As the year slowly reaches a close, it’s easy to tell who well have next in 2012. Director Robert Townsend’s daughter Skye Townsend has been steaming up the Internet with her impersonations of Beyonce, her YouTube video is on the brink of 1 million views. She recently landed herself a role in BET’s 8 Days a Week, which aired on the 26th of October. In the same breath, consider Maryland native artist Phil Ade, his hard work and determination landed him a record deal with songwriter Raheem Devaughn’s label 368 Music Group. See why they have next after the jump.
Phil Ade whose real name is Phillip Adetundi has done a fine job making a name for himself. After signing with Raheem Devaughn’s label Phil Ade has worked with rappers like Wale and Raekwon. He admits that being called a rapper limits his talent “I’m a Hip Hop artist, I don’t like to call myself a rapper, I rap but that’s not [the only] thing I do. I do more, I produce, I write songs, I sing a little bit.” Phil Ade talks with Hiphopweekly.com about what separates him from others artists and the struggles of being a rising artist.
Do you feel like a celebrity, do people recognize you on the street?
Here and there, when I get around people around my demographic that pay attention to the music, I get a little tap on the shoulder, like “hey you’re Phil Ade.”
What separates you from all the other artists out at the moment?
The thing that separates any artist is their story. That’s what separates me, my story, my background, my Nigerian/West Indian home. Living in cities with a lot of crime and different influences, I was trying to find my own identity. I’m rapping about different things I see around me, I might tell a story about what happen between me and my friends or something I have going on now. Right now, I’m on the road driving back from Atlanta, I just came back from networking and trying to get my name out some more. Stories like that, being in the industry and some of the battles I had, internally and externally.
What was the hardest part about growing up in a Nigerian home and wanting to be a rapper?
I had to break off and do it on my own, I was bumping heads with my [parents] a lot. A lot of Nigerians are big on science or doing anything that will secure income, I believe school is a good thing but I don’t think you should go to school if you’re not going to do the work and you’re just going to be going there and wasting money, while I was in school I was writing raps.
Do you have a plan B?
I’m all in right now, just music right now, but who knows further down the road, if I want to expand my business ventures, I might go back to school.
Who would you like to work with?
Q-tip, I listen to a lot of A Tribe Called Quest stuff.
She’s 18, an actress and a singer. Sounds like a lot for a teenager, but Skye Townsend proves in more ways than one that she can handle it. Her dead on impression of Beyonce has been an Internet sensation and so has her new show 8 Days a Week that was originally a web-series on BET.com but has since been picked up by the network. It premired on air on October 26, 2011 and has recieved well reviews. Let’s get one thing clear, Townsend doesn’t use the celebrity of her dad to get her places, she’s blazing her own trail. In an interview with VIBE VIXEN, Townsend describes what helps build character for her, “It’s frustrating when people say I’m only where I am because of my dad. I never booked a meeting because of him, I never asked him to make a call. I believe as an artist its important to take this journey on and take all the hurdles that come with it because it builds character.”
Tell us more about the 8 Days a Week show, why should people watch it?
We shot 10 mini episodes, and it’s pretty much an extended pilot if you play it all the way through. I have a lot of faith in this project. I think it’s really positive, [and] it shows a lot of different colors, not just black youth. It has a lot of potential. People have had nothing but good things to say about it so far.
What don’t you like about the entertainment industry?
I don’t like how people disregard celebrity’s personal business. When there were issues between my parents or something, it is kind of upsetting that the media hops on it before the parents do. I always feel for kids who are going through divorces in the public eye because they are finding out news through the web instead of their mom and dad. People are writing articles before the family can have that talk.
What’s your advice for people your age on breaking into the industry?
I think people need to learn how to take advantage of their resources. You don’t have parents that are in the industry? Fine. You don’t live in LA or New York? Fine. You still have the advantage of the internet, and that’s all you need to get attention. But get an honest opinion to see if you’re really meant for the industry. There’s so many people who you see on shows like X-Factor, they waste all their money and time because no one was ever honest with them, like ‘you have potential in this but work on that.’ YouTube is great for [giving honest feedback] its important to have honest opinions, take advantage of the internet and build yourself.
Lathleen is an entertainment reporter and freelance writer based in New York City.
I bow down humbly in the presence of such gareetnss.