JaJuan Malachi

Hailing from Roosevelt, NY, Keanu Clarke, better known as, Uneak has established an outstanding knack for cultivating music that somehow achieves at feeding both the mind and the soul. 

With a fervent hunger woozily reminiscent of J. Cole in his ‘Friday Nights Lights’ bag, the lyrically gifted newcomer is sincere in his expression and in all things that make him authentically unique. 

Despite there being something earnest about his content matter at times, his discography embraces a healthy amount of fun and hedonism. 

Sonically, he typically embraces a menagerie of chipmunk soul-infused instrumentation, which tend to provide some nostalgic flare while still sounding very much in tune with the present. 

From a lyrical perspective, Uneak’s sentiments are witty, aspirational and anchored in the life and times of his current reality but never detract from his primary goal: to become a remarkable entity among today’s Hip-Hop milieu. 

With the full intention of demonstrating his boundless versatility as an artist, Uneak dropped his most recent EP: “Better In Person,” which dropped in November. Some salient highlights on the record include “Elevate” and “Day By Day.” 

“Better In Person gives you my true sound as an artist. This EP is the definition of becoming better and expressing certain things I’ve been though.” 

In what is fully complementary to his recent release, Uneak spoke to JaJuan Malachi of The Knockturnal to paint more of a vivid picture of who he is at the core. Some of the things spoken about include his origins, his plans for the future, some of the most recently played music on his playlist, “Better In Person” and much more. 

Here’s how the conversation played out:

To keep up with Uneak and his journey, follow him on Instagram. 

In an industry that has been long male dominated since its advent, rising rap star Yaya is resolute about illuminating the reality that women are, just as if not, more paramount to the modern-day pertinence of Hip-Hop. 

Hailing from an enclave that has bred some of the greatest Hip-Hop entities of all-time, some of which include DMX, The Lox and Mary J. Blidge: Yonkers, NY, Yaya is carrying the torch as a  fresh newcomer with an undeniable flow and edgy demeanor. 

Dripping with palpable verve and unbridled confidence, Yaya doesn’t rap merely for the sake of rapping. She yearns for her audience to genuinely feel every pulse of her content. 

Driven by her insatiable desire to properly represent for the “everyday” woman, which is something too often overlooked in modern-day Hip-Hop, Yaya intends on bringing something novel to the game that’s never truly been actualized before. 

With a vibe reminiscent of Remy Ma and Meek Mill but still very much authentic, Yaya is a striking lyricist with potent punchlines and feminist-driven bars for days. 

Buzzing off the good vibes and positive energy of her latest single: “Who’s That Girl” ft. Danasia Manaya, Yaya just dropped an accompanying video. Just as hilarious and fun as it is poised and professional, Yaya demonstrates her lowkey ability to choreograph and dance herself on top of her impressive lyrical acumen. 

Before taking off to higher heights, JaJuan Malachi of The Knockturnal was fortunate enough to chop it up with the burgeoning young lyricist in Queens to discuss goals for her career, female representation in Hip-Hop today, music she can’t live without and more. 

Here’s how the conversation played out: 

JaJuan: So Yaya, first and foremost, thank you for taking the time to speak with me on behalf of The Knockturnal. So, I guess to kick things off, for people who aren’t yet familiar with you,  tell us a little bit about your background and where you’re from? 

Yaya: So first off, I just wanna say thank you for having me. I am Yaya. The Yaya . I’m from Yonkers, NY. I’m 23. I’m here to change the world. 

JaJuan: Dope! Dope! I love it. So I’m curious to know: when did you first discover you had a talent for rap? Was this an early on thing or was this a relatively new revelation that you came across

Yaya: So, this was a relatively new discovery. I started doing poetry in high school. You couldn’t have told me that it was going to turn into this. I met some local rappers. I started doing freestyles on Instagram and from there, the freestyles eventually turned into “Yaya, pull up to the studio and from there, I got my first little shot and from then, I feel like I fell in love with music. 

JaJuan: That’s so dope! So being from Yonkers, who would you say were some of your biggest musical influences growing up? 

