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Raised in a religious family, with Gospel, Jazz, and Soul influence… Chi City Hip Hop artist Sir The Baptist is here to raise hell until it’s Hip Hop heaven. Not forgetting his roots and paying homage to iconic renaissance artists such as Ella Fitzgeral and Louis Armstrong. Collaborating with Chicago Hip Hop artists such as King Louie, Twista, and Chance the Rapper, Sir is all about the Chicago music scene… and you can catch him at church on a Sunday morning. Being a preacher’s son, Sir takes the power of his rebellion to push for positive change for the people. With his latest track/video “Wake Up” recently featured on Tidal this month, Sir is definitely getting the message heard on a scale… that even Jay Z approves of.
I got a chance to catch with Sir The Baptist for an interview, check it out below.
B Roc – Name your top five favorite artists? Sir The Baptist – Jay Z because he was one of my early inspirations, but I really respect him as an artist and businessman more than anyone else. Louis Armstrong because he lived in Bronzeville where I’m from in Chicago and is my biggest jazz inspiration. Andre 3000 because he always brings a catchy/great song with a real message behind it. “Bombs Over Baghdad” is a perfect example of this. Frank Sinatra because of his class, style and truly being one of the original crooners. And finally Ella Fitzgerald because she also lived down the street in my neighborhood in Bronzeville and is one of the most incredible vocalists of all-time.
B Roc – What inspired you to become a Hip Hop artist? Sir The Baptist – My older brothers are all incredible singers and artists. They were my initial inspiration to start singing and really get involved in music. But my father was a preacher in Bronzeville, so I was always surrounded by music every Sunday and was inspired by watching him preach. Also, living in the same neighborhood as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald in Bronzeville in Chicago played a role in seeing some of the greats around me.
B Roc – Who would you like to collab with? Sir The Baptist – Jay Z, Beyonce, Aretha franklin, Andre 3000, Shirley Caesar, Quincy Jones, Lelah Hathaway, Cee Lo Green, Kanye West & Stevie Wonder.
B Roc – Tell us about one of your biggest accomplishments as an artist? Or most memorable moment. Sir The Baptist – My most memorable moment as an artist was just over a week ago when performing at a concert at Schubas in Chicago. I’ve played bigger events before, but something special happened at that concert. The energy in the room and between me and ChuchPeople [the group of musicians on-stage with me] was intense. And when I looked out at the crowd that night, I saw most of the people in the audience literally crying from the emotion and connection to the music.
B Roc – What is something you want people to know about you as an artist? Sir The Baptist – The biggest thing that is overlooked about me as an artist is the depth in my lyrics. I try to make catchy music that people will like, but it will take a few listens to really understand some of the messages that are in there. That is why I’ve created a podcast called Urban Bible to really decode some of what is there lyrically and understand it on a deeper level. You can check this out at www.urbanbibe.today.
B Roc – What do you hate & what do you love about Chicago? Sir The Baptist – I hate that Chicago typically doesn’t see the gems in the city, especially in the music scene. many times. And there is such incredible talent and history here that often gets overlooked. A perfect example of this is the lack of understanding by Chicagoans about the Great Migration, when the back communities left the South and ended up in Bronzeville and other neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago.
But I love that Chicago has this history and that such great talent exists on nearly every corner. I love the city!
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