In this part of the interview, Eskeerdo talks about his Grammy-award winning moment, transitioning from songwriting to artist, his “Weekend Behavior,” Cuban Jesus, and more.

If you haven’t already checked out part 1 of our interview with Eskeerdo, here it is.

RESPECT.: Absolutely. So speaking of, you spoke at the beginning about being a Grammy-award winner, so when that happened what was that moment like for you when you knew it and realized after all that hard work to get there; what was that moment like when you won?

Eskeerdo: You want to know what’s crazy, I was at a Costco.  I wasn’t even at the Grammys.  I was at a Costco and I was with one of my homies, his name is Mark Lowe and he is one of the Monsters & Strangerz. He is part of the writing and production team that I’m apart of and Mark’s phone, he got a tweet saying congratulations to Eskeerdo, you know on his first Grammy and he told me.  I ran out of Costco. I didn’t even pay, but then once the dust settles, I’m he kind of person be like okay cool lets go get another one.  You know and then that’s just always my mentality.  I can’t get comfortable.  I work so hard for this. I’m almost scared that it will get taken away if I get comfortable, you know what I’m saying like, never again do I want to feel poor or feel like I’m not working hard enough.  Like, my whole team, I got my whole team on their m**haf***in’ heels and on their toes I should say cause at any second I f***ing snap and be like, ‘we’re not doing s**t, we’re not f***ing…’ And be looked around and so many other people, even though we’re on a smaller scale of things, but just so many artists would f***in’ kill to be in the position I’m in, but it’s crazy how sometimes we just gotta sit back and stop thinking how far we gotta go and realize how far we’ve come.

RESPECT.: Right, that’s true. So what was your transition like from songwriter to artist?

Eskeerdo: My transition was less hours of sleep.  That was the transition because I’m still full-time songwriter, full-time artist, you know. You’ve ever given something 100% twice, which is its kinda tough.  It was easy once I found what I wanted to sound like, you know shout out to Imfamous, he executive produces all my stuff, you know one of my best friends.  He helped me mold my sound and really find myself. It was a tough process, but now I know what I’m supposed to sound like, you know comfortable on the mic and conceptionally what I want to speak about and just opening up on an overall factor was tough for me cause again I was so mentally trained to think like other people.  I forgot to think for myself almost.  Once I broke down that barrier it was just easy.  Now I can literally turn it on and off.  I can go a session and write for Maroon 5, leave there and go do some s**t for me, you know what I’m saying.

RESPECT.: You definitely have a unique sound.  

Eskeerdo: Oh thank you.

RESPECT.: Your sound has, from your self-titled EP to now. So I know your self-titled EP last year was more of your story, kinda like your introduction to who you are. So how do you think your sound has evolved from that point to now? You think that it has changed?

Eskeerdo: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah it’s definitely changed and the project after this one is gonna change too, like again I just I definitely incorporated more melody in “Cuban Jesus” that’s coming out soon.  My first EP “Eskeerdo,” what I really wanted to do was leave a gem so when people fell in love with the brand name Eskeerdo they can go back and hear the story, you know what I’m saying.  Definitely more feel good music.  You know it’s evolved into, not so hard and aggressive.  Definitely more for the women.  You know, I like women.  I wanted to do some things for them and obviously in the head space I was in I was around a different kind of lifestyle.  I was experiencing new things.  I went to Europe, I was out there for 30 days.  You know country hoping.  I was fortunate to do that.  You know, tasting all types of flavors. If you know what I mean, everywhere else.  I just wanted to write about it and so “Cuban Jesus” is definitely more for the females.

RESPECT.: Okay, yeah absolutely and I definitely read that you said that it was more female-friendly this time around.  Can we still get the Latin-influenced, still gonna kinda hear that in it too?

