GET FAMILIAR: Asah Mack — Vermont Hip Hop

When I first heard Asah Mack spit, it was “Keys,” one of his early cuts, and, well, that shit absolutely bangs. It’s rare to have an artist show up so polished and hungry, and Mack is magnetic on the mic. His catalog since then has been all prime steak, much of which involves local production talent like Notation, Kurt Stewart, and David Chief.

He’s also got a genuine rap pedigree, as the son of NYC legend Craig “Flava in Ya Ear” Mack of Bad Boy Records. That’s a good PR hook, but it’s Asah Mack’s raw talent that’s going to win people over. Once this young man finally starts dropping full projects, he’s destined to make some noise. Get familiar.

VTHH: Who are the artists that inspired you to be the artist you're becoming in 2019?

Asah Mack: Definitely MF DOOM, Earl Sweatshirt, and mostly my father.

VTHH: Your catalog so far has been short and strong. Is that because you're being careful on quality control or because you're working on a secret LP project? Or both, I guess.

Asah Mack: It’s a bit of both, I like to put out shorter tracks so that people listen to them again, a formula that has been most effective.

VTHH: For artists trying to build a buzz, do you think dropping a steady stream of singles is important?

Asah Mack: Absolutely, if I’m putting out a project before the end of the year I want to drop as many tracks as I can to generate enough listeners for the bigger projects

VTHH: When you envision the album projects you want to do, what LPs do you think influence your taste the most? Which classics are you trying to measure up to?

Asah Mack: I would have to say “Madvillany” by Doom, “1999” by Joey Bada$$ or Earl Sweatshirt’s “Some Rap Songs.”

VTHH: You have a very stripped-down style and you muster a huge amount of energy to power through those takes -- how do you try to channel that when you're writing out verses? Does it all show up at once?

Asah Mack: I channel up a lot of anger on a daily basis and instead of releasing that into something negative or violent I put it all into a track — I feel a great sense of relief after, I can’t explain it.

VTHH: Do you ever test out material live before you record it?

Asah Mack: Always. Usually I’ll go over something I wrote live once or twice.

VTHH: How do you approach collaborating with producers? Do you like to work in the studio or have your verses written out in advance?

Asah Mack: I usually have verses written up before I record. It takes me quite a while to write, much longer than a studio session if I’m being honest.

VTHH: What has your impression of the Vermont scene been so far?

Asah Mack: I really like the energy, in most places where there’s a lot of competition I see a lot more support here.

VTHH: Who are some of your favorite local producers and rappers?

Asah Mack: I can’t name them all, but definitely my favorite producers are David Chief, Es-K and Kurt Stewart. As far as rappers, I gotta go with Jarv, Sasha Travis, Rivan C, and many others.

VTHH: Outside of Vermont, who do you want to work with in the near future?

Asah Mack: Chester Watson.

VTHH: What is your biggest Rap Goal for 2020?

Asah Mack: To do a huge show with all my friends in the Burlington area who pushed me and helped me reach my full potential.