maestro Who are some local musicians that you think can compete globally? Rhxanders, Jess Connelly, CRWN, and Similarobjects. What do you think about the local hip-hop scene? I think it’s very separated and that there’s a lack of community. There’s a lot of different sounds, a lot of different movements that have been going on in hip-hop. We all cater to different markets. We all have different visions. We all have different demographics.
“I just want to put the Philippines on the map… I take pride in being a Filipino and I want people to know what my country is like.”
How would you describe your music? It’s honest. My sound is honest. At the end of the day, the only thing that differentiates me is that my lyrics are real. What’s one advice you have for aspiring rappers? Rather than having fear placed in front of you, place it behind you and let it push you forward. What kind of people do you want to listen to your music? People who question everything. I want the people who question shit, who think that things can be done by the people who start to innovate– those are the people I want to listen to my music.
soundcloud.com/curtismith @manigamito
shirt by Oxygen pants by Nike
What’s the story behind your moniker Curtismith? When I was trying to come out with my music, I didn’t want anyone to know who I was. At first, I came up with “Gold Soul,” ‘cause it stood for what I believed in–pure intentions, but I wasn’t content with the name. One day, I was looking out the window and saw a billboard of Anne CurtisSmith. I remembered reading she was a platinum-winning artist, and you know, me wanting to come out with my music for people to solely like my music for what it was rather than who I was, I found it funny. Even if her music isn’t the best, she’s reached a level of success in music that artists I know still strive for now. The fact that she reached that level of success without having excellent music is something I find ironic, so I was like “Yup, I’m keeping Curtismith.”
Are you saying that she’s not a great artist? No. I’m saying, that she’s not the best at singing, and I think she has other strengths that kind of outclass her singing in terms of her skills, but the fact that she’s able to succeed in music is something that I find admirable. It’s just that in the industry in itself, that’s kind of fucked up. What’s wrong with the local industry? I think that the money is going to the wrong artists. I feel like the major corporations are afraid of trying new things, because they have a system that works for them. There’s no creativity or individuality; the music comes from a money making scheme. shirt by Stüssy from Greyone Social
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