Rising from one of the most notorious and well known neighborhoods in the United States, Marty Baller is elevating his career as a solo artist out of Harlem, NY as well as his status within the A$AP Mob Crew.
With the release of his first album, Baller Nation, Marty hopes to take his artistry to a whole new level and continues to put the pressure on himself to bring quality music to his fans. Growing up alongside A$AP Ferg, who, once becoming a success came back and brought Marty up with him, has given the two a formidable bond as brothers and their relationship continues to influence Marty in the best of ways.
You wouldn't know it by listening to his music but Marty considers himself an underdog, and it seems with the release of Baller Nation that's about to change. Good things are definitely coming his way.
We spoke to Marty Baller by phone to catch up, and talk a little bit about his new project, which is out today. Download below.
***
I just wanted to start with a little bit about the new project. Can you tell me about the experience recording Baller Nation, and what it’s been like?
I’ve been basically recording Baller Nation for like a year. It's a collective of good music. I really didn't want to put it out as a tape because I feel like it’s some big songs on this, like an album. It was basically a fun tape that I created traveling around, so the features you hear on it comes from the friendships and me just being around the studio with these guys, and creating different sounds.
Dope! How has your work and your artistry grown since the last project you put out?
I feel like, it was a whole other plateau. I felt like I’m the underdog, so there is so much pressure on me. I had to make sure everything was right, from the sound to the mix. I had to illuminate it and make sure everything is better than before. So now I just feel like I leveled up. I’m ready to be my own artist, I’m ready to do my own thing.
Obviously you’ve been around a lot talented people, you’re extremely capable yourself as well. How has it been transitioning into that solo spotlight? What has the transition been like?
It’s kind of hard, but it’s easy at the same time. I’ve got the best of both worlds, because I’m getting all this support from my brother, you know Ferg. But, I also feel like I’ve got big shoes to fill. In order to surpass him, I’ve got to go extra hard. So it just puts fire under my ass too, like keep going harder.
Can you tell me a bit more about your relationship with Ferg, and just being able to learn from him, and be a part of his music as well?
Ferg is my brother. We knew each other for 20+ years. I’m blessed because he actually put me in this lifestyle. He came back and got me. For me being around him, traveling around everywhere just playing the back seat, I got to see the game and all the tricks I need to know. It helped me read out everything like I know what not to do and what to do. I feel like it was perfect that he did that. He gave me a whole insight of another way of getting money.
So, can you tell me a bit about the other features on the tape. I know MadeinTYO is on there, obviously Ferg. So you've been working with some cool people.
I got MadeinTYO, I got Rich the Kid, I got Rob Stone, I got Young Smooky MarGielaa, Ferg definitely. I’ve got a couple of people, and these are all my friends from being on tour with them. Stuff like that.
For sure, and do you find that you have to have a somewhat personal relationship with the people you’re creating with?
From the beat to the artist, I don’t just work with anybody. I got to really vibe with you, It’s got to work. We’ve got to chill before. We gotta be joking, smoking. We gotta do all that stuff before we just create, because I need it to be organic. I don’t like people sending me beats. I need to sit with you and hear the beat and we need to build from scratch, so that's how it always works. Everybody on this tape, we sat down together. We built from scratch.
Very cool. So it’s very organic and personal with you. I like that. What about when you were creating this project, were there any set goals in mind, something you really want to do with this project that you've never done before?
Yeah I wanted to like- I wanted this project to take me to that next level, like people will look at me as my own artist and I’ll start being able to do my own things in the industry. That’s my goal. I want to show everybody that I can do it on my own too. So thats a goal after I drop this tape, I just want to go up as an independent artist.
I feel that. And lastly, are there any cool shows that we should look out for or anything else you want to talk about?
As far as shows, I’m not sure. I’m getting a whole bunch of emails in for certain dates. You’ll just have to tune into my website, because I upload all my shows, that's martyballerofficial.com. That's where I load all my shows. In the near future, you can look forward to new artists coming out of the Baller Nation. We got Ben Jayne coming up, we got Lord Prynce coming up. We got clothing lines coming up. You should just look out for the whole package.
Alright man, I think that’s it for me.
Thank you dog. Get on that, make sure you make it sound fire for me.
Absolutely bro, I appreciate you talking to me. You’re doing some dope stuff, keep it up. We are always looking forward to it.
Thank you man.