Hiri SkyWalker

Greetings My Darlings! 

Your girl Serenada'sPen is BACK
  letting you in on the Latest 
Talented Showstoppers that are attacking their chosen Artistic fields with Intensity and Pure Passion.We have taken the music route once more and have found a Wonderful Musical Discovery you will surely Love AND Remember.

I’ve packed up my bags and left my southern home to take a journey to 
the “Big Lights and Big City”  
on the east coast. The place where dreams are made and where the JAY-Z’s, P.DIDDY’s, NICKI MINAJ’s, NAS’s, and LIL’ KIM’s roam, waiting for that 1 magical moment to showcase what they’re made of that can change their lives forever.
New York

Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind

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We’re going into one of the hidden gems of this magical city, landing me into what is known as, “The Lost Burrough”- One of the grittiest, grimiest, dangerous areas to live and keep hope alive when the crime rate is at an all-time high with hate and poverty as its side-kicks.

Here resides, Hiri SkyWalker, an amazing aspiring rap artist/producer who writes his own material and has already made big accomplishments at the starting point of his long and exciting journey with the release of his debut Solo EP Hi SkyWorld released last year 2012 with his crew MusicForTheDef aka OurTalentTakingOver. With a soon to be released body of work for his 
first self-proclaimed
LP, R.E.P., Real Equals Prosperity, 
he is well on the road to stardom with nothing to hold him back. The saying goes; If you can’t make it here then you can’t make it anywhere.” This “Jedi Knight” with his light saber of many colors proves that and he will have you believe that whether you live in New York or not, you can equally achieve your dreams no matter where you are or however dire your circumstances may be.

So Stay tuned and don’t go anywhere because you will receive the full-coverage on what it’s like to live in 
Hiri’s Hi SkyWorld and everything he has done to lead him up to where he is now with musical selections to allow you the full effect of his producing mastermind.

It’s so nice to meet you Hiri Sky Walker! How are you luv?

I'm good how are you?

Good, Good, Good! Now that I’m chatting with you superstar on the rise ;)

BTW absolutely love your name. I feel as though I’m in a Star Wars flick lol. Just so dramatic and fascinating. So let’s start there, what inspired the creation of such a colorful name and 

what is your Real name?

I came up with the name because it was different , who would name themselves after a sci-fi character? And also it described how advanced my style is musically and fashion. My real name is actually Bahiri Lykym Mattiex but people call me what they please lol

OMG even more fascinating REAL name! It's not hard at all, Ba[hiri]. I see what you did with your name, real fly. What are your origins, cultural background?
I have no idea, I ask my parents and they just tell me I'm black but I like to think I'm Jamaican and African.

Where were you born?

I was born in Rochester , NY aka 585 bka the lost borrough.

Do you still live there or reside in another location?

I still live in Rochester to this day , it's really the inspiration for my music.

When is your born day?
I was born November 7th , 1997

Ah! ’97 was a real good year, I remember. You’re just a youngin’ as we call it here in the south lol. For real though besides the music world mourning over Biggie and Tupac there was some great joints poppin’off at that time. 

Do you come from a “well-to-do”, average, or humble childhood?
kinda all of them. I do well but its average and I live humble and grew up humble.

That can be a rarity seeing the perspective from all 3 angles. Awesome.

How has music played a significant role in your upbringing and/or experiences outside of home that jump-started this path you want to follow?
Music is Rhythm and Rhythm is everything .... the way we walk , talk, and act. Music has always affected my life because music has always been my life.

Sounds like music was the core in your home growing up.

What music do you recall being played the most in your home from your family?
My mom was a big neo-soul fan (Floetry , Lauryn Hill , Erykah ,etc) and my dad was and is a real hip-hop head so we listened to everything from Common to Nas , Jay- Z to Krs-1 , Wu-Tang and much more.
Great variety! Definitely my favs all of them. Your parents are fresh ;)

I’m noticing a strong use of soft piano in the background of a few of your songs. Do you play any instruments?
I love piano, it's my favorite instrument next to the violin. I actually play piano and I will start showcasing that on the upcoming albums and I play the drums very well.

Now that is very exciting! I would love to see you play the piano. Your musicality is sharp so I’m sure you get down on the keys and drums too. What you need to do is video record yourself playing these instruments so you can be the next You Tube sensation. Or just to wow us viewers.

