Interview with $ypher
- Jerica of Futuristic Dreamers
- Jan 22, 2016
- 5 min read
Questions:
1. What is the story behind creating and why you chose your emcee name? Is there a special meaning behind "$ypher" - Does it have to do with an actual hip-hop Cypher?
A: Yeah,being a white emcee, it was hard to find a name that I could settle on that wasn’t too corny sounding. I was originally just going to go with my real name, but my friend suggested the alias, shouts to her for the name haha. I had a few names I was considering, but felt that $ypher was good, plus my real name starts with S. Plus, I started out in music doing ‘cyphers’ with friends and just freestyling for the fun of it.
2. How long have you contemplated on pursuing yourself a hip-hop artist and what made you finally decide to go for it? Anyone in particular who influenced you to do it?
A: I've always had a love for music since I can remember. I started making music around 10 years old, it just started out as something fun I could do with friends. I started out freestyling and eventually made a rap group with some homies. We never really took it seriously, let alone recorded anything, and eventually my friend moved out the neighborhood and that was it. However, towards the end of my grade 9 year, I began writing raps again, at that point, it was just a way to channel my emotions and I had no intention of ever recording. It was that summer (between grade 9 and 10) that I realized music was what I wanted to do in life. I started recording my raps on my phone and eventually invested in a mic and some recording software. I recorded throughout that year and through grade 10, and planned to drop a mixtape during my grade 10 year, however I decided that it was not quite worthy to upload. I continued to develop and find my own style and my first mixtape dropped the 23rd of December, 2015. Growing up I listened to pretty much everything, I listen to alot of music including: G Eazy, Eminem, Futuristic, Logic, Ivan B, HBK gang, T.I., Mac miller, Fetty Wap, Big Sean, Fabolous, NAS, Lupe Fiasco, e40 Warren G, Royce da 5’9 Grynch, and Wale. I also listen to a lot of oldschool such as: Big L, Tupac, B.I.G., Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Too $hort, Dr Dre, NWA, Mobb Deep, Sir Mixalot, and Jay Z, etc.
3. As I currently listen to "Love Yourself Remix" Featuring The Mix on Sound Cloud while typing out this question - Compared to the track "Believe" what was the motivation to write and record this track?
A: Love yourself is actually a interesting story. A friend of mine challenged me to remix a Justin Bieber Song (I can’t sing whatsoever, so I rapped). It was kind of just a fun idea, but once, I got the Mix on it I took it more seriously, and reworked my lyrics to a topic I had feelings about. Believe was a hard track to put out for me, it was really a naked version of me and what I think about. Even some of my closest friends didn’t know how much music meant to me and how important it was to me not just as an artist, but as a person. When I wrote Believe, I was putting all of my thoughts and feelings onto paper and was very happy with how it turned out.
4. I have been following you on Instagram for some time now, but for those who aren't what are they missing out on?
A: I post a lot of info on new tracks, as well as announce track releases/ mixtape releases on it! Go check it out @ Official.Sypher.
5. If I were with you during a studio session, what would that be like?
A: Really depends on the track. I like a somewhat intense session usually, especially for my more serious tracks. However, I really enjoy a chill environment, I try to limit myself of distractions though, for writing and recording, phone on airplane mode, motivated mindset, you know the standard stuff. Sometimes though, it can be fun to just get in the booth and have a good time with the homies. I try to always make sure my sessions are very productive though, and I'm not wasting any time. I love making music though, so it's never a overly serious environment where it feels like it's I'm laboring, not doing what I love.
6. As a former female emcee, I would get a facial expression or reaction as if I was kidding when I told people I "Rapped" or wrote hip-hop lyrics - Do you get that when you express that you are pursuing a career as a hip-hop artist?
A: Yes. 100 percent I can totally relate to that. I got some friends that really support me and think its dope to be all in in music, but a lot of people don't really understand it. You know most kids just hanging with their friends smoking, partying, whatever, and I was always kind of different. Like I always was working on this you know? I'm 17 now and hella people find it weird that I actually know what I want to do in life. Some of my friends want to be lawyers, doctors, vets, or whatever and I was always striving for something more out of the box. It wasn't want me to succeed or whatever, I just felt that they never really understood me you know? I used to get teased and mocked quite a bit about music, but at this point I don't really let it get to my head.. I cant be ashamed of who I really am and who I want to be in life. In a way, I kind of enjoyed people not believing in me, I thought of it like, hey one day imma prove these people wrong. But I definitely got friends and family who do really get me and see what I'm striving for and don't just see a ordinary 17 year old white dude. I
7. What do you have planned out for this year - New music or shows maybe?
A: I've got my second mixtape dropping soon, which I've already dropped some tracks from, and hopefully will have a third one coming this year as well. Hopefully gonna be a big year for me, and hope to really just get some music out there.
8. I ask all the local artist I interview, but if I were able to look at your iPhone or computer - What kind of genres or songs would I find?
A: Straight up, I pretty much just listen to rap/ hip-hop, although I occasionally will listen to some r&b. I got quite a bit of different types of rap though, from old-school to hard rap, to chill, casual rap, all the way to more modern/ poppier rap. I do like a few older rock songs though and I grew up listening to a lot of Nirvana and Pink Floyd in addition to rap. For me, music is really about the lyrics, so rap-hip-hop has always been very special to me.
9. Where can your new followers find your music or follow you on your social media sites?
A: My soundcloud, my Youtube, or you can checkout my Website for info! As far as social media goes, I mainly use instagram (Official.Sypher) I also have a website that will announce any news about my music!
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