Today, we sat down with our artist Nick Nubz for an interview. Here is what he had to say:
1. How has your hometown shaped who you are as a musician today?
My hometown actually had a big play in the musician I am today. In the beginning, the local a scene was almost all punk, no rapbbv at all. There was a few white kids who tried to rap but nobody taking it seriously as a craft and an art. I came up into the local discussion around 10th grade and by senior year… everybody and their mother was a “rapper”. This geared me more into recording others including myself from a home studio. I went to school for Audio and graduated 2013. I heavily maintained my home studio while performing at local venues in Asbury like The Stone Pony, The Saint & and Strand Theater in Lakewood. Meeting bigger local acts and event coordinators like Chris Rockwell helped my act transform into a tangible brand and not just the ideas in my head charting back to 14 years old. To this day, I still perform rarely, but my company Nublife Entertainment aims to push New Jersey into the rap conversation. From my experience Ocean County in general has produced some quality material and I believe there’s something here in this tiny state. My hometown Lacey is filled with my supporters and friends as well. It has shaped my music and myself as a man.
2. If you could single out one artist or band that has influenced you, who would that be and why?
Eminem is the obvious answer being that I’m white and he had a big play on the rapping end of things but honestly.. Childish Gambino was more of an influence on me and my music. The man is versatile, clever, rhythmic, innovative and more than anything he’s honest. I love that, I look for that in other artist and I expect it out of myself. Hopefully what I’ve released so far under the Nick Nubz name has made that at least somewhat visible to my listeners.
3. If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would buy?
Hmm after taxes takes their piece of the pie, I’d probably pay off all of the debt I’ve ever acquired throughout my life and take one long breathe of relief.
4. What is your advice to fellow underground musicians in regards to remaining discipline in your craft?
My advice is never look at this lightly. Never take an opportunity at face value and follow the plan God has laid out for you. Any show, any sized crowd, any reason to be loud in what you do and why, take it! If you don’t have a why additional advice would be to get one because you already barely have a chance let alone with an under-developed act. DON’T BE COCKY/ARROGANT & RUDE because you think you’re fire, kiss any relationship worth anything beneficial later goodbye. Oh and be real. If you lie to me in your song, I will immediately feel you are a liar and honestly dismiss it as some clown sh*t.
5. Do you have any songwriting or recording tips you’d like to share?
Sure, always double check, triple check, run through it until your sick of it because that’s when you’ll see what the song/beat/mix whatever needs to improve. You may change your delivery, the mix, the overall recording itself, anything needing to be re-done, shows you what could be better or what you liked more after the changes, change back. Take the hours needed to perfect what you’re doing, overall check over everything.
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?
My brother Christopher Alu is a professional actor so we’ve always had a connection in our respective fields. My uncle Donny was a musician and he has always heavily believed in me. My father and I don’t really speak and he doesn’t like rap but he has enjoyed a handful of songs. My Mom on the other hand has always been extremely supportive of all of us. She was wearing a neck brace and still jumping front row at The Stone Pony years ago, we’ve never had a lot of money but she’s been a big help since moving out and living on my own with the music/business life. Some friends are real big fans and crazy supportive, some good friends became enemies, it goes that way when you give your everything for a vision.
7. If you could open up for one famous artist or band, who would that be and why?
I would kill to open for Eminem or Childish Gambino with the same enthusiasm. I feel like our sets could be the same vibe plus #biggoals.
8. If you could have a dinner with one musician who is no longer living, who would that be and why?
Hmm I’m going with Tupac, I feel like we’d have some great lively conversation and I know I’d leave that table and would have learned a lot.
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?
The thing I’ve enjoyed most would be just the fact that they are consistent. The feeling of growth is in every message and opportunity and it’s a wild notion to me that we are across the country and yet able to rely on one another. My advice for the new artist joining the roster is don’t say yes to working together unless you are ready to put the time in necessary and the sacrifice needed to make the big doors open!
10. In ten years, where do you see your music career?
If all goes according to plan in 10 years, I will have at least 5 or more full length albums released following the 3 I have already made. A large catalog of commercial singles that I also like. The tickets will be less than what my show would be worth and I am hopefully still building and only growing more. I hope in 10 years from now I’ve not only made it into the mainstream discussion but I have earned it through the very hard work I mentioned multiple times in these answers. Famous? who knows. Successful? Absolutely.