Allow Connecticut emcee, Franc Grams, to re-introduce himself. He’s saved himself from some poor decisions with his career in his past and is now setting the record straight as to why he deserves to make music and be heard. We are proud to present his 11 track album, Let’s Start Over, today as an opportunity to be exposed to some original Hip-Hop that comes from his real life. Nothing from concentrate. We’ve featured a couple tracks of his in our #NSBAT section and now you have opportunity to hear the entire project. Stream the project below and buy it at iTunes HERE.
We also had the opportunity to ask him a few questions regarding the album which you can peep below.
Why are you “starting over” on this project?
When you’ve been doing something so long, and not reaping the benefits that you set out to, or the rewards you desire, there are some questions that cloud your mental. You begin to ask yourself what is it that you aren’t doing right, and what can be done differently to produce those results that you set out to. With me I feel like I took the shortcuts that set me apart from the path that I was true to, and stepped away from a lot that makes me Franc Grams. I started “playing the game,” writing records that would blend in well with the sounds of the present time, redirecting my whole focus and style to to bring forth music that would be supported due to their similarities to everything else that was working at the time. Long story short, my aim became to fit in.
Let’s Start Over was me catching my self. This project I reach back out to those that have been supporting me since day one, and bring forth something true, something real. I give something that’s me…all me. For the first time in a while I’ve put together music solely off of love for what I do. I didn’t invest a thought about whether the radio would jump behind it and support the records, I didn’t think about what group of people would gravitate towards the material, or if any blogs would post the product. I honestly didn’t care. I’m here as me, and at some point I strayed away from that. With this project, I was hoping to start things over fresh, take it from hello, and we’ll go from there.
How many times have you thought about another life without Rap (“If Rap Don’t Work”)? Do you still think about it?
I honestly think about it all the time, and I just can’t f*ck it man lol. I mean, there’s much more to me as a person than my musical background and interest, but to NOT RAP? Stop it. Dark clouds fill the skies in all these thoughts, pavements crack, houses burn down, evil prevails, etc. They just aren’t good thoughts lol.
I love what I do. On the record “If Rap Don’t Work,” I really wanted people to get a sense of my personality there, for most of the tape carries a more serious vibe, offering an in depth look at the way I view life, and everything in it.
Explain the meaning behind the artwork for the album.
With the title being Let’s Start Over, the trash can illustrated with all of the things in and around it were were symbolic of us leaving things behind. You see trendy clothing, jewelry, old rap books, and crumbled loose pieces of paper. It represents a fresh start.
Your album almost plays out like an interview, as in you cover a lot of topics typically covered in an interview. Did you do that on purpose to save us, the journalists some time or it just happened since you wanted to talk about your life so in detail?
Going into the project, honestly there was no direction. There was no title at the starting point, or even a vision. The only thing I had in mind from day one was that when it was all said and done, written and recorded, finalized and released, that I wanted everybody that sat through this project from beginning to end, to feel like they knew exactly who I was, genuinely. So that is what I brought forth, each and every record. Every song, hook, line, ad-lib, etc. it is all me.
You mention MJ’s crazy shot he took while he had the flu a couple times on the album. When most rappers mention MJ it’s the number of rings he has. Is this difference in how you respect MJ something that separates you from other emcees?
I mentioned MJ’s shot in more of a figurative manner. The man’s will to put numbers on the boards and win connects with me more than anything else. I’m here to win, and to do all that it takes to insure that. This album in particular, and all that is to come attached to it, is me leaving it all on the court, by any means, and much more to come.
Ability and hunger is what sets me apart from other emcees, as an emcee. Other than that, we just aren’t the same people. God creates no copies. I’m who I am. As long as I stay true to that, we will forever be set apart, there won’t be another Franc Grams.
Do you think that was one of sports greatest moments? What are some others?
As far as sports greatest moments, and everything surrounding that topic, here’s one of the most un-cool things I’ma ever say, and don’t judge me man. I don’t really watch T.V., I couldn’t tell you man lol.
Little Franc Grams Snapple fact.
It’s interesting how the last verse is regarding other people’s mistakes, shifting from the first two verses of mistakes that you’ve made. How difficult/easy was it to write “Mistakes?” Did it take a while to complete?
This process with writing this project was no challenge, simply because this is me. I’m an artist by passion, of many years, so writing records, hooks, verses, etc. is second nature. Specifically with these songs on Let’s Start Over these are my true views on things. There was no sitting down thinking of the most clever approach, or brain cells being destroyed behind creating fireworks. This is just me, how I truly feel about sh*t. This is what you would get if you just sat in a room with me and had a conversation. Making the lines rhyme doesn’t complicate getting that across in the slightest.
“Mistakes” is another song that captured a specific part of who I am, something potent in my character. Anybody that knows me, knows that I speak in analogies. I like to bring things across, using examples that will specifically resonate with the person I’m talking to or audience. In that third verse, if you couldn’t relate to me as an artist doing what I do and the way people view that and point fingers, perhaps my comparison may open yours eyes a little, you might see that this is just how the world works. We are out here for self. I don’t live my life for those that I influence. I mean, I wish everyone well, I truly do… But not at the expense of me losing or not being myself. That’s just not my job.
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Bryan Hahn (@notupstate)
