Nafe Smallz Talks About Working with Chip, Opening for Migos and Using Pitch Correction – Interview

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Nafe Smallz is not your average rapper he has a unique singer/rapper style that can be at ease performing to a UK rap audience and a US rap audience. The Luton rapper has joined fellow UK Music artists Chip and Black the Ripper on tracks and opened up for Future, Rich Homie Quan and most recently Migos on their tours. We chilled with Nafe after the Migos concert and talked about his journey into rapping, his use of pitch correction and how he picks a good girl from hundreds of groupies, read the interview below.

Words: Aman Basi –  @SignorBasi

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From an estate in Luton to performing at huge rap shows bro!! Big achievement – give us a timeline of your achievements since dropping O-zone in 2014.

 

I dropped ‘Ozone’ in 2014, it went no 1 in the Link Up TV download charts, off the back of that I did the ‘Project O’ mixtape which was equally popular. Through my mixtapes I got co-signs from Chip, Wiley, JME and a few other UK artists. They were showing me love by reposting my music and spreading the word. I did the ‘Smokin video in July 2015, that’s when the shows started to come in, opening for Future in Amsterdam, after my Fire in the Booth I got the Rich Homie Quan show in Feb and now Migos. So yeah it’s been a crazy few years and I’ve realised that people always have one eye on you in the industry.

 

Connecting with your fan base and making music for the people that listen rather than the people that pay is important to you, as we have seen with your interaction with fans on Lyca mobile numbers etc how has your fan base helped you as a young upcoming artist?

 

In terms of putting out music, I feel it’s important to get feedback from your fan base and keeping the consistency of music there. My fans don’t just want to see me at shows they want to hear from me in the times where I’m not performing, so building this relationship for me is important. Being in the studio for so long, the style of my music has coincided with criticism and feedback from the fans. Such as “Do this, Do that” “I think you would be good on this bit so and so” that’s really how I’ve moved forward. Myself and my vibe towards the song also help. If I can feel the vibe and feel the potential of the song it will do well and the fans will feel how I feel about it.

 

Using pitch correction is a fine art that not a lot of UK rappers can get right, how long did it take you to master it and are you now dependent on it when recording new material?

 

In my early YouTube videos when I was about 12/13 I just spat into the camera, no effects or pitch correction. The whole pitch correction came about when I was working with another young artist called YD, who I have a joint mixtape with ( my first mixtape). He really inspired the whole melody pitch correction. I’ve got a song on my first mixtape, ‘New Years Special’ called “Down for me” that was originally YD’s song, he wrote and composed it. At the time he didn’t want to continue with it so he gave it to me, I rapped on it, heard myself with the auto tune and thought, yeah I’m feeling this, this is something I can do.

It took me around 5 years to master it, it was more of a trial and error thing at first. In terms of me being dependent on pitch correction, I can rap without any effects but now I prefer the sound with the pitch correction, it connects with me more so I tend to stick with it.

 

Opening for Future in Amsterdam, Rich Homie Quan and now Migos are some huge achievements for any UK rapper, how did these opportunities arise and who out of the three artists/groups would you most like to record a tune with?

 

The Future concert came about from a PR that was working with us, he knew an events team that was involved in the Future event. They spoke to my manager and said that my wave of music and the sound of it would be best suited to open up for Future, because my style is a lot more similar to the US artists than other UK artists. The Rich Homie Quan Tour came off the back of the Future event. The guy who was putting on the event was at the Future show, he saw the performance and then contacted me regarding that one. The Migos event came about because people were requesting to see me, I was told that they had a mini survey about who should open for them and the people chose me, so thank you to my fans, I appreciate you lot elevating my name.

Through the vibe of my music and the crowd reaction, Migos would be someone I would like to record with in the future.

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You recently opened up for Migos at the O2 What was the energy like performing to such a large audience?

 

When I performed for Future the capacity was at about 4k when I came onto the stage, I couldn’t see the back, it was the most nerve racking thing, but once I came off the stage and people cheered me I was like “yeah I can do this and handle the crowd”. Then at the Migos concert I had more confidence and the ‘Smokin’ remix had just dropped with 750,000 views in a couple of weeks, so people were expecting me to drop something fire on the night. The energy was probably the most electrifying I’ve felt, I got the best feedback from crowd reaction that day too than any previous event. I’m proud I stepped out at that event.

 

You’re currently working on your new project #Zone how far into the project are you and what can we expect that we didn’t get on Ozone?

 

For the girls, there’s a lot more female interaction on #Zone, I’ve got a few features from female artists. My aim is to put people in that zone, where they will have a feel and immerse themselves into my world and come away with the meanings of my lyrics, rather than just listening to a piece of music without feeling the true meanings behind the words.

