On the heels of his album ‘By Any Means Necessary,’ the 21-year-old rapper and musician shares his journey to composing a one-man metal project.
“42314 is a very important number to me. On that day I was gonna take my own life,” Blvc Svnd writes in a recent Instagram post. While the 21-year-old goes on to share that he was able to overcome his demons purely through his love of music, this seminal date is memorialized in the opening track of the artist’s latest album By Any Means Necessary. For the ruthless rapper and multi-talented musician, this project not only signifies a shift in instrumental styles, but also a thematic renaissance. Trading ominous samples for driving d-beat, Blvc Svnd’s new rhythm is accompanied by therapeutic confessions.
For longtime followers of Blvc Svnd, a walk on the heavy side has not only been inevitable, but welcomed. Glimpses of the musician’s guitar training have appeared in his multilayered production process, such as the gritty, old school riffs guiding his recent trap single, “What U Gon Do?” By allowing his full array of talents to bubble to the surface, Blvc Svnd showcases the broad strokes with which he paints. The spirit of By Any Means Necessary encapsulates the younger generation’s experiences with heavy metal; solos laden in the antiquity of the greats transition seamlessly into deep, driving riffs reminiscent of System of a Down’s early discography.
Most notably, Blvc Svnd professes that his work ethic manifested differently on this record. Prolific became to be defined not by publishing tracks hot off the press, but rather, taking his time to cultivate his instrumentals, as well as a coordinating message. Nevertheless, his labor of love fits organically into his no holds barred artistic sequence – one marked by classical training, regard for his supporters, and a day of reckoning for those who appropriate the culture.
Why did you feel like this was the right time to take a step back and work on something different?
I guess in the past, like all of 2019, I kind of felt like I was really lost artistically, and I didn’t really know what I was doing. I was just trying to put out a lot of stuff and I was experimenting a lot. really didn’t feel like doing the type of music that I used to do, like the whole screaming about fucking bitches or killing niggas or whatever. I was kind of getting tired of that shit, so I was like man, I want to do something different, but I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. Then at the end of last summer, I dropped my last project The Phoenix, and I was like okay, I’m kind of done just making beats and just rapping over them because I’m a musician and shit. I wanted to get back into playing instruments. After I started practicing guitar again, I was like oh, this is tight. I knew I wanted to do something with it, like incorporate it into my creative workflow.
Basically, I was coming up with little riffs and coming up with beats out of them at first. Then there was a snowball effect that happened where one thing led to another and I was like fuck it, I’m going to make a whole project like this. When I was experimenting and fucking around, I made “Get Active.” That shit was crazy, and I really liked it. I was like damn, I should make a whole project like this, and I was like alright, bet. But I’ve always known in the back of my head that I wanted to do a metal project because obviously I listen to a lot of bands and I look up to Serj [Tankian] and Jonathan Davis. I knew it was more of something for myself, so I was just like okay, I’m going to sit down and put in the time, really think of this shit differently. I’m glad that I went through all of that because it made me a better musician and a better artist.
What was it like to record while being responsible for all of the various instrumentals?
It was more difficult than what I would make in my previous style, but in the grand scheme of things, it was more fun than anything. I would get to make up a riff like I used to do when I was 10 years old, so it would just take me back to that time. It was honestly a therapeutic experience because I felt like I had complete control. I was just doing exactly what I wanted to do. It definitely wasn’t really difficult. I tried to change up my process. Like with a beat, I’ll write it right away and I’ll just write what comes to mind first. But with this shit, I would come up with a riff and I’d make up half of a song. I’d work on the music until I felt like I hit whatever goal I had, then I’d think about what topics really fit the vibe of the song and I’d write on that subject. I just took a lot more time. That’s pretty much the only difference.
Do you think you’ll be doing these songs live once you can tour again?
Yeah, I’ve actually been practicing with my band. I started a band last year (444’s) and I’ve been practicing a lot with them. I was actually going to do a show and play all of this shit live with them in L.A., but obviously this whole quarantine shit happened, and it got cancelled. But definitely once this shit’s over I’ll be playing live. I’ve already been preparing for that.
How did you and the 444’s get linked up?
Well I’ve known our rhythm guitarist, Lo, and our second vocalist, Kewsi, for a minute because I stayed in Oakland for a while. They were actually in another political punk/rap group. I had seen them perform and those two guys had the most energy out of everybody on stage. I really fucked with them, so I was like I want to be in a band with them. That was in the back of my head. I became homies with them and our lead guitarist, Lea.
Long story short, late last year, my really good homie Robert passed away and we were all at the funeral and shit. Through this time, I was making my new music and starting a band was all in my head. My homies and I were just in the car smoking the shit and they started playing Linkin Park. I don’t know why, but it just sparked something in me. I was like hey, are y’all trying to be in a band? They said yeah because they weren’t really doing anything at the time.
The drummer in our band, Stirling, we linked up on some producer shit hella long ago out here in L.A., so we’d be kicking it sometimes making beats. We lost contact for a while but then I made posts looking for a drummer and he’d hit me up. He was like bro, I’ve been wanting to play some hard shit. I sent him the rough demos of the album and he wanted to do it. It all kind of just came together naturally, so it’s pretty tight.
Taking it back a bit, how did you pick up guitars and drums when you were a kid?
I took private lessons for guitar when I was 7 years old. That was my first musical training in my life. I was learning my favorite songs and practicing those riffs. Then as far as bass and stuff, I learned that when I was a couple of years older when I was learning cello. I was actually learning a couple of instruments at the same time – cello, drums, and bass. I was 10 or some shit.
Do you think it was easier picking up cello after you had already learned some guitar?
