Posts belonging to Category 'Damon Campbell Interviews'

Following Kid Ink’s performance at The Loft in Lansing, Michigan, the Alumni rapper and I sat down for an exclusive backstage interview. During which, we discussed the producer-turned-rapper’s musical origins, favorite hobbies, and more!

Shot by AaronKlisman

(more…)

Get up close and personal with T. Mills during our extensive, 23-minute interview, which took place on his tour bus following a stellar performance at Pontiac, Michigan’s Crofoot Ballroom.

“You’re connecting so much shit in my life right now,” acknowledges the Thrillionaire rapper, as he reenacts a defining moment that occurred in the backseat of his mom’s SUV, recalls performing at his grandma’s wedding when he was just five years old, and—the ladies man that he’s become—even reminisces about his very first kiss.

Shot by Aaron Klisman

(more…)

Following Pac Div’s performance at Louie’s Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I sat down with the L.A. rap trio—comprised of brothers Like and Mibbs and long-time friend BeYoung—to discuss rapping for Kobe Bryant at Like’s 8th-grade basketball banquet, he and Mibbs’ father’s gospel group Spirit Feel, and more!

(more…)

While backstage at the “Light Up the Night” tour stop at Louie’s Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I sat down with Johnny Polygon for an in-depth interview about the man behind The Nothing, “Limosexsuperstar,” and collaborations with Nas (“Black President”) and Kid Cudi (“The Riot Song Remix”).

“Wow, dude, you’ve really done your research,” acknowledged the rapper-singer from Tulsa, Oklahoma, as we discussed sneaking into Retro Night at Cain’s Ballroom as a teen, making the transition from break dancing to battle rapping before being dropped off on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. in Los Angeles to make a living selling CDs to pedestrians, and much, much more.

Sidenote: Download Johnny Polygon’s new album The Nothing here!

(more…)

Following his sold-out show at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan, G-Eazy welcomed me onto his “Must Be Nice” tour bus for an in-depth interview, which at one point he said, was “getting realer by the question.”

“I’m just waiting for what’s next,” added the Oakland rapper and producer, as we sat and discussed nearly his entire background, prompting him to say, “If they ever write a movie about me, they can just hire you to get all the facts.”

Join the James Dean of Hip-Hop and I on a trip down memory lane as we delve into his time spent in juvenile hall, an early passion for filming BMX videos, watching his aunt and uncle’s band rehearsals as a kid, and so much more.

Shot by Aaron Klisman

(more…)

While backstage at the “Up to No Good” tour stop at The Loft in Lansing, Michigan, I sat down with OCD: Moosh & Twist for what they called “one of the illest interviews we ever did.”

During which, I asked the Philly rap duo about a range of topics, including their involvement in a 7th-grade Shakespeare play (“It’s pretty cool that you even know that”), an interesting fellow they met on a previous tour and dubbed Druggie Kid (“Damn, I don’t know how you know this”), and a time when Twist purchased a bootleg Pharrell mixtape from a stranger in the subway (“Forget Nardwuar yo, that’s crazy”).

Shot by Aaron Klisman

Sidenote: Download their new mixtape Back to the Basement!

(more…)

While backstage at the “Up to No Good” tour stop at The Loft in Lansing, Michigan last week, I sat down with Huey Mack for what he described to his Twitter followers as “an interview about my actual life” that includes “very personal and unheard of shit.”

During which, the West Virginia MC opened up about his mother teaching special education (“Yeah, I don’t know how the fuck you know that, but…”), her fashion boutique (“Yeah, I don’t know how you know that one either”), and advice he received from his former stepdad, who, at the time, was a morning show host at the local radio station 102 WVAQ (“I don’t know how the fuck you know that”).

But perhaps the most candid moment of our interview came when Huey revealed that he was abandoned by his father at an early age. “You’re the first person I’ve ever spoken about that with so you now have the realest interview ever,” he later told me.

Among other things, we also discussed lyrics from his A Boy Named Hue mixtape cut “By Your Side,” in which he raps, “I know, I’ll probly never be in Double XL, but doesn’t mean that I ain’t never gon’ sell.” Find out how he feels now about his acceptance in the hip-hop community.

Shot by Aaron Klisman

(more…)

Riff Raff had a lot to get off his chest during our exclusive backstage interview at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan last week. Posted up at an obtuse angle, which he says means to “get comfortable,” the outlandish rapper opened up for the first time on camera about his rumored collaboration with Drake, went on a heated rant in response to those skeptical of his influence on James Franco’s character in the upcoming Harmony Korine film Spring Breakers, and gave an inspirational speech about standing out from the crowd in order to become a megastar.

Shot by Aaron Klisman

(more…)

When their “Over the Hills” tour made a stop at the Montrose Room in Chicago, I sat down for an exclusive backstage interview with The Young Rapscallions, an LA-based garage rock band comprised of Chris Mintz-Plasse (drums), Jonathan Sanders (vocals), Nick Chamian (guitar), and Taylor Messersmith (bass).

“Music is your life,” joked Chris—known best for his work in the comedies Superbad and Role Models—as I questioned he and his bandmates about their old White Stripes cover band The Rude Mackenzies (“Wow, I totally forgot about that.”), John attending middle school with Joey from Midnight Red (“Dude, how you know that is amazing…and beautiful.”), and a time when Chris’ dog gave him a concussion (“This is like starting to get borderline creepy [Laughs], it’s amazing!”).

Shot by Aaron Klisman.

(more…)

While backstage at The Crofoot in Pontiac, Michigan, I sat down for an exclusive interview with Pittsburgh rap duo The Come Up, comprised of Franchise and Vinny Radio. “Damn, I’m about to find out everything about you motherfuckers!” said Mod Sun of his tourmates, who seemed to share his enthusiasm.

“This is the best interview I ever had,” acknowledged Fran, as I questioned the Most Dope members about Willy Whips making them pay for their East End Empire t-shirts back in the day, Vinny’s childhood crush on Adrienne Bailon from 3LW, and a mythical clown said to be roaming the train tracks in their hometown of Braddock. “That’s crazy you know about that,” said Vinny. “I thought that was strictly local.”

Shot by @A_CloudyVision

(more…)