Does your family support your musical aspirations or do they want you to pursue another path?

My family supports my musical aspirations because they know how good I am and how deep I get into music and my passion for it.

Tell us about the first time you performed. What song did you sing and/or rap and who was it in front of?
My first real performance was at the 2012 Chernesky festival in Auburn , NY with my crew . It was a small outside crowd at first but when people heard our music ..30 people became 40 and 40 became 50 and so on , it was a great experience.

Now that’s what I call a Real turn-out! Good Job. That had to be very rewarding for you guys.

Are you signed to a label or do you have your own?
I'm building a brand right now, not so much of a label, but it's called MusicForTheDef ...

As soon as we get on paper then we'll start creating our own label for us and other acts I respect.

Do you have a manager, sponsor, or under an agency?
I am the manager for right now, we don't have any sponsors but I know for a fact that once we catch on that'll change.

Okay Great!

Which topics and subjects do you cover in your songs?
I really rap about the average teenage life ... and I rap about my life , my experiences.

Now “average” teen life is seen through different lens for teenagers everywhere. Take us into your world Hiri. What is it about your life that sets you a part from the next teen? Name a couple of your experiences- Good, Bad, or Ugly, entirely up to you.
In Rochester the crime rate is crazy, every other week someone is always dying and 9/10 it's someone you know and relationships here are crazy for me too...
sometimes I think of myself as a loner so I basically put my feelings about those subjects on paper. Also the hate is crazy where I'm from and the poverty is too in a way, but I just call it "Warfare and Welfare".
From what you shared you're right to call it "Warfare and Welfare". Sounds like a d*mn good song title too. Make sure you use it! Tell your story and keep it alive because that's the real stuff, tell your story no matter how gritty and grimy it gets.

Are you a solo performer or part of a group?

I am proudly a part of a group ... no a movement .... MusicForTheDef : OurTalentTakingOver but for my rebel / hipster friends it's DefMovement.

What are the names of the other members of your entourage?
The name of the people in my group are Shawn Retro , Bmc, and we have a camera man Xavier DelaCruz and a lot of honarary members too that I'm going to start working with.

Where did you all meet and decide to become 1 Body?
I knew Shawn my whole life basically ...ever since kindergarten. We lost touch after 3rd grade but fate led us to meet again in the summer of 8th grade. I told him how I wanted to get serious with rapping and then told him about my show coming up and how I needed a hype man. He said he'll be the hype man then a couple months later he was like " I want to rap " so we started a group. Then Shawn met Blake aka bmc and added him to the group and we've been tight ever since.

I love stories like this…reacquainting after getting separated. Yea, that sounds like fate to me.

How do they contribute individually to the sound that will be branded as your own?
Shawn raps , he has a joey badass type flow mixed with tyga and Bmc is a singer and rapper ... kinda resembles a church boy. 
Interesting

Download HiSkyWorld http://www.datpiff.com/HiriSkyWalker-HiSkyWorld-mixtape.370332.html

List all of your projects you have completed so far. How do the titles tie into the theme and what makes each one different?
My solo project " HiSkyWorld" which tells about my world and me and Nia Keturah's EP entitled " 7 ". It just gave people a feel of a trippy ride. And coming up I have an album with my group entitled " R.E.P " which stands for Real Equals Prosperity and the title gives the best description of the project.

What was your purpose or goal for your 
mixtape and how would you improve it now from listening back?
My purpose was to inspire , impress and gain listeners.... if I had a chance I would go back and redo every single beat on " HiSkyWorld" because I made them when I just started producing beats.

From listening to the mixtape I really enjoyed it, especially at the beginning. I would’ve sworn I was listening to a released LP. Very impressive work.
Thanks, I'm humbled you would say that.

Instantly, hands down, my favorites from Hi SkyWorld are the first 3 songs: Future References, Insomnia, Let Go (sampling from Frou Frou Let Go) others are Wassup, The BackPacker, Concrete Jungle.

