RESPECT. Premiere: Voss - "CSN" [WATCH] + Interview - RESPECT.

If you need some inspiration to keep going and working harder, Voss‘ “CSN” video is exactly what you need! The PA-bred rapper has brought his track to life and though the video is extremely hilarious, it’s showing the right message: keep f**king going and forget all the BS that may be trying to get in the way. “CSN” is off of Voss’ debut album, Insatiable, which also features his hit track, “Respect My Mind,” along with 12 other dope tracks.

You can purchase Voss’ album, Insatiable, on iTunes now. Check out “CSN” below and tell us what you think of this hilarious visual. Learn a bit more on Voss below the “CSN” video; it’s definitely worth the read!

RESPECT.: Talk about the concept behind the CSN video and the message you’re trying to give.
Voss: It came to me in a dream…I wanted to change the world with…sike, naw. Ron Swerdon, who produced the track and recorded/mixed all of “Insatiable,” actually came up with the concept after a recording session for the album. He suggested I highlight my comedic talents more in videos and do a funnier piece for it. And then he just came up with the plot right there, and I loved it. The idea of parodying those cheesy 80’s movie training montages was hysterical to me, and just much more interesting than a super serious “motivational” video, even though the track is a definitely a serious one.
Months later, I casted my buddy Rone (the best battle rapper doing it and a swell guy), and the homie 3T3N, who’s a really creative upcoming artist, to star in the video, and they killed it like I knew they would. My dude Planetary P, who also shot the “Average” video, directed and edited, and I only make a small cameo towards the end, looking ridiculous lol. It’s just a fun video that was a blast to make. The “message” is simple: no matter what your goal is, don’t stop til you either accomplish it or die trying. That’s all I’ma say, just go watch it!

RESPECT.: Tell us about your history as an artist. How did you get into music and what has inspired you to stay in it?

That’s a loaded question. I started rapping as a teenager essentially as a joke and then after friends of mine told me to do it for real, I did. I was always heavy into music since I can remember. There’s a line on the first song on “Insatiable” that says “raised on James [Brown] & the Beatles”. I grew up on classic rock & soul music, and hip-hop was just an extension from that. I knew I couldn’t sing but had a gift with words, so rapping just made sense.
As time went on and I refined my delivery and beat selection to match my writing, I just figured I might as well pursue this as a career because I’ve seen way too many talented people relegate their passion to a “hobby” out of fear, or as they call it “realism”. I ain’t interested in the married with 2.5 kids in the suburbs life, so stability has never been a priority for me. I respect those who genuinely want that life, but I’m personally good on it, and I never been a settler. I’ve expanded into acting and writing, and if one of those take off before music, dope. I just know I’m here for the arts, so that’s what I’ma do.

RESPECT.: How has Philly inspired your music and the way you create it?
I always say that if you manage to build a buzz in Philly, you can build a buzz anywhere; the problem is, most Philly cats get way too comfortable there and never expand. Philly is a tough, gritty city with a rich musical history, and I’m proud to have come up there. It made me work harder to stand out like I have, and gave me a strong competitive streak to just rap better than motherfuckers lol. And there’s a really diverse music scene here for sure, which also can create a divisive “cliquey” mentality which is pretty toxic. There’s also a reputation for having the “most rappers”, which isn’t necessarily a good thing in my opinion; it kinda cheapens it when you tell someone you rap, like “oh, of course you do”.
There’s definitely a “crabs in the barrel” mentality that the city can’t seem to shake, and that’s a shame. The amount of bitterness I’ve heard directed at the few stars we have (Meek, Uzi, and pretty much anyone on the come up) is disheartening. Everyone is concerned with being the “king of Philly”, like there ain’t a whole world out here. So while I’m eternally grateful to my city for making me the well-rounded emcee I am, I also hope they get their act together ASAP because there’s enough talent there to be the next Atlanta or Chicago, they just needs a ton more unity.

RESPECT.: Tell us about the Key Studio Sessions and what you wanted fans to get from them.
WXPN are good people and have been supportive of me over the years, as I have of them. They have a great staff that really cares about the music, and I love that they’re selective with what they cover. I’ve been wanting to do a Key Session for a while, but wanted to wait until after “Insatiable” dropped to showcase songs from that. I reached out to them and we made it happen.
I performed with my DJ Jim Redz, who I’ve been doing shows with for years, and Jer-Z Mason, who’s toured with Jay-Z, Jill Scott and recently Lauryn Hill. I’m very fortunate that he reached out to me to work a while ago and now we’ve begun doing shows together, so it was only right I included him in the Key Session. I just wanted fans to get an intimate, different look at my live performances; to see 5 of my favorite songs from “Insatiable” performed in a controlled studio environment with a polished presentation, without losing the passion I have every show. I think we gave them just that. You can watch all 5 videos on WXPN’s YouTube channel.

RESPECT.: You’re performing at Bourbon and Branch on October 14th, how does it feel to be performing live for your fans?
Euphoria. Shows are my favorite part of this whole thing I do. I just feel during a show you can connect with people in a direct, personal way that you can’t through just a record. It gives them a special temporary experience that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. That’s why I’ve always treated every show I’ve done the same, whether I’m playing for 50 people at a small venue or rocking with a national touring artist or playing a festival for thousands. There is a paying audience there to see a quality show, so you better put on a damn good one regardless.

RESPECT.: What is up next for Voss?

I’m just staying busy. Working on new music with some great people (s/o Harrowgrove and Wayne Campbell) and new visuals for more songs from “Insatiable” as well as new stuff. The new music is definitely in a more fun direction overall, but there are still some heavy joints being crafted. I just feel “Insatiable” was a really heavy album conceptually/lyrically, which was my goal for it. But moving forward, I’m trying to experiment with sounds that are new to me, that challenge me, and just make some bangers. It may lose me some fans that may not “get it” or have that whole silly “everything needs to have a message” mentality, but then again it may help them branch out with me. I’m just making what I want to make. No idea what the next album will be like yet; I’m still working on making sure “Insatiable” gets the attention it deserves. I’m also getting into acting more seriously, which is a whole new fun experience that I’ve discovered I have knack for, and just really enjoy doing. I’m starring in a short film called “WACK” very soon, and I just played the lead in a very cool music video for a dope rock band, St. James & the Apostles. I’ve done some acting in a lot of my videos, but I wanna branch out and take it on for real, ’cause it’s just so damn fun.

RESPECT.: What does respect mean to you?
I mean, the first single from “Insatiable” is called “Respect My Mind” lol. Just listen to that joint. True respect can’t be bought, only earned. As cliche as that may sound, it’s the way it is. Give it to get it.