somong interview

JULY 2009

SOMONG

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3Nobody’s Fan™

SOMONGWhile traveling in New York, I decided to make

one of those late night visits to the studio to

see what was on and poppin in the streets

of this concrete jungle. From the moment I

stepped off the elevator and through the big

black doors of Murder Inc.’s recording studio,

I was captivated by the sound of the music

emulating outside from one of the booths.

Inside there sat a few people just bobbing their

heads and jamming. As the sound dissipated,

Ja Rule moved around the room giving his

seal of approval by stating, “this is our year”

to everyone in the room. I watched and

listened as Somong threw on joint after joint

with an undying audience of head boppers.

Then without notice, he casually walked over

to the keyboard, tickled the keys, and started

belting out notes. My interest was peaked

and the man they call “SO” for short agreed

to grant this hater an interview.

A R T I S T S p O T l I g H T:


D: I see that you got some skills on a

couple of instruments. What would you

say are your two favorite instruments

of choice?

S: I would have to say that percussion

and piano are my two instruments of

choice because those were the two

instruments that I learned how to play

first. It wasn’t even a learn thing…it

was just that I picked it up.

D: picked it up? Self taught?

S: Self taught.

D: Interesting.

S: I play piano by ear and I learned the

drums in middle school.

D: What’s your ethnic background?

S: Korean and African American. There

are a lot of things in my genes like ev-

erybody else. I’ve got Jamaican, Baha-

Home Town:

Palm Beach County, Florida, since the age of five

Age:

Early 20’s

Favorite Snack:

Skittles

Musical Influences:

Prince

Favorite Movie:

Purple Rain, and The Mack

Label:

Negotiating with a Major

Personal Stats

5Nobody’s Fan™

mian, White… it’s a lot of things. My

mother is Korean and my father is Afri-

can American. I was born in Korea but

I’ve always been in Florida.

D: You’ll have a lot of women out there

who will want to have your baby.

S: I am single…old enough to drink…

and I have a license…(laughing)

D: Even though you’re Black and Koren

the first thing people are going to see

is your eyes and automatically assume

that you’re Korean. So when they hear

your music…

S: people go crazy.

D: like even though Obama is Black

and White they just see Black. But even

though your Black and Korean they’re

going to see Korean but obviously you

have soul.

S: I like the fact that people see my Ko-

rean first. I think that I would get ac-

cepted too easily if they did see my

Black side first. So being the fact that

I’m Korean or look Korean in an urban

market, I’ve always had to prove my-

self; which is cool. It always tested my

strength no matter what and I feel that

you don’t know how strong you are un-

less everyday your strength is tested.

Sometimes it gets tiresome and you

want to quit and give in or whatever,

but I’m just blessed with the fact that

everyday is a test of faith, a test of my

strength. If I walk into a room full of

singers that are off, a different type of

species and then here I am of a differ-

ent type of species, and I sound just

like them… they’re like he’s not sup-

pose to sound like that…he’s not…

(laughing)

D: I like that.

S: I love it! You know there are a lot

of people that are like you don’t sound

like you look, or you don’t sound like

how you talk. I feel like music is just a

whole other language and it’s mutual.

No matter what you do, it’s mutual.

D: Yeah music crosses all boundaries.

S: And it’s definitely is a crazy life-

style.

D: When I walked into the studio I want-

ed to personally see what you were do-

ing and hear what you’ve been working

on. That’s why I didn’t introduce myself

to you right away.

S: To be honest with you… I focused


on you. Not in a physical way…it’s just

that you were new energy in the room.

If I did something I would look out the

corner of my eye to see what your re-

action was and your energy gave me

a place to go. I think that’s the thing

about my music. I try to have a con-

versation through sound to the person

that’s in the room. Although that might

be crazy, any musician knows what

I’m talking about. To be able to make

something from scratch… just for the

moment, for whoever is in the build-

ing. Whether you’re going through a

tough time or a good time, I want to be

able to capture that so you can make

a memory.

D: I like that you can expect the unex-

pected with you.

S: I started singing in the choir when I

was like, five years old. I love the fact

that I grew up in urban churches, SDA

(Seventh-day Adventist) type church-

es, and Baptist churches. Where at a

young age I got the feeling…you know,

the drums, the heavy drums, and the

long stretched out ad-libbed songs.

Where they sing the song and just ad-

libbed for another five minutes because

that’s just how creative that they were.

So I’ve always had that in me.

D: What does Somong mean?

S: Somong means hope in Korean. The

biggest funniest thing that everybody

always says to me is that, “you al-

ways make things so complicated and

deep”. It has to be. I can’t be

shallow in other words; I’m

very, very complicated and

deep. Somong is hope, my

name means something.

D: How does your Asian

side of the family feel about

you doing Hip-Hop?

S: My Asian side of the

family would be in Korea

and everybody is real sup-

portive.

D: Since you’re already

worldwide where would

you like to tour?

