Artist Interviews

Q&A: River Nelson

By | Published on Thursday 29 July 2010

River Nelson

Brooklyn-based MC River Nelson started out in the early 90s after joining up with the Boogiemonsters collaborative. He has toured with numerous other hip hop artists over the years, including Common, Talib Kweli and De La Soul, but has only just put out his own debut album.

Nelson worked with producer Lewis Parker on ‘The Rise and Fall of River Nelson’, and guest appearances come from Dynas, Jacky Danz, Lil Panama and Vex Davortex. With the album released this week via Parker’s World Of Dusty Vinyl label, we spoke to River to find out more.

Q1 How did you start out making music?
I started by simply writing down little thoughts and ideas in a notebook. From there those thoughts turned into rhymes, the rhymes into verses, and eventually the verses turned into full songs. The actual recording of those songs happened because I became eager for people to hear what I was writing. I also found that, as a fan of some legendary artists, I wanted to see if I could make something as good as what they did. For me, it’s always been hard to hear good music and not want to start creating your own.

Q2 What inspired your latest album?

Two things. First, just being immersed in the New York City hip hop scene and being inspired by all of the amazing talent that surrounded me. But also a desire to document all of the things I was feeling and thinking at the time. I think it’s important to do that, so you can go back and listen to what you were experiencing then.

Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
There are several different ways a song may be created. It may be an idea that comes from nowhere and really stays in my mind, to the point where I have to explore it, and start writing on it. But then there are times when I purposely look for subject matter, or sounds that I haven’t covered yet. I always try to stay open to receive anything around me that may provide an idea for a song. In my opinion, everything has the potential to be the basis of a song. A conversation, something you’ve experienced, something someone else experienced, something you’ve witnessed. Any and everything can provide inspiration.

Q4 Which artists influence your work?
There are so many, but to name some who are at the forefront of my mind, A Tribe Called Quest, Bob Marley, Sade, Nas, Outkast, Jay-Z, The Doors. I also draw from groups like Radiohead, who are always able to remove the rules out of making music, and I love rapper Jay Electronica, as well as the MC Blu from California. They are a small number of artists on an infinite list, but I’ve been playing these artists a lot lately.

Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
I would say to prepare yourself for a hip hop album that will make you feel good and spark your imagination. You’ll experience themes of hope, struggle, beauty and love, and hear some solid hip hop tracks, by one of the most respected producers from the UK, Lewis Parker. I would also say to the listener that they can experience the album in two ways. If you’re the type of listener that really likes to delve deep into an album and listen to every lyric, melody and snare, this album is for you. But if you’re the listener who prefers to allow music to play in the background and be slowly absorbed, this album is for you as well. The project is layered, so it has depth if you prefer that, but it also is rich in choruses and melodies if you choose to listen to it lightly.

Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
My main ambitions are to have people around the globe experience ‘The Rise And Fall Of River Nelson’, and to have the album break down any negative connotations about hip hop music. I also want this album to inspire hope. I want it to remind people to follow their passions, and recognise that the pursuit of your dreams shouldn’t have an expiration date on it. You should never give up. That’s my chief ambition for this project; I want to get the album to anyone who likes music, no matter what particular genre they usually listen to, because this is a hip hop album that covers relatable themes that all people experience regardless of our external differences.

MORE>> www.myspace.com/rivernelson



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