Eskeerdo: Yeah, 100% of course.  I mean that’s me.  Not matter what you’re gonna get that.  I gotta song called “Rich” on there that has that same “Hurting Feelings” style vibe.  You know it’s hype, but it’s definitely Latin influenced.  I gotta song called “Loco” produced by Boy Wonder who is definitely Latin influenced.  It’s still stuff there for the original fans.  It’s also, so the original fans are gonna love it, we’re just gonna pick up some new ones on the way.

RESPECT.: Absolutely. Well what would you say between the two projects, which one would you say that you’re most passionate about or are they both just as equal?

Eskeerdo: Hell yeah, I mean it’s crazy cause my first project to me was like man, like its my entire story, you know what I’m saying.  Then this project is definitely more like what’s going on today.  You know, so, they’re kinda like yeah they both have my heart you know, but it’s just that they’re different emotions.  I was thinking different creating them both so it’s like if I had one whole heart, well I have one heart, but it’s like I have two hearts, if that makes any sense.  I love them all equally with everything, I just want to wrap my arms around both of them and hold them forever, like really I listen to my albums over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over; like I really don’t listen to anything else anymore, just listen to me.

RESPECT.: (Laughs) So they’re like your babies that you just want to listen to and just want to hold and keep forever?

Eskeerdo: Yeah and it’s even songs that are never gonna come out I just listen to over and over and over.

RESPECT.: Wow. That’s amazing. So why did you choose to title it Cuban Jesus? Where did that title come from?

Eskeerdo: To be honest, it’s the women’s fault why I call it “Cuban Jesus.” Everywhere I went, girls were like, ‘Jesus, Jesus,’ cause of my hair and I just be like girl I can save you, let me put this hand on you.  You know, it really started off as a joke, but then it kinda like I just ran with it as far as you know the whole “Cuban Jesus” aspect. I mean, I don’t know what the man looked like, but they’re saying I look like him.

RESPECT.: You do have that flowing hair.

Eskeerdo: You know, the bible said he had hair of wool, these are luxirious locs that I got, you know what I’m saying.

RESPECT.: (Laughs) 

Eskeerdo: You know, but I just ran with it and since it’s more female based; I don’t want to say that I’m saving these females, but I can, you know, if I really want to.

RESPECT.: Absolutely.  Well what was your inspiration, well speaking of at the beginning of the call you spoke about your weekend behavior.  What was your inspiration behind the videos for your first single Weekend Behavior?  I know it’s part 1 and part 2.  The location was absolutely beautiful.

Eskeerdo: Oh thank you.

RESPECT.: And it looked like the best party ever. (Laughs)

Eskeerdo: It was very, very good time.

RESPECT.: So what was the story behind that? What was your inspiration for the video?

Eskeerdo: Well, you know shout out to Deep Sleep for shooting the Saturday version and shout out to Derick G at Center Stream for shooting the Sunday version.  What happened was, I just really wanted to show two perspectives of my weekend behavior basically; so in Miami you don’t know what you gon’ get.  You know, if it’s raining you stay inside and ya drink ya call some people over and ya have fun.  If it’s not raining you go out, ya call some people over and you have fun, you know so realistically that’s what happens.  So Saturday for me it’s more of a low-key kinda night cause Thursday and Friday I’m always out, ya know turning up. So Friday I like to keep it a little more low-key, I mean yes I was with two women, but to me that’s low-key, you know so.. Sunday, it just embodies a culture that’s never described in Miami, you know.  Which is the boat and jet ski culture.  Nixon, every Sunday is popping..

RESPECT.: Wow.

Eskeerdo: ..every Sunday!  Like I said, if it’s not raining, it’s  100, 200, 300 boats out there.  So what we did was, like Derick G, you know Derick G is world renowned in this city.  He is what they call the ask-God and the ask God basically put up a flyer saying, ‘yo we throwing a Weekend Behavior party at Nixon,’ and all the booty in the world showed up so we had a good time.

RESPECT.: Wow.  That’s amazing.  So that was real?

