Braxton Crosby, or Crosby, is a Hip-Hop artist based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina who has been putting out music since 2012. Since then he has learned and grown as an artist, making four albums and 2 EPs in the process. Crosby seems to see Cool Ass Life, his upcoming album, as the turning point in his career in the sense that on previous projects he was still trying to find his artistic identity, while on Cool Ass Life he has not only found it, he has flourished in it. As the album is set for a suprise release within the next two weeks, I have not listened to it and cannot confirm this claim, but from what I heard during the course of this interview and on his soundcloud lately, I tend to believe its true.
Ok-Tho:
What does your name mean and how did you
get it?
My full name is Braxton Crosby so it's
just my last name. I've gone by 3 names though, B-Rax C, my full name and then
finally Crosby. That just has a ring to it because everyone calls my dad
Crosby. It's also kind of a tribute to my granddad that passed away last year.
Ok-Tho:
I'm sorry to hear that he passed. I
think that’s a nice tribute to him. Do you often get people thinking it has
something to do with Bing Crosby?
Crosby:
Oh my god
yes. Some dude thought it was because of Bing Crosby and he was confused why I
had Frank Sinatra as a cover to a song. But no, it's my actual name.
Who is Crosby? How does the artist Crosby differ from the person Braxton Crosby?
Crosby:
Crosby's a savage to keep it real. Crosby
gave me an outlet to say things I never could just say to people. I can tell my
stories however I want through music. I can express myself purely. Crosby is an
extension of Braxton though. Braxton is a guy who knows he's not perfect but
continues to grow as a person every day. But I've gotten better at keeping Crosby
and Braxton separated. That has cost me a lot in the past 8 months.
Ok-Tho:
Not
keeping the two separate cost you a lot in what way?
Crosby:
Mostly my relationship I was in for a
long time. I couldn't be the man I should've been because when I was with
her I was the guy in my music. Not that I'm fake in my music but I'm more brash
and unforgiving and uncaring. But I learned how to be a man in my current relationship
and I couldn't be happier in it.
Ok-Tho:
Good
to hear you worked that out. I can imagine separating the two identities would
prove difficult. Where are you from, what is the hip hop scene
like there?
Crosby:
I'm from North Carolina. Originally from
Harnett County but I'm in Chapel Hill right now. Music scene almost feels
nonexistent. The only big guy out of here is J Cole. But Charlotte is hot
right now with Deniro Farrar. Eventually I want to give J Cole that friendly
competition you know? I feel like I can compete with him. He's done a lot for
the state. And of course 9th Wonder the legend is up the road in Durham.
Ok-Tho:
Do
you have a crew you roll around with? What are are they like? Any overlap
between friends and people you make Hip-Hop with?
Crosby:
I got two crews. One in Harnett County
and one in Chapel Hill. They're all my boys for life. I usually make music with
Kaylan and Travin, two of my best friends back home. But recently I started
getting more popular on soundcloud and I'm collaborating with a lot of talented
people like Atlas, Bryson McGee, Frost, Gawdlee, Sherm, purpan, matador, and
sandpeople.
Ok-Tho:
Yeah, Soundcloud is amazing. What is
your favorite collaboration you've done so far?
I think the
best collab I've done is with Bryson on "dreams" which is on his new
tape S U B H E R B S. I wrote that verse in like 15 minutes, it just fit so
perfectly. But I have a massive collab coming up that I can't really say
anything about yet, but it's coming and it's gonna be heat.
What about that EP and you, as an
artist overall, makes people want to take the time to listen?
Crosby:
Well for starters purpans beats are fire. And I was just talking about some real shit. Like on "Balcony" it was just me going through my depression questioning life.
Ok-Tho:
What aspects of life did you question at that
time?
I was
questioning if rapping was really worth it. I wasn't doing good in school
because I was putting 100% in my music but i didn't get the results I wanted. I
felt like it was ruining my life in a way. At this age, the talent of rapping
can be a gift and a curse. It calms me and lets me get my thoughts out, but my
parents want me to choose between one or the other, which I completely
understand. They invested in me going to school. But I love music to death.
I'll never give it up. I just had to find a balance between the two and I found
it.
Ok-Tho:
What
level of school were you at when you finally found that balance?
Crosby:
Well it was this year, I'm in college at
UNC Chapel Hill. It's hard as hell so I'm taking a semester off at a nearby
community college.
Ok-Tho:
Yeah
college is hard as shit. But its supposedly good for us. What
are your inspirations both within and without Hip-Hop?
Crosby:
In Hip-Hop
definitely Earl Sweatshirt, A$AP Rocky, DOOM, Freddie Gibbs, Kanye West, and Robb
Bank$. Outside of Hip-Hop, Portishead, Mac DeMarco, Frank Ocean, Neutral Milk
Hotel, Frank Sinatra, and The Weeknd.
Ok-Tho:
Top 5 Albums?
Crosby:
Of all time, No order:
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye
ATLiens by Outkast
Trilogy by The Weeknd
Portishead by Portishead
Madvillainy by Madvillain
Ok-Tho:
What is your favorite single of yours?
