Interview with Statik G
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
Well, I’ve always been a creative type and get bored with normalcy. From listening to creation, music is my therapy. It’s a way to escape or release or bathe in whatever it is that I’m feeling. When I was a kid I used to draw or play games to escape reality but over time, I realized I could paint better pictures with words. Eventually I started writing music until one day, I got a wild idea to try recording some of my lyrics! Before I knew it, local events wanted me to perform and I was touring the nation with my friends!
What would I be doing if not music? I’d like to tell myself I’d have gotten a good job and had a happy family, but I’m too much of a free spirit and rebel at heart to know for sure.. If not a family man, maybe a bank robber, or stock broker, or a pilot. Probably a weed dealer to be honest but I really couldn’t tell ya. I feel music is for me.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
If I’m not making music, I might be working out or building relationships & connections for my business. And if not that then I’m probably making money, or studying, or taking care of my daughter. Love games but I barely play them anymore. Most of my music is a direct reflection of where I’m at in life, for better or worse, which means it grows with me. Since my music is about life, I have to go out and live it and if I’m being real, I feel like I’ve lived 10 lifetimes. I have no shortage of experience within me to draw from!
How long has music been your career?
I’ve been making music since 2008-ish. I played my first show that year and my first tour in 2014, I think? That was around the same time I dropped my first official album. I started my first business in 2013 but relaunched it alone in 2017 and have been making money with it as my full time job since then. I’d consider that my career starting point. So like, 6 years professionally, 10 years in business and spent around 15 years as an artist. I’m 33.
Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
I’m based in Denver, Colorado. It’s a melting pot of people from around the world. That along with touring nationally has allowed me to appreciate all types of vibes, people, and cultures! It absolutely has influenced my music. In my opinion, living here helped me to not only find myself, but be myself unapologetically. So, kudos to Colorado for that.
Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played.
There are so many I couldn’t possibly pick without coming up with a replacement later…. But I’ll give it a shot.
Best Show: Idk what it is but the south LOVES me. I came out one night to Tennessee and one of the headliners I worked with grabbed the mic from the host before my set. He took it upon himself to do a scripted part in my set where I ask the crowd to repeat after me without telling me: They repeated for him and it was impressive! But when I got on stage to actually perform the song, they chanted along with it so damn loud that they almost knocked me down! It was soooo intense and I’ll never forget it. Then I hop into the crowd and sell out of merchandise, signed a bunch of t-shirts and titties, and we piled out in the Escalade with a few extra racks!
Unforgettable moment. I’m used to people chanting lyrics to the songs they love but imagine having the breath knocked out of you by hundreds of people screaming lyrics that you wrote, at you. Surreal.
Worst Show: Once in a while if a headliner pulled a no-show over low sales or travel conditions or technical issues and I made it to the show still, I’d offer the crowd the chance for us to stay and perform. 9 times out of 10 they would have us play anyway and we’d work it out with the promoters and headliners later.
That’s not what happened here. One night, this asshole promoter got mad that they were 10 minutes late, despite me and my team being there already after a 12 hour drive. They pulled me on stage making me think I was going to perform my co-headliner set while we got it ready for the headliner, right? As I grab for a mic he pulls it away and then proceeds to DISS me to the crowd! As I stood there! It was a pretty big crowd too. He said I screwed them over and the headliner wasn’t coming so he could keep the money he was supposed to pay us! Luckily I hadn’t been drinking, because I wanted to be stupid and piece him up in front of everyone. I took the mic, said what I had to say before I got off stage. Like clockwork, the headliner pulled up and made the dude look like an idiot. We didn’t get paid but we stayed and signed autographs for the fans anyway.
Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
I love giant venues like the Fillmore and also more intimate ones like Whisky A Go Go. I have a strong history with The Roxy Theatre in Denver so I gotta mention the OG spot but I love outdoor venues so if I had to pick one, I would love to perform at Redrocks someday! Or anywhere outside of America!
