Hugh Early: Interview With Small World LA

Hugh Early: Interview With Small World LA


  • What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and when did you first realize you wanted to be a musician?

Seeing my family do it ..
I have a few cousins in a legendary Chicago rap group named crucial conflict who were signed to universal records & a cousin Danny boy who was signed to death row records…
Seeing the things they were able to accomplish because of the work they put in was second to none

  • What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an emerging artist, and how have you overcome them?


The biggest challenge to me was figuring out how to get the ball rolling as a artists / so the things I did to overcome that was work on my sound then once I found my sound I started learning how to do as much as possible so not only am I a artist. I record myself / mix myself / do my own artwork / send out all my own emails I never stop learning and hunting for new information that can help push anything I’m doing forward

  • Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound and style?

 Two chainz , fab , Young ali , Gno , ty dolla sign & Charlie Wilson are really my musical influences young ali/ Gno really shaped who I am as a artist helping me & showing me how to get my creativity out …as far as the main stream artist I named I took bits and pieces from them I admire and mixed it all together

  • How do you approach the songwriting process, and where do you draw inspiration from for your lyrics and melodies?

 I really just do whatever I feel at the moment. all of my lyrics are inspired by real life events and I think thats what makes each song so dope .. I go live life have fun and then rap about it I even speak on the bad as well you never know what part of you people will relate to

  • What can listeners expect from your upcoming album or project, and how does it differ from your previous work?

Vibes vibes vibes each song is a vibe
You’re gonna be able to tell that me and my producer two stickz has great chemistry.. Also the lyrics & wordplay on each song are next level ..this project differs from everything because it’s 100% complete we took our time with each song played everything over and over and didn’t release it until we felt like it was perfect

  • How has your background or life experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?

 In every way …growing up in Chicago isn’t for the weak I feel like instead of learning how to be book smart & learn about the world we were taught how to survive the world if that makes sense so in my mind each song , each play I make with this music is me surviving to keep pushing forward and share these vibes with the entire world one day

  • Can you talk about a particularly memorable or inspiring performance you've had, and what made it special?

 Toured with crucial conflict we had a Minnesota stop and too short was the headliner
crucial conflict bought me out on their set and I went so crazy we ended up blowing out the speaker system it was wild .. crowd was going crazy I was genuinely in awe after that set

  • What do you hope listeners take away from your music, and what message do you want to convey through your art?

Live life go have fun and experience new things , Always dress your best , be comfortable being you , show love to the ones that came before you , treat every song like it’s your last , stay motivated appreciate the ones that help and stay down along the way

  • How has the music industry changed since you first started, and how have you adapted to those changes as an artist?

The Music industry has changed big time. when I first started taking music serious it was this website ( fake shore drive ) every artist was trying to get on in the mid west it kind of was a pipeline for success in our eyes (like if you made this website you had a chance to be seen by every label in the industry ) .. most of the Chicago artist that’s somebody in the industry came from that website chief keef , durk , tink , dreezy etc
So I just feel like it’s a lil harder you have to weed out who’s platform is really worth being on etc and really figure out the right people to help support/ promote what you have going

  • What advice would you give to other emerging artists who are just starting out in the industry?

No matter what STAY SOLID. Don’t let bad busines and people with foul motives change who you are as a person. Stay learning as well ..things are always changing and you want to be with or ahead of the curve

Back to blog