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I must play devil’s advocate...okay, so you have good material, so what...there’s plenty of cats out here who can equally do the same thing and can pack a mean punch. What makes you think you have what it takes to make it in such an industry that will chew you up and spit you back out?
I have raw talent , a good support system , a great team , and Travi$ Scott's ex manager Shane Morris has been giving me a few pointers on song structure and song writing.
That’s an answer I like to hear. As long as the support is there you can’t go wrong.

Are you widely received among your contemporaries or do you experience animosity? What is the “good and bad” like for you?
I have no animosity at all , I’m a pretty chill dude who stays in his own lane ...acts humble but is very competitive low key.

Oh I feel you, we’re not worried about that lol. It’s the other cats out here who will try to steal your thunder, not show respect, and throw you off track. Have you had any experiences with any of that?
I've had one altercation if you want to call it that, but it was minor, just a little hate from the guy here and there but me and my crew pay him no mind.


You’re still in the early phases of your accomplishments and still have a long way to go but out of curiosity have you experienced your “big break” or breakthrough performance, or act caught the eyes of the right people to get you where you are now? Or do you feel you haven’t reached that point yet, just making small successes to get there?
Man, I'm just getting started and I'm not stopping... I have years to perfect everything and make more connections so I think I haven’t had a big break yet, however my biggest accomplishment is producing for Angel Haze.

Angel Haze

I know it was a big dousie to ask since you’re just starting out but I can’t presume to know, cuz honestly I don’t. Anything is possible ;)I have a feeling Angel Haze is a name we need to know about. Can you elaborate on who this person is?

She was a XXL Freshman nominee, on BET cypher, and she's all over the mags and blog sites. Just google her...she's a dope femcee.
For all the readers, a ' Femcee ' is a female Emcee/MC.

Which contests, “star search” tv shows, programs, guest appearances for other Artists (upcoming and well-known), or benefit concerts have you participated in?
I have done none but America may see me and my crew on America's got talent or X-Factor.
Yup for sure! Get ya’ll a**es on both if you can. Prepare like mad. It would be great to see you all there!

Creating music is an art form as well as dancing, painting, or wood carving. Are you involved in other forms and/or interested in trying something new?

I love high end art mixed with graffiti so i'll get in to that soon.
Ooh fancy! lol You’re the first to mention this with Graffiti

Which music Artists inspire you and would be the ultimate dream experience to collab and/or perform with?

Kanye first of all he's a genius ... Travi$ Scott, G.O.O.D Music period, Outkast , WuTang, and the soulquarians..also Cocaine 80's

For those who have never heard your music before how would you describe it to them?
Sometimes simple but also complex and real.Which music Artists do your listeners and fans claim you resemble? Do you like these Artist’s styles?
Alot of people say I look like Chief Keef lol but musically alot of people compare me to a young Kanye West. I'm ok with the comparisons too because Kanye is what many artists should strive to be.

I was trying to figure out myself who you looked like but didn’t know who. You sorta do resemble Chief Keef. Don’t we all look like somebody lol. Look-a-likes everywhere. Any reference to Kanye is a plus, on the artistic side of things.

If this applies, How long have you been performing live?
I've only had 6 performances so far.

Better than none!

From what you notice so far, who comprises of your fanbase? Are you shocked or surprised by the type of people who are drawn to your music?
SkateBoarders, Tumblr Models , Kanye Fans , All types of people and I'm not suprised because I resemble so much of my fans when I listen to music.

This is cute…Tumblr models… yea you have officially made an all-around fanbase for yourself. All I’m saying is you need to remember me when you hit Platinum lol.

Which part of the process excites you the most: writing, producing, recording, or performing the song live?
Producing, I love making beats...I can do it for hours and not get tired of it.

Fantastic. You’ve shared your other major claim to fame.

I’m not sure how far you have reached in your journey to know the ins and outs of the music industry. But if you can Hiri, share with us something we have no clue about involving this world of music that you can attest to & provide.
Theres a lot to learn about music and that's one thing i've learned about music.

Which song from all the work you’ve done can you perform over and over again without ever getting tired of?
Insomnia , LetGo and a new song called breath.

Which one(s) has the most sentimental value where it touches you on a much deeper level?
Never Made it , InterludeForHer and TheFuneral

I’m sure you’ve had your share of goof-ups and mishaps while performing, rehearsing, etc. Give us an inside look at a time you felt mortified and how you recovered from it?
At one of my shows I said one of my verses wrong but I caught myself and kept rapping.

