Duck Down Records: Promise Video Interview

[Lunatic]

http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/2166/54/

Raptalk is always working to bring you the best of the new talent in the music industry. Certainly a breath of fresh air who has received comparisons to Kanye West and Common, Canadian artist Promise is going to make a large impact on the music industry in 2010. With tracks under his belt with Royce Da 5'9, Montell Jordan, J. Ivy and more, along with co signs from Crooked I, Talib Kweli, Rhymefest and more, it's no surprise that legendary east coast label Duck Down Records signed up Promise as soon as they heard him. Peep out the new video interview below with Promise

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Watch/Read Interview:
http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/2166/54/

[Lunatic]

For those just interested in reading and not watching the interview:

Raptalk.Net: We’re right here with Canadian artist signed to Duck Down Records, Promise. Let them know who you are and what you do.

Promise: This is me, Promise a Hip-Hop artist from Toronto, Canada, born and raised. I’ve been doing it for almost ten years now. I’ve worked with everybody from Canada pretty much except K-OS and Kardinal Offishall. I’ve been working with Drake; I know that question is going to come. He’s a good kid and I’m happy for him. I know he’s going to put T.Dot (Toronto) on the map. We’re here.

Raptalk.Net: Being from Toronto, how difficult was it to get that recognition by a label such as Duck Down?

Promise: I think it was harder to get recognition in my own city. When Duck Down heard me, they knew what it was. When they say real recognize real, it’s what it is. The moment they heard me, that was it. There was no “Ok, let’s take a month and see how it is.” They heard me and talked about signing me right away. I’ve been trying to get my city on. I’ve been doing shows when I started out and not getting paid to finally getting paid once they see that somewhere else I’m wanted. It’s what it is and I love my city. One thing I do know is if you can make it here, you definitely deserve it. We like to call ourselves the screw face capital and I think that’s just made up. Not everything is hate here. There is a lot of love but it’s definitely hard to make a name for you. You have to be bigger than the biggest. It’s not just about if you have talent, you have to be something else. My city recognized me and I take pride in it. I love you guys.

Raptalk.Net: Tell us the story of how you got your music to Duck Down Records.

Promise: I do a lot of MySpace work. I’m an online computer fiend. I hit No-ha and Drew of Duck Down. They were looking for the next big thing and I told them that was me as humbly as I can (laughs). I told them I think I have it. They said let the music speak for itself. I sent the music and they told me I needed to get down there. I went to New York and I met with Drew. He was just basically showing me their operation. They showed me what they do and how many units they push out. We’re marketing this, doing that. They asked me if it looked like something I wanted to be apart of. I felt the vibe and said let’s do it.

Raptalk.Net: Was that a surreal experience for you? Just like that they told you to come out to New York.

Promise: It was. I mean, it seemed so but when I look back on it, I put in a lot of work. I put in work (laughs). It’s just like how I was happy for Kardinal Offishall when he got his break with Akon. When that came, I’m sure he was like damn. But when he sat down and looked at it, he’s been doing it for 15-20 years. I put in work. As surreal as it was, when I left there and the excitement comes down and was brought back to reality, I was like I deserve this. I’ve been working, I’ve been here doing me.

Raptalk.Net: Growing up in Toronto, what kind of Hip-Hop did you listen to? Who influenced you to begin rhyming?

Promise: I’m not gonna’ front, I’m not the heaviest Hip-Hop fan. I’m a soul and R&B dude. When I was growing up I think the first people I heard rap that really wanted me to start was Method Man. That first Wu-Tang album, even though my style reflects nothing of it, the first Wu-Tang album, that record is crazy. Those records started getting me in this vibe to do something.

Raptalk.Net: Your style doesn’t reflect that. Explain to our readers what your style does reflect.

Promise: I don’t like to compare myself but people who hear me say Canibus, Common, Lupe or early Kanye. That good music vibe, that soulful, crazy lyrics, just feel good music.

Raptalk.Net: How do you handle hearing comparisons like Kanye, Common and Lupe?

 Promise: If there comparing me to those guys already, my guess is, I can only get better. If I’m ten years in and they say I’m like a Canadian Common, I can only get better. I don’t worry about it if you want to compare me, as long you’re not comparing me to somebody who is a nobody. As long as you consider me to some of what I consider is Hip-Hop’s greats right now, I’m good with that. If they need to box me, they need to categorize me; they can do what they want. I’m only gonna’ get better.

