INDIE SPOT
Exclusive “Maury” Interview with Muzique Magazine
How did you come by your stage name?
My stage name came about from me, my cousin Mikai and our childhood friend Thomas being super into Lil B in the early 2010s. I had many nicknames growing up that played off of my name. Brandon used to say Maury and refer to Maury Povich sometimes in his songs. Eventually, they started calling me Maury. My stage name actually used to be my government “Camari”.
But eventually, I changed it in 2020 to allow myself to have an alias. I feel like having an alias is so important for an artist. We are often dehumanized, associated, and judged for the image, and music we display to the public. Humans are very complex beings. Artists are very sensitive and spontaneous beings. Often times the art we display comes from a very vulnerable and delicate place that is often overlooked for how human it truly is due to impact.
Last One’s Standing (Losones) is a collective I’m working on. A lot of us are lost, man. some of us have found our way, some are working on it and others might not find it. Everyone isn’t meant to be a leader or mentor. Yet a lot of people who aren’t qualified often find themselves in that role. Due to that, we come across lost people. people who often don’t have anyone but themselves to trust, oftentimes they struggle to even trust themselves.
I want to make a space for people with a story to tell to the world. I want to also make songs for those who are also lost in the world. I hate seeing lonely, miserable people brainwashed by society. It’s not cool man. People just want to be themselves and to be accepted, appreciated, and loved man. Love & empathy will change the world.
When did you discover your love for your craft and what made you realize you wanted to pursue a career in it?
The more I grew the more I realize how much music has been a part of my life. My grandma had my cousin + I sing the church choir growing up. They used to tell me that used to always harmonize everything + always make a song out of words that were said. I was like a singing parrot growing up! haha. As far as performing goes, it’s something that I never really thought much of growing up I just took part in those endeavors naturally.
The first memory of falling in love with a song was a 50 Cent song when I was a toddler. Pretty sure my mom was taking me to preschool one morning and I heard wanksta + the beat did something to me. That beat was so dope dawg. My pops were really into 50 when I was little with him. I think he looked up to him. Not sure he had the body, the attitude, the dudrag, and the 360s like 50 tho. Hah, I remember we used to be really into Jay Z too. My mom was really into soulful music + was VERY INTO JILL SCOTT.
Super into her, her songs are a part of me + my sibling’s brains hah. I’m very grateful for the experiences and people I’ve come across in my lifetime. My mom is a music junkie like me man. My whole family. I remember my nana had all the CDs man. Back to my mom, sorry I got that scatterbrain going on.
Exclusive “Maury” Interview with Muzique Magazine
My mom has been into all types of music she really introduced me to the Neptunes and a lot of older soulful music, she introduced me to Jimi Hendrix, a tribe called quest, 2pac + a lot of 90s artists. I remember my mom wanted to take me to see the Notorious Movie but my stepdad thought I was too young. We saw straight out of Compton though. I think my family always playing music around me made me very hook on it and as I grew older + was exposed to various other genres + artists through video games, the internet + talking to people I grew more + more obsessed.
MTV was so crucial to me cus I found so many artists I eventually fell in love with on my own terms and developed my own taste. I really love melody, creativity, a story + a lot of rock and house music delivered that. When I found daft punk and Kanye West. I became obsessed. When I was around 12 I attempted suicide. I was extremely depressed and miserable with the life I felt so trapped and like I had nowhere to go.
I wasn’t happy at home or outside. Eventually, I heard Kid Cudi who was making songs that were so genuine and honest and it changed my life along with bastard and Lil b. I wanted to save others the way I was. And that was by making art that truly means something to me.
To what or whom do you accredit your sense of style?
My mom naturally. We both just beat to our own drum and like to do our own thing. When it comes to clothes ill rock anything I like, no matter the intended sex. I really don’t care what society has to say to be honest. OMG, WHEN CUDI WORE THAT DRESS!!! I WAS HYPE!!! Ahah that’s my hero (: But my mom had to play both the man and the woman for us and due to how she had to come up in the world.
Seeing my mom carrying herself like a man and but still has her femininity made me feel comfortable to be myself. I’m very flamboyant and girlish by nature. I grew up with women. I have a younger brother but my elders were mostly women.
I grew up under my sister when I was younger so I was exposed to a lot of female stuff growing up and I enjoyed it just as much as I enjoyed the stuff with my guy friends. Everything life had to offer was just so interesting to me. I was never biased, My sister used to be really big into the Degrassi back in like 2005 when drake was jimmy.
Haha, it’s crazy how music always found a way to pop up in my life. Also, I get some of my styles from those who influenced me like my nana, some anime characters and just being exposed to a lot. The world has a lot to offer.
On your current project, how did you come up with the concept?
Living Life. Feeling High. Dragged Down. Kicked. Kicked Again. Repeat.
Haha, Nah I just let life inspire me. The new project I’m working on releasing is titled “S U M M E R. The Tape”. I started working on it last October when I wasn’t doing my best mentally. Overwhelmed with the nonstop hectic year. Honestly, I wasn’t planning on dropping this tape. I’m currently working on my album “AntiVillian”. But during the process, aside tape came out of the progress. I’m extremely excited about it.
I haven’t released a new project since 2019’s “Boy’s Don’t Cry” and I made that while I was working at Home Depot and was in college. I wasn’t focused on the music back then. I didn’t believe in myself back then, I was very insecure about my music back when I went as “Camari”. “S U M M E R. The Tape.” Is the first project I’m releasing with me fully locked into my music career. Hah, it also will be the last project I make in the apartment bedroom. End of an Era haha.
