If you had to introduce yourself to a complete stranger what would you tell them, who MAAL is?

A unique individual, a creative, a liberal, a feminist… A Goomba.

Where are you from and how does it effect your creativity?

I am from Lawrence, Ks. I’ve spent about 6 years in Florida as well. I think my crew inspires my creativity the most. It’s the aspect of collaboration that propels me to keep pushing myself creatively. The city I live in doesn’t exactly incourage creativity, it’s geared toward KU students who are plugged-in to the structure that was predestined for them by their patents and grandparents. The government will give a kid a 40k loan to get a bachelors but meanwhile it’s impossible to get approved for a small business loan. It’s a great racket for colleges and the government. The universities know you have a lump sum of cash so they’re going to conflate you’re class requirements to absorb all they can from you while you sink into debt in the meanwhile. It’s not built to incourage innovation, or alternatives solutions.

What are you listening to these days?

I recently got this album called Mating Call by Nick Monaco, I’ve been listening to it pretty regularly. I’ve also been bumping the Clam’s Casino Wassup instrumental, Stay Fly by Three 6 Mafia, and Pretty Boy Swag by Soulja Boy.

How long have you been making music for?
A decade or so.

Whats the story behind your famous “The Ookie” track?

Lol I didn’t know it was famous!!? That’s cool. I had a couple different influences that inspired my take on that track. Gucci Gucci by Kreayshawn was big at the time and I liked how she used that record to define herself, I wanted a record like that, something that encapsulated my lifestyle and philosophy. The instrumental was titled Broken Riddim and that’s how I wanted my delivery to sound, as if it were broken.

Could you tell us a bit more about the Goomba Wave?

Goomba Wave is an easy way to answer the question “What type of music do you make?” It’s the ever changing sound of Bear Club.

How would you describe your style?

I wouldn’t.

You recently dropped “Trunk In The Hood” what was the process behind that song?

Haha I watched the music video for French Montana’s Ain’t Worried Bout Nothing in which he brings a Lambo back to his old neighborhood and the whole street is lit with kids and people. I’m going to do that. Come back to this place after I’m a millionaire and switch lanes in the foreign through my old blocks. 0 to 100.

Are you working on any other side projects?

Yea, right now I’m working on a Documentary about Bear Club. It’s going to be the most honest and evocative gaze into our life like nothing else before.

Stream MAAL’s “The Ookie” below and for more music from him, head over to his soundcloud.

The post Exclusive: MAAL Talks About The ‘Goomba Wave’ & More appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.