Ogcrains is a groundbreaking hip-hop artist and multi-instrumentalist whose sound has been shaped by some of today’s greatest music icons. He draws influence from both the East Coast energy of Nas, Biggie Smalls, Atmosphere, Kendrick Lamar, and Kevin Gates as well as his own recent relocation to North Carolina. His passion for creating quality work shows no signs of slowing down with 10 songs already written in the last year alone – not to mention a further 30 or 40 still left on his creative agenda!
QUESTION: Whom would you say are your influences?
Ogcrains: NBA YoungBoy, Polo G, Gunna, Young Thug, The Kid Laroi, Juice World, and Eminem. I like how these artists make me feel. The way they speak their truth had a profound impact on me and served as the impetus for making my own music.
QUESTION: How much time do you put into each track?
Ogcrains: A ton! The first step is the beat. Once I find that beat, I can start working, set the beat, set the pitch, etc. Usually, the first draft is going for a spontaneous freestyle. That helps to solidify what follows, as I like to keep it nimble. Melody is next. After that there is a lot of experimentation, adding background sounds, and other elements, and eventually, it is done. Being done takes a while, about a week. I listen and relisten making sure I got everything right. When I am comfortable with it, that I have achieved what I set out to do, only then do I send it to an audio engineer.
QUESTION: When did you realize this was what you wanted to do?
Ogcrains: Around High School, I started taking this idea seriously. Dr. Dre and J Dilla made a big impact on me, and before then, I never really realized that this was a thing that I could do. They encouraged me to find my own voice and for that, I, a whole decade later, am quite happy that I discovered them so I could discover myself.
Experience a soulful journey of self-discovery with Ogcrains’ latest single, “Who am I.” Now available for streaming everywhere – take the plunge and explore this captivating new sound.