While Isaiah Write doesn’t put much thought into his selfies, that’s a good thing because he can focus all of his attention on his career. A rapper who can carry a tune, Isaiah says of his range, “R&B is apart of my repertoire. For anyone who listened to ’19 Candles,’ they know I could do some conceptual singer/songwriter kind of music. I will make more songs like that later down the road.”
Right now he’s letting the rhymes flow with his latest single “Sixty Shooters.” That’s where our conversation started, but it went everywhere from Nick Cannon to gentrification.
Kendra: Your video for “Sixty Shooters” looked like a lot of fun to shoot, but did anyone from your crew get out of hand to the point where you had to lay down some rules?
Isaiah Write: Nah, my men know how to behave themselves in any situation. We are usually the rowdy bunch when it comes to other things but not when it comes to the music. We are all on the same page to be successful.
Kendra: Speaking of, in rap culture an entourage is typically an essential part of who an artist is. Do you ever give any thought to who you surround yourself within that respect?
Isaiah: I surround myself with my brothers, and close people. A lot of people can come and go when it comes to your life. I stick with my brothers through whatever and people I have known for years. I’m mindful that good productive energy keeps me going.
Kendra: Okay, I was going through your tracks and “Nick Cannon” popped out because Drumline is uh-mazing. Any connection between that movie and this song?
Isaiah: Hahaha, in the song “Nick Cannon” I honestly didn’t know what to call the song. I said that line because it stuck in my head. That’s pretty much it, that movie is a real classic.
Kendra: Being in Brooklyn you’re in a place with SO much great food spots. So if you had to compare your style to a Brooklyn eatery, which would it be and why?
Isaiah: If I had to compare my style to an eatery, I would compare it to Jams. It’s like this pricey all you can eat buffet. I have different styles of songs in bunches, so you can get
a little of everything in my music.
Kendra: I also noticed you talking about all the people moving out to Brooklyn and New York City in the past few years. Has that sort of gentrification done anything to damper Brooklyn’s rap cred?
Isaiah: Gentrification is just one of things New Yorkers have to accept because it’s here. It doesn’t damage Brooklyn’s rap cred because we will always have Biggie and Jay- Z but it does affect our music somewhat. Police are in our neighborhoods more because of it and that causes more friction than we already have. The NYPD is notorious for how they treat blacks and Latinos in our communities, people coming from wherever are here, subtlety tryna change our culture. This doesn’t only go for whites. Gentrification of people from the DMV or the south moves up here as well.
Kendra: We’ve got “Sixty Shooters,” but what’s next for you this year?
Isaiah: After “Sixty Shooters,” I have a video coming out featuring Ivy Six Owe and Chuxy Six Owe, I’m apart of their movement called Blocc6. Then my project “NeighborHood Watch” drops.
Kendra: Lastly, here at ZO, we love creativity in all respects. With that, if there was a piece of art you had to compare “Sixty Shooters” to, which would it be and why?
Isaiah: Sixty Shooters would be compared to Larry Rivers’ sinister pop art because this song sounds colorful and this art is a beautiful mix of bright colors.