Yaya: Ummm….

JaJuan: Or does the fact that they’re from Yonkers not even really matter? 

Yaya: So ok, I feel like most people want me to say “Jadakiss” or like “Styles P” 

JaJuan: The quintessential figures of Yonkers pretty much.

Yaya: Yeah exactly *chuckles* But a lot of people don’t realize that I am an R&B girly. Like, I love R&B. So for me, my biggest inspiration was Mary J. Blidge. Like to me, she made me feel like success was tangible. Like, we’re from the same projects. Same background. I feel like I see a lot of her in me. It just made me feel like I could do this. If she came from where I came from, it’s not that far from me. I thank her! She’s a huge inspiration. 

JaJuan: Shoutout to the Queen! Mary J. I was fortunate to see her this summer. Apple Music had a little private performance, which was really dope but I’m curious to know: How was your experience making your latest single: “Who’s That Girl”? I love the opening skit. 

Yaya: Um, it was exciting. From getting the beat made to the studio session. From the script reading to dance practice. It’s one thing to do what you love but to do what you love with people you love. It doesn’t feel like a job. It feels like I also have total creative control because I am independent, which is dope! That’s definitely the best part about it. 

JaJuan: Yeah, it legit felt like pure fun. Like, that’s really what it felt like. It didn’t feel contrived, it felt very much organic. The people around me are organic. 

Yaya: Yeah, the people around me are organic. 

JaJuan: Word! I’ve been using that word a lot today. 

Yaya: *wholesome laughter* 

JaJuan: So I’m curious with regard to the song, how’d you team up with Danasia Manaya? 

Yaya: So we worked at the same summer youth program growing up. 

JaJuan: Back in Yonkers? 

Yaya: *laughs* yeah, back in Yonkers. 

JaJuan: Haha, classic. 

Yaya: So back then, music was a thing for either of us. Originally when I first went to the studio, I tried to sing the hook myself. I was channeling like my inner Beyonce and she just wouldn’t come. So I felt like I needed someone to come sing this hook. So Danasia was the first person who came to mind. Um, I knew whoever would sing it would need to have a lighter voice. I feel like I have a deeper voice and even when I sing, it’s deeper. I wanted someone with a soft sound to still give it that kind of Summer Walker kind of updated feel. She was perfect. The vibe was dope. It was just me and her and the engineer and we had a lot of fun. Nervous at first. I feel like you see the chemistry in the song. 

JaJuan: Yeah, yeah for sure. I love the contrast of tonality between you guys. 

Yaya: So, I did right. 

JaJuan: Yeah, y’all did that fasho. 

Yaya: Haha, word! 

JaJuan: So over the last few years, there has been a major influx of female rappers to grace the landscape. Some of my personal faves include Rico Nasty, Doechii, Tierra Whack, Meg The Stallion, Latto, the list goes on. With this being said, how important is female representation in Hip-Hop to you? 

Yaya: I think it’s really important. Being young, black and a woman, I want to represent myself. But, I also feel like I haven’t felt seen since Nicki stopped being Nicki. And when I say that, I mean Nicki in her prime. They’re a lot of rap girlies. I pay attention. I’m very intuitive. But, I feel like it’s so oversexualized sometimes to the point where regular girls like me are overlooked maybe up until like Glorilla. She’s the closest I’ve seen. Besides that, no. I feel like we forget about the girls in limbo. The girls who don’t have it all figured out. Who don’t got the BBL. Or who don’t scam or just girls trying to figure it out. 

JaJuan: The everyday woman. 

Yaya: Yes, the everyday woman. 

JaJuan: That’s a really interesting observation for sure. I definitely didn’t think about that. 

Yaya: Yeah, of course not.

*mutual laughter* 

JaJuan: Yeah, the hypersexual stuff is just always at the forefront. 

Yaya: Always! 

JaJuan: Yeah, it’s to the point where we forget about even like the Rapsody’s of the world. Like, Rapsody is one of the best out. 

Yaya: And so overlooked. 

JaJuan: Yeah, so overlooked. She has her own aesthetic and it’s a dope aesthetic. 