S U M M E R. The Tape mainly covers my recent love life and struggles. It’s more on the alternative, rock, pop side with hip hop elements lingering around it. I’m trying my best to be as versatile as possible with this project and cater to everyone. This will also be my first project where I’m fully vulnerable and every song is an episode of my mind.
The aesthetic of this project is bright but the music contradicts that in a way. it’s often upbeat but the vibes and the lyrics are moody. The colors of the project are akin to that of a sunset and the theme and vibe of the project foreshadow that. The project sees Maury under anguish due to the sun setting and the darkness rising. But optimistic because the sun will rise again tomorrow.
What are some of your greatest challenges, and what is your greatest attribute when it comes to your work ethic?
Funding, Anxiety, and Studio.
Broke Boy Hourrrsss. haha.
My anxiety often makes me overthink a lot of things. Should I do this, should I do that, what if it’s not worth it, what do they think, can I trust them. blah blah. Having that in your ear all the time is a headache and it can really hold you back. I try my best to just follow my gut and trust in myself, the process, and the universe. Too much thinking doesn’t provide the best results.
I record in my bedroom and I live in a small apartment with mama and bro so yeaaaa. I love just being able to record whenever you want and you get to have complete freedom over everything.
My work ethic just comes from passion. I’M IN LOVE!!! Have you ever been in love? When you’re in love you never give up you keep going no matter how annoying it is, no matter what others say, no matter the odds, no matter what happened you keep on loving. Maybe this is why I can never find love cus I already have my baby.
I just really love this shit man seriously, music is all I know and I’m really hard on myself when it comes to it. I have high expectations and I hate not meeting my expectations. I hate failure. I hate when someone says I can’t do something. I’m a perfectionist. And I just adore this shit man. It’s all I know.
I started off making music back in 2014 working with a garbage band. The first thing I tried to do was sample Rick James and Teena Marie’s “Fire + Desire” It came out super terrible. It was just noise haha. I got logic, a year later. and it wasn’t until December 2016 that I started making my beats consistently on the beat.
I didn’t know the fundamentals and sucked at drums. I kept at it though and eventually, it started to come to me. The thing about me is that I love making mistakes and I know if I don’t get it today I know I’ll get it one day. That’s my life. Never give up. My aunt instilled that in me when I was a wee one. NEVER GIVE UP!
Are you the best at what you do in your opinion?
We’re all amazing at what we do. Who am I to say that I’m the best. I honestly don’t like talking about myself. I rather someone else talk about me. Sure deep in I really believe in what I do but I feel like most people are like that. BUT when it comes to how the public views you, it’s a different thing.
I’m not like everyone and I’m pretty weird and there are so many talented people and so many perspectives so I don’t think a misfit like me is necessarily the best nor do I want to be. I just wanted to have fun doing what I do that’s what truly matters to me, to be honest.
I love friendly competition but at the end of the day There’s some art that just really sticks to me and it’s hard for art to be better than another because art is a spectrum and hits people in different ways. I’d doubt ill make an album as perfect as “A Speedin Bullet To Heaven”, “808’s & Heartbreak” or “Faces” or as amazing sonically as “Axis: Bold As Love”, “Yeezus”, “Discovery”.
For those that don’t know, I am a producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. I’m also currently learning instruments. I’m always looking at ways to push myself in life and musically. There are always things to learn and as long as you’re living I feel like you should be learning. Everything I do is pretty much just me in my bedroom. Nonexistent Demo I produced 5 tracks out of 18. Royal Garden I got better at producing so I did 11 out of 21. Dragon Force I produced 11 out of 14 tracks. Boys Don’t Cry was Fully produced by me.
What are your plans for the near future?
This summer I’m working on promoting my single “Summer”. It’s a song I made about a romantic situation last year that went left and left me down and depressed. The song was written by me, produced and sampled by me, and performed by me. It’s a semi-pop song.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank, any shout outs?
EVERYONE. the birds chirping currently. My mom if it wasn’t for your sacrifice this wouldn’t be happening. I APPRECIATE YAH MAMA. Jersey. THE GARDEN. Any day ONES. Those who did me wrong. Those who did me right. All the experiences I’ve experienced.
Everything made me who I AM. My photographer whom I love and appreciate dearly she’s so awesome and she held me down during a difficult time I appreciate you a lot Margaret Yorkgitis (@margaretyorkgitisphoto) Kid Cudi. Mac Miller.
I love you so much man you were a brother to me. I wish I had the chance to had met you. Not focusing on my music sooner is one regret I have because I really wanted to meet you, Malcolm. I felt like I truly understood you, you spoke volumes to me.
How can fans find you?
I got a website I’m building Losones.com. All music will always be posted on there, planning on getting more artists to become a part of it. I will be posting exclusive content on that site. It’s also the best way for fans to contact and converse with me. I love to talk when I’m free so hit me (:
What suggestions do you have for other artist like yourself?
Be yourself and don’t let criticism get to you. The more criticism you get the more you know that you’re on the right path and doing what you need to do. Always trust yourself, trust the process, take your time, never give up and be passionate about what you’re doing and be about community. Music is about community. Be there for others, focus more on the love of the music not the love of the incentives.
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