Resolute: Salute! My name is Resolute and Im a hip hop artist & entrepreneur from Chicago, Illinois but now living in Berlin, Germany. I also happen to be a Swiss & Swedish, American born citizen. I spent a good number of years in the Chicago street life, product of my environment I guess you could say, which spawneda lot of experience on a wide range of topics from life itself to business and music. Due to my methods it created freedom to control my direction in life which directly influenced and is the foundation of my music style and who I am today. During this time, I have traveled to places such as Mexico, Canada, Eastern + Western coasts of the U.S and Western Europe.
I began as a freestyle MC in 2008 going to events and ciphers forging my name and knowledge, eventually becoming a recording
artist. I like to keep a universal mentality, so nothing is impossible to accomplish.
Baamogetswe: When was your first encounter with hip-hop, what did you hear that made you fall in love with the culture?
Resolute: I started young with hip-hop, as have many. Listening to some of the classics I still do today from artists such as Nas, AZ, Wu Tang, Last Emperor, Tupac, Kool G Rap, Rakim, Common, Molemen, Jedi Mind Tricks, Non Phixion etc. Hip hop pulled me into when I began to see more into the unique lifestyles and poetry being formed and put onto a musical piece over an instrumental. Everybody has a story, some have wild ones and hiphop is one of the timeless platforms to capture that. It motivated me through the dark and the light times and I felt I had an interesting story to tell at the time and for the future + a solid mind that could supply intelligent music and act as inspiration to those it reached, just as it had for me. I wanted to be a part of that universal energy through something I believed in.
Baamogetswe: Your first album, The last horizon, tell us a little more about that, who produced and under what label was it released:
Resolute: My first album "The Last Horizon" was released on June 25th 2014. It was released 100% independent by my hands alone and crafted in the same manner. My first step in being a recording artist and making an album, and doing it for the most part all from my own hands and with the tools available at the time. I personally reached out to the producers, DJ's and guest MC's on the album after extensively viewing their body of work, having respect for them and knowing our styles blend well enough that we could craft some solid and true classic music together.
Featuring noteworthy production from comrades located in Chicago, New York
and Europe (Memoriza & Panik of Chicago's legendary Molemen crew), Crown of France's highly regarded Grimreaperz crew, Live From the Streets creator Mr. Green from Brooklyn, my comrade
June Marx from Brooklyn, the young protege and multi talented BBZ Darney from Sweden, Switzerland's premiere production duo Symphonik Bang, Vherbal of Anno Domini, & Kyo Itachi of France's Shinigamie Records).
2 guest emcee appearances are on the album, one from AZ (Nas/The Firm) & another from June Marx.
DJ Kwestion of Jedi Mind Tricks is also featured handling a majority of the cuts and as main DJ of the album.
Baamogetswe: Can you tell us a little more about the Heavy Artillery, what countries you performing?
Resolute: Heavy Artillery was formed by June Marx and I during the Winter of 2014, just before the formation and release of the "Endless Winter EP" which was released on February 24th 2015. We had a US tour that began on EP release day titled "The Heavy Artillery Tour", same name as the group. The tour was comprised of myself, June Marx and guest comrade DJ Ambideckstriks, Chicago's DMC champion DJ. Ambideckstriks handled the cuts live during the tour and throughout the EW EP. This first initial tour was from Chicago through the Midwestern and southern states, we even made a side stop in Juarez, Mexico. Heavy Artillery still stands in solid form and. Upon completion and release of the "Endless Winter: Avalanche" album, we will be available for booking worldwide and will be working on our global connections old and new to achieve that goal + continue with the mission
Baamogetswe: Were you aware that you had a following in South Africa and if so did you at any point plan on touring the continent?
Resolute: Yes actually since my first album was released Ive received quite a number of emails and messages from fans all across Africa, specifically in South Africa so I knew they respected and supported my movements fro quite some time. I am currently looking for and building with already had and new connections throughout Africa from producers, few MC's, business operators, promotion specialists, radio, studios and event/festival booking managers + anybody with knowledge on what I work to achieve and is willing to build. June Marx and I have a strong interest in bringing Heavy Artillery for a tour out in Africa or at least a few events in South Africa. Any worthy contacts interested to build feel free to get in contact!
Baamogetswe: You are currently based in Germany, Berlin to be exact, was you move from the USA business related or for personal Reasons?
Resolute: Correct on that. I moved here to Berlin about 10 month ago. I first traveled to Europe on September/October of 2014, visiting various cities such as Dublin, Ireland /
Brussels, Belgium / Amsterdam, Netherlands / Paris, France / Geneva, Switzerland / Basel, Switzerland
(where I did my first show in Europe with Snowgoons) / Berlin, Germany (where I met Mila Highlife, who is now my girlfriend and reason for moving to Berlin) / and Rome, Italy.
I met with a solid number of already existing connections I have been building with and countless new besides gaining
priceless insight into new cultures, the ways of the world and plans for my future.
Now that I live here I have gained Swiss citizenship and assimilated into the EU culture. Im currently focusing on building connections all around EU for various music, business and travel purposes.
Baamogetswe: You have a very "close" affiliation with Snowgoons, and i do mean "close", do you mind telling us how close?
Resolute: Snowgoons are relatively new comrades to me. As said above, my first show and first time meeting them was October 4th 2014 at an event we did together in Basel, Switzerland. Mila is their booking manager and also an artist who handles a multitude of tasks in and outside of music. Mila has been working with Snowgoons for a number of years on the booking end and many other objectives, and naturally since my coming to her in Berlin I have become well acquainted with Snowgoons and have built a solid relationship with them. Expect a few interesting things to come from our building together now and in the future. Be on the lookout for the new Heavy Artillery track titled "The Mission" produced by Snowgoons with a video featuring footage from June in Brooklyn and myself in Berlin. Track is off the "Endless Winter: Avalanche" album.
Baamogetswe: You got a new album out with June Marx, mind shedding a lil light on the project?
Resolute: we are now building on the much more complex follow up "Endless Winter: Avalanche" album and looking to take the Heavy Artillery name and tour worldwide. New level of music, business, surprises, merchandise, updates, events and operations of all kinds coming in the near future as we build the Heavy Artillery name and this next album. EW Ava features a new list of renowned producers from around the world, a select few highly skilled DJ's, 10 tracks in total and a much deeper and defined concept and build all around than the inital EP. It is currently being built and should be released roughly at the end of this winter. Updates will be made on the progress periodically. The project is being solely focused on and craft in high detail as we now speak.
Baamogetswe: In one word, how would you describe your sound?
Resolute. (The Definition of my name)
Resolute. (The Definition of my name)
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