 What they gonna do with me now? I'm still a talk of the town. All the sisters, I'm hooking them down. Reach for the smiles and the frowns. Okay. Hey, guys. You're on a new episode of Talk of the Town. Today we got a special guest. What's going on? Elijah Asker. I have some questions. You say the first thing that comes to mind. Got you. What's your sign? Sadge. What's your favorite color? Blue. Worst food ever? Spanish food. Three traits of every New York girl. Attitude. Get one. Okay. Then stranded on the island, three things you need to bring. Za. Biggest pet peeve. One artist you want to collab with. Justin Bieber. One sentence to your ex. Who's that? A rapper you wouldn't let date your daughter. I see you said blue phase before, right? So I'm going to try to come with you. I didn't say that. Another artist. Rapper. And be a young boy. Okay. Favorite artist currently? King Von. Last thing you spent money on? Camera? Mm-hmm. Okay. And you think if you could break a world record, what record would that be? A world record. World record. Let's see. If you could break one, what would it be? Longest conversation. I'd love to talk. Okay. All right. Let's get into it. All right. So for the people that don't know, where you from? I'm from Chicago, but moved here from New York. So obviously, I appreciate you. Rockin' County, shout out to my rocklin' niggas. So you moved from Chicago. When did you get here? About 11 years old, like half my life, so I'm 24 right now. All right. So you did high school years here? Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. Cool. So how'd you get into music, though? Good question. I kind of just been doing music since maybe I was like 12. Just kind of started listening to the album. You know, you Google, like, what are the best albums out? You know, you're trying to get into hip hop, so start listening to music, and then start making my own shit after that. So what was the first album you heard? A little by why I'll be wearing the dog. Put my dog's hat. Okay. All right. So what made you want to start making music, though, after doing your research? Loki, I kind of just seem like people getting on from it, but having a story to tell, too. You know what I mean? But that was kind of it just to make hits. You know what I'm saying? Kind of enjoy like the rap or shit, but then later on came like, okay, now you got to have purpose to your music substance and shit like that. Yeah. So you feel like it's like that now? It's like, it's like everything, because I feel like nowadays, like the artist, you could be whatever, like you could be a jokester and still be driving, but you could also be a serious artist and be underground, but people respect you, but you might not have as much money. You know what I'm trying to say? So what's your goal? My goal? What do you think is like ideal for you? I'm just trying to see what the veins honestly gravitate to. I'm saying do you want to be lyrical, respected, and not make as much money or be corny? And I won't say corny, but... Like gimmicky. Yeah. To me, I feel like you got to have duality, you got to have balance. So like, I like artists like Eminem that was doing funny songs, or like artists like Kanye do funny songs, but then also get serious on, so definitely have some balance in it, but that's just me. You know what I mean? Just be myself. That's really the main thing. Okay. So who's some artist that inspired you, I guess? How do you say Eminem? I wouldn't go that far. I mean Eminem, shout out to him, shout out to him. I fuck with like a lot of singers, with the band Jaws, Quincy Jones, Justin Bieber, early on, he was going crazy back in the day. I have like a wide variety. You keep saying Justin Bieber, so you really fuck with Justin Bieber? Yeah, yeah, like I know all his albums, everything. That's just, like... So how do you feel about him like selling his catalog? School to Brian, we got to talk about that. But at the end of the day, I feel like this music industry really kind of puts artists in a different position to kind of be in the now versus own your catalog. Years later, you kind of profit off of it. So I mean, that was his decision. He is slowing down as far as popularity. There was like a little race or shit that came out. People were like, well, we can't fuck with him. So, you know what I mean? In this game, I fuck with a lot of artists. I fuck with the drill artists, too. I fuck with a lot of K-Flock free him. I fuck with C-Blue, Dougie, D-O-A, all them niggas. Kyle Rich, some of them niggas, too. You know what I mean? New York got a big scene going on. Took over it, you know what I mean? Do you feel like tempted to make drill, being that so many drill artists popping right now? Um, yeah. I'm not gonna lie. Because I feel like I'm in New York right now. I'm a Chicago artist, but to me, there's other... I mean, they originated drill, too. So, you had it in you, I guess. Like you said, me, I'm more of like a chance