Yaya: Yeah, everybody, don’t worry! I’m coming. 

*mutual laughter*

JaJuan: Yes indeed, you’re up next. So outside of rap, what are some of your other creative outlets? 

Yaya: Ok so, outside of music, I’m a comedian. 

JaJuan: Oh really? Do you have any favorite comedians? 

Yaya: Bernie Mac and Marlon Wayans. 

JaJuan: Ok, those are some good ones. R.I.P Bernie Mac

Yaya: But aside from that, I dance. I told you. I met a lot of my creative team through dancing. 

JaJuan: What type of dancing? 

Yaya: Of course like Hip-Hop dancing. But um, dancing. I feel like that’s something I got to incorporate in “Who’s That Girl.” I gave you guys just a sneak peek. I can make a choreo. I made up the choreo actually. 

JaJuan: Wow! That’s hella impressive. I’m not even 

Yaya: And even for my shows and performances and everything I made my dancers do, I made everything up. 

JaJuan: Gotcha. I saw that performance at SOB’s btw. Y’all really killed it. 

Yaya: Thanks! But yeah, dance. I feel like it’s something I definitely wanna incorporate in my music and along this journey. Because I feel like when you think about singers, a lot of singers dance but what rappers dance? Offset? 

*laughter* 

JaJuan: Does Offset actually dance? 

Yaya: Yes. 

JaJuan: Oh, I didn’t even know that. 

Yaya: Yeah, him and Chris Brown were thinking about having a battle. 

JaJuan: Oh nah, he’s wildin.’ He’s gotta chill. 

*mutual laughter* 

JaJuan: So if you could only listen to three albums, which ones would they be and why? 

Yaya: Pink Friday is #1. 

JaJuan: Are you a barb? 

*snickering* 

Yaya: I’m thee BARB 

*laughs* 

JaJuan: Barbz are unapologetic about their support. 

Yaya: Because she deserves it. 

JaJuan: She does for sure. Okay, Okay, so we’ve got Pink Friday. 

Yaya: It’s the first and only physical album I’ve ever owned. Besides that, I’m gonna do “You Should Be Here” by Kehlani. 

JaJuan: That’s another great one. 

Yaya: And then, I’m going to do Summer Walker “Over It.” I told you because I’m an R&B girl. She was just important, I feel like in college. 

JaJuan: Yeah, she had a moment! 

Yaya: She had thee moment! For me, I feel like she kind of opened that door for new R&B. And I feel like as far as the connection she had in terms of heartbreak and things like that. I wanna be able to do that with my own project. I wanna be kind like the first female rapper to take what Summer Walker did. As far as painting that picture of heartbreak, getting it together, confidence building.

JaJuan: Yeah, she’s deep in her music. One of my favorite songs by her is Constant Bulls**t. That’s my joint right there. 

Yaya: She’s one of them ones. 

JaJuan: So as far as career trajectory, are you seeking to be signed to a label or are you carving your own route on the independent side of things? 

Yaya: I think in a perfect world, I’d love to remain independent. I’d love to remain independent just because I want the creative control. I want to be able to get my ideas out there. Um, but I feel like life be life’ing, so if getting signed is what gives me that stardom I’m seeking. I feel like in the long run as long as I get to the point where I’m able to regain my full arts control. But right now, I’m seeking any help and not all help is good help. But just getting Yaya on a larger scale. All that’s missing is the money. That’s all that’s missing. So whatever gets me there. 

JaJuan: It’s really only a matter of time. 

Yaya: Oh, I’m certain of that. I am so certain. 

JaJuan: So for my next and final question, I wanted to know: where do you see Yaya five years from now? 

Yaya: Famous! Uh, running music. Having it. I don’t know, I feel like my faith is so strong. I see longevity. You know how like in today’s world, especially with artists with TikTok. It’s easy to get discouraged with all this overnight success. And I feel like these artists sign to these labels with one good song. I don’t want just one good song for me. And I feel like, even with the rap girlies, nobody has had the run that Nicki Minaj has had. And, I plan on surpassing that. And I feel like no female has survived decades of rap in the same context that we’ve seen Jay-Z or Nas. How like Jay-Z went from the early 80s, he was able to dominate the 90s. He gave you HOV DID. So I feel like as a female, you’re gonna watch me grow. 

