Artist Introduction
What’s your name and where are you from?
ACT-1 from Queens, NY
What’s the story behind your stage name?
I’ve been rhyming since I was 13 and my rap name was always ACTS? – it was a name created during the 90s when rapper names were similar to graffiti tags and didn’t really need to MEAN something. But over the years I grew out of the name, and was tired of answering questions about it, so in 2020 I changed my name to ACT-1 (all caps), which still looks like an old school graffiti name and still includes some part my original name, but seems to resonate with people better. Writing it in all caps serves two Easter egg purposes – a tribute to MF DOOM, and, since I’m a life-long Star Wars fan, it makes it look like a droid name (R2D2, C-3PO, etc)
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
Born and raised in the Mecca of hip-hop, during the golden era of the 90s. Gave up rap around 2009, but never lost my passion for it, so came back to making/releasing music in 2018. Now just trying to navigate the modern era and elevate my game and my art to the next level, on a bigger stage.
Fan Engagement
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
My upcoming album has been almost entirely finished for some time now, and the new single “SUCKAZ” wasn’t even originally supposed to be on it, but the entire song came together in a matter of hours, from me finding the beat, reaching out to The Bad Seed for the feature, him getting the verse back to me – it all happened in the same day. I woke up that morning not even knowing this song existed and by bedtime that night I had sent it off to my engineer for mix. Some of the songs in this project I have tweaked and thought about for years, but music is most enjoyable for me when it comes together spontaneously like “SUCKAZ” did.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
I used to make music with no real message, honestly. Just battle raps and funny punchlines. But that’s changed a bit in the last 5 years. I’d say now, the message of my music, is that life is hard struggle and this world is a harsh place, for everyone. Not just you. So if someone hears what I say on a record and can relate to it, and that provides them some relief or consolation or some motivation to work on their mental health and feel better long-term, that’s a beautiful thing.
Behind the Music
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
When you work on a project over the course of a couple years, so many things can change. Your voice, your mental state, your health, your recording set-up…so piecing together years of work and trying to make it sound like one consistent tone/message/sound quality is challenging. Luckily, my engineer is a genius and he does his best to help me hide the seams.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
Black Thought, for no other reason than I believe he’s the greatest emcee to have ever lived and I’ve been trying to write like him since I was 14 years old. Being on a song with him woukd mean more to me than a Grammy, or a sold-out show at MSG….that would be the ultimate validation moment for me. I could retire after that and I’d never have a regret.
Future Aspirations
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
Onward and upward. I’ve grown my artistry and my audience so much since 2020, but I’m just getting started. Still so much to do, so many benchmarks to hit and bucket list accomplishments to achieve. To quote my homie Sankofa, as long as I’m having fun and making music with my friends, I’m gonna keep going.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
To finally release my new project “Shit That Keeps Me Up At Night” and see where it takes me. Do some touring to support the music, get as many people to hear it as I possibly can and see what doors it opens and opportunities it brings. For a rapper, your latest work is your shiny new business card. Now it’s time for me to start handing my business card out around the industry and see what it brings.
Recent Work & Contact Info
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
Search ACT-1 on all streaming platforms or follow me @almightyact1 on IG, TikTok, YouTube.
What is the best way to contact you if fans want to give feedback or if other artists/producers want to collaborate?
I’m pretty active on IG. Follow me @almightyact1 and DM me if you wanna work.
