San Diego Duo, Vokab Kompany, use their music as a source of healing for both themselves and all of their listeners. In celebration of the recent release of ‘Small Viktories’, I caught up with the guys for a fun chat about developing their skillsets throughout quarantine, the importance of being a good person, being on the right side of history and more.
Congrats on the release of your new LP, ‘Small Viktories’. Tell us about the creation process and what your intention was behind this release.
Robbie – Been a long time in the making for this one. Respectfully Burkey and I have been working on our side projects too, (check Red Giant Project & B3k). However, we’ve been at this for over a decade having put out a total of 6 albums in addition to the collaborations with so many of our favorite artists! Needless to say, we have been needing to put this out! Our last album, The Good Kompany Album, had a total of 15 songs on it. While this one only has 9, it feels full of story and substance. It’s definitely a viktory for us! Can’t wait to play this live. We will be streaming a show July 24th at 6:30 PM – – Tune in here.
I know that the Coronavirus has been really impactful on all, yet tell us the lowdown on how you have been utilizing all of your time in quarantine.
Both Burkey and I have been practicing our craft and developing more musical skills. I have been learning Logic Pro and he’s been learning guitar. We’ve also been getting that outdoor exercise building gardens, hanging with our families and trying to be better people and lead by example during all this crazy stuff.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you had recently and were able to overcome over time?
Robbie – With all wild shit that’s going on, it’s now more important than ever to make sure you are a good person to all! Whether that’s protesting for civil and human rights, or staying in your house wearing a bubble suit, do it and do it fucking right! Let’s set the new gold standard of being a quality human. No matter what race you are, don’t be a part of the divide. Be a part of the connect. Be a part of the change. And be a part of the support.
What is your perception of the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
Robbie – It’s a necessary evil! But for real if you’re not using it to learn, you’re lost. Granted there is a bunch of bullshit out there however, there’s also a bunch of great information and tools we can better ourselves with. Also, be nice to the computers. One day they’ll own us.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
Burkey – Being a parent drives me in all aspects of my life, from how I perform, to how I create music. It becomes the driving force of how I navigate my relationships in the music industry, as well. Being an educator also impacts how I view myself and others. For example, I don’t like writing songs that I wouldn’t play in front of my children, students or parents. I’ve found that if I keep them in mind when responding to most situations in my life, I can be more accountable for my actions. At least this is the mantra I’m striving for.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone who has guided you through your journey as an artist, who would you choose and why?
Mrs. Keurac. She taught me how to play trumpet through middle school. But then I quit! I would tell her, don’t let me QUIT! Also, I would go back to my 20 year old self and say, don’t throw out all your hip hop tapes, dummy! I had such a nice collection.
Going back to when you were 12-years-old, if you were stuck at home then as we are now, what would your 12-year-old self be doing?
Burkey – I would be playing hoop all day errrrrday!
Robbie – I would be riding my bike as far as I could go without getting in trouble by my moms!
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?
WE FUCKING LOVE YOU! Thank you for hanging in there with us for so long. Stoked you guys are celebrating this record with us! #SmallViktories! Can’t wait to play for you again soon.
Bay Area Musician, Chow Mane, continues to level-up his game through emerging himself in his work while attracting both long-time and casual Hip-Hop fans. I caught up with Chow Mane for a great chat about the drop of “Silk Road”, sharing his life experiences through his artistry, learning how to be a good cook over time, the importance of making sure to analyze your artistic journey while sticking to your own script and more.
Congrats on the recent drop of “Silk Road”. Tell us about your experience working with Oksami and what it’s like collaborating on a track during the pandemic.
I wanted to mess around with different sounds on “Silk Road”. I actually had produced the title track “Silk Road” myself; that riff for the bassline was stuck in my head for days, so I just combined that with some drums to create that funky bounce. For the B-Side, “Xanadu”, I wanted the complete opposite of that so I asked Oksami if he could help me create something a lot more flourishing and musically complex which is more up his lane. We actually worked on these two songs last year before the pandemic hit, but the process was similar. I sent him “Silk Road” and asked if he could almost flip it on it’s head to create what we now have as “Xanadu”.
