ELEVATOR RAPS: SEE GREEN
HOUSTON, TEXAS | SEE GREEN
INTERVIEW REALIFE PHOTOGRAPH @MRVMG
New York born, Texas raised rapper See Green makes music that reflects the morals he lives by... god, family and loyalty. See Green tells stories of balancing family and street life while trying to make a way out with his music. His vivid Storytelling ability and commanding flow over soulful beats make him relatable in every hood. Gradually, He’s been making a name for himself, building his fan base organically in the Houston rap scene since his 2016 debut project. Today, his music can be heard in different states... Texas, Virginia, New York, etc. To the non-believers, many consider See Green to be a serious contender and one to watch. See Green spoke with Validated shortly after releasing his latest project “Soul of the Streetz”.
“I JUST ALWAYS TOOK THE APPROACH TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THEY NECK.
WHEN THEY GOT A ITCH FOR THAT YOU GOTTA FLOOD EM.” - SEE GREEN
VALIDATED: BORN IN WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK AND RAISED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, WHAT’S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP CULTURE?
SEE GREEN: MY EARLIEST MEMORY IS WATCHING MY UNCLE CARRY HIS BOOMBOX AROUND MY PROJECT BLASTING PAC AND BIGGIE ALL DAY IN THE HOUSE AND OUTSIDE IN THE PARK. I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.
VALIDATED: YOU DROPPED YOUR DEBUT PROJECT “BURN” IN 2016, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE RESPONSE TO THE PROJECT?
SEE GREEN: I GOT A GOOD RESPONSE BECAUSE IT WAS MY FIRST SOLO TAPE SINCE 2010. SO IT SYMBOLIZED ME DOING MY OWN THING WITH MY OWN BRAND.
VALIDATED: IN 2018 YOU DROPPED “THE RESIDUE”, WHAT WAS YOUR MINDSET WITH THIS PROJECT?
SEE GREEN: MY MINDSET WAS TO DROP THE DOPEST TAPE I EVER PUT OUT. HIGH ENERGY BEATS WITH A DOPE BOY MIND STATE... “LYRICAL TRAP” I LIKE TO CALL IT.
VALIDATED: YOU DROPPED YOUR 3RD PROJECT “TOO DOPE NO EXPOSURE” IN 2019, AT THIS POINT YOUR BUZZ IS BIGGER THAN JUST TEXAS. WHAT WAS YOUR PLAN AT THIS POINT?
SEE GREEN: WELL WHEN I DROPPED “TOO DOPE NO EXPOSURE” I WANTED THE TITLE TO BE SYNONYMOUS WITH ME. I FEEL LIKE THAT STATEMENT IS ME TO THE “T”. BUT MY NOTORIETY FOR THE MUSIC DEFINITELY GREW WITH THIS PROJECT.
VALIDATED: YOU DROPPED 4 SOLID PROJECTS IN 5 YEARS, WHAT WOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE YOUR CONSISTENCY AS AN ARTIST TO?
SEE GREEN: I JUST ALWAYS TOOK THE APPROACH TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THEY NECK. WHEN THEY GOT A ITCH FOR THAT YOU GOTTA FLOOD EM. I FEEL I CAN WORK AT A EVEN FASTER PACE THAN THAT.
VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU’VE GROWN AS AN ARTIST BETWEEN DROPPING “BURN” AND “SOUL OF THE STREETZ”?
SEE GREEN: I FEEL I’VE GROWN AS A ARTIST BECAUSE MY FLOW IS DEFINITELY MORE MATURE AND CONTENT DRIVEN. WHAT I WROTE ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO DEFINITELY NOT WHAT I RAP ABOUT NOW. I WOULD SAY I’M WAY MORE SEASONED.
VALIDATED: YOU RECENTLY DROPPED “SOUL OF THE STREETZ”, HOW DOES THIS PROJECT DIFFER FROM THE REST?
SEE GREEN: THE PROJECT IS FILLED WITH WAY MORE SUBSTANCE AND BOOM BAP. IT’S EXECUTIVELY PRODUCED BY MY FAM BIG SNIPE. SO WE WENT IN WITH THE MINDFRAME “BRING BARS AND FLOW BACK”.