JaJuan: So sort of transcending generations.

Yaya: And dominating. 

JaJuan: Yeah, I feel that. I feel like that’s a good point. When you think about Queen Latifah and artists like her during that time frame. You know, their relevance is kind of stuck in a vacuum of that time period. I hope that this comes into fruition for you. 

Yaya: Yup! It’s coming. It’s only a matter of time. 

To keep up with Yaya, follow her on Instagram. 

With all the phenomenal activity he has had under his belt in recent time: a major collaboration with The New York Library, as well as, an artist residency in Italy, New York-native provocateur SHIRT has been adamant about making a bold statement with the release of his latest single: “Death To Wall Art.” 

Backed by Mello Music Group, SHIRT teams up with GRAMMY Award winning producer Jack Splash to cultivate “Death To Wall Art” alongside an entire bevy of poignant tracks that are expected to accompany a complete project by the end of the year. 

Known for his extreme risk taking and notorious alt-thought process within the contemporary world of art, SHIRT has made a conspicuous knack out of combatting the status quo via the conduits of music, video, text, photography, performance and more. 

Equipped with his MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) from an academy in Basel, Switzerland, SHIRT has established himself as a premier purveyor of artistic engagement across the globe. 

In 2019, SHIRT took part in a group exhibition entitled: “I’m Coming But I May Not Use The Front Door” at Helmhaus Museum in Zurich, Switzerland. 

Amid this previous summer season, SHIRT made waves as an artist-in-residence at the highly prestigious Civitella Ranieri. During his stint, he focused on recording incisive, thought-provoking raps for two months in a Castle in Italy. 

Similar to the high-level impact of his other artistic endeavors, “Death To Wall Art” is a canvas that SHIRT uses to elicit his commentary on the modern-day state of art with fervor and urgency.

Over low-fi, gritty, relatively ominous instrumentation, SHIRT vents his personal frustrations with multiple facets of the art world, some of which include cosmic capitalism and late-stage capitalism to undervalued artists and art that has been deemed “not fine art” by racially motivated “traditional” standards. 

In one of his insightful lines, he states: 

“If we being real nobody want to call it art. They’d have to open their museum doors – it’d fall apart.” 

What SHIRT is really trying to illuminate is the bleak reality that Hip-Hop music has and  continues to be excluded from the highest echelons of the Fine Art world. 

For the average rapper, this might be too intricate or enigmatic to dissect but for SHIRT, this is genuinely at the core of his purpose. 

In another instance, SHIRT states: 

“When I say ‘death to wall art’, I mean f**k paint by numbers. That’s a hallmark. Don’t just color out the lines, tear the wall art. Don’t just show me a corny NFT of the shark, go swim with sharks.” 

With his fierce rhetoric, he is making a fervent attempt at dismantling the malevolent forces that perpetuate discrimination within the modern art landscape. 

“Death of Wall Art” is a powerful vignette of what’s wrong with today’s world of art but more importantly, a sonic blueprint on the tangible measures that can be done to rectify these issues once and for all. 

To keep up with SHIRT, check him out on Instagram

To listen to “Death of Wall Art,” check it out on BandCamp

Photos Courtesy of The Artist SHIRT

Since the release of her highly acclaimed debut EP: “Poster Girl,” back in 2021, rising creative multi hyphenate Talia Goddess has been the living embodiment of what it truly means to be “on fire.” 

Originating from a Guyanese household in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY, Talia Goddess is a blossoming musical artist with myriad talents: she sings, she raps, she produces, she writes, she mixes, she DJ’s, she plays the guitar and much more. In other words, there aren’t any limits when it comes to her artistry and that’s what makes her such a salient entity within today’s landscape of music. 

While “Poster Girl” showed off her tasteful acumen of R&B and Soul, she’s illuminated this year that she has a masterful handle on an eclectic array of genres: reggae, hip-hop, alt-pop and whatever else you can think of. 