Eskeerdo: No, no, no that was real!  That wasn’t staged, that was a real fucking party and that’s why that video was shot in moments, you know what I’m saying.  Like, we’re just literally having fun, drunk, half-naked women everywhere, and you know partying, throwing water.  We couldn’t even use half of the footage cause the cameras all got wet.  Yeah, so literally all the lenses had sand and water on everything.  There is an uncut version of the video..

RESPECT.: I’m afraid of that. (Laughs)

Eskeerdo: (Laughs) I’m afraid too.  That is video is gonna get some people divorced, you know left..

RESPECT.: Wow.

Eskeerdo: ..into some trouble, some craziness there.  From what I heard there were school teachers out there, there were all types of stuff; but that’s what happens in Miami, like when you from down here the turn up is real.  That’s why when I go anywhere else I be like man y’all don’t party, you know what I’m saying, let’s party foreal.

RESPECT.: Wow, so you still live there?

Eskeerdo: In Miami, yeah I still live in Miami.

RESPECT.: Wow, that’s amazing. So that’s your normal weekend behavior then?

Eskeerdo: Yeah, so that’s the thing my weekend is like a 7 day weekend.

RESPECT.: Oh wow, that’s amazing!

Eskeerdo: Yeah, like just yesterday, this weekend I was at the FontaineBleau, you know where Liv is. We rented, had a suite up there and you know had some fun with some lovely ladies; and you know enjoyed Club Liv.  On Sunday night, it was Miami swim week so you can imagine the quality of, the caliber of women that were in town.  It was very nice and we all enjoyed it.  Everyone had a good time.

RESPECT.: Well ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Eskeerdo: So yeah, my life is a non-stop turn up, yes!  I have to say yes!  I’m always tired.  I feel like I haven’t slept in years.

RESPECT.: Oh my.  So you need to get some sleep.

Eskeerdo: Hell naw! The money don’t sleep! You can’t sleep! The money don’t sleep!

RESPECT.: (Laughs)

Eskeerdo: It’s gonna’ be somebody else counting your paper!

RESPECT.: I know that’s right, you gotta get that! Definitely gotta get that!  So do we have an official release date for Cuban Jesus?

Eskeerdo: No, I mean realistically it’s ready. It’s mixed, it’s mastered. I can drop it tomorrow realistically, but I don’t know. I’m super impulsive and even though everything is mapped out and strategized, you never know with me to be honest.  I might wake up in two weeks, in two days, in two hours and be like, ‘aight we putting it out, get everybody on the phone, let’s do it!’

RESPECT.: Wow, so are you holding on to it for a reason?

Eskeerdo: I’m holding it because we’re pushing, we’re still working “Weekend Behavior” throughout radio and I don’t want the focus to come off of “Weekend Behavior” just yet.

RESPECT.: Okay.

Eskeerdo: To be honest, I can tell you that the second single is called, “Hia Hamptons.”

RESPECT.: And what is that about?

Eskeerdo: Well, “Hia Hamptons” is basically me being from Hialeah, but we treat it like the Hamptons.  You know, everybody, all the rich folks they go party at the Hamptons so we turn the hood into the Hamptons basically.

RESPECT.: Okay, I like that.

Eskeerdo: It’s like, ‘I ain’t got a mansion, but I got a room that’s big enough to dance in, we can make it happen..’ You know so…

RESPECT.: Okay, absolutely.  So what would you say would be your legacy? What do you want your legacy to be that you leave behind when it’s all said and done?

Eskeerdo: Well hopefully you know, besides a bunch of awards and a company that runs itself basically and where my kids could, which I don’t have kids yet, but can inherit and still be living good and feeding their families.  Besides that I just want to let everybody know that no matter the circumstance it doesn’t mean that the outcome is gonna be what the statistic says it’s gonna be.  You know, I just want to show everybody that no matter what you can make your dreams come true if you work hard. Like, that’s my legacy as far as that. That’s why I want to open that school. I really just want to educate the youth and be like, ‘listen, this is the kid that came from the same streets as you, you know, who made something of himself and you can do it too.’  That’s really what I want. If I can do it, you can do it!  That’s some real sh**.

