Local Southsider, Lyric Marid has taken off early in 2016 and shows no signs of slowing down. From his flexible flows to his true self coming out in his lyrics, his abilities are being seen and recognized. Releasing an instant classic album, Power Moves, earlier this year which helped set up more work in the near future, he is a can't miss act. For me, music is just as important live as it is recorded and this is where Lyric Marid excels. His live shows provide an energy that will leave you just as out of breath as him.

At the venue in downtown Minneapolis, I was able to catch up with Lyric Marid for a few words after he opened up for national recording artist The Game. Local radio personality Peter Parker described his set, where he brought out many of his Mill City Collective family, as “Wu-tang like” with a “bunch of dude in sweatshirts taking over the stage.” While his music is a party for the ear, his live act is a must see.

First off, Tell the fans a little about yourself and your style of music.

It's kind of hard to zone in on a style, sorry I'm out of breath my fatass just got done performing, but Southside representing, Lyric Marid, I put on for the Mill City Collective. [We] are on an independent label, we deep in this shit and on the come up. If I had to pick a sound I would say real, I spit about life.

It's hard to bring up the Southside of Minneapolis without mentioning Atmosphere, do you gain any influence from them or other artists in the area?

I keep it 100 all the time, so [being honest] no. Their style of music doesn't have anything to do with my style of music but I respect the lane that he paved and I pay homage. I actually fuck with Slug, email back and forth. He rock with the movement and knows what's up.

You brought up the Mill City Collective, can you speak on how the group formed and how you guys draw inspiration from each other?

Mill City Collective the name has been around since 2006. Reed Benjamin, previously KOB, actually started this with Face and VerseUno. They started in 06 when I was still playing football and not on this rap shit. Then after a music endeavor, a movement called Living For Today [LFT] went sour me, [Raw Toon] and the rest of the [Deeply Rooted] Tribe teamed up with KOB, Face, and [Verse]Uno and started pushing the Mill City name. [From there] we have been building man just trying to reach out to the real, we just added Kashy and he isn't from Minnesota but it just shows the reach we are trying to have with people, we are trying to take over.

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Speaking of Mill City, the Mill City Nights has been a staple here over the last couple of years. What are your thoughts on them closing the doors?

Man I personally feel that shit is wack as fuck but business is business and I'm a business man so at the end of the day I get it. That was our home though, we use to turn it up and smoke that place out every time and they would get so mad but we are like their little brother so they never tripped too hard. We performed at the main stage there and would shut it down, but we shut shit down everywhere so it is what it is.

You just dropped latest project Power Moves, with some big features on there from Why Khaliq, Sake Red, Lucien Parker, Finding Noyvon, Baby Shel and a lot of your Mill City brothers. Tell me a little about this project and the direction you went with it.

I just have to take a second to laugh at how you pronounced some of those names (Sake Red and Lucien Parker I messed up personally.) It's all love though, those my niggas man and there was more than that [Deeply Rooted Tribe, Empire X, Taylor J, Reeves Junya, Sti-lo Reel, MaLLy, Bdotcroc, Big Wiz] a lot of upcoming artists in the cities. Chance York [Crunchy kids] on a track, bro I got Why Khaliq and Prince Cray. It has been real, but don't think I am done just cause I dropped Power Moves.

You were kind enough to send me two singles off your next project “Sota Seoul”. [Trust Issues and Blind Folds] Just a dope project already, tell me a little about this project. (Side Note:He stopped to show me the artwork for the album with me)

March be watching, Sota Seoul. Upcoming album with replay value through the roof. I stayed close knit with it. I reached out and did all my features with the whole city just to show that I fuck with the city and the city fucks with me. I'm a homebody so I'm about to bring this one back home. Everything is going to be organic and all the features are going to be in house except family, like I have [Bdotcroc] [on Blind Folds].

Sota Seoul is set to release March of 2017 and you can catch Lyric Marid live at Kato Ballroom with Mac Irv, Dima Kash and headliner OT Genasis this Thursday, October 18.

Connect with Lyric Marid
Facebook.com/LyricMarid
Twitter.com/Lyric_Marid
Instagram.com/lyric_marid