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As well as working with US Artists you recently dropped a remix to your banger ‘Smokin’ with Chip and Black the Ripper. How did those relationships come about and what was it like actually being around your peers instead of just getting sent verses?

 

 It was mad being around Chip, I grew up listening to him and Black the Ripper, to have them feeling my track then jumping on the remix is a personal achievement for me. Growing up I always had the idea that one day I want to be bigger than this person, that person, best in this music scene.

The relationship came about through Chip just rating my music and hitting me up, he saw a couple of tracks I did back in the day and was like “Yo bro I like what you’re doing keep doing your thing”, he would also drop me some feedback on my tunes and tell me what to do better, which I didn’t mind because Chip is someone who’s experienced in the game and to have that opportunity to get feedback from him is a blessing, so I took it with open hands. He was a fan of the ‘Smokin’ tune, he hollered Black the Ripper and we kept it moving from there.

 

Does mixing with artists that are selling numbers and have huge followings act as an incentive for you to go harder or do you sometimes have to remind yourself to stay grounded?

 

For myself I have always looked up to the greats like Michael Jackson and people on that kind of level, which is where I’m trying to take it, I’m trying to connect with as many people as I can. Being around artists such as Giggs, Skepta, Chip and Stormzy and seeing them perform has showed me, like rah, I’m already on the journey with my music. It was a realisation that I can actually be the person I set out to become when I started the music.

 

When’s the trip to the US because they quite clearly feel your wave and what artists in the US do you want to record with? 

 

 

The US trip is coming for sure. My mate Scott Styles who’s a producer just came back from Miami, he showed me that there’s more opportunity in America with my style of music, and a lot more acceptance to the hip hop culture. I’m planning to go out there soon. If I had to choose three artists to work with out there, it would be Travis Scott, Tory Lanez and Future.

 

You’re only 19 what does your family think about you pursuing a career in Music?

As you know, growing up on an estate wasn’t easy. When I first started music, my mum was supportive of me but she always wanted me to have a plan b just incase the music didn’t work. The hard part was trying to show my mum that I was on this music grind 100% and showing her that it was going to work. Now my mum has seen how far the music has got me, such as the Chip co-sign, the shows and people speaking about me, she realises now that I’ve actually achieved what I set out to do.

 

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When you dropped Ozone two years ago what was your five year plan?

 

 To be honest I’ve always just coasted with the flow. Example with my music, I’m not planning to drop music for the world to hear it, I just drop it and coast with it, wherever the music takes me I’m going to follow. I never really planned to get this far, this early in my career; it just came about so quick. My overall main plan was to be in a better situation than what I was then.

 

How much do you get involved in the UK Music scene?

 

I try to go to support other artists at their concerts as much as possible, especially artists I want to work with. It’s good to see them on stage, to see how they perform and their work rate, so I get a feel of the person before I approach them to work etc. For example, I recently met Timbo at a show and we built a relationship from there, now we see each other at shows and just jam because we’ve got that chemistry.

 

With your style of rap the ladies heavily dominate your fan base. How do you decide who graduates from the DM’s to spending time with you and who doesn’t, what’s the criteria?

 

Ha-ha, you know them ones where you don’t want to be bait about it. Personally, if a girl is down to earth and I can kick it with her without any issues or commotion. Most of the time I can tell straight away when I meet a girl whether its going to be calm or not. But I’m just coasting, if it happens it does, I don’t go out there and plan you get me.

 

Luton is not as countrified as some Londoners would like us to believe, it comes with its own set of road issues, how have you managed to focus on music whilst your friends and people that you have grown up with are still in the streets?

 

The people that were around me helped me with the music. Helped me move around place to place, got the word out for my music, contacting people. I’ve had a few older cousins who have told me this, do that, to avoid any problems that would hinder my music journey.

 

What advice would you give to the other 19 year olds that are out in the roads trapping and hustling but harbouring creative talent?

 

Simple, this road thing can’t last forever. Get out whilst you still can and put yourself on the right path, there is no point wasting good creative talent being a roadman.

 

Your Fire in the Booth has nearly got a million views in 3 months so you know the labels are gonna start calling, if they haven’t already, what is the perfect label situation for you or are you a fan of the independent route?

 

 Good question, if the money is right in any circumstance I would definitely look into it. Obviously I’ve got love for the music but at the end of the day I’m not looking to do this for free, I got to feed my family. At the moment I’m independent and opportunities have come about, but its about the right one where I can say I’m 100% happy with this deal. So for now I’m going to crack on with my independent stuff and hopefully something comes up.

 

What’s coming next for Nafe Smallz?

 

Right now, I’m working on a documentary that I’ve been shooting since 2013. Just wrapping up a pilot episode now. Also I’m working on ‘Ozone Music 2’ and a couple of feature tracks. That’s about it really.

 

You can follow Nafe Smallz’s musical journey on Twitter at @NafeSmallz

 

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