INTERVIEW: MARQUES MARTIN

I’ve always been involved in music my whole life. Started off banging on lunchroom tables, then I played sax for my school band, then guitar till I finally started rapping and making beats for myself around 16. My mom got me to play saxophone, but my push to actually make music was mainly inspired by the Beatles, Kanye, Lil Wayne and Kid Cudi. They made music that felt like how I felt inside. However, those guys aren’t really who inspire me now.

 It’s different. There’s a lot of MD pride, especially with our flag, our food, the music and especially sports. But what’s really special about it is its potential to be a cultural hub. The best athletes and some of the best up-incoming artists are coming from Maryland .It’s really a place where everyone is excited about themselves because we can ALL feel it. It’ll happen in due time.

I listen to a lot of different music, I watch a lot of weird films, I’m interested in stuff that a lot of people my age don’t care about, I’m always trying to do something different in my personal life, I hate formulas, I’m obsessed with the feeling of something new, but I’m picky. This project I’m working I’m became deeply obsessed with 60’s-70’s sci-fi, and late 80’s indie rock. I really get inspired by things/people that present themselves in an introspective way so that I can understand it beyond surface level. I love when someone’s talking and they give me more than just words- it’s how they say it, or their body language that makes me believe them. I love when songs give me or than just a cool beat and hook. I don’t pretend to like anyone or anything. Combine that with my playfulness, and being weirdly arrogant but also self-deprecating and you get the sound I’m making. One thing I think is cool is that when people hear my music and then meet me “it” makes sense to them. Like this music sounds like who I am, what I dress like, how I talk, my sense of humor- it’s all there.

The story I’m telling is the story of how I entered “the game.” This is how I felt when I decided I’m going to make music for a living. I know what the odds are, I know that it’s difficult, I know that it’s racist, I know it’s compromising. I don’t want to tell people what to expect, they should just listen to it.

This a habit I just got out of, but while making this project I would only make a song if I could imagine it visually. Usually these visuals were inspired by movies I’ve seen. Films are just like songs. The way it’s shot its like a beat, the story is like the lyrics, the message/climax is the hook etc.. I really like cult classic films and deep dramas but I also really love a corny action hero movie. Hailey was directly inspired by 60’s sci-fi stuff like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Twilight Zone, Frankenstein. I really feel like a sci-fi character especially with the current state of the world.

The process is unpredictable, but undeniable.

I believe all of our identities are based on our problems and our response to those problems. So for me, it’s a lot of self- doubt that turned into self-reliance, a lot of loneliness that turned into being surrounded around people that love me, a lot of racism that made me more empathetic, a lot of shyness that made me wanna share everything I have, a lot of being broke that made me about my business, I could go on.