Darealwordsound

"Elwin G. Williams, III is the creative force known as Darealwordsound" or Wordsound for short. He is known for his "funky, dynamic, memorable beats" and positive, unique lyrics with a nerdy twist. But there's more to this Hip Hop Nerdcore rapper and producer than meets the eye. G33k-HQ sat down with Williams in an exclusive interview to take a look into the talent, life and music of Darealwordsound. Music has always been a part of Darealwordsound's life. As a child his biggest inspirations were his uncles, Cliff and Carl. Both skilled musicians who passed early in his life, they encouraged a young Elwin to always follow his dreams and keep practicing his craft. Later in life he found inspiration in hip hop from artists such as Del the Funky Homosapien, Wu Tang, A tribe Called Quest, The Roots and others. As a trained bassist (who also plays electric guitar, keyboard and drums) Williams found his passion for music expanded far beyond just hip hop and he turned to rock artists such as Thrice, Incubus, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Band of Gypsies, Coheed and Cambira, Animals as Leaders, Deftones, Pantera, Slipknot, System of a Down and others for inspiration as well. Mix all of that with a passion and love for the geek world, it didn't take long for Williams to find his sound and become the force known as DaRealWordSound. Darealwordsound has been making music ever since his uncle gave him his first action keyboard when he was a young child. It's been a long journey, but WordSound has proven that with hard work and dedication, dreams really do come true. In 2013, he competed in the Crush Con Beat Battle and the Fresh Out The Bay Cypher and placed 1st in both competitions. Since then his career has taken off and he has been performing all over the westcoast. He has transitioned from a rapper to a producer and even founded his own studio, BeatLayers Studio, in Vacaville, CA. With Fresh beats and clean, positive and inspiring lyrics, Darealwordsound makes music that everyone can enjoy. With songs like Cosplay Girl, Mega Man and Super Saiyan it's easy to see that geek culture has made an impression on WordSound and he has no shame expressing that through his music. When asked what the word "GEEK" means to him, he answered with: "What does the work Geek mean to me; Gifted Enlightened Enthusiastic Kid 4 Life! To be a geek means you have to be smart and have good reasoning skills. Something that many people lack to this day. People may be catching on to the fad, but when it comes to debating the essence of Evil in Joker...you better of come ready to debate using Socrates and Plato to back your argument. You could add Nichi as well into the argument since he believes God is dead. Being a Geek to me is a privilege that many try to imitate but will never fully understand what its like to get so lost into a comicbook that you forget to sleep and eat! Geeks are awesome and I am forever glad to be one." You can really get to know Darealwordsound by listening to his music. His latest album "March Madness II" features other artists such as A.K.Aye, Erikah Tha Kitty and Hip Hop Nerdcore Legend Random aka Mega Ran. I loved the beats on this album and as a self-proclaimed geek, the lyrics were so relate-able I had no trouble listening to it on repeat! I asked Darealwordsound which song he'd like his fans to listen to, in order to really get to know him and he suggested that if you're new to his music, you should start with David vs Goliath off his newest album. "That is me in a nutshell. Pouring my heart out and not giving no excuses for chasing my dreams. Many people still doubt me and honestly I no longer care. I am not bitter, instead I am focused. I have no time for doubt." And, he really doesn't have the time for doubt or negativity! He's too busy making moves. Darealwordsound is currently in the middle of his #OtakuTour with tour dates all over california ending August 31st in Sacramento. But don't fret if you're not in california to make in to a show! Wordsound is still offering fans the opportunity to see him perform live. With the #OtakuTourChallenge Darealwordsound has challenged his fans to "like" him on facebook. If he reaches or exceeds 1,000 likes on Facebook before the end of his tour, he will do another live show online for all of his fans! What a great guy! He has also recently expanded his portfolio to include a monthly self-produced UStream podcast called, #MYLANE, a live hip hop, rock and nerd talk broadcasted from BeatLayer Studios with co-hosts San Franscisco based artists Forcee the Kid and Erikah tha Kitty.

For more information on Darealwordsound, you can check him out using the links below. (Make sure you like him on Facebook!) Also below is the complete Q & A from our interview. Enjoy!

Check out his music at:

http://theregoesyaneighborhood.bandcamp.com

SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook

www.facebook.com/darealwordsound

Twitter

www.twitter.com/darealwordsound

Instagram

@darealwordsound

Tumblr

darealwordsound.tumblr.com

SoundCloud

www.soundcloud.com/wordsound85

Interview:

G33k-HQ: Okay, First off, Why Darealwordsound?

