For our 4th Clapper Sounds Interview, we are highlighting the producer and artist: Beatspeare!
Beatspeare is a multi-talented producer and rapper on a Clapper. There is nothing the artist behind Beatspeare cannot do: He started out as a producer and soon took the role of songwriter and lead singer behind Beatspeare. We had an intimate Clapper Sounds interview with him and talked about his side hustles and his beginnings in music. We got to know more about his new album, his inspirations growing up and the vital role of visual representation in the lives of artists in the present day.
Clapper Sounds is meant to be an intimate musical experience, and we want that mission to translate into our written interviews too. As you read about Beatspeare, play their music in the background with our Spotify Playlist, and really get to know this artist’s unique sound.
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Let’s start from the beginning. What is your first memory of being involved with music? How did you start your artist journey?
I began as a producer, that is where the first portion of my name came from. Pretty much, my first memory was that I met a promoter in my hometown, he owns a company that is called 2D Entertainment, which was the foundation of my career. Basically, I met Tyrell, a promoter that organized events. I was trying to get myself into the scene, so I could meet more artists and get my beats out to them.
Long story short, I met him, and he had some events that he was promoting at the time and we started helping him by putting up flyers and things like that. We showed up to the first day of the event and about 30 minutes before the show started, he comes up to me and my friends and says: “I was supposed to have a co-host and the guy has not showed up”. At that moment he looked at me and said “Deandre can you help me with this?”. I thought he was nuts because I wasn’t an artist. I had never been on stage before. At this point, I was only a producer. This dude handed me a mic and I ended up orchestrating his entire concert. That is where the journey began.
How would you describe your musical style? Who are your biggest inspirations?
I would describe my musical style now, as getting more into a conscious feeling where I am speaking more about things that I’ve been through versus just trying to be trendy. It’s so hard to explain. I am all over the place, because I am still trying to figure myself out as an artist. So, I tried so many different sounds and many different things. I know that it sounds cliche, but I don’t think that I can put myself in one context.
My favorite artist and biggest inspiration is Wiz Khalifa. Main reason was that when he was coming up, I am from Ohio and he is from Pittsburg which is right next door. He was getting big and I was following Wiz Khalifa a lot longer before anyone figured out who he really was. Basically, watching him before he blew up, watching how he portrayed himself, and how he’s completely transparent and consistent, it inspired me. This dude is so humble and one of the first artists that I saw do video blogs day-to-day. This is stuff that artists at that time that were coming up didn’t do. If I ever get that big that’s who I aspire to be.
What is your songwriting process like?
My songwriting process is super unorthodox. I don’t really have a plan, I never really know when I am going to write a song; I just let it happen. Before this album even became a thing, I was dropping another album and it had nothing to do with my relationship. But, everytime I would get into the studio to try to create my next song, the only thing I could think about was that I needed to say this stuff. I needed a way to get it out of my head, because it’s just going to keep bottling up. Literally for months, I was trying to create this album and the only thing that I could come up with were things about my relationship. I had no choice but to put this stuff down.
My process really is very unique because I am a producer first. I start from complete mute and I just look at a computer and think “I wanna make music today.” I just hop in there, I find a sound that intrigues me and I try to mess with it. Once I produce the beat, I am pretty much writing the song in my head that entire time, and then I will structure the beat around the song I hear in my head instead of just making a random beat. By the time I get to the studio, I have already practiced this song like a hundred times.
What are your thoughts on content creation as an artist? How do you feel about artists having to balance their social media presence and still be committed to their art?
I think at this day and age, it is literally impossible to become successful in the music industry without visual representation. In the digital age, how do you expect anyone to hear your music or want to hear your music if they can’t see you and are interested? People say fake it till you make it, but it is a fact. I hate to say it, but there are certain things that I show my audience on a certain way to get them excited. That’s called marketing. It is what it is. Its the most important thing as an artist.
Making music is important, but that music doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have a way to present it to other people. That is why I am so passionate about my content and so particular when I edit my stuff and post it, because I want to look great every single time. Everytime that I try to do content I make sure that I take it to another level.
Do you have any side hustles other than music?
I actually work full time at T-mobile. I am a big nerd. Also, I love technology and I am very knowledgeable about phones and computers and stuff. I am a sales rep, so when you walk into the store I’m the person that comes up to you and helps you. Additionally, I doordash a lot, just because it is easy money. I just hop in my car and honestly I write a lot of my music while I am doordashing. Outside of that, not really, because my job does take a lot of my time. I work 40 hours a week just like most people, but I always find time for my music and I try to make it work.
Deciding to be an artist can have its ups and downs. What advice would you give to that young artist who is just learning to play guitar, or starting singing lessons and their dream is to be a musician?
This one is simple. As much as I can try to make it complicated. It’s kind of cliche but i’ll break it down. My biggest advice is just be yourself. The one thing that I struggle with during this path is not conforming to other people’s opinions or what I hear in the music industry that’s hot right now. This day and age social media is so beautiful but is so dangerous because people get to choose what persona they get to present to people.
You got this younger artists coming up and the first thing they want to do is rap about guns and drugs because that is what’s popular, and it’s so sad. I think it is all of our fault as an artist, because that is what we put out there. It’s all on the radio and it’s all we talk about. For me, I find myself being the exact opposite and I go against the grain. When my mom listens to my music she says:
“You are nothing like what’s out there and that is the one thing that I am so proud of you about is that you chose to be yourself.”
Make sure to check our recorded live session on our account Clapper Sounds and in our reels on Instagram. Enjoy the Clapper Sounds live session of the week!