Introducing…The Raid

The Raid’s rap style has not only been influenced by Hip-Hop pioneers, but also Rock, R&B, Classical, and other genres of music.  In addition to his skills as an emcee, The Raid also plays numerous instruments and produces his own music.

We just blessed you all with a link to his debut album, Primordial [download]; now get to know the man in his own words.

Where you reppin:
Washington, DC

Introduce yourself:
Sup everybody! I’m known as The Raid.  I mostly do conscious hip-hop, but I also write and produce for all forms of media.

Where did the name The Raid come from?:
In school I was pretty low-key.  I played the loner role and never really showed emotion.  But whenever I grabbed that mic, I’d slowly build intensity and then BOOM!!! I’d exploded out of nowhere – pure energy!  Because of this, people described my rap style as “bringing the raid”, and over the years, the name stuck!

Main musical inspirations?:
For the longest time my main inspiration was strictly hip-hop and r&b.  But as I began learning instruments, my influences expanded into other genres such as rock, classical and country.  At some point in high school I was exposed to music from other countries which changed my life!  For example, I remember hearing French/Arab hip-hop for the first time – straight blew my mind! Since then, I’ve tried to incorporate a diverse range of sounds as well as lyrical subjects into my own music as a token of homage to the global appeal of hip-hop music.

When did you fall in love with hip hop?:
1996 did it for me! I’ll never forget all of the hot albums that dropped that year, most of which are classics today.  To list them all would take hours, but I can’t remember another time with as many different artists and as many different styles.  It was as if the entire industry was a starving artist and had something to prove!

What is the DC music scene like right now?   Where do you think you fit?:
DC has been doing its thing for a long time, and we’ve had some great emcees that have made names for themselves such as Storm the Unpredictable and most recently Wale.  But there’s still a lot of unheard talent in DC and I think the city is slowly developing its own unique style.  As of right now, I’m just starting out.  But my plan is to connect with and develop like-minded artists and truly put DC on the map as it deserves.

Current projects we should be looking out for:
I’m working on a couple of projects outside of music.  Most notably is a book I’ve written that will be available on Amazon.com later this year. It’s called the The Realmsic Conquest.  It’s a fantasy epic adventure about a magical kingdom that has never known peace.  The book is also written completely in rhyme but is extremely easy to read.  I did this not only to follow the tradition of other epic adventures, but also to demonstrate how rhyme skills could be utilized outside of songwriting.

Previous work that we should know about?:
I’ve written for a number of media projects including a hip-hop animated series entitled “Beneath the World Order” (www.bwocartoon.com).  But Primordial is my first major music project.

What’s your equipment setup like?:
I’ve got a PC based digital set-up and I use two main programs for production – Propellerhead Reason for music arrangements, and Adobe Audition for vocal recording and mastering.  It’s amazing the quality you can achieve with software now-a-days.  But as for Primordial, I got a lot of mastering techniques from my man, Mr. Fantaztix, who most people know from the Frank Zappa project that was featured on KN last October.

If you had to pick one song (doesn’t have to be your own) that defines your career to date, what song would that be?:
“One Way” by BB Jay, featured on Universal Concussion (2000). It’s as if he made that song especially for me!

Why should the readers and fans give you a shot and listen to your music from here on out?:
If you love hip-hop music, but have been frustrated with its direction in recent years, then you’re ready for me.  Simple as that.

If you could only take one record on a deserted island with you, what album would that be?:
Fugees: The Score (1996)

What’s next for you?:
A few things.  Collaborating on tracks with other artists is a must!  I’m also still working with my p-n-c’s that were featured on Primordial, Sunfire (Harmotional) and Fat C (This Is My Club Hit).  I’m also currently writing a second book project entitled The Primordial Manuscript which is a guidebook for anyone interested in digital production and distribution for their music projects.  I produced, recorded and engineered my own album using digital production techniques and I want to show others how I did it.  By empowering other aspiring artists with the knowledge to take full control of their own music and create from the heart, perhaps in time, we can change the direction of hip-hop.

Any shout outs or last words?:
I just want to thank KN for taking the time to speak with me, as well as all supporters and everyone in the Raid-Camp! I’m really looking to connect with people who’re ready to make a difference in hip-hop, so fan me up on Facebook; send me messages; leave me comments.  Peace!