Talent [ft. Ghetty Musaq]

Talent.

Its not everyday that you come across someone that you just know is gifted, but when you do, it leaves you in awe. I’ve been finding myself in awe a lot recently….

If you’re reading this(its too late… sorry, had to), its most likely because you’ve been directed here via some means of social media so you have at least a little background on what i have been up to recently. For the past few months I’ve been blessed to team up with the guys over at 1708 Studios, and they have been gracious enough to basically let me set up shop and have a home away from home. Recently, one of my aces Ghetty Musaq, who has been working on an upcoming project titled “No Notebook - Chapter 1” has allowed me to accompany him on a couple of his studio sessions. What I’ve witnessed has been nothing short of inspiring, those moments when you just know you are witnessing something special.

Ghetty’s “No Notebook” project basis is this… It’s going to be comprised of 8-12 tracks strictly from him FREESTYLING. To some that may not seem to be that big of a deal, people freestyle all the time. Youtube has countless freestyle videos, some dope, a lot trash. But to create a ENTIRE project from freestyles is a different story. Once again, sure, I know, people have done it before. I don’t disagree that it wouldn’t be the first time, however, the people that do it this well over a long period of time, become the ones etched in the history books. This man has that type of talent. That type of natural gift.

Recently I had the chance to sit down with Ghetty to reflect a little on his story and the creation of his own sound…

CuratedxCulture - So who inspired you to do what you do?”

Ghetty Musaq - Who inspired me? the older kids back home honestly. I was like 11-12 and just heard them doing it and I was like, I can do that. Ever since then, its been all she wrote.

Can you remember the first time you freestyled?

Probably just with some friends, yeah. We had a beat on, I think it was the ‘grinding’ beat

Grindin! what year what that? Early 2000s?

(starts mimicking the beat from The Clips ‘Grinding’) Yeah! That was that beat too! If you rapped, you rapped on that beat!

Thats right! HAHA. Even if you DIDN’T rap you rapped on that beat!

What part of creating music is your favorite and why?

The first thing I love doing when it comes to creating music is hearing the beat that I’m creating to, then taking my mind and thinking where I want to go. So the thought process would be my favorite part. 

Okay. Okay.

Because once you got it in your mind what you want to do, its just execution after that. Thats the easy part, you already know what you want to do. You just gotta do it.

Speaking a little deeper on your thoughts, what are your thoughts, and how would to rate music scene in the city? 

I think the scene today, from the outside looking in people don’t think we have our own sound because all people really ever hear is Wiz & Mac. Then you have a couple older cats from back in day like Mailman, Joe Beast…

Joe Beast… Wow. Yeah.

Cats like that, you know? You think that everybody raps a certain way, or, its either some street shit or trap shit. When i freestyle, i do that because thats just how i started freestyling, and thats what i was raised on. When my album comes out tho, you’ll see that Pittsburgh has a lot of different sounds and there are a lot of different talents out here.

Would say those Pittsburgh sounds carries any weight when it comes to creating your own sound, or do you kind of just do your own thing?

I just kind of do my own thing, I’m not really one to follow trends. I just like doing my own thing, especially musically. 

Then when it does come to your own sound, who are some of your biggest influences?

Aw man, I like to take a little bit from everywhere. Pac of course, Nas for sure, Kendrick. Even some of the older bands like the Isley Brothers, and sounds of that nature. You gotta get a little bit of everything man. I get it from everywhere, all different types of genres. 

With all these different sounds influencing your own, what would you say is your favorite own personal lyric? A lyric that you ever came up with yourself. 

(Ghetty takes a slight pause)…

THAT is a good question! I would say that it would probably be…

‘Kunta Kinte picking this cotton to pay college/  his caddilac is all paid off, its all profit/ welcome to the harvest/ I’m cotton picking with them cotton pickers, call me cotton picking Pauly.’

I feel like that would be my favorite one, not my best one, but my favorite one.

If you could change anything in the music industry what would it be?

I would let it be what it is. I mean, some things aren’t meant to be changed. Some things gotta be changed by doing. I can’t change how things are done because people are doing it their own way. When I’m doin’ it I don’t want people telling me change my shit. Ten times out of ten I’m not going to listen to them anyway, Fuck em.

I can feel that for sure.

A couple randoms for ya… What was your favorite cartoon growing up?

Ah that easy, Scooby Doo. Scooby Doo was my shit. 

Can you remember a favorite episode?

I can’t really pick out a specific episode, I just really enjoyed the early ones from the 70s.”

That was your favorite era of Scooby? The early ones?

Definately the early ones. 

Okay, so if you could date and celebrity, who would it be?

Kehlani. I just really dig her vibe, her style and persona is just dope. Kehlani if your reading this, you know… get at me.

Ayyee, well I guess if Kehlani is reading this at least one of us is doing something right!

Let me finish by saying thank you. I appreciate you taking time away from creating to sit down with the homie. Just one last question, what can everyone expect from you in the upcoming months?

The ‘No Notebook - Chapter 1’ first and foremost, thats where the mental is right now. After that… Everyone will just have to stay tuned!