Westleaf Staff
What's up Leafers? Welcome to the latest edition of On the Rise where we interview upcoming hip hop talent. Today's guest is rapper, Soheemperry. Soheem is a multidisciplinary artist straight out of the Southside of Atlanta. He began creating music at a young age, and cites Drake as his musical inspiration. Soheem's music is dynamic and versatile, as he is a rapper and singer. We can definitely see his style on stages such as Rolling Loud and Coachella. Soheem's been making waves in his city so we had to tap in. Check out the interview below.
Westleaf Staff: What's up, Soheem? Your sound is fly. When did you start making music?
Soheemperry: I started making music somewhere around 05’ or 06’. I remember hearing “Through The Wire” by Kanye West & that was the song that officially made me want to start writing and become a Music artist.
Westleaf Staff: That's dope! Kanye inspired so many of us creatives! What city do you represent?
Soheemperry: Southside Atlanta. Can’t really say a specific city because I’ve lived so many places on the southside. Riverdale/CP (College Park) area for sure tho.
Westleaf Staff: Shout out to Riverdale So how did you create your stage name?
Soheemperry: Well the Soheem Perry part idk it kinda just came to me, but “The Womanizer” man honestly at this point it’s felt like someone I’ve been my whole life, it’s felt like a name that’s been waiting for me patiently until I picked it up, I mean it fits me 100%. My whole entire life has been involving women in some way, I mean I use to be in a profession where women would give me money after they did things & they use to love to do that, it was never any aggression or force behind it they just loved being around me and sharing energy with me, they wouldn’t leave even if I asked them to. Even in school or even past that with friends in the past and present I’ve just always been known as being associated with being with a lot of women & I’ve just embraced it, I just think it’s so funny that women have literally blocked me or unfollowed me just because of my name without even giving me an opportunity to explain what it really means or why that’s my name, they just take the definition that the dictionary says and just kind of run with it but The Womanizer is a man who understands women to a higher level than the average man, and can make women feel things that the common average man can’t make them feel, I’ll leave it at that.
Westleaf Staff: Nice. That's a different take on the name. It's definitely unique. So how did your early life shape your interest in music?
Soheemperry: My early life was full of music for sure. I always use to hear it a lot on the radio when I would be riding in the car with my mom, a lot of 90s’ music for sure, and as I got older my brother's Pops put us on a lot of older artists like The Temptations, New Edition, Michael Jackson, artist in those eras. So those artist didn’t really shape me as an artist but those are my earliest memories of really hearing music for real.
Westleaf Staff: That's so cool! I see music runs in the family. So who is your biggest Musical influence?
Soheemperry: I would definitely have to say at this point it would be Drake, I mean it’s so many different pages that I’ve taken out of his book, I mean almost to a flaw, any argument that I ever had about music I always immediately put him in that. To me just his versatility for starters is unlike anything we’ve ever seen with any 1 artist. I mean there’s been a lot of artist who have come and go that have done a lot of different and amazing things but I don’t think we’ve ever really seen someone go from 1 type of record all the way to a whole other vibe on another record and it all still sounds natural & feels good to hear. He in my opinion was like the first artist to really be respected equally as a singer and a rapper. I think so many artists have tried to do both but they’ve all been kind of forced to pick a side & he was kind of the first one not to have to do that and still be equally accepted for both singing and rapping. Along with that just the longevity and consistency that he has had in our game is beyond his time & it’s just an amazing thing to watch and learn from.
Westleaf Staff: Drake is a legend! Next question! What's been the defining moment in your music career thus far?
Soheemperry: I would have to say my grandmother/mother just passed away a few days ago actually and that was a hard blow for sure, so I would just have to say that really would be the most defining moment because with her being gone has really kicked my drive into an even higher gear than what it already was & now I have like this extreme more intense layer of confidence and pride that I move and rap and perform with so I would have to say definitely her passing would be the defining moment in my career.
Westleaf Staff: My condolences to you, brother. You are definitely making her proud.
What makes you a unique artist?
Soheemperry: I would most definitely have to say my versatility, that’s something that I really pride myself on. I really am just as great a songwriter as I am an artist, so that's also something that I really challenge myself on and really give myself a lot of credit for. My ability to not only perform and record so many different vibes but also to write so many different types of songs that all sound amazing but feel very different. I mean I can go from Rockstar Trap, to R & B, to Afrobeats, to like a house type vibe, I mean I damn near can do it all & again it sounds natural.
Westleaf Staff: I love that answer. Your sound is super versatile for sure. So what does art mean to you?
Soheemperry: I would have to say to me art comes in several several forms, being physical art, or music, or dancing, or writing, swimming etc. I mean to me art is anything that a person can produce that they're passionate about it to the point to where it’s really good and it flows and they feel natural about doing it. I mean even talking to someone is an art, almost every aspect of life can be considered art especially if a person can make it look really good & also make it feel natural.
Westleaf Staff: True! That's deep! Where do you see your music career going over the next few years?
Soheemperry: I honestly feel like with the right type of buzz I’ll be one of the biggest artist that our game has ever seen, I mean I got the writing side of things down, I have the image to compliment my music, and I can also go so many different ways with my sound. I don’t have to make myself feel like I’m in a box.
Westleaf Staff: What impact did your grandmother have on your life?
Soheemperry: She definitely had the biggest and most significant impact on me more than anyone else in my life mostly because she’s basically been there literally from the beginning all the way to her end. When I say from the beginning to her end I literally mean that. I mean the list goes on and on in reference to what she has done & who she has been for me. I mean anybody that knows me knows she is single-handedly the most important person in this entire world to me. I mean I could just start when I was like 14 or 15 and she bought me a Apple IMac computer with the little built in mic in the back and I would go and find instrumentals & just record and record on it. I think I made like 100 songs. I mean just things like that boosted my confidence as an artist to be where I am now. She also saved my life and got me a private attorney on some shit where I really could have been fucked up & if it wasn’t for that I’d prolly still be locked up. I mean it’s hard to just break it down to one paragraph but she was my heart and for the rest of my life it’s all about her.
Westleaf Staff: You discuss Kevin Samuels a lot. What is it about him that makes you connect with his message?
Soheemperry: Man Kevin Samuels was a real Goat man, I mean a real one. I really hate using that word nowadays because it’s so wrongly used in our culture and everyone gets called a goat but man Kevin Samuels was special, I mean that guy was literally changing the perception of so many different things in our entire culture. I mean it was grown women, younger women, teenage girls calling into his show to get advice, to be guided, to be uplifted. I mean he was almost like a father to thousands of people, like that older male figure that could sit you down and give you the raw truth, and say things that everyone else was scared to say but he still spoke his mind regardless of the ridicule. He really got a lot of much needed conversations started especially in the black community that needed to be discussed and he will be well missed. What a legend.
Westleaf Staff: Dope! I can definitely see your perspective! I wish you much success! Before we go, describe music in three words.
Soheem Perry: Art, experience, passion.
Follow Soheemperry:
Instagram: @soheemperry