VALIDATED: THE FIRST SINGLES OFF YOUR NEW PROJECT “SOUL OF THE STREETZ”, “TRENCHES” AND “MY LIFE”, WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THESE TRACKS AS THE DEBUT SINGLES?
SEE GREEN: I CHOSE “MY LIFE” BECAUSE OF THE MARY SAMPLE AND THE CONNECTION I HAVE WITH THAT SONG. “TRENCHES” BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WHEN COMING FROM THE BOTTOM WE TRYING TO FIND OUR WAY OUT THE TRENCHES.
VALIDATED: WHAT’S YOUR REACTION TO THE RESPONSE TO THE RECORDS?
SEE GREEN: I LOVE IT. MY RESPONSES HAVE ALL BEEN POSITIVE. WITH A LIL CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM SUCH AS “THE PROJECT TOO SHORT WE WANT MORE.” BUT OVERALL I DEFINITELY SATISFIED AND THE RESPONSE MAKES ME FEEL LIKE THE PROJECT IS APPRECIATED.
VALIDATED: WHICH PRODUCERS AND ARTISTS DID YOU WORK WITH ON THE PROJECT?
SEE GREEN: I WORKED WITH BIG SNIPE, PROPHECY, AND PUGTUNES ON THE PRODUCTION SIDE. ARTIST WISE SHEEK LOUCH, DELOREAN AND BIGG FATTS.
VALIDATED: THE TRACK “READY” FEATURES SHEEK LOUCH OF THE LEGENDARY LOX, HOW DID THAT COLLABORATION COME ABOUT?
SEE GREEN: YEAH MY FAM BIG SNIPE SET THAT UP. HE FOREVER IN MY FAVOR. HE PRODUCED FOR SHEEK ON A COUPLE TRACKS SO HE SENT READY OVER AND SHEEK LIKED IT AND JUMPED ON IT. MUCH LOVE TO HIM FOR THAT.
VALIDATED: YOUR MUSIC IS FELT BY TEXANS AND NEW YORKERS ALIKE, WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU THAT ALLOWS YOUR MUSIC TO CROSS OVER NOT JUST STATE LINES BUT REGIONS?
SEE GREEN: I FEEL LIKE I’M THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS SO I CAN ADAPT TO WHATEVER SOUND MUSICALLY. I’M A SPONGE, I SOAK UP EVERYTHING AND UTILIZE IT IN MY OWN WAYS. SO I’M ABLE TO JUMP BETWEEN BARS WITH LYRICISM TO TRAP.
VALIDATED: THE TRACK “ELEVATOR RAPS”, YOU DROPPED A LOT OF JEWELS IN THAT RHYME, WHERE WAS YOUR HEADSPACE WHEN YOU WROTE THAT SONG?
SEE GREEN: MY HEADSPACE WAS RIGHT ON THEM ELEVATORS IN WINBROOK WHERE WE WOULD BEAT ON THE WALLS OF IT AND I WOULD SPIT RHYMES FOR DAYS. I JUST WAS GOING UP THEM 9 FLIGHTS.
VALIDATED: YOU’VE PERFORMED AT THE A3C AND SXSW MUSIC FESTIVALS TO NAME A COUPLE, WHAT DID YOU LEARN MOST FROM THESE EXPERIENCES?
SEE GREEN: I LEARNED THAT CONFIDENCE AND STAGE PRESENCE CAN CARRY YOU TO WHERE YOU WANNA BE.
VALIDATED: WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT FAM UP ENTERTAINMENT AND P.U.D. EMPIRE?
SEE GREEN: FAM UP IS MY LABEL WHICH STANDS FOR FINALLY APPRECIATING MUSIC AND P.U.D. IS THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE COMPANY I’M DISTRIBUTED BY... ONE BIG FAMILY.
VALIDATED: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM SEE GREEN FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2020?
SEE GREEN: MORE FIRE FOR REAL, FOR REAL, I GOT A LOT MORE MATERIAL IN THE STASH AND WE COOKING UP ON THE DAILY.
VALIDATED: WHAT’S YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS AND WEBSITE?
SEE GREEN: FACEBOOK - FAM UP AND INSTAGRAM - FAMUPGREEN