 |
| Urban Elite Music Group |
Talented, young, and ready Urban Elite Music Group give Nells a background on how they met and what music and creativity means to them .. Personal friends of mine , Danielle Bagley born in Jersey but raised in Harlem & Christian Lopez from Throggs Neck, Bronx, NY are better known for their stage names Danni.B & Kit The poet .
Nells: When did you guys start making music ?
DANNI : 2012
 |
| Kit the Poet(standing left) & Danni. B (right) |
Nells: Since I've known you guys, you guys have always been dropping music on SoundCloud but how did you guys meet and What made you guys get into music ?
Danni: Christian and I stood out from most kids in High school well one we attended a catholic high school and he is a gay teen and I am a lesbian teen. Not everyone agreed with our lifestyle and way of living. So in order to let out the way we felt we took it upon ourselves to make some fire music that we could talk about and most people could relate too, which was the song The Gram. The song is about how people want to claim you are not beautiful and have no value but in other words we want to say you do. Everyone is unique. Kit : I started making music around my junior year of high school when creative writing was my favorite class to attend on a day to day basis. That class allowed me to take my writing to the next level. Danielle, I actually had the pleasure of meeting my sophomore year. I always knew she was a star by the way she performed on stage and her confidence always gave her this glow. She left during my junior year and ended up returning my senior year and that’s when we really recognized ourselves as different from the rest. The chemistry has always been there because we have a solid friendship behind the title Urban Elite. When we posted music back then, it was always a fun experience, it never felt like work and I think people who listened recognized that and rolled with it.
Nells: So tell me more about the Urban Elite Music Group and how you guys met
Danni: he year of 2012 I was a 10thgrader then trying to make friends and then came along christian. He noticed me because I was dancing and I noticed him because he was a stepper on the step team. It all began in the lunch room at our high school that we graduated from which was Cardinal Spellman. We are Class of 2014. Usually I would freestyle about someone clothes or their food and Christian would make the beat and then I would beat box and then he would rap. It was always off of the dome for me. Chris loves to write his lyrics though. We took our Lunch room flows and created in my house and Christians house because we didn’t have enough money to go to a studio. We built our own studio in the bathroom and in the bed room and recorded from there. As we got older into our 20’s we started mastering going to the studio.
Kit: Urban Elite was originally called Urban Prodigy until we changed it. We identified with urban because of where we are from. Everything about us says New York so that word accurately sets the tone of our group. Prodigy means being excellent at what you do and loving every minute of it. Elite is similar, every artist should be the best, in their own way of course. Me and Danni are able to create such beautiful art because we recognize each other for our differences but we are able mesh them together well. That’s the trick, be YOU and share it!
Nells: What does being creative mean to you guys ?
Danni : Creative is your struggle, your passion, the things you believe in and not giving up on yourself. Realizing your gifts are to be used for a better cause. Learning to master something no one else can duplicate but only something that you created from your heart and soul.
Kit: Creative is raw emotion and being able to allow the deepest parts of yourself to reflect on your art. Creative is being able to make someone feel something. That’s my goal with this music, if I can’t relate to my fans or evoke emotion than I am not doing my job as an artist. This music is bigger than just me, I want to change perspectives and create new ones.
Kit: Creative is raw emotion and being able to allow the deepest parts of yourself to reflect on your art. Creative is being able to make someone feel something. That’s my goal with this music, if I can’t relate to my fans or evoke emotion than I am not doing my job as an artist. This music is bigger than just me, I want to change perspectives and create new ones.
Nells: Im from NY so NY definitely played a role in how i think and create...how has being from NY fueled creativity for you guys?
Danni : NYC has taught us about the struggles of what human beings encounter on a day to day bases. Being in the lime light and learning about how night life has its pros and cons. The city taught me how to grow and appreciate everyone around me and to be proud of myself and create real stories for people to understand. I and Christian recently had gotten into some trouble with NYPD which was an eye opener luckily we learned our lesson but not all police offers are rude and racist they really want to help people and that taught us that maybe we should rap about issues that face society. Kit: New York has always been my home, my muse and my inspiration. Growing older you start to realize that there are so many different souls to connect with out here. I think the experiences that I have had and the people that I have met so far inspire everything about this music since I write what I see and how I feel.
Nells: NY is known for breeding the hottest MCs and rappers, and it seems everyone is always in comptetion espcially with artists like A-Booge and Dave East blowing up.. do you guy feel pressure or competiton?
