BNG MAG® September 2014 (Vol.-1/Issue-2) Side-B | Page 8

“I’m not only doing this for
me, but also
grinding to
achieve the
goal of my
brother BJ
that passed
away in 2009.”

When I first listened to him, before the lyrical side of me even
developed, I use to wonder how
and who the hell thinks of stuff
like this [laughs]. It was pretty
intriguing to me and it made me
want to rap also, but with a
meaning and substance behind
it. The thing that stands out the
most about Andre to me is that
he’s never just stuck to just rapping...He’s touched basis in
different genres of music and also
has stepped outside of just music
and went into film.

On your most recent track
“Salute” you opened it saying that
you wouldn’t do anymore turn up
songs, what made you change up
your style?
ASHTIN DURAE
The person that influenced me
originally with hip hop was my
cousin. He’s the reason why I
even started rapping. As time
went on and I began to venture
out on my own as I got older, I
was really big on Ludacris. His
first album “Back for the First
Time” caught my attention,
along with his style and lyrical
ability. But my biggest influence
would have to be Andre 3000.

I’ve always been an Outkast
fan since their early years. But I
knew for sure hip hop was for me
when I heard the Speakerbox/
The Love Below album! In my
Opinion that’s hands down one
of the best albums of All time!

How did Andre 3000 influence you?
The way Andre influenced me
was basically with his style and
play on words.

Honestly, just trying to make a
change in music in Atlanta. Atlanta
music now is solely based on club/
turn-up type of music or trap. So
with me knowing that I can actually say something in my music,
I want to try and a take a different approach on things and go
against the grain of what everybody would expect to come out of
Atlanta. But I still love to make music that’s for clubs and radio/commercial, just when I make that kind
of music now it’s going to actually
have bars within the song to go
along with a catchy hook and beat.