Marcato

Damn!  It's been a while hasn't it?  I'm really glad to be back writing for FRNDY LMRN.  I wanted to hold off on releasing this article because I knew all of the big things that were ahead for the person I'm going to write about.  I wanted to incorporate everything for you guys in this piece so here we finally are.  Please allow me to introduce my longtime friend and latest interviewee, Marcato.

Meet Prince Nasir Dean, better known by his stage name, Marcato.  Nas is a budding music producer based out of Miami, Florida.  We have known each other since we were about six years old through our mothers.  We spent our adolescent years running the streets of Atlanta.  When Nas moved to New York in 2011, it was a huge change for the both of us.  A few years later, he relocated back to Miami and has been living bi-coastal ever since.  

Growing up, Nas was always involved in the music industry.  His father is the super successful music producer Swizz Beatz, so of course his musical influence is apparent.  Over the past few years, Nasir developed his musical passion and is currently on the journey of becoming a staple in the music business.  What I admire most about Nas is his relentless grind and passion to make it on his own.

Nas has gained tons of success in the last few months.  He received several hit placements with various recording artists throughout the nation!  Furthermore, Nas produced his first hit on IDK's latest single, "Star."  At the end of June, Nasir came to Atlanta to develop his music with several heavy hitters in the industry such as Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd, Rick Ross, Kodie Shane, Gwen Bunn, Black Metaphor and more.  Recently, Nas joined the A&R team at Epic Records!  I can truly say that as both a friend and his publicist, he is only going to the top from here.

While Nas visited Atlanta in June, we sat down to discuss life and his future.  Check out our conversation below:

JULIEN:  What's the origin of your stage name Marcato? 

NASIR:  The origin of my stage name stems from my self-development and self-discovery.  Marcato is a musical instruction indicating a note, chord or passage to be played louder than the surrounding music.  That's what I feel my music represents.

JULIEN:  What genre of music do you consider your work to fall in?

NASIR:  My sound fits in the Hip-Hop, Musical Theater, and Pop genres the best.

JULIEN:  Who influences you the most musically?

NASIR:  Michael Jackson, Jimmy Hendrix, André 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, J. Cole and Pierre Dutour influence and inspire me the most.

JULIEN:  When did your interest for music initially come about?

NASIR:  I first realized that I was interested in potentially pursuing a career in music when my dad gifted me my first beat machine for my 10th birthday. I didn't know what to do with it at first though.

JULIEN:  Have you ever felt any type of pressure to do music due to your father and step-mother's great amount of success?

NASIR:  No, never.  Truthfully, I feel as if I was born to do this regardless.

JULIEN:  Could you briefly describe your music-making process?

NASIR:  My first step in the process of composing music is constructing the melody, percussions then finally the 808's.  Other than that, a good amount of the process is mental preparation—thinking positively.

JULIEN:  What environment do you produce music the best in?

NASIR:  Everyone's different, but for me, I prefer to produce music in the nighttime and ironically at school.

JULIEN:  How has your sound evolved since you first began producing?

NASIR:  Over time I have unlocked many new abilities by introducing myself to new techniques through focus.  It usually comes naturally when I'm working on my craft alone in the solitude of my quiet time.

JULIEN:  What is your biggest challenge musically?

NASIR:  Currently, music theory is my biggest challenge.  It can be overwhelming to completely grasp.

JULIEN:  Do you ever get stuck?

NASIR:  All the time!  I can't imagine there being any artist who doesn't get stuck.

JULIEN:  How do you get your creative juices flowing when that occurs?

NASIR:  If I get stuck during the daytime hours, I shelf the idea for the night.  I work best at night and try to have a positive day with great vibes and energy.  Usually the outcome at night reflects the energy I put out during that day.

JULIEN:  Which artists would you like to collaborate with? and why?

NASIR:  I would like to work with J. Cole and Travis Scott because their records inspire me.  I listen to them repeatedly to decipher and understand what it is that I like about their particular song.  Music should make you think!  It's going to happen when the time is right.

JULIEN:  What are your favorite songs out right now?

NASIR:  Right now, my two favorite songs are "Kevin's Heart" by J. Cole and "Mo Bamba" by Sheck Wes.

JULIEN:  What is your favorite album of all time? 

NASIR:  It would definitely have to be Metallica's Master of Puppets album.  I listened to it at a very young age—It truly helped develop the love of music I have now.

co-JULIEN:  What is the ultimate direction that you wish to go in musically?

NASIR:  I want to become a music aficionado and leader of the next generation's musical youth prospects.

JULIEN:  Can fans expect an EP from you anytime soon?

NASIR:  Yes!  One is currently in the making, but in the meantime, check out IDK's latest song "Star," co-produced by myself.

