DMV Access recently had the opportunity to speak with recording artist Charlie $lum from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. During the interview, Charlie $lum spoke about the music he is focusing on, his story and how he feels about the music scene in Pittsburgh. Check out the full interview with Charlie $lum below.
Charlie
$lum
Pittsburgh, PA
DMV ACCESS : Thanks for being part of the interview with DMV Access Music. First I want to ask you about where you are from and how did you get into music?
CHARLIE $LUM: I'm from Pittsburgh, PA. Originally the Beltzhoover region and then throughout suburbs of the further southern outskirts. I got it into music early, i've been writing lyrics since about 7 or 8 and i wrote a lot of actual poetry too. I somewhat seriously started pursuing it (doing shows and releasing music videos/songs/mixtapes) around 14 with a varying small collective of other local artists & then just about 2 1/2 years ago I went what i currently consider to be all the way.
DMV ACCESS: How was it at first when you started making music? And when did you decide to take music seriously?
CHARLIE $LUM: It was rough because i came from a music loving household but not a music making one so i don't feel like as was inclined as some others may have been from the start. My passion exceeded many though and i did have musical backing. My brother on the other hand, has had a much easier time. He's been drumming since he was two years old and has had a lot of people to guide him. He's from the DMV and there's more opportunities out here than back home. He's still doing great now, always busy and creating - he's with the DMV group 'Blaquestone' currently. I came up a lot differently. I wrote and still write far better than most of my peers but flow & developing a style that was both rhythmically and sonically pleasing was a struggle for me early on. A lot of people only found my music to be of quality from an emotional/lyrical/delivery standpoint. It's exceptionally hard to make money here as an artist too, that's a constant uphill battle. On the flip side though, when i was younger there was more novelty for what i was doing and that was definitely a plus at the time.
DMV ACCESS: Describe the style of your music? Are there any artists you think you sound like?
CHARLIE $LUM: My style is hard to put a finger on. I consider myself to be very versatile. The only things that have real consistency with me are topics. I talk about metaphysical and subconscious things a lot, the things that are thought but not understood. I cover a lot of ground in the field of psychedelic drugs and various forms of cannabis. I touch on race, politics, history, sex, depression, general fun and even materialism. I am the total opposite of a commonplace rapper but I have many elements that i imagine feel akin.
Sonically, I've been evolving in a lot of ways. I feel like i don't sound like many vocally but i have somewhat natural inflections like Nas or Mick Jenkins. Flow wise I'm more like an MF Doom, or for a younger audience (and for you guys: local) maybe somewhat like a Goonew? I'm incorporating a lot more harmony or melody into what i do & a lot of that comes from songs I tried to formulate in my preteen years which was a little more R&B oriented but more contemporary inspirations for that aspect of my music come from artists like Bryson Tiller, Thouxanban Fauni, and Trippie Redd. I try to insert Saul Williams & Tupac like emotion but i have a sense of humor and vision in my music maybe similar to that of a Tyler the Creator. From the stance of engineering preferences, i loved multi faceted layers and while I pulled this from a multitude of musician sources through my life, i find Kodak Black to do much of the same. I just like my dubs and etc to be more subtle. I love the warmth and how more than one voice/emotion can be captured that way but I like it all to come together and all sound like one vocal track more or less - prior to mastering.
DMV ACCESS: Who were your musical influences? Who did you listen to growing up?
CHARLIE $LUM: I listened to everything growing up, literally everything. From steely dan to arrested development. My main influences in rap though are Nas, Tupac, & MF Doom.
DMV ACCESS: So far, What have you released?
CHARLIE $LUM: So far, I've released the projects:
The Headband
The Paraphernalia Pages
Sounds & Coffee
Fuck Stacey Dash
Nate Ain't C'here
slum&taro
There's been quite a few songs and videos in between and my new project 'MICRO' is currently in the works.
DMV ACCESS: What should we be expecting from you in the near future?
CHARLIE $LUM: MICRO', i'm pushing and hoping for it creating a wave. I think this will be the first time I'm digestible enough to really hit that mark.
DMV ACCESS: If you could collaborate with any artist dead or alive. Who would they be and why?
