An Exclusive Interview with IV aka InyoVeins

IV aka InyoVeins is an artist that’s here to help bring substance to rap music. The Chicago MC is the last of a dying breed of MC’S with true lyrical ability. IV touches on true issues that plague our society, and sheds light on how to remain strong through these societal storms. He hails from the South side of Chicago and has worked with several like-minded artists. IV got his start in hip-hop from being in a group called “Aviation”; four MC’s that were set to change the game. IV is also a talented producer as well therefore he is here to hit you in every aspect. IV has now opened up for artist such as Juicy J and Frenchie from” brick squad” and even rapped for Revolt TV’s Vice President Kenny Burns. IV delivers an original, fresh “finally somebody that speaks the truth” sound. Once you get hooked up to IV, he will remain in your veins. Recently we caught with InyoVeins, in an exclusive interview to discover what makes him tick.

1. How long have you been in the music business and how did you get started in the first place?

InyoVeins: I have been taking the music biz seriously for 4 years now. I got started by making beats first, because I knew rappers don’t make real money these days. I figured if I lace beats for a myriad of artist, I can get that “Dre” money and rap when I want. Furthermore, as time went on my PC crashed, I lost all my material, and said F it I’m going to rap since I was writing prior in my life through- out growing up. I was always natural at rapping and being intelligent helped blend the talent in well, so I started rapping with my close friends, thus the four member group “Aviation” was formed.

2. Who were your first musical influences that you can remember?

InyoVeins: Since I was a shorty I always listened to different types of music from R&B, pop, jazz, hip-hop and etc. Michael Jackson and Kenny G were my first musical influences. But as I started really getting into hip-hop I was heavily influenced by 2pac, Common, Busta Rhymes, Nas, and Eminem. Those artist I chose in particular because when I was in the 1^st-5^th grade my big cousin and I had they albums, and I use to bump that shit out of style, until it had grey hairs on it!

3. Which artists are you currently listening to? And is there anyone of these that you’d like to collaborate with?

InyoVeins: I do mainstream listening to peep the competition, but as always the underground is the most profound that’s holding it down. As of now, you can catch me listening to Mick Jenkins, ADD-2, Lamar Cole, Jalen Kelly, more underground than anything, and I will collaborate with all those artist at the same damn time, the song would be stupid-super-dope! Although, I have been listening to artist like: J.Cole, Lupe, Drake, K.Dot, Wale, Logic, and Cyhi The Prince as well on my leisure time.

4. Have you suffered any ‘resistance’ from within the industry, and if so how have you handled that, and how do you handle criticism and haters in general?

InyoVeins: The industry has giving me a little resistance, to say the least. But it was nothing serious enough to where I had to take a life or vice versa, because I handled it with it an open mind and you have to be opened mined these days. An open mind can lead you to scope things out from a different angle, which would allow you to zoom in and analyze the situation to take control. Criticism is inevitable in this type of biz, but you have to keep pushing. You are going to have haters and that’s perfect because that mean you’re doing something right to the point where they can’t do it or have it, therefore you are valuable to a hater. So to HELL with a hater because you can either hate, congratulate, or participate, simple!

5. What are your thoughts on visual media? Do think that video is an appropriate marketing tool for your music, and will you be making any videos to support your latest releases?

InyoVeins: Visual Media is imperative to an artist career in my eyes. It is effective because you get to see a brother like me, shining! People get to see who you are when the visual is present that’s why they call it a “visual”.  The visual points out your body language to the music and it sometimes can make the song better. Therefore, I will be dropping some videos to promote and support my latest releases, its all part of being connected in yo veins!

6. Which do you ultimately prefer? Entertaining a live audience or creating songs in a studio setting?

InyoVeins: I prefer both but I would have to go with entertaining a live audience because you can do more. People get to see you rip some shit up on stage, you have a chance to bring your emotions out on the songs that you didn’t get a chance to before then. Your energy is everything to people and I can give it more live than a studio setting.

7. Tell us something about your lyrics and music production on your releases. Which part of these processes do you handle, and which do you outsource generally?

InyoVeins: I handled, wrote, and half produced all my releases myself. It’s definitely more work to be done, but the “No Grey Area” is what I outsource the most right now. My lyrics are so damn profound, my concepts are crazy, to the point where you would have to listen to my projects several times to get what I am saying. You have to listen and not just hear it, it’s a difference. When you listen to everything I am saying every bit of it makes sense and it’s actually food for thought, nourishing to the ear. If you just “hearing” my music on the fly, you not going to get the same feel, receive that message, or get the same results as if you can if you just “Listen”. Even people that heard it a couple times had to double back and decode my lyrics and I love it, this why I make substance.

8. What is the title of your latest music release and where can fans find it?

InyoVeins: The title is “No Grey Area” and you can find it on: www.souncloud.com/ivmusic88 or www.bandcamp/inyoveins.com

9. Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in a genre thriving with newcomers?