Existing somewhere finely nestled between Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, H.E.R. and Syd, Goddess is a palpable force with a highly immersive sound. 

Embracing a flavorful, yet hyper raw aesthetic mixed with a strong penchant for legitimate musicianship, Talia Goddess is allergic to the affectation of industry-driven gimmicks but instead latches skin tight to what is at the core of her allure: infectious songwriting and sheer versatility as an artist. 

While it can be duly stated that she sustained a major buzz at the inception of her career, Talia Goddess is very much in the active process of meteoric ascension. With her first Afropunk performance, a COLORS STUDIO taping, and an already-classic debut EP under her wing, she is destined for greatness in perpetuity. 

In conjunction with her swift momentum, she’s dropped two well-received singles this year: “Ragga,” and “Everybody Loves A Winner,” which have respectively amassed over 8K and 16K views on YouTube. 

Unmistakably channeling the high vibrational, “island” soundscape of her Caribbean roots, “Ragga” is a modern-day tribute to the old school, golden-era of Reggae and DanceHall that heavily permeated the streets of Brooklyn back in the 90s and early 00s. 

Mixing her signature “rapid-fire” style of rap with a lulling vocal performance reminiscent of Rihanna in her “Rude Boy” phase, “Ragga” is a pointed combination of all the idiosyncrasies that make Talia so fun and riveting. 

Making yet another 180-degree turn from her previous works, Goddess dropped “Everybody Loves A Winner” towards the latter end of September. Gliding over a high-octane, futuristic instrumental, which was written, mixed and produced by herself, Goddess flexes her lyrical talent with dazzling vivacity. 

With the hook echoing a sentiment that many can relate to: 

“I can’t stand no wishy washy a** n***a

Go figure

Everybody loves a f**king winner” 

She cultivates an aggressively catchy chorus that won’t simply subside after a few listens like most of today’s music.

With both tracks virtually upending all the expectations one may have had from the initial vibes she brought to the forefront with “Poster Girl,” Goddess reveals that she is equipped with limitless musical range, able to switch gears whenever she sees fit. 

Given the sublime caliber of content she’s released this year so far, the 19-year-old prodigy has elevated the bar higher than ever before with a brilliant body of work to prove it. As long as she remains authentic and true-to-self, the sky seems to be the very beginning for Talia Goddess.

To keep up with Talia Goddess, follow her on Instagram

Deviating from a good portion of today’s Hip-Hop landscape, UFO Fev prides himself on being a true student of Hip-Hop culture. 

Coming from Thomas Jefferson Houses in East Harlem, Anthony Ortiz, also known as, UFO Fev stands tall on his affinity for raw, uncut lyricism and makes that fully apparent across his sublime discography, which consists of 15 thoroughly crafted EPs. 

Being a direct product of New York’s inner-city streets, Fev’s dedication to the culture is undeniable and he continues to be an underrated, yet invaluable asset to its Hip-Hop community. 

When it comes to his talent, Fev is a top-notch, lyrical marksman with poignant flows and catchy hooks for days. Similar to Benny The Butcher, Joey Bada$$ and Roc Marciano, Fev is upholding the torch of golden-era Hip-Hop and reinvigorating it all in the same breath. 

Having already dropped a well-acclaimed project this year: “Sunsets In The Ghetto,” Fev is looking to bolster his flame with the release of his most recent project: “Blood On The Bills,” all of which is exclusively produced by Canadian producer Finn. 

On September 21st, Fev dropped his lead single: “Wash The Bills,” which has already amassed over 9K views on YouTube. 

In recent time, JaJuan Malachi of The Knockturnal was afforded the opportunity to “break bread” with UFO Fev over at Sweet Chick in Williamsburg. During the excursion, Fev spoke about a number of things including his origins, his relationship with Fat Joe, his passion for Hip-Hop culture, what it means to be a Puerto Rican rapper, what’s currently on his playlist, how he discovered his name and much more. 

Here is how the conversation played out: 

JaJuan: What’s up Fev! 