Darealwordsound: lol My artist name was going to be Zound Khild but my mentor Bukue One gave me the ugliest look and said no. He then said Wordsound because I am great with people and word play, and I am also a musician. Wordsound is registered with Ascap but when I started to make my website thanks to section 101, and other social media I keep seeing other wordsound's. So twitter offered me a solution with Darealwordsound since all the others were wack! lol From there it stuck although people spell it DarealWorldsound lol I do not understand how they keep putting world into it. lol



G33k-HQ: What is your earliest geek memory?

Darealwordsound: I remeber collecting Zbots and Transformers when I was Kid. I used to take the toys and create my own super hero movies with them like Superman and Batman. The old movies with christopher reed and george clooney as batman. My dad had tons of recorded VHS tapes so I would go through them and watch all of his old movies. I'll never forget the day I found the star wars series! I was glued to the TV! When my pops came home, I was all excited about Jedi's and Darth Vader. My mom was mad that I found those tapes. Lol Once I saw them, all I did was watch star wars, star trek enterprise with my dad, read comics, and play video games. My mom wanted me more active in sports but my pops knew that would never happen. lol



G33k-HQ: What was your first creative outlet?

Darealwordsound: my very first action keyboard my uncle got me. It played all these cheesy beats and sounds but I loved it. I would go around the house playing it and making up random songs. The day it died, my parents where so happy. lol I would sleep with that keyboard in my hand. lol



G33k-HQ: Who are your biggest music inspirations?

Darealwordsound: Great question! First off my Uncle Cliff and Uncle Carl. They passed away early in my life but they were all skilled musicians. They encouraged me to keep practicing music no matter what. Later in life, I began to become fans of Hip Hop artist like Del the Funky Homosapien, Wu Tang, A tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Biz Markie, Gang Starr, Rakim, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, and Rage against The Machine. I am also a big rock fan so Thrice, Incubus, Ben Kenney, Enter Shikari, The White Stripes, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Band of Gypsies, Coheed and Cambira, Animals as Leaders, Deftones, Pantera, Slipknot, System of a Down, Pinback, Primus, and At the Driven. Oh I am also a fan of foreign bands like The Pillows, Asian Kung Fu Generation, Nujabes, and Korzan world Trio. I am a fan of music and my taste is wide and refined. lol Everything I grew up listening to has played a major part in my creativity. Especially within Hip Hop. The producers I love the most are J Dilla, Dj Premier, Timbaland, Just Blaze, Flying Lotus, Adrian Younge, Depakote, Kanye West and Madlib. I love producers that are not afraid to explore sound and try something new. That always inspires me!



G33k-HQ: Describe your studio to us!

Darealwordsound: Well its the spare room in our "Condo". Seriously it feels like one. I have my Imac with a Audiobox preamp and a Behringer Mic. I have 2 M Audio Mixer speakers and an old Yamaha Midi Keyboard. I have an SDGR 4 string bass and a 1979 copy Jazz Fender bass and then my 2 electric guitars one peavey and the other and Ibanez. I also have an acoustic but I forget the brand. I use them alot in my music production. I turned my closet into a vocal booth. lol I even put skateboards I got over the booth for inspiration. In the room I have comic books and vinyl hanging on the wall. I like to keep my studio relaxed and nerdy. Helps me function better. I also keep comic books and manga in the studio plus dictionaries and other writing guide materials. I like to expand my lyrical content and I love books!



G33k-HQ: What helps you work?

Darealwordsound: First off I have to start my day off with either meditation or exercise. I meditate to calm my self. I am a very hyper active person so sometimes I need to chill and reflect. Im not buddhest. lol I just understand the need to enjoy silence and health. After that I need to read or watch some anime/marvel/dc show. I like my cartoons in the morning. Right now I am re-watching the whole Ben 10 Series and I just started RWBY. I am also watching the new Hunter X Hunter 2011 which is really good!After all that, my mind is ready to create! Music is fun to me so I need to be in a pleasant state. If not, I can make some really dark depressing music that will make you hate living. lol Yeah I can be that extreme but music is like journal. I put my heart into every song I make.
G33k-HQ: I know you're a gamer, what are the best and worst games you've ever played?

Darealwordsound: First worst game! Captain America for Ps3. Played it when I was sick and beat it in like 6hrs. That game cost me 50 bucks and it sucked. I collect video games also and I am a big captain america fan...but this game I made sure to take it back. So mad and so let down. No marvel character game should that easy and basic!! Yeah I was mad. I still am! lol My favorite game of all times is a toss between the Ratchet and Clank series and Dragon Quest 8! Final Fantasy 7 is forever raw no doubt but the games that I played over and over again where Ratchet and Clank and dragon quest. It was the world design and the enemies that impressed me. I like games that have a well written story line and characters that are multi dimensional. Ratchet and Clank are prime examples! plus the weapons you get to upgrade are insane!! I am two games behind in the series due to me always traveling as of recently but I will catch up! favorite gun in the game was the sheep gun. If you upgrade it enough they sheep attack enemies and explode! Awesome!!!