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The post RESPECT. Interview: Eskeerdo Talks About His Hometown, His Music & More [Part 2] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

From the humble beginnings in Hialeah, FL to Grammy-Award winning songwriter, producer, and artist; Eskeerdo can’t and won’t stop.  He prides himself on not being able to be boxed creativity.  His mental is ‘go get’ with a mission to consistently evolve.  The streets raised the man and the music gave him fame, although he still feels like he hasn’t made it.  After the many successes Eskeerdo is not satisfied, still just as hungry as he has ever been. That is what continues to drive him day-by-day.  As a Proud Cuban-American, he grinds extremely hard, but plays even harder. Just moments after breakfast at a familiar around the way joint earlier this week, I was was able to catch up with the female-friendly gent, born Alexander Izquierdo. We shared quite many laughs and even spoke into existence an official release date for Cuban Jesus.  Eskeerdo just announced it on Friday, July 22nd via social media.  The release date seems to be set for August 5, 2016.  In part 1, we chatted about his upbringing, his influences, his start in music, and his artistry.

Eskeerdo: We just had a long weekend of “Weekend Behavior.”  Had to put that plug in there one time.

RESPECT.: I know that’s right. I heard that, I peeped it.  Were you eating something a few minutes ago? I saw you on IG.

Eskeerdo: Yeah, I went back to my hood and just got the fu**ing cheap a** breakfast. $2.50, you get eggs, you get I think lychee, you know Cuban bread, toast, you know all type of stuff; $2.50.

Gold medalist breakfast #HiaHia #UhHuh

A photo posted by Cuban Jesus (@eskeerdo) on Jul 18, 2016 at 9:37am PDT

RESPECT.: Oh you can’t beat that for $2.50. You can’t beat that with a stick. (Laughs)

Eskeerdo: Nope!

RESPECT.: Well that’s what’s up.  First of all, I definitely want to say I respect your grind. I read about your come up story, how you came up and everything and I definitely respect that.

Eskeerdo: Thank you so much and by the way I really appreciate everything that RESPECT. does and how much they support me. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. I really appreciate that. I wanted to set that, you know let that be known off top.

RESPECT.: Absolutely. Thank you. I appreciate it. We definitely respect you. So for those people that really, that may not know who you are, how would you describe Eskeerdo to them?

Eskeerdo: Well, Eskeerdo is a Cuban-American artist/songwriter, you know Entrepreneur, hustler, just an all around go getter, you know someone who can’t be told no because my whole life they been trying to tell me no and I’ve just been proving people wrong my entire life; is somebody that perseveres and grinds through it all. That’s the thing, the only “L” I take is a learn. You know what I’m saying, I never lose. That’s just my mentality is just like we manifest everything in our lives and we pray and we go get what we just prayed for.

RESPECT.: Absolutely and I like the fact that it’s almost as if you can’t be boxed. You’re a person that like you said you don’t take that, you don’t take no for an answer; ‘I’m not gonna be boxed. I’m gonna go get it and make it happen no matter what!’

Eskeerdo: Exactly! What I like to say is I just want to continue adding walls to my craft as an artist and business man. I never want to cap off, I never want to seal it. I just want to keep adding walls and keep on going as high as it can go, but I’m never gonna be boxed in, can’t. That’s when you lose because when you box yourself in, you know you get comfortable, you start getting complacent. I can’t be like that.

RESPECT.: Exactly.

Eskeerdo: I’m trying to work really hard and not be satisfied.

RESPECT.: I can definitely respect that and same here. I have that same mentality. That’s the best way to be. In Dade County, FL, growing up, in a small part of Miami, how was it growing up there? What were your humble beginnings like?