UFO Fev: What’s good Twin. 

JaJuan: So to kick things off, I wanted to ask: Coming up in East Harlem, who would you say were some of your biggest musical influences growing up? 

UFO Fev: Beanie Siegal, I love Notorious B.I.G., Mase, Cam’Ron 

JaJuan: Juelz Santana?

UFO: Nah, he wasn’t on yet. I’m trying to think about a time when I was young. When I didn’t have too much going on. Hearing the Puff album. P. Diddy and The Family: No Way Out. You know what I’m saying. That was monumental right there. I remember the first time I heard that and then after that comes The Dipset, you know, the 2000s era. By then, I was already also listening to the West Coast guys, The South, you know, BG, Choppa City, The Ghetto. That was like one of my favorite albums. My dad was into freestyle music, so I always had a knowledge of that. As I grew up, I started to like Latin music, Spanish music, and Reggae music. Heavy Reggae music. 

JaJuan: What about like Bachata? 

UFO Fev: That’s later on when I grew up to understand what that was. That used to be like Dembow music back then before Reggaeton got famous and stuff. Bachata was a thing for older folks back then. Like, you got to the parties and you’d hear that. Cleaning the crib, my grandmother would always listen to that kind of stuff. That always turned me off until I got into my teenage years. It was girls. When I started liking girls is when I started listening to more music. Girls always had the music. They always had the CDs and like the headphones and stuff and would put me on. As I grew older twin, my influences started going into Jazz and Reggae Soul Music, you know a lot of funk, R&B, heavy R&B and stuff like that outside of Hip-Hop. 

JaJuan: So like the Jon B’s, the Ginuwine’s

UFO Fev: Ginuwine, Dru Hill

JaJuan: Tyrese

UFO Fev: Tyrese. If we’re staying in the era, we’ve got Keith Sweat. Who else we’ve got, Case at the time. You know Donnell Jones. 

JaJuan: Yeah, yeah! Fire! 

UFO Fev: Yeah, you know that fire! Total! 

JaJuan: Brandy!? 

UFO Fev: Whatttt?! Brandy man! My dad loved Brian McKnight. Brian McKnight was that guy! Brandy was IT though! Brandy had that vibe! That’s a fact. Usher! Can’t forget Usher. I learned how to slide out my sneakers because of Usher. 

JaJuan: I feel that. They were all immaculate vibes fasho. So when did you first believe that making music could translate into a real-life profession? 

UFO Fev: For myself, I always understood it was a profession because I didn’t get paid for it but me being around people in the music industry like my dad and other producers, other artists, just being around them seeing them make money. Like there’s this producer by the name of Develop. He did “Fireman” for Lil’ Wayne and “Rap God” for Eminem. I used to hang out with him. My dad has a lot of friends in the music industry as well like Marc Anthony and stuff. So, I always knew the music industry was a successful place but for me twin, until someone actually paid me once to perform, then I was “oh aight” and began to take it seriously. I guess at that time, the stuff I was taking was good enough. I was thinking “oh aight, someone will let me perform and they’ll pay me.” I didn’t need anything else after that. That was validation! I remember the envelope, the card said thank you! 

JaJuan: Do you have any vivid memories of that moment? 

UFO Fev: Yeah, it was the Knitting Factory downtown. Before it went to Brooklyn, it was originally downtown in the city. There was a manager who had an artist that was running around. J. Cole was running around too but he wasn’t Cole at the time. 

JaJuan: Haha, he was pre-Cole.

UFO Fev: Yeah, pre-Cole. They were doing spot venues and stuff. The manager in that circle. He was a family friend as well. He saw me doing my thing and he asked me to come perform and he paid me and that was the first time I really got love. Like someone paid me, the other artists showed me love. I was like “alright cool, this is something I wanna do.” 

JaJuan: Gotchu! So you spoke about your Dad. Would you mind speaking to your Dad’s influence on your career? 

