Interview: Qualls

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Music From Qualls:

By Julian Cuebas

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting local rapper Qualls. But I have enjoyed the bars I heard from him on B. Young and Yo Miestro’s “Till the End”. I have talked to him here and there about art and I had to get this exceptional rapper to answer some questions about his process.

Who is Qualls? Has your MC name changed ever?
Qualls is a unique, hungry, determined, up and coming Hip-hop artist.

This is funny because I was just in a session with Clint Ford and Vanna Moua and we discussed early names we gave ourselves. Mine was corny as hell because I had no idea what would fit me at the time. I started off with something like JJQ or JG, and GQ because of my uncle. But then somehow I stumbled across Qwalla. Everybody in the room was rolling when I said that, I don’t know what I was thinking then. After that idea I figured it’d be best to just let the name come naturally and it did my senior year in highschool and my freshman year of college. “Qualls” it was different, unheard of and true to me.

Who inspires you?
Qualls: My uncle was a huge inspiration and got the ball rolling early. I wouldn’t be the artist I am today without him breaking down the routes of hip hop sounds that many people are evolving today.

There was also a friend of the family early on who believed in me before I could truly rap half the content I had written. He told me that the best wrote everyday regardless of anything and I’ve kept that mentality,

Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole have also inspired me by the way they’ve shaped today’s music in general. Kendrick is innovating hip hop with the heavy jazz influence in his production and funk characteristics. There’s also the Pulitzer Price, Kendrick is the first artist outside of Jazz or Classical composition to win a Pulitzer, that’s major. Oh yeah and there’s also the Control verse that basically rebooted hip hop. Cole is definitely a people’s champ by how easy it is for the listener to relate to his stories because we’ve all been through these things in one way or the other. He doesn’t hold back or hide behind a facade, he’s transparent and vulnerable.

What genre/genre style would you say you fit in?
Qualls: Primarily I’d say I’d fit into the Hip Hop/Rap genre. Some people label it as conscious but it’s more than that, and bigger than just rap.

What is an obstacle you have had to overcome in your creative path?
Qualls: Doubts, they will eat you alive. I had to fully believe in myself to get the  ball rolling. There was a time where I was nervous to rap in front of others. I was nervous and others can tell when you don’t fully believe in yourself and if they see that they don’t take you or your craft seriously. The moment I found myself as an artist was the moment I was all in and I’ve been chasing these goals down ever since.

What is a moment you have enjoyed in your musical journey recently?
Qualls: This may not be a specific moment, but being on stage at the Lil Yachty Show and life after being on the line up for the show. The feeling of being up front of thousands was indescribable. The energy was wild and I felt at home up on stage. That show has done a lot for me and opened the door for a lot of opportunities that I never imagined. The number of other creatives I met has been insane and that in turn has led to a lot of potential paths. Outside of that it humbled me and showed me how to handle being in the moment and not getting lost in that moment (lost in the sauce lol).

What does your music making process look like?
Qualls: It looks like a nigga in his room with a pad or the notes app pulled up focused and locked in. I moved away from physical paper for the most part because I find typing to be more convenient. But there’s still nostalgic feelings when I pick up a pen. Recording is truly something else. It involves patience and a lot of vibing. I plan on giving everyone a look in on that in 2019 with the film behind “A.I.W”.

Music theory or musical intuition?
Qualls:  Both, I feel musical intuition is very important and is the driver for genuine music. It’s one of those things where you hear artists say “it wrote itself” and there’s no better feeling than that. Music theory is definitely important though because without it there wouldn’t be rules and guidelines that are necessary in a sense.

I started freestyling in school and people likied it. I think it’s cool that I can bring emotions out of people by using words.

What are your main impulses to write about.
Qualls: Anything that’s on my mind or that’s weighing on me at the time. There are times where I go in with a set idea and that completely changes due to my mood or what’s happened over the course of the day.

How has your music evolved throughout your career?
Qualls: My music has become more  relatable and I felt like that has been key throughout my journey so far, to allow others to better connect to the music and the artist to let them know the music is real. I started off writing nothing but bars because that’s all I wanted to do at the time. I wanted to have the illest 16 someone has ever heard. But as I matured, I became more open and less boxed into bars and began to express my emotions.

What is a project you would like readers to check out?
Qualls: I would love for readers to check out the “Will” EP/ Available on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal etc. It was a foundational piece for me and a real learning experience throughout the creation of my EP. I want listeners to get an understanding of who I am during “Will” and who I am post “Will” as we get closer to the release of my next project, “AIW”.

Any other comments?
Qualls: I’ve taken the year to craft my next project to A.I.W., I’ve put blood sweat and tears into that thing. It’s a major step for me and I can’t wait to share it in 2019.