“Try to reach out to people, you’ll never know what opportunities arise from reaching out to people,” says sKarm.
Philip Pacheco doesn’t look like the stereotypical rap artist. No tilted hats, no gaudy jewelry, not the type to wear flashy sneakers. In other words, sKarm lets his work speak for himself. Lyrically always on point, with beats that match the soul of the man delivering the rhymes, sKarm has been a name that’s been circulating in the Philippines for over half a decade. With a good number of songs released, a solo album, a collective album with his group, The Pharm, and recognition as one of the country’s best battle rappers, sKarm has always shown that he has so much soul. Some could liken him to Jay Z protégé, J. Cole, or even conjure up images of Eminem, but the man is more of a force of his own. Witty and lyrically playful, sonically diverse and creative, he has crafted a sound of his own, and in this exclusive interview with MNL Online‘s Daryl Lim, we delve into the mind of the mad genius named sKarm.
Which artists made you fall in love with rap? Why them?
I loved Nas for his flow and lyricism. Dj Premier for the head nod beats and Guru for his monotonous never boring style. Guru’s content is what carried him as an emcee. Atmosphere, for the way he story tells and showcases emotion. He basically raps like “Here are my scars, aren’t they beautiful?” Eminem for his raw, rugged, battle, don’t give a f**k skill.
What was your thought process going into this new album?
It’s a miracle for one of your idols to produce for you. Anitek is mad amazing and it’s an honor to rhyme on his beats. This is the first time I don’t have to make the beats myself. So when you say thought process, I basically have notes all the time. Anytime inspiration comes along, I suddenly find myself in the corner trying to get in the zone. Anitek has given me insight to my style and what we both envision for the album. Reaching our expectations is somewhat the everyday challenges I’ve been facing so far as a writer. It’s been mad fun.
Tell us about your recording process for this new album.
Anitek sends the beats. I record vocals in my studio and mix. I send it back for Anitek to double check. He sends me his comments and we master from there. Right now, when I can’t find inspiration, I perform the old songs in front of a camera. I don’t know why I never did before but I think that’s one point I missed out on, attaching a face to the art. I definitely won’t forget to do that for the new album. It’s gonna show a story line of how the music has evolved.
Tell us about the people you worked with.
There’s too many. More than your fingers can count. Lately though, watch out for our songs with Curtismith and Rhxanders.
Why stay independent?
Not a choice. I’m open to anything and will not dismiss any label. As long as the deal makes sense, why not?
Tell us about your view on Industry Rule #4080.
It’s an old school ideology. Sure, you have record labels that take more than what they should be getting but there are labels out there that do it right. Your mind should not just accept what you hear your peers say. Do your research and realize everywhere you go, it’s just a rat race. If you want to be different and prove that it’s not? Then show the world it’s possible. Quit hating about it cause there’s politics everywhere.
Stuck on an island. CD player. 5 CDs. Tons of batteries. No help foreseeable. What five albums are with you?
Illmatic by Nas.
God Loves Ugly by Atmosphere.
Moment of Truth by Gangstarr.
Best of Billie Holiday.
Best of Nina Simone.
Your point in the Best Rapper Alive goes to?
I don’t have a best rapper overall. Stylistically maybe, but this topic doesn’t really linger in head. There are too many amazing artists out there.
Three artists outside of rap that influence your creative thought process.
Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Nipsey Russel.
How did you end up working with Anitek?
I messaged him and asked for a beat for my collaboration with Curtismith and Rhxanders. He ended up loving the video I sent him when I flowed to one of his beats and right there! He asked if I was down to make an album with him. Crazy story. Lesson is, try to reach out to people, you’ll never know what opportunities arise from reaching out to people.
Are there any artists you would want to work with that you haven’t yet in the past?
Dreaming of working with Nas and Atmosphere, but, realistically, for 2016: Ron Henley, Shadow Moses, Macky Brilliantes, Artstrong and Dash Calzado.
We all know Hip-Hop has always come under fire for so many reasons; materialism, misogyny, fake braggadocio…how would you defend the culture and proliferate its true message?
By continuing to create and contribute to the genre. As long as people have mouths, hate and praise will always be there. People sometimes get lost in the discussion and forget to just create. I’m going to master my craft and let everyone else do the talking. Not my job to interpret the art, it’s my job to create.
Lastly, do you have a target date for your new release with Anitek? And where can we find more of your older work?
No target release but for sure before August. For my older stuff, you can find sKarm – The Collection on Spotify, some new songs on Soundcloud, Pharmer’s Guide to Higher Ground by The Pharm collective.
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