Crosby:
"Realest Nigga In Existence". That cut is just so dope to me
because I was just being confident and having fun with it.
Ok-Tho:
Your Projects (Albums/Mixtapes/EPs):
Crosby:
It all started with Super B-Rax back in 2012,
Thrill City in 2013, Thrill City 2 in 2014, This Mess We're In... in 2015, The purpan EP, and I'm dropping Cool Ass Life really soon. I didn't really hit my
stride until Thrill City 2 though. Oh, and the Hollow EP I dropped in May.
Ok-Tho:
What are you looking to get out of your music?
Crosby:
Solace and working with and meeting awesome people. Also, self
improvement. I find that making music just makes me a better person in a way.
It helps me relax.
Ok-Tho:
Describe the path that led to your decision to become a Hip-Hop artist.
Crosby:
Haha buckle in. It all started back in 2003. I was 8 and I
started writing some raps. My dad had this badass stereo system and it had cd
recorder and mic plug. So we sat down stairs and made some cheesy beats with a
keyboard and I just rapped and sung over them. That was my first experience
haha. But I started taking it seriously back in 2011. Me and travin would sit
upstairs and just record on this crappy mic I made my mom buy me. I just always
had a passion for music. I played saxophone for 7 years so that's how I learned
music theory. And, I always used to spit bars on the bus going to my basketball
games.
Ok-Tho:
Whos is Travin again?
Crosby:
Travin is my best friend from Harnett County. I got like 7
best friends from Harnett County but Travin lived in my neighborhood so we
always hung out more. He'd spend every weekend over. He was on like 3 songs on
Thrill City, his flow is majestic. That's my brother.
Ok-Tho:
Best concert you've ever been to?
Crosby:
Earl and Vince Staples came to our homecoming last year and I
was in the front row. I was wildin out spitting every verse flawlessly because
Earl is my favorite rapper at the moment. He's just so smooth with it and he
speaks from his heart. He's everything I want to be as a rapper.
Ok-Tho:
What
did you think of his latest album in comparison to his past albums?
I loved it. Mostly because he wasn't just spittin BS but he
was telling his story of depression and anxiety. It's exactly what my mixtape
This Mess We're In... was about. I think it's his best album to date. But, I
always knew he was gonna be a great MC from the moment I heard his first mixtape.
Ok-Tho:
If you were to sign to a label, which one would you pick & why?
Crosby:
Either Mass Appeal or Fool's Gold because I love everyone in
their rosters and I think I'd be a great fit for them.
Ok-Tho:
Favorite website to find new music?
Crosby:
Well, I've been going to 2dopeboyz since I was in the 7th grade. They always got some dope new artists on there.
Ok-Tho:
Favorite Producer to listen to,
favorite producer to work with?
Crosby:
Favorite to listen to is purpan. His beats are flawless. My
favorite to work with is [matador]. Dude's style meshes perfectly with my
rhymes. But all the producers on my album are pure heat.
Ok-Tho:
What producers can we expect to see on the project?
Crosby:
Ok-Tho:
When
specifically is Cool Ass Life dropping? Where can people get it?
Crosby:
So it's gonna be a surprise release. It's
coming within the next 2 weeks though. I'm releasing it on SoundCloud and Bandcamp.
Ok-Tho:
Does the album set
out to tell a story? What is that story? What is the moral of that story?
Crosby:
The albums a mixture of triumph and retrospect. Looking back
on how I've improved in my rapping and life. Reminiscing about my high
school years in harnett county, which I call the sticks, with love and hate.
There's a verse on a song called "55sunryse" that's real personal and it hits
home to the whole mentality of the project. I love this album.
Ok-Tho:
How long has it been in the making?
Crosby:
Honestly, just about a month and a half. I got into a real
zone and just started making good music. I recorded the first song a week or
two after the purpan EP
Ok-Tho:
What was the typical day spent working on the project like?
Crosby:
I got a folder FULL of beats. I'd go through them and if
something came to mind I'd just write a verse. My writing process is quicker
than it's ever been. If I kept up the pace I've been on for the past 2 weeks I
could drop a project a month. This past week I've probably spent about 5 hours
a day recording. I usually have something on on mute on my TV, mostly the old
ninja turtles cartoon or The Godfather. Just to set the mood. I don't like
having people in the room when I record, except my girlfriend, So I've been
kinda reclusive lately haha.
Ok-Tho:
What was your mindset while making the project?
Crosby:
Just have fun. With my last mixtape, it wasn't really fun, it felt necessary,
because i just had to get all of my emotions out. But on this album, I just
wanted to have as much fun and be as creative as possible.
Ok-Tho:
What makes this project unique from your other
work? From the work of other artists?
Crosby:
From my other work, I feel like I've just grown into my style as an
artist. All my other projects I was trying to find myself artistically, but in
this one I just let it shine. This is different from s lot of other projects in
the sense that it isn't just a collection of songs. I mean, it's not a concept
album but there is a central theme. It all blends together.
Ok-Tho:
What is the one question you don't want me to
ask you?
Crosby:
Comments
Post a Comment