After the rousing response to their much-loved studio album 'The Change Up' last year, Knoxville-based duo rapper DiLLY and DJ/Producer Monk aka Black Fuchsia return once again with their breezy new EP 'Continue'.
Capturing more of that rich and immersive hip-hop aesthetic they have been developing these last few years, this new five-track collection makes for a wonderfully smooth and passionate listen. With its warm and inviting textures, laid-back atmosphere, and killer flows layered throughout, 'Continue' sees them build upon their already compelling direction to date.
So with the new EP available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
M: The first instrument I fell in love with was the electric guitar. I got one my freshman year of high school but never stuck with it because I thought it was too hard, however, it led me to producing with other instruments.
D: Same here, actually. I remember my middle school music class was a guitar-only class and it was then I took a liking to strings. It was acoustic (and classical) guitar in the beginning but I eventually owned my first electric - a silvertone. I was never insanely good, I’ll admit but it’s there in the control room looking back at me.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
M: I grew up listening to Neo-Soul and 90s Hip-Hop because it was always playing in my house growing up.
D: Personally, I always had an ear for trap metal and techno. Moms however had the house blaring with soul jams consistently.
What was the first album you remember owning?
M: “Number Ones” by Michael Jackson
D: The CD version of “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory” by Tupac Shakur… I got in so much trouble for having this, haha!
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
M: “One Love” by Nas. From his wordplay, rhyme scheme to message, it’s perfect.
D: “Ol’ Faithful” by Bruiser Wolf & Fat Ray.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
M: I like to get right into it. If I can’t come up with anything, I move on to another thing until I gain the inspiration to finish a song.
D: Couldn’t have put it better.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
M: Common, Isaiah Rashad, Pharrell Williams.
D: Veeze, Young Dolph, and a lot more underground SoundCloud Users these days.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
M: J.Cole
D: Bankroll Fresh
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
M: I enjoy the freedom it can entail. Being creative is how I enjoy spending my free time, and being a musician allows me to do that.
D: The process is cool but more important than that being around like-spirited people pursuing something outside themself. That end-product and the moments leading up to it become an inside joke that the world can get in on.
And what is the most frustrating part?
M: It is a waiting game and in my journey of patience, I have had moments where it has gone thin due to how neckbreaking being a musician is.
D: Enjoying music.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
M: There are other and more fulfilling options in the music industry where you can still do what you enjoy with longevity.
D: Knowing how to make the non-conventional palatable is the catalyst for experimentation.
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Black Fuchsia's new EP 'Continue' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.