FDB Interview Spot - Gerald Walker

Gerald Walker - Makin' My Way & Shout It Out feat. Strange Fruit Project (OSAT, 2007)

Now that I have been in the blog game for just over half a year I am in the enviable position of occasionally receiving music from artists who, for the most part, want their record publicised on the ever growing blog scene. There's no doubt that there is a substantial amount of filler that gets distributed in this way, but when a guy from OSAT Music got in contact about a new artist from Chicago called Gerald Walker and sent me his press release I was impressed enough to want to take it further and sorted out an interview.

Walker has affiliations with Kev Brown and the Strange Fruit Project and these connections are clear to hear in his music which is characterised by a soulful and laid back vibe. 'Makin' My Way' has been in rotation for about a week now and I'm still enjoying its warmth and positivity, and although I am not as taken with the track 'Shout It Out' it is still part of a catalogue from an aspiring MC who shows signs of making some moves in the game. Here's what he had to say on his own work, key influences and the state of hip hop in '07.

FDB: I know you’ve been featured on a few internet spots, but for those who haven’t caught wind of you yet, can you give a brief overview of who you are?

GW: I’m just a regular guy man! Trying to find direction in life and do music at the same time.

FDB: What are your earliest memories of music?

GW: My earliest memory of music was when I was like 6/7 I took my allowance money went to a laundry mat and purchased Bone Thugs' ‘The Crossroads’ single. It had like 4 tracks on it! My mom didn’t like me doing hip hop but when she heard it herself she was feelin’ it also.

FDB: Who would you state are your key musical influences, hip hop or otherwise?

GW: Key influences in my music are Phonte Coleman of Little Brother, the Strange Fruit Project, Jay-Z, Common, Mos Def. Other influences in my life are my cousin Tracey, Patricia LuMumba, my Uncle Reg... that’s basically it. I’m a huge Yanni fan also. I know that’s pretty random but hey!

FDB: Chicago obviously has a prominent history in hip hop. Who are the artists you see as important from your area of the U.S.?

GW: I have deep respect for Chicago MCs man! First off Twista. A lot of aspiring Chicagoan artists hate/despise him but honestly, he was the first hip hop artist who signed with a major. Other than that I like cats like Capital D of All Natural – he’s very influential – Iomos Morod, Pugslee Atomz, a cat by the name of Akbar. Then you have cats like Nadledge who are dope. A Chicago cat I’m really feeling is a dude named Rashid Hadee of Chapter 13 and also Ang 13 of the Wonder Woman Project. There are so many Chicago artists its impossible to name them all.

FDB: What about on a wider basis? Of those outside of the Chicago area, who are the artists you rate in the contemporary scene?

GW: My homie Oddisee & Kenn Starr of Low Budget/Halftooth Records. Those dudes give me a lot of insight on the game. S1 of the SFP is like a bigger brother to me. I like Kev Brown, Elzhi of Slum Village, Hezekiah with Rawkus/Soulspazm – that’s my dude! I’m currently trying to get him out to Chicago to do some shows. I hold a high respect for Supastition. Plus he did the intro for the sampler disc. Oh yeah, cat name Blu from Sound In Color in Cali. That guy is bananas. Jean Grae is a huge influence on me. Median of the Justus League. There are a million cats who I love man, seriously.

FDB: Without wanting to pigeonhole you, how would you describe your sound?

GW: I try to have a soul-full sound. Full of soul man! In addition, combine it with sultry tunes and heartfelt lyrics.

FDB: What are your methods of writing? What are your key sources of inspiration?

GW: Life is one of my biggest inspirations. I usually find a beat, then devise a topic and take my time man! It may take me anywhere from an hour or two to write one song. That’s the process for the most part.

FDB: How do you go about picking your beats? Do you have any input production-wise?

GW: Ask my manager Stef bra! I’m extremely beat-biased. I get so many beat submissions from cats and they usually don’t have that ‘sound’. I love crisp drums, keys (producers gotta play the keys) and actually just have to have the talent. I don’t care for sampler crazy cats who just loop their shit. At least switch the sample up or play an instrument. Make music, not just a loop, sample and drums… but that’s me Dan!

FDB: I know you have the ‘Seasons EP’ about to drop. Can you talk me through this release and any others that you have planned?

GW: Actually I just signed with an indie name OSAT Music (One Step At A Time Music Recordings) based out of Santa Clarits California. I’m dropping a mix album entitled ‘What Is A Gerald Walker??’. That’s a prelude to the 'Seasons EP' which is basically a 4 disc series dedicated to each season. I like it over at OSAT since I’m the only hip hop artist on the roster.

FDB: I know you have affiliations with Kev Brown and the Strange Fruit Project. Can you explain how you linked up with those artists?

GW: Just being a fan! I’m a fan first and foremost so that’s how I approached those cats. From there I just asked them ‘what can I work on as a young guy to better myself?’ or just do simple things like ask for promo drops. That leads to relationships/network. Not to mention all those guys are mad humble.

FDB: At the risk of sounding played out given the amount of 'is hip hop dead' talk, how do you view it at the moment and where do you see the culture going from here?

GW: Hip hop is cool! It’s in the ‘teenage’ years I feel. There are a lot of cats out here with egos man (especially Chicago). The only thing wrong with hip hop I find is that there’s no balance. People hate ‘crunk’ commercial music but I have no problem with it. I find it quite entertaining at times. But there definitely isn’t a balance on the radio. There’s a guy/radio personality who hosted my homie Kenn Starr’s mixtape named Peter Rosenberg who just got a gig at Hot 97 in New York. That’s huge for an artist such as myself. Hopefully this foot in the door can lead to bigger and better things man. In addition, I feel there are too many hustlers in the game, just doing it for the money/fame instead of the love.

I got to admit it felt a little weird interviewing somebody for the first time, but Gerald seems like a level headed guy who wasn't down with any frontin' so it made the job a whole lot easier. With some nice tracks and a positive attitude to the industry he may go far: you heard it hear first at FDB (well, not quite). If you're feelin' the selections then make sure you check out Walker's website and MySpace for more information about upcoming releases and touring schedule. Good luck with it mate!