9+1 Q&A with Taurean Meacham

What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

Music runs in my family. My Uncle Paul Meacham was a well known musician, band leader, and educator in the south. I grew up with music in the house. My parents encouraged all of us to express ourselves creatively as well. I started as a beat maker before I started rapping honestly. I always did poetry, but rap was my boy G-Tex’s bag. We were a crew and he was the lead. I would have preferred to just make beats. Eventually you start to get more confident in your rhymes and it grew from there at 17-18. I did a few mixtapes and released an album back in 2006. It did really well independently and I booked shows and got on the radio while I was living down in the Jacksonville, Florida area. I had to make a choice between music and my career so I chose the latter. Last December 2019 at my place of work, we had a mass shooting. That along with the news that I was having a daughter inspired me to get back into music. I made a New Year’s resolution to get back in the studio in 2020. The first song I had recorded in nearly 15 years was called “Champagne Stories”. After that it was like riding a bike.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

My latest full project is called “BLAKK RADIKAL”. That was the third project I released in 2020. I wanted my daughter to know who I was god forbid something were to happen to me. I wanted to leave a living testament of who her father was. I wanted to make an album that my parents would be proud of. I wanted an album that was for mature audiences. I hold my fans in high regard so I wanted to give them something that would last for years.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

My influences musically are very diverse. Public Enemy, Rakim, Slick Rick, KRS-1, Nas, Jay, PAC, Big, Wu-Tang, Outkast, Cube, UGK, Three Six, DJ Screw, David Bowie, The Clash, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, The Ramones, man I could go on. Prince is a huge influence as is Curtis Mayfield. My non-musical influences is just life itself: my life is the basis for all of my material.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

I don’t have a sound at all if we are being honest. That’s what differentiates me from the rest. It’s like Jadakiss said, “Y’all use beats for help, we help the beats”. My lyrics are what separates me. They can hold up on their own against any other rapper in the game period. I am giving truth. Most of these artists talk about things they have never seen or done. There is no substance in the music. It’s like comparing fast food to a home cooked 7 course meal. McDonald’s has served billions just like the songs nowadays that are made in a microwave. That doesn’t mean it’s the highest quality though.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Movies – Juice, Step Brothers, The Last Dragon

Books – The Great Gatsby, Living Buddha Living Christ, The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Albums – Good Kid Maad City, Purple Rain, Wu-Tang Forever

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

Nothing beats performing live. The energy from the crowd is insane. You do realize that people are paying you to do what you love and they want to sing along with you. That’s wild to me. The fans make it worth it.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

I did 20 years in the Navy and I am a submarine veteran. That’s all I can say about that.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

I think the most important track I have created so far would be “Hands in the Sky”. It addresses the long history police brutality against unarmed black men in America.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

I just entered a partnership with Amada Records. They will be handling the distribution for the next project called “Dopamine”. That album was recorded at the same time as “BLAKK RADIKAL” and is completely different. That project will surprise a lot of folks.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

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Curated by: Christos Doukakis

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