to rap or kind of Chicago. You know what I mean? Versus like a, yo, I'm shooting... You know what I'm saying? It's Glocks and Switches type of Chicago. Shout out to my niggas with Glocks and Switches. But at the same time, I feel like that's me. You got to stay true to that. You could collaborate with drill artists. Be organic, you know what I mean? Yeah. Okay, so, what goes through your creative process? Like, how are you in the studio? How do you get any vibe? I'm gonna be honest, right? I'm Haitian. I need a big bottle of Babacool right next to me. I need my engineer. I need him to be locked in. I need him in the studio. I need at least some weed in there. You know what I mean? I'll probably say a little quick prayer before I touch the mic. Thanks. Thank you, God, for my ability. You know, thanks for letting me inspire people. Shout out to my fans and some shit like that. But yeah, that's kind of my creative process. I'll just freestyle. I don't really write, but if artists, I'm around, they're like, yo, write something or whatever, then I'll do that. But for the most part, I just freestyle. Okay. And when you first started releasing music, because I see you took like a three-year break? Yeah, yeah, a little hiatus. You know what I mean? So, what happened? I don't know. It's crazy. You know how you did your research. It's crazy you know that. Because I've seen a little bit of recognition early on, but my parents really did not want me to do the music shit. I come from like a real religious background. They were kind of like, whoa, this shit popping. People are coming up to me. Yo, you a large Oscar son. Shit like that. So then I had to take it back. You know what I mean? You adjust. So family wasn't really messed with the music thing? Nah, not at all. So you stopped? I mean, they're playing A if you wasn't doing music. What do you think you'll be doing? Nah, I'm not going to. It's the only plan. Okay. Music, but I got a software brand coming out to just keep it going. But it's junction with the music and creative. Okay. Okay. So before when you shop music at that time, were you just having fun? Were you trying to feel it out? At that time, I was trying to make like, this is when Vine was popping. Really, I was trying to make like a funny song, trying to get people to laugh shit like that. And it worked. The first song got like 10,000. The second song got about 20,000. About a side nigga. The second third song got 150,000. What's the card? It has been? I had the ready. If you 16, like put it this way. I'm not from the city, right? I'm from the suburb of the city. You 16. You don't scam. You don't get some pieces. You don't make it work. Me, I'm like, I don't have a job. I'm just wrapping in my basement. So it's like, I had the video. My man's just trying to shoot a video on some bum ass Canyon. So it's like, I'm like, nah, I got to do it the right way. But you know, that's why I'm back now. Okay. So fast forward to now. So what's your process like now? My process now is a little bit more professional. Let's like home studio vibe, more like. Aim for sessions trying to get the, the best producers, the best session shall change your audio. New York. Shout out to drive back a studio. It's a lot of, a lot of dope studios in New York City, Brooklyn. We're just trying to really invest in myself really. Okay. But I mean, even though music videos now cause smile is out. Yeah. No, it's not out yet. We showed a preview. We showed a preview. Yeah. Okay. Show the preview. Okay. So what inspired that song? The Jersey movement. The hips. Too rare. Okay. Everything. Wanna rock. You feel me? That's what really inspired it. Cause it's like, you see artists and kind of, now you got to do what they do, but you kind of got to compete. Shout out to all my Jersey niggas. Shout out to my hack and sack niggas. Everybody that know up in Jersey. So it's like, I was really out there too. Like it's not like I'm probing it, but it's like definitely tapping with Jersey artists. Oh yeah. Okay. All right. So you rocking with the Jersey sound. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not going to lie like, I'm not gonna lie. Fuck with a lot of Jersey shit. Yeah. I'm not gonna lie. Fuck with a lot of Jersey shit. Like I said, Coyla raid. She's going crazy girls as players too. Like I'm really in tap you for me if you know, you know. All right. So. So, that video's coming soon. Do we have release date? 428 April 28th, it's coming out. So you got artist too? Yeah, yeah, Izzy, shout out Izzy too, bro. You feel me? She's coming next. She's like a BK to Rool type rapper, like a real like Bobby Emo, but still like very like Bobby type shit. Yeah, she's on. So are you managing artist or like? Yeah, I'm signing in English too. Signing in English too, 5K. And that's the deal, I'm sorry, 5K. I got nothing crazy, bro. Lock it with me for 18 months, 5K. I'm dead ass. So, if artists want to reach out, who should they contact? My manager, Tibi, Tibi D, he's a viral comedian. Yeah, I probably heard of him, he fucks with Booba. He's been doing a lot of shit in the city. Okay, so how is that, I guess, managing artist and still being artist? It's more, it's kind of natural because a lot of these people is like friends, family. It's really hard to kind of like incorporate other people into the system, but mainly friends and family, so it's not that hard. All right, so is the label called something? Yeah, Expending the Culture, it's the same thing as the brand. I want to actually give you something right now. