Hip Hop On Deck Exclusive Interview With Rapper Woo Child
1. Woo Child, how long have you been doing music and what made you want to
start doing music?
start doing music?
I've been writing poetry since high school. It wasn't until college that
I put something to music at my friend's request. One of my homies was
there to learn music theory, so he had access to a studio on campus. A
couple cats got together to form a group and we performed around school,
but I was the only one that took it serious and kept at it.
2. Woo Child, what is your take on the music that has been coming out and
what part do you play in the music scene in your city?
Music comes in cycles, and right now it feels like we're in the middle of
one, where too many people are trying to sound like the "current" sound.
I've never been one to do that, I just do me and what I feel is good music
and it has landed my music on several TV shows. I'll take that, all day.
I'm the cat that looked at what everyone else was doing and decided there
has to be a better way. Can't stand out when you're trying to be like the
next dude, ya dig. Some people don't like that, cause that makes me
harder to control, harder to predict, harder to put in a box or be told
"wait your turn". I'm here to out work cats and the results speak for
themselves.
3. Woo Child, how did you come up with the name "Woo Child" and what does
it mean to you?
Long story short, it was an adaptation of the Beatnut's song "Off The
Books", where the sample says "you, betta watch yo step". We'd say that
when ever we did something nice on the football field. That "you" turned
to "Woo", and when you add the Child to the end, you get basically the
same sentiment, an exclamation of excitement, completely amazed by what
you just saw or in my case, heard. Woo Chlid is an exclamation that I try
to leave people with when they listen or see me perform. Their faces tell
the story.
4. Woo Child, you just dropped the video for Center Stage Featuring C.Jay
Conrod. How did this record come about and why C.Jay Conrod?
I caught C.Jay opening for Anthony David a while back and swore I'd work
with him. We'd see each other around the city and chop it up, but never
had a track we could get together on. So, when the Heir's project came
around, I wrote the track and needed a vocalist to make it come to life
they way I heard it in my head, so I reached out to C.Jay. He came
through my little studio, vibed with it, and put it down.
5. Woo Child, if you were to do a remix for "Center Stage" what three
female rappers would you place on the remix and what do you feel they
would bring to the record?
Honestly I can only think of 2 that would fit in my opinion, and that'd be
Dej Loaf and Nikki Minaj. Both could bring a sound that would speak to
the message. either could remake the hook and both would probably drop a
nice verse.
6. Woo Child, what is the name of the project that Center Stage is on. And
what is the concept behind that project?
"Heirs" is the name of the EP. I teamed up with JBJR, the St. Louis
Underground Music Fest 3-Time Beat Champion, to produce the whole thing.
The idea was to showcase two of the best in the Midwest on the same
project. It's our time, we're here, and there's nothing anyone can do
about it. The music we made, songs I wrote, reflected that energy, that
passion, that drive. I wanted to make the project undeniable. Like, when
you listen to it, you know you're listening to some real quality music,
not some cookie cutter, current trend, forgotten tomorrow, garbage. I
think I succeeded.
7. Woo Child, What is the hardest thing in life you had to overcome and
how did you overcome it?
I think it's the constant doubt, being from where I'm from, you're not
supposed to make something of yourself. Being born and raised in Flint,
MI, a young black man is supposed to be dead or in jail, not a college
graduate and published song writer. but I'm a fighter, whenever someone
said I couldn't do it, that's what I did. I believe I'm the exception to
the rule in all things and I go about conquering all doubt and proving all
doubters wrong in a way that makes it hard to deny me. At some point,
people will have to understand, betting against me is foolish.
8. Woo Child, where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I'll be the go to person for hip hop music publishing. I plan on
expanding my success in music licensing to more hip hop artists deserving
of being heard. So many artists just don't know how to get in to the
publishing game, short of creating a DBA and signing up for ASCAP or BMI.
So many publishing libraries have tens of thousands of alternative and
rock and singer songwriter music for these corporate entities, but very
little quality hip hop. I want to change that. And I also want to
replace the vultures, preying on artists, getting them to pay for the
opportunity to make money for someone else, but in most cases, the fees
they charge artists is their highest form of income. I'm going to create
real opportunity.