What’s your stage name and where are you from?
My stage name is Westcoast P, after a recent name change from my old moniker P Mills, and I’m from District 4. Inglewood, Ca.
What’s the story behind your stage name?
Well really, P Mills was a nickname given to me at a young age by my dad and his friends and later on as I became a teen, I ran wit it and so did everyone else. I changed names because someone else happened to have the same name as me and his work would sometimes get mixed up in my catalog. I became tired of hitting up google and etc to straighten the situation out whenever it happened so one night I decided to come up with a new name. I wanted something fresh that brought me a new sense of life. Something that spelled out my sound, my flow. My past. That’s when I came up with Westcoast P.
Like when I met this one dude last year at the gas station, he was fresh outta jail. When we exchanged names and I told him mine, he stopped for a second and was like, “hmm, that’s a coo’ name that s*** different.”
That right there is why I chose Westcoast P. It’s bound to make you stop and think, just like my music, fashion and the message behind me.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
My music journey has been eye opening. Treating music in general and my own, I’ve been able to use what I do to further learn about myself and life so I could be the best version of myself at all times where the clock is in my control. It can become “lonely” at times but that’s the moment you key in, take over yo destiny, and learn to enjoy what you do.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
It happened before I created the track “L.A. TIMES”. The reason behind the song.
When I was heading home, passing Inglewood on the 405 one windy night at around 7:30pm, and smelled smoke in the air. In the distance, it looked like a fire but I didn’t pay into much attention. I’m made it home and actually ended up going to the homie crib. A little while after I was there I overheard him on the phone talking about an “LA FIRE” . Still didn’t think nothing much of it cus’ you know, I’m chillin’… I must’ve woke up early as f*** that morning around 2am and was just like,”I NEED TO MAKE A SONG.” L.A. TIMES is that song.
I looked into the fires and what not over those next couple days and it was all motivational to me. The first couple days it started I’m like, “f*** a fire, I’m outside for this bread.” Then next thing you know I found myself battling that same thought because the smoke and ash fall became a little too much. It had me thinking about the type of s*** That was in the smoke the city was facing and so fourth. I started ended my days earlier when it came to making money for the better of my health because one of those battling thoughts was my health when I’m 94 years old. Long live Smurf, my brother from another mother.
That’s an interesting experience I don’t even think about putting much thought into though. Making that type of song based off the L.A. fires that just happened. Like how I just woke up so inspired to want to create something. I’m not surprised by me waking up inspired to create, that’s normal. It’s the type of song I made and the topic of the song in which I ended up running with because I don’t write my lyrics anymore. I stopped writing about 100 songs ago. Recorded the rough draft for the song in about 30-40 minutes and the rest was history. A real eye opening moment so to speak.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
Be yoself, stay diligent, and watch it all work out through yo actions by staying proactive. F*** what a hater think.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
One challenge I faced during production is CPU SPACE. Haha, it’s damn near my go to problem.
For real though, Make sure you saving stuff as you create and keep the screen nice and neat. Create needed folders and drop those files where they go. CLEAN YO ROOM and have a couple hard drives for emergency and extra space.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
Dom Kennedy
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
On stage and in yo face. Pushing me further in my zone. I’m already where I need to be. I just need everyone else to see that about themselves. Then you’ll see where I’m coming from and why I do what I do. Just like it’s a journey for the artist, it’s a journey for the listener too. That I won’t forget. I see my music taking me to all the places I need to be to effectively push the foundation. As long as it’s stickin to code, I’m there and all for it.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
A couple white ladies thought I was an actor. Then said, “well you sure do have a good shot at it, good luck.”
Getting an actor role in a movie would be dope. I could see those white ladies vision of me being an actor. That would be dope.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
On YouTube, https://youtu.be/DcDTwR1CHHY?si=cSDaYft706-VNuib
