Vibes From 5 - Interview with rapper iamfiveee

Melvin Joyner Jr. ( born March 31, 1998), better known by his stage name iamfiveee, is an American rapper and entrepreneur from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is currently unsigned but is working on starting his own record label "Five Winters Entertainment". Iamfiveee released his debut album "Vibes From 5" on December 25, 2016 including his single "FWU". The album details a past relationship and his feelings during the relationship and also after the relationship. We have conducted an interview with him.

Where did you draw inspirations to create your new album titled "Vibes From 5"? Why '5' for the title is included?

My latest release “Vibes From 5” is a 14 track album that I began creating a year ago. It includes my single “FWU” which is gaining a lot of attention and should take off soon. The story behind this album is that I was in a relationship with a girl and she eventually left me for someone else that she thought was better. I used that as motivation to create some of the best music that I have ever made. The album tells a story of the good and bad times during our relationship. The process of creating this album was very therapeutic for me and it helped me express my feelings in an artistic form. My stage name is iamfiveee but everyone calls me "5". It is included in the title because throughout the album you are getting different feelings and vibes from myself, hence the title Vibes From 5(me).

How did you get started with music? What is your story?

I started making music at the age of 12. I started after a friend of mine started an entertainment group and asked me to join. I never made music before but I told him that I would join anyway just to support and try out something new. I had a little experience with music because I use to play the drums and sing in the children's choir at church which made me develop an ear for music and helped me later on in my career. The first song I put out got a lot of attention and I've been making music ever since.

Who are influencers of your music?

Two of my biggest influences in music are Kevin Gates and Michael Jackson. Both are two great artists that I want to be like as I grow as an artist.

What kind of 'Musical Inspirations' did you get from them?

I watched how serious Michael took his craft and that inspired me to be as great as I can possibly be. He made sure that everything was perfected, from his dance steps to his vocal performance. These things are what made him the legend that he is today and I want to leave the same mark on the music industry that he did. I also feel the same way about Kevin Gates. To see someone come from an area of extreme poverty and become one of the biggest rap artists of our time is very inspirational. That lets me know that no matter what your circumstances are you can still become something great.

What do you consider are the most challenging aspects of being an independent artist?

As an independent artist, you face a lot of different challenges. One of the biggest challenges is growing your audience. If you're an artist like myself that has no connections in the music industry you find that it is hard to get your music heard. You spend most of the time spreading your music by yourself which can become very overwhelming at times. This can also be a positive thing as well because no one can promote your project harder than you can. Another challenge is finding a balance between your personal life, work life, and your music career. I began struggling to make time for music, work and family because they seem to get in the way of each other but it's all about finding your balance between everything and making sure that you get everything on your schedule accomplished.

More info:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamfiveee/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamfiveee_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamfiveee/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/iamfiveee