As you know, I go to a lot of hip-hop shows and open mics all around New York City. I'm always taking pictures but I try to really watch and listen to every artist that performs for a couple reasons. The first reason is purely out of respect. If someone is on the mic, the audience needs to be quiet and listen whether it's the host, vendor/venue owner, or the artist. The second reason I pay attention is because it's my goal to find the best unknown talent in NYC. I can usually find one or two artists at each show that are very talented. Usually the most talented artists don't have management or proper support. This is why I find artists and work with them.

Last month I was at Show Your Nice's Open Mic event when I saw a lot of artists but NAMGAWD stood out in the pack. I can tell a lot about an artist from their performance. What I enjoyed about NAMGAWD's performance was that he seemed focused yet relaxed. What I mean by that is he didn't once seem to struggle getting a lyric out or lose his breath on stage. He seemed very comfortable. I was impressed by how clear I could understand him as well. Hearing what an artist is saying, especially when you don't know the track, is very important. After his performance, we chopped it up and talked about doing an interview. He told me about a tape he had dropping in July called Hope Never Lost. Since it dropped yesterday, I felt like it was a perfect time to do an interview. Hope Never Lost is a great mixtape all the way through. It reminds me of a mixtape from 10 years ago when rappers used to still put out dope mixtapes. My two favorite tracks on the project are "Nothing4Me REMIX" and "When You Called". Check out the interview below to learn more about NAMGAWD.

Tell me a bit about yourself.

I'm from NYC, I spent a large part of my life in art classes and things like that and it eventually became a big part of what I do with music. I started out making beats and did that for a while before I even thought about rapping. After a while since no one was really feeling my beats I decided to learn how to rap. Since then I've kinda made producing secondary. I liked the power of words and became fascinated with how to use them. I changed my name about a million times and tried out a million styles till I got to where I am now creatively and I'll probably try something new soon .

Where were you born and raised?

I was born and raised in Manhattan till about 9 years old then I moved around a lot from Harlem to Jersey to the Bronx then back to jersey.

How did you come up with your artist name?

I was just nam at a point but I felt like it resembled Nas to much. So i used this acronym I had been thinking about; Never A Miss God Always Will Deliver ( N.A.M.G.A.W.D.)

Who are some of your idols?

Kanye , Jay Z , Schoolboy Q , Kendrick , Ab Soul , Drake , I could go on for days. I look up to everyone putting their all into the music

Why do you make music?

I make music because its the one thing we all need. Music has the same value in the world as air and it's unnoticed. I realized it and figured it would be an honor to be apart of something that will never fade. It gives me the space to say what I want without interruption or prosecution for 3-5 mins. In this world 3-5 mins of being the real you is hard to come by. But i have hope and hope never lost.

Why did you choose hip-hop to express yourself? Why not another genre?

Hip hop felt like a craft I was meant for because of the importance of words. I always loved to read and write stories so once I realized there was a platform that I could express myself fully and be appreciated for it I couldn't help but choose hip hop.

What is your favorite album of all time? And so far this year?

My favorite album of all time would have to be My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. And this Year it would have to be The Life of Pablo. I'm waiting for this Schoolboy album though , I think he may change my mind.

What are your thoughts on the current state of hip-hop in NYC?

I like that we are embracing the vibe and sound of other places and at the same time I like the fact that there are rappers holding it down for the city and preserving the feel of NY rap. Dave east, Action Bronson , Flatbush Zombies etc. I think we aren't giving the guys who are really about rap enough credit. Our city has become a bit unoriginal.

What can fans expect from Hope Never Lost? How does it differ from your previous releases?

Hope Never Lost will sonic-ally be my most hard and uptempo project. I've done some singing which I'm a little nervous about but also still confident it sounds good. It's a provocative tape, very in your face and may even drive strong opinions about the songs but that is always the intention. This project is me explaining my current state of thinking. how reckless it can be, how confident it can be, how conflicted it can be while dealing with the issues of trying to turn a craft into a career. It won't be a sit down and meditate listen, I wanted to motivate, I wanted to spark a fire in the listener hopefully that's what they can expect.

Describe your sound in three words.

Aggressive. passionate. & provocative

What's next for you?

I've already recorded about 3 songs for my next project which should be an EP like HNL. I plan on pushing HNL for the rest of the year until I'm ready to move on to the next project. So the goal for now is to promote the tape as much as possible with performances, interviews, and visuals. I've finished the music so next is the footwork.

Connect with NAMGAWD
www.namgawd.com
Facebook.com/Namgawd
Twitter.com/NAMGAWD
Instagram.com/namgawd
Youtube.com/channel/UC0jw2lv-koKkWnvJb_naz_g