Interview With Adrian Champion

TGLR: Hey Adrian, how are things going?

Adrian Champion: Things are good… How about with yourself?

TGLR: Things are alright man!

TGLR: Who is Adrian Champion?

Adrian Champion: I’m a perfectionist. I aspire to be a renaissance man, really! I want to master everything that I do. I’m pretty normal as far as artists go, I don’t think I’m as out there creatively as most artists, I think I’m a rare breed though. I haven’t met too many people like myself.

TGLR: What makes you so unique and special as apposed to other musicians in the music game?

Adrian Champion: I think what makes me unique isn’t one particular characteristic, but rather the rare combination of things. There are a bunch of people now who rap, and produce, and even sing, but I don’t think too many people can do it at my level in all areas, to be honest. I know that sounds cocky, but I try to objective about everything I come across, and there are some talented cats out there.

TGLR: Was this you as a kid, or did you develop into this lack of a mold?

Adrian Champion: You know, I realized as a kid. My dad would tell me not to spread myself too thin. He told me I should focus on becoming the best at something. I discovered that my real gift was not necessarily being the single best person at one thing, but instead, being close to the best at a wide range of things. So from writing, to performing, producing, then the design and the marketing side of things, to the business development, my strength is excelling at multiple things. There are better designers, better emcees even, but when it comes to just that one thing, there are folks born to do that one thing, and they’re geniuses at it. But I can create an entire project from scratch, right down to delivering it to the public. Basically wear a lot of different hats well. Content is huge too, because in Hip-Hop, a lot of times that really lacks, in my opinion.

TGLR: For sure, I agree that it seems to be a lost art…

Adrian Champion: Yea, unfortunately

TGLR: Where do you think music comes from, the soul, the heart, or the lust for money?

Adrian Champion: I think good music comes from the soul, for lack of a better term. It’s like some unexplainable place. Truly inspired music, you can tell instantly, but a lot of people make lesser music that clearly comes from another place. Although, that said, different things may serve as inspirations. So, you might be hungry in a sense to escape your circumstances, but the music itself comes from somewhere else.

TGLR: Is there a day in your life that you question the path you have chosen?

Adrian Champion: Yea, there are a lot of them, haha. I guess we all go through ups and downs and learn lessons in our own way, and at a certain point, you have to step back and ask yourself if you’re headed in the right direction, and sometimes, you have to adjust your course. I think life has a way of letting you know if you’re on the right track or not, you just have to pay attention to the signs.

TGLR: You’re a very talented musician, one who can do it all, but since it seems as though you haven’t really hit it big yet, how do you manage to live in LA and support yourself?

Adrian Champion: I’m lucky, I’ve been blessed with other talents and skills so I can do design work and make a living. It makes up a lot of my time, but it’s better than doing something mindless, and I can make decent money. I do graphic and web design, like I did all the artwork for S&S and the website, etc.

TGLR: What are some of your favorite spots to hit up in LA?

Adrian Champion: Man, there are soooo many places to go in LA. As far as clubs, it changes all the time, different promoters, and they remodel places and reopen them all the time. Man, I can’t even really say specific spots, there are just too many! LA has something for everybody on every night, it’s easy to get caught up on that.

TGLR: I hear ya man; it is a huge place!

Adrian Champion: Yea, insane.

TGLR: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where do you want to go?

Adrian Champion: I see myself as a more established and respected solo artist. Developing my own artists and writing and producing for others. I want to move in different directions creatively, continuing to grow as a musician, playing more instruments, and getting ready to use that platform to do other things outside of music.

TGLR: Yea, well you seem as though you are well on your way to doing just that!

Adrian Champion: I hope so, I know it won’t be all smooth sailing. But I feel like things are falling into place and I’m doing everything I can to make it happen.

TGLR: That’s good, you got motives, and I am sure that that will take you far in the music industry.

Adrian Champion: Knock on Wood

TGLR: We hear you're working on your solo album. What are you working on these days?

Adrian Champion: Yea, working on the solo project and I’ve been working with a singer/songwriter named Brian Jacobs, who is really talented. I featured him on Stars & Stripes. Also I am writing and producing, submitting tracks for other musicians who are working on their next albums.

TGLR: Sounds like you are one busy guy!

Adrian Champion: Yea, I like it that way though, but I definitely have my hands full.

TGLR: If you could define yourself in a few words what would they be?

Adrian Champion: In a few words, I’d say I’m capable of more than I know, and leave it open ended. I feel like in a simpler sense, I’m a good person. Like, aside from music, that’s important to me, and I’m proud of it. I’m not perfect, but I try to like my life in a certain way, and I’m good with that.

TGLR: Is Adrian Champion a mixer (aka Stars and Stripes) or a musician waiting to break out of his shell?

Adrian Champion: You know, the funny thing is I knew people would develop a certain idea of me based solely on Stars & Stripes and that was a little risky. Then you have to convince people that you’re more than that, but it was to compelling of a project not to do it. But really, S&S isn’t my typical work, I was an emcee before anything, but I started producing around the same time and I’ve been playing guitar on and off since I was about 12. So, I really feel like this is all the tip of the iceberg, I can’t wait to see what I come up with next.

