Today, we sat down with our artist FireWater for an interview. Here is what he had to say:
1. How has your hometown shaped who you are as a musician today?
Growing up in Decatur, IL showed me that i was different from other individuals both musically and mentally. At the age of 13 after the death of my mother, I started to hear music differently. After awhile i started to hear my thoughts inside of the beat, so i started to write them down as poems. then one day i found out that one of my older cousins and his homeboy were in a rap group by the name of TOTAL CHAOS. I used to watch them then in my head would freestyle along with them. Then one day I found myself inside of a make shift recording studio, while I was there I started fitting my poems to random beats and while doing so found that it was quite therapeutic it was. I have been recording music ever since.
2. If you could single out one artist or band that has influenced you, who would that be and why?
Tupac Shakur, because he showed me how not to give a fuck about the consequences for being truthful. Also, he taught me how not to give a fuck as an artist. One that I heard from Pac, that always stuck with me believe it or not was a lyric that he spit on his best album in my opinion, Makaveli (the 7 day theory). The bar was “It’s not about east or west. It’s about niggaz and bitches, power and money, riders and punks. Which side are you on.
3. If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy?
If I won the lottery tomorrow, the first thing that I would buy would be upgrades to my recording studio.
4. What is your advice to fellow underground musicians in regards to remaining discipline in your craft?
The only advice that I have to offer is to make sure that this is what you want to do before you head down this path. Once you start, it’s a one way street that at times it does get lonely, and a lot of time gets spent being misunderstood. On the other hand, if you are one of the lucky ones passion that’s gets misunderstood becomes a tool to help the people that get misunderstood. That feeling is unexplainable.
5. Do you have any songwriting or recording tips you’d like to share?
Actually I do, if you don’t feel it, don’t drop it. If you don’t buy it as the seller, they won’t either.
6. How does your family and close friends feel about your music career? Have they always been supportive or have there been issues in the past?
At this point, they all just have come to terms with the fact that this is who I am. They realize how making music makes me feel as not only an artist, but as a person. Basically as long as it don’t interfere with business they don’t have a personal opinion about it. Plus, they know that I make dope music.
7. If you could open up for one famous artist or band, who would that be and why?
Anybody that let me get my point across honestly, I don’t feel like I”m an opening act kind of talent. I would coexist with anybody.
8. If you could have a dinner with one musician who is no longer living, who would that be and why?
Same answer as the 2nd question hands down (2pac). It would be an honor to be able to pick his brain and get some insight on his life as an outlaw. Plus, I would like to used that time to thank him for unknowingly motivating me to ask questions and find out things for myself, rather than just taking somebody’s word for it.
9. In your time with LiquidSound Records, what is the number one thing you have enjoyed the most? Also, what is your advice to those artists who would be interested in joining the roster in the future?
I haven’t been with them long enough to honestly answer that, but what I will say is that I respect everything that they are doing with and for artist. Any advice that I would have to future artist considering joining the roster would be to just keep it 100 with your intentions and that’ll limit miscommunications.
10. In ten years, where do you see your music career?
In 10 years, I see my career will have become a self propelled machine in itself. By the point in my career, I will have hoped to have influenced others to ” talk they shit.” Also to be at a point where whatever I say will help anyone that needs it.