What first got you into music? 

Music, helped get me into music itself. Music was and will always be my first true love…besides my mama. Ever since I was a baby, I was drawn to and moved by the beauty of sound and patterns. I happen to be actually autistic myself. Because of this, I interpret and create music in a very different manner than most. In short, I experience synesthesia and music is something tangible and very tactile for me. My autistic brain is both a gift and a curse in many ways. However, when it comes to music it’s mostly a gift. I have ADHD as well, if you can’t tell already. Clearly, having lots of energy and bouncing off the walls can be an advantage as an artist too. I’ve been told I have a stage presence like no other. I have met few people who can match my energy and passion. Being a neurodiverse hybrid, I truly can get lost in music for hours. I’ve been that way my whole life. I could escape to a new world whenever I wanted to, simply by putting on a pair of headphones. Music always helped take me to a happy place, and it still does today. Anytime I’m in a studio I feel like a million bucks. So yeah, I guess music got me into music.

Who inspired you to make music?

That’s quite an interesting question, it’s hard to narrow down a list these days. As I like to tell people, I pull inspiration from every experience that I am fortunate enough to have in this lifetime. I am inspired by every waking moment. My hunger to create and to live through my art is insatiable. It isn’t restricted by just a list of artists who inspire me. Early on though, it was artists from a wide range of different genres that helped inspire my art. When it came to rock and alternative, it was legends like Bowie, The RHCP, The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Sublime and Blink 182 who inspired me most. Grunge and punk helped raise me. I was in a punk band once, but that didn’t work out. I played bass. I also can’t leave out the master song writers like Bob Dylan or the musical geniuses like Prince. They really had an impact on me.
When it comes to hip hop though, I need to give credit to the golden era of hip hop. I was that little white kid who woke up early each day before school to watch Yo! MTV Raps. I had to catch my favorite videos and practiced rapping to them all. I used to get bullied sometimes for being so into hip hop as a white “boy’ but I didn’t care. I grew up listening to the likes of Biggie, Tupac, DMX, Jay-Z, Lil Kim, The Lox, Diddy, Foxxy Brown, Snoop, Dre, The Beastie Boys and so on. I can’t forget legends like Busta Rhymes, Kanye, G-Unit and Fifty too. A lot of that old school Hot 97 stuff is still the greatest from the genre if you ask me. Eventually, Eminem and D-12 came along taking my love of hip hop to a whole new level. It was actually Eminem who had inspired me to enter my first battle of the bands contest. I won the entire competition with an original rap in 8th grade. After that show, I was hooked to performing. It’s like a drug, I can’t get enough. 

However, the biggest inspiration for me musically has been my students. I am a New York City High School Teacher. A few years back, I started an after school hip hop program for inner city kids. They get to record and produce their own music for free. It’s by far the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I started with one high school and it expanded to many. I put my own money into it too. Due to it’s popularity, I’m going to organize a fundraiser concert to help grow the music program soon. I helped get a lot of kids into college with their music. Many of these kids introduced me to a whole new generation of rappers too. Thanks to them, I now have artists like Bennie the Butcher, Travis Scott, A Boogie, Kay Flock, Fivio Foreign and Rico Nasty on my playlists. More importantly, some of these young rappers taught me how to rap on rhythm. I was always off beat when I first hopped back on a mic. It had been years since I ever made a song and had to shake off the rust. I was definitely doing my best Blueface for a while, but the glow up is real. Practice makes perfect, you know, music is like a sport. 

Oh and if we are talking about recent inspiration, just wait until you all meet this young 16 year old female rapper I’ve been working with. She’s my team’s secret weapon. She goes by Wesli, and everyone should go check out her latest music video on YouTube for her single Gas Gas. Wesli and I are working on finishing up some tracks and will be dropping a video too. She’s definitely got the streets of NYC buzzing. Many feel she may one day become the future Queen of New York Hip Hop.

How would you describe the music that you typically create?