TGLR: If you could create a “dream track” for an album, what would it be? (By dream track, we mean like if you could assign musicians to play instruments, sing certain parts, and produce certain beats)

Adrian Champion: I’d have to go real big, like an entire symphony. I’d have Questlove on the drums. It would have to be insane, yea, I mean, it’s a dream, right? Might as well be crazy! Quest is the only drummer I’ve heard who really sounds like Hip-Hop, I’de love to work with the Black Keys too… So Dan Auerbach, Questlove, and like any philharmonic and I’m good. Might have to throw Stevie Wonder in on the keys for good measure man, that would be super ill, that trio alone.

TGLR: What's your favorite movie? (Don't worry if you can't answer this question, it's pretty tough)

Adrian Champion: Choosing one is pretty tough, Fight Club is up there, Snatch too, but on nostalgia alone, I might have to say The Goonies, City of God was amazing. Slumdog Millionaire was fresh

ICECrush: Dang SoSickWitItYo, we are young…

SoSickWitItYo: Well speak for yourself, I’m a huge Goonies fan!

Adrian Champion: Seriously? It’s a Spielberg movie, honestly, it’s a classic. Wow, making me feel like an old man!

TGLR: What kind of music did you grow up on?

Adrian Champion: I got a little of everything, Classic Rock & Funk from my pops, and Hip-Hop and Pop from the radio. Some Folk from my Mom. Hip-Hop exposed me to a lot of other genres, so there I’d learn about Jazz and Funk a lot more and Soul of course.

TGLR: Yea, Hip-Hop ties in a lot of different genres.

Adrian Champion: Yea, I think that’s why it can’t really die, because it can evolve and adapt to any movement.

TGLR: Why LA?

Adrian Champion: Well I moved to Cali to go to school and my Mom lived out here, so it was a natural move. I was in the Bay for a couple years, which is where I met other cats doing music and I started working with folks. So after a couple years, I realized that I had a gift for it. A couple of friends lived in LA and I’d come down all the time to work on stuff. Eventually, I felt like it was all or nothing, so I took the leap.

TGLR: LA vs. Detroit?

Adrian Champion: Well, I grew up in the Flint Area, but I think LA wins regardless, depending on what we’re comparing every place has it’s pro’s and con’s. Life is pretty good here, you can get spoiled in a way. You can also get jaded or lost in some of the craziness, so you have to watch your step. The weather, the girls, the opportunity, hard to compete with all that. As long as you can deal with the traffic and some of the bull crap.

TGLR: Advice for the kids out there?

Adrian Champion: Do what you love, work hard, take chances…

ICECrush: Watch the Goonies…

Adrian Champion: And watch the Goonies!!! Dang, still can’t believe that, haha!

TGLR: Mac or PC?

Adrian Champion: Prefer the Mac, but affordability, you have to side with the PC. I’m going 100% Mac soon though, and looking forward to it.

TGLR: Subway or Quiznos?

Adrian Champion: Ha, I try to avoid both, but I’ll say Subway, just because it seems a little healthier.

TGLR: TGLR or some other blog?

Adrian Champion: Ha, TGLR of course! Ya’ll showed love from the jump, and I appreciate it.

TGLR: What has inspired you to do what you do? I mean I can’t imagine that it is very profitable to release a mixtape for free, so what’s the deal!?

Adrian Champion: Well, the mixtape/mashup thing was really just to put my name on the radar. That’s a good point, music isn’t a sure thing ever and especially with the way things have been headed there are safer bets. I’m inspired by creating, I just love to start from scratch and create something amazing. I like to be able to communicate with people, to be part of the dialogue, and I love to perform. So, it’s all about doing what I enjoy.

TGLR: What do you think fans really don’t understand the most… Making music, and how hard that is to do, or singing songs and making lyrics?

Adrian Champion: I just think the average fan doesn’t understand whit it takes, like all the people behind the scenes, that make an artist who they are. A lot of the biggest artists get all the accolades and people don’t realize they didn’t write every word or play every note. You need a team in order to reach that point which is something I’ve had to learn myself, because I am such a, “do-it-yourself” type.

TGLR: Now I don’t mean to get all-political on you, but I got to ask, as a young musician, do you fear what the future economy might have in store for your generation? I mean I know I am very scared, and I am just getting out of high school!

Adrian Champion: Yeah, I’m a little nervous, I don’t think anybody really knows where we’re going to end up, and specifically as an artist, it’s unclear how we’re going to fair, but I have confidence that things will work out. There have been crazy times in the past and will be more in the future, you just have to look for opportunities and be innovative about solving certain problems. I know a lot of artists are going to fall by the way side, it’s going to weed a lot of people out.

TGLR: If you were the President of the United States, what would be your solution to the current economy crisis? How would you solve the housing industry problem!?

Adrian Champion: Well, I think we’ve taken some of the steps, but it’s a tremendous balancing act. I think moving us forward technologically is the right general direction and without question, investing our education system, because that’s a stronger commitment to the future of the country. We can’t be short sighted and simply reactionary right now. I think getting people involved like Obama’s campaign did is crucial, re-engaging people. But those are all very general ideas, the specifics are tough. It’s hard to even grasp trillions of dollars. But we definitely need greater oversight and we can’t fall for the deregulation argument again. Every time any industry has been deregulated, large corporations have exploited the situation and we all pay for it.

TGLR: Well, your insight into politics, music, and life in general is very insightful and interesting, thanks for taking the time to sit down and do this interview with us!

Adrian Champion: Yea, no doubt! Thanks for giving me the chance to ramble about myself, haha

TGLR: Anytime!

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