Music Interview: R. Eddie delves on his creative tastes, musical influences & new single ‘DumbDumb’ off upcoming album “The Dungeon”
Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.
It’s great to be on here on Xttrawave. I go by R. Eddie and I’ve been rapping, singing and producing since I was in middle school where I learned how to freestyle by rap battling kids at the lunch tables. I was born in San Francisco and have lived most of life in a place called Sunrise in South Florida. I go by R. Eddie because there are a lot of Eddie’s out there but I’m the realest one. At least for rapping that is, Eddie Murphy is pretty tight. It’s also pronounced like ready because I stay ready haha.
What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?
I’ve been listening to music since I was a kid and my mom used to put old soul and R&B music on the radio. She’d put on the Michael Jackson or take it to the 90’s and we’d all just be dancing. I’m mixed race also and my dad’s latino so I got a lot of different mixes of genres in growing up.
I’ve wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember, and I’ve had a bunch of different aliases but most of them weren’t very good. Luckily for me practice makes perfect because in my 20’s I feel like I’m finally hitting my stride and I’m ready to show the world what I’ve got.
Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?
My song “DumbDumb” is the final single off my upcoming album called The Dungeon dropping on January 18th, 2021.
The Dungeon is my second album I’m releasing, and after dropping a concept album on first go this time around I just really want to show people my range and talent. That I’ve got beats and I’ve got dope raps and they all came straight out the dungeon.
I’ve never had a team or funding behind me so I’ve always learned to do it myself. When I wanted beats to rap over after I got good at freestyling I learned to make them. I couldn’t afford a video so I built a 10 dollar screen filmed a video and learned to edit. The dungeon is me trying to show the world that you can do it, you can do it well, and you can do it all from your bedroom.
What makes your music unique? How would you describe it?
My friend SL likes to joke that I’ve definitely got a sound I roll with. He likes to call it Space-Bounce.
Like I said earlier I came up listening to all sorts of genres and I feel like I’m picking from all sorts of places. Any track could be an amazing sample if you listen close. I love smooth chill spaced out music to vibe to, but I also love funk, groove, bounce and it tends to all get tossed together into whatever it is that I’m making nowadays.
Who are your biggest musical influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?
As far as my all time musical artists go, as a producer I’m a son of Flying Lotus, all the cats off the Soulection imprint, and the old greats like Dilla, Madlib, and Nujabes. As a rapper I’m most influenced by Kendrick, Isaiah Rashaad, and Childish Gambino.
I gotta give a shout out to Denzel Curry too as a fellow South Floridian. All of them can holla at me in the future and I’d be humbled.
Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?
My first album Nasty is probably my proudest musical moment because I think it’s what convinced me that I could actually do this.
In my early twenties I moved up to Tallahassee in North Florida on my own and had some of the worst years of my life, but I channeled those experiences and wrote a concept album on my first official project. I didn’t promote it much and it didn’t get a lot of exposure but I hope more people can hear it one day.
How do you balance your music with other obligations – family, friends or work?
I wait tables at the Cheesecake Factory on the side to pay my bills and to pay for all my music expenses so things get tight with both time and money.
One day I realized that when I wasn’t working I was wasting a lot of time just sitting around, dreaming when I should have been doing. I was doing all of my work for other people and none for myself. Now if I have free time I use it. If I’m sitting around I’ll put a beat on and start trying to write. Then when I’m burnt out I take a break. That cycle keeps me moving.
Thankfully I have incredibly supportive family and friends that have my back the whole way.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
I am an aspiring musician myself and I hope one day I can give advice from a place of success, but if I had to give any advice at all is that you can do anything you put your mind to. Cliche or not we have too many resources available to us now to not be improving ourselves and our talents in the things we have passion for.
Decades ago you had to go to a nice school or be able to pay for books to learn stuff. Now we have a whole youtube and Google full of information. Don’t let lack of support and funds hold you back, you’re your own sharpest tool.
If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
I don’t know if I’m gonna make it, but just know that it’s real and I hope you feel it.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
My second album The Dungeon is dropping soon on all streaming platforms on 01/18/21 and I have a few more music videos dropping this month as well.
Keep your ears and eyes peeled!
Follow R. Eddie:
