Return of the Real: OnCue Finds His Voice (Exclusive Interview)

I don’t sing. I don’t rhyme. I can’t produce tracks. I’m often the only non-rapper in a room. But I’ve always had an ear for good music and because of that, folks have respected my honest opinion. I don’t hold back. I’m also a fan of music. I actually remember when that meant something. RefinedHype has given me the opportunity to showcase a dope artist weekly, someone who is on the rise that has caught my ear and that you should definitely check out. This is "Return of The Real". Chea!

He’s white. He’s from the suburbs. And he raps. So, the stereotypes kick in immediately. The comparisons to other white rappers are made. And street credibility is questioned.

However, OnCue is more than just a white rapper from the suburbs. He’s a talented emcee and he’s on a mission to earn the respect of listeners.

I’ve known OnCue for a while and have over 150 of his tracks in my iTunes library. In the time that I’ve known him, he’s grown not only as a person, but also as an emcee. There is no surprise that both his flow and content have matured, considering OnCue started releasing projects in his mid-teens.

Now 21, OnCue continues to make his mark with his music.

But perhaps it’s OnCue’s recent projects that have attracted the most attention and are his most personal to date. When he took on Red Hot Chili Pepper tracks and released "Cueyfornication" last summer, folks began to notice the Connecticut native and now New York City resident. "Cueyfornication" was different than anything else he had ever done. It’s like OnCue had found himself and the content he felt the most at home rhyming about.

He seemed comfortable with this newfound sound.

And with that sound and success, OnCue turned to "Cuey Sings The Blues", which he released in September. On "Cuey Sings The Blues", his producers sampled Death Cab for Cutie, Dave Matthews and Tracy Chapman, among others. As I wrote back in September, it’s definitely not the traditional pool from which producers pull samples for Hip-Hop tracks. But it worked for OnCue. And just a few weeks ago, OnCue dropped the DJBooth.net and Academy Printwear presented "Leftovers".

With more projects on the way, OnCue continues to push the boundaries with his music. It will be interesting to watch his music develop.

I recently reached out to him for an interview and we talked about his music, the journey to finding his voice and more. Check out the Q&A.


Photo by pdastudios.com

ThroatChopU: Let's jump right into it. You're a young white rapper from Connecticut. How does this impact how folks view you as a rapper?

OnCue: In every sense possible that you'd immediately assume. Certain plateaus in my career thus far I've been black balled, shunned and ignored. In some other avenues, it worked. You know what they say, work with what you got, the hand you were dealt. And I think I'm doing a great job thus far by doing that. I'm taking everything I can, and using it to my advantage.

ThroatChopU: Along the same lines, I've seen the comparisons between you and Asher Roth. Then there’s the comparison between you and Kid Cudi. Sometimes it's used as a compliment and other times as a diss. How do you take the comparison to the two?

OnCue: I know you're going off what you see but the Asher Roth comparison is merely out of the color of our skin, which is obviously going to come. The similarities to Asher Roth, Eminem, Yelawolf is just because we're white. Asher's talented but I don't see a similarity whatsoever. With Kid Cudi, I can see the comparison, and take it as a compliment -- we both do a harmonizing, singing type of thing. I'm a fan of Cudi and I know what type of influence indie music has on his music. Really, I don't think Cudi and myself are similar. Similar line of a genre, but that's about it. But overall, I take both as a compliment. They're both talented individuals, so I can't complain.

ThroatChopU: It’s dope to hear you speak on those comparisons. Okay, with that said, how would you even describe your sound to someone for the first time?

OnCue: It's honest. It’s your every day, average Joe Hip-Hop. It’s sprinkled with some alternative and indie rock influences. I try to capture very mundane things and romanticize them if you will in my writing. Records like "Friends" is about just that, friends. I like to highlight a lot on my personal life as well and I appreciate an artist who pours their heart and soul into their music -- so I try to do just that as well. I like to write catchy records too, so I don't know. I always say "it's different" and I truly believe I am making some different shit right now.


Photo by pdastudios.com

ThroatChopU: Even with a featured project on both DJ Booth and 2DopeBoyz and a gang of shows, it seems like you still have a lot to prove to your critics. How does having to constantly prove your ability impact what you put out musically?

OnCue: There’s no room for error. I can't slack. I can't put out bullshit. So many people still are not convinced. So many people have seen my face, seen the blogs talk about it, and have yet decided to click. I've just started out, in the eyes of my critics, and people keeping an eye on me. I'm just getting started -- and just recently I feel like I've stepped into myself, so I'm comfortable with that notion.