My music is ever changing. I don’t think my music can be categorized or limited by describing it in one specific way because my music transcends genres and is constantly evolving—just like myself. I am the true definition of what a multi-genre musician is! I am not just a rapper, I am not just a producer, nor am I just simply a musician. I am an artist, who creates for the sake of creating. However, if I was forced to pick one genre to stick to for the rest of my life, hip hop has my heart. I’ve got the international world buzzing about my EDM music, but New York seems to prefer my rap music. I’ve got so many different styles, I’m always working on diversifying my sound. I’ve spent the last two years practicing, grinding and improving my craft. I have over a hundred unreleased songs at the moment with big name features too. I’ve fooled around in the studio with some pop rap, but I don’t want to be a Macklemore. I’ve impressed some with my aggressive over the top drill rap too. At the end of the day though, most of my fans say I make the type of hip hop they can listen to at the gym to get pumped up to before working out. You know, the type of hip hop you’d listen to before a big game….or a big fight. True head banging hip hop. Just wait until you all hear what I’ve been cooking up. I also have a few songs that will make you laugh for sure too. I can be a bit of a clown. 

What is your creative process like?My creative process is ever evolving.  I have learned over time that part of my creative process is to make a conscious effort to always push myself to make sure I do not limit my collaborations—and I try to diversify how my art is presented over different mediums. 

For example, there was a point in time where I was heading to the same studio with the same rappers, and the same audio engineers. Because of this I felt like I was limiting my creativity. It wasn’t until I started reaching out to collaborate with artists from different cities and different genres that I really started to see that the creative process was improved and heightened by the quality of who I collaborated with and who I surround myself with. Sometimes as artists, we feed off each other’s energies.  These days, I make sure to only surround myself with likeminded artists who are always pushing boundaries and challenging themselves in the same ways I am. 

Much like David Bowie, I’m not simply talking about musicians. I also like to involve artists who not only make music, but other forms of art. For example, David Bowie is inspirational in the sense that he chose to surround himself with fringe culture and artists operating outside of the norm. 

I even went as far as to take a brief hiatus from my musical career to hone my craft. Because of this, I spent the last two years cooking up over 100 different songs spanning multiple genres. I even spent this entire summer taking advanced music production courses. I’m working with Latin artists too. I want a Grammy one day so I guess I’m chasing down that Latin Grammy too. The creative process is so many different things that it’s hard to put into words in this brief interview. 

Who would you like to collaborate with?With the recent success of my viral music video, I started to think about this question in a very different way. I have a whole new world of fans flooding my page. Fans from all over the world! Getting a million views in a day, while breaking Trippie Redd’s and 6ix9ine’s debut records on the same channel has certainly gotten other artist’s attention.  To be honest, it’s been a little overwhelming. I’ve been receiving an outpouring of support since the video dropped and have connected with a wide range of artists—including the hottest independent ones, as well as signed talent. FM stations are even playing my single Beyond on FM stations across the country.  

To be clear, I do not want to limit myself to a bubble. If I could get a chance to work with some more big name rappers before I drop my next mixtape, I would really love to work with New York’s greatest. Cardi B, A Boogie, Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, Sleepy Hallow, Nicki Minaj…. ASAP MOB, let’s link up everyone! Outside of New York City, I’m open to working with any artist who’s talented enough to hop on a track with me. Latto and I almost dropped a video together but her team went silent on me. I would love to work with her…. or date her. Internationally I’ve teamed up with Yaksha and the F*ck Them Crew, and I hope to tour Europe soon. I’ve recently looked into the Canadian market and would love to work with talent from the Great White North like Pressa or Smiley. Those Canadian rappers are really something special and I would love to see them hop on some of my beats. When it comes my EDM, I simply want to work with the best voices on the planet, whether already signed or not discovered yet. So, if you think you got the pipes, then DM me on instagram and let’s make some magic happen. Let’s get those plaques together.

If you could open a show with any artist who would it be? 

Honestly, it’s been my lifelong dream to open for Marshal Mathers. After all, I probably wouldn’t be here having this interview without the doors that Eminem opened for musicians with a lighter complexion like myself.

I can’t leave out the Beastie Boys. They got the ball rolling for white rappers and are the best selling hip hop group of all time. It seems that they are no longer active since losing “MCA”, but I keep having this recurring dream that I am on tour with Ad-Rock and Mike D as an honorary Beastie. The dream seems so real, maybe I can manifest it? 

