Q: Can you talk about your history as an artist?
A: I first started rapping at the age of 15. Growing up, I’d always had an admiration for hip-hop. It started with Eminem when I was 8 years, and coincided with Kanye and Biggie when I was 13. Yet, it wasn’t until I saw “Kick, Push” by Lupe Fiasco when it all started. This was the first time I could envision myself on TV, as a rapper. He wore glasses like me, was black like me, skateboarded like me, and his sound was what I would fantasize my music would be like, if I too felt the need to begin rapping.
This was my freshman year in high school. I, proudly, graduated from Atascocita High School in ‘09 but it was still being constructed in ’05-’06, so I spent that school year at Humble High School. I’m from Atascocita, Texas, which is about a good 30 minutes from downtown Houston. While as a freshman, I participated in freestyle battles, honing my skills. The goal was to be able to just rap on beat. Similar to a new skateboarder, this gave me my bearings, stance, and style, while comprehending the constructs of the art.
It wasn’t until the age of 21 when I decided to pursue a career in music. It was extremely difficult. I dropped out of college, lost key and core relationships with family members, and crashed on a friend's couch. However, it was also an engaging experience, as I finally had the opportunity to self analyze who I was, and more importantly, what I wanted to say as an artist.
Q: I was reading about some of your influences like Kanye West? What influences your music besides music?
A: It would have to be life itself. Artists such as Kanye were influential in dictating a specific style, sound, or approach to music. But it's actually life that has the biggest input in what I decide to write about. I don’t exhibit nor possess specific stereotypes many have to come to expect out of a rapper. More specifically a black artist. I don’t wear jewelry, or immerse myself with a large collection of people. I’m from Houston, but I don’t wear a grill, partake in particular cultural practices, etc. I skate, come home, play with my cat or make art. It’s my dealings with the world, where I find my content. Usually something that's bothering me is what leads to a song. I’ve always viewed rap as my personal journal to sarcastically approach topics, I don’t feel comfortable discussing with others. Or at least in a non rhythmic sense.
Q: What is your recording process like for Matthew Reid's The Roaring Twenties?
A: Extensive, and a lot of written revisions. I started writing it in spring 2018, and then proceeded to record demos. By the fall of that year I stopped and allowed myself to clear my mind and focus upon other pursuits. This lasted about a year until summer 2019 when I continued writing music. On and off again that year, by December 2019 I had the first few songs ready to showcase, with a projected May 2020 release. Then the pandemic matriculated to the States, and that's where things got amplified. I was left with an abundance of time upon my hands, so I seized the opportunity to restart the recording process. January of this year is when things were finalized. I worked with an absolutely fantastic producer, and engineer named, Trakksounds. He and I worked on the project for about five months, finishing the sessions in May of 2021. It was the easiest, most comfortable recording process ever. I finally found an engineer who was there, punctual, stood out the way, and exhibited their expertise and skills when necessary. I’m very appreciative of his work and wisdom.
A: I first started rapping at the age of 15. Growing up, I’d always had an admiration for hip-hop. It started with Eminem when I was 8 years, and coincided with Kanye and Biggie when I was 13. Yet, it wasn’t until I saw “Kick, Push” by Lupe Fiasco when it all started. This was the first time I could envision myself on TV, as a rapper. He wore glasses like me, was black like me, skateboarded like me, and his sound was what I would fantasize my music would be like, if I too felt the need to begin rapping.
This was my freshman year in high school. I, proudly, graduated from Atascocita High School in ‘09 but it was still being constructed in ’05-’06, so I spent that school year at Humble High School. I’m from Atascocita, Texas, which is about a good 30 minutes from downtown Houston. While as a freshman, I participated in freestyle battles, honing my skills. The goal was to be able to just rap on beat. Similar to a new skateboarder, this gave me my bearings, stance, and style, while comprehending the constructs of the art.
It wasn’t until the age of 21 when I decided to pursue a career in music. It was extremely difficult. I dropped out of college, lost key and core relationships with family members, and crashed on a friend's couch. However, it was also an engaging experience, as I finally had the opportunity to self analyze who I was, and more importantly, what I wanted to say as an artist.
Q: I was reading about some of your influences like Kanye West? What influences your music besides music?
A: It would have to be life itself. Artists such as Kanye were influential in dictating a specific style, sound, or approach to music. But it's actually life that has the biggest input in what I decide to write about. I don’t exhibit nor possess specific stereotypes many have to come to expect out of a rapper. More specifically a black artist. I don’t wear jewelry, or immerse myself with a large collection of people. I’m from Houston, but I don’t wear a grill, partake in particular cultural practices, etc. I skate, come home, play with my cat or make art. It’s my dealings with the world, where I find my content. Usually something that's bothering me is what leads to a song. I’ve always viewed rap as my personal journal to sarcastically approach topics, I don’t feel comfortable discussing with others. Or at least in a non rhythmic sense.
Q: What is your recording process like for Matthew Reid's The Roaring Twenties?
A: Extensive, and a lot of written revisions. I started writing it in spring 2018, and then proceeded to record demos. By the fall of that year I stopped and allowed myself to clear my mind and focus upon other pursuits. This lasted about a year until summer 2019 when I continued writing music. On and off again that year, by December 2019 I had the first few songs ready to showcase, with a projected May 2020 release. Then the pandemic matriculated to the States, and that's where things got amplified. I was left with an abundance of time upon my hands, so I seized the opportunity to restart the recording process. January of this year is when things were finalized. I worked with an absolutely fantastic producer, and engineer named, Trakksounds. He and I worked on the project for about five months, finishing the sessions in May of 2021. It was the easiest, most comfortable recording process ever. I finally found an engineer who was there, punctual, stood out the way, and exhibited their expertise and skills when necessary. I’m very appreciative of his work and wisdom.
