5 FOR 5: 1ST VERSE IS AN ARTIST WHO GET A MILLION STREAMS HIS WAY
I know no name bulletproof,
That pedestal they put for you,
A trap, but if mine take shots, then I'm Punki-Locc,
I'm pullin through
- 1st Verse "ATP"
The legend of the 30 dollar copy. Anyone who has been out to a hip-hop event in Tulsa lately has seen a tall bearded individual moving throughout the crowd. One by one individuals line up to greet this bearded fellow giving various handshakes and taking selfies. His jacket swaying heavily from the wrapped and concealed $30 copy. It's an amazing sight to see this bearded figure named 1st Verse make his way through the crowd. It only takes just one pause between handshakes and a swift motion to his jacket reveals the legendary $30 copy of his album VSXO. If your lucky enough to see this transaction occur be appreciative, because in this day of impersonal digital streaming 1st Verse is defying all marketing plans and is going platinum..... his way.
“It’s the 30-dollar copy inspired by that All-Money-In philosophy.” That’s a hell of a way to start an album. What inspired you to sell physical CDs in this digital age for $30s no less? I was inspired by Nipsey Hussle, DialTone, Steph Simon and some other mc's who sold their own projects exclusively through their own sites. The $30 price point was set to make the project self sustainable first and foremost. A fortunate side effect was communicating my confidence in the project without a sales pitch. The physical copies are to connect physically with people more than anything. I send an mp3 link with each purchase, knowing most people don't listen to CDs, and very few listen primarily to physicals.
For many people this might be their first introduction to your music. How would you compare TCTAS (The City That Always Sleeps) and your current project VSXO? TCTAS had a very deliberate sound that was vintage boom bap. It was more of a storytelling, concept record lyrically as well. VSXO is more sonically diverse, and lyrically trying to pull off some things people wouldn't expect from me. Also VSXO is the only project I've done with no features.
What do you hope people get out of this project? I hope people connect with it more than anything. The message is self worth/self, love/improvement, and belief in your people. I hope that that's contagious and the album can represent that in someone's life in a real way.
What’s one line on the project that you think goes over people’s heads? I think if anything might go over people's heads it would be the more personal references. The one that comes to mind for me is "I know no name bulletproof/ that pedestal they put for you/ (is) a trap but if mine take shots, then I'm Punki-Locc, I'm pullin through/". My friend Big Ro (fka Punki-Locc) got shot back in the day but survived and thrived after. So it was a shout out/analogy that won't make as much sense without the backstory.
You recently dropped a short EP with producer/artist Medisin. What else cam people expect from 1st Verse in 2020? More singles and videos off of VSXO, some collaborative work and I hope to drop the full LP with my band Verse and The Vapors (Christon Mason, Bobby Moffet, Malachi Burgess, and Steve Ramos). VSXOasis will be the next live event, February 29th at Chimera in Tulsa. It will be an art show with a live performance from DialTone and I. In Lincoln,Nebraska for On The Come up on April 24th, and WCMF5 in Tulsa the weekend of May 22nd!!
Thanks to 1st Verse for taking time out of his busy day. Make sure to follow him on his social media below:
Instagram: @1stthingsverse
Twitter: @1stThingsVerse
YouTube: 1stThingsVerse
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