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
I would love to see a massive festival with all of the great legends in the mainstream and independent giants working together and performing without barriers. Anyone from Drake to DaBaby to Cardi B to Tech N9ne to Eminem to E40 to Three6Mafia, to Jelly Roll, to Doja Cat, to Chris Webby and Snoop Dogg…. to Statik G!
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into music?
Do you. Take constructive criticism constructively. Knowledge is power. Energy is everything. Go with your gut but don’t trust blindly. Never give up.
Or, if it’s just not you… do something else! Don’t waste your time if it’s not working, go with the flow and try something new til you find what works for you.
If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, what would it be?
You have everything you ever needed to succeed within you. Quit giving that away so easily to everyone but yourself.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
Umm. Loaded question! All my songs mean something different to me but I have to say my newest album Empathy means the most to me. That’s because I finally let go of all my negative feelings with my last record Gene Therapy, and once again, created my best album so far. For the first time ever, I did it completely sober. And it’s all music I can listen to around my kiddo so I’m extra proud of it.
If I HAD to pick a song to save my life, I’d say the song Stay tf Away ft Rittz. Creating the song was such a beautiful process and sadly, it almost didn’t get released for a myriad of reasons that I’ll talk about some day, but needless to say it worked out. As for the song and what it means though, I just want to be loved right and be successful SO bad! At the time, I had been struggling with addiction while working through this trauma that I had been dealing with for years. This song felt like a sword and shield. It’s like, I’m weak, but I’m strong when I have to be. Vibe is like, just stay tf away from me while I fix myself so I can live my life the way I want to live it. Then one of my favorite rappers of all time blesses me with an incredible verse.. I was blown away. That said, the song randomly ended up being the driver of my catalog recently and algorithmically landed on Radio playlists by Spotify!! The song alone hit over 700k streams just on Spotify which is small for big names, but it’s huge for me at this point! So for all those reasons and more, it’s gotta go to Stay tf Away.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
Favorite songs to play right now are FML, Outta Smoke, F**k Your Feelings, Got That Green, Rap Gesus, Trippin..
Outta Smoke, Rap Gesus and Stay tf Away are definitely the most requested.
What is the creative process for you, and what inspires you to write your music?
Life inspires me most. My creative process is to go with the flow. I tend to set up goals. I set deadlines but I don’t let them control the flow, just direct the shot. I don’t let myself get stuck and if I do in the moment, I just do something different. Sometimes the creative juices flow endlessly or randomly or not at all and I’m okay with any of that.
Sometimes I come back like a video game and accomplish everything with ease and if it’s not working I may move on entirely without regrets. I try to keep the creative process as natural as possible. Never force art.
As for setting, I love to get lost in the music. Headphones are a must! A crowded airport, an office, backstage area, peaceful mountain, public parks, the gym ..are of them all places I might lose myself and create my next banger.
What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
The message has evolved so much that it depends on what era of my music we’re talking about. But overall I’d say it’s all about overcoming external struggles with internal growth.
Do you ever have disagreements when collaborating and how do you get past them?
Yes. I have a whole process because it happens often when you’re dealing with artists and business! I tend to hear out all sides and try to come to an agreement that works for everyone first, without hurting anyone’s feelings. Or their pockets.
However, I will always implore everyone involved, including myself, to remove greed or ego before decision making or creating art/content. I’m not afraid to hurt feelings if it means doing better or having a stronger team/project.
If we can’t settle, I’ll try to do it their way as long as doing so doesn’t compromise my values or the integrity of a project to do so.
If it does, I offer to do what works for me and what sounds best. If that doesn’t work for them, I politely remove myself.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
New music dropping 2023! Empathy EP will revolutionize my music and maybe the industry! When it does, I’ll plan merch, tours and festivals. I’d like to get back to creating crypto projects because I have a top secret project I’m sitting on that can change the music industry forever and empower artists and labels alike. I want to tour globally so building fan bases worldwide is a top priority! I’d love to work with my idols and create legendary music together but for now I’m just going with the flow! I do it all for my family and give it all to God.
Social media:
@statikgshit