Danni: No, I wouldn’t say that.... this music game is a competion in order to be a big
Kit: There is no pressure because we are aware of who we are as a group and who we are as individuals. Competition will always be there but its good to have so you don’t fall off your game.
Kit: There is no pressure because we are aware of who we are as a group and who we are as individuals. Competition will always be there but its good to have so you don’t fall off your game.
Nells: So, What other artists inspire you?
Danni: ALOT of different artists but to name some...Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Drake, DMX, Ja Rule, Missy and Timberalnd, Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jef ,Terror Squad ,Chris Brown ,Siya, TLC, Biggie, Tupac ,Nas Eminem, Queen Latifah, Kriss Kross ,The Game, J cole, Lil Yatchy ,Lil Uzi ,Playboicardi , Naughty By Nature, De La Soul
Kit: Oh, she said it! I would include Kendrick Lamar, Isaiah Rashad, Joey Bada$$, Mobb Deep, Dave East, Fabolous, the entire A$AP crew and let’s throw a dash of Ty Dolla Sign in there.
Nells: So, if you could work with any artist who would it be ?
Kit: Oh, she said it! I would include Kendrick Lamar, Isaiah Rashad, Joey Bada$$, Mobb Deep, Dave East, Fabolous, the entire A$AP crew and let’s throw a dash of Ty Dolla Sign in there.
Nells: So, if you could work with any artist who would it be ?
Danni : CHRIS BROWN
Kit: THE WEEKND
Nells: So, Where does the inspiration come from with your music?
Kit: THE WEEKND
Nells: So, Where does the inspiration come from with your music?
Danni: The inspiration comes from social, personal, and political events that are happening in society we take it upon ourselves as a group to vocalize things that are happening and to make changes in the world. We like to be realistic and talk about fantasy or our dreams and aspiration
Kit: I am inspired by my journey and the struggles that we face to achieve our dreams and long term goals. There’s beauty in the obstacles even though it may seem hard. Lots of my writing is based on how I have been feeling, almost like a journey entry. My generation gives me a lot to talk about!
Kit: I am inspired by my journey and the struggles that we face to achieve our dreams and long term goals. There’s beauty in the obstacles even though it may seem hard. Lots of my writing is based on how I have been feeling, almost like a journey entry. My generation gives me a lot to talk about!
Nells: If you had to give your music a genre or a description How would describe you guys describe your music?
Danni: Our music is a unique Urban stylized twist with a touch 90’s inspiration trying to take a new school approach with old school ideas and ideologies and cultural base.
Kit: Our music is different in that we don’t stay too long with one genre necessarily. We aren’t afraid to dive into new sounds and cultures and it has taken us from rap, to jazzy vibes, to dancehall and r&b. That’s why I love Urban Elite, we go from hardcore to intimate really quick.
Kit: Our music is different in that we don’t stay too long with one genre necessarily. We aren’t afraid to dive into new sounds and cultures and it has taken us from rap, to jazzy vibes, to dancehall and r&b. That’s why I love Urban Elite, we go from hardcore to intimate really quick.
11. What's your favorite thing you guys created?
Danni: Set it off our newest track that has gotten 1K plays so far.
Kit: Set It Off has definitely been our most successful track, so I have to agree. It was a very spontaneous track too
Kit: Set It Off has definitely been our most successful track, so I have to agree. It was a very spontaneous track too
12. What are somethings you want to accomplish in the next five years ?
Danni: Fan base grown over 50K Make sure we have a clothing line and sneakers that are out. Create video content such as short films and documentaries. Being on all media platforms as verified artist build a foundation for inner city kids to be able to record and perform and get the proper exposure they needed. To be on tour and show case throughout the United States and hopefully be signed onto an independent label.
Kit: I want to get signed with my best friend. I want my music to be streamed across multiple platforms and I also want to create music videos and be an audio engineer/producer so that I can not only cultivate my creativity but help Danielle along with other artists by starting an independent label. We know what it’s like to be a struggling artist, why not give back. I would love to be able to have my own studio, I can already see myself sitting in front of the console.
Kit: I want to get signed with my best friend. I want my music to be streamed across multiple platforms and I also want to create music videos and be an audio engineer/producer so that I can not only cultivate my creativity but help Danielle along with other artists by starting an independent label. We know what it’s like to be a struggling artist, why not give back. I would love to be able to have my own studio, I can already see myself sitting in front of the console.
No comments:
Post a Comment