S: I took French in school

so I would just like to play with

French and parlay a little bit in France. I

don’t care. As long as I’m safe, it’s fun,

and it’s for a good purpose… I want to

be anywhere. I don’t want to be some-

where for no reason though. I don’t

7Nobody’s Fan™

care where I am, if it’s for no reason,

I don’t want to be there. I don’t have

to see the world like that. I want to do

something everywhere I go. No matter

what!

D: So right now you’re an unsigned art-

ist?

S: You can say I’m unsigned.

I’m actually signed to a

management label and I’m

negotiating two situations

with another management

label and a major; which

of course would happen to

be Murder Inc. or whatever

they call it right now. The

Inc., Murder Inc., gotti….

bottom line it’s directly con-

nected to Irv and I’m nego-

tiating that situation.

D: Do you spend a lot of

time in the studio?

S: I’ve spent the last seven

months of my life in the studio.

D: I understand you’re a triple threat

because you can produce, write, and

sing?

S: That’s odd that you say that’s a triple

threat because a lot of people say it’s

signing, dancing, and writing.

D: You dance?

S: I dance.

D: Self taught?

S: Self taught but by watching others.

My favorite people to watch were Mi-

chael Jackson, MC Hammer and ginu-

wine.

D: Do you go to the club and practice

your moves?

S: You know it’s funny…I don’t know

why but recently I haven’t been a fan of

big large crowds.

D: Is it because New York’s got to many

people?

S: It might be, or it’s probably because

lately I’ve been in crowds where I don’t

know everybody. In Florida I know a lot

of people so it’s a little bit more com-

fortable, but it’s probably because I

don’t know the ways of the world up

here.

D: How do you like New York?

S: New York, to be honest, is very dif-

ferent than Florida that’s first of all. If


it wasn’t for New York I wouldn’t have

grown up.

D: No?

S: Even though I’m of age, of what-

ever age I am….I don’t care whatever

age you are, if you’re not from New

York then you have no idea what I’m

talking about. Or if you’ve never been

here you have no idea what I’m talk-

ing about. I heard that Cali is different,

Texas is different… I’m from Florida;

I’m from Miami and its tough there too.

But here…

D: It’s a whole other beast.

S: A whole other beast.

D: The sound of music is different here

compared to Florida. Well everybody

looks to New York for what’s hot, and

yes West Coast music is different, St.

louis is different, and Texas is different

but New York is the innovator. A lot of

the innovators have come from here.

S: The exposure here is numbing. If

you can get attention here then you’re

the shit! If you can’t, then you just

blend in.

D: Well you must be pretty special to

come all the way from Florida where

there isn’t too much, all the way to the

Big Apple where you’re in Murder Inc

Studios.

S: That would have to be god. Every-

one understands the situation that got-

ti went through with the trial and I’m

pretty sure that he wasn’t even look-

ing for an act, but the dude don’t do

anything without a reason. I don’t care

what anybody says

about Murder Inc.,

I understand that.

The quality of peo-

ple that’s here…if

you give it a chance

and you break in,

which is very hard

thing to do be-

cause they’re tight-

ly knit family, but

it’s a beautiful thing

to be accepted.

D: Do you feel that since you’ve been

here, in this particular studio, that

you’ve learned more about your craft?

S: When it comes to me, I would say

that I’m hands on with almost every-

thing that I do because I can dance, I

“I would say that I’m hands on with almost everything that I do

because I can dance, I can sing, I can

produce, and I can write for myself..”

9Nobody’s Fan™

can sing, I can produce, and I can write

for myself. But a big thing about me

is that I love another person’s input.

That’s just something about me. It’s a

gift and a curse. I love for people to give

their input because I feel like my music

will represent everybody…hopefully. I

want to be a bridge for different gen-

erations, a bridge between good and

evil, between gospel and secular. I feel

like music as a whole is a meeting point

for all languages,

and for everyone to

have fun.

D: As an outsider

coming into the

family. How do you

feel about sitting

down in the studio

with all of these

great people that

have done great

things that you

yourself have listened to on the radio?

How do you feel about working in that

type of environment?

S: I’m blessed. That’s all I can really say.

I tell everybody that…all my friends, all

my family, anybody from home, etc.

What I go through or what I put up with

along the way was worth it because

being here took me to another level,

and it takes me to another level every

day. Every moment I’m here I get taken

to another level.

D: Tell me about a surreal moment at

Murder Inc.

S: My first week here, I was flown up

here on the strength of if he can do

what he can do, he’s gonna stay. To

a lot of people they were like, if I do

what I do, then I’m good. But in real-

ity come on… this is gotti we’re talk-

ing about here! Over 30 million sold

and he’s worked with so many peo-

ple. I can’t say that the pressure was

on but the pressure was high. That’s

safe to say. Not to mention that when

I first got here, I did four tracks and

they all got erased by someone that

was working in the studio by accident.

