Through the test of time, there have been clear and constant shifts in music. Production styles change and many once popular sounds begin to mellow down into an abyss of forgotten trends. As one door closes, new ones open for the next innovative artist looking to bring change. Nevelle Viracocha, a rapper/singer/producer who hails from a small town in Alabama, is ready to introduce new notions to his listeners, ready to shift things again.
His Southern background and world travels (he spent time as an Army brat in Germany and Korea) have helped shape his unique sensibilities, and as he gears up for the drop of his debut EP, Eff/Pee/Ohh, this is just the beginning. Coming off the release of his music video for the excellent "DOUBLE UP," today marks the premiere of his latest work, "DIRRTY GAME."
Where are you from and how does your story begin?
I was born in North Carolina and raised in Alabama. I’m an artist/producer, I produce for myself and for others. My story begins in Alabama as a 14-year-old, just writing songs and rapping with my friends. I was inspired by Outkast. The first album I ever heard—Stankonia—that changed the way I viewed hip hop and made me fell in love with it. I was overwhelmed by the sounds, the melodies, the way they were mixing rapping with singing. I felt it was space age music.
How have your travels and your Southern background shaped the artist you are today?
My Southern background has kept me grounded—it’s allowed me to maintain a true sense of who I am and what I come from. But traveling the world has opened my eyes to different cultures and different walks of life and has taught me how to appeal to a larger audience. I can see through other people’s eyes.
Tell us a little bit about the videographer you worked with for “DOUBLE UP." How was the connection between you two on set that day?
They’re a team: Vision Twenty. They’re NC-based but they came down to Atlanta and we shot the video over a course of a day. The chemistry was great. They were open-minded, we shot it guerrilla style, very little was planned, it was spontaneous. I love the fact that it was spontaneous, it’s a memory in a time capsule. It’s something I can go back to and relive: the colors, the energy between all the people out there. My favorite part was standing up in the Lamborghini, straight up.
Take us back in time into the production of creating the track “DIRRTY GAME." How did the process begin and was the end result everything you hoped it would be?
"DIRRTY GAME" was the last track we added to Eff/Pee/Ohh. I linked up with my friend Nikki D, she’s also from Alabama. She has almost... creepy melodies, she brings things into a dark place and I love it. It’s a very vibe track, I know there’s no hook but it’s great for sitting back and listening to.
How would you describe your sound and the message you want to convey with the coming debut project, Eff/Pee/Ohh?
I make intergalactic Southern music. I don’t like to be confined to any genre, like trap or being labeled as a hip-hop artist, or just a rapper, or a singer. I want to show that there’s something new out there. I want to be the alternative for people who are tired of listening to everything else. I’m something new, something innovative.
What was the first track you ever recorded and looking back at it now, how far have you come since then?
First track was actually a remix of T-Pain’s "I’m Sprung." It was called “Nikes On.” A lot of people liked it, it was the first time I heard people singing my song and some people confused the lyrics, they thought I was saying, “Lights On." I’ve come far since then, it’s been a full progression. Back then I was vocalizing, making catchy melodies as opposed to actually singing words, which I do now.
What would you like new listeners to know about you that they probably don't know yet?
Not a lot of people know about me yet, so this is my big introduction to the world. I chose the title Eff/Pee/Ohh to mean F.P.O or For Promo Only. This is something that’s made to promote my sound—this is a sampler of what’s to come.
With the EP release, what more are you looking forward to in the coming months?
I’m looking forward to getting on the road and touring the country and getting my music out there.