Furthermore, I wish I could resurrect Mac Miller, because not only do I have deep respect for him, but he was a true artist that was much bigger than just hip hop. It kills me that we lost him when he was still growing as an artist. Nas, Jay-Z, Kanye, the list goes on. I’d love to open a show for the Underground legend ZillaKami too. Love his energy. He’s one of a kind.

Outside of the rap world, it would also be a dream come true to open a show for some real icons like Mariah Carey, Calvin Harris, Lady GaGa, or even Kim Petras. Mariah Carey and I went to the same high school by the way. Unfortunately, Kim Petras seems to be ignoring me when I’ve reached out. She even blocks my comments on her Instagram page. Maybe my recent success and hype has her a little scared that there’s not enough room for the two of us in this musical town. Maybe I can challenge her to a boxing match or something. Isn’t that what artists are doing these days? I’d love to box Lil Nas X too.  Maybe Lil Nas X and I could open a show with a fight. He’d probably chicken out though. After all, he wasn’t brave enough to come out of the closet until after he found success. I’m that trans woman who is not scared to take on the cis men. It seems they are more scared of me these days.

What is one message you would give to your fans?

I’m gonna keep it simple. I’ve learned a lot over the last few years, but I believe I learned the most in just the last few months. My advice is this: ignore the hate, embrace authenticity, and invest in yourself! I’m still trying to learn how to be more selfish. I put too much time and love into others only to not get any back.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

The best advice I was ever given was to not listen to most people’s advice. I’ve gotten much better at understanding who’s feedback I should listen to and who to ignore. Ultimately, I’ve learned that many people that try to act like they’re giving advice to “help” might actually be trying to hold you back. It breaks my heart that I had to learn this the hard way, but I’m glad that I did because I can now leave so many toxic people in the past for good. This is also why my music has gotten better. So, with that said, pick and choose who you surround yourself with—I believe in quality over quantity. 

if you could change anything in the game what would it be? 

If I could change anything in this industry, baby, I would make it possible for indie/undiscovered talent to get the exposure and success that they rightly deserve. I myself know how difficult it is personally, so I would love to see that change more than anything. It’s clear to me that much of the music industry is controlled by artists that have financial backing or investors. Most up-and-coming indie artists have no way of competing with this corporate money. Let’s change the “it’s who you know” narrative and make it more of a “how talented you are” narrative. It drives me insane to think that Billie Eilish is still listed as an indie artist on Spotify, while artists like myself are paving our own way and are truly independent. I also hope that the industry starts pushing openly queer artists like myself, rather than pushing artists like little Nas X who only came out after his musical success. I’m gonna just keep repeating that. Lil Nas X does not deserve all the praise he gets if you ask me. The world should be talking about artists like Cazwell, a queer rap legend who has been out and proud long before Lil Nas X was out of diapers.  I see high school kids listening to music on the daily, but have never seen a single kid bumping Lil Nas X. Not even once. I would have killed for queer icons growing up, especially in the hip hop world. However, I would have been disappointed with someone as soft as him. Also, the only Nonbinary artists you here about are people like Demi Lovato, Halsey and Sam Smith. I reached out to collaborate but have been ignored. The media covers their stories too. What about Nonbinary Trans artists like me? “They” must be too scared. Afraid I’d steal “their” shine. Haha. See what I did there.

What’s next for you? 

