Rapper niahn has already made a name for himself among his peers in underground rap. His connection to the MKIT RAIN crew, and particularly his close friendship with BLOO, has allowed him to make his mark in a big way. Today he has released his first EP, extape. Lead single, “Cartier” is just a peek into what’s in store for fans of his music. While preparing for his official debut, he took time out to answer some questions for us.
In the Beginning…
First, could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, HiphopKR. I go by name of niahn. I’m from Los Angeles, California. Now I am in Korea with my dog Cola!
What are your biggest musical influences?
Umm… I would say Kid Cudi and Pharrell for my earlier influences. For recent influences, The Internet.
Were you always interested in making music?
Yes, I was always surrounded with various instruments while I was growing up. I played piano, clarinet, and cello for almost 10 years. I was in orchestra since I was 10. When I was 14 years old, one day, during break time, nafla came up to me with his first song, and that’s actually what made me started to create my own music, too, then playing in orchestra.
Young Creation & MKIT RAIN
How did you get involved with the Young Creation crew?
So, this is a very long story, but to keep it short, all the Young Creation members were doing hip-hop in the Los Angeles area. We started hanging out together, and naturally we became a crew.
How did you get involved with MKIT RAIN?
Well, it also happened very naturally. MKIT RAIN is a new crew, but we were always friends from way before. Most of us are from Young Creation too.
You and rapper BLOO created your own subunit: neonblue. You guys have great energy together. What about working with BLOO do you like?
I don’t want to say I was ‘working’ with BLOO. It was our way of hanging out. Most of the songs in the neonblue album was quite spontaneously done. BLOO has a very spontaneous personality. We would be just drinking whiskey, mostly Jameson. Then next, we find ourselves making a new song together. It was like my BBQ sauce and his hot pepper paste got mixed and we created this NEW ASS SAUCE. Our inspirations at the moment were in sync too: girls. Haha.
VIBES, YO
What’s most important to you when choosing what artist or producer to work with?
VIBES, YO. Haha. One thing, though. I prefer to work with someone who I can actually meet up, work side by side and spend time together. I guess that’s why I think the most important thing is the vibe.
You worked with YAC Studio last year for their “I GOT NO PAIN” project. How did you connect with them? -Did they already have the visual, or did they make the video based on your lyrics?
S/o to Khan for wanting to do a collaboration with me! I first met Khan while I was in New York. We became good friends really quickly. We were hanging out, so of course we were sharing our work. ‘I GOT NO PAIN’ was one of the songs I already had, produced by HDBI. When Khan suggested me for collaboration, I thought YAC Studio and my song ‘I GOT NO PAIN’ were a good fit. Khan did a lot of work to finish this collaboration, including visual. I think I was right. It was a good fit.
You worked with producer HDBI for that track. You’ve worked together several times, in fact. How did you guys end up working together?
HDBI and I actually made a lot more songs than what’s out. He’s one of the producers I work with most. I used to hang at Louis Maui’s place when I was in LA, and that’s where I first met HDBI. His beats were dope, so…basically that’s how we started our journey.
Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?
COLA, for sure. JK, Haha. Definitely Pharrell. He just popped in my head. And recently I’ve been heavily listening to Lancey Foux, so Lancy Foux, and ‘I wanna see you girlll’ Steve Lacey. Oh, also King Krule!
Moody, cloudy, starry…
What three words best describe your music?
Moody, cloudy, starry.
Your music seems to have a darker edge to it. (It’s quite dreamy, but with the added bass and the slower tempo, it’s got a darker color.) Is there a reason behind using darker-sounding music?
Maybe… I was dark person? I think I don’t really control my own emotions. Rather I let my emotions control me. I just do what I like and what I want to do, so I guess there’s no reason.
Many of your lyrics are quite sexual. Is that intentional?
I would say it’s more ‘sensual’ than sexual. I am definitely not trying to make sexual lyrics (music). I am just expressing my feelings and thoughts rather honestly.
What song do you think best represents who you are as an artist?
‘Broken Hurt,’ extape title. I feel naked every time I drop new songs. I think that’s why I have so many in archive. ‘Broken Hurt’ is actually the song that makes me feel most naked, so that probably means this song really shows who I am.
As you are a rapper living in Korea, what do you think of the hip-hop scene there? What do you think your music brings to the hip-hop scene in Korea?
I don’t know, I just got here you know? Well, I guess it motivates me since I am surrounded with really passionate people (MKIT RAIN). Regardless of the genre, there’s so many talented artists in Korea, and that’s why Korea’s in the spotlight internationally.
I don’t think it’s something I bring to the scene. It’s more like what I can become in this scene and that will create a new genre that’s me.
The Future is Bright
What plans do you have for the future?
A lot of things, you will see in the future. A picture is worth ten thousand words.
Any final thoughts for our readers?
Thank you if you made it this far and are reading this sentence. If you haven’t experienced my music I hope this can lead you to do so. Have a great day!
Through what appears to be a genuine humility regarding his own music, niahn shows a self-confidence borne from an understanding of himself and his vision. With the release of his first album, fans and newcomers alike can experience firsthand the honesty, bravado, and rawness of niahn’s personality. Most importantly, the conviction in his ambition.