Your music continues to grow as you tackle multiple genres and continue to experiment. Tell us about how being in The Bay has helped shape you as an artist.
As a recording artist and producer, I just love experimenting with different sounds and vibes. “Silk Road” was a really over the top, energetic rap song that had everybody in the studio laughing at how wild some of the bars were. I wanted to take the wild energy of an artist like Comethazine, the punchlines of an artist like Wayne, the flows of my local scene, and my own experiences in the South Bay to put together this song.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you had recently and were able to overcome over time?
Each one of my songs is true to a part of me and my experience. I don’t want to be boxed into a certain perception of identity based on one song. At the same time, it’s hard for an artist to capture everything they want to within just one piece of work, so I try my best to bring multiple facets of my personality to my music.
What is your perception of the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
I think social media captures a snapshot of people’s experiences but doesn’t give the whole picture. For most things I prefer to be more private, but anything that would interest fans I put out there to share.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
Other than music, I’m pretty happy my cooking has gotten better. I’ve been slowly learning traditional family recipes that are coming out amazing.
If you could sit down and have a conversation with someone who has guided you through your journey as an artist, who would you choose and why?
I think everyone has gone through their own individual journey to get to where they are and what works for one person won’t work for everyone. I have a lot of artists I really look up to, but I think I need to carve my own path rather than trying to follow someone else’s.
Going back to when you were 12-years-old, if you were stuck at home how we were at the peak of COVID, what would your 12-year-old self be doing?
I would probably be at home playing Maplestory and making beats on FL Studio.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?
I’m really excited to show y’all South Bay Summer; to put on for San Jose & the South Bay and to help everyone ride out these summertime vibes for the rest of the year.
Back in action in 2020, Anna Dellaria continues to shed down to the soul and embraces her bare bones throughout her songwriting style that naturally tugs at the hearts of listeners. I caught up with Anna for a chat about the recent release of her new single, “Sorry Doesn’t Work”, finding passion through her philanthropic contributions, gratitude for the things that are often overlooked, dreams of playing Outside Lands and more.
Congrats on the release of your new single, “Sorry Doesn’t Work”. Tell us about the message that you intended to portray throughout the track.
Thank you! Honestly, the message with this one is more of a question. What can I say or how do I fix/take back the pain that someone I love is feeling? For me, it was following a fight with someone I loved and I had said words that I didn’t ultimately mean but knew would sting in the heat of the moment. Afterward, I was left with this desperation to take back those words or just console the person and make it better but ultimately knew that it would be out of my control.
You have worked with foundations such as Beyond Differences in the past. Tell us about your philanthropic contributions and what they personally mean to you.
I’m really looking forward to doing more work with organizations like Beyond Differences to bring awareness to causes I think all of us can relate to and unite around. Beyond Differences was special because it focuses on giving young teens tools to be kinder towards one another and feel less alone. Programs like “No One Eats Alone” Day where literally every student is paired up with a new friend at lunch or tools on how to handle cyberbullying. I think it’s important to take care of our youth right now – they are the future.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
I love this question! I’d say the overall question of “am I good enough?” or the thought of “you’re not doing enough” comes to mind frequently. Often that’s initiated by social media, or having a day of feeling “off”. What I’ve found to be helpful for me is to physically get out of my head/house. Often I’ll force myself out for a walk with only the expectation of “just go to the corner and back” and 95% of the time I end up walking a few miles with a fresh perspective and sense of gratitude cause I’m not huddled over on my screen watching everyone “do better” than me. Dogs are the same thing – find an animal if you can to just literally remind you that the world is so much bigger than yourself and you’re doing the best you can.
