How did you start rapping?
I started rapping when I was in like 5th grade… The “golden” era was still very much alive, and all I was around was rap music. Eventually in school a few of my friends started battle rapping for the hell of it, and ever since then I've been putting words together
Who are your musical influence?
My musical influences? My musical influences are wide. Really anything that moves me influences me. I've taken inspiration from Metal, Jazz, Electronica… everything. The most apparent one, though, is definitely Jazz and obviously Hip Hop. Rap wise, I've been influenced a lot by Jay-Z, Biggie, and Pac. I know it's cliched but it's the truth. I literally studied these three. There're more but they're the rappers I've studied the most
Tell us how Smooth Vibrations came about
I wrote Smooth Vibrations one day when I was taking a crack at making music that sounded live as opposed to the regular “synthesized” or sampled hip-hop. It had no real message behind it, except for capturing the way the music felt. Quoting the song, “it's that feeling that you get when you're chillin' at home, and you got the music blarin' and nobody is there. Your only audience is the mirror and chairs..” It's a feel good song haha
How do you feel about your ranking?
I'll be honest, I'm a litttttle salty that I ranked relatively low, considering my past on Rap Genius. Besides that, I'm thankful that I still ranked at all
Do you have any other projects in the works as of now?
Currently I'm working on the second installment of the Black Velvet series, titled Black Velvet II. Originally Black Velvet was to be a project on it's own that I'd leave behind once finished, but it's become such a “baby” of mine that I can't let it go. I think I'll end it with a third
What do you have to say to your fans and your voters?
To my homies and everyone that voted for and supports me — I want to thank you. I wouldn't be Psyonik without someone to listen to me. From the bottom of my heart, it means a lot. On to bigger and better things, right? This journey's just begun
Where do you want to eventually end up in terms of your music?
Musically, I want to be in a place where my listeners connect with every song I make. That's really the key focus of my music and everything I write. There has to be a connection. If there's no connection I don't want it. That's really the core of my being. As a “side quest” if you will — I'm kinda working on (in my own way) giving folks Hip Hop that isn't “ignorant.” I want people to look at Hip Hop like a legitimate art form, just as they'd look at Jazz or Rock or Cla**ical. I want old white ladies to have rap albums in their cars on the way to work. Feel me? Haha