Raptalk.Net: The album is coming out through Duck Down Records and is untitled as of right now. How much of the album would you say is done at this time?

Promise: Honestly, I can’t even say. I could be telling the truth and tell you it’s done, because in my eyes it is done. But because Duck Down is a new relationship, I want Drew and the whole team to clear everything that I do. I’m going to bring everything to the table and I have records for days. Nobody I know has more records than me. Makaveli is dead, so (laughs). I’ve been doing this day in, day out for ten years, everyday. There was no part time job, no school. This is what I done full time. I have records and there pretty good. When I met with them, they asked me how long it would take to get the next album or next two albums done. I said here are all the records, pick from there. If not, we can do something new. If we pick 10-15 hot tracks, we can throw that out. I just finished a record with the last label I was with that didn’t really get released. It hit the streets and it’s on ITunes, but we can pull hits from there too. We can get me in the studio with Marco [Polo} and 9th [Wonder] and I’ll bang out another album. I’m just trying to do something big. I don’t want to do these albums full of singles any more. I want a concept. I want something smart, witty and clever. I’ve been just making music. I want to get more intricate with it.

Raptalk.Net: Do you think you need to be a studio rat and knock out lots of music to be set aside from the millions of other rappers out there?

Promise: I think if you love music, that’s just what you do. I didn’t try to make so many songs – I just did it. Kanye did five beats a day for three summers – he just did it. It was his own thing. If you love music, you should be doing that. If you’re a singer and you don’t have a job and you’re not getting shows every single day, you should be out by the subway pimping yourself. You don’t have to sign to somebody else to make them work you.  You work you. It’s your gift, your talent, your instrument – work it and play it. I don’t understand these singers who can sing and there just doing nothing. I don’t understand it. If I could, I’d be out on the corner everyday just selling stuff. People are telling me I need permits and stuff like that.

When I went out to L.A., it was different. USA is different. Canada is held back in so many ways, it doesn’t make sense. When I went out to L.A., nobody bothered me and I was on the corner. I was playing my music and rapping to people. I was selling CD’s; that’s Hip-Hop. That’s life, that’s music. Just do you. Don’t let anybody tell you what to do. If you love music, make music.

Raptalk.Net: What type of guest appearances and production are you working with on the album?

Promise: I got a lot of guest appearances. I have Montell Jordan, Elzhi from Slum Village, Words Worth, Rhymefest, Malik Yusef, J. Ivy from Kanye’s first album, College Dropout, Mickey from Chicago, and Knowledge from Kids in the Hall. I’ve just been stacking up music. And I didn’t even work with anybody from Duck Down yet. Imagine now that I have another door open that I’m going to walk through. Tek, Buckshot, KRS-One, what are you saying about this? I have tracks there with open verses and hooks with ideas already. Everything is just packaged and ready to go. Duck Down got a good deal here (laughs). They have something that is ready. And that’s really what labels want right now – they want something that is ready. They don’t want to have to go and bake the cake – they want the cake ready. I put the icing on it. They just want to put the price on and put it out in the store.

Raptalk.Net: Do you have any last words for Raptalk.Net before I let you go?

 Promise: Make sure you go to www.ipromisemusic.com when you’re finished with www.raptalk.net.

[NillerTheKid]

dope interview, didn't know he was signed to duck down, then he gots to have some talent 
this "drew" guy he talks about, is that Dru Ha?

[Blood$]

he kinda looks like a slimmed down C-Bo lol

I'll have to check for this dude's music

[Lunatic]

u guys should definitely check for his music

www.myspace.com/promisemusic

he's pretty damn dope..what you'd expect for a DUCK DOWN signee

yes, Dru Ha is who he is talking about

[NillerTheKid]

he's pretty damn dope..what you'd expect for a DUCK DOWN signee

best label roster, in my opinion

[Lunatic]

best label roster, in my opinion

very good indeed

make sure u check out Promise, u won't regret it

www.myspace.com/promisemusic
www.ipromisemusic.com

[NillerTheKid]

best label roster, in my opinion

very good indeed

make sure u check out Promise, u won't regret it

www.myspace.com/promisemusic
www.ipromisemusic.com

will do