EMGWORLD SPEAKS WITH SOUTH FLORIDA'S LATEST
HIP-HOP PHENOM GHOST WRIDAH
HIP-HOP PHENOM GHOST WRIDAH
Hip-hop in Miami was officially born in the late 80’s when Uncle Luke and 2 Live Crew had the world dropping it low and shaking it fast. A decade later, Trick Daddy and Trina picked up where Uncle Luke left off with their own mix of street/up-tempo club music. Soon after the Slip-N-Slide era declined, Rick Ross reprised Miami with his own sound we know as “Maybach Music.”
EMGWorld now zooms in on the city’s latest sensation, Ghost Wridah, to find out just what he has in store for Miami and hip-hop fans around the world.
Location: Miami, FL
Latest Mixtape: "Downtown lights 2.0" (released through datpiff.com)
EMGWorld: How long have you been grinding as an artist in music?
Ghost Wridah: I've been doing music for over 10 years. I picked up the mic when I was sixteen and started to take it serious when I was 18.
EMGWorld: Digital distribution is giving light to new and seasoned artists. How frequently do you release digital mixtapes and albums?
GW: I really stepped up the grind and started releasing content every single week with music or videos. I've been dropping music every week for the past six or seven weeks. I want to give the people MORE of me as I go along. You can expect more music from me on a weekly basis.
EMGWorld: How strong would you say your connection is with your hometown fan base?
GW: I'm a new artist so I don't expect to come out the gate and have a fan base as big as Rick Ross, but I’m growing towards it. I'd say my connection with the hometown base is getting stronger by the day. Every day I can see the feedback in the Twitter and Instagram comments. From Miami to all over the worldwide, the internet has allowed people to hear my music everywhere. My fan base is definitely GROWING and I'm appreciative of the fans taking to my music.
EMGWorld: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
GW: Nas is definitely one of my musical influences. I'd also say Jay-Z, Andre 3000, Notorious B.I.G and 2Pac. Outside of hip-hop, I'd say Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. I have different influences for different reasons. I was influenced by Jay-Z because of his work ethic. He's in his 40s, but still working like he's broke. I was influenced by Michael Jackson because of his innovation and how he always looked to push the envelope. Andre 3000 is an influence because he's not afraid to step outside the hip-hop box and bring fans into his world. I believe my style has ALL of those elements wrapped into one.
EMGWorld: Which producers out there are you working with?
GW: I try to work with the producers on my label just to keep it in the family. I have such great chemistry that I don't feel the need to work outside of that or go grab a new producer for every project. I'd rather just stick with my GUNS. My main producer is Low Key, whose from Columbia. He's produced for Smitty, Trick Daddy and Slim Thug. He's an intelligent dude when it comes to the production. We've been working together for about six years and he's helped me develop my sound. DJ Corbin, Freeway, Phoenix of the Sound Killers and Sham are a few other producers I work with. Sham is producing my upcoming mixtape 'Flu Game,' which is dropping in December. I have about 5 or 6 producers in my rotation.
EMGWorld: What radio stations have shown love to your music?
GW: Yeah. 99 Jamz here in Miami plays two of my records in their daily radio rotation throughout the week. I’m grateful for that. You can always hear my music in the city when you come here. I'm grateful as a new artist to get that type of love.
"I'm giving you meat and potatoes instead of bag of potato chips. That's how I would describe my music because I'm giving you something you can hold on to." - GhostWridah, Blogboard Spotlight
EMGWorld: Have any major labels taken notice of the movement you’ve created off of your mixtape releases?
GW: I just cut ties with Poe Boy Records to pursue my own situation. I was signed with them for the last two years. I'm now looking to do some new things. Warner Bros reached out. L.A. Reid and Epic Records reached out. Roc Nation reached out.
EMGWorld: How soon are you looking to jump on board with a major?
GW: I want to take the independent route for the next 12 months and push my own company. I want to push myself independently and lead towards a LABEL DEAL and not just a 360 artist deal. I want to push myself through my own imprint.
EMGWorld: What would you say is the biggest benefit of being an independent artist?
GW: The main advantage of being independent is being able to take a larger portion of the pie. You OWN everything. Seeing 100% of my profit now is much better than seeing 20% profit after a year or so if I was signed to a major. Just from being an indie artist, you have creative control and can do what you want at your own pace. Being independent is a tough road to travel but there are artists that are doing it successfully. Mac Miller just made $6.5 million, equaling what Pharrell and Timbaland made. He came outta nowhere and blew up.
EMGWorld: How would you describe your style? Would you say you’re bringing something new or revamping what's already been out?
GW: [Both.] Coming from Miami, I'd say I'm creating and crafting a new style of music I like to call the “new honesty.” I also feel like I'm revamping the sound they created back in the 90s, which is feel good music that has SUBSTANCE. I'm giving you meat and potatoes instead of bag of potato chips. That's how I would describe my music because I'm giving you something you can hold on to. Music today is so diluted with trash. I know what I need to do in order to be an asset to the game instead of a liability. I want to bring good music back.
EMGWorld: Is there any one artist outside of your camp that you would like to collaborate on a track with?
GW: I want to work with D'Angelo. I know its kinda left field, but I love his music. I love Lauryn Hill's music and would love to work with her. Of course, Jay-Z, Nas and Kanye are on my list. Cee-Lo Green, Andre 3000 are also artists I want to work with because they have so much CREATIVE input on the game and are musical geniuses.
EMGWorld: How can producers out there send beats to you?
GW: I'm always open to working with new producers. The problem with a lot of producers is that they don't have an ORIGINAL sound anymore. Everyone's producing what they hear on the radio because they think that's what going to win for them. You're not contributing to the game, you’re adding to the problem. That's one reason why I may not check for new producers as often, but you can definitely submit music to submissions.gw@gmail.com. You can send an e-mail and then hit me up on twitter @ghostwridah and let me know you sent me some heat.
EMGWorld: What can fans expect to hear from you in the near future?
GW: My mixtape ‘Downtown lights 2.0’ is out right now. That's one of my BEST projects. My producer Low Key is dropping an instrumental project called "Sound Art" on November 25. I have a new project in the works called ‘Flu Game.’ The title comes from Jordan's 1997 playoff game when he scored 38 with the flu. It's one of the most prominent games in history so I chose to go with that title ‘Flu Game.’ That should drop in December.
EMGWorld: Where can fans connect with you?
GW: You can follow me on instagram and twitter @ ghostwridah or friend me on facebook at facebook.com/ghostwridah.
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