UFO Fev: Yeah, he was in a group called TKA back in the 80s and 90s even up until like the 00s. They had a “greatest hits” album and stuff. I just understood the business watching him. He went through the ups and downs of  the industry. It was easy to navigate myself and know that I wasn’t invincible and that there were certain things I had to be aware of 

JaJuan: So he put you onto game. 

UFO Fev: Yeah, he put me onto game without putting me onto game. Just watching was the best teacher because when he would vent and when I got old enough and we would talk. He would explain it to me a little better and stuff but I was there. Just the feeling of knowing something was wrong before knowing what’s wrong. I got to see that. And as I grew, I went through that in my own trials and tribulations. You can’t escape it. My Dad is my biggest inspiration in terms of knowing that “an artist doesn’t do business” and that “a businessman is not an artist.” The two are separate. When you’re an artist, you’re an artist. And when it’s time to do business, it’s time to do business. 

JaJuan: It sounds like he had a profound impact for sure. 

UFO Fev: For sure! 

JaJuan: So what have you been listening to recently? I know we spoke about it a little bit inside. 

UFO Fev: Aside from myself and the projects I’ve been creating, Freddie Gibbs. We spoke about that. I got .38 Spesh on my joint. A little Ari Lennox, Black Thought, Danger Mouse, amazing project. Illmatic. Always listening to Illmatic. A little bit of Tribe. You know, Midnight Marauders. I always like to go back and forth from new to older and stuff like that. 

JaJuan: You like to get a little taste of everything. 

UFO Fev: Everything! Depending on the drive because I’m a heavy driver. I’m always getting in the car, so I like to. If I’m not home, I’m tryna just sit in the car and turn up the speakers. Give it that little car test.  I’m always listening to music. It’s a big part of my days. 

JaJuan: Dope! So tell us about the origins of your name? ‘

UFO Fev: UFO Fev! The UFO!I got that as I matured.  It’s like knowledge of self. The way I was rhyming! The cadence! My flow. Everything was different, especially for a Latino. That’s where the UFO comes from and the “Fev” part, I got from Black Rob, may God rest his soul. Black Rob titled me “Fev.” He heard I was rhyming one day, I had bumped into him. We were passing one another, talking and like a movie, I turned around and he was like “I heard you’re rhyming out here.” He was like, “I heard you got a little fever?” I was like good lookin’ Rob! That’s how I got the name. It kind of just stuck. 

JaJuan: Wow! That sounds hella nostalgic! So I know you and Fat Joe have close ties! How’d y’all first link up? 

UFO Fev: I met my big brother Fat Joe through Dre of “Cool & Dre.” He’s the one who introduced us and linked us up. After hearing my music, he introduced my music to Joe and then Dre found me and he told me he wanted to meet me but also that he wanted to introduce me to Joe first. From there I met Joe and we’ve been together ever since. He’s been a mentor. I’ve been riding with him. He took me overseas a bunch of times, shows, we’ve got records together. Like you said, everything organic. I rock with him. 

JaJuan: That’s fire! What’s some guidance that he’s provided for you, in terms of how to navigate your career a little better? 

UFO Fev: A lot of patience! He’s taught me a lot of patience when it comes to the industry. Give people the benefit of the doubt! Don’t be so arrogant and expect everyone to jump. I’ve learned that with him. Just watching him I’ve learned that, just seeing how he works with people. Always smiling, always cordial! But mostly twin, I’ve also learned how to just be a loving person because he conducts himself on love! He doesn’t radiate any negativity. He likes to stay positive and allow his blessings to get to him. Verbally, he says so many things. You know, he talks. He loves to tell stories. There’s so many gems that I have with him that I learned. Just to be a better family man and to be happy with what I’ve got and to not worry about anything else. 

JaJuan: It sounds like he’s had a profound impact for sure. 

UFO Fev: That’s a fact! Just watching him be successful. If there’s things he has to deal with as a man, then I have no reason to complain. I have no reason to complain about the stuff I have to do. He’s well off but he still has to do a lot. Parents, lady, kids, industry. Like, he’s still active. 

JaJuan: So being a rapper of Puerto Rican descent, do you ever feel underestimated? And how do you combat that? 

