Growing up in the Midwest, Seattle-based emcee and vocalist Xperience, or XP, never imagined he’d be touring internationally with one of the biggest hip-hop artists in the world, but apparently dreams do come true. He’s been on the road with Macklemore for years now and is enjoying every single second of it.
Born Tyler Andrews, the multi-faceted musician fell in love with hip-hop right around 1993, during the time Wrecks-n-Effect dropped “Rump Shaker.” He would rewind it over and over again, trying to memorize every word. Eventually, he discovered Outkast’s ATLiens and the rest is history. He lived and breathed hip-hop, and knew it was something he’d wholeheartedly pursue.
Fast forward to 2016 and not only is he traveling with Macklemore, but he’s voraciously making music. His third album, Chasing Grace, is scheduled for an August 19 release, and is a true representation of the immense musical talent he possess. Featuring production from Ryan Lewis, Smoke M2D6, BeanOne, and Djay Cas, and guest vocals from Organized Konfusion’s Prince Po and Aesop Rock, Chasing Grace is his most intense project to date. XP took some time to discuss the new record, what made him want to make music in the first place and how he linked up with Macklemore. Check out the first single, “Not Today,” here.
RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): Let’s start at the beginning. Where did you grow up and when did you fall in love with music? Hip-Hop?
XP: I grew up in the Midwest. My mother would move to wherever the work was. So I've lived in Detroit and Inkster, Michigan, and Gary, Indiana and Hammond, Indiana. But I feel like I learned how to hold my own and became a man in East Chicago, Indiana—Calumet to be exact. I fell in love with music right around the time Wrecks-n-Effect dropped “Rump Shaker.” I would rewind it over and over trying to learn every word. I still know it by heart! That was like ‘93 or something. Eventually I started listening to what the OGs and older kids were bumping like Twista, Crucial Conflict, Suave House, No Limit. But it was around ’96 when I stole a tape cassette from the flea market called ATLiens. Needless to say I was never the same again.
What made you want to start making your own music?
I was brought up in church and because my mother sang, I sang—even if I didn't want to. So when I hit the block and would hear friends and OGs freestyling and quoting gangsta shit, I thought, ‘That's way easier than singing!’ So I started to throw my lil’ bars in the session. And people would trip out like, ‘Damn bro, you're weird at rapping, but hella good!’ [Laughs] So I stayed with it and eventually jotted down my first verse, which was basically every big word I could think of that rhymed. ‘Hella miracle, spiritual, lyrical, impossible philosophical diabolical’ type stuff [laughs].
How did you link up with Macklemore?
I met Mack at a Brother Ali show, I think we both opened and were shocked at how dope we were, being in Olympia and all. He was attending Evergreen College and I was on my way to dropping out of South Puget Community College. He invited me over to come check out his studio and said he was working on some stuff I should check out. Now at this show, he did a song called “White Privilege.” I was blown away and I remember thinking every white rapper needs a song like this. Anyway, turns out he was working on his first album Language of My World, which I'm featured three times on. He heard me messing around and singing, and was like, ‘Yo, you sing? Keep doing that!’ The rest is history.
Tell me a little bit about your new album. How long did it take you to finish? What was the songwriting process like for you?
The album is called Chasing Grace. I was working on three different albums in the past three years. One was an alter ego based project called Turtleneck, which was all club, trap style. I really was using it as an outlet to have fun in the booth. Sometimes, I can be too serious. Then, I was working on an all singing album, something I've been wanting to do for sometime now. And finally, I was working on a project that was me, XP, which would have been way more spiritual and would have touched on some political views. After a conversation with Mack, he suggested that I just choose the best tracks from each project and create one monster of an album. So that's what I did. The next task was to make it cohesive. So I had to write a narrative, or theme, which turned into skits that play out throughout the album. So it's kind of an audio movie. Don't want to give too much away though. But I got Prince Po', Aesop Rock, Ryan Lewis, and some other dope appearances on there. I think peeps will dig it.
The song “Not Today” seems to be timed appropriately with all of the chaos going on in the world. How are you feeling about the current cultural climate in America?
I feel heartbroken. To me these problems are things that should have gone extinct years ago due to decency and common sense. But racism is alive and thriving. Sometimes I don't know who is worse, the racists, or the people who deny racism even exist, who might be worse than the racists. But I am an optimist and I try to see the good in people. You cannot expect a people to be beat, spat on, disrespected, murdered, to just be peaceful and protest for 500 damn years. Eventually, people will defend themselves from bullies. I think that's what we are seeing. I say in “Not Today,” ‘Martin, Everybody ain't nonviolent!’ Turning the other cheek sounds beautiful, but is becoming obsolete in these times.
