Brodie Fresh is a name that is becoming more and more popular within the RI rap community. It’s only been five years since his rap career started and Brodie has reached goals that most underground rappers spend their whole lives trying to achieve. Brodie has been sponsored on VH1, worked with Funk Flex and toured the country. I got in contact with Brodie Fresh to talk about his growth from local rap artist to touring the country.
Mathew Gilbert (Motif): Every rapper that I know has that one moment where they just fell in love with rap. What’s yours?
Brodie Fresh: I’d probably say, young man, I never wanted to be a rapper, but I played the drums in fourth grade so I knew that I loved music early. As far as actually becoming a rapper, it probably was in college. I went to Hartford and I was going through a lot. I was around 20 at the time.
MG: What was your family’s reaction when you decided that this is what you wanted to do with your life?
BF: My dad used to rap, so he was excited. My mom didn’t really want me to do it. She wanted me to go to college and finish school, but eventually they both came around to it. Once my mom started to see stuff really happen she realized I was serious about this and kind of went with it.
MG: Who do you look up to?
BF: Definitely my dad. He was shot the year before I was born so for the first eight years of my life he was on crutches and he had one foot. When I was 8 he had right below his knee cut to become a below-the-knee amputee. That way he could get a prosthetic leg and walk around again without crutches. My dad was one of those type of dudes who would basically paint you this picture that nothing is wrong. Even though there may be something crazy wrong, he’d never let you know.
MG: Aside from rap do you have any other interests?
BF: Absolutely. I do the fashion thing. I went to school for that a little bit and I definitely have a passion for that as well. Really just helping other people. My passion is music, fashion and helping others who are trying to make things happen for their lives. I also want to branch into acting eventually.
MG: What was the best moment of your rap career?
BF: I feel like so many good things have happened. If I could do a top three I would say touring, because I got to see most of the country. Another one is my first TV and radio placement. I was on VH1 and just being on the radio are big things for me. Probably lastly I would say when I got interviewed by DJ Enuff. We got to have a relationship and [I liked] learning from him and hearing advice from him.
MG: Having a father who is a pastor and growing up in the church, do you feel like the lessons you learned are coming out in your lyrics?
BF: I actually just had this talk with my dad not too long ago. When I was born I had really bad asthma to the point where I would have to go to the hospital to be on a machine. The doctors back then told my dad and my mom that I might not live because of it. My dad took me back then — he and my mom weren’t together. My dad’s friend told him that there was a little crusade going on in Philly where the pastor was praying over people, and he took my dad and me to get prayed over. We waited in line for hours and when he was the next person in line they stopped the line so I never even got to see the guy. We left and got back home and I went to the doctor the next week and from then on I never had asthma again in my life.
With that being said, I was just telling my dad that I feel like a pastor can reach and touch people, but the people he is touching are already in the church. An artist can reach people who are not in a church and so many other people without even really thinking that you’re trying to reach them. I could be talking about a real life lesson in a song and touch people who aren’t in the church just to show them like this is the right thing and you could do something with your life. I feel like those are the most important things that God looks for.
MG: What was the inspiration for your song “Pray?”
BF: The first verse is all about me for sure from the drugs to my dad and everything that went on. The second verse didn’t actually happen to me. I was in a gang and stuff like that, but I kind of wanted that song to be basically showing that as a people sometimes we don’t think about how our actions can affect more than the person that we’re dealing. If I’m selling drugs and in my mind I got a bunch of stuff like, “I don’t want to do this but I’m doing it because I’m trying to provide for my family and this is all I know right now.”
MG: Lastly, what message do you want to give to the young people who look up to you and listen to you?
BF: To the kids I would say just keep going. There are certain people out here who are okay with working a 9 to 5 or may not have a huge dream to be something huge and that’s perfectly fine. Nowadays people make it seem like if you’re not rich then life is not good and that’s not true. It’s more about your family and enjoying life and helping others or just being happy because money isn’t happiness.. No matter where you come from, no matter what your life was or wherever you’re starting from, my word to you would be just keep going. I really believe anybody can do anything they really put their mind to.
Check out these upcoming shows this month:
DMX finally returns to Rhode Island on March 4 at Lupo’s. Show starts at 9pm
Artists On The Rise featuring Ken Rebel, Moka, Spocka Summa, Jay Notes & Knellz will be performing on March 5 at The Met in Pawtucket. Doors open at 8:30pm
For the first time in over one year, MC Chris will return to RI at Fete on March 9. Doors open at 7pm
His first time ever in front of a Rhode Island audience, Cousin Stizz performs on March 11 at The Met. Doors open at 7pm
For more information on Brodie Fresh, Twitter: @BrodieFresh; Facebook: facebook.com/IAMFRE5H; Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/brodiefresh; Website: BrodieFresh.com
