Yesterday, we spoke with Frisco LaRoche. Today, we speak with Micah Williams. Both artists will be performing at this weekend’s Anchor Fest out at the Frederick Fairgrounds and both artists are artists you need to check out right this very second. Speaking with Micah, we found out about his passion for Kid Cudi, how he got into the rap game to begin with, and what on earth might be his favorite song in the history of music. The fun begins at noon on Saturday, friends. Don’t sleep.
Take us back to the beginning. At what point did you decide you wanted to get into writing your own music and step into the rap game as something more than a hobby?
I’ve aways had a love for writing stories and poems in school and English was always my favorite subject, if not art. My cousin made music in my aunt’s house in his room. I was always around and eventually I told him I wanted to record a song because I felt like I could do it if he could do it. It really wasn’t the best song (laughs). It felt good and at that time I thought it was best song ever. From there the love for not just rap music grew but everything I was inspired by grew with me as well. Small performances through out my hometown in Greensboro, North Carolina, gave me the push to think and believe it could be more than just this someday.
How did you get involved with Anchor Fest? Have you played in Frederick recently? If not, what are you looking forward to the most about performing in Frederick?
I got involved with Anchor Fest through a close friend of mine who’s basically my brother – Marc Enongene. We had an idea last year to shoot a video for a song that I decided not to release, but it included a live performance scene, and we wanted it to look and feel real. So it ended up becoming a free festival/showcase for local artists and the response was amazing! I haven’t played in Frederick since the show last year but the people in Frederick are so cool and I love the area, so performing at the festival this year is going to be epic!
Along those same lines, what are you looking forward to the most about this year’s Anchor Fest?
I’m looking forward to seeing my friends and family from North Carolina and Atlanta coming out, the food, the drinks, the good vibes, the weather, the girls (laughs) and, of course, the performances. I can’t wait to see my bro Frisco get out there. His set is going to be very dope!
What’s your perception of the local music scene in and around the Frederick area, as well as Maryland as a whole?
I think the local music scene in Frederick and Maryland is very very supportive. Being at the show last year and seeing how many kids came out to just have fun and just enjoy music was amazing to me. I love what’s going in Maryland – the energy is out of this world.
Who are some of your major influences and why?
My influences vary a lot from alternative pop, electronic, R&B and rap/hip-hop. It’s honestly all over the place – even artists such as Basquait, Andy Warhol and Keith Haring are big inspirations. But there are a few that resonate with me the most and that’s Pharrell Williams/N.E.R.D, Kid Cudi, MGMT, Lykke Li, Iron and Wine, Of Monsters and Men, Childish Gambino, Kanye West, Andre 3000 and Tyler The Creator. The rappers I mentioned are the epitome of rap artists who don’t give a f— about being themselves in a very judgmental culture while pushing the genre forward for kids like me to feel more comfortable opening up and saying, “Hey, this who I am and if you don’t like it, well f— you.” Kid Cudi’s Ted Talk that recently came out was the most inspirational thing I’ve watched in a while and made me believe in myself that much more. I will forever support and love him for that.
Can you give us names of some artists we need to check out that we maybe haven’t seen yet? Who are you listening to the most these days?
You need to check Frisco LaRoche – he’s a close friend of mine and he’s performing at the festival as well. He has some very, very dope music coming out soon. The whole lineup for the festival is filled with talent. I’ve been listening to a lot The 1975. Their newest album is amazing. I would love to work with them. Daniel Caesar is a very dope artist from Toronto. London O’Connor is friend of mine and his music is like nothing I’ve heard in a while. I hope to work with him soon. Tame Impala is so so sick. And SELF – he’s an artist from my hometown who is slowly but surely becoming something very special. He’s also a good friend of mine.
Where are some of your favorite places to play and why?
I love playing in Greensboro because I get to see old friends and family. So it’s always a fun time when I get to go back. I loved performing in New York last year – it was so sick. The fast-paced living, the food, the people. It just feels good to be out there everytime I go.
What do you think is the most perfect song ever written and why?
That’s a really hard question. There’s only been one song that ever made cry and that’s J. Cole’s “Breakdown.” It was a very deep song and it just resonated with me so well. I also think Daughter’s “Medicine” is so simple, but the lyrics are so straight forward and melodic. It’s just a beautifully written song but I could never forget Kid Cudi’s “Man on the Moon” – that’s a song I will forever love.
If you could collaborate with one other MC and one other producer ever, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
I mentioned him a lot – Kid Cudi, man. I see so much of myself in him, it’s ridiculous. That could sound a bit pretentious, but I do. He inspires me so much. He touches a lot on loneliness, drug abuse and depression things he’s dealt with and a lot of other people have as well. Being honest and genuine means a lot to me in music and he shows that. I also can’t forget Pharrell Williams, the pioneer of pushing rap forward as a culture and genre. That man is a genius! A lot of people today don’t know what they’re supposed to like in music, and that’s because of the lack of knowing if it’s genuine or if it is just another mainstream moment. It’s kind of sad, honestly.
And finally, what can we expect from your set at Anchor Fest?
You can just expect fun, good vibes, smiles, dancing, energy, and I always have surprise at the end of every show I do. So everyone is in for a treat!
Because “Jam” is the new “Fest.”