ThroatChopU: I recall a convo that we had a while back where you talked about being burnt out with the music. And then you bounced back with some new fresh shit. What did you do during that time?

OnCue: I believe that convo took place a couple of years ago, since I've known you for a long time [laughs]. Man, I was probably 18 or 19 at the time. My family situation was in the sewer and I was heavily depressed. I was sick of it. I started so young in the local scene and never got the respect I deserved, and everyone back home knows it. Finally, I'm getting respect, and recognition and I don't even live there anymore. On "Story Of A Lifetime" I said… "Funny how I left, to find my right mind" and I meant it. During that time I was just growing, maturing (I still am), but I bounced back I believe with "Cueyfornication", then "Cuey Sings The Blues", then just recently "Leftovers".

ThroatChopU: Word. I can see that. I've been listening to your music for a while and I've seen a lot of growth. How do you think you've grown over the years musically?

OnCue: I think up until a couple of projects ago, artistically I was lost -- and finally I found myself. As previously stated, I was a teenage white kid from the suburbs of Hartford, without any sense of direction. I knew what type of influence I wanted to have on music, but I didn't know how to go about it. I stopped rapping about normal rapper shit, because no one wanted to hear that from me. I started singing more, started writing about relationships, and what was going on and I think it's been working well up until this point.

ThroatChopU: When you dropped "Cueyfornication "I felt like you were taking your music in a different direction. One that I thought was dope by the way. What led you to Cueyfornication?

OnCue: Yeah, that was really the first project that was probably "me". "Inhale, Exhale" from the previous project with Chanes, Mick [Boogie] and Terry [Urban] sparked what is now "me". But what lead to "Cueyfornication" was completely Mick Boogie's idea. I wanted to do [what now is] "Cuey Sings the Blues", a tape with all my favorite songs sampled but Mick was like "Do all Red Hot Chili Peppers". I listened to the man, and I ran with it.


Photo by pdastudios.com

ThroatChopU: It seemed like you brought a lot of that same energy and uniqueness from "Cueyfornication" to "Cuey Sings the Blues" and "Leftovers". You’ve mentioned this a bit but it really seems like you're comfortable in the sound that has been created from these projects. Is this what we can expect from you as you move forward?

OnCue: Yes of course, I think I'm at a point in my career where I definitely carved out my sound on the last three projects. The following projects, I'll be heavily straying away from sampling though. I think I ran my time with sampling. I don't want to become an artist solely known for my samples. That's why on Leftovers I put out all those sampled records, it was the last of the sampling reliance I seemed to grow accustomed to. People should expect the same vibe, the same musicality [but more], minus the heavy sampling and the same rock influence, just … my own shit now.

ThroatChopU:: As an artist, what impact do you want to have on the people who listen to your music?

OnCue: Great question. No bullshit, but today I got a Facebook message from a girl overseas I believe, telling me that she's been in an IV chair all week and she was listening to my music to get her by. It was a blessing. It's the best feeling. I want to help my fans. I want to be there for them when they’re hurt, depressed, and I also want to be there for them in times of celebration. My favorite artists have been there for me through heartbreaks, and times of pure joy -- I want to have the same effect.

ThroatChopU:: It seems like you are always cooking up new music. Do you have a new project lined up? Who are you working with on it?

OnCue: The next project should arrive in April, and expect A LOT of videos. I'm almost thinking about not leaking records and just doing videos. I've recently linked up with a lot of dope creative minds and we're collaborating on the musical and visual aspect of this next project. Again, there might be a sample here and there -- but I've been bringing a lot of guitarists into the studio to vibe with and to work with the production team. I'll probably be working with the normal people I worked with on my recent projects, like my man CJ Luzi. I'm also going to be working with Pat Morrissey of The Switch as well, who is a dope musical mind.

ThroatChopU:: We've talked a lot about your music but what are you listening to on your iPod/MP3 player? Who inspires OnCue?

OnCue: I'm currently listening to Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" album, Kanye's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", I've been listening a bit of myself -- Jay-Z's "The Blueprint", and some of old Nas recently. Oh and Lykke Li's "Youth Novels" as well.

ThroatChopU:: What's next for you?

OnCue: Videos, shows, mixtapes. Repeat. Until I'm everywhere.

For more from OnCue, connect with him via Twitter and check out more music via his FaceBook.

For more from ThroatChopU, follow him on Twitter and check out TheMadBloggers.com.