to be doing something bigger and that their purpose is
something bigger. That's what Squarian is all about and that's what the Square
in the Circle project was all about. The Squarian fanbase came from people
understanding that that's what my music is all about. So, Squarian is my
fanbase. Squarian is my sound. Squarian is what I am and I feel that
everybody at one point, is a Squarian. It's just happening to the fact that you
are accepting of being a Squarian. That's the hard part. It's not about being a
square. It's about being a Squarian 'cuz a Squarian is equal on all sides, like
a square. You're an equally balanced person. You're an equal opportunity
person. Everything about you is equal on all sides. Me? I'm ill with the flow,
I'm ill with the beats, I'm ill with the business, and I'm ill with just being myself.
That's just me being equal on all four sides and I feel like that's what a
Squarian really is.
What have you been
working on recently?
XV: I've been working on the
final phase of the album. The final phase of The Kid with the Green Backpack has
really been tying together all of these songs I've been writing for five years.
So I've been working on that and just finishing up all of the writing and guest
features for that. I'm also planning a real big summer. A huge summer
for my season. My birthday's in summer, so it's going to be my
season.
Run us through a
typical day of yours…
XV: I take my
son to school then I start my shit. After
that, I
normally just work on music at the beginning of my day. Right now, I've just
been in the Bat Cave (the lab) everyday. I'm in the lab literally from 8:00
in the morning 'til 8:00 at night. Then I watch all my shows and figure out
what I'm going to tackle tomorrow. I'm in the studio everyday. That's the thing
about me, I'm never not in the studio unless I'm on the road. Either I'm in the
studio making a beat, or I'm in the studio on my drawing board, or I'm in the studio
writing or making a tracklist… I'm always doing something in the studio because
that's my Bat Cave and if I'm not in there it's because I'm out here being
Batman. [laughs]
Run us through a
typical day of yours five years ago…
XV: Man, five years ago was
almost around the time when I was trying to get my record deal, so I was making
Everybody's Nobody. I was playing a lot of video games because they were relaxing to me. It's a nostalgic reason. I was making a lot of
projects, including Square in the Circle, based off of me
playing video games. Everyday I would wake up and play video games. That's how
you got "Mirror's Edge." A lot of the songs that I
created back in the day were from me playing video games, including
"Nevermind." I was playing Rock Band one day and
heard the sample. The video games were treatments because that's where the
ideas were coming from. So yeah, five years ago I was waking up, sending emails
out to 2DopeBoyz, Nahright, Rap Radar, and others just hoping that they
would put some of my music up.
What inspires you to
create music? What motivates you?
XV: What motivates me to
create music is a new message. The main thing with me is knowing that
there's a possibility to acquire a new listener every day. You
know what I mean? I mean, like, even with someone being born. There's a new
opportunity every day and I'm a very opportunistic person. I want people
to hear my message. I want people to see what you can do if you
just persevere no matter where you're from. I don't want to give people the
idea of false hope in something that isn't possible. I want to give people
a belief in, a hope in, work paying off. I feel that every new song I make
needs to continue carrying that message. That's why I never stop making
music. That's why I'm always in the lab because that song could be made today.
That song could be made tomorrow, you know?
Is there any advice
that you'd like to offer to any producers who are interested in working with
you?
XV: Try to find the sound
that's going to take that artist, including me, to the next level. Don't give
them something that you know they've already accepted. Don't give them
something that they know they already want. You wouldn't do that to no
girl in a relationship. You wouldn't do that to no job. You wouldn't do that to
nobody else, you know? I don't know why people use that technique with rappers.
Producers need to come original and do
something that is unique and would take them to the next level. Not something
that you think is going to take the game to the next level, but that
person to the next level. There's always a sound for that. I feel like
that's what makes music move forward and that's why music is at a stand-still
so much, because many producers aren't
willing to make that sound that's going to make music move forward. So give me that because
I definitely want to be someone who makes music move forward. Let me be that person. That's what a producer is
supposed to do, produce that.
Is there any advice
that you'd care to offer to any rappers who are interested in working with
you?
XV: Create your own lane.
Create a following and a fan base that identifies with your personality and
with you 'cuz you're not the only you out there. I feel like that
could help a Squarian like me because you're allowing me into your world
just as I'm allowing you into my world. That's how we all could merge. I
feel like so many people are still apart and there's really no unity in the
music scene, especially the Rap [music] scene. I feel like
if you create something that will not only bring unity to that, but bring it to
that Squarian brand, because there's no team right now that's bringing that. You know, something that I feel is new or original, as Squarians.
You know, Odd Future has that unity and they've created that. Create something like that of your own and
come visit Squaria. That's what I would fuck with.
Is there any advice you'd
be willing to share with those who aspire to work in the music industry?
XV: Follow the "L7" motto, that's "Love Life, be Loyal, and Live Long Like a Legend." Get into this game to create
something that's going to stand the test of time. Don't get into this game to
create something for "the now." Don't get into this game because it sounds
good right now. Get into this game for the 10-year goal, the 15-year goal, the
30-year goal because that's what OutKast got into it for. That's what Biggie
would've been here for. That's what Tupac would've been here for. Those are
people who inspire us. That one hit on the radio didn't inspire anything but a
cheap trick. So do something that's going to move music forward.
Lightning Round - (random ass questions, seeking short answers)
Favorite food at
favorite restaurant?
XV: McDonald's cheeseburgers,
for sure
Favorite drink?
XV: Root Beer
Favorite TV show?
XV: South Park
Favorite movie?
XV: The Dark Knight
Favorite cartoon
growing up?
Favorite video
game?
XV: Mass Effect
Other than Hip Hop,
which music genre(s) do you enjoy listening to?
XV: Jazz, original
soundtracks, Rock, and Electronic
Favorite Smashing
Pumpkins song?
XV: Zero
Name an album that
you're embarrassed to liking, owning, and listening to.
XV: Trinidad James EP
Shockers or
Jayhawks?
Tupac or Biggie?
XV: Tupac
Favorite Professional
Wrestler?
XV: Triple H
Marvel or DC?
XV: Marvel
Favorite Super
Hero?
XV: The Punisher
Favorite Villain?
XV: The Joker
Favorite Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtle?
XV: Donatello
What's the first thing
you'd do if you had the money?
XV: Go to Rome
Will The Kid with the
Green Backpack be released before or after Astronaut Dreams?
XV: Before… the order goes Kid
with the Green Backpack, Astronaut Dreams, then 2015.
Lastly, what's
something about you that many people aren't aware of?
XV: I was horrible in school.
I would like to take this moment to thank XV for his time and willingness to make this interview possible.
To hear more from XV you can follow this link to stream his videos on YouTube. You can also find, follow, and tweet XV on Twitter using the widget below.
Thank you for your time,
XV, and thank you to my readers.
-QW
