Rising hip-hop star UraelB has been getting a lot of attention this year, and rightly so. He hooks up with renowned rapper Mick Jenkins to create a real sunshine alternative hip-hop track that resonates with the many, not the few. Mick brings his one of a kind energy alongside Urael’s limitless hype, in this chilled out track that has many moments of joy and intrigue.
We sat down with UraelB do talk all about the single, what it was like working with Mick and much more for TAGG Magazine.
—
Hey UraelB! When did you first begin creating music?
I’ve been rapping and writing poetry since I was 13. Around 16 I became fond of songwriting and started taking music a lot more seriously and that’s the age I knew this would become a career for me. From creative writing in school, rap battles, and more, I’ve always had the itch to express myself creatively through words.
What themes do you explore with your artistry?
I’m super introspective but in fun and creative ways. I’m always playing with different themes of life like love, hardship, the fast life, culture and politics, etc. My staple is being lyrical and having infectious vibes in my music, so the music always has to feel good and push my creative limits too.
Tell us about your new single ‘Moonlight’?
Moonlight is a combination of fun, empowerment, and self reflection. The sonics of the song are fun and melodically pleasing, the lyrics serve as internal conversations about the expectations of others and defying them, and the overall mood and message is an empowering summertime vibe with witty lyrics.
What was it like working with Mick Jenkins?
Mick Jenkins is an all around standup guy. Creatively, Business wise, and person to person he’s extremely genuine and intentional. I appreciated him paying it forward to me and giving his all to the feature. He told me upon coming through the studio that he was glad I sent him the track for Moonlight and that he was “about to spaz on it” and was “waiting for vibe like that to rap on”
What inspired ‘Moonlight’?
Moonlight is an ode to the duality of life and how we always yearn for something when it’s gone or not around. The lyrics surround themes of missing loved ones, blindly chasing success, rushing to through your life journey, and not focusing on if the grass is greener elsewhere because everything you need is inside you already.
Do you have a typical songwriting process? What comes first?
My songwriting process varies, but normally, the beat and music always pulls lyrics out of me. I can hear melodies right away and feel lyrics/subjects with songs after I settle into the melodies I choose. I love weaving in and out of rapping and singing during songs because I find delivering a balance of both in a song resonates with me the most. I wanna shout out Mick Jenkins because he told me, “If I can’t sing the chorus, I don’t make the song,” and that’s something I always felt but never knew how to describe until he said he felt that way as well.
Do you have a career highlight so far?
Every chance I get work with people I grew up listening to or whose work I’ve studied is always a surreal moment for me. Of course, working with Mick Jenkins is a top moment for me, but also working with likes of Nelly, Ray Chew, and Dontae Winslow have been highlights as well. They’ve all contributed to the catalog of my music taste and pivotal times of my upbringing. I appreciate each and everyone of them for being as humble and respectful of my abilities as one could ask for.
What are you looking forward to in the near or far future?
I’m the future of the music world. UraelB is a star and the world will grow to see me that way as more songs release and more visuals are put out. I’m finalising my 2nd full length project right now which is slated for fall 2023. So in a few months, my impact musically will catch everyone’s attention and I’ll lead fans and supporters of mine to a new renaissance of legendary music. Respect The Real!