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Thank you. From our brand. And yeah, to be honest, just to talk a little bit about the brand, it's more of a software company, but also just a movement that we're doing to try to create more creative spaces for young artists, young kids, trying to either want to do art, basketball, but just have a place where in the app where they can actually find it on the map and shit like that, yeah. Okay, so is the app out already? We're working on that too. The beta is up, Expandingtheculture.com. That's on the website. If you guys want to look at that, you guys can play around with the creative tools and the resources that we have. Okay, so what inspired this? This is kind of like a passion project. I always wanted to be like, in the tech world, rival with YouTube. That's what we're going to do, and I'm rivaling with TikTok and trying to really create the next interface, user interface for people to really go crazy with. Okay, and you said the goal is to look at comment for kids to be expressive? I'm not necessarily expressive, but you know how everybody's on the phone nowadays? It's more like incentivizing people to be outside the creative spaces in your city. So let's say- So like a book of spaces or something? Not necessarily that, but it's like, let's say you want to know where there's a cipher going on, all right? There's a cipher maybe going on on 42nd Street, but then you want to, let's say you're a painter, you want to do a painting set today, or is it painting set? Yeah, yeah, like more events, but also kind of like building with creative. So once you go out, you build points. Yeah, you build points and kind of, you know? So we're working on it. It's a working project, but the main thing is just creative spaces and trying to get people to get out of the house. You know what I mean? Yes. So are you not feeling the in-house vibes? I'm a homebody, very much a homebody, but at the same time, you know, we got to really kind of make our community better. That's what I'm really trying to do. There's a lot of initiatives that I feel like we can give back as far as picking up litter, the garbage, Haiti, I definitely want to pray for Haiti, want to raise some awareness about what's going on there, but also just trying to stop gun violence. You know, I'm from Chicago, but you know, in the Bronx, New York, it's very prevalent as well. Yeah. How do you feel about them kind of like blaming, like kind of drill music on the amount of violence you have now? That's a tough one. If you want me to be honest, I fuck with drill music, but at the same time, I see where they're coming from. I see where the mayor's coming from. Shit is, it's a mixie, it's a mixie subject, but at the same time, I can't really say that's what's thriving it because niggas want to rap and get out. You know what I'm saying? So it's really up to the individual. Some niggas are smart with it, some niggas do the other thing with it is just really how you play with it. Yeah. So, but would you ever try to do drill music or want to do drill music? Yeah, we doing a drill video right after this. I'm saying, but you say you're doing a Jersey Clubs town, so you're gonna do drill too? Yeah, we doing a Jersey, we doing a drill. Okay. Then we do whatever, really. To be honest, I like switching it up to give my fans versatility. Okay. And do you feel like it's just such thing as like positive drill music? No, such thing. Nah, Ice Pies is doing a lot of positive things for the community. I like what she's doing, but I don't like that Northwest video. I don't like it. But anyway, we next subject. Okay, so how, so how, so she's connecting with her kid family. No? Hmm. So how would you connect with your child family? That's it. I want to know your opinion too, because I want to know your opinion too, because as kids we listen to, it's getting hot in here, like the shit we wasn't supposed to listen to, so now that we're older, we're looking at a different, more mature lens, so it's really hard to say. So this is just the new version of what you shouldn't be listening to, and kids are gonna run to that, you know? Yeah, but I just feel like society kind of, it's like a cycle that keeps going on. Yeah, yeah. So it's like, we can't be hard on, I don't know, we can't be hard on us trying to break it. Yeah, she's from, she's from the