What is your perception of the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
I have a really mixed opinion on it. Frankly, I think social media is particularly toxic because it’s become a platform for us to usually post a “highlight reel” of our lives that inevitably makes others feel inadequate or alone. At the same time, I think the digital world, in general, have allowed friends and family to connect, and as an artist, it’s allowed me to share my music without having to go through the big pearly gates of a major label like it used to be. I guess a good way of putting it is it can be used for evil as much as it can be used for good haha.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I take pride in being an active family member and trying to find gratitude in the things around me even when it’s hard to accept. There’s always been this weird guilt inside for feeling bad while having a roof over my head & pursuing my dream when so many around the world are in worse places. However, I try to utilize that guilt to be kinder to those around me and do little things to raise awareness for those who need it.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
I’ve found writing to be really helpful, even if it’s just like a single paragraph. Other times I’ll make sure to stay in touch with loved ones or try to find a routine someway that creates a sense of stability.
If you could jump on any festival roster that’s been released already for 2020 and play a set which festival would you choose and why?
A little tricky now with the ongoing virus, but Outside Lands is a dream festival of mine. It’s 20 minutes from where I grew up and was one of the first music festivals I ever attended in high school, so it’d be surreal to be on stage one of these days looking back.
Photo Credit: Lilly Duran
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?
Thank you for your support and love and stay safe. <3
Representing his Mexican roots and putting his heart on your sleeve, Herchell L. Carrasco is the man to go to in California when it comes to eclectic tattoo pieces that stand the test of time. I caught up with Herchell to discuss recently tattooing Aaron Carter’s face, putting in the work toward building his vision, tattooing 6ix9ine and his thoughts on his current standing, his dreams of collaborating with Netflix and more.
You have been creating pieces on a variety of clients including your most recent being Aaron Carter’s face. Tell us about Aaron’s initial approach with the idea and the process of tattooing this piece.
Originally I was called to do work on Aaron’s torso and when I arrived I was told we’d be doing a face tattoo. I’ll be honest I thought we were only going to pull off a fake face tattoo video and after the stencil was applied Aaron told his followers on IG Live we’d be tattooing his face!
I assessed the situation and I determined that the “I Want Candy” star was in the right state of mind to receive his tattoo. I responsibly talked him out of a more dramatic placement and convinced him to place it off to the side. The Medusa design was inspired by Versace & we meant to go for a high fashion look.
Tell us about when you first started tattooing and how your career has taken on to land you clients such as players on the Los Angeles Lakers, Lil Skies, Blueface, Tekashi 6ix9ine,Trippie Redd and many more.
My vision has always been to tattoo celebrity clientele and to collaborate with the biggest brands in the world. I was inspired early on by Mister Cartoon who was tattooing the biggest names in HipHop over 10 years ago. I am here today by keeping a consistent work ethic, networking in the right environments & honestly just being true to myself building REAL relationships with people. I’ve worked long and hard, made sacrifices and working for free early on in my career for branding and exposure. Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Let’s talk about your personal opinion behind what’s going on with 6ix9ine. Being that you tattooed his face and were able to spend some intimate time with him, tell us about your experience then and what you think about the legal troubles 6ix9ine is facing now.
My personal experience with 6ix9ine was a memorable one. I’ll be honest, most of my friends and family do not like him and I receive negative backlash for working with him. Tekashi in person was not the troll you see in public, I met a real dude who was polite, easy going and likeable. He paid me well for the session, he let me get pictures with my crew and also sent me a Thank you text the following morning. My opinion is that he shouldn’t have gotten involved with gangs and the wrong people, I hope this a lesson to him and kids coming up in the music game; stay true to self.
Aside from his public court drama, I still believe he can be successful when he gets out, he may have to change his music style or transition into the spanish genre. We’ve never seen an Artist like 6ix9ine and I believe he has the ability to adapt and change his image and become a bigger star.
If you had any words of wisdom to share with fellow tattoo artists that are in the midst of trying to get a big break, what would you say?