JULIEN:  What goals do you want to accomplish within this upcoming year?

NASIR:  I would like to develop my own record label.  I am going to be under Sylvia Rhone at Epic Records, which is huge for me!  I have an amazing lineup of creatives that I'm working closely with.  I am eager to explore and develop the projects.

JULIEN:  In five years, where do you see yourself?

NASIR:  In five years, I see myself in Corsica, France with Scarlett Johansson leading my companies to its highest pinnacle and beyond.

JULIEN:  When it comes to success, how do you define it?

NASIR:  To me, success embodies the inspiration for all generations.  My musical expressions create freedom of the soul from my artistic expression.  That is success.

JULIEN:  What is the best piece of advice that you have ever received?

NASIR:  The best advice I ever received was from my mother Nichole.  She always reminds me to keep an open mind.

Written by Sir Julien George

Photographed by We Own The City

For any inquiries regarding Nasir Dean, feel free to visit Notemarcato.com or email 13th@notemarcato.com.

Elias Becker

In our modern-day society, better known as "Generation Y," social media networks have connected millions of people all around the world.  Instagram, specifically, has been the cause of new friendships and even business opportunities.

Although I've lived in Atlanta full time since the age of 12, between those years I also resided in Miami, Florida.  Due to my sporadic periods living in the MIA, I've gained a significant amount of friends there.  If you are in any way familiar with Miami, you can definitely understand how true the saying "what a small world," is.  Everyone seems to know each other, so for obvious reasons, it is common to have lots of mutual friends.  The funny part is that you initially meet these individuals through Instagram.

Meet Elias Becker, better known as E. Current.  I've known him since I was about 14-years-old through mutual friends in Miami.  At just 18 years of age, Elias has gained a following well over 17,000 and has captured legendary moments on the gram since he was 12.  As long as I have known him he has always been next level.

Becker was born in Germany.  Elias' father, Boris Becker, was once Germany's number one professional Tennis player.  He has won five year-end championships, 13 Masters Series titles and an Olympic gold medal in Doubles.  His mother, Barbara Becker, is an American designer, actress and former model.  So, yes—as you may be able to recognize, talent runs in his genes.  Elias moved from Germany towards the end of 1999 to his current residence of Miami.  I can easily recognize how the city's live and distinct nature influenced his style.

I recently sat down with Elias to get his take on life, inspirations, dating life and find out about his future endeavors.  Check out our conversation below:

SIR JULIEN:  How did you come up with your nickname, "E. Current" ?

ELIAS:  I was on a FaceTime call with my friend Nasir like two years ago.  We were talking about social media and [how] we wanted our online personas to reflect what we had in mind.  Marvel superheroes were always an inspiration to us, so I first came up with "E. Current" to be an off-duty superhero with a secret ability to create waves and currents.  I liked the sound of it, too, so I kept it.  Then, as time went on, I thought of it as being in the flow or progression of a person.

SIR JULIEN: I know tons of people who love your style.  Who inspires you when it comes to expressing yourself through fashion?

ELIAS:  I think that my family really helped me find a way to express myself the most.  But in fashion, I was influenced as a kid by Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Odd Future and ASAP Rocky.

SIR JULIEN:  What are your favorite clothing lines right now?

ELIAS:  I like a couple of lines.  Sacai, Heron Preston, and Juun J are some, just to name a few.

SIR JULIEN:  What is the most exclusive piece that you own?

ELIAS:  My favorite piece right now are my grills from my homie Jonathan Raksha.  Those are so cold!

SIR JULIEN:  Would you ever consider dropping your own merch line or E. Current collection?

ELIAS:  Yeah, I'm actually working on a fashion, film and music collective at the moment.  It's expected to drop later this year.  Stay tuned.

SIR JULIEN:  What is most important to you when it comes to dating in Miami?  I know it can be difficult.  Do you have any advice for anyone?

ELIAS:  I'd probably suggest not getting mixed up in all the pointless drama and try to find someone that you feel comfortable with all the time.

SIR JULIEN: Do you sometimes feel like people expect you to follow in your father's footsteps as a Tennis player or are they pretty much supportive of whatever career path you choose to take?

ELIAS:   People who don't know me usually expect me to do something in the sports world.  [Although] I really love sports, it isn't a passion of mines.

SIR JULIEN:  What is your passion then?

ELIAS:  My life passion is filmmaking.  I really feel comfortable and at home when I'm writing scripts and directing my own films.  I'm not sure yet what I want to do as a profession, but it has to be in the film industry.  Whether it's in the way of art, directing photography, being a director/producer, or maybe even acting would be cool.

SIR JULIEN:  So, I know you're a big fan of Los Angeles.  Would you ever consider to move there in the near future?

