Rawrrzone Spotlight - July Quin

With New York starting to revitalize in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the music scene has been resurgent as well as the world of independent shows. One artist stood out amongst the rest, July Quin was introduced to us during our #LiveAt5 with Kony Brooks. The young creative was the hand behind the production of the project. Quin is not only a lyrical emcee but his production/performance is done live through a launch pad bringing back the house party / old school vibe with every performance. After watching this performance from our #GetRawrr Open Mic you will understand why July Quin is our Inaugural Rawrrzone Spotlight.

1) How would you describe yourself as a creative?

Probably as a blend of a scientist & someone with a healthy amount of faith. There's a technical aspect of this whenever I am creating. As much as there is a massive amount of room for magic, or a spirit, a genius to enter and take charge. I've been very much focused on skill & musicianship as of late. Fusing the realms of Hip-Hop, Pop & R&B. All those elements make up what you hear & see.

2) Who were your influences? During the Open Mic this past Friday you mentioned your father was a DJ and you brought back that 90s throwback vibes in For Myself , your stage performance and creating your beats were truly amazing. Where does it come from?

I am a huge Childish Gambino fan. Jon Bellion, Joji, Nujabes, Regina Spektor, Royce da 5'9, Eminem. There are truly too many to name that I pull from for different reasons. I like to study an artist's live show format. From how they engage to their lighting to which instruments they have chosen to use for their set. But all in all, honestly, it really comes from fucking up enough and wanting to be better.

3) How are you able to find a balance essentially between the many diff genres of music with Hip-Hop?

I kind of just do what I want and what I like. I grew into this culture around killer lyricists as much as I grew up around great musicians. Breaking into spontaneous cyphers where I just wanted whoever around me to understand that my writing is top tier. And then being home making songs hoping the ones I send it too geek out over my melodies. At this point I hardly differentiate. Hip-Hop, luckily, is also so inclusive of a multitude of genres. You can do pretty much anything if it's dope & not compromise it.

4) Walk me through a session with you? How long did it take to put Wide Eyed Child. ?

A year and half for that one. Mostly because Wide Eyed Child wasn't even supposed to be a thing or an album. It was simply four new songs I made after taking a break from creating. My sessions themselves are more exciting when the beats are being made and the lyrics or melody is being written. Which is usually the way I start. Melody influences me heavily. If I can't sing along to something good, it's probably not for me. The other aspects of my sessions are really intense back & forth walking with eventual fun recordings but almost always, most definitely, extreme obsessing over small details in the mixing phase.

5) On your website you stated that "I've put out A LOT of projects since my youth. Most of them are hidden on Bandcamp. But Wide Eyed Child is my most important one." What made this project the most important one ?

It was my most important one at the time because to me it was sort of this magnus opus of what I learned over the past 12 years since I started making music. So my intent once it finally grew legs was to spare no expense creatively or musically. I wanted to sing better than I ever did up to that point. I wanted to be as honest as I could be too. I wanted to make really great, well put together records that I knew I had in me but possibly only half delivered till that point in time. Those were some of the goals so it was my most important project.

6) I Love Las Noches, what were you thinking about when putting this together?

So I really fell in love with the anime Bleach around this time & that's where the name comes from. I was making the beat that would become Las Noches and I loved how cold it was. It sounded like how the anime made it look. The content of the song however stemmed from my battles with depression. I wasn't in a bad place when I wrote it but I think it was exactly that reason that I did. I wanted to write something that spoke to how helpless & scared I felt but ultimately was this big fuck off to falling back into that feeling again. A cool little story, there's a break down section after the chorus which is me making weird sounds with my mouth into an iPhone 4. People think it's a synth, it's not.

7) What do you think the most important quality to possess going forward in this new era of the creative in the industry?

I want to say commitment but I also think simply being genuine will get you exactly where you need to be. That includes being genuine to yourself too. I think you gotta ask yourself what you want and recognize not every path open is the path for you.

8. You were the genius behind Making of A Legend from Kony Brooks, how did you guys come up with the whole collaboration?

I've known Kony for years now. He's been close friends with some people who eventually became my close friends. There wasn't a direct relationship there till recently but I've always admired Kony for his skill & work ethic. Also simply put he's a great guy. Secretly, I've been wanting to produce for other artists I love in the same manner Making of a Legend was made. 5 songs tops with me producing, mixing & mastering. The artist just has to worry about writing. Just so happens it was Kony that graced my life at the time I started speaking it into existence. He, no lie, wrote 3 whole songs as I produced them. Went home. Recorded. He sent stems back. We filled in the last 2 songs we needed and boom, done in a week's time.

9) What is your favorite part of being a producer?

The idea, or intent of creating something that will hopefully live long after I'm gone.

10) Which do you enjoy more to create the music or to perform it?

I think it's gotta be performing. There is a real bliss for me in being out & around people getting to share something I made in my bedroom. The art of performing is and being able to is also a huge way I feel seen & recognized for my work. Most times when I get the chance I feel like I'm exactly where I should be and I'm my most free.

11) Without music who would July Quin be?

Well, a D-List magician for sure because I'm trying to learn these card tricks. Maybe an Onlyfans superstar. But who's to know honestly? I'm bullshitting but I don't know. Honestly just glad I found what I loved to do in music. It's gotten me closer to being okay with myself & that's a blessing.

Stream Wide Eyed Boy Here

Follow him on Instagram @julyquin

Visit his website www.julyquinmp3.com