UFO Fev: Absolutely! I usually write some more. Don’t get so hard on myself. But absolutely, I do feel underestimated sometimes but that’s just moments. I’m only human. That usually comes from social media and stuff. You know, when I see things going on but if I don’t delve into that realm, I’ll be alright. I’ll be good. People salute me for what I do and that’s all I need. Plus we get paid for it, so there’s really no reason to complain but like I said twin, if I dive into that realm and I see others highlights, then yeah I start feeling some type of way. Try and stay out of our own way sometimes. 

JaJuan: Haha, I feel you. It’s not even worth it. 

UFO Fev: Don’t hate on yourself. Don’t let them see you sweat

JaJuan: So what is the inspiration behind the concept of your latest single: “Wash The Bills”? Where’d that even stem from? 

UFO Fev: To zero it in, it just comes from. The rhyme was just like braggadocious rhyme. It fit around the project but the concept was a person having a lot of money that they can’t spend. Metaphorically, “Wash The Bills,” you use a laundromat, put your money in soap. Realistically, you have to find ways to spend the money. You can’t just sit on it. It doesn’t work like that. There’s another record on the project called “Taxman.” It kind of plays into the same realm but it comes from the perspective of Uncle Sam. I rap from the perspective of actually being like “what is taxation?” 

JaJuan: That’s hella intriguing. It sounds like a very refreshing perspective.

UFO Fev: It’s not as deep as it sounds. You know, it’s dope. Still fly shit though. 

JaJuan: Dope! I’m boutta be on the lookout for that. 

UFO Fev: It’s about to be on “Blood On The Bills” 

JaJuan: How many tracks do you have lined up for that? 

UFO Fev: There’s ten joints on the project. All produced by Finn. He is a Jamaican born producer by way of Canada. He might be Canadian born. Um, he’s a good brother from Toronto. He’s part of a click called BBM. Gold Era is the label. We’ve got some vinyl coming out. Vinyl’s available at GoldEramusic.com. Go purchase that. And the merch is available as well. Well produced by Finn, front to back. It’s hard! If you listen to any of my projects, you expect a good cohesive body of work and that’s what it is for sure. 

JaJuan: It’s funny that you mentioned Finn because I meant to ask about Finn. How’d y’all team up? 

UFO Fev: I was recording with Terminology and Statik Selektah. There was someone who reached out via DM on his behalf that told me that he was interested in hollering at me. I replied and was like “sure man, link us up” and sent a batch right away. I started working on them. I started diving more into his catalog and I got to learn more about him and how he works and that made me look forward to actually getting it done. He’s a dope producer. He has stuff out that’s already dope with other artists. Not just in Hip-Hop but in the Jamaican and Hip-Hop category as well. I can’t wait to do another one. I can’t wait to get to Canada too! 

JaJuan: Gotchu! Are there any artists that you’d like to collaborate with that you haven’t yet? 

UFO Fev: Absolutely! I usually like to just allow it to happen but you know, Anderson .Paak, would love to rap with Pusha T, Freddie Gibbs. I’d love to work with a lot of R&B artists. I’d love to work with all the legends if I can. Would definitely love to collaborate. 

JaJuan: So how has being a father impacted your grind? Would you say it’s made you more hungry? 

UFO Fev: It’s definitely made me more hungry. It’s made me more of an introvert too. I stay out of the way. I come outside when plentiful and when needed. And just stay focused and stay on the grind and stay away from politics, more or less. That’s what it does. 

JaJuan: Hmm, I feel that. So what do you have lined up for the rest of the year? 

UFO Fev: Uh, “Blood On The Bills” is next and I look to do some shows coming up. Some more videos. Some more merch and more albums. I don’t know if I’m going to take some time off or if I’m going to drop consistently. 

JaJuan: I’m looking forward to that. So before we wrap it up, is there anything else you’d like to say before we wrap it up? 

UFO Fev: Yeah, follow me on all socials: @ufofev. Much love!

JaJuan: Appreciate you! 

 

To Keep Up With UFO Fev, Check Him Out On Instagram

Photos Courtesy Of @sinematic.studios