A Conversation With Nahmir
All photos by Joey Johnson
modrNation: Where are you originally from?
Nahmir: I'm originally from Long Beach, CA but I got roots running all through Chicago and Atlanta. We all over.
modrNation: How did growing up there influence you to start making music?
Nahmir: Growing up in the areas that I grew up in didn't really influence me to make music because I was too busy doing other stuff that I shouldn't have been doing at a young age. Before the music, I was definitely a product of my environment in more ways than one, you know?
modrNation: How did you first get started in music?
Nahmir: I started writing poems in high school but when I got incarcerated and was sitting in prison, I went from writing poems to writing raps and found out making words rhyme was a lot easier for me than other shit.
modrNation: Who’s been your biggest inspiration musically?
Nahmir: I think I get most of my subject matter from reminiscing about all of this shit that I went through with my mom when I was a kid and all this shit that I went through with my friends and family when I was growing up. I know it sounds cliché but most of my inspiration comes from the people that I know in real life. I do appreciate artists like DOOM, Earl, Kendrick, Raheim Supreme, Roc Marciano, Curren$y, Boldy James, dudes like that really get the wheels turning when I listen.
modrNation: Take me through your writing process when putting together a song?
Nahmir: My process is very spontaneous. I don't ever get writer's block because I don't ever actually sit down to write the stuff that I'm saying on a song. It all kinda just comes to me from a place of remembrance. My best songs come from reminiscing with friends and family.
modrNation: How do you go about seeking out inspiration? Or do you just let it naturally hit you?
Nahmir: Like I said before; it kind of comes out of nowhere and has always been a natural thing. I feel like all you have to do when it comes to music is just live life and go through some shit with talking about. once you find a beach that fits what you're talking about, that's when everything starts to come together like a new puzzle.
modrNation: What would you say is the intention behind your music?
Nahmir: I would say my intention is to be lyrically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually present in my listeners life and be there for the people that don't really have anybody in their corner when they need someone to lift them up. I want my music to be used as a tool to battle depression and come out of those emotional holes that a lot of people can get themselves out of.
modrNation: There seems to be a strong community growing in the underground right now, how have you embraced this new culture?
Nahmir: I've never really been the guy that likes to be friends with everybody but I have been noticing a nice community starting to build out here in LA when it comes to the underground rap scene. Guys like Hezy, Kwame Adu, MFC and some of these other dudes I've been getting hip to lately really got something special.
modrNation: With so many artists coming up now, what would you say is the importance of finding your own identity and individuality as an artist and a person?
Nahmir: It's really important to be your own person when you're making music and trying to find yourself as an artist because you don't want to be too influenced by someone else to the point where you end up becoming a replica, copy cat or a repeat of that person.
modrNation: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Nahmir: I see myself making music with my friends. Doing shows and building a brand. I'm fasho trying to be somewhere in Paris with the homies from the hood. Eating snails and crepes and all that other fancy shit. You know, really go do all the extravagant shit that I saw Anthony Bourdain do when he was alive…