Up Key Notes: Sam

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Hip-hop has no boundaries! The story of Sam from Siberia

Well I hadn't checked my Upkey account email for a long time (now I do it more regularly, feel free to get in touch with me whenever you want!) so it came as a surprise and a joy to find Sam's message (through his Soundcloud) on it. His real name is Semyon Gulin and I didn't know what to expect from a young Siberian rapper but, after being shortly taken aback by his strong accent, I started finding his music and lyrics highly original and different from the norm. So I got in touch with him, asked if he were interested in an interview and here we are, talking about Siberian hip-hop! As far as he is from traditional local music, I must admit that he's one of the most interesting artist I've talked to in a while. So keep reading and you'll find out more about Sam!
Here's his initial introduction:

"I'm Sam from Siberia, not Serbia!
You wonder where it might be?
Oh c'mon! Everyone knows that Siberia is a snow desert somewhere deep in Russia.

We still got internet, but the rest of the modern stuff is not here.
That being said I created a studio using cardboard boxes, USSR-style keyboards and iMac G4
Besides I borrowed a camera from my next-door buddy.

Wonder what we could make using all these garbage?
I'll tell you what!
Mate, garbage is the most fashionable thing now!
We got lucky with that.
Check out what we pulled off having zero financial support."

UKN: Firstly, I'd like to know how come and when your interest for hip hop started... What are your lyrics about?

S: Sometimes people ask me about my name: is it really Sam? Yes, it is, I always respond. I grew up in Chita, a semi-abandoned totally forgotten industrial town situated by the Chinese border. Winters are nothing but freezing, summers bring the southern humidity. So my lyrics literally represent the weather and the heavy contrast it brings- from fun to brutality. There's always been a lot of hoods and self-proclaimed gangsters in the streets looking for a kid like me to mug. I remember moving around the town thinking to myself: bro, they don't give a shit about you, nothing's gonna happen. But then here it comes: yo, little retard, come on over here! Quoting Tupac, my next best option was always : ''run, nigga, run'' ! Looking back at it, I might say it was a hell of a feeling, running scared, your body's filled with adrenaline, blood pumping through your veins. You feel like you're alive, not just some boring existence. Meanwhile the goal I've been chasing throughout my entire career is to transfer this energy through my songs, through my music. To let you all feel the same rush of blood to the heart.

UKN: How is life in Chita/Siberia?

S: Generally, life in China is extremely boring. There's no need for anything to be going on, days goes by slowly. People are poor and constantly uninspired. I remember once we were giving a stage show and decided to invite some other local rappers over. Concert? I'll better smoke some pot in my garage, one of em responded. That will be a hell of a concert. And that is a perfect portrait of a local resident- he, who's got no hobbies but brawling, drinking vodka and hating the world and the government.

UKN: What is "Siberian Winter" about?

S: My first single, ''Siberian Winter'', tells the fairytale-style story of a small time Siberian musician's success. With every new verse he's getting his job done, aiming to change his life, and finally reaches his goals, even gets noted by Madonna (in the manner of Gogol Bordello). Worth noting that the song itself was brought to life and recorded in a cardboard studio using old Soviet-style synth ''Maestro''. So the story's first part is by no means hypothetical, the second one is something I aspire to.

Soviet synth "Maestro"

UKN: How does the public react to your music?

S: The audience reception that my first English song received came as a little surprise to all of us. We got a lot of positive comments from all over the world, ''This is dope'', ''ZEF'' (South African way of ''dope''), ''Amazing'' etc among others. I would say I'm satisfied with the result- over 60 000 views on Youtube, about 10'000 hearings and 1 300 followers on SoundCloud. The other day my cell's screen was blinking, text message saying ''Hello Sam'' came. So I wanna thank everybody who's contacted me. Your reception gets me higher than the energy drinks would. My girl says it's more than enough impact from a single song, but it's never enough for me. At least not yet, that's why I keep working on the new tunes, day by day shortening the distance toward the ultimate goal.

UKN: What are your plans for the near future?

S: Right now I'm staying in touch with San Diego-based cassette/vinyl producing label. Sure it's not Universal or Aftermath but I do see something in common concerning the music they make. We might release my second single, ''Berezushka'', together. Speaking of the song, it's a love story.

Sam aka Sam321