More.Rico

Background and Influences:

Who are some of your biggest influences?

Lil Bow Wow, 50 Cent, Linkin Park, Sublime, Capital Steez, Flatbush Zombies, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne.

Where are you from?

I was born in raised in Oakland California but lived half my life in Washington state.

How has your upbringing and experiences impacted the type of music you make?

I was born into section 8 projects so I grew up really poor. Both my parents died before I turned 8. I met my dad one time. And then when I was 7 I was flown out to Washington to live with my aunt/uncle/cousins and it was a little bit better of a living situation so I was able to see a different side of life. But they say the first 7 years of your life are the most important and I can say it definitely shaped me into who I am today. I got into a lot oft rouble in my teenage years and I bounced around a lot and ranaway from home. I’ve been on my own since I was 17. I’m the only one in my family tree to ever make music and my upbringing really had an impact in that decision.

What was the first song you ever released and can you still find it online?

The first song I dropped was actually a freestyle to “Lip Gloss” by Lil Mama but it’s only on Facebook. The first real release I had on DSP’s was a mixtape called “Speaking Cursive” which is on Soundcloud under my cousin’s name “Andy Hollis”. At the time I had no computer to post it on so he posted it for me on his page because he believed in me and wanted people to hear it.

Creative Process:

Where or what do you get most of your inspiration from?

A lot of my inspiration comes from what I’ve had to go through growing up because it was different than most people I know. So it gave me a lot of experience at a young age and a lot to talk about.

Can you walk us through a typical songwriting process?

My songwriting process usually starts with the beat. I started writing music when I was 12 and until I was about 17 all I did was remix songs. That’s how it all came about for me. I would just pick my favorite songs and try to remix them better than the original. I got that from Lil Wayne honestly after I heard his “No Ceilings” mixtape I tried to imitate that. But As time has gone on I’ve built relationships with producers who will send me beats but most of the songs I’ve released have been to beats I got on YouTube or Soundcloud. In the past couple of years, I’ve adopted a new way to write though, in which the lyrics come first and I’ll find a beat to match it. Because sometimes if I’m on the road or something and I come up with a hook or a verse or a concept I’ll jot it down and then use it for later.

How do you know when a song is finished?

I know when a song is finished when I finally get into the studio and lay it on wax. I often find there is always something more I can add or change to the song but I usually just pick a beat and write from start to finish unless I’m leaving room for a feature.

What are some challenges you face when writing and recording a song?

I’ll be honest I don’t run into issues when writing a song. I’ve never had writer’s block like that. If I know I can’t come up with something dope or authentic then I just leave it alone until it comes back to me. Recording is a different story though. The biggest issues I face when recording are finding the right key to melodize in, and I’d say ad-libs. It’s lowkey hard for me to find the right ad-libs to add to certain songs.

Do you have any rituals or routines that help you write?

I have 3 rituals when I write. I either need to be all alone in a room, on public transportation like a train or a bus or a plane, or in the studio editing a song or changing lyrics. But I can’t have other people in the room when I write.

Music Career and Goals:

What is your main goal for your music career?

My main goal is to be a household name. I should be added to those top 10 conversations. To be a favorite artist for as many people as I can. If I can resonate with enough people I’ll feel like my work is paying off.

How do you reach a new audience?

This is probably the thing I’ve had the most trouble with is finding new audiences. As of lately I’ve been using ads to get my name across, as well as just releasing music consistently. The more music I release even without ads, I’ve noticed a gain more listeners or followers each time. So consistency is huge.

How do you handle criticism?

I used to be somebody who got butthurt whenever someone didn’t like my music because I felt like I put so much work in, but in the past 5-6 years I stopped giving a fuck about if people like it or not. I chalk it up to they don’t like it cause it’s not relatable to them in someway. So I use that as motivation and constructively to just be more relatable to people. I can honestly say I’ve never released a trash song so to me it’s a matter of somebody either connecting or not connecting but I know that if they don’t connect it’s not because it sounds bad sonically.

What message are you trying to convey through your music?

I need people to understand that you can not change anything without using your voice or using your god given talent. These things have the power to change not only your life and other people’s lives but your environment.

What are your current thoughts about the music scene in your city?

Ima keep it real, there are so many talented artists in Seattle, but I’ve noticed most of them either don’t trust each other, or don’t wanna work together. I get the vibe that most of the artists here want to be the ONE to make it and put the city on. I see it changing slowly but for the majority of the time I’ve lived here I’ve noticed a lot of ego trippin. I love Seattle but people really gotta start working together more and put the pride to the side.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have navigating the music industry?

My biggest challenges come from finances, marketing, and figuring out social media algorithms and shit like that. As well as finding reliable people to work with. There’s a lot of gatekeeping in this industry. Another BIG one I’d say is artist development. I feel like the body of music collectively would be so much better quality if we had more labels, A&R’s, managers who were willing to work with their artists closer instead of just finding artists who already have motion and are just pumping out music just to do it. There’s too many artists right now who don’t actually love music and we gotta eliminate that shit. Another thing is consistency. Just releasing on a consistent basis. It will change your whole trajectory.

Delve Deeper:

Can you share the most pivotal moment in your music career so far?

I got brought out to LA by Tyler The Creators manager, and YG’s manager back in 2019. I’ve never spoke on this but they were ready to sign me. They brought me out and paid for my hotel and everything for 4 days. I got put in the studio with super producers and a super engineer, iI won’t say names but he worked on Culture 2 by Migos and Beyonce songs, Ceelo Green, etc. At this time all I knew how to do was rap. I wasn’t singing or doing melodies. When I got there, that’s all they wanted me to do since they knew I could rap. For 4 days I was with some real industry professionals who basically just wanted me to make a type of music I was unfamiliar with. I did my best to show em what I could do but they didn’t like it enough to sign me. Since the moment I got back from LA, all I did was learn how to sing and melodize and make real fully structured songs that weren’t just rap songs. As heartbreaking as it was to get that close and not get signed, it changed the trajectory and the quality of my music forever. I’m forever grateful for those guys and the opportunity and advice they gave me. But I will make them regret that decision.

How do you balance being an artist and making music with other aspects of your life?

I don’t do a great job at balancing it honestly. I’m all in with music so I’ve sacrificed a lot of other parts of my life in order to get where I want to go. I’ve lost jobs, lost friends, crumbled relationships, lost sleep, missed out many opportunities just to commit to music but I don’t regret any of it.

What kind of impact do you want your music to have?

When it’s all said and done, I want to be able to connect with my audience as close as I can. Get to know as many of my fans as I can on a personal level and build lasting connections with people. My goal is really just to help people get through their bullshit. It’s not just about music for me but music is the stepping stone to accessing people’s minds and hearts.

What advice would you give an aspiring artist or someone thinking of becoming an artist?

My advice to any artist or upcoming artist is please GIVE A FUCK. it’s cool to give a fuck. Especially when it comes to what you're creating. Take your time and be a perfectionist to a certain extent. Just don’t let perfectionism hold you back from being consistent like I did. If you do that, you’ll love the music you make and if you love what you make it’s bound to fall in the right hands. I promise.