By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Over the weekend, rising hip hop star Lil Marv released his new mixtape, Young Kyrie, an ode to the rising Cleveland scene. A promising young rap star, Lil Marv is solidifying his position in the rap game and his mixtape has done exceptionally well in the days since it has been released.
On this mixtape, Lil Marv paid homage to the Cleveland hip hop scene. He featured appearances from his longtime friend, Moon, and also from rising Cleveland sensation, Ray Jr. Describing this mixtape, Lil Marv said he took it back to classic 2005-2006 summer Cleveland music.
With Cleveland rising to the forefront of the rap game through the efforts of Lil Marv and others, Hip Hop Vibe decided to reach out. Interviewing with Lil Marv right before the celebration for the Fourth of July, he spoke on his DJ Steph Floss and Big Heff-hosted mixtape. Lil Marv also spoke on Cleveland hip hop and Moon.
Read the entire interview below:
Did the recent NBA Finals series impact your decision to incorporate Kyrie Irving into your new mixtape? No. Actually, it was when I met Kyrie at Summer Jam last year, 2012, and I started just calling myself Young Kyrie on songs and he had a memorable year this year with the whole All-Star weekend, I felt it was only right.
How do you feel about his growth as a player compared to your own growth as an artist? Well, that’s actually the theme of the CD. It’s like okay, Kyrie is very young, a year younger than me, this somebody who came into the league with a lot of hype, who grew up watching, idolizing, the people he is now playing against. I feel that’s the same challenge in the music industry, one day you playing, competing, battling the same people you cheered, and even wanted to be your whole life.
Are you optimistic about the rising Cleveland hip hop scene? Cleveland is a rising city and it’s an anxious city, it’s like everybody is waiting for the next big thing, because we been waiting for something good for so long. Optimistic? Yeah, I expect nothing but the best from Cleveland and Cleveland can expect nothing but my best in return.
Can you talk about the features on Young Kyrie and why you chose these people, Moom and Ray Jr., to feature on your tape? (Laughs). The name on the tape was spelled wrong, it’s actually “Moon.” But, anybody that knows me and my maturation as a artist is well-aware of Moon. He was locked up five and a half years, just got home in December, and the track, “Baby,” was the first song he recorded when he got home. I had him in the studio the first day. Ray Jr., that’s my OG, I respect everything Ray does and I support him 100%. It was only right that I had him on there. There’s one more a artist, named Snoopy Symone, from Cleveland and our track is called “Smoke Dawg,” it’s pretty self explanatory, but Snoopy been a friend of mine for a long, time it was only right .
What did they bring to the project that you felt you needed to complete the sound? I feel Moon gave it that old 2005, 2006 Cleveland summer, throwback feel to it, which was something I strived for on this project, Ray brought that club, boss, “this my young nigga, I fuck with him” presence to it, and that EC swag. Snoopy brought that tatted little rapper chick, cool, sexy, freaky, all of it, plus the song was called “Smoke Dawg,” so it was a perfect fit.
Do you think your fans like the direction you took with Young Kyrie? Yeah, I do. I think it’s not what people are used to seeing in your modern-day All-Star. He’s not a Kobe, or Melo, LeBron, but he is a rising star. I feel it was a great look for Cleveland.
“Same Ol” has done well on YouTube, do you have any other singles planned? Yeah, I got a lot more. Videos are my next main focus, I direct mostly all of them. I been working on deep concepts and I have been studying some acting and drama. I am getting ready to shoot short movies, basically videos that paint a perfect picture of the song.
Which songs do you feel will have the biggest impact on the game? It’s tough because it’s so many and you never know what it could be, but I think “Real,” produced by Clockwork, will. It’s just that feel good music, it’s one of them songs that you just can’t ignore, it’s a crazy 16 followed by the hook which features a light auto tune, but not too much followed by another 16, yeah it’s definitely a summer song.
How does it feel to drop your project in the midst of many other great records? I love the idea, it’s crazy because I don’t watch TV, I just write when I am at home, and I was looking on my Twitter timeline and I saw the BET Awards was on from the tweets. If I didn’t get on the internet, I would have never known about it, I feel I have records on my tape that I can compare to the best songs on the charts.
Can you give us your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram so fans can follow you? Facebook is LilMarv, follow me @BigLilMarv on Twitter, and Instagram is @LilMarvBoi.
