Monday, June 6th 2016
Newsletter
In our last newsletter, Type Z dropped his first EP, “Prototype” to a warm welcome. Since then, the bearded wonderboy has been fielding hundreds, if not millions of interviews and media requests. Well not quite, but the Seattle native’s first full release is smooth and tasty, just like his city. Real Ideal World sat down with their newly revealed rapper recently for a few tantalizing questions.
Q: So, how did you decide on the name Type Z?
A: Hmm, that’s interesting that you ask that cuz I’ve been meaning to change my name lately for the sake of freshness and originality. I like to think of Type Z as a rap name like K Dot was for Kendrick, an opportunity to grow as an artist in order to blossom into my true identity. But Type Z came naturally once I started taking rap seriously and it was mostly inspired by SZA. Her album Z came out at the time I was grinding on verses super hard as a beginner. And in one of her songs she says “Type-A personality, introvert extrovert commonalities” and I would always find myself both relating to that line on a deep level and humming myself the tune but saying “Type Z personality” thus it was born.
Q: In addition to guys like Earl Sweatshirt, Chester Watson and Rejie Snow, which other rappers have you been listening to lately?
A: Yee you’re right on those, been bumping “Coloring Book” by Chance the Rapper hella, Malibu by Anderson Paak, went back to Preachers Son by YGTut from last year and am obsessed once again. These British dudes Loyle Carner and Jesse James Solomon were on that Rejjie EP but I’ve been bumping their own shit just as much. Which led me to Antwon and Wiki a few months ago who are killing the underground. And shout out to Dave B always.
Q: How have you developed and matured as a rapper during your short career thus far?
A: I have fond memories of blasted free-styling in high school and often out shining my fellow white boy wannabes with some off the top tomfoolery. And low key me and my day one homie Alec did a secret rap performance in middle school Jewish camp where we dissed the fuck out of the camp director and had the Jewish girlies turning heads all at once. So it’s been in my loins ever since. Plus I’ve listened to rap since I was 7 or 8 probably.
But on the real it has not come easily. I’ve always struggled with motivation and consistent diligence, as well as anxiety and depression so sometimes it all seems like a lost cause. But that comes with being a deep thinker and an artist.
Q: What’s your main source of inspiration?
A: My main source of inspiration is my “wifey, no BM” to quote Paak. My parents, despite their suburban lifestyle, try to keep up with the rap culture and make me feel like they believe in me and that is a huge piece of inspiration because supportive, loving parents are god’s greatest gift to a person. Weed inspires me a lot as well, pardon the transition, that being said mf doom is probably my main inspiration.
Also people out there, like many of the artists I’ve already mentioned, making happy sunny day rap music for the lovers and smokers cuz bitch it’s summer!
Q: “Prototype” has received some solid responses, do you have a timetable for your next track release?
A: Hoohoo… Next track release is gonna be huge. I have three unreleased right now. Two of them are flame little sneak peaks of what’s to come this summer, as well as on the next project which I intend to release as a cassette. I’m hoping to drop the third unreleased track once I reach 400 followers on SoundCloud and it’s my first song with features, so I think it’ll be the Real Ideal summer jam straight up.
Q: How do your personal goals coincide with the goals of Real Ideal?
A: How do my personal goals coincide…. Hmm, this is a personal question. I was actually thinking deeply about this today. As a recent SoCal college graduate my transition back to Seattle has been tough, wet and a little loner/stoner type.
On the occasion that I get to go to LA or the squad comes through to my crib, those are like little pockets of creativity crack where we will spend a weekend on artistic endeavors that I would procrastinate or approach lackadaisically otherwise. Not things like writing or recording, but videos and treks to college radio stations, things you really would not wanna do alone.
Basically when the squad gets together we go ham artistically and I see their goals as similar to mine in the sense that I see us all ending up in the same city for maybe a summer or a year and using that time to explode.
Q: If you could meet one person for a cup of coffee, who would it be?
A: Cup of coffee? Hmm… I would have to say Dilla, yo.
Q: You’re a Seattle guy born and raised… What’s Type Z’s favorite spot in Seattle to sit down with some tunes, good company and/or a big ol’ doobie?
A: Well I live on Beacon Hill so Jose Rizall is like the cheesy but crazy dope spot. There’s a park in the International District tucked into a little corner that I go to on the reg. Mount Baker is a clutch beach for seshing in the summer been there every day this week.
Low key across the street from my apartment is this Vietnamese community garden that has burst into life in the past few weeks. The place looks like a straight jungle and has this Buddha head statue/meditation area, anyone trying to come through has got to see it. It’ll be featured in my next music video, which I plan to be the first collab between me and Big Mordan our resident photography fanatic.
Hella places and parks in the Central District are lit too, and the bike tunnel by Judkins Skate Park is super lit too.
But if you really wanna catch me smokin’, I’m at Jefferson Skate Park most nights between 11 pm and 3 am.
Mordan’s Photo Gallery
Our photographer Jordan has been on his grind this past month, putting together visual projects for numerous companies, including a recent shoot for an immersive virtual reality experience. Pictured in the photo is the Arvo film crew shooting some photos and working on a 180 degree VR piece.
Photographer Feature: Kody Riewthong
A talented California photographer and member of the Real Ideal team, Riewthong aims to capture the simple, raw nature of human existence. Here is the link to his website.
Bosses’ Corner
In early May, I traveled from Los Angeles to Redlands on a rainy Thursday morning so I could attend the ‘Race on Campus’ Conference. The event was hosted by students of the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies on the University of Redlands campus.
Student activists from all over Southern California were in attendance, as we engaged in sessions with a plethora of race related topics such as ‘Redskins, Chiefs, and Aztecs: Native Cultural Appropriation in Higher Education’ and ‘LEMONADE: The Beyoncé-fication of Racial Dialogue’. Some of the student leaders participated in a panel-discussion session where they discussed the extensive work they are doing around their campuses and communities. Interacting with all of the student activists was extremely motivating, and I was drawn to all of their unique and striking personalities.
I met some super dope people the conference who are working in various activist circles in the Los Angeles area. Though the drive over to Redlands was rainy and harrowing, it was most certainly worth the trip, as I left with a stronger understanding of my goals and priorities. It was pretty sick to see our hats being worn by many in attendance as well.
-Baph
Ape on a Dot
