Exclusive Interview with, LA Hip-Hop Artist, F.Y.I. for the New Album Bounze Houze and Short Film
F.Y.I., LA hip-hop artist, self-described “hueman”, lyrics and content that’ll make you think while giving a memorable jam session wherever you are.
After the Fall ‘18 album release, Herecember 20NOW, F.Y.I. continues his run in dope lyricism with the new project, Bounze Houze, released on Jan 25th. The new album consists of upbeat tracks, motivating movement. This time around, F.Y.I. used his creativity to describe a viewpoint of relationships. Focusing more on a subject matter that was lightly touched in previous projects, F.Y.I. delivers a short film to complement the latest release. The film takes you through the dynamics of how men and women connect and interact taking us on a “sometimes bumpy” ride.
BRASH! was given the opportunity to get exclusive looks and listens to both the new album and short film, which is available with every album or merchandise purchase.
Check out the interview below with F.Y.I. for more details on Bounze Houze and how the deliverance of the short film:
As an artist, as long as you live life there is always something to write about and be inspired by.
Photo Credit: Jessica Magana of Red Heart Media
BRASH! How would you describe the new album in just three words?
F.Y.I. Eclectic.Hip-Hop.Vibes.
BRASH! What inspired the name Bounze Houze for the new album?
F.Y.I. It’s a nod to the overall sonics of the record. I wanted only up-tempo tracks to create to. Nothing too slow or laid back. Only music that cut through and compels people to move, to bounze.
I was inspired to write about that man-woman dynamic and the dramatized fun that ensues when the opposite sexes meet. It was an opportunity for me to make a record that my female fans and women in general could rock with on a deeper level but still make it hard enough lyric wise where guys could vibe with.
BRASH! What experiences led you to writing and creating the lyrics for the new album?
F.Y.I. The scenarios on the record are inspired by different relationships that I had in the past and some of them are based on true stories from other people close to me. As an artist, as long as you live life there is always something to write about and be inspired by.
I’m a lyricist; that’s the fun part of making music especially hip-hop. No matter what people say or the narrative that certain artists try to create nowadays; it’s still what it is – hip-hop.
BRASH! You maintain your lyricism along with a different take on the subject matters on this album, was there a challenge in finding balance?
F.Y.I. The challenge comes from creating something that you’re happy with and confident in to display to the world. That’s always the challenge. Once you conquer that, then everything else falls into place. For Bounze Houze, I was able to dedicate an entire project to subjects that I usually touch on only once on my other projects; that’s the major difference. I’m a lyricist; that’s the fun part of making music especially hip-hop. No matter what people say or the narrative that certain artists try to create nowadays; it’s still what it is – hip-hop. The difference between me and Chris Brown (just using an example; no shade) is that I rap; he sings. What makes rap music, rap music – is lyrics, words, poetry, rhyme. Melody can be in there, “vibe” is always a part of making any song, but at the end of the day it’s about lyrics! Saying something. So I wanted to show people on this record that we can talk about women, we can talk about relationships and the music can still be hip-hop at its core; nothing watered down or compromised.
BRASH! How did you develop the concept of having a short film to go along with the album?
F.Y.I. I’ve always wanted to do a short film with my albums since 2014 but this project was the perfect subject matter to execute that vision and bring it to fruition. Praise God.
Photo Credit: Jessica Magana of Red Heart Media
I look at the film as a thank you to those [that are] truly engaged with my artistry at a higher more connected level
BRASH! Throughout the film, it takes you on a journey of a relationship while correlating the songs within the short. Describe the process of developing the film that connects with the album.
F.Y.I. The short film was inspired by the songs on the project, so it was not created until after the entire record was completed. From the songs, themselves, the script of the film was developed. I always said that a lot of my music is audio literature so the film had a conceptual foundation to go from. The director, Marlon “Hightop Bully” Womack, came up with the script/treatment for the film and then I came and sprinkled in some flavor based on knowing the overall message and theme of the music to make the story more cohesive.
BRASH! What lessons can be learned through the film and the album?
F.Y.I. That God is faithful and He will see me through a creative process. That I’m not boxed into one zone, one style or approach to making records or being creative. This was the most ambitious creative endeavor I had to date. The record constituted a lot of collaboration with other artists and musicians to bring the ideas to life and then the short film was a new adventure for me because it was sharing my ideas through a new creative medium, film. I also had the idea in mind of exclusivity in the sense that the audience would engage in the process of being proud to pay for exclusive merchandise or purchase the music in order to see this short film. I look at the film as a thank you to those [that are] truly engaged with my artistry at a higher more connected level and want to experience it in more than a snippet of a song on social media or streaming songs.
BRASH! You tapped into your acting skills in this short film, is this a sign of venturing into the acting world in the near future?
F.Y.I. Thanks! It was fun tapping into a new creative side of me. And why not, Marvel call me ASAP!
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