That’s a very common slip-up that is very understandable. One of the fears that I expected many Artists to have would be is to forget their lyrics or say a line(s) at the wrong time. You’re sharp to be able to catch it as it’s happening and keep going. 

You now have the opportunity to tell the world exactly what your self-proclaimed music is called. What unique name, coined by you, would you give your style?
UpperEchelon Soul , DefMusic , and PopArt

Excelente! UpperEchelon Soul is killer ;)

Have this moment of Glory and let’s really get real about what you want. If the purpose behind the music is to obtain recognition and gain a following then tell me what your ideal stage performance is. Including location, when (time), live instrumentation, costumes (fashion choices), lighting, special guests, song selections, whatever you can think of. Give us your dream performance.

Vans Warped Tour at night where people have out their cells phones and lighters up .... Me wearing some high end fashion stuff like Givenchy, Couture, Versace with some yeezy's on . Me and my crew with an appearance from A$ap Rocky, Travi$ Scott, Kanye West, or a lot of dope artists I listen to.
Aw man! You aint kidding when you mentioned “high-end”. Did you really say Givenchy & Versace? Alright now. Go on with your bad self lol.

What setbacks or trials have you had to overcome as a young man in your own life?
Deaths and relationships.
You’re already learning about the rest of life already…

What do you attribute to your drive as an artist?
I study music day and night not just hiphop but music ...I'm a big indie rock fan ...and that helps me be versatile.

In what ways are you promoting your work and getting it noticed to the public?

Any way possible on the internet and in real life...anyone willing to listen or share my music is how I spread new sounds into people's ears.

How do You define “Success”?

Success is when I can sleep at night without waking up thinking ...dang there's still 7 billion more people out here who hasn't heard my music yet.

Love it lol

Many doors can close in your face with hopeful encounters not believing in your cause. In your own way how do you overcome stress and dissapointments in music and outside of it?

I just keep working ...I like to say if all the Gatorade sells out then find your own ingredients and make it happen yourself. Very Good advice!

What do people meeting you for the first time get right or misinterpret about you?
A lot of people think I think I'm too good to talk to them but they always end up finding out how cool and humble I am.
What?!? they don’t know. You’re soooo like stuck up! =P lol j/k. Take it from me you’re a smart and driven young man ready to take the world over. I can tell you’re humble just from how anxious you were to have people see our 1-on-1. Gracious for this opportunity.

Do you feel rap music has achieved a certain stigma or bad-listing? If so, what should change about it or how would you change it as an upcoming Artist?
The bad-listing comes from people who dread change and hate experimenting with new sounds or even crossing over to a sub-genre or fusing genres..... People are afraid of what they don’t understand and in hip-hop when someone doesn't understand it they over-look it or hate it.
Appreciate you for explaining this so candidly for all our upcomers!

What has been the hardest realizations you had to come to grips with when pursuing this career in music? Were you naive to the reality, not expecting it, or did it hit you like a ton of bricks?

The hardest thing is knowing that there's so much to learn but not so much time to learn it. I always knew it but it just hit me though and it kind of got me down for a few days but then I maned up and got back to work and studying the game.
It can be overwhelming…even though I’m not in the music scene I understand what you were feeling. It can translate into any field of interest as well. All you can do is what you can and the best will come. As people I think we try to do too much, more than what we can handle or take it, and then we crash and burn. One of my favorite quotes is, I am not everyone, but I am someone. I can’t do everything but I can do something.

Freestyle battles and Cyphers are the talk of the town in the rap game because that’s where much of your street cred can come from, I presume. Have you participated in any battles or cyphers?
At school I have lots of cyphers with my in school clique ...shout out to my home boy Q and John and outside of school me and musicforthedef do a lot of cyhpers ..I've never battled though because I'm not that much of a battle rapper.

What do you like or dislike about this form of rhyme skill?

There's no limit to what you can say and the reactions from the crowd are crazy and the vibe is always dope.

OK we’re OFFICIALLY done with the grill session lol. Let’s chill now and let’s talk about you.

What were your favorite hobbies or pastimes when you were younger?
My favorite hobby was music when I was younger but now It’s kind of my passion, job and responsibility but now a days I look into Photography , Art and Thrifting .

