Reams

Reams: this is what happens when you self medicate with Hip Hop /// #GroundUp Interview

Originally from the UK, Reams moved to the golden soil of Western Australia at the tender age of 10. Part of the era of MC’s where often the first track ever heard was an Eminem one, Reams’ first was Stan. It was only years later when he started writing rhymes and finally had the confidence to share it, was when things started getting serious.

How did you start making Hip Hop?

I started writing lyrics when I was about 15 but never had the confidence to share it with no one till I was about 16 and a close mate passed away. I then started to write more and progress. These old joints used to be up on YouTube back in the day but I ended up deleting them because they sound terrible to me now, haha.

What inspires you to make Hip Hop music?

It’s mostly all from life experiences and the many mistakes and choices that I make along the way. I sometimes think I should probably start making more tracks about the positive parts of life, but I got a lot of ish I’m still dealing with, and it’s just what comes out when I write. It’s like there’s no better medication than locking yourself in a dark room and just smashing a verse of ish that’s weighing on your mind, you know?

Tell us about your latest project…

I’ve wanted to have my own release for years now. I went off the rails for a long time on drugs and getting in trouble with the law and what not, was all over the place, so never really gave it heart and got ish done.

This 12 track LP that’s gonna drop soon has been a long time coming and can’t wait to have it out there, easily the best ish I’ve ever written.

Over the last 2 years I’ve focussed on a lot more on how I use my voice, especially targeting more melodies in my chorus’ which is something I’ve always loved doing. I can write some hard ish but I’ll always love that melodic side of Hip-Hop.

There’s one track on the LP called I Don’t Know, after trying a few different beats on what I had written, Uncle Sam was mixing some of the backing vocals that I was doing on a beat, I just remember us both just being like “lets try fk with this as the main melody”, and just remade everything then and there. It was a mad outcome and ended up being one of the more different tracks on the LP. You gotta hear it.

What is your process for creating music?

I’ll normally just listen to beats on youtube and just start writing most of the time. I don’t always have a concept in mind, It kind of just shapes itself when I’m writing.
I can go through like 50 different YouTube beats from random producers to finish just one verse. I can’t listen to the same beat over and over, ish sends me insane.

Do you also produce your own beats? If so, what’s the process involved?

I’ve been making beats on and off for a few years now,
Dazastah from SBX gave me a few lessons on the Maschine when I was like 18
I sell a few on my Soundcloud but don’t get much time to make many these days, but every now n then I’ll get busy, so If you see one… get in quick!!!

Who are you working with on your project? How did you connect?

My producer Uncle Sam has been working on The Reams LP with me for a while now. He made pretty much all the beats that you’ll hear on that bad boy. We met a while back through my two mates that I’ve been spitting with for a fair while now, Sumoe and Trad we have a group together called Intrusive Thoughts and we recently dropped our debut album so been working in and around that to get my solo LP finished.

Anything else you want to mention?

Big shout outs to Mr. Grevis for the help he’s given me, and for also dropping some mad fire on the LP too. Shouts to Rob Shaker for the mix/master sounds fresh.
Also shout outs to Sumoe and Trad for linking up when I was in a bad place gave me the kick start to put work in again KCHANG!

MAKE SURE YOU COP THE LP WHEN IT DROPS, YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!!

Cheers mate thanks for your time!

REAMS Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheREAMS

REAMS Unearthed:
https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/reams

REAMS Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/thereams

REAMS Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/REAMS-191501060896237/?fref=ts

Uncle Sam Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/unclesamplebeats/?fref=ts