North Carolina Rapper Nineside Talks Growth, Life and Manifestation

Many who follow me may not know that my team and I have widened our net outside of country rap. I have learned that everyone loves music, good music, and there are so many independent artists in multiple genres who provide that. One that I was recently introduced to is a North Carolina rapper known as Nineside.

Boomsound Factory, LLC and I have been working together for weeks. Boomsound is an Artist and Repertoire team out of North Carolina. Boomsound has introduced me to some amazing talents and we both want to bring you all new independent artists to follow, push and watch grow. Nineside is just the first of many to come.

I asked Nineside a series of questions pertaining to who he is as an artist and how he came to be Nineside. I love the responses I get from asking questions because they are genuine and real.

Here's what I learned about Nineside:

Growing up many perceive wealth as having everything we wanted like Xboxes, clothes, the hottest shoes and everything we have ever seen on a TV commercial. Wealth to Nineside was different though. Wanting and needing those material things was cool, and sometimes sad when we didn't get them, but what Nineside saw as his wealth was the love his parents gave him as opposed to the things that in reality don't matter. The relationship that he had with his family led him to not only be a good son but also a brother, musician, and from what I can tell, a great friend.

His parents were heavy into Church and that's what made him want to pursue music. During Covid he became more creative and found a niche he didn't know he had. When creating music, Nineside goes off the vibes and has a book full of verses and notes that he can go back on when a beat hits the right way. Nineside also likes to freestyle making his skills sharper and his brain ready for all the creativeness he can conjure up on the spot. Being able to do both takes brain power and on-the-spot skill. This is definitely something to be proud of.

When I send out these questions, I can't help but again, love the raw responses I get back. I can't change these individuals' words to make them better because they already are. I asked Nineside 12 questions and just summed up who he is as an artist, from a journalist standpoint but I'm going to let the beauty of his words let you get to know him.

1. What made you want to start doing music? Your influences?

A: To be honest, sort of a typical origin story, parents heavy in the church, always been around music my whole life. I did plays, musicals, talent shows, you name it. I always had a deep inclination to music, but the pandemic brought out the creator in me. Always in the Stu with my friends, learned how to record, mix, and master my own songs.

2. Everyone has a process on which is ideal for when they write. How would you describe yours?

A: I go off the vibe, I either write or punch in for my music; I feel like both are essential, especially since all my homeboys love to freestyle. Being able to do both is a skill. But as far as writing, I’ll sit down, play beats, whichever beat speaks to me, I load it up and start writing, or find previous bars and verses in my notes.

3. What are some goals you have set for yourself while still putting in the work you do now?

A: Allowing myself to fail, and learn from each failure. Someone had to be the first person to do it wrong to know what the correct way to do something was, and the correct way in MY eyes, is letting those ugly L’s shape a flawless W.

4. How would you describe your childhood? How did music impact your childhood?

A: My childhood was great for me, didn’t always have, or get what I wanted but I remember all the love my parents tried to show in return for the missing material items, and I thank God every day for that. Like I stated before, music has been in me for forever, my mother danced ballet and a whole rack of other styles, and my parent's played music for my brothers and I while we were still in the womb. Cleaning up on Saturday, music. Cooking for breakfast and dinner, music. Remedy for my nightmares, music hahaha. Music really shaped my being in a sense.

5. What is your favorite part of creating music?

A: The ability to create with no limitations. I always said you got to out-do yourself, but part of that growth is the ability to be vulnerable enough to hear yourself in a new spectrum, or over a new genre, or new producers beats. I happen to pride myself on versatility so I don’t care what beat I hear, if I like it, I’m going to run with it.

6. How would you describe how you have grown with your music?

A: Exponentially, but not nearly enough. I have about 25 songs out, but over 250+ songs recorded with totally different flows, rhyme schemes, instrumentation, and genres, and I feel like there still more walls to break down.

7. What event in life made your creativeness peak?

A: My first live performance. It’s fun going to see established artists in concert or something and thinking, “I would love to share my craft with millions,” but when you look out into the crowd, and see them bobbing their head to YOUR content, it hits different.

8. What are some of your plans for new releases?

A: Currently, I am celebrating the release of my new album, $moke & Mirror$, a joint tape made by myself and my main producer $moke Digital. As I stated, I’m versatile in my music, so I plan on dropping genre related tapes, for example, Wayne dropping a rock album. I’m big on R&B and Neo-Soul, I currently have an EP series, Tethered Heart, that will look to have a sequel this December.

9. What has been your personal favorite song you ever recorded?

A: Randi’s Interlude…I plan on performing this song with an orchestra behind me. It was the first song I wrote, co-produced, and mixed on my own. I got help from a longtime friend and very talented artist, Devin Lessane (Also his artist's name, go stream his music), and we created somewhat of a masterpiece in my eyes. I’ve had the song for almost a year now, and anyone who’s heard a snippet always berates me with “When is it going to drop,” “You let Randi go yet?” So, I love to see people love the music as much as me.

10. What was one of the craziest things you've ever seen or done while out performing?

A: Went to a Chris Brown concert with my brother when I was younger in Raleigh, and I’ve never seen so many teary-eyed women show cleavage in my life ahahaha.

11. If you could change one thing in your life right now what would that be? Can pertain to music, life, family etc

A: Being kind of open with this one but my social anxieties. I’ve always been well verse with speaking to crowds because generally, general statements and facts can satisfy a group, but I wasn’t always treated well by others as a child, and they always blamed me for making them act that way, which made me anxious to talk to people individually. Sometimes you’ll see me move a lot, or stutter and slip up in free-flowing sentences, and that’s because my mind is always working faster to make sure I don’t mess up and make someone angry with me. I’ve learned to care less and I’ve gotten better, but it’s still hard. It’s caused me to distance myself from others, and be fine with the fact we don’t speak cause maybe I don’t have a chance to mess something up.

12. Describe what you see when you are manifesting your future life

A: Respect, Love, Health, Wealth, Understanding, Patience, and being the most interesting Dad at my kids' school, when I have kids hahahaha. I see strength, I see healing, I see me teach and learning simultaneously. I see a man who would pour into others souls, hoping to influence someone to be the best them they can be. I see God at the head of all of these things.

Nineside is most definitely humble, level headed and knows what his goals are, where he is going and I'm certain he will be successful in any aspect he drives himself to. Go check out his Spotify, YouTube and Instagram!

Photo credits: CJ Fennell, Devin Lessane, Justin Wagner