Bronx, so do what you gotta do, you know what I mean? Like when you're at that type of level, I feel like you just, you're not thinking too deep into it, the blogs, and you know, they're gonna try to spin the narrative, you know? Okay, so what's some of your, I guess, musical goals? What's your plan with your music? Billboard is number one's, promise you we'll have a number one record, 10 years, five years, we're gonna have a number one record, we're gonna work with very different artists, we're gonna work with Berna Boy, Shad to Berna Boy with Deppin. But a lot of different people, just kind of want to make it international, kind of expand the culture. Okay, speaking of collabs, have you been working on any collabs? Yeah, we got some of Benny and Butcher coming out, Shad to Benny and Butcher, me and Corey on Mari, on the Boombat tip, you know, the lyrical, you know what I mean? So it's like, I want to give them a taste so I can show them I can do everything, but, because people always say you need a sound, you need a sound, I feel like what I'm talking about will be the sound, you know what I mean? The language. Okay. And do you have a team working with you, like on the app or with your music? Yeah, yeah, shout out to Joe Solini, he's working on me with this software, shout out to my lawyer, Dennis McLeodster. We got it, we got shit cooking over here. Yeah, thanks. Okay, so the team is coming together. All right, so what's the plans? What should we expect 2023? That's a good question. If you should look out for us more freestyles, more interviews, more videos, I want to drop one every month, maybe twice a month. Different sounds, different traveling. I want to shout out to my people in Brazil, shout out to Rasha and Jordan, shout out to everybody that I really know. Hey, Hickey in Brazil, you feel me? We really gonna tap in, shout out to everybody in Houston, just because Chicago, shout out to Ali and Chicago, my niggas on the lower side, and Cicero, all that shit. But I just want to really just connect really with the United States, just because I feel like the sounds is different too. Like down south, they are always telling me, we're not listening to that Joe shit. We barely know Favi, we barely know Pop Smoke. And if you barely know the Joe shit, but it's like, here that's the biggest shit ever. Niggas know the shit like it's a soap opera. You know what I mean? So it's like, I kind of want to bridge the sounds and kind of like, you know, link it with other artists, it's a lot of divisive, like it's the 90s on some shit, like West Coast, East Coast, down south, North, you know what I mean? Okay, so you want to bridge up the North and the South side? Yeah, yeah, but I also just want to just make better music. A lot of you niggas is trash, I'm gonna keep it a buck. Like niggas is popping too. Like, I don't really want to get into it, but yeah, I just want to push better music, you know what I mean? Okay, so what advice would you give to the United States so what advice would you give to someone that's like trying to, I guess, get started into music? What have you learned on your journey? It's not going to happen overnight. That's pretty much the main thing. It's not going to happen overnight and just build with yourself. Listen to a lot of dope artists. Listen to people that your mom listened to, you know? Listen to different areas of music and become a music lover before you start this because I feel like a lot of people happen in it. Don't get me wrong. The raw shit is fire. The raw shit, different flows and shit is fire, but I definitely want to hear a little bit more sophistication, a little bit more complexity with the arrangements and the music, shit like that. Okay. All right, so April 28th, smile group job. April 28th, smile is coming out, so I just want to say thank you to all the fans and everybody for supporting me because this is one of the biggest videos coming out this year. We got another video coming out doing tonight, Driving Disconnect. We got a drill video coming out, so tap in. We got CPD Films on that. If you guys know who that is, he's been doing... Look, it's Sugarhead, Kim, Shai-K, Shai-G. He's been fucking a lot of niggas, so I definitely want to give some time, shout out to him because he's been in a lot of work this year and all the creators because I'm really trying to build a community and a team of people that, not even just a team, but just a group of individuals that really just trying to push the culture to move forward. Let's help people to find you, how can they... You can find me at Elijah Oscar Music. You can find me at Elijah Oscar on Instagram pretty much anywhere. Elijah Oscar on TikTok, Twitch. Are you on Twitch? Yeah, yeah, you can find me on Twitch anywhere. Anywhere that there's me and I definitely want to give another shout out to my guy, Tibby, he's been working hard with the community, comedy shit, so... Get me on there and, yeah, find me on that.