But that person’s worst mistake was

my biggest accomplishment because

the very next day, I had all four tracks

back and I’d even written a song to it.

I was very inspired to capture this mo-

ment. I only had a week, and I’m not

saying that gotti was like – Oh, forget

it. Just…I only had a week. That’s what

I was told. I wrote a song and I got it

“I would say that I’m hands on with almost everything that I do

because I can dance, I can sing, I can

produce, and I can write for myself..”


placed the same week; which was the

first time I’d ever had a song placed

in a major situation. I got a nice check

and then I was flown back up here. I’ve

been here ever since. To me that was a

big WOW moment.

D: What are your long-term goals in the

music industry?

S: My long-term goal is to be remem-

bered. I think that is the key to the foun-

tain of youth. That is the only way that

you can pass or die and still live is… to

be remembered. So my long-term goal

in the industry is just to be remem-

bered by a fan, many fans, a person,

many people, an artist, and many art-

ists. I just want to be remembered ever

chance I get.

D: I think you have a fresh sound and

one of the things about New York in

particular is that when it’s HOT, it’s HOT

and the rest of the country will follow.

I think that you’re going to spark that

new wave of music that they’re waiting

for, that their eager for…because per-

sonally I’m tired of hearing the same

type of music all the time.

S: I’ve listened to a couple of new

songs by other artists and I can’t say

that I’m not inspired it’s just that ev-

erybody is going with the same wave.

I just had a conversation like that on

Facebook. Everybody was saying that

there’s no direct connection from the

artist to the fans anymore, and that’s

all I can do. I want to be able to capture

whatever you’re in right now and when

you hear it, I want you to feel that. If

I’m having a sexual song I want you to

go off with that one song, put it on re-

peat, and make a baby! Although it’s

tough and I can’t please everybody…

that is my artistries push. like me be-

ing an artist…I just want everybody to

feel me.

D: You can’t please everybody.

S: I know it’s impossible because when

I first got up here I was pop. Everyone

was like oh you blew up in church…you

can really sing…you have an Anthony

Hamilton vibe. Shout out to Anthony

Hamilton because I’m not saying I’m

Anthony Hamilton by far. It’s just that

everyone keeps telling me that I have

a clean soulful type vibe. I just need to

study my craft, I have a lot to learn.

D: I noticed that you used Auto-Tune’s

in some of your sounds. How do you

11Nobody’s Fan™

feel about the program?

S: I love the program only because

it allows you to correct any mistakes

easily first of all, and secondly, it is the

new sound. So me not knowing how to

use it would be like going against the

grain.

D: True, you didn’t over use the pro-

gram either or go overboard. You still

showed that you got skills without

that.

S: Right, it’s my interpretation of Auto-

Tune’s, and by the way T-pain is one

of the most creative people that I have

ever met in my life. I don’t care what

anybody says about the whole… he’s

crazy about the whole Auto-Tune’s

….NO-NO! He can stop using the Au-

to-Tune’s and he’s still gonna do his

thing.

D: The problem with the public is that

they feel that an artist has to stick with

the same sound that they started with

when they entered the game. It takes

time for people to realize the transition

and the growth of an artist.

S: That’s why I love lil Wayne, the type

of people that…even if I don’t belong

in this genre….MAKE ROOM FOR ME

plEASE! Because I’m going to study it

and I’m going to conquer my interpre-

tation of it. He did the same thing with

Auto-Tune’s with “let It Rock”, and

he’s going to be successful because

his fans count on him to take them on

a journey. They don’t care about the

destination. Just take us on a journey

every single time. Just like T-pain.

D: people get so used to you being in

one genre that they don’t want you in

anything else.

S: I hate the fact that they always try to

put categories and limitations on art-

ists. We are in a new age man! Just like

you said, “you don’t even know what

makes the United States anymore”,

who’s an American? It can be any

race now, as long as you’re born here.

It’s crazy now. Music is crazy now. It

comes from any vibe, any place, and

that’s how I feel. I lOVE IT All!

D: That’s the problem, people don’t un-

derstand. So you have to teach them

or reintroduce them to that.

S: love, HEll NO!

D: Music is universal.

S: I don’t know about teaching love.


love heals war and it’s not even hap-

pening right now. It’s not happening

right now. It’s crazy.

D: It’s gonna take time and that’s why

we need Somong(hope).

S: Holla…(as he gives me a pound).

D: Definitely your first official hater, how

about that?

S: Hate is love, baby. Hate is love.

D: You know that just speaking your

mind automatically means you’re hat-

ing.

S: They get so complicated now-a-

days…come on ladies and gentlemen,

give it up!! If you like it, you love it, if

you hate it, you love it, or you hate it…

whatever, give it up!

“I hate the fact

that they always try

to put categories

and limitations on

artists. We are in a

new age man!”

theycallmeso.com

13Nobody’s Fan™

To learn more about SOMONG check out his website:

http://www.theycallmeso.com


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