ELIAS:  I'm going to university in London next year, but who knows where I'll be after that.  Maybe I'll stay or go to New York or LA for film school.  We'll have to wait and see what my future holds.

SIR JULIEN:  How do you want to be remembered?

ELIAS: I want to be remembered as a compassionate and giving person.  My ultimate goal is that my work serves as a legacy and is appreciated.

SIR JULIEN:  What is the best advice you ever received?

ELIAS:  Never give up and work hard—eventually you'll get to your destination.

Written by Sir Julien George

H.E.R. vs H.I.M.

If you have not been put on to the alternative R&B songstress, Gabriella "Gabi" Wilson, then what are you really doing?

Better known as H.E.R., the SoCal born singer/songwriter is currently signed to RCA records.  She released her debut album, H.E.R. Volume 1 on September 9th, 2016, featuring hits such as Focus, Losing and U.  Fans took a liking to H.E.R.'s style of anonymity and soulful sounds rather than her actual appearance.  Due to the unexpected amount of success from her initial EP, she was mentioned on iTunes' Best of 2016 R&B/Soul Albums list.  Furthermore, the track, Losing, made the cut on iTune's Best R&B Soul Singles list with over seven million Youtube views!

In October of 2017, H.E.R. released her second album, H.E.R Volume 2.  The project included included "Best Part" featuring Daniel Caesar, which immediately went viral earning her the support from celebrities such as Usher, Alicia Keys, Bryson Tiller, Kylie and Kendall Jenner and so many more.  Rihanna even posted a clip on her Instagram listening to H.E.R.'s hit, Focus.  Rolling Stones said that H.E.R's debut album "shows off her rich, velvety voice and diaristic lyrics about love, pain and all the emotions in between."  At this point in her career, it is safe to consider H.E.R. as an accomplished underground sensation.  That is until H.I.M. surfaced.

Meet the Queens, New York native H.I.M, an acronym for Her In Mind.  The singer is equally as mysterious and deliver the exact smooth sounds as H.E.R.  His debut album was marketed and mastered very well.  The idea of a male version of H.E.R was pretty genius.  H.I.M's career officially began in 2016 when he released his debut album, H.I.M Volume 1, only about two months after the release of H.E.R Volume 1.  The world immediately went berserk, in a good way.  Fans started to suspect that these two similar sounding artists were secretly and item, communicating with one another through their music.  H.I.M and H.E.R's album covers, musical styles and song titles were related.  One fan even tweeted, "When you find out that H.E.R and H.I.M have been communicating through their songs."  

This felt like a revolutionary Romeo and Juliet love story.  The only issue that stood in the way was that the two were not communicating with one another.  In fact, H.E.R has never even met H.I.M.!  He actually stole her entire concept and did it quite well.  Spotify said that H.I.M. "created a more complete response album than anything that has been made and does it from a genuine perspective."  The world still praises him for his musical style that he completely plagiarized.

Although H.E.R is anonymous, she still is findable.  After doing a diligent amount of research, I discovered her personal Instagram account, @GabiWilsonOfficial.  I went though her anonymous Twitter account and found a tweet dating back from September 23rd, 2017 that seemed to be subtweeting H.I.M. for stealing her vibe.  The tweet reads,"It's never cool to copy someone's whole concept and call it a 'response' to try to come up.  Be you!  Be original."

What do you think about these talented songwriters?  Should we be praising H.I.M.'s music?  Let me know in the comments below:

Written by Sir Julien George

The Clermont Twins: From BGC To YEEZY

We have reached an era where social media has become one of the most prevalent platforms in the world. Individuals have gained the luxury to appoint themselves as models, musicians, bloggers, and even fashion designers simply based off their high number of Instagram followers.

Meet Shannon and Shannade Clermont, better known as ‘The Clermont Twins’. These ladies started from a different platform (reality television) but made sure to capitalize on their buzz. The electrifying siblings were introduced to the world on season 14 of Oxygen's Bad Girls Club, where audiences immediately took a liking to them for their “bad girl” attitude and edgy sense of style. Due to a physical incident that occurred during filming, the twins were asked by producers to pack their bags and leave the show. Fans were outraged when they found out that the twins were banned from the popular series.

Since their TV debut, the 23-year-old sisters have gained tons of opportunities, from not only their outlandish antics on BGC, but also their eyebrow-raising Instagram posts. They have gained a substantial amount of social media followers (including an Instagram follow from Kim Kardashian West herself), a clothing line, channeled their inner badass in Future's music video for his hit "Real Sisters," shot with controversial photographer Terry Richardson and even participated in Kanye West’s YEEZY season 6 Campaign. Yes, you heard that correctly. YEEZY.

I think it's officially safe to say that these twins are only going up from here.

Written by Sir Julien George