Respect Magazine's Unsigned Spotlight - Series 1 - RESPECT.

Independent artists keep music exciting & always remind us that there is so much talent in the world. Nowadays it is easy to get swamped with all the mainstream music that is out & you often forget to take time out to discover some new sounds that’s where Unsigned Spotlight comes in. Sundays at Respect Magazine will now be dedicated to giving 5 Unsigned artists the spotlight & showcasing their talents. These artists will come from all over the country & have various backgrounds but all their music will be unique in a way as they pave the way for the next wave of music. Enjoy!

1. Packy – (@PackyRaps)

Meet Packy. A young emcee coming out of Lansing, Michigan that makes passionate music & has done a great job of building up his name. Packy has plenty of material for everybody to check out that is proof of his crazy work ethic. With music features on ESPN’s First Take & Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, it’s not hard to tell that Packy is well on his way.

-What’s the biggest goal you hope to accomplish in 2015?

Music videos. I want to take those to another level this year. Also I’m trying to connect more with other artists & industry people. I feel like I’ve got a really good thing going, but I’m pretty unknown within the industry and people who can help open doors for me. I’d like to change that in 2015.

-What message do you hope your music gives to the listeners?

I’ve been told my music’s inspirational & relatable. I like that. I’m cool with that. It makes sense because a lot of my music is telling my story and going off on tangents along the way. Overall I just want each song to put people in a specific place whether it’s thinking about their dreams, relationships, crazy weekends, etc. Whatever it is, I want the listener to almost feel like they’re right there with me.

-How would you describe your own sound?

Versatile. First and foremost, I can spit. I have songs with all different kinds of vibes though. At the end of the day I’m human, and I go through a bunch of different stuff just like anyone else. I just let my music reflect that. I will say I used to be ALL about the metaphors and punchlines, but as I’ve developed as an artist I’ve started doing a better job of relating to the listener, telling my stories, and being a little more selective with the punchlines along the way.

-What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since making music?

Go with your gut. Especially this day in age in music, there’s no right or wrong way to do things. The landscape keeps changing. Nobody knows your music and your fan base like you do. Cater to that, and not to what everybody else is doing.

2. Cypher Clique – (@CypherClique)

Making noise out of Delaware comes the hip-hop trio better known as Cypher Clique. All 3 artists carry a different flow but they all have a focus on providing superb lyricism & giving us an authentic hip-hop sound. This trio has the foundation to create their own lane & they’re well on their way.

-What’s the biggest goal you hope to accomplish in 2015?

We’ve already accomplished one of our major 2015 goals by getting on the lineup for The FireFly Music Festival this Summer. Our next goal to accomplish is just expanding our fan base and reaching demographics we haven’t touch yet musically.

-What message do you hope your music gives to the listeners?

We really just hope that our music let’s the listeners know it’s cool to be 100% themselves and never be ashamed to speak their minds.

-How would you describe your own sound?

I would describe our sound as the Delaware sound. The only reason I say that is because no one from Delaware has ever been in a large enough spotlight to define the whole state’s sound. Therefore the slot is wide open for any artists from Delaware to step up to the plate and represent the whole state.

-What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since making music?

The biggest lesson we’ve learned since making music is no one has the answers but us. You always have to trust your own judgement and ignore the doubters. We’ve seen hundreds of artists quit music due to the outside opinions of others. If you really love making music no one should be able to make you second guess yourself.

3. Billy Chambers – (@BillyCh4mbers)

Maryland really has a talent with Billy Chambers. Carrying a strong, abstract, feel-good vibe, Billy is filled with great tunes that can get you moving, make you reflect on life, or just vibe out to. Being only 19 means that we have plenty of time to enjoy music from Billy & watch him grow into a great artist.

-What’s the biggest goal you hope to accomplish in 2015?

To be completely honest, music moves so quickly these days you never know what will happen next week or even tomorrow. I think in 2015 my goal is to continue to make good music and see a positive result threw that, everything else will fall into place around that. Also to just get my music out to as many ears as possible.

-What message do you hope your music gives to the listeners?

When I make music I put every bit of myself into a record. Whether its something positive or something you might find strange to share with a stranger. That makes music have meaning. I want my listeners to hear my music and not be afraid to be themselves and be happy with who they are and to fight for what they believe in.

-How would you describe your own sound?

I didn’t start listening to hip hop until I started making this genre of music. With that being said I grew up on alternative rock and roll and punk rock. Me and my friend had little jam bands and we would make up our own songs from scratch haha. I would like to say my music is extremely diverse. I could fall in love with a beautiful acoustic guitar riff and write a smooth chorus, and the next day rap fast on a beat with trap style drums and 808’s. Music is really cool because there’s no one telling me that I cant rap on “this or “that” . Its truly the greatest form of self expression I have.

-What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since making music?

There’s a lot I’ve learned from making music. But Id have to say the number one most important thing Ive learned is to be patient. Good things come to those who wait.

4. Kweku Collins – (@KwekuCollins)

Chicago has been making noise for some time now with all the new talent that has emerged. Kweku Collins comes out of Chicago with his own unique sound & continues to show us that the Midwest is here to stay. It’s easy to tell that Kweku’s sound carries may influences which he uses to spread his positive vibes to people around the world.

What’s the biggest goal you hope to accomplish in 2015?

My goals are kinda vague for the most part. My biggest goal for 2015 is for music to take me places I’ve never been before. I wanna reach as many people as I can this year.

What message do you hope your music gives to the listeners?

I hope listeners get the message that it’s ok to feel the things they feel. Furthermore, I hope they get the message that it’s ok to be honest about what they feel. We’re all people, and we all feel the same basic things, but then circumstance makes them unique to the individual.
I want people to be happy. I think if we as a people are honest with ourselves and others about how we feel, we can begin to become a truly happy society.

How would you describe your own sound?

I would describe my sound as primarily hip hop, but with influence from reggae, soul, and alternative rock.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since making music?

I’ve learned that doing what you feel is always the best approach to creating. Ive learned to trust my instincts. Even when what I’m doing is given guidelines or a desired direction. However, I’ve also learned that other people have valid opinions, and listening to them can prove to be unbelievably helpful.

5. Bohan Phoenix – (@lovelove.NYC)

Bohan Phoenix was born in Yi Chang before coming to the US at the age of 11 where he fell in love with Hip-Hop. Bohan comes with a positive message to spread & a great delivery as he supplies listeners with clean metaphors & plenty of imagery.

-What’s the biggest goal you hope to accomplish in 2015?

My biggest goal in 2015 is to make even better music and better myself n those who care to listen through the work I put out.

What message do you hope your music gives to the listeners?

Lovelove, verb noun, I think love is what the world needs now and always will need and theres no other message I think is worth spreading than love, to love love. and I do so by being absolutely myself in n out of the contexts of music.

How would you describe your own sound?

I would describe my own sound as my own sound, a constant journey of failures and accomplishments told thru words and sounds, sharing my unique experience of spending half of my life in rural China and the other half on the east coast, a breath of fresh air that people may not be ready for but I will always keep it me and love in my sound.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since making music?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to always follow my heart and intuition no matter what, even if logic comes in the way, I live much happier this way, able to be myself than to try on different personas and characters, music has given me the chance to evaluate myself in an unbiased way, and it has became a source of constant inspiration to how I live my life and treat my loved ones.