I firmly believe in the 10,000 hrs Theory. Whether you’re an Artist, Musician, Athlete, whichever; if you commit to 10K Hrs or 10 years of time into your work, that is when your hard work pays off and you reach a level of mastery. Don’t compare yourself to others, stay consistent, put your 10K hours in and just believe!
Tell us your top three favorite albums that have come out in 2019 so far and what you currently have in rotation at the shop.
My Instagram handle, @RockRollG, comes from an oldie by Aalon “RocknRoll Gangster” so I grew up on oldies, doo wops & soul. My albums in rotation at the shop released in 2019 are….
1. Durand Jones & The Indications – “ American Love Call”
2. Dreamville – “Revenge of the Dreamers III”
3. Young Thug – “So Much Fun”
Being that you live in California, what’s your current favorite strain that you’re smoking on?
Quality Control Cannabis “ Wedding Cake Indica” is my favorite at the moment. I love anything from Westcoast Cure and I love the convenience of the Stiizy Pen.
Tell us about your dream brand sponsorship that you would love to ink a deal and partner with to further your career as a tattoo artist and public figure.
My dream is to collaborate with Netflix. I’d love to have a show that showcases the chicano tattoo approach with celebrity clientele, no show out there represents the mexican american art that influences tattoo culture. I’d love to do a collaboration with Disney or Vans as well!
Last but certainly not least, fill in any potential clients with tips on how to get tattooed by you and any last messages for your fans.
My Books are OPEN! People think I only tattoo celebrities but the truth is you can still find me at the shop daily. My shop is Pachuco Tattoo in Orange County,CA. Feel free to stop by the shop if you’re local. I can also be reached by direct message on Instagram or email RockRollG@Yahoo.com.
Just want to thank everyone who recommends me, everyone who gets tattooed by me. Thank you to my Shop Crew, Family ,Friends and my management Ashton Kingg. I’m still that young mexican kid who would alienate himself and draw all day and day dream. To the kids, Anything is possible…..Si Se Puede
California Rockers, American High, are back with intent to awaken the masses to the current state of the climate when it comes to injustice throughout their latest full-length release, ‘U.N. Article 14’. Here’s our track-by-track thoughts.
Kicking off with the first track, “Second Sister”, the guys of American High rock their way into listeners’ hearts with a bold blast of snarky songwriting that points the finger at an individual who has taken the backseat of their own life. The second track, “Cheye Calvo”, instrumentally feels like a Blink 182 track right off bat as lyrics that float in and out of consciousness attempt to confront and hold authorities accountable for their failure to provide proper evidence. “I Can’t Change” is the third track that slows it down with a mellow intro instrumental that feels like it stepped out of a Jimmy Buffett release while the lyrical trajectory takes listeners down the road of contemplation. The fourth track, “Test Pilot”, is an Indie jam that is abounding with minimal instrumentals in the beginning which n shifts into a fury of a chorus that is unexpected yet a showcase of the dynamic range of American High’s approach in the studio.
“Fairfield, CA” is the fifth track that is a lyrical ode to the city that feels like “home” in one of the most beautiful states in the country yet metaphorically creates the impression that home is a woman and feeling. “U.N. Article 14” is the seventh track and title track that is an album highlight that is full of lyrical hope toward a brighter future of freedom ahead. Closing out with “Belly”, vocals that begin sounding like the late and great Tom Petty pour forward over lyrical simplicity that subliminally speaks of the importance of dialing down to what truly matters in your life.
‘U.N. Article 14’ is a politically charged and jam-packed bundle of impressive thought that keeps listeners musing upon what they choose to accept throughout their one precious life experience. If you’re a fan of fellow musicians such as Blink 182, Death Cab For Cutie (instrumentally) and alt-J, then keep an eye on the ride ahead for American High on Spotify.
Photo: 
Photo Credit: Lilly Duran