InyoVeins: I have a voice and message that nobody is coming with right now. I have raw skill and talent, so I blend that with my raw message, followed by my originality with catchiness, and I stand out like a bomber in a building.

10. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to be a part of this tough business. Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why?

InyoVeins: It would have to be desire. One of my biggest desires is to feed my love ones off of what I love to do. My uncle always wanted me to go to trade school and get a nice J.O.B. He is old fashioned and he thinks that’s the only way to succeed in this world and that shit is not true! I would rather do what I love to do, work for myself, and get rewarded for it. At the same time I am healing people ears, so this would not be considered a job to me. I have a desire to free people minds, so my desires have me working smart not hard.

11. Which aspect of being an independent artist and the music making process excites you most and which aspect discourages you most?

InyoVeins: The most I love about it is the raw talent you can provide to the table. You can be yourself and make music and there’s nobody telling you how, what, and when to make it. The hunger is there and the grind is very noticeable as if an elephant is your 3 bedroom apartment. The only thing that can discourage the most is the money side. If you don’t have a lot of money for your budget, then your work ethic has to be through the roof to replace that. Although, at the same time you must remain working smart and not hard it can be vigorous and prolonging. That’s why it is important to network as much as possible.

12. How do you market and manage your music career? Do you have a management team or do you do everything by yourself?

InyoVeins:I have been doing things on my own just about. I recently just got management and I am still building on that as we speak. Growth and development is essential to an artist, so you have to be under people you trust because loyalty is everything.

13. How do you achieve your sound? Do you work from a private recording environment or do you use a commercial sound studio?

InyoVeins: Lately I have been using both to find my sound to be comfortable in the booth. I experiment with different engineers to see who can work with my sound the best. To me finding a good studio home is like finding a good barber, it’s hard to come by. You can find somebody that cut, but are they going to give a hair-cut that’s going to keep you coming back? Because you know, if they fuck up it is over with, it’s something like that. Quality is everything because I can be saying the dopest rhymes ever, but it means nothing if you can’t hear it right.

14. The best piece of advice in this business you actually followed so far, and one you didn’t follow, but now know for sure that you should have?

InyoVeins: The best info somebody ever gave to me about the business was my grandmother. She told me don’t give up because once I have given up that’s when I lost. The one I didn’t follow is when my boy told me don’t give up my best all at once, so everybody can get some. I didn’t know what the fuck he meant by that I still don’t now but, Go Bears?

15. What are your thoughts on talent shows like American Idol, The Voice and the X-Factor etc.?

InyoVeins: That’s funny because my bro by the name of Kenneth Ellis aka K.E. at the time was on American Idol he was on our song called “One Nite Man”. He can sing his ass off and he made the track special. On my “No Grey” project the last song on their called the “Navigation/We Making It” is featured by my bro name Wade Brown from the “Voice”. He was on Ceelos team, but he polished the track very nice and he rap as well. Furthermore, talent shows like that can be considered as a milestone and a career booster. Talent shows as such are submerged with talent you have to point it out.

16. Do you consider Internet and all the social media websites, as fundamental to your career, and indie music in general, or do you think it has only produced a mass of mediocre “copy-and-paste” artists, who flood the web, making it difficult for real talent to emerge?

InyoVeins: Yes I am about to use that as a vessel for my success. The internet is a very valuable tool every single thing is on the internet nowadays. Because- of the Internet as Gambino would say, it has popped open different artist careers (the gimmicks and the greats) but brought good exposure. The mediocre artist is not to be worried about, for they don’t last long and over looked on a more serious spectrum of music. Sometimes real talent merges through the social media and other web based sites to excel their careers. On another note, its real talented artists out there that don’t use or don’t know how to use the internet but they should, as it helps showcase the package. Although, I do feel the internet should not make or break you because itself is man-made. There would always be avenues to take to get around certain things; you just have to know the routes. Underground/Indie artist with real talent and messages should get way more love than “Im in love with the coco” catchy song, goes hard, but really?

17. If someone who has never heard you, asks what does InyoVeins sound like? Which 3 keywords would you personally use to describe your overall sound?

InyoVeins: It would be brass, revolutionary, lyrical

18. Straight off the top of your head, can you shoot out 3 adjectives to describe the current state of Hip-hop?

InyoVeins: commercial, brilliant-clever, insanity

19. As you work your way through your career which more than any other fires-up your imagination – A Grammy award, Platinum music sales or any other tangible milestone?

InyoVeins: Well my motto is “I want stop until my granny see a Grammy”. The challenge is, to be able to obtain it being independent with no major backing. Is that even possible? Therefore, to make it possible that would be a very tangible milestone within one.

20. What is the ONE thing you are NOT willing or prepared to do EVER, in your quest to achieve a successful musical career?

InyoVeins: Wear a skirt! (Never relinquish my morals/principals)

OFFICIAL LINKS: SOUNDCLOUD – VIDEO

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