Today we’d like to introduce you to 98 Chamberlain.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up around music as a kid, my big sister used to burn cds all the time and give me a few to listen. I think she was first person to introduce me to Kanye & Wayne. Since then, I used to play around with music in high school making songs here & there and dropping on SoundCloud but I didn’t really take it serious. Around my second semester at UNT, I came across some friends through a smoke session who also made music, one being Condo my go to producer & Stunnamansam another artist in the collective, they called themselves on go academy. Since then, the rest has been history.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, it’s had its ups & downs for sure. Through experience, I learned that everybody doesn’t handle business the same way so it’s good to build bonds with genuine people & build a team of people you trust. But I would say a lot of the struggle is internal. There’s a million people who make music today so it’s easy to feel like you’re not being heard or something you worked so hard on doesn’t get the proper attention. There’s going to be days when you want to give up because you find yourself investing so much time & resources into something that you might not receive instant gratification from. Then there’s the days where God throws you a sign to keep going, days where you feel all the love & support from fans that remind you that this is what you’re meant to do. But really knowing yourself despite the highs & lows is key.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an artist, I don’t really like being considered just a rapper because it puts a limit on the creative process. So far on my music journey, I’d say that I’m most proud of the progression from when I first started. If you go back & listen to my first project “Sleeper Pick” then listen to “Missed Ya Chance” you can really hear the growth. I feel like every artist who starts making music has to go through a phase of finding their own sound. In my earlier days, I can say firsthand that a lot of the raps were very generic, they might of sounded cool but lacked soul in it. I feel like just continuing to experience life & putting reps in the studio, I was able to get better at telling my life and experiences on a beat. When I first started, I used to write everything, now I don’t think I’ve written a song in over two years. I feel like what’s sets me apart other than the sound is the authenticity, I never felt like I had to be somebody I’m not because people appreciate real emotions they can relate to. No knock on my own city but growing up in Dallas, you kind of hear a saturated sound of trap music. Don’t get me wrong, I love trap music but it only tells one story. It feels like sometimes there isn’t a voice for people who go through normal shit like getting their heart broke or just getting fly & having a good time. I feel like that’s what makes my music stand out. I can make doing normal shit like taking ya girl out to eat sound lit as hell. Another reason I feel people rock with me is because my music is transparent…you can listen to a song then actually see that’s how I’m living or that’s what I’m going through (good or bad). I feel like being transparent with the humility stage in life is what really motivates & inspires people.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I don’t know if this is shocking but I pride myself on the chemistry I have with my producer Condo. Me & Condo lived together for about two years so it would literally be hella mornings of waking up, sparking up & getting right to creating new vibes. A lot of people might not understand the importance, but living with your producer is great because instead of just getting a beat sent out to you, I got to be there for the whole creative process. Cooking from scratch is crazy cause It really feels like the beat is molded to match me. Before I met Condo I grew up just rapping over my favorite songs, it’s crazy cause I feel like that contributed to my range, one day it’s a soul sample next day I might be rapping over a Rock n roll beat.
Contact Info:
- Email: 98chamberlain@gmail.com
- Website: https://linktr.ee/98Chamberlain
- Instagram: Instagram.com/98Chamberlain
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/98chamberlain_?lang=en
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/DMkDiEapuDs
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/dvEgDHfMMYK5iCaJ8
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/98-chamberlain/1369325205
Image Credits:
Raulghul Thatmanevan Omarrxc Dvn_world
