Music Interview: Midd13 delves on his creative tastes, musical influences & new album “Voices”
Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.
I am Midd13, a twenty-year-old rapper out of the Green Bay, Wisconsin area. I make rap/hip-hop music and have been for about a year and a half now. I started by just freestyling alone or with a group of people before I started recording and posting my own stuff. The name Midd13 comes from my actual name, Malcolm. Growing up, everyone always would hear my name and say “Malcolm in the middle,” so my artist name can be pronounced middle or mid thirteen. The 13 comes from a lot of things in my life, it is my birthday number, favorite number and I know a lot of people see it as the unlucky number but I have always seen it as my lucky number.
What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?
Before I even started making rap music I would listen to it extensively all the time. I considered for a long time doing music review type stuff before realizing I might be able to do it myself. I started out freestyle rapping over beats from YouTube. I did that for a lot of people once I got to college and a lot of people told me in college that I should really pursue something with rapping but I still never had the confidence to do it. There were two big pushes for me to start making moves for making my own music. One being the first time I freestyled for my family. I was with all my cousins for the first time in a while and we were all in the hotel room together and my sister knew I could rap but had never heard it and just got me in the moment to toss on a beat and told me to go. I remember that beat dropped and I came in fast with this flow that blew everyone away and one of my cousins walked out the room. We spent hour or so just continuing to have fun doing music. I then had the support I needed and purchases my first microphone shortly after. I then fell back into the habit of school work and couldn’t record much. That summer I got to reconnect with some old friends and same situation where one asked if I would rap and I did and it was a success. I went back after that weekend and recorded a freestyle and posted it on SoundCloud. Once I knew I had the support from those around me and saw that what I was doing was actually good I knew I had to share my talent.
Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?
This is my second project ever but first to release on Spotify/Apple Music/etc. This is huge for me and I spent a long time working on it. Title of the album, Voices, is supposed to be exactly what it sounds like. There are 7 songs on the album and I tried to make 7 different styles of my voice. I really wanted to try and push myself out there and get a full scale of what it is I am able to do. Within the album itself there is a story among some of the songs. Songs 2-4 are a progression of my relationship. The first song being about how I am now better since my ex left me, the second song about the hardships I faced before the start of my current relationship, and the last being where I am now and how I am now happy to be with my girlfriend. While workshopping ideas for titles of the album we also considered tying in the idea of the truth because every song in this album is supposed to be the truth or telling it how it is. This album had a long time put into it and something I am very proud to call my own.
What makes your music unique? How would you describe it?
This album’s uniqueness comes from the idea that I tried 7 different voices on the songs varying from an aggressive rap to a melodic style. I would hope to continue this throughout making music. I never want to stay in one box or have to make one type of song forever. I want to have the ability to continue to grow and experiment with my abilities. I think my style of rap has intricate flows and I never try to stick to just one. Try to find different rhyme schemes that I can deliver through a slower or faster paced song. My genre is mainly rap with a little hip-hop thrown in with some of the more melodic I have now tried but I do think rap is my definite strong suit as I have done that for so much longer now.
Who are your biggest musical influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Back when I considered doing music reviews I always tried listening to everything that came out. I wanted to try and find the people before they blew up or at least recognize a great musician when I heard them. The first rapper I listened to on repeat was XXX Tentacion. His music always spoke to me through stories of depression, heartbreak, and many other things. It wasn’t until 2017 when I listened to Juice WRLD that I found my true favorite artist. Juice was able to convey heartbreak and drug addiction and the mindset of someone at that place in a very touching way. So yes my two probably biggest influences in music both had untimely deaths but at least their music still lives on. I am almost always down to collab with someone as long as I like who they are and their music. I know I am a smaller artist right now but I can still have big dreams of collabs with guys I listen to now like JID, Quadeca, and Jack Harlow. Those are another three of guys who I listen to all the time hoping I get the talent like they have.
Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?
I am still new and small but I would say my biggest accomplishment or proudest I have been was when my first single on Spotify reached 15,000 streams and few days later my second single reach 10,000. I was very happy to see those numbers early on in my music career and hope those streams continue to go up.
How do you balance your music with other obligations – family, friends or work?
It is very difficult. My family and friends are very important to me and it would be difficult for me to not see them and instead stay back and write or record something. Something I am still struggling to manage. On top of that I am still going to college which is a huge time commitment. And lastly I work throughout the school year and in winter/summer breaks. I always try to find time to record and make music it just does get increasingly difficult sometimes. I think I have been getting at a spot now where I know have to take time to be alone and make music and that those close to me will take no offense in that. Time management is one of the biggest struggles I have and I have to learn to take advantage of the free time that I have to make music.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Don’t wait for other peoples approval. The biggest mistake I made was waiting and even when I got approval from all those around me I still worried that what I was doing was dumb. You have to be confident in your work and proud of it. Do not worry about anyone throwing negativity your way, if they do they are not meant to be in your life anyways.
If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
Right now I feel I know most of my fans. Like I said I am small so I know most of those around me and who is listening to my stuff. I would just ask those who listen to my stuff to keep playing my music. I know who was there and supporting me since the beginning and I hope they will be there at the end of it all. I want my fans to continue to help me make better music. No good is going to come from every single person telling me my song is fire. I want feedback on my music and want a real response to everything I release. A lot of love goes out to those who listen to my stuff so the biggest thing to say would just be thank you.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
There is more on the way for me. The year of 2021 has a general goal of trying to release at least a single every month. I took 2020 as a year of dipping my toes in the water of this but it is time for me to continue to release more stuff. I am currently working on 4 singles in hopes one will be dropping early February. I want to try and drop another project yet this year, probably another smaller 5-10 song project so I can really get more of my stuff out there. I am going to continue to make music as long as I can. I really am hoping 2021 is sort of a breakout year for me and gain a bigger following.
Follow Midd13:
