Emo Rap, Hip-Hop Production

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: As of now, I'm working on promoting my newest EP called "In This Life Or The Next" which is a pop punk/trap/acoustic project that I'm really proud of. You can find it by searching my artist name: Midnight Merc on all platforms.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Even though there's a lot of gear heads who will say analog because of the color or warmth, digital just has too many benefits. It's more portable, more affordable, and more flexible than analog will ever be. The audible difference between analog and digital is minuscule, not to mention that digital gets better with every passing year.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: That I'm just a rapper. Yes, I'm also a producer and engineer but I've also done acoustic work and like doing a lot of pop punk fusion. I enjoy experimenting with different styles and genres including (but not limited to) synth pop, RnB, folk, chill pop, lofi, boom bap, and alternative rock.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Who are your inspirations? What are your goals as an artist? What's your best song that you've worked on? What are things you need to improve on?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Make sure they're a good fit and I'm not just talking about genre. There's so much that goes into the production process that actually has nothing to do with the music. It really just comes down to being a good vibe, good communication, and overall someone you can trust. The music should come second after all of those things.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: My computer for the DAW (assuming it stays charged), my mic, my acoustic guitar, a huge speaker, and my audio interface.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I started rapping in high school at the start of the SoundCloud era so Juice WRLD and Lil Skies were huge inspirations. Since then, I've been on the path of learning as much about music production as possible through Berklee College of Music. At the time of me typing this, I've been on this music path for 5 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I'd mainly describe my style as emo rap.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: (Controversial take but it's true to me) I'd love to work with Machine Gun Kelly. Everyone he's worked with has given him such praise and he's been a huge inspiration to me production wise. The versatility and creativity in his discography is actually insane from a production standpoint (especially in Hotel Diablo). The way that he can adapt to any genre is an ability that I haven't really seen in other artists. The fanbase is also crazy dedicated and shows so much love for the messages in his music EST!!!!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: One invaluable production tip I've learned is that it's so easy to get tunnel visioned into your own work that you lose perspective on how it sounds to a fresh audience. Take breaks, and be open to feedback from others. The impression you get from hearing your song for the 100th time is not the impression people will get from hearing it for the first time.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I usually work on dark cinematic hip hop, NY drill, emo rap, and rage beats.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I believe that my writing and lyricism is my strongest skill. I think that lyrics are such a huge part of songwriting and it can really make or break your song no matter what the music sounds like. I'm currently studying vocal production and song making at Berklee College of Music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a sort of authenticity and perspective to a song that I feel is unique and genuine. Being self produced, I've learned a lot about the song making process from beginning to end. I'm familiar with playing the part of the artist, producer, and engineer all in one.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My typical work process starts with an idea and a concept. Once I have that, I look for song references and then start listening to loops for inspiration. I then start to build my instrumental and I record vocal demos. Once the song is arranged and written, I record all of the vocals and live instruments. I'll mix the session for a few days while testing the mix on different reference points. I'll add on my preferred master chain and upload/promote the song!

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Right now, I'm using PreSonus 3.5 monitors, Focusrite Scarlett 816 Interface, and AT2035 Condenser mic. For production purposes, I use the MPK249 Akai MIDI keyboard.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Tommee Profitt is one of my producer inspirations and if you haven't heard of him, definitely look him up if you're into dark cinematic music.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: The most common work I do is mixing hip-hop tracks. However, I'd also be open to produce and co-write songs as well.