This is what can easily be looked over… a hobby turned passion into a “job” is the essence of a person’s life. Why not get paid to do what you love. If music is what rules you then it’s ordained to be your destiny, period. I like photography too. It aint too shabby neither ;)

With all the amazing colors of the spectrum which color(s) are your favorite?
Most people don't know this but my favorite color is purple.

Ha! And you trusted to reveal this special fact about yourself right here with me! I’m honored. For some reason I believed purple would be your color. You looked like a purplish kind of guy lol. It’s a royal color anyways. It must’ve been instinctual that I’m using purple as the font too…interesting.

More than ever I’ve become more interested in animals. Do you have any pets?

My mom is allergic to pets, so I've never been able to keep a pet but when I do they usually last a week and then they..... well you know lol

Oh no! What’s going on Mr. Hiri?!? Why on earth would these animals be leaving the world so quickly in your care?

What’s your favorite food?
My favorite food is pizza ...I love it ...I will never get tired of it lol

For the guy that microwaves! (smh)

Pizza, American staple.

Do you know how to cook?
I'm learning how to cook but I know a little something ...mostly with a microwave though lol

In my best Kel voice from Good Burger… Uh, nooo! Don’t even try to use the ‘ microwave ‘ as your so-called method for ‘cooking’lol. It has to be on a stove, with seasonings, a flame or electronic heat. But that’s good you’re learning. Gotta take care of yourself alone one day, until you find your other half. But you still need to be able to cook for her too!

Describe your individual style to us. What are your “go-to” apparel choices as yourself and when you’re HiriSkyWalker the Artist? Any brand names you're particularly drawn to?

I love og jordans ...not retros , timbs , yeezy's , Adidas... I wear golden rd, I shop in H&M and Pac Sun...Hot Topic ...also I love thrifting, it's a great time.
ha! you know what you like. But ya’ll city slickers just have to walk outside your door and there you are in front of a clothing store within the city. Not sure how Rochester is set up if the subway is the main transportation or not but I’ve been to NY and know about the trains. I’ll tell you the truth I’ve never shopped in H&M. I’ve heard of PAC Sun but the same applies with that too. One things for sure, you have a brand-image and want to go out in style ;)

Which Artists and music are currently rotating on your playlist?
Ken Rebel, Kanye, Travis Scott, Pro Era, Tde, Twin Sister, Little Dragon, Nia Keturah, Cerebral Ballzy, The Underachievers, Bakers Club and a lot more but the list would go on.

Awesome. I need to check these artist’s out.

Cerebral Ballzy

 Bakers Club

What characteristics can you appreciate and value strongly in a love interest?
A dope personality, not simple-minded, a good dresser, someone with a cute smile and someone I can act ignorant with in the mall lol and take dope pictures with.
ha! I love how you just said, a dope personality! It could have some prospects worried with something high to live up to but surprisingly it’s rather simple & uncomplicated. Not to make you look super young but your description with someone I can act ignorant with in the mall and take dope pictures with, is a cute and age-appropriate sensibility showing that you’re still a sharp teen but you’re not trying to be more ahead of your time than necessary. I'm also sensing some romance in there ;)

Are you checking out the scene or have a cute girl holding it down?
I'm playing the field but it’s almost time to catch. I just gotta see how things shape out in a couple weeks.

Be on the look-out girlies. Cute guy alert *sirens* lol


Besides the fellas out here, your fan based extends to the ladies, and rightfully so! What do you consider a fun date to be?
Movies are a big thing for me and it’s basically the only thing to do in Rochester. I like taking pictures, chilling at home or going out to eat . But I also like adventure landing lol even though some people may say I’m too old for it.

Oh really?!? Either I’m getting too old or need to get out more lol You’re gonna have to get me hip on this one. What exactly is “adventure landing”?

Which US states, country, or countries would you love to visit?
Cali and I wanna go to Paris and also Ethiopia.

Oui Oui J Going back to Cali, to Cali, to Cali but in your case, wants to go to Cali for the first time- west coast babyyy lol.

What’s your favorite word in the dictionary or made-up from tv or cartoons?
Sick, Dope , Ill, Def , Cray, Ignant (ignorant ) and that's basically it besides rachet.

