Cover Photo by The Portland Oberver
I’ll just go ahead and say it. Glenn Waco is having one helluva year and its only January 15th. He dropped an album in late 2013 and since has been talked about in local publications and music blogs, has been a guest on Fight Church and last night he even made his way onto KMZE’s Welcome to the Neighborhood with DJ Klyph. Top all that off with the fact that today is his 22nd birthday and I say the kid is doing alright.
When he came to me in mid-November with an advance copy of Northbound, I was anxious to listen and posted my review the day it dropped. After seeing the town go crazy about it and hearing that he has a show coming up, I just had to follow-up with some questions. So we met up outside a coffee shop (That’s so Portland) and I got a chance to pick his brain. Here goes…
Why is it that you’re in music?
Music is therapeutic for me. My 8th grade summer was when I started taking it seriously. My great-grandmother had a stroke, so I used music as a therapeutic process to get me through that. And I found out Roosevelt had a studio, so I was just always in the studio. Once that happened, with my great grandma, everybody expected me to fall into gang banging. You know; the cycle. My motivation was to not be like everybody else. To stay true to who I am.
When you’re not making music, what do you do?
When I’m not making music? I mean, that’s my life. *laughs* If I’m not making music, I am playing video games. That or I’m watching movies and annotating movies. And listening to music.
Who do you listen to?
I listen to a variety. I listen to Tyler the Creator, Eminem. I listen to Kendrick Lamar, TDE. I listen to John Lennon, Temptations, Erykah Badu. .Local artists, I listen to Vinnie Dewayne, Maze Koroma, Chill Crew, and of course my team. That goes without saying.
Since your Northbound release you’ve been getting some attention in local media. I’ve seen your name in Willamette Weekly, The Portland Observer, and on Oregonlive. How are you feeling about that?
It was fast. When you think about it, I only released Northbound in November..November 22nd. So in just 2 months all this happens. I’m actually doing another article with Willamette Weekly because they want to promo the show on the 26th. The only one that’s missing is the Portland Mercury.
*laughs*
Honestly, I appreciate all the press But I get more excited when people come up to me and tell me their babies are reciting my lyrics. Because I actually have something to say, so for me to reach the youth….that’s powerful. I want to keep that in mind.
What is your message?
Honestly, I’m just speaking from experience. Just analyzing things around me. Or I just write stories that have a message in them.
You talk about your connection to North Portland in your music a lot. I’ve seen you work with other North Portland artists like Vinnie Dewayne as well. There seems like there’s a particular sound coming out of that area. Would you consider yourself a “North Portland Artist?”
I’ll accept that. If I were to accept any moniker it would be a North Portland Artist. And for the sound – for the most part – the sound that everyone is familiar with is story-telling. What Vinnie has talked about in his music, he’s lived. Some of the songs from Solitary I’ve witnessed. I speak from my experiences too. When you listen to Interstate and those news clips, that’s the chaos I’m trying to depict. It may sound like I’m glorifying it, but that’s a real reality. In the last 2-3 years, there’s been kids dying who everybody knows. From Billy Moore, Shalamar, Yashanee Vaughn. Those stories are important not to forget.
And what is next? What do you want to do in the near future?
2014, I’m just looking into building my brand. We’re getting ready to shoot 3rd Eye with Packard Browne and Flux Society. And then the show. This year is about building foundation, branching out, and just elevating. Pushing.
Who do you look forward to working with?
I wanna get Ab Soul on a remix for 3rd Eye. That’s a goal. I’m just keeping it right there.