Rafal27 – Featured Artist Interview WDSR Radio

Rafal27 – Featured Artist Interview WDSR Radio

WDSR: Welcome Rafal27! It’s a pleasure to interview a hip hop artist from Switzerland. How are you?

Rafal27: I’m fine and I want to thank you for the chance to do an interview with your magazine.

WDSR: I’d say that you got your roots of hip hop honestly. First with your Dad being a journalist and your love of writing poetry. Then you got introduced to the Wu Tang Clan. How did that inspire you to take it to the next level?

Rafal27: Since a child, I’ve had the love for writing poems. When I heard rap for the first time, in this case Wu Tang Clan, I fell in love with the music and that gave me encouragement to write poems on music, with a rhythm and so much energy.

WDSR: You mention it being difficult to find hard copies of rap music in Switzerland. How did you manage to work your way around that dilemma?

Rafal27: At the beginning I would buy what I found in switzerland, but then i would go to Italy to find more music and more artists.

WDSR: So after honing your craft for a few years you finally get to the point where you feel comfortable enough to start performing in front of others. Tell us about that experience.

Rafal27: The first time I performed in front of other people I was fifteen. It was the end of school and there was a party. I felt terrified, but the music gave me so much energy that I said to myself; Do this or you will regret it forever.

WDSR: Is it safe to say that Switzerland provides a lot of opportunities to independent hip hop artists or artists period?

Rafal27: In the past, no it was difficult. In Switzerland we speak three languages and it’s not easy to do rap with meaning that people all over the country will understand. Now it’s easier with internet and the new technology everybody can do music.

WDSR: It sounds like the Kronikers had a nice 5 year stretch on performing and making music. How did a member leaving the group affect your ability to continue gigging and making music? If at all.

Rafal27: It’s simple I’m in love with this music. Sincerely I have regret for him, but for me it was only the beginning and I have so much more to do for this music.

WDSR: With you being able to rap in both Italian and French, would you say that helped you capture a larger following or audience when performing live?

Rafal27: I don’t rap in Italian anymore. Only at first I rap in that language. The other members of the group did rap in Italian, but I only rapped in french. We decided to rap in different languages, because we come from a country where you speak different languages and if you want to reach more people you have to rap in this way. This helped a lot and most of people appreciate it.

WDSR: You went from being a Kroniker to a Labatoir to a solo artist. When dealing with that much change in your music career, what did you learn from the experience?

Rafal27: You know, you are talking about more than ten years of my career and it’s not only about the experience that each group gave me; but also my personal growth to become a man. All those experiences made me what I am today. If you mean strictly on music it’s the same. All this experience made me the artist I am today. I think if  I didn’t start with a group, maybe I wouldn’t be able to do music by myself today. I mean it’s a little bit different to make music with others instead of making music solo.

WDSR: Regardless of the issues of your groups holding it together, tell us about the feedback you got from the mixtapes and albums you were releasing.

Rafal27: The albums received good feedback, because people said we are different from others and they love the mix of languages. The mixtape received the same feedback, but it was more a greatest hits than a mixtape, in it there was only three new songs.

WDSR: When you added the English twist to your already Italian and French delivery was that like the icing on the cake for y’all? Did people start taking even more notice of your skills?

Rafal27: The group became more international,  you know with English we could reach more people outside of our country.

WDSR: So now Rafal27 is solo artist and working with a well-known producer, SID, how was that transition? Did you find yourself becoming more creative by working with just one other person and bouncing ideas back and forth versus working with multiple artists mindsets?

Rafal27: The transition was great, because I was disappointments about the separation of Labatoir but I needed something fresh do more music to free my mind. I found myself more free and more creative and the producer understood me.

WDSR: Looking back and having to do it all over again, would you have preferred to be solo instead of performing and creating music as a group?

Rafal27: If I had to do it all over again, I would do it in the same way. I have no regrets.

WDSR: So are you still performing live and if so, where can we find you doing shows these days?

Rafal27: In the last year I haven’t perform so much, because I had to finish my University studies. But now that I’ve graduated and I have started working on new songs with my bro Trill Cut. Maybe by the end of this year I will do another performance. If you want to see me you have to come to Switzerland. It’s a beautiful country!

WDSR: You have solo albums out and you’re currently working on new music. It’s only appropriate that we let everyone know where they can pick up copies of your music.  Also please provide how we can connect with you through social media.

Rafal27: You can buy my solo album on iTunes, but if you want it physically you have to write me on my facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/Rafal27-526938030821885

https://www.facebook.com/rafal.twoseven

or you can find me on Instagram @Rafal_Twoseven

WDSR: It was a pleasure chopping it up with you Rafal27! Before we get out of here, what would you say is the best advice that someone has ever given you when it comes to your hip hop career?

Rafal27: I remember what an old man said to me: Dreams made people more lively, if you have one follow it, because life is too short to have regrets.

Rafal27 – Featured Artist Interview WDSR Radio