E Da Menance Interview | Respect the Artist


E Da Menace is an upcoming artist trying to put his team and his city on the Map! Representing Nothing But Elevation, the motive for him and his team is in the name. Their goal is to elevate each other, their peers, and their city. Hopefully, one day is able to impact people all over the globe. E is an artist, mentor, manager, and leader. With unorthodox flow, with witty punchlines, E Da Menace has a knack for grasping the ears and mind of the listener. He’s not a drill rapper. He’s not a conscious rapper. He has the ability to switch up flows for every song and also switch his flow multiple times over the course of 1 song. Give him a listen and you’ll find something that will tickle your fancy.

How did you get your name?

In about 2017 my brother (Ozzy I-95) and I started using the app Rapchat to record music. We did not take it seriously yet but Ozzy’s original name was Oz Da Menace. I was E Da Menace. And we dabbled with the idea of being a group, calling ourselves Menace to society. Once we started taking music seriously Ozzy change his name but I decided to stick with it!

How did you get into creating?

I played an instrument from 4th grade to 8th grade. After that, I stopped but I always loved sounds, instruments, beats and performing in front of people. I used to often freestyle with my friends but I did not have the confidence to take it seriously. At a young age. In high school, me and a former close friend used to regularly create beats and rap over them however we lacked all the equipment and knowledge or confidence to actually record and take it seriously. As I got older I wanted to at least try since it was Something I loved but also I had people that encouraged me to take it seriously And create. Fast forward to 2020 mid pandemic, not much going on, Ozzy and I decided to challenge ourselves to actually make songs. I still did not take it too seriously but Ozzy started to create at a rapid pace and then challenged me to take it seriously. He was almost disappointed with me and wanted me to go harder. I was getting decent feedback so I decided if we were going to do this, they give it all we got and see where the chips fall.

How has creating changed your life?

Creating has given me a space to express thoughts and feelings I sometimes felt like I couldn’t. Allowed me to get things off my chest and always have some crazy thoughts or ideas without being judged or taken too seriously.

Where are you from?

Staten Island, New York

How did growing up in your neighborhood/city affect you?

Growing up in the inner city or NYC forces you to grow up fast. Your innocence gets taken from you and you see things and maybe even do things at a young age most other kids couldn’t imagine. Being from Staten Island, we get the short end of the stick on everything. It’s not as big of a place and easily the least popular and most sh*tted-on borough in New York. Just like every other borough and Long Island when you in the urban neighborhoods we deal with all the same issues. Over-aggressive police officers. Having to worry about your own people wanting to want to rob or harm you, as well as racial profiling, poverty, prejudice etc. One thing being from Staten Island forces you to do, is leave your city and go explore other cities. I made money and did business in every borough of New York and Long Island. People sleep on S.I but we be good everywhere we go.

What did you do to advance your skills/knowledge?

I’m a student of the game. I’ve been listening to music for a long time and I go back to listening to music before my time to get a good understanding of where it comes from. I have a love and appreciation for all sounds and playing an instrument in a band helped me love all forms and types of music. Cyphers with friends and writing sessions also sharpened my skills.

Who inspires you? Why do they inspire you?

First I want to say Ozzy. He’s honestly the person that got me to take rap seriously. I probably would still be focused on managing and mentoring and other things instead of creating.

As far as my musical inspirations I have to say the goat HOV. Cole, K. Dot, The Griselda, The Lox, Flatbush Zombies, Weezy, Meek, and I have to add Max B (free the Boss Don Biggavelli) plus more. I’m inspired by and listen to a lot of artists that’s why I can create so many sounds. Just depends on my feelings when I hear something that hits me.

What is your goal when you create?

My goal is always to make sure my flow and sound is authentic to me. Make sure the things I say make sense and the song is captivating to the listeners.

Why do you create?

I always wanted to create, always thinking about ways to create. Creating, especially in this space allows me to deal let go of a lot things that’s caused me burdens. Music is therapy

What's your go-to song right now and why is it important to you?

I have more than 1 and the songs are currently unreleased. Usually my most recent made songs are the ones I listen to the most before I release them

What is your dream as an artist and what steps are you taking to reach your dream?

My dream is to be able to impact others. Be able to have my music help people get through tough times, get through a long drive, get through a workout, pre-game, whatever you’re into.

What is the best advice you would give someone with a dream?

Chase it and Never stop. Unless you’re an athlete, of course, you have a window of opportunity but within that window, you better go all in. That’s my regret as an athlete and most things in my youth. I didn’t give 110%, I slacked, I procrastinated, I doubted myself and I shouldn’t have. Outside of that everything else has no age limit on success. There’s no time limit on success. Fight for what you want and don’t let anyone tell you no.

Tell us about your most recent release

Recently dropped a video by my boy CruzZ from Connecticut. Ozzy and I was featured on the songs. It’s 2 different songs from CruzZ recent album we put them together to perform them at a show we did and decided to shoot the video. We linked up in NYC to make a beautiful video and the footage and vibe was dope.

Check it out here: https://youtu.be/J0m1RSEh-2o

Connect

Instagram: https://instagram.com/_nbe_e?igshid=NDRkN2NkYzU=

Twitter: http://Www.Twitter.com/edamenace

Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7orfTeIxqyhIiP2gyv8kH1?si=B6ktuCiJQCGhSARk2phMgQ


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