Today, we’d like to introduce you to Naseem Muhammad. Naseem was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented India Harris.
Naseem, can you walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
To understand the process and journey we’re on now we first have to take you back to the Mac, in other words Macon, Ga where we were born and raised. First, we start with Macon itself, it’s home to legends like Otis Redding, Little Richard, Jason Aldean, Vinson Muhammad, and many more. Naturally coming from a place with rich musical backgrounds it’s only natural through various programs along with being related to Little Richard himself that my brother and I Inhabited some of those gifts and talents. Music for us started early with both my brother and I taking piano lessons while Rashid eventually got into trumpet playing slightly, along with this writing our first song at the age of 8 and 5 years of age. Along with that, we would start performing at The Douglass Theater; which led to us becoming more confident in performing and writing music. In addition we grew up in Bloomfield which wasn’t the safest neighborhood in the city, and our parents wanting to monitor our education closely we were homeschooled; which bred a significant bond between Rashid and I which better helped our creativity and musical ability. Naturally we grew an inseparable bond that led us to form the now duo “The Tribe”, which essentially meant wanting to “build a family and community around dope music”.
Please talk to us about your creative work and career. What should we know?
Our art as a whole is an experience! I feel like when it comes to hip-hop, other genres, and being a artist overall you have to have something creative within you it doesn’t matter if its drawing or taking pictures if it’s something that can be valued and appreciated by self first and others it’s art; there’s no cap on art it’s very broad. In addition to this, when focused on our art I’d like to say it can be described as “infectious” it’s very capable of being passed along through generations and all ages it’s something for everyone to love and bond over. We value anything our name is attached to and we want to be the best across the board in any business venture that we touch; if that’s together or within our personal lives and journeys we want it to be like “Naz and Swami was here.” (Swami) It even goes into our creative process and careers, it’s like of course we’re brothers but there’s always a level of family friendly competition almost like “I can’t let him out rap me” or “I can’t let his hook be doper than mine” and that’s what you’ll see very clearly on “Lover Boy” and future projects. It’s like yeah we have features but your gonna know it’s our music and we put time into the body of work to make a consistent and concise piece of art that can age well and be loved and praised by first ourselves because we made it and we understand the pain behind the music and the long nights that made this work, then by the fans and the rest of the music community because it’s a big community no lie. (Naz) Oh yeah you can check the album out on streaming services I can only pray when you play it that people are in a good space and have open minds and hearts. If you’ve been through a recent breakup play it, if you’re healed and need an anthem play it, if you’re in love and having ups and downs play it. It’s an album for the people to relate to and hopefully you too can become a “Lover Boy’ or “Lover Girl”.
India Harris and R1 Records have been great to us and I know you’ve got a great relationship with them as well. Maybe you can tell our audience a bit about India Harris and R1 Records and your experience with them.
(Naz) That’s twin. (Swami) That’s boss lady.
(Naz) This is a conversation that could go on forever, especially with myself and her mostly because we went to the same college we had choir class together. I was a freshman, she was a sophomore and we had a choir class together. There were a lot of people in that class but when I walked in I immediately spotted her out of maybe 40 or 50 people “crazy right” but her aura was radiant and I knew she was special from that moment. Surprisingly even though we had class we didn’t actually speak until fall semester of my sophomore year but we were always around each other because we had mutual friends. Just a little brief backstory, but for the fun part she’s a “worker” that’s what type of person she is. She loves to joke and have an amazing time but when it’s time to execute and carry out business she’s all in. There’s nothing in between she’s boss lady when it’s work but once the goal is accomplished she’s the most chilled and relaxed person you’ll come across no lie.
(Swami) Yeah, that’s all facts. She calls me her “golden child” like she’s very supportive and she does a good job of making you believe in your shit she builds confidence. However, she’s gonna make sure if it’s affiliated with R1 or “The Tribe” it’s quality and it’s hard as hell. Like, the environment she’s created is a healthy one between her and all of her artists; no beef, drams, misunderstanding. She’s produced a real family and the community we’ve built is off limits to outsiders that are not living by family codes or don’t see her vision or value that has been built and that she’s continuing to build.
(Naz) Most definitely, by her building a healthy environment it has made her a great boss. R1 runs like a well oiled machine and each element that she adds keeps adding wealth and success to the team, essentially that’s what we are a team and she’s the head coach and by her running a good playbook we bring home trophies for everyone. No matter who she’s speaking with, no artist gets treated differently; we’re all equal. Of course we’re different music wise, with different personalities but overall her leadership skills are equal across the board. Even down to her PA, A&R’s, Stylist, etc. everyone embodies and carries the same energy towards each other. I don’t think I would be here without her black excellence and her vision. I’m grateful for it and I’m glad I walked into the choir room.
(Swami) Me personally, my brother knows how I feel about meeting new people and letting them in my space and I can say she is definitely a person I’m glad I meet. Also, we’re all close to India, Naz, and Myself. We were the first signees so she took a chance and we worked through trial and error together until we got here and when going through pain and difficulties it makes you rely on people and grow with them. So in my mind she’s a real family like for real!