How art inspires art.
Loque’ is a 23 year old recording artist from Memphis, Tennessee. Utilizing a range of witty one liners, introspective hooks, and eclectic melodies, Loque’ has managed to carve out a unique sound of his own. Despite one of his major influences being top tier lyricist Kendrick Lamar, he mostly derives inspiration from non-musical sources, such as video games and comic books. Another thing that has separated Loque’ from the likes of his peers, is his complete mastery of the stage. As a live performer, there are very few if any who can rival the young MC in movement, track-listing, comfort, and breath control. It has been just over a year since his last full-length release, and we decided to interview him while he was in his home preparing for his next one.
The following article and quotes have been taken from an interview with Loque’. His answers have been edited for brevity.
Interviewer: How has life been treating you as of late?
Loque’: For about a full year, [things] have been on an incline. I just spent two years homeless. Moving down here gave me the time to be isolated so that I could reflect on who I am as a man.
Interviewer: Are you satisfied with the work you’ve been putting in?
Loque’: This is the first time I’ve really “felt” my own music. This is the first time that I’ve felt [that] I made music that if it doesn’t tell my story, you feel my story through it. It’s deeper than just bars, it’s deeper than just rap, it’s deeper than feel good. There are melodies and bars that I’ve let come out naturally as oppose to, as artist we can rack our brains for hours or days. This time I really just stopped forcing it, and let my feelings just tell the story.
Come Out the Rain was Loque’s debut album. Centering on the character, Thunderkid, COTR was the first time Loque’ combined his passion for music with a serious career. BandoMisfits was a collaboration with Loque’s subsidiary crew, the BandoMisfits. Along the way he has maintained consistent output with several singles, features, and even a few visuals.
Interviewer: How do individual releases impact you differently?
Loque’: I want to start with “4Am”. “4Am” was the last thing I didn’t really feel connected to. It was a freestyle. “BandoMisfits” was the first thing I released in this “new era”[referring a new sound in his music]. I looked around and saw all of the talent that was being overlooked. In the weeks [leading up to] “Run Around” we were running around looking for a place to stay. “Run Around” felt like a rebirth for me, it was darker because I was in a darker period. “Keyz Freestyle” is where I finally figured out who I wanted to be as an artist. We had finally gotten into our home after being homeless for two years. If “Run Around” is running around frantically, “Keyz Freestyle” is being home. “No Injuries”was the sneak peek of what’s to come with my solo stuff.
Interviewer: What did the release of BandoMisfits do for you personally and professionally?
Loque’: It was the first time [that] I realized how many relationships that I had as an artist. It felt good to be surrounded by talent that was better than me, or just as good. A lot of people didn’t know they were going [to be] on a collab project, but it still flowed just as good. Professionally, that was the first time that I had a lot of eyes on me as an artist. I wanted each of us to be able to benefit from the others’ audience, and I think that kind of worked perfectly.
Interviewer: Describe the logistics of the BandoMisfits group (organization, hierarchy, future collabs, etc)
Loque’: Because of the way that the post-release happened I ended up coming up with a hierarchy. I have myself as the “leader” because at the stage it is now, no one else can push the movement by the motive. Not every one understands it completely, and if they do they are necessarily ready to enact it. The feeling of being that outcast and wanting to show shine on each other, the people who really encapsulate that are: EDG, “The Mind”, he made the project by engineering everything. HRMS, “The Soul”, who was able to give me feedback on everything that I needed to get the vibe that I was going for. Akiin, “The Right Hand”, who without him "BandoMisfits" wouldn’t exist. My wife, “The Left Hand”, her voice on the project encapsulated that same vibe that I was talking about with HRMS and who handled all of the business. Lil Byron, “The Moral Center”, the most self aware and truest essence of an artist. Tyreek, “The Protege”, the one who will take this over after I’m done.
The meaning of “BandoMisfits”:
Loque: The gift that you bring is what makes “us”. It’s not a group, it’s a movement. Being a “BandoMisfit” is an ideology in that you understand that sometimes because of the way society is you may be overlooked. But you don’t give up on that. You also don’t try to assimilate into society. You take that on the chin and you stand out.
When speaking on if done is better than perfect, Loque’ had this to say:
Loque’: Yeah, cause if it’s perfect it’s not art. And if it’s perfect it’s never done.
Interviewer: How do you measure progress in your career?
Loque’: I genuinely do care about streams, but I honestly haven’t had so many yet that I just had this significant feeling in my heart or gut. The main material way that I measure success is shows because of that crowd interaction and participation. That’s like the strongest hit of dopamine. [In reference to "Come out the Rain"] The amount of people who told me that album really did something for them on an emotional level, that’s how I measure my success. The more people who I can touch, and help and save through my words, that’s going to be how successful I am.
Interviewer: The new single is out, talk a little bit about that.
