Emily Berkey Interview 

 


You’ll most likely see Emily Berkey interview your favorite Hip Hop artists, she has interviewed the likes of 9th Wonder, Ab Soul, & Big K.R.I.T. over the years. Emily Berkey is a hip hop journalist, social media & marketing director. She’s usually the ones asking the questions but today we’ll get insight on her career and the current Hip Hop landscape.


 When did you love of hip hop first come about?
 I’ve always been the weirdo. And in Hip Hop I saw that being the weirdo is accepted. On Christmas day, 2003 my parents bought me Jay Z’s Black Album. They let me blast it throughout the house and that’s where I feel in love with Hip Hop.  

What compelled you to pursue interviews with Hip Hop artists?
I was in Louisiana, I did a semester at LSU, I went to an XV and Chip The Ripper show. I hung out with XV after the show and he asked me what I wanted to do. I said I wanted to interview Hip Hop artists and he said “Why not just go for it?”. That sparked something in me and I started pursuing that goal. Once I got back to Oregon, I got my own radio show at Oregon State.

Other than Hip Hop, what are some of your favorite eras of music?
I grew up on golden oldies: Mostly my parent’s records. So Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, & Jimi Hendrix. I’ll always love that era. Simon and Garfunkel is a favorite of mine.

How do you use other mediums of entertainment (vinyls, books, concerts,etc.) to further your musical intellect?
I love going to concerts and seeing how other people react to their favorite artists. It’s really interesting to see the feelings…emotions that these artists evoke. I really like reading lyrics as well. Poetry is at the root of rap and I love reading lyrics like poetry. I go to Rap Genius and read up on lyrics, then I’ll listen to the song.

As a social media & marketing director how does that help you conduct your interviews? The questions you ask.
Having a good knowledge of social media is important.  I do a lot of research before an interview, and social media is a great tool to use to see what the artist’s fans are wondering and to see what’s important to them.

With so many big Hip Hop albums and mixtapes coming out this year which one is your favorite and why?
My favorite bodies of work this year are mixtapes. Audio Push’s, Rapsody, and Chance The Rapper all came out with great tapes this year.  It’s really interesting to see how mixtapes are making more of an impact.

Where do you think the current landscape is in Hip Hop as it pertains to influencing the culture?
 I really think this is the “do it yourself era”. Many artists are going the independent route, like Macklemore, Dom Kennedy, etc. It’s exciting to watch these artists navigate the current landscape while staying independent. I think we’re getting more genuine artists because we’re able to see the artist’s creative direction, not the record labels instructions to the artist.

What interview have you not done yet that you would most like to do?
I would like to interview Jay Z. He’s the reason I fell in love with Hip Hop, when I got his Black Album, something just clicked. I would also like to interview Outkast. Andre 3000 is such an amazing lyricist and Big Boi knows how to entertain.

What are you hoping for as you further your career?
 I want to be a respected voice in Hip Hop, I want people to see how genuine and real I am. I think it’s important for the artists to respect the interviewer, knowing that they can open up and have their story will be told from an unbiased source. I would also love the opportunity to work along side a bigger entity than myself, a bigger blog, magazine, or publication.   

Where can people see your interviews and reach you at?

YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/EmilyInterviews

Twitter/Instagram:  @Emily_Berkey




Comments

Featured Video

Popular Posts