What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about the rap game?
One thing I quickly learned was how important visibility is. You can have the most groundbreaking art anyone in this generation created, but what good is it if it's flying below the radar? Finding whatever way to get this music out has been one of my most important objectives. This music right here is universally relatable and needs to be in as many ear drums and hearts as possible. Coat-tailing that, I noticed that the stronger the product, the more likely people are going to believe in it and do what they can to spread the word. But yeah, visibility.
What’s the one thing you think people misunderstand the most about you?
I feel my passion can be misinterpreted at times. Even though I have a comical element in my music, people may mistake my passionate views and ways of conveying my message as violent or, when it comes down to more socially aware subject matter such as "Mad" or "RoQupy Music", militant. Maybe not in terms of the visual, tangible aspect of it, in a P.E. sort of way. But, in terms of me being this stiff, unapproachable individual. I'll meet specific supporters when on the road and they'll occasionally say things such as "I thought you may have been an a--hole" [Laughs]. I think I'm probably too humble. I don't want to develop that disconnected arrogance that most artists have, after meeting so many supporters for years. I really enjoy letting each person know my appreciation for them riding along with us in this journey.
Explain the dichotomy you refer to in your new album title.
It kind of touches on your previous question, in terms of this balance between lightheartedness and raw energy. This innate "ability", I guess you can call it, to effortlessly shift from zero to sixty in a volcanic fashion, has been a part of my personality as long as I feel. Creatively it's like the eye of a storm: serenity and chaos. My name is the embodiment of that, as well. RoQ and TyRaiD, grounded yet unpredictable, elemental yet chaotic. In the album you'll come across soulful songs paired next to rage anthems, candid chapters of my personal life seated next to fictional action pieces. The light and dark which represent the human psyche is prevalent in my album. It's going to be an amazing acoustic ride, watch.
What’s the key to selling CDs hand to hand in this day and age?
Man, although I retired from that approach a while back, one thing I learned quickly is establishing rapport with people. The human connection is the most important part of receiving someone's art into your world. Allowing someone to generally feel like they have a stake in what you have to offer goes a long ways. That's actually a perspective which has shaped my creative path, as well. Surface level embellishments and far-fetched braggadocio in regard to materialism, doesn't necessarily work for me. Not a lot of self-respecting people like to be told that their life sucks because they aren't living your lifestyle. Also, it helped me with better appreciating evolving my approach, because, just like with selling to individuals, what worked on one couple may not work on the next individual, ya know? I like to keep things as organic as possible and just go with the feeling. I have selling hand-to-hand to thank for that. I kind took the roundabout way of answering your question. Oh, and dope ass music, of course. Lastly, lastly, "show and prove". If you approach me with your music and I ask you to demonstrate you're dope by rocking a quick 16 and you either come up with an excuse or get offended, you probably should invest your time in another career.
If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Honestly, I feel insecurity would have to be the first to go. Why? I feel it's the true root of all evil. Not money, not racism, not even religion. Insecurity breeds a superiority complex. The need to place ourselves above the next individual, not for reasons of sport, but survival, is one of our most carnal instincts. I know it's tied to our subconscious drive towards ensuring our genes live to see another generation but there has to be a way for us to sit down with each other and say "there is enough for all of us, we don't need to use religion, economic disparity, systemic racism, political destabilization, wars, etc., as a way to place ourselves above the next group of individuals". We just can't seem to work together. I mean, we're still trying to expand outside of this atmosphere. We supposedly landed on the moon forty-six years ago, yet we've spent the entire time since, destroying ourselves from the Cold War and Contra to chemtrails. For what? So some elite class feels secure in their power? I highly doubt, at this rate, we'll become a space-faring race. We're too myopic to grasp the bigger picture. More science, less soldiers.