Q: What is your creative process like?
A: I find myself writing often. I'm old school, so a pen and paper is my sanctuary. I also utilize my phone a lot to write lyrics down. I have a journal possessing all the songs I wanna use. I’m remedial in the sense that I need to write it down, make scratches, etc. I’m in awe of other rappers who don’t write down and record off of memory.
A song could range from a day being written, to months.
Musically is a different approach. As a producer myself, I’ll tend to look through samples and just sit with them for months. I’ll research the artist, and context of when the material was composed and why. I’d like to know why the artist chose this direction, and how it relates to me. This was the process in making a song such as “I Tell ‘Em.”
Other songs, such as “The Jaunt” or “I Should Tell You Things,” are a little easier, because it’s all laid out. I look to provide the lyrics and mask myself with the producers intent, while sprinkling my influence onto it. I searched far and wide for particular tracks on this project to hop on. A YouTuber named kooliedscope provided a good portion of the production. Others were from me being a fan of their music. Such as Crystal Castles, The KVB, & Black Marble, artists who are sampled on this project.
Q: What are some themes that are touched upon your release Matthew Reid's The Roaring Twenties?
A: A couple of reasons why I named the project “The Roaring Twenties.” The first being that I intended it to be a 2020 release. That year I was 29, the last year of my 20’s. My 20’s were absolutely awesome, and I felt that I needed to document the growth I made during that time.
The second was because of the year 2020. The first year of this current decade was one for the records. I felt that no one in music had truly captured the mindset and themes of that year into music. That was my goal with this project. The themes of that year dominate the subject matter on this album. The way racial injustice was thrown at the forefront of topics in 2020. The manner in which the world stopped and how it affected others, such as being furloughed. The concept of childhood friends you’ve lost contact with attempting to immerse themselves back in your lives, and you yourself finding the feelings that arise from this being difficult to suppress. My parents being stuck overseas due to the pandemic, and my younger brother and I being in the states by ourselves. Or more or less the first time life without them was an actual concept for a minute. That was tough. So, things around those are prevalent in the body of work.
Q: Have you started playing shows or virtual shows?
A: 1000%. We’re currently touring until the end of 2022. We started with a show in Austin back in September that was one of my favorite trips taken in a while. Just had a show here in Houston, in December, and will be back on the road in the spring. The goal’s to head back out to Austin for SXSW, both weekends doing shows. After that we’ll head to LA in May/June and follow that with a domestic tour. This will include the west coast, pacific northwest and east coast. The previous shows are available on our YouTube page, PWE.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: My next plan is to release a compilation album this upcoming summer 2022. It’ll possess previous recorded material, but with a new approach. Similar to what Taylor Swift is doing with her previous albums. Along with this I’ll have 10-12 new songs so this will be a semi-stamp of where I currently am as an artist.
A: I find myself writing often. I'm old school, so a pen and paper is my sanctuary. I also utilize my phone a lot to write lyrics down. I have a journal possessing all the songs I wanna use. I’m remedial in the sense that I need to write it down, make scratches, etc. I’m in awe of other rappers who don’t write down and record off of memory.
A song could range from a day being written, to months.
Musically is a different approach. As a producer myself, I’ll tend to look through samples and just sit with them for months. I’ll research the artist, and context of when the material was composed and why. I’d like to know why the artist chose this direction, and how it relates to me. This was the process in making a song such as “I Tell ‘Em.”
Other songs, such as “The Jaunt” or “I Should Tell You Things,” are a little easier, because it’s all laid out. I look to provide the lyrics and mask myself with the producers intent, while sprinkling my influence onto it. I searched far and wide for particular tracks on this project to hop on. A YouTuber named kooliedscope provided a good portion of the production. Others were from me being a fan of their music. Such as Crystal Castles, The KVB, & Black Marble, artists who are sampled on this project.
Q: What are some themes that are touched upon your release Matthew Reid's The Roaring Twenties?
A: A couple of reasons why I named the project “The Roaring Twenties.” The first being that I intended it to be a 2020 release. That year I was 29, the last year of my 20’s. My 20’s were absolutely awesome, and I felt that I needed to document the growth I made during that time.
The second was because of the year 2020. The first year of this current decade was one for the records. I felt that no one in music had truly captured the mindset and themes of that year into music. That was my goal with this project. The themes of that year dominate the subject matter on this album. The way racial injustice was thrown at the forefront of topics in 2020. The manner in which the world stopped and how it affected others, such as being furloughed. The concept of childhood friends you’ve lost contact with attempting to immerse themselves back in your lives, and you yourself finding the feelings that arise from this being difficult to suppress. My parents being stuck overseas due to the pandemic, and my younger brother and I being in the states by ourselves. Or more or less the first time life without them was an actual concept for a minute. That was tough. So, things around those are prevalent in the body of work.
Q: Have you started playing shows or virtual shows?
A: 1000%. We’re currently touring until the end of 2022. We started with a show in Austin back in September that was one of my favorite trips taken in a while. Just had a show here in Houston, in December, and will be back on the road in the spring. The goal’s to head back out to Austin for SXSW, both weekends doing shows. After that we’ll head to LA in May/June and follow that with a domestic tour. This will include the west coast, pacific northwest and east coast. The previous shows are available on our YouTube page, PWE.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: My next plan is to release a compilation album this upcoming summer 2022. It’ll possess previous recorded material, but with a new approach. Similar to what Taylor Swift is doing with her previous albums. Along with this I’ll have 10-12 new songs so this will be a semi-stamp of where I currently am as an artist.