Well, growing up in a, you know primarily Hispanic and African-American community in Hialeah, Florida, I was brought up, we stayed in an efficiency, which is a room attached to a house. These people buy houses and they break them up in to a bunch of sections to make more money. So we stayed like a lil’ cut, it was 5 of us, me, my brother, my mom, my dad, my uncle, you know so they made do. I always saw my parents, I didn’t realize how less fortunate we were because my parents worked extremely hard to give me everything that I needed so I didn’t even notice. I just thought that s**t was regular life until you get older and start realizing s**t was f***ed up, but you can still make do with what you have and that humbled me off top so the neighborhood was tough, but it’s obviously other neighborhoods in my city that are way worse and it just taught me how to hustle. Again, like my city is full of immigrants, no papers, they come here and for some reason they got a house, they got a brand new whip, their driveway f***ing just got paved. I’m looking around like mo**er f***a’ you just got off the boat! You just landed here from Cuba. How the f**k you got all that, but it just teaches you that yo if somebody can come here with no papers you know what I’m saying and bust they a** and get it and you’re born here, you’re a citizen in this country then how can you not make something happen. Really my city taught me how to hustle. It taught me that yo you gotta go get this s**t, nothing is gonna get handed to you so that was really my upbringing watching my dad, have a business successful, lose it, end up living in a truck. You know getting back successful, losing it again, ended up back in that m***af***ing truck. Then going back to being successful, that s**t alone is like you can’t keep a real one down. That’s just the truth.

RESPECT.: That’s right. Well I definitely dig what you are saying on that. I know that you dropped out of school at 15.

Eskeerdo: 15 years old, yup.

RESPECT.: Do you ever feel like you kinda regret that or do you ever feel like it affected you in any way or you feel like it only made you who you are?

Eskeerdo: Well, you know again like, I don’t feel like I have taken any L’s. I feel I have only learned. I definitely don’t, I’m not saying to the kids yo drop out of school, education is the most important thing first and foremost. You know, my circumstances were a little different. I needed to work to help out you know what I’m saying so I couldn’t be in school. Not only that, it was getting into trouble and all that s**t. I was getting into trouble more in school than I was out of school so I had to just go ahead and make that adjustment so I mean realistically I always tell everybody in my case I don’t got a high school diploma, but I have two Grammys so I kinda worked out best for me.

RESPECT.: I heard that. I ain’t mad at you. (Laughs) so it all happened for a reason.

Eskeerdo: Exactly, like again it was tough, but I had my mind set on the goal and we attacked and we’re continuously trying to meet you know our goal. We haven’t hit it just yet, you know we’ve hit some milestones and some markers, but we haven’t effectively hit the target where I want to hit it yet so that’s what I kept telling you earlier about adding the walls, not being satisfied, because you know there are bigger things to this than just the music aspect of it, you know.

RESPECT.: Exactly. So you still don’t feel like you’ve actually made it where you want to be..

Eskeerdo: Hell no!

RESPECT.: So what do you feel like, what’s next for you outside of the music? What would you say you want to do, that you want to accomplish, that you want to make happen, or knocking down walls; what is that you want to do?

Eskeerdo: This is gonna make you laugh. This gonna make you laugh, but I’m gonna be honest. I want to be the first rapper slash artist, male artist with a shampoo.

RESPECT.: With a shampoo?

Eskeerdo: Yeah, I got this long luxirious Jesus hair, you know what I’m saying.

RESPECT.: (Laughs)

Eskeerdo: I just want you to walk down aisle 3 and look down, look to the right and you see Dove with my face on the m***af***ing bottle, like that’s what I want.

RESPECT.: (Laughs)

Eskeerdo: Like you know what I’m saying, I’m just trying to create other streams of revenue, you know what I’m saying. I really think that, you know, that I’m gonna do that. Like it’s funny when you fast forward in a couple of years, you like yo this man is on a shampoo bottle. He manifests that back in this RESPECT. interview, like I’m dead a**, I want to do things like that. Obviously, you know acting, that’s something in the near future and I want to open up a school in my city for the arts. That’s one of my dreams. Being able to just open a school for the arts in Hialeah, FL and really just show these kids that listen, you can get an education and still follow your dreams if this is what you want to do.

RESPECT.: Okay, I like that.

Eskeerdo: That’s some of my primary, and once I get that shampoo I’m gonna send RESPECT. a big ol’ case.

RESPECT.: Absolutely and I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to it. I’m gonna make sure I use that.

Eskeerdo: Dope.

RESPECT.: So I know your grind has been compared to Kanye West like the “5 beats a day for 3 Summers.” How does that make you feel for your hustle to be compared to that?

Eskeerdo: I mean like that’s probably the greatest comparison and I’m super flattered that, you know you guys would even compare me to the great Kanye West, somebody that I admire and had the pleasure to work with, but it’s tough man because every man has their own path and realistically that’s a different world, like 3 summers I mean I’m from Miami where you know we had 5 summers, you know what I’m saying and I didn’t have AC growing up so them songs had to get written some way, some how to get some AC so..

RESPECT.: I know that’s right.

Eskeerdo: So it’s tough. I mean, I mean like m, Kanye or anybody that’s ever been told no from Abraham Lincoln to Michael Jordan to Walt Disney, to anybody who who’s great and who believes in themselves over anything will perservere through failures and made something amazing happen. I mean that’s who I compare myself to.

RESPECT.: Absolutely. So how did you actually get your start in music? What was the beginning and how did that kick off for you?

Eskeerdo: Man, so my first start in business, in music was songwriting actually. We didn’t know anybody, but at the time I was being managed by MixtapePrinting.com, dudes named Miquel Cordoso and George Marquez and they allowed me to drive their delivery truck and basically they were managing me. They would let me go or if I needed to go to Atlanta or if I needed to go to NY, or if I needed to go to LA, like they would basically put the money up and put me somewhere, whether I had to greyhound or fly, they’ll pay for everything, but it was obviously budgeted. It was convenient cause I would still be able to come back and drive the truck and make some bread and then fly out. That was my life, you know and then we met this dude named Lex Bararo, who was an aspiring A&R, entrepreneur, music executive and Lex through a festival beck in 2008, called Beats on the Beach and I performed for a bunch of A&Rs and funny enough when I performed I told all the A&Rs to go f**k themselves, that I’m gonna get it with or without them, which was pretty stupid on my hand cause they actually enjoyed the show. That’s how I got my start, ironically, but you know Lex, I stepped to him and I was like I don’t want to be artist anymore just yet, I want to do this songwriting s**t. That’s why I told all of them to go f**k themselves, can you help me out and he was like, yeah sure, but it was all like a master plan cause in my mind I was a Hispanic in Hip Hop is super tough, you know and being accepted, well not necessarily being accepted, cause I don’t give a f**k about being accepted. I care about putting out dope music, but just being heard and people like taking it serious itself; so I was like f**k it what I’m gonna do is get in this building as a songwriter. I’m gonna write hits for others and then I’m gonna come back and I’m gonna finish the dream, which is be an artist. That’s basically where we’re at now. Lex met some people who met some people who met some people and we got some opportunities, you know my first placement was with Diddy. We took that one and we milked that m***af**kin’ cow til it was sucked dry, went to every label, ‘you gotta give us a chance, you gotta give us a chance,’ and put me in the studio. I don’t give a f**k if it’s 20 hours a day, I don’t care, put me there and give me a chance to write, that’s what it was. That’s really how we ended up, you know, we ended up taking baby steps forward.

RESPECT.: Absolutely, wow. So the song that you wrote for Diddy, tell me about that.

Eskeerdo: Aw man, Jesus. Father Puff, I love Puff, you know he gave me my first shot in this business, but I am so embarrassed of that song. I don’t like to say, you know cause it’s crazy. It’s a record called “Diddy Bop.” Puff actually kept me on the chorus, but I was just like yo, you know Diddy loves himself. You know what I saying I’m gonna write a song, ‘Do the Diddy, Diddy, do the Diddy, do the Diddy bop, step on the scene, the city stop, watch me Diddy bop…’ I was feeling myself as if I was Diddy, pause, you know what I’m saying, but like, that’s really what happened. It translated, he loved it and then we took that opportunity and we turned it into a bunch of other placements.

RESPECT.: That’s amazing.

Eskeerdo: Yeah, but I’m proud, but I’m still like man , I did Diddy Bop. Fuck. You know, in my mind.

RESPECT.: (Laughs) I understand, but it only made you who you are even more so that’s okay.

Eskeerdo: Yeah I get it, it is what it is. It’s just so funny that that’s your first record, you know.

RESPECT.: Right.

Eskeerdo: People be like, yup that’s my first one!

RESPECT.: (Laughs) So when did you actually know you wanted to do music? When did you know you wanted to song write, do your own music, when did you know that?

I mean, I’ve always been surrounded by music. The arts have been in my life for a long long time. My grandfather was a qua punto juaquito (Eskeerdo, I tried to spell it), but you are probably not gonna know how to spell that. I don’t even know how to spell it, but it’s basically like a Cuban rapper with a banjo. Yeah, it was crazy. I used to see him at these little bars playing his banjo singing and rapping in Spanish. My other grandfather, on my mother’s side used to draw. I’ve always been around the arts. My cousins early on in life, did music, Mario. It was just always around. I can remember as far back as third grade, me rapping, pencil on the desk rapping type s**t. So I always had a passion for it, you know what I’m saying.

RESPECT.: Absolutely.

Eskeerdo: It’s the beginning. I’m thinking about it now, like yeah, I think I came out singing and rapping. Came out the womb like that.

RESPECT.: Absolutely. That’s how I am with writing. At the beginning, I pretty much came out the same way with a pen in my hand and a piece of paper.

Eskeerdo: That’s what up.

RESPECT.: So who were some of your music influences from the beginning that you can say actually influenced you to do what it is that you do?

Eskeerdo: Well, first and foremost I was raised on Trick Daddy, you know what I’m saying, being from Dade County. He taught us all, you know you gotta love your city so that’s first off rip. Pitbull, those two making it out of the city, Trick and Pit, really made me want to rep for Dade super hard, but on the musical end you know I was an early Nas fan, Kanye, The Dream, Eminem, Jay, Biggie. I wasn’t too much of a Pac fan, I loved him, but I was leaning more to Big’s stories. I loved the fact he was a revolutionist, but I wasn’t on the Pac side I can’t even lie. Sorry West Coast, I love y’all too. Just mainly them, I just loved real rappers, you know what I’m saying and it’s tough of that because I fall into the category of more melody rap too, but I’m a fan of rap, you know what I’m saying, like that’s why I like Drake so much, you know what I mean. He makes great songs, but he’s a rapping ass rapper. He can rap his a** off and I’m just a fan of rap! Pusha, you know he a rapper. So many of these dudes, even Jay still man, like early Fat Joe shit. So much like, Pun. Like so many, like the rap, like real rap, I love f***ing rap! Then, I still loved all music. I’m just thinking about I can just ramble on day. Jeezy still one of my favorites. You know, two of my most favorite albums ever, The Recession and Thug Motivation 101. I get excited when I start thinking about like the rap I love because it’s hard nowadays.

RESPECT.: Yes

Eskeerdo: It’s hard to find rap that I love, you know. I’m one of those rapping a** rappers, but I just fall into a different category because I’m giving the people what they want.

RESPECT.: Right, absolutely. Well I know you wrote and produced for a lot of heavy hitters and a lot of major artists, including of course your contribution to Kanye West and Rihanna. What do you feel like has been your best work thus far, like something you wrote or did for somebody else and you like man I should have kept that for myself or something like your best work that you’ve done for someone else?

