2018 has given real Hip-Hop fans a lot to be happy about. It seems the streaming technology and artist ad fan’s thirst for the excitement of new quality music is at an all-time high. From veterans that you’ve heard from for years to even some artist that you may be hearing from for the first time. Even in a bright year for the culture ENO ABASI’s “That Boy Good” album is a breath of fresh air.
This Harlem emcee takes a bit of a different approach to than his surrounding peers. Looking at Harlem through the eyes of ENO ABASI we are seeing it in a cultural aspect. Even with that being said “That Boy Good” is an album that is about being ferocious on the mic. Each and every time you hear ENO ABASI spit on this album he is letting you know that he is coming for that crown that he already has, how he sees is. This is a hungry album. We caught up with ENO ABASI discuss this soulful lyrically heavily album, and here’s how it went.
A2HH: You rep Harlem different than many emcees out there. You seem to rep Harlem culturally. You first album was entitled “For The Sake Of The City”. Can you talk about what Harlem means to you?
ENO ABASI: Harlem is everything to me. It’s where my swagger comes from, it’s where my social awareness comes from. Growin up in Harlem over the last 10 to 15 years I’ve seen the changes. But it still resembles the grittiness that I come to love about the city and the neighborhood. Everything you need to know about fashion, style, politics it all comes from that one place. It’s in my music that you get to hear those aspects of Harlem every time you hear me rap.
A2HH: When you speak of the politics of Harlem what more so are you referring to?
ENO ABASI: Going back to the history of Harlem. Going back to The Harlem Renaissance and how important it was to have Black businesses. How important it was to have neighborhoods that were predominately Black. It was very powerful. Even back in the days in the 40’s & 50’s you had prominent figures having soap boxes on the corner and speaking of the times being able to reach out and affect real change amongst their people in the community. Harlem was definitely in the center of all of that. So when you think about where we are now with gentrification you kinda see the essences of that is deteriorating a bit. But at the same time there are still aspects of where Harlem originally came from still very visible today. I want to be able to speak on the political aspects of the city and then of course give people a sense of what my upbringing is and I think this album “That Boy Good” was a great way of doing so.
A2HH: “That Boy Good” takes on a very soulful feel sonically. Was that a soulful sound a conscious direction for yourself and the producers on the project?
ENO ABASI: As a fan of music that’s what I grew up on. Kanye West and his line of production, No ID and his line of production, Premier people in that vein are people that I’ve always appreciated and they’ve always had elements of the soul sound from the 60’s & 70’s. Just being able to combine all those sounds and come up with something that is unique and different was definitely what my vision was for this project. My first album “For The Sake Of The City” was a way for people to get to know me and know where I’m from. I feel it didn’t get the attention that it was suppose to so this time around this project is like an exclamation point to the first one. I just wanted to say things harder that I didn’t say on the first one. I wanted to put words together on this project in ways that I didn’t do on the first project. So it’s more metaphors, more similes, more punchlines. I was aiming to be more unapologetic and I believe I was able to accomplish that.
A2HH: On “That Boy Good” you’re really taking it to the BARS.
ENO ABASI: Yeah, this album was a way of me expressing myself through metaphors and similes and letting people know where my skill set is and try to garner the attention through my ability to rap.
A2HH: Who are some of the producers on the project?
ENO ABASI: I worked with Sincere who did the song “Soul” from my first project. Also a producer by the name of P Soul who did three songs on this project. Also The Gleeks who did the last track on the album “God Given 2” which has a CRAZY track. Whenever you put things in God’s hands it just all comes together with a cohesiveness that made everything work. So it was a collection of producers that came together with a cohesive sound that works together.
A2HH: What song do you want to put visuals to next?
ENO ABASI: I want to do one for “Black Kings” that one is important. “Bask In It” is another one I have some plans for. I like this whole commercial vibe I have going on particularly on my Instagram. I’m going to do a lot of individual pieces as well. Accapella no instrumental, just me rappin. Dope backgrounds, dope settings in the city. Kinda be like on Soap Boxes throughout my neighborhood so lookout for those in the near future. The talent of rap is in the words.
A2HH: Talk about the song “Black Kings”.
ENO ABASI: “Black Kings” for me was like a call to action I felt. It was important for me to have a song that spoke to what’s going on today. The social climate with everything that is involved with the value of Black Lives. I felt like it was important to have a song just to remind people (particularly people of color) that we are Kings and Queens and we come from royalty. Our original ancestors were that. And don’t let what you hear or see on TV (or anywhere else) paint a negative picture of what your ancestry is. They do a good job of trying to separate us from that. But we come from Kings and I wanted to make sure that it was explained in a song and also it was a call to action for those that don’t have the same kind of thinking and that same kind of motivation as it pertains to making sure socially others are aware of it as well. “Black Kings” is very important to me, it’s probably one of the most important songs I’ve ever put together.
A2HH: Where do you rank yourself in the space of what’s going on in Hip-Hop right now?
ENO ABASI: I have a line where I said “Lyrically on par with the Kendrick and Cole rappers or surpassed them whatever I let the Lord map it.” My place is really for other people to determine. I just know where my skill set is and I felt like it’s important for me to not be humble about it. A lot of times when you’re humble people tend to not put the same emphasis on what you’re saying. Cockiness and having a certain vibrato about your skills get the notoriety. I didn’t want to be quiet about it anymore. I didn’t want my skills to just speak for itself. I wanted to say it where the world would understand where I think I am lyrically. That line is not a shot at Kendrick and Cole at all. I’m just basically saying that they are at the pinnacle, they’re at the top. I’m lyrically on par with them, I hope to surpass them. I feel like on certain songs I have surpassed them. They’re the bar.
A2HH: Who are your Top 5 Emcees?
ENO ABASI: Nas, Jay, 3 Stacks, BIG, and I always get crucified for this but Lauryn Hill.
A2HH: Outside of yourself who is Harlem’s best emcee?
ENO ABASI: I’m gonna have to go with Big L. If you went Top 3 I would have to go with Big L and 2 and 3 being a mix of Ma$e and Cam. That Ma$e and Cam back and forth was nothing but Manhattan Center. They grew up together so that’s been bubbling for years and just eventually spilled over.
A2HH: How many songs are on the album?
ENO ABASI: The album is 12 tracks. Each song based on the title explains where I’m at mind state wise. Each title speaks to where I want to be and where I currently think I’m at. You hear things like “Motivation” where you can speak to what really drives you. What continues to give you the determination to rap. You’ve got songs like “World Is Mine”, songs like “Bask In It” where I’m highlighting my skill set. Each title means something to me, “Black King”, etc. That’s how the album is broken down, I believe each song will give people a better idea of that I can do and where I come from.
A2HH: Any features on the project?
ENO ABASI: No features. It’s just me on the mic doing things I haven’t done before. On the intro “That Boy Good” on the third verse I’m doing a spoken word piece at the end that is amazing. I’m just excited for people to actually hear it. I told myself, being able to put my project out and having it available on all streaming platforms is a dream come true and no one can ever take that away from me. The project will be available on everything; Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, TIDAL, etc. That’s something I’m super proud of and thankful that my homie Al Casino was able to put together. Now the world gets to hear it and digest it.
A2HH: Explain the album title “That Boy Good”
ENO ABASI: One of my favorite movies of all-time is “Coming To America” and everybody remembers that scene when they’re at the church event and Randy Watson is singing and guy in the audience was like “That Boy Good”. I felt like anybody that ever saw me rhyme I would get the same reaction like “Oh, yo you nice!” and my response has always been “Yeah, that boy good” and then it kinda stuck a little bit. I felt like there is power in titles and I wanted the title to be very matter of fact very straight to the point. And I felt like that alone just made for the best title. I know it’s a little braggadocios but I think it’s necessary. I don’t want to be humble this time around.
A2HH: Who shot the cover art?
ENO ABASI: The cover art was shot by my boy Joe Kenneth. The photo is a shot of my face with my grill exposed. It speaks to the title of the album. Very in your face, very braggadocios. I had my whole bottom row grill showing. From seeing the cover you can tell how serious I am on this album.
A2HH: You have anybody you would like to give a shoutout to?
ENO ABASI: Shoutout to Al, shoutout to the whole Black Delegation, Black Cloud Crew. Thank you so much to According 2 Hip-Hop for shedding a light on the Underground scene of Hip-Hop.
