We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marqell Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Long before there was video of this young black kid rapping outside a classmates car after school, this kid been outside rapping in cyphers since 2010. I watched my brothers and my cousin create music and it’s inspired me since, obviously. Shouts out to D. Knight. I watched him and my cousin(Big Scogey) record his first tape, “For the city” in my Auntie’s basement. My eldest brother was my biggest influence. He’s the first to ever hear me rap. We used to stay up all night freestyling to a beat cd he made. He can rap forever. I wanted to learn that skill so bad. It became an obsession. From that point on, im officially ASS until i can rap for unlimited hours…Im there now. I just don’t have much time lol.
My music is basically…a diary, designed as a garage…with the purpose of art. So whenever i release music it feels like i’m adding to my own museum. And everyone is allowed in the garage, which is a very up close and personal experience for all of us.
Within this museum you’ll see many things. Blood, sweat, and tears written across the walls as scriptures. Hieroglpyhics, even. Drawings and paintings of beautiful despair. The aroma of grief. The warmth of newfound wisdom. And Woolmangrundy in the flesh, staring at you from the ceiling.
Within society and in the metaphysical world i am an enigma. With my music ive become an anomaly in the eyes and ears of many.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
My Auntie Cina took her own life at the beginning of this year. I had to do a rap battle the week after the funeral…the young man faced alot of my pain from point blank range. The video is available on youtube “WOOLMANGRUNDY v. TWOPERSPECTIVESFROMSAGE” . There were moments where i kinda blacked out and had to get back to the task at hand. The longer it went on, the more i jus didn’t care about the establishment. I decided to overkill that whole building.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Listen. When you make great music. You are at a severe disadvantage in the marketing department, because you have an insane advantage in the content department, which is what the industry eats on. Your music is blood, to the vampires that be. Always remember that. Dont get discouraged. Don’t be afraid to turn down deals that insult your dignity and integrity as a creative. Develop self-respect. Its the closest thing to plot armor we’ll ever recieve. THE INDUSTRY WILL RUN YOU THROUGH HOOPS TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO RUN THROUGH HOOPS TO “MAKE IT” BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAVE IMPACTFUL MUSIC WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN THROUGH “SAID” HOOPS.
I will kill the industry myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lift.bio/grundyviille
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CkUlH3VgDKx/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc=
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/536JRFi26uQ