a number of people like yourself who are taking it back to the roots and the essence, if you will, and they really have something to talk about. I believe you’re one of those artists. How difficult is it for you to remain different, and be yourself, given the climate of music?
Penny Shaw: I appreciate you saying that. At one point, it was really frustrating for me. To take a step back, everything that’s on the radio that’s popular, it has a certain sound to it. The way rappers are flowing, it’s almost a copy of someone before them. I think maybe two years ago, it was frustrating. I questioned if I was taking the right path. It felt right, but it’s like everyone else is doing something different. I guess you just kinda navigate through life. With my last project, it was really about finding myself, going through a slump, and just getting through it. It helped to find myself. I’m so comfortable right now that it’s not even funny. I’m comfortable with what I do, and I understand a lot of people who are pushing the envelope and doing different things, it won’t be the most popular immediately, but in the long run people will look back at my catalog and understand that this kid is rapping about what his life is really like; the things that others are scared to talk about.
U.G. Digital Mag: I’m glad you touch on popularity. To me, what you have should be revered a bit more. You think of the artists like Kendrick Lamar, and I place you at that level. I think in the beginning, people weren’t necessarily leery, but they didn’t tap into Kendrick Lamar the way I thought they would have. Now, obviously, the world is behind him. I look at J. Cole, who I feel still doesn’t really get what due to him, but I feel like he’s one of the dopest out there. Does it bother you, knowing that it takes so long for people to catch on, or they sleep on what you have due to the differential content? You speak of being comfortable, but is there ever that part of you that wants to tailor your music to what people have grown accustomed to in hip-hop? Even relating it to our mag, there’s certain things that I’ll admit to watching, but you’ll never find that type of content in our pages because of what I feel like I want to offer the reader. It makes us suffer a bit in comparison to all the other digital mags, blogs, and such, but for me it’s the principle, and it’s non-negotiable for me.
Penny Shaw: That’s a loaded question in itself. A lot of it is somewhat perspective man, because I definitely agree. A lot of people around me, they say people really slept on me. Even when I do shows, people come up and ask if I’m signed, and I say I’m doing it all myself. That’s technically the reason why I incorporated the name Penny, because it’s often overlooked. I said OK. This is a lot of people where I come from, so I’m going to embrace this and speak for them people. It’s really perspective because if you take a Kendrick or J. Cole, they may not get the props I feel they deserve, but it’s perspective because J. Cole is doing a million with no features. His fan base it crazy. Kendrick Lamar with the Grammys, I mean, he has a couple classics. Some people are lucky if they even get one. I feel like longevity-wise, they will get theirs. I’m not too worried. I’m not going to say I want to be underground forever. I want people to hear my music. I’m not one of those guys who wants to sit underneath, but I’m not willing to do certain things just to get there.
U.G. Digital Mag: You also mention doing it all on your own. I look at artistry, and I feel like independence should be the goal. I know that’s backwards considering how most begin, but I do believe that. I look at the big picture, or grand scheme of it all. There’s a lot more money to be made, and a lot more respect to be gained. There’s a lot that goes into being independent obviously, and a lot of artists are not ready to put in that kind of work. Where do you sit in regard to that? Would you want to be anything aside from independent? Would you sign to a major label, or any label for that matter?
Penny Shaw: I always say I will never rule anything out of the equation. I was good at writing music, and making songs. I didn’t realize that for as long as it takes you to make you a song, you need to push it for just as long, if not longer, just for it to make it. Nobody will hear it otherwise.