Loque’: Sharing ties is the first single off of the new Brothers N Law project. There are two more singles coming out, that coincide with “Sharing Ties”. I wanted to display his style and my style and blend them both. That’s the last song off of the project that we recorded. It’s the best introduction of what it’s going to feel like. The colliding of energy. Sharing Ties is crazy. There will be a visual coming out [soon].
Interviewer: Is it a music video or a lyric video?
Loque’: This one is a full music video. Part one of a three part short coming to a black screen near you.
Loque’ would go on to elaborate about his collab album with Tyreek:
Loque’: “Sharing Ties” and the rest of the songs that have come out with Tyreek have to do with a project called “Da Bruddas N’ Law”. It’s a play on words. It has to do with Tyreek and I being on the run from the law from our collaboration on “Psycho” just for spreading the ideas that we were spreading about the law.
Speaking on the future of his music videos:
Loque’: Because a lot of my stuff is still conceptual right now, a lot of the music videos that I’m either working on or writing as we speak are telling the stories that the songs aren’t explicitly telling.
Interviewer: Would you consider yourself more of an album or singles artist?
Loque’: I’m more of an album artist because I love the art of an album. I tend to listen to albums like people might read books or watch shows and really research them and figure out what it was that people wanted us to [hear]. “Come Out the Rain” was a light concept album, "Vagabond" and "BandoMisfits" are both very heavy concept albums.
At the time of this interview, Loque’ has released 16 singles and 1 album and 1 collaboration album. Specifically when speaking about “BandoMisfits", he had this to say:
Interviewer: Is BandoMisfits a mixtape?
Loque’: [BandoMisfits] is a playlist. Mixtape. It’s own thing. Whatever albums have evolved into.
Interviewer: What’s coming up for you?
Loque’: Sharing ties is definitely more literal. It’s telling the story of being on the run and triumphing over that. Vagabond is definitely going to be movie. Each video is continuing a plot. There are character reveals, etc etc. Be expecting someone who looks like me but not quite. The “Vagabond” music videos are going to be a movie.
Interviewer: Everything Vagabond.
Loque’: Everything I’ve dropped up until now has been either a prelude or a spinoff of the “Come Out the Rain” series. The next project that I’m dropping is called “Vagabond” and that will be the sequel to “Come Out the Rain”. That first single will release in March. Every vibe that I was telling you about of this era, since “Bando” up until now, that grittier feeling and more identifiable feeling will be culminated in this project. If “Come Out the Rain” is about lifting your head, Vagabond is about becoming a man and the duality of such. It’s about Thunderkid who was a boy, clashing with what it become a man. Sometimes he doesn’t have what it takes. For the rollout be expecting someone that looks like me but not quite. I’m working on a feature with Bailey Hutton. Definitely want to try to get something in with C Funk. HRMS is definitely one of the executive producers. “Come Out the Rain” feels like God of War 4 or whatever, big in scale. Vagabond is The Last of Us [1 and 2]. Huge inspiration for Vagabond is the book, “The Road”, [the movie] “Fight Club” [which is the] biggest inspiration maybe. It’s a lot grittier. Not desolate but it’s going to have you thinking for sure.
When not making music, Loque’ is an avid gamer and comic book enthusiast. Currently, he is pursuing a triumvirate of rage quitting with the titles: Sifu, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring.
Interviewer: Can you name a few musical influences for this upcoming project?
Loque’: Not really.
Interviewer: Outside of music?
Loque’: Naruto Shippuden has one major influence, Immortal Hulk also shares the same major influence, and the Midnight Paintings by Dr. Seuss; which are a collection of paintings that have a darker vibe and were a form of self expression that weren’t as light hearted as his earlier works. And that exact reason is why it influenced my second set of work.
Interviewer: Who have you been listening to?
Loque’: “What am I” by Mike Uzi which I had a large part in track listing. Bailey Hutton has been dropping bars weekly. Dave Tsimba of course. I recently downloaded KEYS by Alicia Keys and that is amazing because I don’t want every hip hop song on this album to feel like you listening to a rap song. And that is exactly what I needed. That is to the tee what I needed. Outside of hip hop: Reggie; Southside fade is one of the greatest songs I’ve heard in a while, Moonchild, Blood Orange, a LOT of Big Boogie and Baby Keem.
Interviewer: Do you have anything coming up for us to look forward to? Any final words?
Loque’: Catch me on all social medias at @loqueofficial. Be prepared for new music on the way. Hound me for new music if it hasn’t been released already. That’s the biggest thing. Hound me for it. Tell me y’all want to hear it. And just for future works keep an open mind to what you could be as opposed to what you told you are.
With all of this information, it is clear that Loque’ is anything but short on ideas. If what he told us is any indication, the marketing plan is only going to continue to progress. As for the rest of us, we’ll be patiently waiting for his next release which should be the music video for Sharing Ties.
Comments