Eskeerdo: Realistically, everything is a little piece of me in everything. Even if it’s writing records for girl artists, you know what I’m saying. I don’t know I treat them all like children. I love them all. I can’t really say I wish I did it for me cause the second I feel like it should be for me it’s for me then, you know. I’m a professional at the end of the day. I’m hired to do a job. I go in and do my job and if God blesses me to have that artists’ single and that artist believes in my words then that’s what is you know, but if I ever feel like it’s for me then it’s gon’ be for me then. I ain’t gon’ second guess it. I follow my gut always and the times I haven’t followed my gut I’ve lost so I’ve learned.

RESPECT.: I agree with that. I can definitely agree with that. Do you prefer rap songs or do you prefer like pop hits, like what do you prefer to write?

Eskeerdo: For me or in general?

RESPECT.: In general or for you.

Eskeerdo: For me, like that’s the thing my style is different. I wrote work from home for Fifth Harmony, you know it’s the number one record in the country, but I wouldn’t have never written that for me, you know what I’m saying so it’s just different, like it’s just depending. I become a camilian when I’m writing for other people. I turn into them. Try to see how they think, how they want things to be perceived, you know what I’m saying.

Check out Part 2 for more with Eskeerdo on winning his first Grammy, his transition, upcoming album Cuban Jesus and much more.  

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Eskeerdo Drops “Weekend Behavior” Part 1 & 2 [WATCH]

New Video: Eskeerdo – “Hurting Feelings”

The post RESPECT. Interview: Eskeerdo Talks About His Hometown, His Music, and More [Part 1] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

If it isn’t clear already, Eskeerdo is one talented dude and to add to that, he’s definitely one gorgeous specimen. The grammy-winning producer/songwriter has lent his talents to hit tracks like “The Blacker the Berry” (Kendrick Lamar), “Guap” (Big Sean), “Clique” (G.O.O.D Music) and so many more. Representing for the Cuban-American community, Eskeerdo has putting in major work with a variety of artists but now he is focusing on his own music.

The producer/songwriter is now stepping into the realm of rapping and has just dropped a two-part visual for his track, “Weekend Behavior.” The visuals feature Eskeerdo enjoying his weekend with some lovely ladies and having a chill time. “Weekend Behavior” is a great preview of what we are due to receive from the rapper’s upcoming album, Cuban Jesus, due out later on this year.

Check out the visuals below and tell us what you think!

To keep up with Eskeerdo, make sure to follow his SoundCloud and his Twitter.

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The post Eskeerdo Drops “Weekend Behavior” Part 1 & 2 [WATCH] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Two dope boys in a Chevy, ya heard me?

Florida-based artist Eskeerdo is back with the release of the video for his single “Hurting Feelings,” which was produced by Grammy award-winning producer Infamous and directed by Deepsleep Studio and Derick G.

Eskeerdo has recently been making waves as a solo artist for his high-intensity beats with fast and cutting lyrics to match, but his name and reputation in the music industry has been circulating for years. In addition to being one of the founding members of The Monsters, Eskeerdo is a critically acclaimed producer and songwriter, collaborating on hits such as Kanye West‘s “Clique” and Rihanna‘s “No Love Allowed.”

In the video, Eskeerdo rides around his hometown of Hialeah, Florida chanting, “two dope boys in a Chevy, ya heard me?” in a sped up frenzy that matches the energetic beat of the song. His charismatic appearance and rapping style is balanced out by the simplicity of the video, which details the many ups and downs of a late night joyride through a suburban sprawl.

Check out the video below and look out for more tunes from Eskeerdo later this year.

The post New Video: Eskeerdo – “Hurting Feelings” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Eskeerdo takes us to his city for the visual set “For The City.” The Miami representative has a ton of cameos in this music video as well from DJ Khaled, Uncle Luke, Cool And Dre, & more. Give it a look.

The post Eskeerdo Gives Us The Visual Set For His Anthem “For The City” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The post New Music: Eskeerdo (feat. Miike Snow) – “Devil’s Work” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.