A Conversation with Iamsu! – HuffPost 4.23.14

Mike Ragogna: Iamsu!, you founded a hip-hop label, HBK Gang. How did this come together?

Iamsu!: It’s been a long time coming just me and my friends, we needed an avenue. There weren’t any labels offering what we wanted to do, so we created our own.

MR: What’s the label’s mission statement? What’s the vision?

Su: Our vision is to give a fresh perspective on Bay Area music, a reinterpretation of it. We want to introduce people to a new vibe of positive music.

MR: Who are the artists on the label?

Su: Me, P-Lo, Kool John, Jay Ant, Sage the Gemini, Dave Steezy, Rossi, CJ, and Skipper.

MR: What’s your own musical history?

Su: I started as a producer and writer, I wrote and produced for a lot of people first before I was an artist and then I put out my own independent album.

MR: How did your debut album Sincerely Yours come together?

Su: Really quickly actually – I recorded it in about 2 weeks . The bulk of it was recorded in about 2 weeks. Kuya Beats and Chief mixed it while I went on tour – they would send me versions of the song and I would edit. They played a big part in the mixing process.

MR: What’s your creative process?

Su: It comes from a bunch of different things, when I’m in the studio I like to put a nature documentary on, with the lights off for a super chill vibe.

MR: Your single “Only That Real” features 2 Chainz and Sage the Gemini and the album has more guests in Too $hort, E-40, Wiz Khalifa, Kool John and others. How do you decide who will be right for which tracks and what do the guests ultimately add to your original project?

Su: I like when an artist brings their own energy to complete my vision for the song.

MR: You’re featured on Sage The Gemini’s hit “Gas Pedal.” Were you surprised how big the video blew up with 47 million views and it being a Top 5 hit?

Su: No, I wasn’t surprised, actually. I saw its potential when I first met him. I was really excited for him.

MR: In your opinion, what kind of innovations are you or your label’s acts presenting?

Su: We’re just people that do a lot of things really well. A lot of us produce, design and we’re really into our videos, artwork. We’re super hands on which a lot of artists aren’t any more with huge teams. We like to do it all.

MR: Su, what advice do you have for new artists?

Su: The most important thing is to really figure out what you want to represent as an artist and the best way to communicate that to everyone and finding the right channels to communicate that vision.

MR: What does the immediate future look like?

Su: Recording more music, going on the “Under the Influence of Music Tour” with Sage The Gemini, Wiz Khalifa, Tyga, Ty Dolla $ign, Rich Homie Quan, Mack Wilds and DJ Drama, trying to shoot a video for each track on the album, working on the HBK clothing line.