There are few genres of music as cutting edge as hip-hop, with the latest technology, social trends and pop culture references having been rapped about on wax since the beginning. But it is also music that constantly looks back, and definitely the most self-referential. ‘Throwback’ is a term not always used kindly, but it nicely sums up the music of an artist like Cas Metah, who makes hip-hop that takes people back to a time many consider to have been better. Don’t get it twisted though, because this is an artist also at that same cutting edge, straddling both the old and new. We spoke to him about that balance, his recent Old Fashioned album, and the tools available to indy artists in a landscape where selling music is almost impossible. Make sure you keep reading until the end for an exclusive first listen of his new single One Nation Under Fraud.
Your music feels like a throwback to the classic era of hip-hop. Do you get a sense that heads of a certain age are looking for modern hip-hop that takes them back to those times?
Yeah for sure. That’s the era I grew up in, so my music definitely reflects that. As a fan, that’s mostly the sound I like to listen to. I try to stay relevant with who is new and noteworthy too, but I still get really excited when someone from back in the day drops new material.
The Old Fashioned project feels very much like a complete album, rather than a bunch of songs strung together. Was that a conscious decision, to remind people about the power of a properly structured album?
I’m glad you think so! It was definitely a conscious decision. I spent a lot of time making sure it had that vibe. I wanted to showcase my storytelling abilities as well as my punchline abilities, and keep everything sonically in the same range. Having Mista Sinista and EF Cuttin played such a big factor. Their turntablism was the icing on the cohesive cake.
We love how independent artists like you are still getting physical copies of albums pressed up, even on cassette. Is that another throwback decision or something for the collectors?
Both. I’m an old head and a physical collector, so I’ll always do it. In regards to Old Fashioned, the whole concept behind it goes beyond just the throwback sound. Everything from the artwork to the cassette tapes and CD’s was meant to take us older heads back in time for the nostalgia of it. And it gives the younger generation an opportunity to see what they missed. What rapper from the 90’s never dreamed of having their own tape? It’s a must!
How much of a risk is it pressing CDs and vinyl, knowing that you might struggle to sell them all?
It can be a risk, especially if you are ordering in bulk. I still have boxes left from my first project because we simply ordered way more than our demand required at the time. That was 2004, so I’ve learned to stay away from that. For the past decade, I’ve been pressing through a company that does short runs, so there are fewer boxes sitting around. I have a large catalog, so I may have twenty-something projects in stock, but only a few copies of each one.
You seem to be an artist who has definitely embraced Bandcamp. Tell us about the advantages of it to an independent artist?
I love Bandcamp! It’s simple to use and the most artist friendly format I know of. You get paid direct to your PayPal account when you make a sale, as opposed to any other service like iTunes where you have to wait on quarterly statements. Just everything about it is more convenient. The ‘Stats’ feature is pretty cool, and if you have a Pro account the perks are well worth it to me. Not only is it a store where I can sell digital and/or physical copies, T-shirts, whatever, it also doubles as an information hub for my show dates and social media links. It even collects buyers email addresses for me so I can always keep an up to date email newsletter. Every independent artist should use it.
Do you even need a label anymore?
Not really. The key is learning the business for yourself. You can always outsource and hire specific people for jobs like marketing or publicity if you’re willing to finance your own product. If you’ve got the desire, you can learn to handle most tasks yourself. It’s all about building relationships and building your budget while building your brand. I can’t reach the sky if I’m always sitting in the basement. I’m still working with labels from time to time based on long standing relationships with the people behind them. They know my true desire is to be self-sufficient, and they respect it.
Cas Metah’s Old Fashioned album is out now. Listen to the latest single One Nation Under Fraud below.