A lot of things. I’m always working, it never ever stops. The ADHD has me working on a million things all at once. I’m currently finishing up 4 music videos that I will be dropping in the near future. I’m going to drop an over the top hip hop video next on F*ck Them, just finalizing things with Yaksha. I’m a new honorary member of the Fck Them Crew. I have a feeling that when my next video debuts it will break my previous record, which topped 6ix9ine’s and Trippie’s YouTube debut record. I love saying that. I’ll just keep repeating that so all the haters can hear it in the back. I basically broke a million views in 24 hours, with a mediocre music video. I just checked today and it already has over 2 million views so far! Furthermore, due to the hype the video created, “Beyond” is currently being played on FM stations across the nation. USA radio. International too. Radio interviews have been lining up. KISS FM reached out claiming that fans are calling up demanding more Braydbunch music. If I had a team I’d be doing even more. I’m truly independent. I recently got hit up by a fan in Alabama. That was pretty surreal. Heard my song on the radio. This is just the beginning though. If the world liked that video, the next one might earn me a Grammy. It certainly will make people laugh. Lyrical gold. It’s about a dream I had one night. Cardi B, 6ix9ine, J Lo, Jack Harlow and many other celebrities were there. It’s about a party in the Hamptons. The video was also inspired by South Park. As mentioned earlier, I’ve got a plethora of songs that I have waiting to release. I hope all of you are ready because the glow up is real. I’m also hyped for two of the big interviews I have coming up. I’m going to be on Shade45 and This is 50. Eminem and Fifty Cent helped raise me during my darkest times as a kid. I’m beyond honored to be dropping songs on Eminem’s own radio station and Fifty’s website. They are undoubtedly two of the greatest artists to ever live and marketing geniuses. I strive to be like them. I want to build an empire of my own. They help show me the way. Any ways, I guess you’ll have to stay tuned to see which new songs I’ll drop during each interview. Lastly, I can’t wait to fly to Slovakia to meet up with the one and only Yaksha. I’m really proud of all he’s done including being named the new CEO for Def Jam CZ/SK. He sure earned it. Oh and someone please help me set up a match with Lil Nas X…. that’s if he’s not too scared. MMA, Boxing, Pro Wrestling I don’t care. I’m like the Rock, when it comes to queer rappers, I’ll forever be the people’s champ. I came from the Underground. Truly independent. I bet Lil Nas X will hide out and just stay in his safe space. His fans tried to cancel me a little while back too. I’m so over this canceling stuff. In fact, I’d hop on a track with DaBaby. Dababy is one of the best out there today in the game and I’m all about restorative justice. Chapelle is a clown and is surely punching down on my community, making life harder for people like me. He knows it too. He’s just trying to stay relevant and some people would sell their souls for success. However, maybe Chappelle is another Eddie Murphy. Those who bark the loudest are usually hiding something. Remember when Eddie got caught picking up a trans escort? He sure has a type. Go re watch his comedy special “Raw” on Netflix. So much hate, passed off as comedy. However, this is America, shouldn’t we have freedom of speech? Rappers are getting locked away because of their lyrics. Censorship is a scary thing. A slippery slope.  I’ve been silenced many times myself. Furthermore, I make music for all people, not just queer people. Most of my hip hop fans are straight dudes. I don’t want to be narrowed down to a box. Never. We got Trans kids growing up thinking they need to fit the Queer Agenda. Be you kids. Be authentic. Think for yourself kids. There are certain queer people controlling the narrative, queer people with more money, power and privilege than most. Chappelle was wrong about a lot of things, but he made some solid points too. However, if Dave and I sat down and spoke about the last decade of my life, he would know how foolish some of what he said is. Caitlyn Jenner does not represent people like me. We live in a world where the majority of trans woman live below the poverty line. Trans woman of all colors, struggling to survive. Chappelle has some of you acting like Laverne Cox has it harder than people like me. I think Laverne wants you to think that too. That’s foolish. She’s got millions in the bank. Just like Jenner didn’t deserve her award, I’d say Laverne Cox didn’t deserve hers either. You all really think she acted better than all cisgender actresses when she won those awards? She was good, but was she the best? Let’s not forget the RuPaul Mafia. An army of “influencers” and “hacktivists” being pimped out by Ru and his corporate money. I’ve been fighting for trans rights for over a decade now. I’m in Federal Court, with one of the most horrific stories you could ever hear. A plaintiff in Federal Court by the way. Normally it’s rappers serving as defendants, but I’m taking on the system, trying to get the justice I deserve. All these celeb influencers and LGBTQ orgs left me and some queer kids on read, while claiming to be activists. Political offices left me to drown while trying to cover up the actions of others. I’ll quiet down for now about all that. Don’t want to hurt my case, even though it’s public record. People want to silence me over this too. They’ve already tried quite a few times. So I hope the world is listening. Braydbunch is that rebel who is ready to start a revolution in the industry, baby.  I can hang with the best in the game. Don’t believe me, wait and see. I always put the haters on ice.

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