G33K-HQ: Living or Dead, who would you like to jam with?

Darealwordsound: For the Dead...I would say my uncle cliff. Just so he can see how far I have came as an artist. I would also want to jam with Buddy Miles the drummer for Jimi Hendrix all black band Band of Gypsies. He was an amazing drummer and singer. Also, sit down with the Guru and J dilla. Just peep game from hip hops most favorite rapper and producer. For the living, I got to intern for Del the Funky Homosapien so that is off my bucket list. I really want work with Dj Nu Mark from Jurassic 5, Slightly Stoopid, Random aka MegaRan again...he is featured on March Madness II, Weird Al would be fun, Just Blaze, The Roots!! You have no idea how awesome that would be for me. I also want to work with Ben Kenney. I know doing an album with him would be fun. Oh and of course Timbaland!! Yeah that would sum everything up!



G33k-HQ; What is your happiest On-Stage Moment?

Darealwordsound: I just performed in Napa for Porchfest and I brought these two young boys on stage who are big fans of mine. To do a song with my youngest fans was a milestone for me as an artist. If you could see how happy they were, it would melt your heart. After the show they told me that I was their favorite rapper and their hero. I almost cried. My main goal as an artist is to inspire others and to see it come true is amazing.



G33k-HQ: What was your favorite song to write or record?

Darealwordsound: Honestly Super Saiyan from March Madness 1. Its a song about Dragon Ball. I mean the whole series!!!



G33k-HQ: What song should fans listen to to really understand you as an artist?

Darealwordsound: Go listen to David vs Goliath off of March Madness II. That is me in a nutshell. Pouring my heart out and not giving no excuses for chasing my dreams. Many people still doubt me and honestly I no longer care. I am not bittet, instead I am focused. I have no time for doubt. Another song to learn more about me is listen to Kuma's Rage just to hear how creative and skilled of an artist I am. I promise, The music I am making, you have not heard it on the radio before!



G33k-HQ: Do You consider yourself a "GEEK"?

Darealwordsound: Yep! And I say it with Pride. All my life i tried to fit in but I never could. I enjoy sci-fi, anime, comic books, science and music. I rather be at cons then be out on the streets. I like to collect books and classic video games. However, I did learn how to use my geek side to work on the ladies lol. Hey fellas, girls don't mind your nerd side as long as your confident in who you are and what is in you want in life. But seriously, me being a geek was something I grew into and was never ashamed of. I had other cool nerdy friends also and we would hang out all the time in High School. I will tell anyone, If all you have is 1 or 2 solid friends right now, then you are the richest person in the world. Real friends are the ones that like you for who you are and you have nothing to prove. I was fortunate enough to also have awesome cool nerdy friends and we where all close knit. Geek Life is forever and I am not leaving the game, the game needs me. lol



G33k-HQ: What does the word "GEEK" mean to you?

Darealwordsound: Gifted Enlightened Enthusiastic Kid 4 Life! To be a geek means you have to be smart and have good reasoning skills. Something that many people lack to this day. People may be catching on to the fad, but when it comes to debating the essence of Evil in Joker...you better of come ready to debate using Socrates and Plato to back your argument. You could add Nichi as well into the argument since he believes God is dead. Being a Geek to me is a privilege that many try to imitate but will never fully understand what its like to get so lost into a comic book that you forget to sleep and eat! Geeks are awesome and I am forever glad to be one.



G33k-HQ: What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

Darealwordsound: lol man, thats a long answer but ill try to make it short and sweet.
1.) Love your fans. you need them more then they need you. so if you always think of them, they will always think of you.
2.) be humble. don't let the fame turn you into an arrogant prick.
3.) Nobody owes you anything so learn how to make it happen for yourself.
4.) remember your crew! team work makes the dream work.
5.) Get use to hearing "No!" Eventually you will start hearing "Yes!" soon.
6.) don't be cheap on yourself, pay to learn or pay for quality.
and 7.) Have fun and enjoy the journey. If you have a goal then follow it and enjoy each milestone. Bask in the success and learn from the mistakes. You are building your own company so understand success is not overnight. It all takes time for things to grow.

Oh and very lastly...go read music business books. If your not reading then prepared to get screwed over! Read!! lol - G33k HQ

What is good people? Kuma here with a first time interview with Darealwordsound who took time out to chat with us about his inspiration and how he came about his unique style of mixing our geek culture with hip hop. I am honored to share his story with you so please sit back and enjoy the read!

Kuma: Thank you very much for sitting with us over the interwebs taking time out of your busy schedule, much appreciated. Lets give the fans what they want, but giving them information about you. What brought on this unique style of hip hop?

