Masterman MC interview. Kill The Beat
Masterman MC returns to the rap scene with “Kill The Beat”, a project that celebrates the authenticity and essence of hip hop culture. In this exclusive interview for our magazine, the artist shares the behind-the-scenes of his work, the deep meaning of his music, and personal reflections on his career and life. Together, let's discover what makes “Kill The Beat” a manifesto of old school rap.
What is the philosophy that guided you in creating “Kill The Beat”? How would you describe the main message of this song?
First of all, thank you for the interview.
Using dissing, "Kill The Beat" launches a fierce attack on a system that now puts on massive financial investment for success, delivering a direct and powerful message.
You chose to use dialect and standard Italian in “Kill The Beat”. What is the symbolic value of this linguistic choice? What message were you trying to send with this duality?
It's the first time I've used dialect in one of my songs, I simply wanted to create a clash between my two personalities, making the track seem like it was created by two different people.
Respect is one of the basic concepts of hip hop culture and your song. How would you define the concept of respect in the context of your personal and musical life?
It's fundamental, I'm a very direct person and usually if I don't respect someone, I hardly have any relationship with them. As for artistic respect, it's a bit different, I love real people, music comes second to this value.
What have been the most difficult moments in your rap career? How did you manage to overcome them?
To be honest, I haven't faced any real challenges in my career. It's been a lot of hard work, but nothing I couldn't handle.
If you had to describe “Kill The Beat” in three words, what would they be and why?
Direct, raw, real. Simply because that's what it is. The song not only reflects my point of view but also has a kind of objectivity, at least I think so.
How do you approach songwriting? Is there a specific ritual or place that inspires your creativity?
No, I used to write mainly at night, and I think that was the only ritual. Now I write whenever I'm inspired, preferably at home.
You're an old-school rap guy. How do you feel about how rap has changed, and what can new fans learn from the old days?
Lately, I've been seeing a trend that old-school rap comes back. Just look at the Club Dogo reunion or Clementino's latest album. It's a sign that modern rap might be getting a bit stale. As far as learning goes, I think it's like life - it's by looking to the past that we can improve and build a better future. And that goes for rap too.
Besides music, what else are you passionate about in life? Is there a recent experience that has particularly inspired or enriched you?
I'm passionate about a lot of things, really. Coming from a freestyle background, where the more you know, the better you can improvise. I've always been into sports, video games, and I follow politics and current events. All of these things have really enriched my life.
Rap is often a tool to give a voice to the voiceless. Is there a specific cause or social message you feel passionate about addressing in your music?
I want to talk about everything. No message is less important than another, whether it's about the music industry like in "Kill the beat," politics like in "Hypocrite People," or emotions like in "Inverno." It's important for me to express my opinion.
In "Kill The Beat", you demonstrate great technical skill with flow and rhytm changes. How do you train to maintain this level of performance?
It all comes from freestyling. To be competitive, I've studied the freestylers who came before me and my contemporaries, trying to absorb their strengths, and that naturally transferred to my songs. The best advice I can give to young rappers is to always keep your passion high. When you're passionate, you're always motivated to improve.