Nah, it wasn’t. Cello is completely different. Instead of six strings it’s four strings and it’s in a completely different tuning. I love the cello but it’s really strict, like you have to do things a certain way. Guitar technique is more objective. But with cello if you don’t play a certain way you sound like shit. I had to get into that strict classical mode, but it worked out.
Do you ever still find yourself tapping into that classical mode?
Shit, all of the music that I’ve made has tapped into that because a lot of the ways that I arrange my shit and a lot of the ways I add certain harmonies and certain stuff, like all of that came from being in an orchestra. I saw how music worked in a setting like that, like how all these parts and all these instruments had a role and they all had a different job to do. It definitely made me view my music and my production in a certain way, fo sho.
Do you think you’ll ever go full-on Apocalyptica and bust out on stage with your cello and your flowing hair?
[Laughs] I mean I respect what they do but honestly, I think cello was just a steppingstone into me as an artist. I never really wanted to play cello in all honesty. I went to a performing arts school where you had a choice of dancing or playing a string instrument. I had wanted to play the bass since, but I guess my car was too fucking small back then, so I couldn’t fit it, so I had to get the cello. That cello taught me all of the technical things about music.
Do you remember the first metal band you listened to growing up?
Shit, I guess you could say Iron Maiden was the first metal band I listened to. It was Iron Maiden and fucking Rage Against the Machine. I had Guitar Hero when I was really young and that’s what really got me into a lot of rock shit. My dad is more of a boom bap head so he doesn’t really fuck with rock at all. My mom liked Guns N’ Roses and all that shit because she grew up in the ’80s in Hollywood, but Guitar Hero was really the shit that got me into it. I was hearing all that music and I just loved the energy and the crazy vocals. Even back then when I was a kid, I felt like all music sounded the same, but when I heard the yelling and screaming and crazy guitars, it was just phenomenal. It was like busting a nut, like the best nut ever.
How did you learn how to scream properly?
I would look up vocal clinic videos with people talking about the proper techniques. Everyone said ‘oh, check out Melissa [Cross] and The Zen of Screaming.’ I was like what the fuck is that, so I looked this shit up and it was this white lady who’s basically the vocal coach for all of my favorite vocalists. She gives you warm-ups. It wasn’t until I decided that I really wanted to take my vocals to the next level that I learned that everyone warms up anytime they do anything vocally. Once I started to do that every fucking day, my voice would open up and I was able to hit different ranges and do more with my voice. I kind of knew how to do one style of yell, like a mid-ranged scream like I do in my rap music, but then I learned how to do the high-pitched shit if I moved my mouth a certain way. I could even do low-pitch shit. I could do all kinds of styles with these little techniques. I just kept watching her videos. I pretty much learned how to do everything off YouTube – producing, vocals, anything.
Were there any shows you’ve gone to that have inspired you?
I really haven’t been to a lot of shows like that because a lot of the people around me don’t really like metal. They’re more into punk and hardcore so no one wants to go to a death metal show with me or nothing. Another reason why is because the metal scene is really racist. I’m not trying to get fucked with or get into a fight, I’m just trying to enjoy the show. A lot of the metal elitists would also say that I’m not a real metalhead or whatever, so I’ve kind of stayed away from the scene. But I will watch hella shows on YouTube. YouTube is my shit. It’s taught me so much and has done so much for me. I’ll watch all my favorite bands live, like Korn, Slipknot, System of a Down. I’ve watched pretty much all of their live shit and that’s what really got me inspired.
What compelled you to write your ‘Mass Shooters’ track?
Shit, I wrote that in late August and there was a mass shooting every other week. I was like what is it? I kept seeing people saying ‘oh, these mass shooters are ugly,’ and I saw people on Twitter joking about them. But then I really thought about it, and I was like dude, when I don’t beat my meat for a couple weeks, I feel so angry and feel so frustrated. Imagine being ‘ugly’ and alone. I just felt like maybe these white boys who be shooting up schools just need some pussy and it’ll just heal all of that. It would give them some clarity of mind.
With them, the problem just becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. They think no one wants them so they stop trying, when really there’s someone out there for everybody if they’re willing to go outside and look for them.
That’s what I’m saying. I’ve seen all kinds of people who have girlfriends, boyfriends. Like you will find someone who likes you, trust me. So that’s why I wrote that. I just wanted to give another perspective. With the lyrics on this album, I definitely wanted to make them more relatable and insightful instead of just being the most shocking, like, ‘oh, I fucked seven moms at the same time.’ I wanted to make shit that makes you feel better.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the people?
I’m really trying to push the album, and then once that is where I want it to be, I want to develop an app and call it “The Helping Hand.” It would help people get therapy and help for their mental shit right away, and not at some fucking $100 per session. I want to have people on call. I think people deserve to have a sense of mental clarity. In this generation with social media and all of this fuck ass shit people have lost their sense of self. People want to base their lives off of likes and all of this fantasy shit that doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. I want people to get back into themselves and feel like there’s someone out there.
Oh, and I’m going to say this now: Once this fucking quarantine’s over, I’m going to blow all of these fake ass punks and all these fake ass niggas that aren’t about this life out the fucking water. I’m about to really show how soft these niggas are because I’m tired of acting like they’re not. You’re not hard. You’re not fucking punk. Just stop trying. I’m about to expose all these lames and all these fake ass niggas. I’m tired of them stealing my culture—the shit that I live and breathe and die and got socked in the fucking nuts for—just to use it to get clout. Some of these artists really had a whole different image and lifestyle and now they want to front like lames, putting rips and patches in their pants and talking like, ‘Who out there? A nigga need this, a nigga need that.’ I’m really tired of that shit. At the end of the day, you’re not contributing to the scene. You’re just using the shit people live and die for your own selfish benefit.