FEATURE
VL7 Interview with Muzique Magazine
How did you come by your stage name?
The VL actually stands for Very Lucky, not too long after my 20th birthday I was playing Russian roulette and actually put a 38. Special through my face, kinda funny how my ex was there and that’s how we started dating but I guess it’s obvious why that didn’t work out. The bullet went through my neck, hit my back left molar, and ricocheted out of my face just under my eye leaving a hole in my skull and my skin split clean.
Sent teeth and bone fragments exploding into my skull and the docs had to cut them out, but I healed up and was out of the hospital off pain meds looking like I’d just put my head in a bee hive in about 10 days, and back to eating solid food in a few months, now the scars aren’t even too noticeable so if that isn’t luck or god then I don’t know what you’d call it.
The 7 part of my name is actually just my name (Seven), my dad named me after 7 miles in Detroit, Michigan (where he grew up). I’m from Kentucky but I’ll always have roots and family there in Michigan.
When did you discover your love for your craft and what made you realize you wanted to pursue a career in it?
My family (Mabson’s/ Johnson’s/ Hawkins) have always been musically oriented, my mom sings, all of my brothers sing, my oldest brother, Justin Mabson, is an external talented pianist. They all used their talents to help people through God, which was great but never felt like my direct calling, but my oldest brother showed me I could do it in my own way and that just clicked for me.
I always wanted to make music but I didn’t see that I could actually help people with my style of music until my first show, in Georgetown, Kentucky. Sure it was in somebodies mom’s basement but I was 15 and felt so good helping people have a good time that I found I was helping myself. After that night all the puzzle pieces started connecting, I’m infamous for a renowned, high-energy show, which is cool, but nothing beats knowing that somebody felt solace and escape through my craft… Nothing…..
To what or whom do you accredit your sense of style?
Musically, I’ve always been into emo rap, thrash metal, and trap metal, Spent my early years listening to stuff like Bastard by Tyler The Creator, in my pre-teens, $uicide Boy$, XXXTENTACION, and SLAYER, in my mid-teens, and now, at the crest of my teenage years I listen to way too many artists and genres to list, anything from CITY MORGUE to Frank Ocean, To Men I Trust, all whilst still paying homage to my earlier favorites.
If you couldn’t tell I take a lot of inspiration from XXXTENTACION, I always could relate to what he was feeling. In a fashion sense, my style drips from a lot of faucets. I used to really fuck with Tyler the creator’s sense of street fashion, and always mixed that in with my DIY punk scene, but now that I’m a bit more grown into my own shoes I like wearing combat boots and army attire mixed with leather and spikes. Army/ punk or streetwear mood is my current vibe.
On your current project, how did you come up with the concept?
I wrote BODYBAG right after I’d lost a lot in my life, to me this song is my release of anguish, grasping at a want for an old life while simultaneously falling into what feels like an early grave, all whilst being in the trenches and living the lifestyle I live. This song to me is an ultimate disregard of what was and accepting that I’ll never have it again, this is usually what people feel out of my tracks but it’s open for interpretation, music is feelings through words nobody’s going to tell you how to feel about it!
VL7 Interview with Muzique Magazine
What are some of your greatest challenges, and what is your greatest attribute when it comes to your work ethic?
My greatest attribute could be its biggest downfall, everything I produce is raw. I don’t like to convolute my emotions for anyone so I’m upfront and in your face about it. This can come off as violent, obscene, and crude so that can narrow down my audience a lot and make radio plays a lot harder, but I don’t really care.
I didn’t make my music for everyone, I make my music for people who can relate to me. Some songs have a wider array of tastes people can enjoy because I don’t only make metal (I actually make everything from R&B to regular trap), but BODYBAG, BEEN A DOG, and some of my other more heavy tracks were made for people who feel that shit if you don’t, great! I’ve got a song you’ll love, but don’t ever hide your emotions.
Are you the best at what you do in your opinion?
I’m fucking talented, and a lot of people tell me that so it must have some truth in it, and I’m definitely the best in my state at this new trap metal wave, and maybe the best quite a few states over too, but calling myself the best at something right now would be jaded and cocky. I mean don’t get me wrong, my stuff has been killing this month compared to a lot of other artists around here but there are a lot of artists I’ve never heard doing a lot more than me, but I’m happy to see that. I love competition.
What are your plans for the near future?
Keep dropping music, keep killing shows, show these hood niggas what a real mosh pit looks like. Me and Slyme Bucci plan on dropping a video soon so look out for that! Got an upcoming brand I’ve been doing designs for with my close friend Matt Gibbons called Paradise Lost, expect a drop from us shortly, our Instagram handle is @paradi5lost
Is there anyone you’d like to thank, any shout-outs?
Definitely, shout out to My family, my oldest brother specifically for giving my mad encouragement, shout out Mikey Trillfiger and Lavenir, BIG SHOUTOUT TO MY 5 SLYME BUCCI, shout out to Vinci loh, and of course everyone who comes to my shows and streams my songs, it wouldn’t be possible without that love, don’t think I’d be on earth if it wasn’t for that.
How can fans find you?
Find my music on any platform just type in – VL7, My Instagram is @5lock7, my Snapchat is @VL5lock7, and my Twitter is @7bulletholes
What suggestions do you have for other artists like yourself?
Follow your dreams no matter what anybody else says, never hide your emotions and be truthful with yourself. And NOTHING COMES EASY, so work hard!
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/vl7/body-bag-fuck-that
Photos by Phillip Walter
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