Ratchet- We’ve all heard the trendy word by now but in the most pg-rated version describe in your own words what ‘ratchet’ means.
Ratchet as in ghetto or in many cases someone who just don't care...and acts like a bird, if you know what that means lol.
Thanks for clarifying lol.Use your imagination for a moment. If you can be any superhero, have any superpower, or be any animal or inanimate object tell us all about it.
I'd be a lion because they just resemble everything I am...and I also think they'd be dope pets if they started to be domesticated.

So does that include eating your food raw & still alive lol kiddin. Boy the day a ‘lion’ becomes a domestic cat will be the day. Don’t go all Siegfried and Roy on me and think it can be done neither.


If you have any hidden talents share them with us :)
I'm a great writer...I write poems and will have some stuff published and some spoken word vids recorded one day.

Oh yea, and make sure you let me know so I can post, post, post!

All guys like speed and fast cars. If you can be any car, which one best describes your personality: Hiri the Artist and Hiri the everyday guy?
I'd be a Bentley, I always thought they were dope and it would describe my artist personality.

Given the chance any actor or actress could portray the story of your life who could accurately do your life story justice?
Any random kid who can relate to my situation but they have to be dark skinned and have dreads like me lol.

Maybe we should do a casting call for all dread and dark chocolate skin pronto to studio set Hiri#1

Let’s say you have the honor of meeting the current President Barack Obama and his family. What would you want to say to him? And perform if asked?

It depends on if he approached me first. Me and my crew would love to perform for him.

Wow, I never expected such an answer. You got some balls kid. What particular song would you choose to perform, any idea?

I'd perform his new song called, 'In The Sky' off of me and my group's album...b/c the first verse is me on my revolutionary thing/hippie thing and I want him and the gov't to know how I feel.
More power to you.

 If you can change anything about your life what would you change and why?

Nothing, I believe in fate and everything happens for a reason so even all the bad things and non-music related things happened so I could be where I am today and I take pride in that.

This is important for me to ask you since nothing in life is guaranteed and anything can happen. If there comes a time when pursuing this path can no longer continue for whatever reason,

What other directions can you securely continue and pursue careers? It’s always important to know where all your skills and talents lie in order to have several back-up plans.
I'm still going to do music ... I'm going to either go to college for a course to help me create my own label , or go simple and become a music teacher. But I will always do music or do something music related.

Great. Get that education boy!

Name 2 things you must do on your bucket list.
Vans Warped Tour and Kilo Kish

www.KiloKish.com

www.VansWarpedTour.com

What quote or mantra guides you through the most difficult times and helps you to stay grounded and secure in the good times?
"Pain is weakness leaving the body "  " difficult takes a day , impossible takes a week "

Who do you credit for your discovery for pushing you to pursue your dreams?
Everyone who supports and more importantly my dad . Good ol’ Pops ;)

What legacy do you wish to leave when the last chapter of HiriSkyWalker’s life story comes to an end?

I wanna let people know that the outcast underdogs will and always will have a chance. I wanna be remember for good music, style, and the fact that I'm a stand-up guy.
This Is 2013 The Year of the Underdog!

For your peers out here trying to achieve the same as you what tips or advice would you like to share with them?
Work not only hard but smart and you have to want to succeed as bad as you have to breathe.

This year 2013 my major goal I will complete is_____.

I will haved produced for someone signed and a successful album release.

And of course, where can fans and newbies learning about your for the first time keep up with the Latest & Greatest?
http://www.Defmovementmusic.tumblr.com and  http://www.mtv.com/artists/ourtalenttakingover

OTHER FEATURE SPOTLIGHT: http://houseofaura.com/new-music-ourtalenttakingover-change-prod-hiriskywalker/

Listen to more from TalentTakingOver @

https://soundcloud.com/ourtalenttakingover https://www.youtube.com/MusicForTheDef

Please come join P.O.E.T Radio with Enigmatic Mahogany and Nancy Happyheart Sharrar for Inspirational XpressionZ to share your poetry or just listen in! Be inspired, encouraged, motivated, and uplifted. See u there!
Talkshoe.com or call in (724)444-7444 ID 93155# on Sundays from 7PM-9PM CST