Daily Discovery is a feature that highlights a new or recently discovered artist who we’re excited about. See the rest of our Daily Discoveries here.
Most people trying to pursue an artistic career can relate to the struggle to find support, even from loved ones. Many parents would rather see their children get a job that promises a lifetime of security rather than take a bold risk. However, Atlanta native Cellus Hamilton has two parents encouraging his rap career and cheering him on from the sidelines.
After being motivated by his father, Hamilton took the plunge and moved from Atlanta to New York. He has been working hard to get himself heard by performing on subway cars and at every open mic night he can. Months ago, he impressed the crowd at our very own Open Mic Night and now he’s ready to properly introduce himself to a larger audience.
Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started.
I’ve basically been rapping ever since my mom quit rapping. She used to be a hip-hop rapper, and toured. She would travel with Tech-N9ne and did some stuff with Roxanne Shanté. She was real big in Chicago back in the ‘80s, she went by the name of Empress. So my mom was real big in hip-hop culture but she never really broke out on her own. She was kind of just in the scene. I grew up with a mom going to the studio, or seeing her doing shows and [I could] never go because [I wasn’t] old enough to get into the club she’s performing at.
I’ve basically been rapping ever since my mom quit rapping.
I was always into hip-hop because of what she played in the house, or her freestyling. She stopped her career one day when I played her a song that I had made in the house. She was just geeking like, “Yo, this is really good!” And she said, “I really think I’ve learned everything I can from the industry. [I want to] support you, because I wasn’t supported on my journey, and I want to see you thrive in ways that I couldn’t.” She gave her career up, and I would say that was my officially starting point. I was about eight years old at the time.
What advice has your mom given you about pursuing your own career since she’s had her own experience in the industry?
My mom is always telling me to not get married to the opinions of people. If I put out a song, whether people like it or if the response is bad, to not let that sway how I view my own music. A lot of times artists get so busy trying to go with the current and please listeners instead of doing what’s in their heart, which is actually the sign of a true artist. So she always told me fans are fickle—they’ll criticize you one day but if they see other people like it, their opinions are subject to change.
You dropped your Critical Condition Pt. 3 mixtape last January. There’s a bit of everything on there so how would you describe your sound?
I grew up playing trumpet, so I grew up on jazz. I feel like that inspired me musically, because I co-produce all of my music. So as far as my sound, it’s very classically inspired in concepts and how melodies flow, but also hip-hop inspired.
as far as my sound, it’s very classically inspired in concepts and how melodies flow, but also hip-hop inspired.
You’re from Atlanta, you went to school at Howard University, and are now in New York. How have all these places impacted your creative process?
College is where I feel I found my sound, because growing up in the south I really either heard trap music on the radio, clubs, and parties or the music that I played on my own time—Kanye [West], Kendrick [Lamar], Nas, that kind of stuff. When I got to college, being that this was kind of my first “up north” experience, I was meeting people from everywhere and it challenged me to expand outside of the music that I was comfortable with. College definitely shaped that and then the more that I organized shows I realized that fans in different places really like different songs.
What pushed you to finally make the move to New York?
I was working a lot in Atlanta, to the point where I felt like I wasn’t able to chase my dream of music. I’ve got really supportive parents, so my dad was always telling me, “You’ve got your whole life to work and settle in the safe route. You need to take chances.” I always felt like I was going to have to leave my hometown because a lot times your hometown doesn’t support you until they see somewhere else doing it.
a lot times your hometown doesn’t support you until they see somewhere else doing it.
You performed at our Open Mic Night in April, what motivated you to come to that? What was that experience like for you?
Since I’ve been in New York, I basically rap on the trains during the day and hit open mics at night. Especially when I first got here, that was my grind—and any listening party or event I could get into, I was in there. I was basically performing every night and I remember seeing Pigeons & Planes posting about that so I was hype. I was the first person in line because I knew it was gonna be crazy. I actually waited in line for like 12 hours. I remember getting out there super early and just posting up at Arlene’s Grocery. I had snacks in my duffle bag. The next guy in line came, and he was from Toronto so we chopped it up. It was dope because I met a lot of artists, but it showed me personally how much this meant to me because I was willing to sit out here all day.
Tell me more about the concept behind “Mojo” and the video?
I feel like anybody can get in front of a camera and rap, but I want to try and give people concepts. The concept that I went with, I really wanted to show people that there’s a constant war between the creative who makes music from a pure place—which is when you see me laying on the white sheets and the lights are really pure at that point. It represents the artist’s safe creative space, but then you see [the other characters]. They were artistic expressions, not of the industry per se, but representing the pressure [of being] pulled in different directions.
What artists what you say influence you the most?
Well when you say the most, I’d have to say Kanye West because he embodies a true artist. I’m a big believer that art provides the lens that we look at the world through. I feel like the artists for our culture are supposed to give us a perspective for how we handle and view life’s issues. Without artists, the world is kind of stagnant. For me, I feel like Kanye is a true representation of an artist who pushed boundaries, always shifted the culture.
I’m a big believer that art provides the lens that we look at the world through.
What plans do you have for 2017?
I really want to grow my fanbase before I drop—I’ve got a lot of good music, but I don’t want people to miss out on what I have to say. I feel like I have a worldview that hip-hop and the world needs, but I don’t want it to be missed. I’m really trying to hit the ground and do shows, I’m trying to do things that are gonna get my work seen so that I can drop an album in April.