CHARLIE $LUM: Dead? Tupac - Pac's voice and emotion he could bring to a record while being direct in his lyrics was unparalleled. Bob Marley - Bob's music was so powerful is was spiritual in itself. With the revolutionary aspects and the heavy ganja vibe; i need that collab. Jimi Hendrix - A solo from the god? A trip to lysergia literally and sonically? Enough said. Mac Miller - Mac is one of the most talented rappers in modern times and he's a hometown legend. We had lots of mutual friends but never met. Eyedea - The storytelling and flow...how vulnerable he let himself be in songs. I envy a lot of these qualities musically and would love to have them featured. Capital Steez - I feel Steez was just the New York version of myself. He was a great talent & i was SUPER into his music before he passed. The brother will be missed and i wish he was here to collab. Alive? MF Doom - The father of the flow I've found/made. The most unique rapper on the planet. The abstract, quirky, off kilter dark genius. The lord of bars having several meanings; need i say more? Nas - Okay, so not flow..but this brother taught me how to rap all through his career. From Illmatic on: my vocabulary, rapping voice, topics of choice, morality, general knowledge and knowledge of self were all brought on with this assistance of this man. It'd be an honor. Slug - The man who taught me how to put a mirror on myself and also ALWAYS posts my shit when i drop. It's all love with Slug man, he's a great dude. But equally as important he's a great and honest MC. One of the best and most distinct ever. Alchemist - FIRE FUCKING BEATS. Lucki - I really hate hard drugs and i normally don't really listen to 'mumble rap' in much of my downtime...however, Lucki is just brutally frank of upfront about his addiction(s) and doesn't glorify it much. It almost feels like he's someone i know battling with drugs. That someone just makes really dope music.
DMV ACCESS: Whats the music scene like in Pittsburgh?
CHARLIE $LUM: The music scene in Pittsburgh is essentially non existent or dead. That doesn't mean there's not a heavy helping of exceptional artists here but there is little to know industry and it's such a backwards, bigoted, and blue collar town - people and especially musicians, rappers even more particularly never make it out. It's hell with the lid half closed and it's a trap. There's just some great people here and we make the best of it. I also don't want to shit on my hometown, there's a strong group trying to change the dynamics of how the city functions in these aspects - they're just fighting against a traditional system that's been put in place to make others feel comfortable and not people like themselves. It's a shame and embarrassing sometimes but it's home for better or worse.
DMV ACCESS: Who are some other Pittsburgh artist we should check out?
CHARLIE $LUM: Too many to count. Asco, Slicky Williams, Moe The Natural, Jus Lou, Ron Car, KH, Camp Yola, Jor, MiilesDavis, WestSide Pound, Akono Miles, BBGuns, Reese Yungn, Kizzl, Yuck Yams, s/o to anyone i forgot. I'm thinking of performing artists whenever i say this. We might have an even larger collective of dope producers.
DMV ACCESS: If there were 3 songs from you we should check out, which songs would they be?
CHARLIE $LUM: In no specific order
BUMMER
O Wakare
BANDS
DMV ACCESS: Describe the things you write about.
CHARLIE $LUM: My daughter, family, love, anger, race, feeling isolated, being doubted or the underdog, history, guns, cannabinoids, LSD, mushrooms, politics, every type of cannabis extract there is, life, death, comedy, things that are pornographic by nature, the subconscious mind, money, poverty, jewelry, clothes, cars, identity, violence, dream and fictitious scenarios, drawing parallels to other forms of art and pop culture..i leave no topic untouched. I even try to insert myself into the minds of others or my younger self in order to create. I often attempt or do write from perspectives not fully my own.
DMV ACCESS: I just watched the Bummer music video. The song and music video were really impressive. What was it like shooting the video? Did it take a lot of time?
CHARLIE $LUM: The video was a painstaking process but more than worth it. My director is great and easy to work with but we wanted to go above and beyond with this one while still staying true to the nature of the song. So editing was long and complicated as we had to add tons of special effects but subtle ones so we didn't go overboard. There was a small conflict of interest with a model and there was even a little fender bender. Getting the cars, shooting multiple days, weather, location, wardrobe etc. it just got really exhausting but it looked so good finished none of that mattered. A lot of people think it's the best video dropped around here in a really long time.
DMV ACCESS: Can we be expecting more music videos from you soon?
CHARLIE $LUM: TONS
DMV ACCESS: That music video reached 65K views and you aren’t even signed yet. To any artists out there struggling to get views and there music heard, What advice would you give them?
CHARLIE $LUM: Research how the social media platform that you plan to release your video on - actually works. Find promotion agencies or a public relations firm that deals with artists. Promote yourself through multiple avenues, play to your strongpoints and get creative. Find low cost outlets or outlets that are realistic to repost your music and submit, submit, submit.
DMV ACCESS: Anything you would like to say to your fans?
CHARLIE $LUM:
DMV ACCESS: Where can we check out your music and how can we reach you?
CHARLIE $LUM: I love my fans & supporters, I don't know where I'd be without y'all. Just buy my shit.
I'm on all streaming platforms with my newer stuff but bandcamp is probably best if you wanna go through my older catalogue. Instagram is the best place to find me and my main IG is @sirslumfrom91