This interview was conducted shortly after the release of his first solo album. Take a look at our conversation to gain insight on who Pennjamin really is.
As a Midwestern native, Penn delivers a variety of lyrical stories that give him the opportunity to share his life with whoever will listen. A graduate from University of Illinois with a degree in Speech Communication, Penn has proven that he will take full advantage of the opportunities placed in front of him. As an accomplished Chicago artist, Penn has a lot to offer to the hip hop community. Opening for major recording acts gave Penn the experience of a lifetime early in his musical career. After releasing his first official solo album a part from Project Fr3sh titled “Hello World”, he is focusing on doing all that he can to become an artist that is appreciated on a national level. Home team support is always appreciated, but there is nothing wrong with wanting more.
Rae: Tell me a little about yourself…
Penn: Well as you already know I’m 1/3 of the group Project Fr3sh. I just released my first solo album. I t got a lot of good reviews and feedback so far. I’ve been on ALLHIPHOP.COM twice within a one week. I been rapping pretty much since I was 14. Umm in that time I seen a lot of stuff. I ain't even where I want to be yet but I had people promise me the world and I ain’t get it. This guy who was Ray Charles former manager used to manage me, and I had started my own like record label but that fell through… so I seen a lot!
Rae: Where are you from?
Penn: Yea I moved around a lot. I went to high school in Cleveland. I hated it there. Chicago is where I spent most of my time.
Rae: Do you feel that being from Chicago affects the type of music you make? Some people make music to tend to their locals.
Penn: I just make whatever feels good to me. Producers might tell me to send them some of my work to hear what my style is but I’m like no you just do you and I’ll adjust to what you doin’. As far as the whole Chicago influence goes, I never really wanted to brand myself as a Chicago artist just because I feel like I’m bigger then that. You ain’t gone hear me saying street names and shit like that, you’ll hear me say Chicago but I’m not finna be like yea we down here on 87th & Indiana… at the Harold’s Chicken… you know. Like nah. I’m conscious of that and I want people to see me as a global act and not really localized to one place so that’s why I do that. If you don’t think you’re bigger than what’s around you then who will? My tattoo says “Reality is Perception I Think Therefore I Am”
Rae: As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
Penn: Michael Jordan… Yea. I wanted to be Michael Jordan. And that’s about it. I never really wanted to grow up and have a real job. I’m sorry to any children… like I wanted to hoop and when that didn’t work I just wanted to do music. Like school… yea I went to school so my mama wouldn’t be mad at me
Rae: Did you finish?
Penn: Yea… yea I got a degree… don’t ask me what my GPA was but I got the degree. Haha!
Rae: What makes you want to pursue a career in the music industry? Give it to me straight no chaser.
Penn: The real answer… Music is the only thing I feel like I’m good at and that’s pretty much the bottom line. I’m good at video games… but just music.
Rae: So you’ve never done anything else that you were pretty good at?
Penn: Oh I used to hoop, but everybody can’t be Mike. I was pretty good… I got some offers to go to Division II schools but it was a all boys school, that was wrong! Haha! And my dad was a good hoopa back in his day and he went to small school to play, he said it wasn’t fun no more and it started getting like that for me around my junior year of high school... so I just kept rapping.
Rae: If you could change one thing about the industry what would it be?
Penn: It’s really no money in it…so I mean here I am rapping my life away to ultimately get a major deal that I would ultimately have to owe them [the label] money, to put my video and my album together. But it’s just what I love to do so it really don’t even matter about how logical it is. More money back into the industry.
Rae: One thing that I know for a fact that had a big impact on the amount of money the industry makes is the amount of piracy and being able to burn CDs
Rae: Who have been some of your biggest influences in life?
Penn: Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan. They pretty much equal. When Michael Jackson died that sh*t hurt my soul… matter fact, on the day he died I had on white socks with loafers… so I still wear white socks with loafers to this day. Outkast but 3000 is my favorite, Kanye, Jay Z, Lupe, Common, the Chicago greats… I like Crucial Conflict too but they not really influential for me. Haha! I like to act silly and have a good time so Mike Epps, Chris Tucker…
Rae: You kinda favor Mike Epps…
Penn: I just heard that the other day for the first time. I’m just like a big kid. I’m never really stressed out. I get stressed out by my music sometimes but other then that not to much gets to me. If I owe people money… when I get my deal- that’s gone put me in more debt… I’ll give ya’ll money! Haha!
Rae: What issues have you faced while pursing your career?
Penn: Getting up this morning and doing it! You know one of the things I worry about –and I shouldn’t- it’s like I’ll do a song and be like “man I wonder if Imma have something else to rap about on the next song?” I know I shouldn’t worry about that but I do and then on top of that… I always just wanted to be seen as being a dope rapper, that’s my goal- be a dope rapper, but I get branded and if Byrd and Chi was here they would tell you… I’m the cute one of the group I guess and I don’t hate it but I’m just like I’m dope too right? Haha! Get past that. I mean it’s cool. And all the sh*t you deal with behind the scenes trying to make a album… this ain’t the first solo album I did but it’s the first one I did on this large of a scale and from dealin’ with different producers to dealin’ with trying to get your mixes done to dealin’ with deadlines you got to meet… that sh*t is stressful. I don’t want a regular job but all that sh*t will take a toll on you. I’m the kinda person that if I’m not doing nothing, if it’s not something on my plate I drive myself crazy because I feel like I should always be doing something
Rae: What’s is the ultimate goal for your career?
Penn: I kinda just make it up as I go along. I have a plan but… ok, the album that I just released I wanted people to hear it so I got on ALLHIPHOP.COM and the album had like 1500 downloads in about a week. Which is dope to me… so what’s next after that? How can I get heard by more people so I just keep progressing and eventually somebody need to cut me a check! Haha!
This was my first interview without project fr3sh… I’m used to having them here
Rae: What songs would be on the soundtrack to your life?
Penn: Amazin- Kanye West ; and by the way I thought 808’s was a dope album a lot of people ain’t like because he was singing…fuck that I liked it!
Human Nature- Michael Jackson
Can’t help it- Michael Jackson
Jazzybell- Outkast
Prototype- Andre 3000
A Day in the Life of Benjamin Andre- Andre 3000
The Hours- Slum Village
Set It- Slum Village
Purple Kisses- The Dream
Rock With U- Bobby Brown
Million Dollar Bill- Whitney Houston
Feelin on yo booty- R. Kelly
Living for the love of you- Isley Brothers
You don’t have to Call- Usher
November 18th - Drake
::End of Interview::
Since the interview, Pennjamin has performed a number of shows, currently finishing up his second solo album titled HeartBeat (which is doope thus far), and is looking forward to opening for Dom Kennedy on August 14th in Chicago. To keep up with Pennjamin be sure to hit him up http://twitter.com/pennbannekar
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