Darealwordsound: It was growing up listening to all forms of music and then one day I happen to see Busta Rhymes on TV. From there discovering The Roots, Gangstarr, Biz Markie, ODB, Method Man, MF DOOM, Del The Funky Homosapien and I always loved rap. I used to write raps in High School, but nothing serious. Instead I wanted to be a rock artist, which lead to being in bands, but they never took off because nobody was driven like I was. Around my mid 20’s I started to produce music when I got an iPad with garageband and from there I ended up interning for Del The Funky homosapien thanks to Bukue One. With that I was fully brought into the hip hop culture and again found myself writing raps as well as freestyle.

Kuma: What happened from there?

Darealwordsound: Del and my mentor started working with me behind the scenes and encouraged me to keep it up and from there I developed my own sound. I guess you can say I am a samurai with a mic because I believe in my own path within rap. It doesn’t mean I don’t study whats out there, but I try to pull in the good, toss out the bad and make my own sound out of it. In the end write lyrics that are positive and real.

Kuma: “Samurai with a mic”, I dig that.

Kuma: I noticed your lyrics are straight up no swearing or n-bombs. That means no bleeping, so people can enjoy your music better. It might be a weird question, but why go that route?

Darealwordsound: Lol my dad, he was a big fan of hip hop growing up from artist like Sugar Hill Gang, kool mo dee, Rakim, Public Enemy. But he always believe that if rappers were so skilled with words, they wouldn’t need to curse. Then my mentor Bukue One brought up the same argument. So I tried it and I noticed by me not cussing, I get more positive responses from all ages and all demographics. The downside is most African American rappers don’t see me as a rapper cause I don’t say N**ga or Swear. However, outside of the African American community I am loved. It is kind of bitter sweet, but I know with my new stuff coming out, they are going to be shocked on how I can make dope music without selling my soul. I know there will be some cussing in my music, but if there is, it has to make sense.

Kuma: Well that is the difference between Rap and Hip Hop. Hip Hop to me is more about grooving and relaxed just like the artist you named. Do you believe in that difference between the two styles?

Darealwordsound: rap originally is apart of the elements of Hip Hop, but now there is a division due to commercialism bleeding into the culture. I would say you have your different shades of hip hop.

Kuma: True that, how has incorporating your “geekdom” if I may use the phrase into your hip hop favored your style?

Darealwordsound: Freedom to be me and not ashamed of what I like, especially when I learned a lot of my favorite artist are geeks. For example Just Blaze, Del The Funky Homosapien, Xzibit and Eminem. Even Pharrell and Childish Gambino.

Kuma: Is there any video game soundtracks that you favor and if so what would you want to incorporate into some of your lyrics?

Darealwordsound: Assassin’s Creed series, Infamous, Ratchet and Clank series for soundtracks. As for games in my lyrics I do that a lot. Even in my freestyles, I know right now I am currently working on my next mixtape called March Madness. The main theme is characters from the MegaMan series. The whole point of March Madness is fans submitting ideas for me to make a song out of characters they pick.

Kuma: I am definitely excited about that. I hope you on using some mega man tracks in your mixes. Did you make a choice yet or is it still hush hush?

Darealwordsound: Sad to say people have been lacking on submissions this time around. Lol, its weird…I don’t know. But, what I do have submitted will be used and I do plan on using the score for these characters into tracks.

Kuma: Yo listen up people tag your MegaMan choices on instagram to DaRealWordSound, get your choices on his next album! On that note, thanks for taking the time to chat and we are all looking forward to your March Madness album. As always I like to ask if you can lay down some choice words for future artist that want to do what you do?

Darealwordsound: Have thick skin and don’t be afraid of no. You will hear no a lot, but if you stick it out and stay true to your heart. You will make moves, also never be afraid to be original and different. People always want to be a part of something new.

ladies and gentlemen Darealwordsound. That is some deep words from a cool artist and with that being said definitely check out his work as well as all of his music in the links below. Please hit up his instagram and share your picks of what you want him to rap about of your favorite Megaman characters of choice. It is real simple.

Step 1: Take a picture of a MegaMan character they want me to rap about on instagram
Step 2: tag @darealwordsound #megawords
Step 3: add @darealwordsound on Facebook

Download The New Mixtape Raw & Uncut

http://www.datpiff.com/Darealwordsound-Raw-Uncut-mixtape.561376.html

Download my music @
theregoesyaneighborhood.bandcamp.com

Listen to my music @
soundcloud.com/wordsound85

Subscribe to Youtube channel
Youtube.com/channel

Keep track of shows and updates @
Reverbnation.com
FB.com/DaRealWordSound
twitter.com/Darealwordsound
Instagram.com/Darealwordsound
darealwordsound.tumblr - Kuma's Kreations